Stop! Before you even think about going on a diet for diabetes, see your doctor or health care professional. He or she is the best person to go to if you have questions. Once you have their recommendations, then look at how you can create your own diet...or see what diets would be appropriate for you.
That said, what a diabetic eats greatly affects blood glucose levels, especially carbohydrates. In case you weren't aware, glucose (sugar) is a carbohydrate. The American Diabetes Association (diabetes.or) has a booklet that explains everything you need to know about exchange lists and how to use them to control diabetes. Unfortunately, it's not free anymore, but it is quite inexpensive at under $4.00 -- well worth it. They also have some great information on the "diabetes food pyramid" which is appropriate for everyone...not only for those with diabetes. The basis of the food pyramid is that you should eat more of the foods at the bottom of the pyramid and less of those at the top.
It is important to be consistent while on a diabetic diet. There may be times when you can't stick to the diet, but staying consistent will bring you the best results. If you want a slice of pizza every once in a while, that's fine; if you eat half a pizza every day, you'll be in trouble.
An important note here. It doesn't matter if you have Type 1 diabetes or Type 2: you must control your blood glucose levels. This means testing as many times a day as it takes to get it within a safe range.
Many people who have diabetes are overweight. A lot of these people can get the blood glucose under control by simply losing weight. Smaller food portions and becoming more active might be all it will take. Of course, if someone is severely obese, it will take longer. A good portion of people who lose the necessary weight are able to stop taking the medications, whether they be pills or insulin, that were prescribed by their doctor. Weight control is also important in keeping your heart healthy.
Sometimes the "prescription" given by the doctor is the "diabetes diet." You may be referred to a dietician who specialized in meal planning for diabetics. They have the necessary knowledge to tailor a diet to your current weight and needs. The dietician will usually provide a week's worth of meal plans and teach you how to create your own.
A diet for diabetes usually consists of five or six smaller meals during the day, instead of the usually larger portioned, three meals per day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. So, if you're used to eating a large breakfast, take part of that meal and set it aside for a morning snack. This will help keep blood glucose and insulin levels at an even level, without dangerous spikes that can be bad for your health.
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