Healthy Living & Eating with Diabetes

Here are some key tips to help you lower your blood sugar levels:

Exercise regularly 
Engage in activities like brisk walking, weightlifting, swimming, or dancing to increase insulin sensitivity and help your muscles use blood sugar for energy. Try incorporating short exercise breaks throughout the day, known as "exercise snacks," to prevent blood sugar spikes.Example: Consider taking short breaks every 30 minutes to engage in light walking or simple resistance exercises like squats or leg raises.

Manage your carbohydrate intake
Controlling your carb portions and choosing whole grains over processed ones can help you plan your meals better and reduce blood sugar spikes. Remember everyone is different, monitoring your blood sugar levels will allow you to gage whether your carbohydrate portions are appropriate for you, i.e. Did the carb containing spike your blood sugars or not? Example: Prioritize whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes in your diet while being mindful of your overall carb intake.

Eat more fiber
Include high-fiber foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains in your meals to slow down carb digestion and promote more stable blood sugar levels.
Example: Add a serving of vegetables and legumes to your meals and include whole fruits as snacks.

Drink water and stay hydrated
Staying hydrated helps flush out excess sugar through urine and may lower the risk of high blood sugar levels.
Example: Aim to drink water regularly throughout the day and limit sugary drinks.

Implement portion control
Monitoring your serving sizes can help regulate calorie intake and prevent blood sugar spikes.
Example: Use smaller plates, measure and weigh your portions, and keep a food journal to track your intake.

Choose foods with a low glycemic index
Opt for low GI foods such as whole grains, lentils, non-starchy vegetables, and unsweetened Greek yogurt, as they have a gentler impact on blood sugar levels.
Example: Replace refined grains with whole grains and include legumes in your meals.

Try to manage your stress levels
Engage in stress-reducing activities like exercise, relaxation techniques, yoga, or mindfulness-based stress reduction to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
Example: Incorporate regular exercise, meditation, or deep breathing exercises into your routine.

Monitor your blood sugar levels
Regularly check your blood glucose levels to understand how your body responds to different foods and activities, allowing you to make necessary adjustments.
Example: Use a portable blood glucose meter (glucometer) or continuous glucose meter (CGM) to measure your levels and keep a log to track your progress.

Get enough quality sleep
Aim for 7-8 hours of high-quality sleep per night to support blood sugar regulation and overall health.
Example: Follow a consistent sleep schedule, create a bedtime routine, and limit screen time before bed.
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Remember to consult with your healthcare team, including your registered dietitian, before making any significant changes to your lifestyle or trying new supplements, especially if you have difficulties managing blood sugar levels or are taking medications. By implementing these tips, you can actively manage your blood sugar levels and promote overall well-being.

Cravings for junk food can be a significant hurdle when trying to maintain a healthy diet. While it may be challenging, there are several scientifically supported strategies that can help you overcome these cravings and develop healthier eating habits. Here are some top tips to help you stop craving junk food:

Most importantly, understand the underlying causes: Cravings for junk food can stem from various factors, including emotional triggers, habits, and physiological responses. It's essential to recognize the root cause of your cravings to address them effectively. Keep a food diary to identify patterns, emotions, or situations that trigger your cravings.

Secondly balancing blood sugar levels will drastically reduce overall cravings. By optimizing your meals with a balanced approach you will ensure that your diet not only contains a variety of nutrient dense foods but also eliminate the unnecessary cravings due to cutting out whole food groups. Focus on consuming adequate amounts of lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. Monitor your blood sugar levels, and try to keep them relatively stable avoiding large peaks and dips.

Prioritize protein, fiber & healthy fats: Protein, fiber, healthy fats have a significant impact on satiety and can help control cravings. I like to compare protein, healthy fats and fiber-rich foods to quality long burning firewood, they ensure that you have longer sustained energy release. By including lean protein sources such as poultry, fish, tofu, legumes, and dairy products in your meals and snacks can keep you feeling fuller for longer. Healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, nuts, and seeds, can help you feel full and satisfied. They can also help to improve your mood and cognitive function. Additionally, consuming fiber-rich foods like vegetables, whole grains, and fruits can help reduce cravings by promoting digestive health and stabilizing blood sugar levels.

Stay hydrated: Dehydration can sometimes be mistaken for hunger or cravings. Make sure to drink enough water throughout the day to stay adequately hydrated. Try to drink around 6-8 cups of water per day, but individual needs may vary. Herbal tea, without any additions such as sugar, is a great way to stay hydrated in winter months when one might tend to drink less water.

Plan your meals and snacks: Planning your meals and snacks in advance can help you make healthier choices and avoid impulsive snacking on junk food. Stock your pantry and fridge with nutritious options, such as pre-cut vegetables, fresh fruits, yogurt, boiled eggs, lean cold cut meats, lean biltong, cottage cheese and wholegrain or seeded crackers, air popped popcorn and nuts. When hunger strikes, you'll have healthier alternatives readily available.

Regular small snacks can help: When you're hungry, you're more likely to reach for unhealthy foods. Aim to eat every 3-4 hours, and make sure your meals and snacks are balanced and nutritious. Listen to your body.

