If you’re managing your diabetes, or if you’re working on maintaining your blood sugar at a healthy level, you know how big of a role diet plays in keeping you healthy. It can get confusing, especially with so many new diets that promise the sun, the moon, and the stars along with stable blood sugar. So, which one should you go for? Experts at the Cleveland Clinic have narrowed it down to three diets that have shown to be most effective for diabetics and those looking to control sugar levels. These are backed by research, however, make sure to ask your doctor before embarking on a diet of any sort.
The DASH
The DASH Diet, or “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension” was originally developed to help control blood pressure and other symptoms of hypertension. However, it also seems to be doing a lot of good when it comes to stabilizing your blood sugar as well. According to the Mayo Clinic, DASH is a solid and well-rounded plan that can be sustained over a long period of time. This is key when it comes to blood sugar management.
DASH is loaded with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; it also takes it easy on fat and sugar. One study done on subjects following the DASH diet for eight weeks showed them having improved insulin resistance, a lower concentration of fat in the blood which is otherwise known as hyperlipidemia, and the cherry on top was that they had lost weight as well.
A diet is much more than a food regimen, however. Not only does it require the green light from your doctor that it is safe for you to go on, but it also requires you to adapt your mindset towards food and nutrition. Once your doctor gives you the all clear, try these strategies to get yourself started on DASH:
Change Gradually
Starting small and building yourself up to a level where you want to be is proven to have much more longevity and staying power than shocking your system with a completely different arrangement all at once. For example, if you only eat one or two servings of fruits and vegetables a day at present, try adding a serving at lunch and another one at dinner.
Another way to slowly get your body used to the DASH diet is by making one or two of your daily grain servings whole grains, rather than going all out at once and finding out that you’re not fond of the taste. Increasing your fruits, vegetables, and whole grains across the board will help prevent bloating or diarrhea that may occur because you’re not used to eating a lot of fiber.
Be Kind to Yourself
A huge part of your mindset switch is that you are doing this for your overall health and wellness. You need to reward yourself for successes, with a non-food treat. Rent a movie, get a new book, or take a dance lesson with a friend. It needs to be non-food though, as you don’t want your rewards to undo your progress! On the other end of the spectrum, you also need to forgive yourself for your mistakes. Everyone slips up sometimes, especially when learning something new. Like it or not, your body is learning a new way to live when you go on a diet, so expect there to be some speed bumps, or dare we say, learning curves along the way. Remember that changing your mindset and updating your lifestyle is a long-term process. Treat it like any new project that you undertake: find out what triggered the setback, address that need, and then just pick up where you left off. You can do it!
Get Physical
DASH is primarily focused on lowering your blood pressure, but a little physical activity will also help you with your blood sugar. Moderate exercise, like walking, makes your heart beat a little faster. Your lungs will breathe a little harder. This causes your muscles to use a little more glucose, which is the sugar in your blood stream. If you exercise at a moderate over a period of time, it can lower your blood sugar levels in your body. Moderate exercise also makes the insulin in your body work better, and you’ll feel these benefits for hours after working out. But remember not to overdo it, as strenuous exercise can sometimes increase blood sugar temporarily after you stop exercising due your body creating stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline which can lead to an increase in blood sugar.
Ask for Help
Sticking to a diet is hard. It is even harder if you task yourself to do it all on your lonesome. If you’re having trouble, and you don’t want to get a diet buddy, talk to your doctor or your dietitian about it. You might even get some helpful advice that can help you stick to the program.
Remember though that at the end of the day, eating healthy isn’t a 180-degree about-face. What is most important is that you eat healthier foods, on average, with plenty of variety. This is to keep your diet nutritious, as well as for you to avoid boredom or extremes.
The Mediterranean Diet
As early as the 1960s, people were already starting to notice the Mediterranean diet. There was an observation that coronary heart disease, which was rampant around the world even then, especially in America and northern Europe, seems to cause fewer deaths in Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Italy. Studies were mounted to investigate these results, and people soon found out that the Mediterranean diet is associated with reduced risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
In fact, the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest eating plans recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as it promotes health and helps prevent chronic diseases, including diabetes and hyperglycemia. It is also recognized as a healthy and sustainable dietary pattern by the World Health Organization (WHO), and as an intangible cultural asset by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The Mediterranean Diet is more than just a diet. It is literally a way of life, based on the traditional cuisine of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. While there currently exists no single definition of the Mediterranean diet, it is typically high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beats, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. The main components of the diet include the daily consumption of roughage in the form of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, a weekly intake of fish, poultry, beans, and eggs, moderate portions of dairy products, and a limited intake of red meat. Another important factor that seems to improve overall health is that meals are shared with family and friends and are often accompanied by wine and being physically active.
Interested in getting on the Mediterranean diet? These tips will help get the ball rolling:
Mangia frutta e verdura
That’s Italian for “Eat your fruits and vegetables”. The Mediterranean diet usually has about seven to ten servings a day of fruits and vegetables. You should also slowly switch to whole-grain bread, cereal, and pasta. Try experimenting with alternative grains like bulgur, and farro.
