Type2 Diabetes Diet

Diabetes is a prevalent disease in our society today. As many as 23.6 million people have diabetes and nearly 90% of those have type two. These numbers have doubled in the last 20 years and led to the CDC calling it an epidemic. If you have type two diabetes you know there are several things you must do to manage its effect on your life. A type two diabetes diet is perhaps the most important.

Type two diabetes is the most common form of the disease. One of two things is occurring in the body either the liver is not producing enough insulin or the cells are not making proper use of it.

Type 2 diabetes is a form of diabetes that develops when the body does not respond properly to insulin produced by the pancreas, as opposed to type 1 diabetes, in which the pancreas makes no insulin at all. At first, the pancreas keeps up with the added demand by producing more insulin. In time, however, it loses the ability to secrete enough insulin in response to meals.

When you consume food, the body breaks it down sugars and starches into glucose. Glucose is fuel for the different cells in the body and is taken from the blood into the cells via insulin. Therefore, if the insulin levels are inadequate or the cells are resistant to insulin then the cells are not being fed which can lead to a whole host of problems. There are a couple of ways this is dealt with, one is with medications and the other is diet and exercise.

Probably the biggest dietary change for the type 2 diabetic is cutting sugar and simple carbohydrates out of their diet. Sodas, candy, and baked goods are to be avoided because they pose the greatest threat to the diabetic; hyperglycemia otherwise known as high blood sugar.

Instead of the empty calories to be found in high sugar and processed foods you should eat a diet of nutrient rich foods that provide the necessary health benefits that only they can provide. Fruits, vegetables, and protein from lean meats and nuts are a good place to start with a type 2 diabetic diet.

The other important aspect of the diet for those with type 2 diabetes is how often you eat during the day. Instead of eating two or three big meals you need to be eating five or six smaller meals throughout the day. This helps avoid the big blood sugar spikes that are associated with eating big meals. Eating smaller meals will keep you blood sugars at a steady level which is easier to control.

Type 2 diabetes is controllable through diet and excercise in most cases. One of the most common myths about type 2 diabetes is that their is a special "diabetes diet", when in fact the diet for a type 2 diabetic is really no different than that of the general population, with additional emphasis on controlling weight, glucose levels and mitigating risks for heart disease. Heart disease is higher in those diagnosed with diabetes, so limiting the intake of fats, especially saturated fat, salt, and increasing the amount of fiber consumed through friuts and vegetables, will dramatically decrease the risk for heart disease.

By: Health and Glamour
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