Practice mindful eating: Engage in mindful eating by paying attention to your hunger and fullness cues, as well as savouring the flavours, textures, and smells of your food. Slow down and take your time while eating, and try to minimize distractions. Mindful eating can help you develop a better relationship with food and reduce cravings for unhealthy options. Its been said that we overeat, “not because we enjoy food too much, we overeat because we don’t enjoy it enough!”. Take your time with your meals.

Manage stress levels: Stress can lead to emotional eating and cravings for comfort foods, including junk food. The catch 22 is, we tend to feel worse after over indulging in typical “comfort foods”. Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as regular exercise, relaxation techniques, meditation, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy. Developing effective stress-management strategies can help reduce cravings triggered by emotional factors. Get professional help from a psychologist if needed.

Get enough sleep: Inadequate sleep has been linked to increased cravings for high-calorie and sugary foods. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to support your overall well-being and help regulate your appetite and cravings. Sleep deprivation also contributes to decreased levels of leptin, a hormone that regulates hunger and satiety, and increased levels of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite which is likely to increase cravings and contribute to overeating.

Allow mindful indulgence: Completely depriving yourself of your favourite foods can sometimes backfire, leading to intensified cravings and potential binge eating episodes. Instead, allow yourself to enjoy small portions of your favourite indulgent foods occasionally, mindfully savouring each bite. Moderation is key to maintaining a balanced and sustainable approach to healthy eating.

Seek support: Changing eating habits and overcoming cravings can be challenging. Consider seeking support from a registered dietitian, who can provide personalized guidance and help you develop a tailored plan to manage your cravings effectively.

Remember, it takes time and effort to overcome cravings for junk food. Be patient with yourself, celebrate small victories, and focus on making long-term sustainable changes to your eating habits.

As a dietitian, I highly recommend implementing these simple, yet effective, top 5 principles to help better control your blood glucose levels:
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1. Dress your carbs: Pair carbohydrate-containing foods with protein and/or healthy fats to slow down the digestion and absorption process. This will help to slow the rate of glucose rise and keep blood glucose levels more stable. For example, you can try having a slice of low GI bread with some smashed avocado or peanut butter as a fat source, or scrambled eggs as a protein source.
2. Increase your intake of high fiber foods: Soluble fiber, in particular, is known to help lower the GI of foods. It works by thickening the stomach contents and slowing down the movement of food from the stomach to the intestines. Foods rich in soluble fiber include oat bran, minimally processed oats, legumes, citrus fruits, and deciduous fruits like apples, peaches, pears, and plums.
3. Avoid processed foods: The more processed a food is, the easier it is for your body to digest and absorb the carbohydrates, which can raise your blood glucose levels faster. To lower the GI of your foods, choose whole foods and avoid milling, liquidizing, grinding, mashing, and overcooking your carbohydrates.
4. Include acidic foods: Acids have been shown to slow down the movement of food from the stomach to the intestines, which can lower the GI of foods. Incorporate acidic foods like pickled beets, tart fruits such as citrus fruits, and sourdough breads into your diet.
5. Slow down while eating: Eating slowly has been shown to help lower blood glucose levels. This is because slower eating gives your body more time to digest and absorb the carbohydrates, which can help to prevent blood glucose spikes.

By implementing these simple principles, you can better control your blood glucose levels and prevent spikes. Remember, everyone's body is unique, and it's essential to monitor your blood glucose levels regularly and consult with a dietitian to develop a personalized plan that works best for you.

As a dietitian, I find the low GI diet principles to be a useful tool to help patients manage their blood glucose levels. The benefits of a low GI diet are numerous and significant.

Firstly, a low GI diet promotes slow and steady increases in blood glucose levels, which helps to prevent spikes and crashes. This means that people living with diabetes (PLWD) can experience sustained energy levels throughout the day, and improved concentration and performance. Additionally, a low GI diet can enhance mood regulation and promote better appetite control, which can be particularly important for those struggling with weight management.

It's important to remember that the GI is a guideline and not a one-size-fits-all solution. Each person's response to food is unique, and there are a variety of factors that can affect how the body processes glucose, such as activity levels, hormone levels, and other chronic diseases. Consulting with a dietitian is crucial to ensure that  you receive personalized guidelines and appropriate portions to optimize their individual blood glucose control.

Finally, it's important to note that while low GI foods can help you manage your blood glucose levels, it's still important to consider portion sizes. Low GI foods still contain carbohydrates, and overeating even low GI foods can lead to blood glucose spikes. As a general guideline, it's recommended to limit carbohydrate-containing food portions to about a cup size (250ml) portion or no more than two slices of bread or ½ cup muesli.
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Overall, incorporating more low GI foods into your diet can be an effective way to manage blood glucose levels and improve overall health. By working with a dietitian and paying attention to portion sizes, PLWD can experience the numerous benefits of a low GI diet.

More on the importance of portion sizes: 

Managing portion sizes is a crucial part of managing blood glucose levels in people living with diabetes (PLWD). Although low GI foods have a slower and more steady effect on blood glucose levels compared to high GI foods, it is still important to limit the quantity of carbohydrates consumed in one sitting.