Everything Tastes Better with Olive Oil
This is jokingly said on various tchotchkes that you can hang in and around your kitchen, but according to the Mediterranean everything does taste better with olive oil because it is healthier for you. Try replacing your butter with olive oil in cooking, and instead of slathering margarine or butter on your bread, try dipping it in some olive oil pomace instead. Extra virgin olive oil is best for salads, and other things that require a light splash of flavor without the heaviness of other fats.
Bounty of the Sea
As the Mediterranean itself is named for the sea that surrounds it, it makes sense that a big part of the culture and the diet revolves around the ocean. When you’re on the Mediterranean diet, eat fish at least twice a week. Try it fresh, or if you must get canned, try water-packed or brined tuna. Look also for frozen salmon, trout, mackerel, tilapia, and herring. You can also start working mussels, clams, shrimp, squid, and other kinds of aquatic life into your diet as well. Grilling fish is the healthiest way to cook it, but you can also bake it, slow-cook it, broil it, include it in a healthy couscous, pan-sear it, shred bits of into a chickpea salad, or if you’re feeling really fancy, cook it en papillote. Whatever you do though, avoid deep-fried and battered fish.
Reduce Red Meat
Red meat, like beef, pork, and lamb (as well as processed meats like bacon, sausages, ham, and corned beef) has more saturated fat per serving than any other form of meat, which is why it is advisable to limit your intake. Nutrition science has established a definitive link between the consistent intake of high saturated fat foods and higher levels of LDL, which leads to plaque formation in the arteries of the heart. When switching to the Mediterranean diet, try limiting your intake of red meat and processed meats to once a week at most.
Milk It
The Mediterranean diet is lower in dairy than other diets, unless you go for the updated MedDairy version, which is shown to improve your cardiovascular health, as well as help regulate blood sugar. When you’re on the traditional Mediterranean diet, eat low-fat Greek or plain yoghurt, and small amounts of a variety of cheeses.
Spice Up Your Life
Perhaps what sets the Mediterranean diet apart from the regular healthy diet is the fact that you have a lot of powerful flavors that don’t necessarily add inches to your waistline. Seasoning is king in the Mediterranean, and your pantry should have a healthy supply of oregano, cumin basil, bay leaves, black pepper, crushed red pepper, curry powder, dill, garlic powder, ginger, paprika, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme, and turmeric. You can also look into interesting blends, like Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, or zaatar which usually has a mixture of sumac, sesame seeds, thyme, and other herbs that are popular in the region.
Overall, the Mediterranean diet is a delicious and healthy way to eat. Many of the people who switch over to this style of eating, especially from a style of eating that doesn’t have any guidelines or recommendations, say they’ll never eat another way again.
Plant Based
Going plant-based can either mean you are a vegan, and you consume no eggs, meat, or dairy products; or you are a vegetarian, and you consume no meat but you eat eggs and dairy products; or you are a flexitarian, where you consume a little meat, but your diet is made up mostly of plants. No matter how you choose to slice it, at the end of the day, plants are healthier than meat. The Cleveland Clinic in fact suggests that eating mostly plants is a good approach to controlling blood sugar, and that plant-based diets often eliminate processed carbohydrates as well as artificial sugars, which can raise blood sugar levels in a very harmful manner.
In a review of studies including over three hundred thousand people, it was found that those who were following a primarily plant-based diet had a twenty-three percent lower risk of diabetes, while those who followed a plant-based diet with lots of healthy fruits and vegetables had an even lower risk.
Switching to a predominantly plant-based diet like the Flexitarian diet may help prevent lifestyle-related diabetes and manage your blood sugar levels. Plant-based diets usually aid in weight loss and contain many foods that are high in fiber and low in unhealthy fats and added sugars. One study of over sixty thousand participants found that the prevalence of type two diabetes was 1.5 percent lower in flexitarians compared to non-vegetarians. Furthermore, people with type two diabetes who ate vegetarian diets had 0.39 percent lower hemoglobin than those with who ate animal products and also had type two diabetes.
Here are some foods to focus on if you’re thinking of transitioning your diet to a Flexitarian one:
- Proteins
- Eat a lot of soybean products, tofu, tempeh, legumes, and lentils. Be sure to keep an eye on your uric acid though, and drink plenty of water
- Non-starchy vegetables:
- These are high in antioxidants and help keep your iron levels up. They include green leafy vegetables, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and cauliflower
- Starchy vegetables:
- These will fill you up and provide you with simple carbohydrates that your body needs for energy. They include winter squash, peas, corn, and sweet potatoes
- Fruits
- Whole Grains
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Plant-based milk alternatives
- Oat milk, soymilk, coconut milk, almond milk
- Herbs, spices, seasonings
- Try to stick to natural flavors and plant-based seasoning mixes like Italian seasoning and other spice blends. Some people are also comfortable using monosodium glutamate (MSG), as there have been many studies that debunk the claim of MSG being the cause of headaches or indigestion.
- Beverages:
- Still and sparkling water, tea, and coffee
If you’ve been confused about which diet is best for you and your blood sugar, do give any of these three a try after you clear it with your doctor. Or better yet, discuss all three with your doctor or dietitian and see which one will work best for you!
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