Our bodies use the carbohydrates, proteins, fats and fiber that we eat and breaks them down as fuel. Diabetics need all four in their daily diets to maintain a healthy body.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are broke down and turned into fuel called glucose and this fuel is distributed throughout the body to help the heart, lungs, eyes, legs, arms, feet, hands do their job without complications.

Carbohydrates are used by our bodies to create energy and we use that energy to work and play. They include starches, sugars and dairy that are found in the foods we eat Carbohydrate do affect each Diabetic differently, I find that potatoes, corn and peas really make my blood sugar levels go extremely high so, I eat them on special occasion and never together in the same meal.

There are two types of carbohydrates, they are Simple-Carbohydrates that when eaten convert to sugar quickly and can spike blood sugar levels quite rapidly and with the same speed drop your blood sugar levels making you crave more carbohydrates only to continue the cycle, and Complex-Carbohydrates, that will convert into sugars more slowly, level off and slowly be used for fuel by our bodies, and this will allow your blood sugar levels to slowly drop.

Proteins

Protein is important for the development of healthy muscles and strong bones. Proteins are made up of many different amino acids, but the human body needs 22 amino acids to stay healthy, 13 of these amino acids the human body can create on its own, the other 9 amino acids can be found in the foods we eat.

There are two food groups that we can get those 9 amino acids in, grains/beans/vegetables and meat/dairy. We have no problems getting amino acids in the meat and dairy that we eat, however if you are a vegan/vegetarian or just someone who has cut back on eating meats then you need to do a little food combining by eating a variety of protein-filled foods to get a perfect balance of amino acids.

Fats

Fats do not exclusively make you fat! We do need fats in limited amounts to help our bodies absorb vitamins and fats help our bodies to use carbohydrates and proteins more efficiently. You do need fats, but not all fats are the “good-for-you” types of fat.

Good fats are found in Vegetable Oils; olive, sunflower seeds, avocados, sesame, soybeans, Fish; salmon, tuna, mackerel, Nuts and Seeds. Not so Good fats are found in Animal meats and product like butter, cream, cheeses and milk.

Fiber

Everyone needs to be eating more fiber rich foods. It is the fiber in our diet that allows the bowels to function properly, protecting our intestines from problems like colon cancer.

It is important to eat fiber rich foods like fruits, vegetables, oats, oatmeal, and legumes. Including foods with soluble fibers in your diet can aid in the lowering of blood cholesterol levels.

Are you or someone in your family affected with diabetes? Chances are either you or someone you know is dealing with diabetes, or may be considered pre-diabetic. If you have diabetes, more than likely you are very aware how significant your diet is in the management and treatment of your diabetes. Perhaps your diabetes requires you to receive insulin injections to help control the level of your blood sugar.

If you have to deal with insulin you know the importance of the proper dosage and receiving it at the right times.

Perhaps you don’t require receiving insulin however you do require diabetic medication to help you control your diabetes. One way or another you’ve got it under control with diet, diabetic medication, and/or insulin.

Let’s take the treatment of your diabetes a step further. Have you considered exercise as part of the treatment of your diabetes? Once you become aware of how exercise benefits the treatment of diabetes, your approach in dealing with your diabetes may change your life. Exercising with diabetes needs to become a lifetime commitment, one that will all around improve your quality of life.

Exercise benefits in managing diabetes in a number of ways. In fact, exercise combined with controlling your diet, and diabetic medication will not only help you control and maintain a healthy weight, but also control your blood sugar level. Exercising with diabetes improves the use of insulin in your body. It also burns body fat which helps to improve the effectiveness of the body’s insulin.

The reduction of blood sugar is most significant in the treatment of diabetes. When exercising, the muscles need extra energy in the form of glucose. With continued exercise the muscles use up to twenty times the amount of glucose compared to the normal rate. Often times, exercise has such a positive effect in lowering glucose that in some cases where one is taking diabetic medication the need for the medication can be reduced or discontinued completely.

In addition to exercise directly affecting one’s insulin and decreasing blood sugar, there are benefits to your overall health which indirectly improves your diabetic condition. For example, exercising with diabetes reduces stress, improves muscle strength, and lowers blood pressure. It also improves blood circulation and energy level while decreasing risks for heart disease and stroke.

Strength training has shown to be beneficial in the treatment and management of diabetes. Strength training not only makes the muscles stronger, but the muscles increase in size. With strengthening and enlarging the muscle also increases the need for more energy. The larger muscles then increase the ability to absorb and utilize additional blood glucose in order to provide fuel. The more glucose absorbed into the muscles and used as fuel, the lower the blood sugar in the blood.

Incorporating exercise with management of diabetes not only improves one’s health and well being, but it also helps to prevent other conditions and diseases which are the result of excessive glucose in the blood.