Believe it or not, it’s almost November! November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, which means it’s a great time to explore the role of diet in preventing and treating diabetes.
Let’s look at why prevention and awareness are important in the first place. Seniors make up more than 50 percent of the population currently living with diabetes, and one in five seniors is newly diagnosed with diabetes each year.
Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure – among other complications – and can be linked to decreased quality of life or even premature death. But the good news is that we can do something!
Although everyone’s situation is different and some strategies may work better for you than others, here are my top five tips on how to manage your diabetes easily and cheaply.
1. Focus on what you can have, not what you think you cannot
Recommendations often focus on what you “should” “remove” or “restrict”, which negatively impacts our meal planning and affects our enjoyment of food. Giving a positive twist to what you can put on your plate is motivating and can bring variety that you might otherwise miss.
2. All foods can fit
The most important thing I hear from my clients with diabetes is “I can’t eat…” followed by their favorite foods – fruit, potatoes, bread, pasta, cake and so on. However, you can eat these foods with diabetes too! The solution is to find the right frequency, serving size, and balance of other foods on the plate that are right for you.
3. Fiber is your best friend
While the guidelines for people aged 51 and over are 21 and 30 grams of fiber for women and men, new studies show that higher fiber intake in diabetics can improve both blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Find sources of fiber that you like, like berries, oatmeal, non-starchy vegetables, whole grain bread, or pasta and legumes, like black beans and lentils. Take them regularly and make sure you are drinking enough fluids!
4. Protein is essentially the building blocks for your body
Both aging and diabetes slow our ability to repair our cells and recover from illness and injury. As we get older, we also tend to eat less protein because of personal preferences, as well as challenges related to cost and the ability to prepare high-protein foods in the kitchen. As a result, we often get caught needing protein and having less available.
Including protein with every meal can also help balance blood sugar, which means that multiple nutritional needs are met at the same time. Look for affordable, easy-to-prepare options like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, fresh or canned fish, tofu, eggs, and legumes.
5. Strive for progress (and persistence) rather than perfection
There is no such thing as perfection when it comes to health, but we often feel the need to do everything or that our efforts no longer matter. Instead, set small SMART goals (specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, time-based) that build on each other. Obstacles are never mistakes – only circumstances that we can avoid once we have found the right solution for our life.
If you are having trouble or are not sure where to start, seek help! Dietitians are experts at managing chronic health conditions like diabetes – we can help you find a plan that works for you as an individual.
Whether you’ve been newly diagnosed or just want to brush up on your eating habits, we’re here to help.
Ann Marion Willis is a registered nutritionist with Atlantic Superstore in Cape Breton, NS. Contact Ann Marion by phone at 902-217-2142 or email at [email protected], or book a personal or virtual nutritional consultation at bookadietitian.ca. You can also find her on Instagram at @ AtlanticSS.Dietitian.AnnMarion.
