Eat Healthfully to Manage Your Diabetes

Nearly 26 million children and adults are afflicted with diabetes; an additional 79 million are at risk for type 2 of the disease. It is fair to say that diabetes has reached epidemic proportions.

During November, designated as American Diabetes Month, the American Diabetes Association is talking about the importance of diabetes prevention and control. The ADA encourages you to take a pledge on its Facebook page to Stop Diabetes. Other ways you can become involved include attending an American Diabetes Month event in your area; call 800-DIABETES or visit the www.stopdiabetes.com website.

People with diabetes need to regulate their blood sugar levels. Dietary fiber, from fruits, vegetables and whole grains, helps. When you eat a diet consisting mainly of vegetables, you'll consume much less saturated fat and cholesterol, when compared to a traditional American diet. Although you don't have to give up eating beef or chicken altogether, a high-fiber diet might just help you feel full for a longer time after eating. When fiber intake is greater than 50 grams per day on a vegan diet, it may help lower blood glucose levels. The MyFoodAdvisor tool from the ADA helps you keep track of what you eat and creates shopping lists to save you time and money.

People with diabetes also need to pay attention to their feet, because they can develop many different foot problems, including nerve damage (neuropathy), dry and cracking skin, foot ulcers and poor circulation. The website of the American Podiatric Medical Association includes a very detailed section about foot care.

This month, learn to manage your disease by becoming educated about diabetes, foot care and eating right.