According to Margaret Shields, MEd, RD, who is a diabetes educator with the Washington University Diabetes Centre, a great place to begin is by losing 10% of your body weight so you improve your blood sugar control and decrease your heart disease risk. Speaking of your blood sugar, don’t get into the bad habit of not testing it! Your doctor or diabetes educator will show you how to get started with a blood glucose monitor and lancets, and it doesn’t have to hurt. Always have your supplies handy at work, and even in your car.
Another pitfall to avoid is not taking diabetic medications at the right time. You need to give your body medications and foods at specific times to balance your blood sugar, and otherwise you damage your body, as well as waste your time and money. This goes hand-in-hand with another tip: don’t skip meals. Though it’s recommended that you lose weight with type 2 diabetes, skipping meals won’t help the process at all as the drop in blood sugar sets off a chain reaction that disrupts insulin levels and blood sugar, and so you’ll just eat more later on. It’s far better for everyone to eat simple, balanced meals.
When it comes to what to eat, emotional eating is a potential pitfall because it affects your blood sugar. If you’re depressed, anxious, or stressed, take charge of these emotions with any number of exercise, medication, meditation, psychotherapy, and deep breathing, and not food. Likewise, stock up on healthy foods and clear your cupboards of junk to avoid binge eating, or drinking too much sugar. Only drink milk or water and limit your juice drinking to half-a-cup. However, when it comes to vegetables you need a wide variety in deep colours of red, yellow, orange and green, because these supply nutrients that support all your body’s functions, especially helping to regulate both blood pressure and blood sugar.
Finally, opt for fish over red meat as oily fish like salmon and tuna are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Otherwise, get your lean protein from chicken and beans. Don’t skip your exercise as this is essential in getting your weight and blood sugar under control. You want to get 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week, and Shields recommends that ‘Just 10 minutes of walking several times a day is good’. Top it all off by making sure you get plenty of sleep (at least 5 hours) because otherwise you disrupt your hunger and blood glucose-controlling hormones. If you’re struggling with any of these pitfalls, contact a dietician, diabetes educator or even your doctor for help.