Diabetes

Here you go!! You may want to copy, paste & print.

Diabetes is your body not able to break down sugars, therefor having too much blood in your blood stream.  This throws of the blood's pH and can affect everything in your body, your brain, your heart, your kidneys, your pancrease, your muscles, your senses!!

The following is the 101 & 201 that you NEED TO KNOW!!

If you would like some more medical and visual info:  http://diabetes.webmd.com/ss/slideshow-type-1-diabetes-overview 

#1.  DRUGS COVER UP SYMPTOMS!! THEY DO NOT TREAT THE DISEASE!!

Let me say it a different way.  If you are taking medicine for Diabetes, Your Body is STILL MESSED UP!!  It WILL catch up to you!!  I am watching my dad suffer the effects of Diabetes and have been over the last 10 years, but especially the last 3 years when his systems are starting to shut down. (but taht is in another blog)

#2 NUTRITION CLASS

CARBS:  All Carbs are broken down into sugars (-ose) once they enter the body.  Carbs are: breads, rice, pasta, fruits (fructose), vegetables, milk (maltose), desserts obviously (sucrose) even beans.

1.  In order to keep the sugar levels in your blood even/stable you need to eat every 2-3 hours.  This includes Breakfast as soon as you wake up since you've been without food for at least 6-8hours. 

2. It matters WHAT and WHEN you eat!

a.  Fats: Your body NEEDS fat to function. Your brain is made of fat tissue! The neurons that send signals to your brain and body that your hurting or feeling something are protected by layers of fat! So, don't avoid fat, just eat Healthy Fats! (As opposed to the unhealthy kind that clog your arteries like oil from fried foods!) Healthy Fats are: grape seed oil or coconut oil to cook with, avocados and nuts like almonds and cashews are great to add on to sandwiches or salads.  

b. Protein:  You need to eat some kind of protein with every meal, aka egg whites, lean meats-chicken, turkey, fish, beans & rice together in small portions (1/2cup each is probably 1 serving), nuts in small portions are great snacks (usually no more than 2-4Tbsp depending on when you're eatting them), Cottage Cheese & Greek yogurt are higher in protein, but beware of the milk sugars and the added sugars that come with flavors (I like to add my own berries and sweetner like Stevia, Truvia or Ideal). 

c. Carbs: Complex Carbs aka Multigrain foods are what you need because they take longer to digest, therefore keeping your sugar level more even. But beware!! Look at the ingredients listed on your foods. If "stone ground" is listed first, it's a good carb. If "bleached flour" is listed first, it's not so much.

3.  Veggies and fruits are very good for you and we rarely eat them!  You should have some at every meal, BUT be careful! 

a. Fruits are FULL OF SUGAR!!  Especially bananas! So eat them at the beginning of the day. Avoid them after lunch. Berries are the lowest in sugar, so if you need something sweet at the end of the day, they are a good option.

b.  Veggies are full of vitamins and minerals that you need, not to mention they help your body work the way it should, i.e. digestion and healing! Sauteed veggies like bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, squash & zucchini are great.  Salads with GREEN lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots & tomato (both higher in sugar, so not too many), witha light balsamic vinagrette. 

Party Everyday!!  Forget using crackers & chips to dip. Instead use veggies like bell peppers, cucumers, carrots, celery.  Who sais veggie trays are only for parties!! Make one everyday!!  No, they don't taste the same, but you're doing this for your healthy right?!  You'll get used to it and start to enjoy it!  Save the processed chips and crackers for a special occasion, which means you eat them every once in a while.  If you absolutely can't resist, then take 1 serving (7 tortilla chips, 5 ritz crackers) and crush them and sprinkle them over whatever it is you want to eat. Salsa, Salad, Hummus, Soup.

4. Schedule your day and Plan your Meals so that you won't have to fill your body with chemicals simply to cover up  symptoms.  What I have written out for you is HOW I EAT everyday!! It's how most of my personal trainer friends eat!!  Make these tips LIFESTYLE CHANGES!!  A diet is temporary and will just bring you back to where you started.

 

Here is an example of a meal plan: 

BREAKFAST 6a:  1c Kashi Cereal with 1c blueberries and 1c unsweetened original almond milk 
6oz coffee, 2Tbsp milk, sweetener
SNACK 1 8a:  6 egg whites, 1/2c sauteed onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, 1 med apple 
12oz water
SNACK 2 10:30a  Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp Honey, 1/4c chopped strawberries  
6oz coffee or tea, 12oz water
LUNCH 1p: Sandwhich (flat bread or Ezekiel bread), 6oz lunch meat, green leaf lettuce, 3 slices of tomato, 4 lg slices of cucumber, mustard, maybe 1 thin slice of cheese, banana 
12oz iced tea
SNACK 3 2:30p  Protein Smoothie-made with almond milk, berries, veggies (carrots, spinach), protein powder 
12oz water
SNACK 4 5p (drive home): 1-2 depending on size turkey meat balls (obviously make it at home. Use lean turkey meat, egg whites, veggies, sugar & salt free dry seasonings) 
12oz water
DINNER 6p: Lean Meat - chicken breast, pork loin, sirloin, 93% fat free beef or turkey, 1 cup carb - whole wheat pasta, rice, potato (baked or sweet) (or none if you had some 2-3 times already), Veggies - steamed broccoli, green beans, green peas, zucchini, squash
12oz water
SNACK 5 8:30p: I would suggest water first!!  If you feel starving, then have some protien. Your body does NOT need any carbs, i.e. ice cream, crackers, bread.  Carbs = Energy and you're about to go to sleep!!  Try some lunch meat or meat balls or some hummus and veggies and see if that helps you. 
12oz water

(fyi that equals 84oz of water)

However, remember this!  If you happen to be overweight and this diet causes you to eat less calories than you're used to, then you WILL FEEL HUNGRY = YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT.  I'm not saying you should be starving, I mean, seriously, did you read the meal plan?  That's alot of food! But if you deprives your body of the calories that it's USED to eatting, it's going to want more.  Feeling hungry is a normal part of losing weight.  Just drink some water...and go to bed :)