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What you decide to do with your Type 2 Diabetes is your business.
When I learned I had diabetes, my first frustration was all the advice from all sorts of well-meaning people about what to eat. Don’t eat this, don’t eat that; use a baby plate for portion control. Everywhere I turned, everyone had advice, even though none of the advisors had diabetes.
I decided to start Damndiabetes.ca to provide first-person experiences, not to tell you what to do, but possibly how to reach your goal. What each of us does to address our diabetes is our own decision. That includes the use of medication, targets for blood sugar, and what kind of life we want to live.
At one end of the spectrum are those who do not care. They eat what they want, when they want and how much they want. They do not care about their blood sugar level and have resigned to face the consequences. I have seen the results of this path, and it is not pretty, but the decision is their business, and all the nagging in the world will not change their minds.
At the other end of the spectrum are those who care; who want to live a better quality of life living with diabetes. I have made the decision to live by this path. There are so many
things I want to be able to do with my wife and family, and that will not happen if I lose my toes, an eye, or the functioning of my kidneys. Or crash and burn with a heart attack. Diabetes increases the risk of all these things and more.
Where am I Now?
I have ejected diabetes medication. I have lowered my blood sugar to less than 6.0 (108), I have dropped 13 kgs (29 pounds).
What We Know
We know that maintaining low blood sugar levels is crucial.
We know that dropping weight is beneficial.
We know that exercise can help.
What path each of us takes to address the above is our own decision and business, and all the nagging in the world from professed experts will not change that.
The Food Path
The food that you decide to eat is your business. I do not provide this information to tell you what you should eat but to provide some options about what you may decide to eat to lower your blood sugar.
Non-starchy vegetables: Vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, and bell peppers are low in carbohydrates and calories but rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals. I usually have two salads per day and sometimes joke that I have turned into a rabbit. Regularly changing the salad dressing can add variety to keep the vegetables interesting. Also, there are many ways the vegetables can be cooked, which also helps.
Legumes: Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are high in fibre and protein, which can slow down the absorption of glucose, leading to more stable blood sugar levels. A good option is digging into Humus.
Nuts and seeds: Nuts such as sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, and flaxseeds are excellent sources of healthy fats, protein, and fibre and can help regulate blood sugar levels.
I make bread with sunflower seeds, which really helps. You can find the recipe on our website at Damndiabetes.ca.
Fatty fish: Salmon, mackerel, sardines, and other fatty fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to improved insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels. Personally, I am not into eating much fish, which is my own decision.
Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt is high in protein and lower in carbohydrates compared to regular yogurt. It also contains probiotics, which may have beneficial effects on blood sugar control. To make it even better, I make my own yogurt, which is easy if you have an instant pot.
Berries: Berries like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are high in fibre and antioxidants, which can help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation. I throw these in salads and yogurt or mash-up for a bread spread. There are lots of ways to use berries to add variety to what you eat.
The End
There are many more examples of foods that can help. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a shout by contacting us through our website at Damndiabetes.ca. We are here to help and have made most of the mistakes, so you do not have to.
Please remember – before making any changes to your diet or medications, please discuss with your professional healthcare provider, who is in the position to give you the best advice.
Best wishes ...
Vancouver, Canada
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