November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, a time during which individuals, organizations, and communities bring awareness to diabetes in order to educate others about this chronic disease, relate to others who may share in a diagnosis, and ultimately mitigate the impact of this chronic disease on morbidity and mortality. Diabetes occurs when the body is unable to make, or respond adequately to, the hormone insulin. As a result, glucose, a type of sugar that the body uses for energy, builds up in the blood, rather than being used or stored for energy. This excess blood glucose places stress on the blood vessels of the body and can therefore affect various organs and organ systems. Long term, uncontrolled elevated blood sugar levels can result in severe consequences, including chronic kidney disease, which can progress to kidney failure; blindness, nerve damage, and increase a person's risk for heart attack and stroke. There are different types of diabetes and for the purposes of this series, we are focusing on Diabetes Mellitus, which includes Type 1 Diabetes (a person's body cannot produce insulin), Type 2 Diabetes (insulin resistance and impaired ability to use glucose), and Gestational Diabetes (diabetes that occurs during pregnancy). There is an abundance of information available on diabetes. However, there are some misconceptions about nutrition and diabetes that I will clear up over these next several weeks, as we journey through the month of November. Every week in November, I will share a different myth about diabetes, explain the fault behind it, and provide the correct information, as supported scientifically. The goal is to reveal the flexibility, freedom, and variety that people may still enjoy in their diets, even with a diagnosis of diabetes. And so we begin... Myth # 1. I have to follow a specific diet for diabetes. There is no "diabetic diet". This fact surprises many people because often, they are referred to me for education on a "diabetic diet", just because they have a diagnosis of diabetes. Well, the truth is, this diet does not exist. The nutrition recommendations for people with diabetes are very similar to those for the generally healthy population. That is, a focus on a variety of vegetables and fruits; lean protein, healthy fats, and whole grains. It sounds simple, but that is the point. Eating this way is simple and so often, people do not apply it because it does not sound fancy or interesting enough. Moreover, people may not know exactly what this looks like on a plate. While specific diets, such as low-carb, DASH, keto, intermittent fasting, and others may help control blood sugar levels, it is not so much that particular diet, but rather improved eating habits overall. All of these diets have something in common, and that is that they depend on people eating more whole foods, fewer processed foods, fewer calories, or all of the above. Adopting any of these habits will result in better blood sugar control. The problem with a strict diet is that it can set people up to fail through unnecessary deprivation and can also lead to nutrient deficiencies. That being said, there are some eating behaviors that are beneficial to maintain healthy blood sugar levels and we will cover them throughout this series, over the next month. What is some dietary advice that you have heard pertaining to diabetes? What questions do you have about nutrition and diabetes?
2 Comments
Karen Martin
11/1/2021 05:50:19 am
Great article! Looking forward to unlocking the myths and mysteries of diabetes. Thank you.
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Alena
11/1/2021 10:03:41 am
Thank you for reading! Stay tuned =)
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AuthorHello there, my name is Alena and I am a Registered Dietitian! This blog is a platform through which I can share my knowledge and perspectives on a variety of nutrition-related topics. Feel free to contribute by commenting. Archives
November 2021
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