By: Noel Swanson,

In today’s world, it is not unusual to find sedentary lifestyles and impaired dietary habits on the rise. One of the grimmest of all the consequences that these habits impose is Diabetes, or the disease which prevents your body from breaking down the glucose you consume into energy. Although, some of the complications this disease leads to, can be fatal if not treated in time, they can be easily averted if you abide by the basic principles of moderate and regular exercise, medication and close monitoring of the glucose levels in your blood. And it is here that the dietary regime, which you establish for yourself, plays a crucial role, as the food you eats, and the intervals at which you eat are one of the most important factors in ascertaining the effectiveness of your treatment.

Your nutritional requirements are best met if you plan your diet in keeping with the Diabetic Food Pyramid. This pyramid is slightly unlike the regular Food Guide Pyramid, because it classifies foods on the basis of the amount of carbohydrates and proteins they contain, instead of the basic food type. Also, the portions each meal is divided into are also determined as per the ideal level of glucose in your bloodstream and may hence vary from one food to another. Thus, although a cup of fruit juice may seem like a harmless beverage to supplement your meal, it may also cause remarkable fluctuations in your blood glucose levels, if your meal already contains the maximum approved levels of sugar.

The primary food group in the Diabetic Pyramid is Carbohydrates. It is recommended that you consume 6 to 11 servings a day, and try to stay at the lower end of the range. One serving would constitute a slice of bread, half an English muffin, a third of a cup of rice or pasta, or half a cup of potatoes, peas or cooked beans. Unlike the regular food pyramid, potatoes are included in the category of carbohydrates on account of the high levels of starch they contain.

The next category, namely vegetables make great additions to your meal, either cooked or consumed raw, as they are low in fat and hence calories and also rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. One serving comprises of a cup of raw vegetables or half a cup of cooked varieties. Try to include at least 3 to 5 servings in your diet every day, or even munch on a few carrot sticks as a light snack. Keep away from the deep fried and greasy versions, and opt for the lighter and more waist-line friendly steamed and stir-fried alternatives.

Fruits, though plentiful in vitamins and minerals, are also high in carbohydrates and this is what you need to bear in mind when planning out your diet schedule for the day. Aim for 2 to 4 servings a day, each of which contains half a cup of canned fruit, one small whole fruit or 2 tablespoons of dried fruit. Milk and milk products can also do your body a world of good if you stick to the low fat or fat free versions. Cheese, however, is included in the Meat group of your Diabetic Food Pyramid, as this category is comprised of foods, which though high in protein, also have a significant amount of fat content. With meat, choose only the lean varieties and limit your portion sizes to only 4 to 6 ounces a day.

Contrary to popular notion, sugar is not the guiding force behind an individual’s Diabetes, nor does it in any way imply that a Diabetic is restricted from sweets in all their varieties on account of his Diabetes. You can consume the occasional cookie or ice-cream, but remember to keep your portions tiny and limited to special occasions and immediately balance the extra sugar you’re consuming by cutting down on your carbohydrates for that specific meal. You can even experiment by using reduced calorie or low calorie sweeteners in your desserts to satiate your sweet tooth, while also keeping maintaining the glucose targets you’ve set for yourself.

If your diet plan is too rigid and makes no room for the occasional ‘Treat’, then irrespective of how effective it is, it’s bound to fail at some point or the other. This is because with no room to experiment or innovate, you will soon tire of your diet, ignore it and then put your glucose levels at the risk of shooting up to dangerous levels. Get actively involved in chalking out your diet program along with your nutritionist and make sure he knows your preferences and your dislikes before you detail your meal program. Low-carb substitutes might seem incredibly enticing to binge on, but don’t be misguided by the low-carb content as many of these are incredibly high in their levels of saturated fat, which is bad news for your blood pressure. Your custom-made meal plan will allow you to venture into all those avenues, which you thought your disease has closed the doors to from eating out, to slurping up your favorite ice-cream cone, there’s almost nothing you’ll have to deprive yourself of again, provided you stick to the basic principles of meal planning the road to good health has, indeed, never looked quite as delicious!

Julia Hanf author of the book How To Play the Diabetes Diet Game and Win Through a real life crisis Julia figured out how to live diabetes free. Visit http://www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about your solution for diabetes.

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