The importance of healthy eating
You may think that changing how you eat will be one of the hardest things you’ll need to do to manage your diabetes.
You may be surprised to learn that you can make healthy food choices without giving up the things you love about food. Many of the foods you grew up with, and the foods you love most, can be prepared in a healthy way. But even if changing your eating habits is easier than you thought, you may not do it unless you know how you will benefit from the change. Here’s what’s in it for you:
- You may have more energy and a greater sense of well-being. If you eat too many carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels can go up quickly. This rapid rise in blood sugar can make you feel tired and generally unwell. When you follow a healthy eating plan, you can avoid the rise in blood sugar and feel much better
- You may lower your risk for low blood sugar. If you miss meals or don’t eat healthy, nutritious foods, your blood sugar levels may get too low (hypoglycemia). When your blood sugar gets low, it can make you feel dizzy, weak, and irritable. You may also become shaky and sweaty. If blood sugar gets very low, you can even pass out
- Healthy eating can help you manage your weight. Healthy eating means eating the right amounts of nutritious foods. When you follow a healthy meal plan, it is much easier to keep from gaining weight. You may even find yourself losing some weight. Keeping your weight in a healthy range will help you manage your blood sugar and your risk for heart disease
- You have more control of your diabetes. When you follow a healthy meal plan, you’ll start to notice the relationship between your eating habits and your blood sugar levels. When you start to see the patterns, you can make choices that give you more control over your blood sugar levels
