Living with Diabetes: Food
Type 2 diabetes, the “lifestyle” version of diabetes, requires a number of changes of habit. While this can feel overwhelming, a diagnosis of diabetes can also be a case of making lemonade from life’s lemons, although in this case, you would use artificial sweetener!
The first thing after getting a diagnosis of diabetes is the nutrition class the doctor generally assigns. It is a good idea for all the adults in the household to attend so there can be a meeting of minds about the types of foods that are in the house on a regular basis. At the nutrition class, you will learn about the types of foods that are okay and the ones that will lead to problems. You will also meet other people who have the same problem and that can be reassuring.
One of the best habits you can get into with type 2 diabetes is to make sure 99% of the food in the house is okay. If it is a carbohydrate, it’s a good one such as fruits or vegetables or at least it’s not a terrible carbohydrate such as donuts. If you are eating mostly good food at home, then the occasional meal out will not be a disaster.
Food is a big part of most of our lives. It is a way we socialize and it can express love and affection. Many of us use it to compensate for disappointments or problems in our lives. A diagnosis of diabetes will not change a person’s psychological relationship to food, although compensatory food can become sugar free chocolates instead of the sugary kind. There are many sugar free snacks and treats that actually taste very good. They are not low calorie, but they will get a person through the “I must have chocolate” times of life.
Choose small battles. If you are at a potluck, it may be a challenge to avoid all those wonderful desserts. Instead of punishing yourself (which can lead to binging later on), make sure to eat something with protein first, which will slow the rise of blood sugar, and choose one dessert or half each of two different desserts. If you are allowing yourself dessert, of course, you can skip the chips and bread.
A diagnosis of diabetes is not the end of the world, although it means making changes. It means new challenges and new habits, but it also means that you have an opportunity to start changing your health for the better.