ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

Managing Diabetes Naturally

Updated on April 5, 2016

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a major contributor to higher blood sugar levels. Most people eat a diet that is too high in carbohydrates and too low in healthy foods. Not all carbs are the same, which complicates the process of determining what to include in a diet. For example, potatoes are a common staple. Yet, they are extremely high in carbs. An alternative would be sweet potatoes. They have more health benefits and they are lower in carbs. They are lower in calories and carbohydrates, but slightly higher in fiber. Making the most of the carbohydrates consumed is a crucial step in natural diabetes management.

Following a low GI diet is one way to help control blood sugar naturally. This plan shows how quickly certain types of food convert to glucose. The higher the point value, the quicker it is likely to shoot the blood sugar levels up. It's best to choose foods that will gradually raise the blood sugar rather than those that shoot it up quickly. However, the GI values change based on how the foods are prepared. Find the healthiest ways of preparing meals to get the best results. Be careful about what is put on the foods. Often, it's what we use to flavor food that causes the most problems with diabetes, not the food itself.

 carbohydrates photo by Pixabay
carbohydrates photo by Pixabay

Protein

Protein is important. If a diet consists of more carbs than protein, the numbers will be higher. Carbs raise the blood sugar quickly to give energy and then drops it back down. Protein causes a gradual rise in the blood sugar levels, and takes longer for the body to digest. The two work together to provide the energy necessary for the body to function without overloading it with sugar. Planning meals so that there is one or two proteins to one carb works great to keep the numbers lower. Choose lean meats, peanut butter, eggs, nuts and seeds or yogurt for easy sources of protein. Whey protein mixes are helpful when one doesn't feel like eating other sources. It's quick and has a high level of protein in each scoop. Avoid meats that have a high fat content or are processed.

Protein photo by Pixabay
Protein photo by Pixabay

Meal Planning

In busy lives, it's hard for most people to get three meals a day, let alone to eat more. For the diabetic, it's important to eat every 2-3 hours. Keeping food in the system prevents the body from going into starvation mode and hoarding sugars in the cells. The meals are smaller than typical meals so that the calories are the same or even less. They are just spread out through the day. It's recommended to eat three typical meals plus a snack between each meal and one before bedtime. This can be accomplished by eating a simple snack such as a few crackers with peanut butter or cheese or raw vegetables with a dip made from Greek yogurt and favorite seasonings. The idea is to keep something in the stomach to avoid dips in blood sugar.

Portion control has a huge impact on controlling diabetes. Many people eat portions that are meant for more than one meal. Learning to keep the portions small will prevent overeating and spikes in blood sugar. You will realize that you won't be as hungry because you are eating more frequently. This makes learning to use the proper portions much easier. For example, a portion of rice is 1/3cup. Half of a banana is a serving, not a whole banana. One slice of bread, 2-3 ounces lean meat, or ½ cup cooked dry beans are all proper portions.

Supplements

There are many types of supplements and tricks that people have used to help keep diabetes under control. One of the most helpful is cinnamon. It can be used in many recipes, or it can be consumed in capsule form. When combined with chromium it works with double strength to fight sugar. It also helps with yeast overgrowth to cut down on cravings for the wrong types of food. It has many benefits and should be included daily.

A multivitamin is important because high glucose levels flush the body out, much like a diuretic. This causes the body to lose important nutrients that need to be replaced. This will deplete energy, causing a lack of interest in exercise or an inability to concentrate. Many of these nutrients help with conditions that result from diabetes, such as nerve damage, infections or kidney function. A good vitamin will provide B vitamins, magnesium and vitamins C, D and E. Co-enzyme Q10 and essential fatty acids have been shown to naturally control blood sugar levels while lowering blood pressure.

Vitamins photo by Pixabay
Vitamins photo by Pixabay

Summary

When blood sugar levels are too high, medication is necessary. However, it is possible to keep diabetes under control during the early stages of Type 2 diabetes. Always consult with a physician before making dietary changes and make sure you chart any changes when adding a new regimen.

working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)