A healthy diabetic diet is a quest many diabetics seek. They know they need to eat the right type of aliments so they search for the proper diet to fit their needs. That diet includes a nutritional balance of the major food groups along with cutting back on saturated fats.

Proper diet for diabetics, sometimes called the “TLC” diet consists of

? Total fat consumption between 25-35%

? Saturated fats less than 7% of total daily calories

? Polyunsaturated fats from margarines and vegetable oils up to 10% of total daily calories

? Monounsaturated fats from plant oils and nuts up to 20% of total daily calories

? Carbohydrates between 50-60% of total daily calories

? Protein should equal 15-20% of total daily calories

? Cholesterol less than 200 milligrams per day

Diabetics have a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, and other diseases relating to small blood vessels. Controlling the blood pressure and limiting fats in the diet help to reduce the risk of complications. Limiting the amounts of saturated fats and at same time increasing the amount of exercise lowers the bad LDL cholesterol. Medical studies show that diabetics following this method have reduced risks of death when a heart attack occurs.

The use of artificial sweeteners added to foods and liquids do not add more carbohydrates to the diabetic diet. They also reduce the calories in the foods. It is still suggested the diabetic read all the labels on the food to verify that the food does not contain other sweeteners that raise the Glycemic Index for the diabetic. Artificial sweeteners can affect the levels of sugar in the blood.

As long as the diabetic is aware of the contents of carbohydrates, they can adjust their medication to maintain the proper levels of glucose in the blood. Some artificial sweeteners have calories and do slightly increase the sugar in the blood. Their consummation in large scale tends to cause diarrhea and gas.

Diabetics need to eat a wide variety of food groups. They should include fruits, vegetables, proteins, and meats to have a balanced diet. They need to eat the right amount of calories to maintain a healthy body weight. If you are diabetic try to eat high fiber foods such as whole grains, fruit, and cereal. It is crucial to only eat the amount of calories you can burn each day to avoid excessive weight gain that leads to other health complications. Studies have shown that increasing the amount of fiber in the daily diet reduces the blood sugar and cholesterol levels allowing for proper weight for the diabetic.

It is extremely important for the diabetic to eat a healthy diet and exercise to reduce the complications related to their disease.

Finding out that you have type 2 diabetes can be shocking, and living with it will be different from what you were used to. It means that you no longer have the luxury of eating whatever you would like. Managing your disease will require learning a lot about diet, nutrition and your own body. You are also going to have to get into the habit of testing your blood glucose levels as often as your doctor recommends. Smokers with diabetes should definitely think about quitting to prevent further complications. Most importantly, making an effort to lose weight can drastically reduce the symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

But on the upside, there are millions of people successfully managing their condition. Living with diabetes is far from a death sentence, as long as you stick to the plan worked out by you, your doctor and a dietitian. In fact, many people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and work diligently to take control of their health find themselves feeling better than they ever did. And many who take their diet and exercise seriously end up going off medication altogether.

Diabetes is caused by your body’s failure to produce insulin or use it as the body should. Insulin is a compound that allows the sugar in your blood to become energy your cells can use. If your cells reject the sugar, or glucose, due to lack of insulin, over time the glucose builds up in your blood and damages your blood vessels, eyes and nerves. It can cause poor circulation, stroke and kidney failure. Controlling your diabetes means that you monitor your blood glucose levels to keep them at the right level all the time.

This is where the blood glucose testing comes in. By self-administering the test throughout the day, you can begin to see how your body reacts to the food you eat and the amount of exercise you get. As you get to know your body better, you can adjust your food intake and activity levels to hit your ideal blood glucose level. Taking these steps prevents your blood sugar from swinging too low causing hypoglycemia, or climbing too high and causing hyperglycemia.

If you are living with diabetes, you will probably have a hypoglycemic episode at some point regardless of how well you are taking care of yourself. Low blood sugar might cause you to get dizzy or disoriented. You could suddenly become very pale and start to sweat. You might even suddenly break down and cry for no reason, or even worse, have a seizure. Any and all of these are symptoms of hypoglycemia. Should this happen, you will need to raise your blood sugar quickly. A few teaspoons of sugar in a cup of fruit juice might do the trick, as will glucose tablets or even just candy. You should carry some form of sugar with you at all times.

Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar levels, might be caused because you ate the wrong foods or did not get enough activity. Hyperglycemia can also stem from high levels of stress. Your blood glucose reading will be higher than it should be. Also, you may become very thirsty or need to urinate frequently. High blood glucose levels can lead to a potentially fatal condition known as ketoacidosis, where your body starts to break down fat because it has no sugar. This leads to abnormal levels of ketones in your blood which your body is unable to get rid of. If you start to throw up or have a hard time breathing, contact your doctor.

Now that we’ve covered the benefits of exercise for those of you who have diabetes, let’s talk about which exercises will allow you to reap the most benefits.

Aerobic exercise is any exercise that raises your heart rate for an extended period. Don’t have a heart attack just yet. I’m not talking about jumping around in tights and a little thong leotard with your heart about to pound its way out of your chest. I’m talking about moderate exercise. Keeping your heart rate within a specific targeted range. This will give you the benefit of burning excess body fat, increasing your insulin sensitivity, and increasing your heart and lung function - without beating yourself to death doing it. Start and build up slowly. If it’s painful or difficult, will you do it Probably not, neither would I.

Weight (resistance) training is something that helps build strength and endurance. Building muscle gives your metabolism a boost because increasing muscle mass increases the amount of energy required to support it. Again, don’t freak out, I don’t mean building huge bulky muscles, ladies. Believe it or not, you can build a great deal of muscle and still look lean and feminine.

In a Canadian medical study, over 250 adults (ages 39 to 70 and all with Type 2 diabetes) were followed to determine the effects of exercise on type 2 diabetes. After having complete checkups and participating in a modest exercise routine for one month, they were divided into four groups. One group did not exercise, another only did weight lifting exercises, a third group only did aerobic exercises, and the last group did a combination of weight lifting and aerobic exercises. These four groups were followed for 22 weeks while they exercised 3 times per week. The results of the study showed that all three exercise groups had improvement in their hemoglobin A1C blood tests, which shows the average blood glucose levels from the previous two to three months. Those who did not exercise showed no improvement, while those who participated in both aerobic exercise and resistance training showed the greatest improvement.

It is important for you to understand the risks associated with exercising when you have diabetes. We’ve covered the benefits, now we’ll touch on the potential risks and provide a list of tips and suggestions to follow before you begin exercising.

How much risk is involved with exercising if you have diabetes will partially depend on how well your diabetes is currently controlled. If you have problems with hypoglycemia (see below) keeping in contact with your physician is imperative.

Tips and Suggestions BEFORE You Start an Exercise Routine

• Discuss your exercise options with your doctor. If you are insulin dependent, your insulin dosage(s) may need to be adjusted. Some oral medications may also need to be adjusted if they can cause hypoglycemia.
• Be sure to discuss what the effects of various types of exercise might have on your blood glucose levels.
• Follow your doctor’s suggestions on how often to test your blood glucose before, during, and after exercising.
• Keep a journal of your blood glucose levels before, during, and after exercise. Include what you eat before and after you exercise, as well as any snacks or drinks you have during exercise.
• If you experience any symptoms of hypoglycemia while exercising, stop immediately and have a carbohydrate snack or drink and check your glucose level.
• Have a plan to start slowly and increase your workout length and endurance gradually.
• Buy quality footwear that does not rub or pinch your feet. You may need to take time to gradually break in a pair of shoes before wearing them during exercise. Remember that any type of injury to your feet can be serious.
• Carry or wear some sort of medical alert identification, so if you become sick or injured while exercising, you can receive appropriate medical care.

Remember the symptoms of hypoglycemia, test your blood sugar and treat it when you feel it start, do NOT wait: tiredness, shakiness, feeling confused, irritability, feeling cold or having the cold sweats, feeling hungry, double or blurred vision, any other symptoms specific to you when your blood sugar is too low.