Diabetes and Carbs!!!

Carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, starches, grains, low-fat milk and baked items. Your carbs should be proportional to the number of calories you take in. This creates a nutritionally balanced diet.

For most diabetics, daily calories should be somewhere between 1,600 and 2,800 per day. The calorie intake at the lower end of this range is for people who are overweight.

Out of these total calories, 45% to 65% should be carbohydrate calories. And at least half of your carbs should come from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat milk. Remember that in addition to providing healthy carbs, fruits and vegetables contribute fiber to your diet.

Aim for two to four servings of fruit, and three to five servings of vegetables per day. This breaks down an ideal diet into these parts:
Carbohydrates: 45% to 65% of calories
Protein: 15% to 20% of calories
Fats: 25% to 40% of calories

Make monounsaturated fats the main type of fat in your diet. These are found in olive and canola oil. They help raise your "good" cholesterol (HDL) to healthy levels. Take in no more than 10% of polyunsaturated fats. Minimize saturated fats and trans fats. They are found in meats and high-fat dairy products, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, and processed, packaged and fried foods.

Something a Diabetic should know about-Dawn Phenomenon!!

In diabetics,blood sugar levels are usually very high when they first wake up in the morning-this is known as dawn phenomenon.So Should you skip breakfast to bring your bloodsugar down?The answer in short is Absolutely NOT.First the reason that your blood sugar levels are so high first thing in the morning is because as morning approaches your body starts releasing energizing hormones to gear you up for the day. These antagonize the action of insulin and stimulate the liver to produce more glucose,even if the glucose level in the blood is already abnormally high.Will eating make it rise even higher? The answer is probably yes, but because breakfast is the most important meal of the day for weightloss and nutritional benefits we must find alternative measures to fight against this phenomenon known as the dawn phenomenon.
Here are a few tips you can try:
1. If you are currently taking any anti-diabetic pills, you can try taking one more tablet before you go to bed.
2.Start checking you blood sugar levels earlier in the morning,at around 6:30-7:003.Try eating a little less food in the evening or maybe even try a little exercise before you go to bed.
3.If you are currently taking insulin you may need an early morning dose with food to keep your rising blood sugar levels under control.Remember if you are currently taking insulin, you need to make sure that you or your doctor monitors your changes - at least until you have your eating, exercise and stress management on the right path.