Diabetic Menu Guide

Anybody with diabetes knows menu planning can be one of the most challenging and frustrating aspects of the disease. Each individual responds to various foods in their own way so diabetes menu guides should be customized for each individual. The objective is to choose from a wide array of available food items, the particular foods that meet an individual diabetic’s personal tastes and preferences but at the same time take into account the need to manage and control personal blood glucose levels.

A basic diabetic menu guide can be a good starting point when trying to plan out your meals. The key to any good guide is the inclusion of three healthy meals with three snacks in between and before bed to avoid the dawn phenomenon.

The bedtime snack
The dawn phenomenon usually occurs between 2-8 am. This is when your blood sugar abnormally rises above the recommended levels by the time you wake up. This can be alleviated by adjusting insulin doses before bed and including complex carbohydrates with your bedtime snack. Each meal should contain a balance of protein healthy fats and complex carbohydrates.

Counting carbs
Many diabetes menu planning revolves around counting carbohydrates and this is especially important for those on an insulin sliding scale method. The essential part of any diabetes diet is choosing foods that respond well to your body and works with your medication and exercise routines.

Setting the “stage”
There are many foods that one diabetic patient may tolerate but are a no-no for another. It is advisable to keep a food diary recording what you eat when you eat blood sugar levels and any medication taken. This will help you plan out your own customized menu guide.

Meal planning for diabetes can be overwhelming and frustrating but by taking it one step at a time and paying attention to the way your body reacts to food can help alleviate these feelings. There are many internet resources for the diabetic, including meal planning websites and medical websites dedicated to diabetes. There are diabetic cookbooks and diabetic health magazines. They can all help create a diabetes menu guide just for you.

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