Diet for diabetes
More than 6 million people in Germany suffer from the metabolic disorder diabetes. Most of us have picked up this name or at least heard the term “diabetes” here and there. Many people who suffer from this disorder are often very restricted in their everyday lives and have to have an insulin injection ready at all times. We clarify and illustrate why the right diet for diabetes, in the form of the ketogenic diet, offers a prospect of improvement.
What is diabetes?
Basically, there are two types of diabetes. In this article, we will focus only on diabetes type 2, because diabetes type 1 is based on an autoimmune disorder, which can be influenced rather less by a change in diet. However, in a nutshell, we can say that the main problem of diabetics is a constantly too high blood glucose level. The most common cause is often an unhealthy lifestyle that is particularly rich in sugar. Over time, this can lead to insulin resistance in the body. We don’t want to go into great detail and throw around technical biological terms. However, it is important to explain the function of insulin. Insulin is an endogenous hormone that controls and lowers blood glucose levels. Insulin resistance causes insulin to stop working properly. As a result, the blood glucose level is permanently higher than it should be. Thus, over time, the body’s blood vessels and nerves can suffer severe damage. It can even end in bad events, such as heart attacks or strokes.
Ketogenic lifestyle
In addition to adequate exercise, diet plays a huge role in diabetes! We reveal which diet makes sense for you. As we have already informed you in more detail, the ketogenic diet is an extreme form of the so-called “low carb” diet. This means that in this case almost no (namely only about 20g daily) carbohydrates are taken. This is therefore meaningful with the nutrition with diabetes, because the blood sugar mirror reacts enormously sensitively to any form of sugar – and that are coal hydrates now once. By abstaining from carbohydrates, the blood sugar level is no longer abruptly raised, but is kept at a constant level. Furthermore, the sugar content in the blood is reduced. This lowers the blood sugar level over time. Because of the deficiency, the body will also gradually lose fat. This is a decisive step in the direction of “healthier living” – Therefore healthier, because the excess weight, in very many cases, promotes the disease of diabetes.
Ketogenic foods for the diet in diabetes
What can I eat if I have diabetes? – The answer to this question is relatively simple: everything except carbohydrates. Selected vegetables and meat should be on your plate from now on. This makes sense because your new diet will provide your body with energy from proteins and high-quality fats. Your body needs these much more urgently than carbohydrates. In our main ketogenic diet article, we’ve given you some suggestions for healthy fats and ketogenic foods. So don’t hesitate to read a little more into the matter there, because it will help you understand exactly how the ketogenic diet works.
Prohibited foods for diabetes
Even if you decide against the ketogenic diet, there is one thing you should be aware of when increasing carbohydrates: All foods that make your blood sugar levels rise quickly are highly unhealthy. Therefore, rather resort to whole grain products. These will make your blood sugar levels rise much slower and your body won’t get overwhelmed as quickly. Products such as sweets, sweet sodas and especially dextrose should not be touched during the diabetes diet – for the sake of your health.
Attention
If you are diabetic and take medication, you should discuss your dietary changes with a doctor beforehand. Furthermore, you should also check your blood values regularly. Please do not dare to do any reckless self-experiments. You should take this very seriously, because the ketogenic diet for diabetes changes the blood sugar level over time. For this reason, the dosage of your medication must also be adjusted to the new values. Provided, of course, that you are taking any medication at all. Your health comes first! If you are a diabetic yourself, please tell us how the ketogenic diet has affected you. We would be very interested to know!
