Category: Health Articles

The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet was developed with more than diabetics in mind. It is a diet that is recommended to people with high cholesterol, heart or other cardiovascular diseases and those that have been diagnosed with diabetes.

This diet consists of a set of guidelines that provide percentage ranges of what a patient should eat from each food group. The aim is to provide flexibility in choices while ensuring that the choices made are helpful to the condition that is being treated. In the beginning it is a good idea to partner with a dietician to ensure the calculations that you are making are accurate and that you are making the best food choice decisions.

The TLC diet provides the following eating guidelines:

• The total amount of fat that is eaten in a day should add up to less than 25-35% of the calories that are consumed
• Of the 25-35% fat intake it should be broken down into the following categories: saturated less than 7%; monounsaturated less than 20%; polyunsaturated 10%
• 50-60% of a day’s worth of calories should be derived from carbohydrates
• Eat at least 20-30 grams of high-quality fiber each day
• The protein consumed should equal 15-20% of the calories for the day
• Cholesterol should be limited and kept under 200mg per day

As the diet is a set of guidelines that do not include the calculations necessary to determine if you are meeting the requirements you should book an appointment with a dietician to understand what you need to do. Once you have been shown how to make the calculations and have been given a sample meal plan you can use those as a template to create many variations of the TLC diet. You can also glean much of this information by reading the food labels on packages.

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On all packaged food that you buy, there is a food label that includes important information to a diabetic. You need to learn how to read them properly and know what the different numbers and percentages mean to you and your diabetic diet. Below is an overview of the basic information you need to know about food labels.

Whether you are counting carbohydrates, are following the exchange diet, or you are on the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet you can increase your chances for success by reading your food labels and understanding what they mean.

The ingredient list is a good place to start before looking at the numbers in the food label. Where is sugar on the ingredient list? The closer it is to the beginning of the list the more of it is present in the food. That goes the same for all ingredients; manufacturers list the ingredients in order of the amount that is in the product. If there are things in your food that do not work well for your blood sugar on the list it should be avoided or eaten in moderation.

Look at the serving size and compare that to the number of carbohydrates is in a serving. Most servings of carbohydrates for a diabetic are 15 grams. If one serving is higher than 15 grams you will have to eat less than the suggested serving size to stay on track with your meal plan.

Sugar-free foods may grab your attention as something safe and yummy to add to your shopping cart. But look at the carbohydrate count first. Most foods that are made sugar- free using artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes have higher carbohydrate counts.

Check the fat content too, look for a low percent of your daily intake and ideally it will be monounsaturated as opposed to polyunsaturated or saturated fats.

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Everyone needs a little help now and then and shouldn’t be afraid to ask for it. A newly diagnosed diabetic may feel overwhelmed with the restrictions that they are faced with and not knowing how to plan meals. The support that is needed is from a dietician or nutritionist. Depending on your goals and weight a dietician can provide you with a meal plan that will meat the criteria of a healthy diabetic diet and help you lose weight.

In the beginning, the concern with a diabetic diet is to make sure you are getting enough food so your blood sugar does not drop too low. You will also want to monitor your levels to look for any spikes in your readings too. A dietician can work with you on this. If you are eating the recommended diet plan and it is not working, you are feeling hungry afterwards or your blood sugar is too high – call your dietician. He or she can work with you over the phone to make immediate changes and schedule an appointment to rework your plan.

Your dietician can also make recommendations on substitutions for your favorite foods that you were afraid you could never eat again. They will educate you on portion sizes too. There really isn’t too much that you can’t have as a diabetic as long as you are planning your meals out, getting exercise and eating in moderation.

Food guides change and your dietician or nutritionist will have the most up to date version. Try and follow it and combine foods as you have been taught by your support team. If you are unsure if something is allowable on your diabetic diet, call your dietician for advice and if you can’t reach them leave a message and hold off until you hear back from them.

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The role of fiber in healthy diets is very important – it aids in digestion and keep your colon and other organs healthy and functioning properly. It is also a wonder element that should be a large part of any diabetic’s diet. You will reap many benefits from including fiber in your diet. If you are pre-diabetic it can assist in delaying the diagnosis of diabetes or if you are already diabetic it can help keep your blood glucose under control.

