"Diabetes is not a sentence, but a way of life," endocrinologists never tire of repeating this phrase.Compliance with a therapeutic diet is one of the main points in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and allows the patient to lead a full life.
Diet is the leading component of treatment for diabetes.With this disease, there is a deficiency of insulin, a special pancreatic hormone that regulates carbohydrate metabolism.The main symptom of diabetes mellitus is an increase in blood sugar, but the violation of carbohydrate metabolism does not remain isolated, it causes an imbalance of both protein and fat metabolism.
A diet for diabetes is not just about restricting carbohydrates.The patient's diet usually includes foods that help normalize the work of other organs and systems affected by this endocrine disease.So, for example, with frequent obesity, the menu includes as many vegetables as possible, which are low in calories, but give a feeling of fullness: cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, peas, cabbage, lettuce.Given that the liver suffers in many cases of diabetes, the diet limits extractive substances (meat and fish broth), but always includes cottage cheese, soy and oatmeal, which have a beneficial effect on the liver.And damage to the cardiovascular system dictates salt restriction in the diet for diabetics.
The two existing types of diabetes require different dietary approaches.In type 1 diabetes, the diet is not so important - the emphasis in treatment is on the administration of insulin, which makes the diet of such patients less restrictive.However, diet is of great importance in type 2 diabetes - in the early stages of the disease, in many cases, it is possible to control blood sugar levels only by following therapeutic dietary recommendations without prescribing glucose-lowering drugs.
However, there are general principles of diet for any type of diabetes, following which allows you to stabilize carbohydrate metabolism to one degree or another.
Diet for diabetic patients: basic principles
- Eat often, regularly, at the same time - at least 4 times a day.
- Uniform distribution of the caloric content and nutritional value of the diet among the main dishes.
- Variety, including a wide range of products recommended for diabetic patients.
- Use xylitol or sorbitol to sweeten foods.
- Monitoring the caloric content of the daily diet using special tables.
- Limit liquids to 1200 ml, including first courses.
- Adding vitamin-rich foods to the diet: hip broth, yeast, etc.
- Regular monitoring of blood sugar levels with dietary adjustments depending on the results obtained.
Diet for type 2 diabetes
In modern medicine, all therapeutic diets are usually designated by numbers for ease of use.In the case of diabetes, the classic diet is number 9 - otherwise they say "table #9".
What is diet number 9 for diabetes?
Recommended dishes:
- bread (with an emphasis on rye doughs) 200-300 g;
- vegetable juice soups;
- boiled or steamed meat and poultry;
- boiled or steamed lean fish;
- vegetables: white or cauliflower, lettuce, rutabaga, cucumber, radish, beet, carrot, potato;
- eggs - 2 per day;
- unsweetened fruits and berries: Antonov apples, oranges, lemons, lingonberries, cranberries, red currants;
- kefir or yogurt - 200-400 ml per day;
- cottage cheese up to 200 mg per day;
- soft sauces, including milk sauces;
- snacks: vinaigrette, salad, jellied fish;
- drinks: tomato juice, tea with milk, sugar-free juices, sugar-free compotes;
- butter and vegetable oil - 40 g per day.
Restricted use:
- Cereals, legumes and pasta are accepted in a limited way, while reducing the consumption of bread;
- soups with weak fish or meat broth - no more than 2 times a week;
- sugar and diabetic sweets - according to the doctor's recommendation;
- milk - as recommended by the doctor;
- cheese, cream, sour cream - limited;
- coffee.
Prohibited:
- chocolate, candies, cakes, pastries, honey, jam and more;
- pork and lamb fat;
- spicy, salty and smoked foods:
- sweet fruits: bananas, raisins, grapes;
- alcohol in any form.
Table No. 9 is a diet for diabetics during the stabilization of the disease.If the patient's condition worsens for some reason, as a rule, the diet is more limited.In any case, only a doctor can give the final recommendations about the diet for type 2 diabetes.
Diet for type 1 diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, the diet is determined by the administration of insulin, so the same recommendations are usually followed by patients with type 2 diabetes who need insulin injections.
The composition of this menu does not differ much from the diet for type 2 diabetes, but sugar is completely excluded.Despite this ban, patients taking insulin are advised to always have a piece of sugar or candy with them, which can lead to the danger of a hypoglycemic state - a condition of low blood sugar, the severity of which can lead to a coma.
Modern glucometers and carbohydrate charts also allow patients to lead a more nutritious lifestyle.The current concept - a bread unit (BCU) equal to 12 g of carbohydrates allows diabetics on insulin to occasionally eat even non-recommended foods or eat more carbohydrates.However, for this, the patient must measure his blood sugar before each meal and inject himself with the required amount of short-acting insulin according to the upcoming menu expressed in XE.Use a special table to count grain units.
All of the above does not mean that a patient with type 1 diabetes can eat everything in any quantity: one meal should not exceed 7-8 XE.For overweight patients, these restrictions are even stricter.
A special feature of the diet for type 1 diabetes is a high protein content.This requirement is especially relevant for patients with infectious complications and manifestations of trophic disorders of the limbs.
Only the attending physician should deal with detailed diet planning, alternative meals and hourly insulin administration.
Diet for weight loss for diabetes
Especially people with type 2 diabetes are often overweight.Therefore, for such patients, the question of limiting the caloric content of the diet can be especially relevant.But in this case, none of the "fast" mono-diets should be used.This prohibition is explained by the high risk of developing a severe hypoglycemic state (critically low blood sugar) if a balanced diet is disturbed, and this is almost inevitable in patients with type 1 and moderate type 2 diabetes.
If you are overweight, a weight loss diet for diabetes involves correcting the usual therapeutic diet No. 9 with a reduced content of refined carbohydrates (sugar) and some restriction of fats.But such decisions should not be made without consulting a doctor: only together with the doctor can the patient create a safe low-calorie diet.