Sodium and Diabetes
Do you know the recommendations for sodium for people that have diabetes?
Many doctors and dietitians advise their patients to follow the American Diabetes Associations recommendations of no more than 2300 mg per day, and In people with diabetes and high blood pressure, no more than 1500 mg per day.
When you think of the month of February, two things usually come to mind- Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day. But did anyone know that February is also National Hot Breakfast Month?? I bet not.
The popular occasions in February can be filled with high-calorie, high-fat food that makes it hard to stick to our healthy eating goals, but switch your mind frame and think of February as a month to celebrate eating a healthy Hot Breakfast, instead of filling up on calorie-laden appetizers, candy, and chocolate!
Whether or not you are on the Dukan Diet, the Paleo Diet, Weight Watchers or Fast Food only, you are in the power of your own well-being No one can defend your health better than yourself. Not your doctor, not your partner, husband or wife and not your mother. You know your body better than anyone and you cannot neglect the opportunity to feel your best, perform your best, sleep your best and be your overall best person. Clearly it is not easy, yet, the overall effort is well worth it.
Mindful eating is not a diet or fast fix plan. It is not about giving any one type of food up at all. Think about it as really experiencing the pleasure of the food you are eating. Getting every taste bud in your mouth to enjoy the food you choose to eat. That’s right, the food you CHOOSE to eat. So often with diabetes we are scolded for what food does to our BG levels that we begin to view food as “good” or “bad”. Really food is fuel for your body, in any form you choose to eat. Now, that isn’t to say some foods have more or less nutritional value than others, or that you should live on Snickers bars or Pork rinds! You can choose to eat more mindfully though – and with this you may find a sense of pleasure in what you eat, rather than just wolfing down your next meal. You might find you enjoy food a lot more. Or you might decide, halfway through, that your body has had enough.
The best way to make sure you are eating a healthy diet is to prepare your own meals at home. Research has shown that the more you eat out, the more likely you are to be fat. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans get 1/3 of their calories from food eaten away from home. This is almost double what it was 30 years ago. On average, every meal eaten out adds 150-200 calories per day to your diet, which can translate to about 2 extra pounds per year.
Going back to the basics-for a healthier future!
Deciphering myths vs. truths in the nutrition world is challenging enough, but add on top of that the layers of myths that exist regarding diabetes management. It is enough to make one’s head spin! Let’s go back to the basics, or building blocks, to help distinguish the confusion around balancing macronutrients.
We’ve likely all been instructed by some member of our medical team to use, at very least, a multivitamin. Do you comply? Do you think it’s worthless and a waste of money? If you do use vitamin/mineral supplements do you know what your body is getting out of them, how much is actually needed and why?
We have all heard it before- “Eat less, move more”. This is what it all comes down to when trying to lose weight. However, how are we supposed to eat less when portion sizes are about 4x as large in restaurants as they were in the 1950’s? The traditional “Joy of Cooking” recipes that used to serve 4 now only serve 2 and the average food supply per capita is 500 calories more per person than it was in the 1970’s.
Eat your veggies! Great advice from mom. Hands down, vegetables are powerhouses filled with fiber, vitamins, minerals, numerous phytochemicals, and naturally low calorie. Did you know vegetables also contain protein? And carbs. Like many aspects of meal planning with diabetes, different messages are present, depending on whom you spoke with or when you last spoke to a dietitian. I had a reminder of mixed messages earlier this week when I led an insulin pump support group. About 50% of the attendants were counting carbs in vegetables, where the others were not. Let’s start with clearing that message up!
We all get busy and with spring leading into summer it’s likely that our schedules are filling up with places to go, things to do and people to visit.
See these tips to help you while you pack to run out the door for an adventure.