Tag Archives: diet

A New Approach to Eating, Mindfulness is very “in” and could just help your A1C and your waistline

17 Tuesday Jul 2012

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How many of us eat dinner in front of the nightly news, or lean over the newspaper while we sip our coffee at breakfast? How many of us walk, talk or drive while eating? The answer is almost everyone. And when we’re finished eating, all too often we realize we ate more than we’d planned. Diabetes or no, overeating is not good for blood sugar control or weight management. But how do we make a change — from mindless eating to mindful eating — when our lives are too busy to stop and smell the risotto?

Read more of my first dLife article: A New Approach to Eating.

How do I manage a good diet during the holidays?

03 Saturday Dec 2011

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Great tips from Diabetes Sisters on eating right during the holidays:

How do I manage a good diet during the holidays?.

  • Try to stay physically active throughout the holidays.  You’ll feel better and have more energy.  And it will balance off some of those extra treats, whether your chief concern is blood sugar control, weight management, or both.
  • Keep your appetite under control.  Skipping breakfast in preparation for the office potluck leaves you so hungry that you could overdo it.  Instead, eat regular meals that include carb, protein and a little fat.  It spreads food throughout the day and keeps your appetite and blood sugars controlled.
  • Balance holiday treats with lower fat, lower carb foods instead of filling up on only “goodies.”  Turkey with the stuffing, raw veggies with the real mashed potatoes, green salad with the fruit ambrosia.  This works on your own plate and when planning a holiday menu.  Every dish does not have to be a major production.
  • Learn the carb values of the holiday foods you love.  Make a plan to fit them in, so you do not feel deprived on the holidays.  Remember it’s a give and take when it comes to the meal plan.
  • Think about your choices.  When offered a high fat or high carb holiday treat, consider whether you really want it.  Are you hungry?  Is it something you love?  Or would you just be eating it because it’s there?  If you save those choices for the things you really love, it will help keep things merry and moderate.
  • If your chief concern is weight or you must limit the amount of carb eaten at a meal to keep your blood sugars under control, use the “plate method.”  Set aside half the plate for salad and vegetables.  Use about a quarter for protein foods and the rest for carbs.
  • At a buffet, preview the whole thing before making any choices.  This helps you fit in the things you want most instead of already having a plateful when you see something you really want.
  • Drink lots of water.  It’s filling and good for you.

 

Working on Chapter 2 of The Smart Woman’s Guide to Eating Right With Diabetes….

02 Friday Dec 2011

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This chapter will focus on the standard American Diabetes Association Diet, the one many of us were told to follow when we were first diagnosed. I’m posting the questions here in case any of my dedicated readers want to share your stories…..

1. What do you remember about the meal plan you were told to follow when you were first diagnosed? (include what year you were diagnosed since a lot has changed in the last decade re: what to eat). What were you told you could or couldn’t eat? Include info on snacks etc.
2. Did you meet with a nutritionist when you were first diagnosed? If not, have you ever met with one or with a dietician? Please describe their recommendations and whether you followed those recs or listened to the advice with a grain of salt….
3. Do you count carbs? Were you taught how to count carbs by a CDE or a nutritionist? If you do count carbs, what is your favorite tool to use and can you offer any advice on the best way to count carbs?
4. Do you follow the ADA’s Create Your Plate (http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/create-your-plate/) recommendation of 45-60 carbs per meal? Can you describe a typical breakfast, lunch or dinner?
5. There are a lot of different approaches to eating right for people with diabetes and in my opinion, food is more then just something to fill your stomach. People are very passionate when it comes to eating right with diabetes, whether its low carb or raw foods or whatever is in the pantry…..For those of you who follow the standard ada meal plan, can you tell me why this has worked for you?
Email answers to amy.mercer@comcast.net

“Best Diabetes Diets” According to the US News Health Report

31 Monday Oct 2011

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Eating right with diabetes is a complex topic. What is the best diet? Low carb, Vegan or the ADA recommended diet? It can be overwhelming for people to figure out what will work for them. That’s why I’m writing my next book, The Smart Woman’s Guide to Eating Right with Diabetes, What Will Work.  While you wait (summer 2012), here are some insights, according to a survey by the USNH report.

Here are the Top 5:

  1. DASH Diet: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, edged out several other diets, in the judgment of our expert panelists. Its emphasis on whole grains, fruits, and veggies matches the sort of nutritional prescription that diabetics frequently hear their doctors recommend.
  2. The Mayo Clinic Diet: eating guidelines and fitness advice are a compelling combination for preventing or controlling diabetes. Its focus is on coaching dieters to develop healthy, lasting habits around which foods they choose to eat and which to avoid.
  3. The Ornish Diet: a good option for preventing or controlling diabetes, experts concluded. It’s low in saturated fat and cholesterol, which matches the guidelines of the American Diabetes Association, and it has been found to lower A1C level in diabetics, indicating a positive impact on their condition.
  4. Vegan- As a diet for combating diabetes, veganism tied with the Ornish and Mayo Clinic diets. Some experts said the vegan diet is a smart option for managing diabetes. It could also help prevent the condition, since it helps dieters drop pounds—and being overweight is one of the greatest risk factors for developing diabetes.
  5. Mediterranean-Experts gave this diet relatively high marks when it comes to preventing or controlling diabetes. Research suggests a healthy Mediterranean-style diet can reverse the metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that can lead to diabetes.

A nice round up of diet options. I’ve never heard of the Ornish diet before so here is a link to the Ornish cookbook and if you want to read the rest of the line up, go here.