Type 2 Diabetes Blog

In a previous post I shared that I have been on a weight loss journey and have been asked for advice.  I decided to write down some of the things that made a difference for me.  Hopefully you might find something helpful too.

Quick Weight Loss Advice

I have a good older friend who is very knowledgeable of Mexican folk remedies.  She knows I try hard to eat right.  She is also a very good cook and her dishes are hard to pass up, although they may contain more carbohydrates than I'm used to.  In these cases, she serves me small portions, hands me lemons, and says, "Squeeze the hell out of the lemons to help keep your blood sugar down."

Most people might think that sounds crazy.  However, lemons have two important diabetes-friendly properties.  These little bits of sunshine might help you improve your health.

Learn more about the Benefits of Lemons and Diabetes.

After you have read that, try my favorite go-t0, Lemony Diabetes-Friendly Salad Dressing Recipe.

Not too long ago we were told to severely limit or eliminate fat to lose weight and improve our health.  So like good girls and boys, many of us did that.  However, we did not see the results we expected.  Then in the mid-90's came the winds of change with news of the Mediterranean diet.  It had been noted that people in some areas of the Mediterranean had diets with significant amounts of fat, but they were healthy.  The good people who popularized the Mediterranean diet brought about change in how we look at diet and helped define what a healthy type 2 diabetes diet should look like.

Nowadays there are many popular diets that are just variations of this diet or this diet with just another name.  Take a second to put all these diets in perspective and learn the most important basics that make them successful.

Read about Mediterranean Diet and Diabetes

People with smaller waists seem more attractive.  Perhaps we are biologically wired to think this because it appears that a smaller waist circumference is indicative of better health.  Alternatively, a larger waist circumference means higher risk for disease and death.

Do you know what your waist circumference should be?  Get the facts on Waist Circumference and Diabetes.

Up to 50% of people with type 2 diabetes can suffer from gastroparesis.  Wait.  There is a better way to say that.  They may have gastroparesis and not necessarily suffer because oftentimes the symptoms are not noticeable.

Are your blood sugar levels erratic?  Does it take longer than usual for your blood sugar levels to peak after a meal?  Gastroparesis could be the cause.

Learn more about Diabetes and Gastroparesis.

The DASH diet is considered by many to be the healthiest diet plan around.  It has been endorsed by many respected health organizations. This was a diet designed to lower blood pressure and was found to also lower cholesterol and improve insulin resistance (significantly).

Considering this, don't you think it would be worth your time to take a look at what this diet is and what it might be able to do for you?

What is the DASH Diet?

Have you ever heard of exchange lists?  The concept or plan can be confusing.  Here is a quick and to-the-point explanation and overview of exchange lists for diabetes and what pros and cons to consider.

What is the Exchange List for Diabetes?

I used to weigh 285 pounds.  That is the weight I was when I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the early 1990's.  I have lost over 100 pounds and I am still hacking away at that number.  This weight loss came from trying many different diets and plans until I found the right one for me.  As my lifestyle or preferences changed, so did my diet.

I do not feel I wasted my time trying all those different diets, I did lose a little weight with most.  In my journey, I went from more lenient diets and baby stepped my way to the next diet that afforded more control, more weight loss, and overall a better quality of life.  This has happened slowly.  Because of this  I learned a lot along the way and weight regain was minimal.

With popular general diets, I found I had to do some carb counting on my own and I could not have as many carbs as some suggested.  If my blood sugar levels were hard to control, it was not a good diet for me.

Are you looking for an eating plan that will work for you?  Here is a listing of standard diabetes diets along with some popular diabetes-friendly diets.  I have to laugh and admit I have tried just about all of them on the list.  I will share that the first three diets were invaluable to me, and they have served as a knowledge base for when I try diets that are not standard diabetes diets.

Diets for Diabetics

Weight Watchers is a very popular weight loss program.  Even I tried it over a decade ago.  It encourages accountability and takes advantage of the power of peer support.  The way the program is set up today, it is hard not to make healthy food choices.

Can you do Weight Watchers when you have diabetes?  Follow the link below to find out.  Please leave a comment and share your experience if you have used or are using the Weight Watchers program.

Weight Watchers and Diabetes

Certain foods tend to be more problematic when it comes to trying to control triglyceride levels.  People with type 2 diabetes tend to have more of an intolerance to these types of foods.  Thankfully there are some foods that seem to lower triglyceride levels and are good for diabetes and general health.

Learn what foods you need to limit and what foods you should make sure you are getting regularly.

What Foods Cause High Triglycerides?