The American Diabetes Association had estimated that around 86 million Americans suffer from pre-diabetes. Furthermore, in case you don’t make certain lifestyle and dietary changes, this condition can greatly increase your risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, high blood sugar or diabetes is developed in case the body is not able to use glucose adequately. This type of diabetes is known as diabetes type-2. Also, in case the body has insufficient glucose amounts, the person can develop diabetes known as diabetes type-1. Unluckily, if you don’t treat this condition properly, it could result in permanent damage to nerves, eyes, blood vessels, and kidneys. However, diabetes is a preventable condition. In other words, by following a healthy and balanced diet and exercising regularly you can prevent the development of this life-threatening condition.
The following factors can contribute to elevated blood sugar levels in diabetics:
- Over-treating a low blood sugar episode
- Not taking a dose or taking a wrong dose of diabetes drugs
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive stress levels
- A common cold
- Dehydration
- Eating a heavy meal
- Specific drugs, such as steroids
Some diabetes sufferers may not experience any symptoms.
But, in most cases, diabetics experience the following symptoms:
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Frequent urge to urinate throughout the night
- Chronic fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Excessive thirst
- Dry mouth
- Constant hunger
- Extra abdominal fat
- Slow process of healing of wounds and cuts
- Stomach issues
- Recurrent infections
- Difficulty focusing
- Itchy and dry skin
- Nerve issues
- Impotence
The Glycemic Index or also referred to as GI shows the amount of carbs in foods that raise blood sugar levels. Moreover, GI varies from 0 to 100.
In fact, by consuming low-GI foods, you can lower your blood sugar levels as well as help in weight loss.
– Low GI foods
Consider including these foods in your everyday diet:
- 1 cup of broccoli – 10
- 1 cup of walnuts – 15
- 1 egg – 0
- 1 cup of hummus equals – 6
- 1 yellow onion (mid-sized) – 10
- 1 cup of cherries – 22
- 1 cup of yogurt – 23
- 1 cup of cashew nuts – 22
- 1 cup of kidney beans – 31
- 1 Turkey sausage – 28
- 8 oz of tomato juice – 38
- 1 cup of butter beans – 34
- 1 grapefruit (large) – 50
- 1 cup of green grapes – 46
- 1 apple (mid-sized) – 38
- 8 oz of pineapple juice – 46
- 1 cup of peas – 54
- 1 banana (large) – 52
- 1 orange (mid-sized) – 48
- 1 carrot (large) – 47
These foods should be eaten only in moderation:
- 1 cup of white rice – 64
- 1 tbsp of raw honey – 55
- 1 cup of oatmeal – 58
- 1 cup of brown rice – 55
Exclude these foods from your diet because if consumed on a regular basis, they can lead to many serious health issues:
- 2 cups of popcorn – 72
- 1 serving of corn flakes – 92
- 1 rice cake – 78
- 1 slice of white bread – 70
- 1 baked potato (mid-sized) – 85
- 1 glazed doughnut – 76
- 50g of glucose – 100
The Bottom Line is that your daily diet significantly affects your overall health and well-being. It also affects the sugar levels in your blood. Hence, in case you notice any of these diabetes symptoms, consider making the above mentioned dietary changes. Also, keep your blood sugar levels in normal range in order to prevent any other serious health problems.