How to eat healthy as a diabetic – Expert

Experts say healthy eating is very important for people suffering from diabetes. They say there are several ways that diabetics can manage their blood sugar through diet.

Odukoya Fyinfoluwa, a dietician and nutritionist, said that diet and nutrition, as well as physical activity, played very great roles in blood sugar management.

Fyinfoluwa, who runs the nutrition and wellness brands, YourDietBoy and Custodia Health, respectively, said diabetes was basically a condition where ones blood sugar was elevated.

He said, “That means your blood sugar level is beyond normal; your body does not have the ability to regulate sugar just like every other person can. It means your body is not responding to insulin. Insulin is known as the hormone used to regulate your blood sugar level; and then your body is not able to either produce it or when produced it’s not enough; that’s it.”

He said there were different types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes.

He explained that, “Type 1 occurs when your body is not producing insulin. So, you have to use an insulin pump or have an external source of insulin, and that’s why you see people injecting insulin into their body.

“Then for Type 2, your body is producing insulin, but then it’s not producing enough.

“And then gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy; when pregnant women have elevated blood sugar levels.”

While advising that to eat healthy, people with diabetes should choose complex carbohydrates, he said, “Firstly, choose things like whole grains and vegetables over simple carbohydrates such as sugary foods, rice and all of those. Ensure that your plate or your meal has a lot of vegetables; has a lot of whole grains.

“Secondly, I always tell people that portion control is important. Try as much as possible to control your portion size in order to avoid spikes in your blood sugar. There are ways that you can do it either by using smaller plates when you’re eating or ensure that you’re measuring your portion accurately using cups. There are specific measuring cups that we use in order to measure portions of food for individuals.”

While noting that the most important thing was for diabetics to as much as possible balance their meals, he said, “Look at things like greens, protein like chicken and fish, and for healthy fat options like avocado and nuts, and then also look for high fibre foods like vegetables and legumes. Very important.”

He also advised that foods like snacks should be eaten at a consistent time in order to stabilise the blood sugar throughout the day.

He said,” So, if you’re having breakfast at 8am, please ensure that your breakfast period is always 8am. If you have lunch by 1pm, please ensure that you always have lunch at 1pm. And if you have dinner by 6pm, please ensure that you always have dinner by 6pm. This enables you to have a consistent time frame when you’re eating.”

He further advised those that cannot avoid sugary foods to try as much as possible to limit or avoid the frequency of sugary beverages, desserts and snacks and look for healthier alternatives like fresh fruits and not dehydrated fruits.

He said, “Now, you want to introduce sticking to more fresh fruits and sugar-free options. You just have to read your food email in order to ensure that there are sugar-free options.

“Then stay hydrated, ensure that you drink enough water; very important.

“And for those that take alcohol, you want to try as much as possible to limit or avoid the intake of alcohol because there is no safe amount for alcohol.”

He explained that to ensure a balanced diet plan, diabetics should ensure that they included all food groups.

He said, “Incorporate things like clean protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and eat lots of vegetables. Monitor your portion size, using tools like portion control plate and measuring cups in order to manage your serving size. Try as much as possible to distribute your carbohydrate evenly by spreading your carbohydrate intake throughout the day.

“The most important thing about a meal plan is that whatever plan your nutritionist is going to create for you has to be enjoyable and has to be sustainable. So, you have to trust your nutritionist or dietitian, and that’s why I always advocate that you speak to a professional. That way, they will ensure that your meals are planned to your preference and that you enjoy them. This is because there are some individuals on social media that just plan.

“But we professionals most times make use of your personal preferences and your personal choices.

“Seeing a nutritionist or a dietitian who is a professional will help you plan your meals in a very enjoyable and sustainable manner for a long-term process.”

Common misunderstandings about diabetes and nutrition

Fyinfoluwa said the first one was that people thought all carbohydrates were fat: “So, I want you to understand that not all carbohydrates are created equally. And that’s why I always focus on complex, complex carbohydrates.”

He said some people painted carbohydrates to be very bad and advised diabetics to always avoid carbohydrates, noting that it was a wrong notion and that was why he advised seeking the assistance of professionals.

He said carbohydrates were necessary because they provided energy.

He advised that, “So, ensure that you do not avoid carbohydrates totally. However, work with a dietitian or nutritionist so they can help you plan your meals. The total amount of carbohydrates is also important. So, monitor the amount of the total carbohydrates per meal, and the most important is that you plan appropriately.”

He noted that experts also considered the glycemic index of the food, saying, “Glycemic index is the ability of the food that you eat to reach your blood sugar level. So, ensure that you consider the glycemic index of the food that you consume. That is why it is important to see a professional or healthcare personnel.”

He further said the key vitamins and minerals that were important in disease management included magnesium.

He explained that, “Magnesium helps to regulate your blood sugar level and insulin sensitivity. There are things that contain magnesium naturally. Things like nuts, seeds and leafy vegetables or leafy greens.

“Another thing is Vitamin D. It is important for insulin production and sensitivity. Then there is Vitamin D that comes from sunlight, fatty dishes and fortified dairy products.

So, it’s important that you read your food label to check that your dairy products are fortified with Vitamin D.

“Another one is Omega-3 fatty acids. They reduce inflammation. Then lastly, chromium, which helps keep blood sugar level normal by improving the way the body uses insulin. The most important thing is ensuring that there is a well-rounded diet with very high nutrients in your food.”

He further said that in managing diabetes, weight management was important because excess weight could affect insulin sensitivity and sugar level.

He said, “Another thing is physical activity. Incorporate exercises to support your weight management and your overall health. Be mindful of your calories intake, and most importantly, work with a healthcare professional such as a nutritionist or a dietitian or even a doctor to ensure that he provides you personalised dieting, because it is one thing to have all these information and it’s another thing to have access to personalised information.”

Fyinfoluwa further said that providing personalised information and care were what he did at Custodia Health; a diabetes management healthcare company, where focused on managing specific health conditions, diabetes, hypertension and metabolic diseases.

He said, “You need to educate yourself and have access to quality information. Understand how your food choices will impact your sugar level and your overall health.

“Seek support from support groups or work with your specialist and your dietitian in order to have personalised guidance and accountability.”

While noting that it was good for people to prepare their meals themselves rather than picking them from outside, he said it was also important to incorporate meal planning.

He explained that, “Meal planning will help you with the important choices that you are going to make.”