Having a loved one who suffers from diabetes is a problem that can turn out to be quite challenging. The diet of a diabetic has a direct influence on the way their blood sugars will be controlled both in the long and short term. When they are fed some types of food, they increase insulin resistance in the body. This may necessitate increasing the dosage of current antidiabetic medication or changing to more potent but more expensive medication.
Diet is critical to management of diabetes. However, the good thing is that it does not have to be expensive. Simply making sure that one eats the right portions of the right type of food prepared in the right way can go a long way in preventing the complications of diabetes. In fact, simply making sure that the diet is properly adhered to can go a long way in reducing the need for medication. This can in turn reduce the cost of the disease as well as increasing the sufferer’s lifespan. There are some foods that you should definitely serve a loved one who suffers from diabetes, and these include:
Fatty Fish
Most people are skeptical of all types of fat, but fat from fish is beneficial to people especially those suffering from diabetes. The fish that contain the highest amount of such fat include herring, sardines, mackerel and salmon. All these are very rich in EPA, DHA and Omega-3 fatty acids. These have many benefits, including improving the cardiac and neural health. It’s important to get enough of these types of fat on a regular basis as they help in reversing some of the damage that diabetes does to the microvasculature.
Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
Vegetables which are dark green and leafy are very nutritious, with the most prominent nutrient being vitamin C and Vitamin K. These vegetables have few calories and starch, so they don’t affect blood sugar much. They contain many other minerals and vitamins. Examples of dark green vegetables include kale and spinach.
The vitamin C found in these vegetables is vital to diabetics since it’s an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory, both of which are needed by diabetics. These effects reverse the damage done by diabetes. They also raise the amount of hemoglobin in blood. To ensure that one gets all the nutrients they need, it’s important to not overcook these vegetables, since some vitamins such as vitamin K are damaged by too much heat.
Avocado
These have very low sugar, carbohydrates and unhealthy fat, and are thus ideal for diabetics. They are also associated with reducing body weight and facilitate optimization of body mass index. Studies show that they may be directly beneficial in ameliorating diabetes when taken for long.
Eggs
Eggs, particularly boiled, reduce heart disease risk and diabetic damage through several mechanisms. They are anti-inflammatory, reduce insulin resistance, increase HDL and reduce LDL. Recent evidence also suggests that they reduce the incidence of stroke.
At Discovery Village at Southlake, we are dedicated to promoting the health of our guests through evidence-based methods. Our retirement community is dedicated to making healthier the lives of all our guests. Contact us today to find out more about how we do this and to book a tour of the community.
