Why, and how, to eat for good health

There are many benefits to eating healthy, especially when it comes to managing your blood glucose levels. We take a closer look at how the food you eat affects your diabetes.

What causes diabetes?

There is more than one reason a person can have diabetes, which is why there’s more than one type of diabetes.

• Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder in which the body destroys its insulin-producing beta cells. Without insulin, the body is unable to convert glucose into energy. People with type 1 need to inject insulin to live. Type 1 accounts for about

5 per cent of diabetes cases.

• Type 2 diabetes has a number of causes, such as excess weight, sedentary lifestyle and genetics. Type 2 diabetes can be caused when the body’s muscle, liver and fat cells resist the effects of insulin, which causes a build-up of glucose in the blood. This is called insulin resistance.

Type 2 diabetes can also be caused by inadequate insulin secretion from beta cells in the pancreas. This is called insulin deficiency, which can be caused by genetics and sometimes by years of insulin resistance.

Many people who have type 2 diabetes have both insulin resistance and insulin deficiency.

• Pre-diabetes means a person’s blood glucose levels are higher than they should be – just not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.

If you have pre-diabetes, you can avoid a future diagnosis by eating healthier and exercising. According to Diabetes Australia, strong evidence shows type 2 diabetes can be prevented in up to 58 per cent of cases in people with pre-diabetes through eating well. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) similarly found that losing 7 per cent of your body weight can reduce your risk, and exercising moderately (such as a brisk walk or swim) for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

How can I manage my diabetes?

To manage type 1 diabetes, you inject synthetic insulin into your body when you eat carbohydrates.

Type 2 diabetes is a little more complicated, but its progression can be managed by eating healthily, exercising, monitoring your blood glucose levels and taking medication.

All people with diabetes should have a team of health professionals, including – but not limited to – an endocrinologist and certified diabetes educator (CDE). They will provide the knowledge you need to live well and prevent complications associated with high blood glucose levels.

It’s also good to keep written references handy. That’s why we’re here. Read on for Diabetic Living’s four-step plan for managing healthy eating.

What affects my blood glucose levels?

Carbohydrate will make your blood glucose rise, which is why it’s important to learn how to count carbs.

But other factors such as stress, illness, infection, sleep disturbances, pain and being more sedentary than usual also increase blood glucose.

Exercise and some medications can bring blood glucose down.

How often should I check my blood glucose level?

When you’re first learning to manage diabetes, check your BGLs several times a day.

Because the cost of diabetes supplies can really add up, you might not be able to check as often as you’d like. To get the best overall picture of how you’re managing your diabetes, test at alternate times.

For example, test one day when you wake up (also called a fasting reading); the next day, test before a meal and then two hours after. This illustrates how food at a meal did or did not affect you.

Test at different times of the day so you learn how food intake, stress and other daily events impact your blood sugar. Keep track of your levels and what influenced them in a logbook.

Always discuss checking your blood glucose and appropriate blood glucose level goals with your healthcare team.