Diabetes and Glucose Management
Diabetes is a 24-7 balancing act between food and your blood sugar. One of the first questions newly diagnosed patients ask is: "What is this diabetes diet I have to follow? What can I eat?" Fortunately, diabetes is not a life sentence to a rigid, deprivation-oriented meal plan and the concept of a "diabetes diet" is mostly myth. The best diet for a person with diabetes is the same healthy diet that's best for everyone.
If you are at risk for diabetes or already have diabetes, you should meet with a registered dietitian. Together with your health-care provider, your RD can help you manage your blood sugar and lower your risk or improve your existing condition by developing a personalized eating and lifestyle plan.
Diabetes cannot be cured but it can be successfully treated.
Diabetes is a condition that affects how your body uses energy, in the form of glucose, from food. People with diabetes have a high level of glucose in their blood. This can be caused by:
- Too little insulin being produced by the pancreas
- Your body not accepting or using the insulin it produces
- A combination of both
People with diabetes need to keep their blood sugar levels within a healthy range. Blood sugar levels are controlled through diet, physical activity and, for some people, medication or insulin injections.
