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The Best Foods for Diabetics on Insulin

July 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The best foods for diabetics on insulin are rich in nutrients that improve insulin sensitivity.  I call them “insulin promoters” because they promote more efficient cellular uptake of glucose from the blood. 

Eating a diet rich in promoters enhances the effects of insulin therapy by targeting insulin resistance, the hallmark of type 2 diabetes.  Taking insulin when resistant to its effects simply won’t work. 

You have to re-sensitize your body to insulin with foods rich in promoters in order to gain optimal blood sugar control.  I suggest adding the following foods, rich in insulin promoters, to your diabetic diet today.

The best insulin promoters contain high levels of lipoic acid.  As a powerful antioxidant, lipoic acid positively affects blood sugar control and the development of long-term complications. 

It’s believed that lipoic acid promotes optimal glucose control by protecting insulin receptors located on the surface of muscle cells.  Successful insulin therapy is totally dependent on healthy receptors, making lipoic acid a key component of a diabetic diet. 

It’s effectiveness as an insulin promoter is best supported by the recent approval in Germany for its use in the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

Foods rich in lipoic acid include:

1. Collard greens
2. Lean red meats (organ meats)
3. Brewer’s yeast
4. Cruciferous Vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower)

I also suggest taking a lipoic acid supplement.  Take the “R” form of lipoic acid.  This is the more active form found in nature.  Take between 200 mg and 300 mg/day.

The second best insulin promoters are foods rich in chromium.  It’s an essential trace mineral that plays a significant role in sugar metabolism.

Chromium helps control blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes and improves metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids.  A study of type 2 diabetics compared two forms of chromium (brewer’s yeast and chromium chloride). 

Both forms of chromium significantly improved blood sugar control by promoting the uptake of glucose into the tissues after eating a carbohydrate rich meal.  Fasting blood glucose levels were also lowered during a 2 month follow-up period.

Foods rich in chromium include (in order of most to least):

1. Egg yolk
2. Brewer’s yeast
3. Breads (whole grain, wheat, sprouted, rye)
4. Apples
5. Spinach
6. Oranges

Insulin promoters, rich in lipoic acid and chromium, are the best foods for diabetics on insulin.  If you’re taking insulin, your diet should include foods like collard greens, broccoli, apples, and whole grain. 

If loaded with insulin promoters, the foods you eat could be the difference between disease and health.

The Life Extension Foundation’s innovative protocol on diabetes is a must read.  It’s easy to read, describing many nutritional strategies for beating diabetes.  Check it out today!

Dr. Michael A. Smith is an integrative medical doctor and health education specialist dedicated to the dissemination of innovative disease prevention and anti-aging strategies.

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Want to Know What Are the Best Foods For Diabetics? Then Read This

July 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When you are cooking for people who have diabetes, you have to be aware of what some of the best food for diabetics are. While a person who is versed well in diet and nutrition can assist you with a diabetic meal plan. There are a few basics that you can follow to ensure that they are getting the proper nutrients while keeping there sugar low.

The first thing is to make sure that there is enough fiber in the diet. A person with diabetes should be eating at least 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories. And this can easily be included into any meal plan, because fibrous foods include beans, vegetables, whole grains, and some fruit. So right there you have a variety of food for diabetics to eat.

Secondly, try to incorporate foods that have a low glycemic index. Once again beans are apart of this list as well as oats, lentils, kefir (an excellent alternative to milk) and barley.

You also want to drink plenty of water. Water is our bodies way of flushing out the toxins. And there have been published reports of how keeping your inside clean will help in keeping you as disease free as possible.

Also is has been noted by the ADA that a person with diabetes should be including plant sterols and stanols to the tune of 2 grams per day. These are not only beneficial to assisting with blood sugar but can also help with keeping LDL cholesterol in check as well.

Basically, the best food for diabetics is going to be foods that are healthy and wholesome. Stay away from eating fast food and processed food as these are not good for any one. If you are able to go the organic route that is even better. As organic food even tastes better than the food that is found at a traditional grocery store.

So if you want to keep your diabetes sugar numbers low, then invest in eating foods that are good for you.

Once you begin to replace that piece of fried chicken with a piece of grilled chicken and realize how much better your body begins to feel. You will never go back to those bad eating habits again.

Learn more about how to put together a diabetic meal plan that is right for you.

Discover how Diabetic Cookbooks can help you with your meal planning to assist in managing the disease.

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Diabetic Food – Best Fruits For Diabetics and Weight Loss

July 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Can fruit really be good for diabetics? Of course it can if you just follow a few guidelines. Fresh fruit is a perfect snack or even part of a balanced meal.

It is best to stay away from dried fruit because the sugar content is concentrated and would limit the amount you could eat. You should stay away from canned fruit unless it is packed in either water or fruit juice.

One small fruit, one cup of fruit, or one half cup of pure fruit juice equals one serving. If you like dried fruit, two tablespoons equals one serving.

Now, according to the Glycemic Index, the following fruits would be your best choices. Apples, peaches, cherries, plums, oranges, pears, watermelon, and grapes are on the low end of the Glycemic Index chart for fruit.

When having fruit for a snack, it helps to have a piece of cheese with it to slow down the pickup of sugar into your blood.

Your blood sugar will not spike as much by doing this.

When having fruit for part of your meal, just cut out some of the other carbs such as rice or pasta. Fresh fruit is better for your health, so it would be your best choice.

If you need to have canned fruit, there are safer choices although you may not like the taste as much. Canned peaches or pears in natural juice are the safest. Next would be fruit cocktail in natural juice. Serving size would be one half cup.

Fresh fruit makes an important part of a diabetics diet and should not be neglected.

Much more information can be found here:
http://3waydiabetescontrol.blogspot.com

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