Fiber will keep you feeling fuller longer – it slows the conversion of carbohydrates in your body which in turn can keep your blood sugars stable. The type of fiber that a diabetic needs to eat to gain these benefits is soluble fiber (dissolves in water). Some good sources of soluble fiber include:

• Choosing whole grain or whole wheat products instead of white (flour, breads, and cereals)
• Eating fresh fruit and vegetables instead of processed or drinking them in liquid form
• Beans, use dried beans in your favorite recipes like chili for a wholesome, high-fiber meal

To ensure that you are getting the most benefit from eating increased amount of fiber, make sure that you are drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. Remember, this fiber dissolves in water and you need to stay hydrated for it to work properly.

If you are on a carbohydrate counting diet and are using 15 grams of carbohydrates for one serving you can increase the amount you are eating if that item has high-fiber content. You can subtract the number of grams of fiber in a serving from the number of carbohydrates. For instance if you are eating an item that has 20 grams of carbohydrates (over the one serving limit) but it has five grams of fiber you can subtract the five from the twenty and it is now only a 15 gram serving.

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There are two kinds of diabetes, type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. The first type is also known as juvenile diabetes and is usually diagnosed in childhood. It is the body’s cells and the pancreas’ inability to produce enough insulin. In type 2 diabetes there is not enough insulin produced for the body or the body is not making proper use of the insulin that is available.

Many studies and doctors have linked an increasing number of people being diagnosed with diabetes to obesity. When a person is obese or very over weight they are overtaxing their pancreas (the organ that produces insulin) and this can lead to type 2 diabetes. Being obese is a risk factor for diabetes but it does not mean you will develop the disease if you are obese. By losing weight and leading a healthier lifestyle you can gain control of this risk factor either by reducing it or eliminating it altogether.

There are other risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes including age and race but of course there is no control over these factors. Studies have shown that over half of the people diagnosed with diabetes are considered clinically obese. People who are obese and work hard to lose weight can better manage their diabetes through diet or oral medications instead of insulin injections. Incorporating a healthy eating plan and regular physical activity will also help to manage the disease.

In addition to being at a higher risk for developing diabetes people who are obese are at an increased risk for other life-threatening diseases too. Namely heart and cardiovascular diseases, it is in an individual’s best interest to maintain a healthy weight for their body type and health in order to reduce the risks to their health. Medical support is available through your health care provider if needed.

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Everyone has their favorite dishes, ones that mom or grandma used to make or new ones that you have discovered on your own. Once you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you may feel that you can never enjoy these dishes again (or not without harming your health). But there are ways that you can change old family favorites keeping the flavor but reducing or eliminating the amount of sugar or carbohydrates they contain.

For most substitutions that you are going to make to your recipes, you are looking for ways to reduce the fat content. Here are some standards that you can use. When your recipe calls for:

• Whole milk try substituting with 2% or 1% instead
• Whole eggs try substituting with an egg substitute or use 2 egg whites for every whole egg called for in the recipe
• Sour cream use low fat sour cream or plan yogurt
• Baking chocolate try using cocoa powder mixed with vegetable oil (3 tablespoons with 1 tablespoon of oil will equal 1 ounce of chocolate)

In addition to the above suggestions, always use light or lower fat versions of ingredients. Sometimes trial and error is necessary to get the recipe just right, but do keep trying the end result will be worth it when you create a cake or other dessert that you love and is diabetic friendly.

Alternately, you can purchase a diabetic cook book that is full of desserts to make that will work with your diet. This way you can create new favorites for you and your family to fall in love with. Don’t feel that just because you are a diabetic you cannot enjoy variety in your foods. Keep trying new things while keeping a close eye on your blood sugar levels to add new foods to your growing repertoire.

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In grade school everyone was taught the food pyramid and the different food groups that make it up. It is recommended for a balanced and healthy diet to vary your diet and follow the food serving suggestions from the pyramid. As adults, people rarely pay as much heed to it if any at all. But once you have been diagnosed with diabetes it is time to take a refresher course on the different food groups.

There is a food pyramid that is available specifically for diabetics known as the Diabetes Food Pyramid. It is divided into six food groups just like the standard version. The way the two pyramids differ is that the diabetic version lists foods together that have the same or similar carbohydrate content instead of the regular version that does it by food groups alone. This lay out makes it easier for diabetics to make food choices based on information that can have a negative impact on blood glucose levels.

