ELEOTIN
Natural Care for
Type 2 Diabetes

Most of us were raised to follow the food pyramid and think a normal meal consists of 3 different types of foods on our plates…Proteins (meat), Starches (mashed potatoes, noodles, ect) and a vegetable. For many diabetics, following the normal food pyramid would simply put some of us in a diabetic coma. For many, following a lower carbohydrate diet works best and helps keep blood sugars in check. This means cutting out some of the foods we have grown to love, or at least restricting portion sizes. It’s ok to have a plate with only 2 items on it, especially if you’re following a low-carb diet.

Foods that say Sugar-Free doesn’t always mean you can eat as much as you want. Many of those foods (especially cookies, cakes and other snack items) have sugar alcohols in them. It may not be pure sugar but they will still raise your glucose just like sugar. When looking at food labels make sure to look at carbohydrates more than sugars. You will find that even sugar-free foods have high carbohydrate counts. Carbohydrates = Starch = Sugar…it’s all the same and your body can’t tell the difference.

There is something in fast food sandwiches that tend to spike the blood sugars and keep them high for many hours. I believe it has to do with the breading on the meats or the bread itself. Even a small cheeseburger from McDonald’s can keep some people’s blood sugars high even though that’s all they will eat for supper. Not a good choice as most people can’t stay full until the next meal and end up eating more.
Prepared foods such as store-bought potato and macaroni salads can do the same.

Even eating a baked potato or a large banana can have the same amount of carbs as a chocolate brownie. Although the potato or banana would obviously be a better choice.

Avoid foods that are deep fat fried. Something in the frying process can make blood sugars stay high, even into the next day.

Some Lower-Carb Morning Breakfast ideas

2 eggs (any style), 2 sausage links & 1 slice whole wheat toast

2 egg cheese omelet with tomato, onion & green peppers & 1 slice whole wheat toast

½ cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal (not the quick 1-minute kind)
1 cup 2%, 1% or skim milk with ½ cup strawberries, blueberries or raisins
(oatmeal does raise blood sugar due to carb content but oatmeal is very good for the body)

Some Lower-Carb Lunch Ideas

Use lettuce leaves (instead of bread) and make your favorite cold sandwiches) & a dill spear
Lower-carb soups

½ Natural peanut butter sandwich with carrot & celery sticks


Some Lower-Carb Supper Ideas

Corned beef & cabbage (you can eat quite a bit of this as neither the corned beef or cabbage has too many carbs)
Pork chops & green bean casserole
Grilled or baked chicken (no skin) with broccoli & cheese sauce

Some Lower-Carb Snack Ideas

Small spinach salad with Italian or other low carb dressing, cottage cheese with a small piece of fruit, string cheese, raw broccoli or cauliflower & ranch dip, celery with cream cheese or peanut butter, black olives or a handful of almonds.

Foods with low or no carbs include:

Meats (most any kind) beef, chicken, pork, turkey, ect…but be careful, this list includes hot dogs, processed meats such as bologna and sausages which are bad for blood sugars. Processed meats have been linked to type 2 diabetes and making glucose control worse.

*Eggs (any style)
*Cheeses (string cheeses, American, cheddar, ect)
*Green beans, asparagus, squash,,,most fresh vegetables
*Diet soft drinks are better than regular soda but filtered water is best.

Most people with diabetes will agree that shopping the perimeter of the grocery store is best (whole non-processed meats, fresh vegetables & fruits such as apples and small bananas, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, salad items, dairy products & the like). Also, if you use margarine, try to use non-hydrogenated types like Country-Crock Omega Plus. The hydrogenation process is linked to inflammation in the body’s tissues, which in turn is responsible for many chronic diseases including cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Foods to avoid
Cookies, cakes, candies, any tomato-based canned processed foods such as Ravioli’s & Spaghetti-o’s), prepared pasta salads, high sugar cereals. If you really love cereal, stick to high fiber, high vitamin kind like Total, Wheaties or other quality lower-carb, high nutrient cereal…and only once a day. (Watch portion sizes).

Avoid regular sodas, potato chips, high carb macaroni & pasta dishes, especially packaged meals like Hamburger Helper. Syrups, pies, ice cream and tv dinners.

Make sure that you are watching more than just your carb intake. Eating a meal that is low in carbs but has 1,500mg of sodium in it is just trading one illness for another. High blood pressure is a normal follower of type 2 diabetes so salt intake must be watched as well.

Label reading will become a normal activity at the grocery store. Check your blood sugars often before eating & 2 hours after to see which foods have adverse consequences on your blood sugars. Type 2 diabetes is different for everyone. Plan your meals, write them down and see what foods you should add or avoid. This way you can tailor a diet plan that fits you perfectly.