Pay Attention to Nutrition

• Diabetics on insulin control may need to reduce their carbohydrates and calories more than a type 2, but nutrition is important in both. If you are on an exercise program, you generally should eat a carbohydrate snack before exercising and always talk with your primary physician or endocrinologist before embarking on any exercise plan.
  
  Diabetics are able to eat most anything, just in smaller portions. Like with anyone trying to eat more nutritional meals, you still should limit meats to lean meats and of course limit sugar. Meats have few carbohydrates, but do have fat. A serving is about 1 ounce and you could aim for 2 or 3 ounces of meat at each meal. Your diet as a diabetic should contain portions of vegetables, fruits, fish and fiber. A 6-ounce glass of tomato juice flavored with celery salt, hot pepper sauce, lemon juice or plain will give you a nutritious snack.
  
  Diabetics have many choices in nonsugary soft drinks, such as the variety of diet sodas and other diet drinks widely available today. Homemade ice tea using a sugar substitute and a dash of lemon will give you some variety of drinks on a daily basis, as will some of the delicious flavored, noncalorie waters available.
  
  

The Diabetic Food Pyramid

• The American Diabetic Association has developed a diabetic food pyramid that consists of six food groups. The largest food group is the grains, bread, starchy vegetables and pasta group, located at and near the bottom of the pyramid. Diabetics should be eating whole grains and portions of these food groups on a regular basis. This may seem a bit contradictory because those foods also contain carbohydrates. What is more important is the portion size.
  
  Carbohydrates are needed to provide your body with energy. You should always be checking your blood sugar about two hours after eating. This will tell you how your blood sugar acts depending on what food you eat. At the top of the pyramid are the fats, oils and sweets. These should be taken in small amounts if at all.
  
  Salads are a delicious diabetic food. A simple tossed salad can be dressed by adding healthy sunflower seeds, a little shredded cheese and raisins along with the cucumbers and tomatoes. Top it off with a little of your favorite low-fat salad dressing.
  
  

Meal Planning

• People who plan their meals ahead are always prepared. When making soups, make enough to place in the refrigerator or freezer for a quick snack or if you are on the run. All you need to do is heat the soup in a microwave, and while it's heating, make sandwiches using whole-grain breads and low-fat mayonnaise for a delicious, nutritious and quick meal that won't be spiking your blood sugar level.
  
  Use your regular recipes. You may need to adapt the recipe a bit by adding skim milk instead of regular milk or sweeteners instead of regular sugar, but it should taste just about as good as your regular recipe.
  
  Most diabetics need to snack at least two or three times a day between meals and at bedtime to keep our blood sugar from going too low (a condition called hypoglycemia).
  
  Snacks are fairly easy to prepare and with some snacks there is no preparation, such as an apple or a half banana. Other snacks need a little preparation, such as four graham crackers spread with low-fat peanut butter. For a sweet tooth, prepare a sugar-free gelatin dish and add fruit such as orange slices and keep it in the refrigerator for a tasty snack.