About Blood Sugar

• Blood sugar (i.e. glucose) is your body's primary source of energy. Blood sugar rises following consumption of food, with more rapidly absorbed foods causing a greater overall increase. Insulin is thereafter released--in proportion to the level of blood sugar--to carry the nutrients into muscle and fat cells for use or storage. Over time, failure to control blood sugar levels can result in overproduction of insulin, which can lead to diabetes.
  
  

Controlling Blood Sugar with Diet

• Diet is one way to control blood sugar levels. The key to doing so is to limit your food intake to slowly digested items to minimize the effect on blood sugar and insulin. The glycemic index is a scale that measures blood sugar response in reply to consumption of various foods. Thus, you should only eat items that are low on the glycemic index scale to keep your blood sugar in line. These items include lean protein sources, fats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
  
  

Sample Blood Sugar Diet

• A good way to accomplish this goal is to eat a balanced diet, consisting of mainly natural, unprocessed foods. Roughly 40 percent of your daily calories should come from carbs--mostly from fruits and vegetables, but some whole grains are also acceptable if consumed in moderation. Thirty percent of your diet should come from lean protein sources--lean meat, chicken, turkey, and fish. Finally, 30 percent of your diet should come from a mix of fats--some saturates (animal fat), monounsaturates (olive oil) and polyunsaturates (such as fish oil).
  
  

Benefits

• The obvious advantage to sticking with a more natural regime of eating is proactive management of your condition. If you have diabetes, or are currently at risk for diabetes, your primary goal should be controlling the effect that this disease has on your life. Ancillary benefits will include substantial weight loss and an overall improvement in body composition--in other words, you will carry more muscle and less fat.
  
  

Considerations

• The best way to implement a diet to combat high blood sugar is to limit your ability to make poor food choices. Go through your kitchen and refrigerator, discarding all items that are not in compliance with your dietary objectives. Removing temptation from your home will help you kick your unhealthy food cravings as soon as possible. It takes around a month of consistent effort to turn your blood sugar control diet into a blood sugar control lifestyle, so start today and do your body a favor.