The Christmas holidays are over, and for many people the new year means making resolutions. For a lot of people, a healthier diet is right at the top of their list of priorities. Nevertheless, eating is not only about satisfying hunger, but also about enjoyment. This is true for people with type 1 diabetes too, but it is important to be aware of some additional factors that affect your diet.
Anyone who wants to have a healthier diet and maybe lose some weight will need to make changes in their eating habits. People with diabetes should discuss this beforehand with a doctor or certified nutritionist. A suitable diet for people with diabetes is all about individualised, balanced and wholesome nutrition. Everyday meals should always be tailored to the person’s individual needs, as no two people have the same preferences.
Nutrients plus energy equals a functioning metabolism
A balanced diet is important in many ways, because it needs to provide the body with all the nutrients and especially the energy it needs. That will improve your quality of life, since vitamins and minerals can help you to feel fitter and help your body to function better. Fruit and vegetables support the immune system, dietary fibre is necessary for good digestion and healthy fats from sea fish or linseed can boost cognitive processes. These approaches can help people with diabetes to manage their metabolism to ensure that it is working well. They can also help to prevent illness and diabetic complications.
In many cases, the nutritional changes people make when dieting only last for a short time. It is therefore better to switch to a balanced diet for the long term. If you can manage to eat a healthy diet over the long term, you will automatically lose weight. Getting some exercise as part of your daily routine helps with this, and it can also have a positive effect on blood sugar levels. People with type 1 diabetes can reduce the amount of carbohydrates in their diet and lose weight through everyday activity, while also reducing the need for insulin. However, it will still be necessary to reduce fats and watch the total number of calories consumed.
Late-night snacking, sugary drinks and processed foods should all be avoided, since these can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar. If you still want a taste of something sweet, consider calorie-free sweeteners. Low-fat dairy products and pulses can leave you feeling full for a long time, and they are also healthy sources of protein.
Always adjust your insulin injections to match any changes in your diet
A balanced diet is important for people with type 1 diabetes because it can help to keep glucose levels under control. A balanced diet that is low in carbohydrates, coupled with regular exercise, offers a natural way to adjust your weight while also reducing the amount of insulin you need. The doses of insulin you inject must always be adapted to suit the new diet – especially if it is a strict one.
