November is National Diabetes Month

By: Stefanie Greenberg

Serving up tips for prevention and management

Tama Rodriguez, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, knows firsthand the challenges that come along with successful diabetes management. She counsels patients on a variety of diabetes-related topics, including some of the same issues she has encountered for the last 41 years managing her own type 1 diabetes.

“I understand the challenges of navigating diabetes management while managing life’s other responsibilities,” says Rodriguez, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES), Eisenhower Diabetes Education Services. “November is National Diabetes Month, a perfect time to assess your risk of developing diabetes.”

Diabetes is growing at an exponential rate and having a family member with diabetes puts relatives at a greater risk for type 2 diabetes; however, even with the increased risk, there are steps that can be taken to decrease and/or delay the likelihood of developing the condition through meal planning and exercise.

“Take time to look up a local registered dietitian nutritionist (RD/RDN) who can develop a personalized eating plan to lose weight and/or manage your diabetes, ensuring you’’re getting the proper amount of nutrients in your meal plan,” says Rodriguez. “Also, consult with a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist who can help you learn how to manage your diabetes through balanced eating, regular physical activity and medication, if necessary. You can do it!”

Rodriguez advises those concerned about their risk to stay at or get to a healthy weight or a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9. She suggests moving more and eating less with some tips to achieve a healthier weight through improved eating habits.

Include a half plate of non-starchy vegetables, including carrots, leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, jicama and cucumber. These all provide a healthy amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber in a daily meal plan.
Eat fruit but limit daily intake to two to four servings. One serving equals a small apple, a ½ banana, 17 small grapes or 1 cup melon chunks. Select whole fruit over juice.
Choose whole grains. Whole grains provide essential fiber and B vitamins to one’s daily eating pattern, but watch the portions. Good sources of whole grains include whole-grain cereals, whole-grain bread, quinoa, brown rice, barley and oats.
Unsaturated fats are the way to go. Limit sources of saturated fat (generally all fats that come from an animal but also include palm kernel oil and coconut oil) and opt for sources of unsaturated fat when cooking. Use olive oil for most everything and avocado oil for high-temperature cooking. Choose poultry and fish whenever possible and lean meats on occasion. Bake, broil, roast, grill, boil or steam foods instead of frying. Also, choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products. On occasion, try a meatless meal by exchanging meat for lentils or tofu.
Avoid skipping meals. Skipping meals can lead to overeating at the next meal. You might find yourself a little irritable or short-tempered when skipping a meal. Some people prefer six smaller, more frequent meals and some prefer intermittent fasting. Find an eating schedule that works and stick with it.
Watch your carbohydrate intake. Between protein, carbohydrates and fat, carbohydrates appear to have the biggest effect on blood glucose levels. This does not mean eliminating the healthy carbs like whole grains, fruits, milk products and starchy vegetables, but it does mean controlling the portions. Meet with your registered dietitian to see what is a good amount for you given your personal lifestyle, body composition, physical activity and weight goals.

“Many of us think that it’s too much work to eat healthy or too expensive,” says Rodriguez. “Give yourself just two hours on the weekend to do a little shopping, read food labels and meal prep so that you are not tempted to grab fast food or eat convenience foods during the week when you are low on energy after a long day.”

Whether you have diabetes, prediabetes or are just looking for ways to eat healthier, Rodriguez suggests the recipes at the American Diabetes Association’s DiabetesFoodHub.org. Check out “Perfect Meals by the Plate” on the Food Hub^® to plan healthy meals for you and your family.

Assess your health risk for diabetes and find out more about the Eisenhower Diabetes Program by clicking here.

Diabetes Health Risk Assessment

Are you at risk? Take a Diabetes Health Risk Assessment to find out if you are at risk or have diabetes.