Diabetes, whether type 1 or type 2, necessitates careful management of blood glucose levels. This article provides a comprehensive overview of dietary considerations for individuals with diabetes, drawing upon resources available in both Spanish and English. The aim is to empower individuals, families, and healthcare professionals with the knowledge to make informed food choices and maintain healthy blood glucose levels.
Understanding Diabetes and Glucose
If you have diabetes, your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from foods you eat. The cells of your body need glucose for energy. A hormone called insulin helps glucose get into your cells. With type 1 diabetes, your body doesn't make insulin. With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn't make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, glucose builds up in your blood and causes high blood glucose levels. Prediabetes means that your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. If you have prediabetes, you are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
The glucose in your blood comes from certain foods called carbohydrates, or "carbs." Foods that are high in carbs include candy and sweets, sodas, breads, tortillas, and white rice. The more carbs you eat, the higher your blood glucose level will be.
The Importance of Diet in Diabetes Management
Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, making the right food choices is an important way to keep your blood glucose at a level that is healthy for you. When you control your blood glucose, you lower your chance of having serious health problems from diabetes, such as vision loss and heart problems. And if you have prediabetes or are at risk for diabetes, eating foods that keep your blood glucose levels healthy may help prevent type 2 diabetes later on.
Individualized Meal Planning
There isn't a specific diet or meal plan that works for everybody. Your health care provider may have you see a registered dietician (RD) or a diabetes educator who can help design the best eating plan for you. To keep your blood glucose under control, you may need to cut back on certain foods and drinks. This doesn't mean that you can never enjoy them. But you should have them less often or in smaller amounts.
Read also: Recipes for Gestational Diabetes
Key Dietary Considerations
Carbohydrate Counting
Carbohydrate counting is a fundamental aspect of diabetes management. The glucose in your blood comes from certain foods called carbohydrates, or "carbs." Foods that are high in carbs include candy and sweets, sodas, breads, tortillas, and white rice. The more carbs you eat, the higher your blood glucose level will be.
Resources such as the "Carbohydrate list: a list used for carbohydrate counting (2 pages)" from the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of Chile and "Nutritional guide to learn to count carbohydrates: this is a pictorial guide for carbohydrate counting (44 pages)" are invaluable tools. These resources, suitable for healthcare professionals, parents & carers and young adults, provide detailed information on the carbohydrate content of various foods, empowering individuals to make informed choices about portion sizes and food combinations.
Healthy Eating and Portion Control
If you have diabetes, it's important to eat the right amount of food every day. Your eating plan will include how much to eat, and help you choose the types of food for each meal or snack. Eating at the right times is also important. You will want to plan for regular, balanced meals to avoid blood glucose levels that are too high or too low for you.
Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol. If you do drink, you should drink moderately.
Resources Available
Several organizations offer resources in both Spanish and English to support diabetes management.
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Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of Chile: This organization provides a range of printed (stories, recipes, infographic posters) and audiovisual resources in Spanish and English. Resources like "Pipe - teaches how to live with diabetes: a children’s drawing book covers what is diabetes, hyperglycaemia, hypoglycaemia, injection and self-monitoring (60 pages)" and "Pipe’s Friends: it covers a range of topics for kids with diabetes including self-monitoring and insulin injections (26 pages)" cater specifically to children and families. They also offer posters detailing the signs and symptoms of Hyperglycaemia and Hypoglycaemia.
Life for a Child (LFAC) in collaboration with the International Society for Paediatric & Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD): These organizations have developed materials like "Healthy eating and carbohydrate counting: Mexican food (48 pages)" and "Healthy eating and carbohydrate counting: Ecuadorian food (48 pages)", which are suitable for teens & young adults as well as healthcare professionals. These resources provide culturally relevant information on carbohydrate counting, making it easier for individuals to incorporate healthy eating habits into their daily lives. They also provide “My Diabetes Diary: a small booklet to monitor blood glucose levels, insulin and carbohydrates (56 pages)”, suitable for teens & young adults, parents & carers and healthcare professionals.
Diabetes Argentina: This organization offers a magazine called "Diabetes team: a magazine (16 pages)".
Hormone Health Network: Provides a fact sheet “What is diabetes? a fact sheet (2 pages)”.
Seattle Children’s Hospital: Provides “Guideline for diabetes management: a fact sheet (6 pages)”.
International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD), Life for a Child (LFAC), International Diabetes Federation (IDF): Offer a “Pocketbook for Management of Diabetes in Childhood and Adolescence in Under-Resourced Countries (60 pages)”.
International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD), Life for a Child (LFAC): Offer a Management of sick days in Type 1 Diabetes: fact sheet (1 page).
Resources for Children and Adolescents
Managing diabetes in children and adolescents requires age-appropriate resources.
Roche: Offers "Diabetes with Wheels: a story for children 0-5 years old," developed by psychologists from Argentina. This resource is suitable for kids and parents & carers.
Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of Chile: Provides "Our student with diabetes: a children fun activity book (4 pages)" and "Our students with diabetes - school: a brochure (2 pages)".
Health Nuts Media: Offers a series of seven short cartoon videos regarding diabetes self-management (~3 minutes for each video).
Diabetes Australia - NSW: Provides a short 12 minutes cartoon video with Professor Bumblebee and Cara who take you to explore the human body to understand the pathophysiology of type 1 diabetes.
International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD), Changing Diabetes in Children (CDiC), Roche, Novo Nordisk: Created “Guide for nursing staff. This is designed to facilitate the education for children and teen with type 1 diabetes 8-12 years old (32 pages)”.
These resources help children understand diabetes in a fun and engaging way, promoting self-management skills and reducing anxiety.
Monitoring and Recording
Self-monitoring is a critical component of diabetes management. Resources like "Self-monitoring diary to record blood glucose levels and insulin (64 pages)" from Children’s Hospital of the Holy Trinity, Argentina, and “My Diabetes Diary: a small booklet to monitor blood glucose levels, insulin and carbohydrates (56 pages)" from FIND, Life for a Child (LFAC) are essential tools for tracking blood glucose levels, insulin dosages, and carbohydrate intake. Regular monitoring allows individuals to identify patterns and adjust their diet and medication accordingly.
Practical Tips for Healthy Eating
Eating healthy to control your blood glucose does take some effort. But the reward is a chance to live your healthiest life with diabetes.
- Plan Meals: Plan for regular, balanced meals to avoid blood glucose levels that are too high or too low for you.
- Portion Control: Pay attention to portion sizes to avoid overeating.
- Read Labels: Carefully read food labels to understand the carbohydrate content of different foods.
- Choose Healthy Carbohydrates: Opt for complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables over simple carbohydrates like sugary drinks and processed foods.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- Limit Sugary Drinks: Avoid or limit sugary drinks like sodas and juices.
- Regular Exercise: Incorporate regular physical activity into your daily routine. Nutrition & physical activity: a brochure (2 pages)Source: Children’s Hospital of the Holy Trinity, Argentina.
- Consult Professionals: Work with a registered dietitian or diabetes educator to develop a personalized meal plan.