Some of the differences you will notice are that cheese is placed in the meat group instead of the dairy group as a protein and the serving size will be equivalent to other proteins in the same group. You will find starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn in the bread and grains section because they act in a similar manner by raising blood sugars.

Another difference is the actual serving sizes, especially in the bread and grains group. A diabetic has to monitor the carbohydrate intake at each meal and it has been found that smaller portion sizes are a good way to manage this.

You can get a copy of the Diabetic Food Pyramid from your dietician, doctor, or diabetes educator. It is a good reference material to have on hand when you are planning your meals.

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The glycemic index diet is one that many diabetics find useful. The diet is based on assigning foods a ranking that indicates that food’s effect on blood sugar levels. This can be a valuable tool for diabetics, especially ones that have been newly diagnosed as it can take some of the guess work out of meal planning and what foods to eat.

The glycemic index (GI) diet indicates foods that have a low GI value meaning they will take a longer time to have an affect on blood sugars and ones that have a higher value – they will act quicker to raise blood sugars. A diabetic is still going to have to use another means to decide what foods to eat though – such as the food pyramid or an exchange list as not all items on the GI diet are as healthy as they could be. Meaning a food that has a low index does not mean it is a better choice for you than some foods that are on the higher end of the scale.

Using the GI diet as your sole source of meal planning is not recommended not only because the values are not indicative of the healthiest choice but also because not all foods are listed. If you are basing your diet on this method and want to add other foods that do not have GI rating you are not going to be able to properly plan. Until more information is researched on the diet or it is made more comprehensive it should be used with an approved diet for diabetics such as the exchange diet or the carbohydrate counting diet.

If you want more information on how to incorporate the GI diet with your current meal plan, consult with your dietician or a diabetes educator.

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The exchange diet is a method of eating that provide diabetic with a set of guidelines necessary to eat healthy. A dietician will help prepare and educate you on the exchange diet – the food groups and what substitutions you can make.

On the exchange diet all foods are divided into six food groups:

• Breads and other Starches
• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Dairy Foods
• Meat and Meat Substitutes
• Fats

Your dietician will provide you with the number of servings you should have from each group daily and at individual meal or snack times. Within each of the categories there are many food options. Each food has a specific serving size that equals one serving, in cases such as fruits and vegetables you probably will not have to measure your foods but for meats and other groups a food scale and measuring cup is recommended.

The exchange part of the diet refers to being able to swap a food in one food group for another in the same group as long as you adhere to the serving suggestion. For instance ½ cup of cooked pasta can be exchanged for 2 rice cakes in one meal. The list your dietician gives you will be pretty complete but there are bound to be items not listed. In that case, you can call your dietician for advice or keep a list of items that you need to know the proper serving size for.

At the beginning the exchange diet may seem like a lot of work, but as time goes on and you become accustomed to the serving sizes of your favorite foods it will become less so. Proper eating habits are crucial to managing diabetes and the exchange diet is a way to eat a healthy balanced diet full of variety.

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There are going to be times when you have finished your meal or snack and you are hungry again long before your next meal is scheduled or right before bed. Depending on how much time you have to go before you are supposed to eat again and what your blood sugar levels are at you may want to move your meal time up or indulge in some free food.

If this happens frequently it is time look at your eating schedule and meal plan. If you have recently added more physical activity to your daily routine, you will also have to increase your food intake to compensate for the extra energy your are using up. If this isn’t the case and you are unsure why your appetite has increased or your current meal plan is no longer working, speak to your dietician to see if there are some revisions that can be made to prevent this from happening.

When you have gestational diabetes, it is recommended that you have a snack before bedtime to tide you over until the morning. It will also be important to have a bedtime snack if you are taking an insulin injection prior to bed so that your blood sugar does not become too low overnight. If neither of these scenarios applies to you, you can have some free food before bed if you are finding that you are hungry at night time. A bouillon (beef or chicken broth) might stave off hunger pangs and allow you to fall asleep.

If you are hungry at night time and your blood sugars are low, do have something to eat to raise your glucose level. If this is a frequent occurrence, you may not be eating enough food at dinner time. Try adding a protein or carbohydrate to see if this makes a difference.

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