When you first hear that you have diabetes, you feel a twinge of fear. You begin to think, ‘Oh no, I’ll never get to eat anything decent again.’ No more potatoes, rice, confectionaries and sweetmeats. Alas, even the morning cup of tea will have to be without sugar. And if you feel this way, you are not alone.
Even though many people and physicians still view the diabetic diet in the old light, recent research has established that there was absolutely no basis to following the restrictive, complicated, archaic diet regimens prescribed in the past.
A healthy eating plan is the cornerstone of diabetes management. Remember to:
n Stick to a schedule: Eat three meals a day and two midday snacks. Be consistent in the amount of food you eat and the timing of eating. This will help keep your blood sugar at a consistent level.
n Avoid useless calories: Sweetmeats, candy, cookies and other sweets are not forbidden. But because they have little nutritional value, eat them in moderation.
n Focus on fibre: Eat a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, beans and whole-grain foods.
n Count your total calories: Even if the surplus calories come from a healthy food source, they get converted into fat inside the body. That swells your weight, increases LDL cholesterol and may jack up the blood sugar.
The writer is Senior Specialist, Safdarjung Hospital and Professor, VM Medical College and a well-known columnist