Making healthy food choices for your diabetes management means tracking and recording the nutritional information of your diet. People used to think that diabetes meant they would need to restrict certain foods from their diet, such as sugar. It is now understood that you can enjoy a more typical diet. You just need to monitor your food, and ensure it is in balance with your medications and exercise.
There are two recommended ways to plan your daily food intake: the food pyramid or exchanges. Some people like to keep track of the glycemic index of foods; that method, however, has fallen into disfavor because the numbers can change depending upon times, food combinations, and people.
Whatever method of menu planning you decide to follow, the American Diabetes Association recommends keeping records of everything that can affect your blood glucose levels, including food, medication, and exercise. In addition, tracking your glucose readings over time can be an invaluable tool for your health care team because it allows them to spot trends and make adjustments in medications, nutrition, and exercise goals. We developed the Track3, a convenient handheld device, to help your diabetes management. But whether you log your food intake in a paper notebook or a handheld device, you will need to monitor what, when, and how much you eat. Here is a short list of questions about diabetes management and nutrition:
What do I need to know about diabetes nutrition information?
How do I read labels for nutritional information?
What is a glycemic index?
What is the body mass index?
What is the Track3 and how can it help manage diabetes?
For someone with diabetes, a healthy diet is one that reduces your risk for
complications. You should be eating a variety of foods and watch your portion size. Whole grains, fish, poultry, fresh fruits and vegetables, beans/legumes, and non- or low-fat dairy products should be part of your diet. You'll notice these foods are part of a typical healthy diet, which can be enjoyed with your family. You will, however, need to spend a bit of time planning your meals, eating at regular times, and monitoring your exercise and medication to ensure your blood glucose levels remain within your target range.
When you begin a nutritional management program, reading the labels on packaged food items can be a bit daunting. Don't assume that because something is labeled "fat-free"? or "sugar free"? it is good for you. Look at the detailed information in the nutritional labeling, particularly how many carbohydrates you are consuming. Also pay attention to serving size, so you can track what you are actually consuming. If you eat what the food manufacturer says is two servings, make sure you double the nutritional information for your log. The convenience of the Track3 is that it allows you to look up nutrition information, adjust the number of servings, and log your food intake. This makes it easy for you to keep accurate records for your diabetes management.
The glycemic index is a means of ranking carbohydrate-based foods by their impact on blood glucose. There is some controversy regarding its effectiveness for a diabetes diet because the index values can change depending on combinations of foods. In fact, the glycemic index of a food can vary from person to person based on their blood glucose levels, insulin resistance, and other factors. You can use the glycemic index as a guideline, but be aware that a food's glycemic index can vary per individual, which could impact how much you should eat or how much medication you should take.
BMI or body mass index is a ratio of your height to weight. Because of the
connection between having diabetes and being overweight, anyone with diabetes or pre-diabetes should monitor their body mass index. There are online body mass index calculators, including one at the American Diabetes Association.
We created a handheld diabetes management device called the Track3 to record nutritional information for our own use. Looking up nutritional information about food, keeping track of what you eat, and recording your exercise and medication is an important part of your diabetes management. The Track3 is so small you can carry it wherever you go. If you are more concerned about losing weight rather than diabetes management, our CalorieSmart might better suit your needs.
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