It's important to note that appropriate portion sizes for PLWD may vary from person to person depending on individual factors such as age, gender, weight, height, activity level, medication, and other health conditions. This is why it's crucial to work with a registered dietitian who can help tailor a meal plan that's appropriate for your unique needs.

Regular monitoring of blood glucose levels can also help in determining appropriate portion sizes. By keeping track of your blood glucose levels before and after meals, you can get a better understanding of how different foods affect your blood glucose levels and adjust portion sizes accordingly.

Remember, that portion sizes not only apply to carbohydrates, but also to other macronutrients such as protein and fat. A balanced meal with appropriate portions of carbohydrates, protein, and fat can help to regulate blood glucose levels and improve overall health.

In summary, managing portion sizes is an important part of managing blood glucose levels in PLWD. By working with a registered dietitian and regularly monitoring blood glucose levels, you can find the right portion sizes that work for you and optimize your blood glucose control.

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of how fast a particular food raises blood glucose levels. The GI scale ranks carbohydrate rich foods on a scale of 1-100 according to their actual effect on blood glucose levels. Internationally, pure glucose is ranked at 100 since it causes the greatest and most rapid rise in blood glucose levels. All other foods are ranked on the GI list in comparison with glucose. Low GI foods will raise blood glucose levels much more slowly compared to glucose which can contribute to more stable blood glucose control. On the other hand, consuming high GI foods causes a rapid spike in blood glucose levels followed by a sharp drop, which can leave you feeling tired, irritable and hungry. 

TOP BENEFITS OF LOW GI MEALS: 

One of the primary benefits of consuming low GI foods is sustained energy levels throughout the day. This can result in better concentration levels and performance. Stable blood glucose levels can also lead to enhanced mood regulation because you don’t feel as sluggish or irritable. Additionally, feeling more satisfied throughout the day can help you better control your appetite. Consuming low GI foods may also help reduce insulin resistance, which is associated with healthier weight management.

Examples of low GI foods include rolled oats, seeded bread, legumes, corn on the cob, sweet potatoes, citrus fruits and low-carbohydrate vegetables. These foods promote a slow, steady increase in blood glucose levels. On the other hand, high GI foods such as cornflakes, regular brown, white and ordinary whole wheat bread (unless it states “low GI”), potato, mielie-meal porridge, and watermelon can cause a rapid increase in blood glucose levels, followed by a sharp drop.

In summary, opting for low GI foods can have numerous health benefits, including more stable blood glucose levels, sustained energy levels, enhanced mood regulation, better appetite control, and healthier weight management.

Fiber, glorious fiber! It's a vital dietary component that can benefit so many aspects of our health. From cardiovascular health to digestive health, fiber has so many benefits that it's no wonder why I spend a good couple of minutes reiterating the importance of fiber to all of my clients. It's one of my secret weapons in helping people achieve their health goals, but sharing is caring, so let's dive into why fiber is so important!

One of the biggest benefits of fiber is its ability to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels. When we eat carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose (sugar) and absorbed into the bloodstream. Naturally blood sugar levels will rise, which triggers the release of insulin from the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone that helps our cells absorb glucose from the bloodstream and use it for energy. However, when we eat too many carbohydrates (especially refined carbohydrates), our bodies can become resistant to insulin. Insulin resistance means that the cells in your body are not responding to insulin (the key to opening your cells) and thus not absorbing glucose out of the blood as effectively, this can lead to high blood sugar levels and eventually type 2 diabetes over the long run.

This is where fiber comes in. When we eat fiber-rich foods, they slow down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. This means that our blood sugar levels don't spike as high, and subsequently, our insulin levels don't spike as high either. Over time, this can help improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, and prevent chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes.

So, how can you incorporate more fiber into your diet? The first step is to include a fiber source with each meal. This will help regulate blood sugar levels and keep you feeling fuller for longer. Some high-fiber foods to consider include:

• Vegetables: Make the majority of your vegetables lower-starch options like salads, stir-fries, and green vegetables. Fill up at least half of your plate with non-starchy veggies!
• Fruits: While fruit is a healthy source of fiber, it's also important to keep in mind that it contains natural sugars. Consider limiting yourself to one portion of fruit or starch per meal.
• Whole grains: Opt for whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and whole-wheat bread instead of refined grains like white rice and white bread.
• Nuts and seeds: These are great sources of fiber and healthy fats. Add them to your meals or snack on them throughout the day.
• Legumes: These include foods like beans, lentils, and chickpeas, which are all excellent sources of fiber.

It is still important to control your carbohydrate portions, regardless of how high in fiber the food is. Your registered dietitian can  guide you on appropriate carbohydrate portions for you to ensure optimal blood glucose regulation. Remember individualization with nutrition recommendations is key! 

​Incorporating more fiber into your diet may take some getting used to, but it's well worth the effort. Not only will it help regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, but it can also improve digestive health, reduce inflammation, and support overall health and wellness. Remember, the goal is to make small, sustainable changes that will help you achieve your health goals in the long run. So start small, and gradually increase your fiber intake over time. Your body will thank you for it!