Being diagnosed with diabetes can come as a bit of a shock for anyone. However, that diagnosis does not have to strike you down in despair. Instead, you need to remember that though you will need to adopt a diet for a diabetic, you can manage your disease with just a little bit of effort.
In terms of diets for diabetics, there is no one straight answer as to which one is best. However, nutritionists agree that all individuals with diabetes should follow the nutritional outline of the food pyramid. However, one key component in diets for diabetics is that you need to watch your intake of carbohydrates. Additionally diabetic individuals will want to have a fairly consistent diet from day to day to avoid swings in their blood sugar.
The first thing that you will want to do upon being diagnosed with diabetes is to take a serious look at your diet to see if you need to make any adjustment. There are great resources out there to help you learn everything that you need to do, and the leading one is the American Dietetic Association. They have some really great guidelines that will help those who are just beginning to adjust their eating habits.
Some say you should eat more starch like bread, cereal, and starchy vegetables. However, this is a bit of a tricky area. Yes, you want to have a good and hearty starches in your diet, but they are traditionally made up of carbohydrates that can be turned into sugar. Be careful that you do not go overboard with the addition of starch into your diet or you may negatively affect your blood sugar level.
A diet for diabetic individuals should also be rich in fruits and vegetables. You should aim to eat at least five of each every day. Be creative with this, and find ways to integrate fruits and vegetables into your favorite dishes. If you love stir-fry, then toss in some more colorful vegetables to spice it up.
Diets for diabetics are not devoid of all treats and sweets. They key here is moderation. You are absolutely able to include some of your favorite treats in your diet, but you need to limit how often you indulge in them. Instead of having ice cream every night, you may need to adjust what you are doing to only have ice cream a couple of times a week. Though it may take a bit of an adjustment, eventually you will adjust and your favorite treats may begin to taste better because they will become more of a treat.
In adjusting your specific diet, you may need some extra help, and that is completely normal. If so, you might want to think about sitting down with a registered dietician to help you map out the changes that you need to make in your lifestyle. Dietitians are very proficient in diets for diabetics, so it would not hurt to sit down to get some information from them. Remember, knowledge is power so the more you know the more easily your diabetes will be to maintain.