Inflammation may not sound pleasant, but it’s usually a normal part of the healing process. In most cases, the immune system triggers inflammation when it detects foreign material, such as microbes, chemicals, or pollen. Despite this, some people living with certain diseases – including diabetes – also deal with chronic inflammation. That term refers to recurring or persistent low-level inflammation.
If you’re dealing with chronic inflammation, one of the most effective ways to manage this condition is following an anti-inflammatory diet. Luckily, many of the fundamental principles behind this diet overlap with the ideas powering diabetes diets. Check out ADS’ complete guide to building a diabetes-friendly anti-inflammatory diet.
What Is an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
While the immune system manages inflammation, it can be affected by the foods you eat. Some types of food, like fried foods, can lead to the development of free radicals in your system. That can increase your risk of cell damage, often resulting in inflammation.
The good news is that other foods (especially plant-based foods) are rich in antioxidants, which can remove free radicals from your body. Anti-inflammatory diets focus on increasing your intake of foods that are packed with antioxidants and minimizing your consumption of foods that can lead to the generation of free radicals.
There isn’t a single specific anti-inflammatory diet you need to follow. Instead, this category includes any diet created with these concepts in mind. For example, several popular diets – including the Mediterranean and DASH diets – also qualify as anti-inflammatory diets.
Who Can It Help?
Inflammation is linked to quite a few medical conditions. If you have any of these conditions, an anti-inflammatory diet may help:
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
Lupus
Inflammatory bowel disease
Colitis
Crohn’s disease
Eosinophilic esophagitis
Asthma
Psoriasis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Furthermore, the antioxidants in an anti-inflammatory diet may reduce your risk of certain forms of cancer.
Anti-Inflammatory Diets and Diabetes
Along with the conditions listed above, inflammation can worsen metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome consists of multiple conditions that often appear together, including obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.
As a result, anti inflammatory diets closely resemble (and often overlap with) diabetes diets. Both diets focus on cutting out fattening foods while getting more fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods
When you’re putting together an anti-inflammatory diet, focus on adding these foods to your plate:
Fruits and Vegetables
In terms of anti-inflammatory benefits, the more colorful your fresh produce is, the better. The substance providing blackberries, cherries, and raspberries with their hue also delivers natural anti inflammatory properties. Along with that, it’s a good idea to eat leafy greens packed with vitamin K, so-called “nightshade” veggies (such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and white tomatoes), and moderate amounts of olives or olive oil.
Whole Grains
Eating the right amount of carbs is always a concern for people with diabetes, but whole grains are an ideal source of carbohydrates. Thanks to their high amount of fiber, products like whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, and brown rice can help you manage inflammation, too.
Plant-Based Proteins
Fiber isn’t only found in whole grains. Plant-based protein sources like beans also deliver fiber and other anti-inflammatory substances like antioxidants. Meanwhile, the type of fat found in nuts can help with this condition – just be sure to eat them in moderation.
Fatty Fish
Not all animal products will help with inflammation, but certain types of fish fit the bill thanks to their omega-3 fatty acids. Try to eat moderate portions of sardines, tuna, and salmon about twice a week.
Herbs and Spices
You may mostly think of herbs and spices as a source of flavor, but certain items in this category boast nutritional benefits. The turmeric in curry powder fights inflammation with a substance known as curcumin, while garlic inhibits the body’s ability to produce things that encourage inflammation.
Foods to Avoid
If inflammation is a concern in your life, what you don’t eat matters as much as what you do. Steer clear of foods like:
Sweets and Soft Drinks
Sugary foods and drinks are already dangerous for people with diabetes. They can contribute to increased blood sugar, weight gain, and increased cholesterol, all linked to inflammation. As if that wasn’t enough, sugar can also trigger the release of the “inflammatory messengers” called cytokines. Even alternative sweeteners, such as honey and agave, can have these effects.
Fatty Red Meat
Eating more than a bit of red meat with saturated fat can lead to inflammation. Be particularly careful around processed red meat products, like hot dogs.
High-Fat Dairy Products
Not all dairy products are related to inflammation, but those containing saturated fats are. Look for low-fat butter, milk, and cheese instead.
Fried Foods
Even if they’re fried in vegetable oil, French fries, fried chicken, and other fried foods won’t do any favors for your inflammation. That’s because vegetable oils like corn and safflower oil contain omega-6 fatty acids, which you must carefully balance with omega-3s.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet Tips
Making lasting changes to your diet can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Keep these tips in mind when starting an anti-inflammatory diet:
Be sure to buy lots of fresh produce and other anti-inflammatory foods when grocery shopping.
Don’t cut out fast food and other unhealthy foods cold-turkey. Instead, gradually phase out these meals and replace them with nutritious, homemade dishes.
Use still or sparkling mineral water to deal with cravings for sugary drinks.
If your doctor approves it, consider adding supplements like a multivitamin or cod liver oil to your diet.
Try to get roughly 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day.
Get good sleep since not being well-rested can also contribute to inflammation.
Finally, don’t make any changes to your diabetes diet alone. If you’d like to start following an anti-inflammatory diet, talk to your dietician first.
Frequently Asked Questions About Inflammatory Diets
What Diet Is Best to Reduce Inflammation?
You may have heard people discuss “the anti-inflammatory diet” as if it is a single, strict regimen. However, that’s not really the case. Instead, an anti-inflammatory diet is any diet built around eating more foods with anti-inflammatory properties and fewer foods that can cause inflammation.
What Is The Fastest Way to Get Rid of Inflammation in the Body?
Eating an anti-inflammatory diet is a great way to reduce inflammation, but it’s not the only thing that can help. You can also drink more water, get regular exercise, and follow a healthy sleep schedule to get rid of inflammation ASAP.
Where Can I Find A List of Anti Inflammatory Foods?
This article contains information on some of the most potent anti-inflammatory foods on the market. However, the list above isn’t intended to be exhaustive. Talk to your dietician if you’d like more information on anti-inflammatory foods.
What Are the 5 Inflammatory Foods?
While there are countless inflammatory foods, most fall into five basic categories. When you’re out shopping, beware of:
Trans fats
Added sugars
Omega-6s
Red/processed meats
Refined carbohydrates
Are Eggs an Inflammatory?
The inflammatory effects of eggs are complicated. While eggs can undoubtedly affect your body’s inflammatory response, that response can be either pro- or anti-inflammatory based on factors like your weight and overall health. If your dietician gives you the OK to eat eggs on an anti-inflammatory diet, pay attention to how you feel after eating them and cut out egg consumption if it causes problems.
Does Coffee Cause Inflammation?
On its own, coffee contains polyphenols and other antioxidants, making it an excellent natural anti inflammatory in moderation. That said, certain creamers and syrups can counteract the effects of these antioxidants. Alternatively, try flavoring your coffee with cinnamon, coconut milk, or a small amount of raw honey.
The Final Word on the Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Living with diabetes or another condition linked to inflammation can be difficult. However, an anti-inflammatory diet can make things much easier for you. If you want to benefit from an anti-inflammatory diet, ask your dietician how to get started.
Anyone with diabetes knows how unpleasant finger prick tests are. After all, these tests aren’t just inconvenient and time-consuming – they can be painful to go through. But even after decades of medical advances, we haven’t eliminated the need for these tests.
However, this situation could possibly change as early as 2023. University of Newcastle, Australia researchers have developed a pain-free, needle-free glucose test that measures sugar in saliva instead of blood. According to the university, this test could make traditional blood glucose testing obsolete. If you’re ready to learn what the future holds for people with diabetes, read on for a full explanation of this cutting-edge technology.
What Is The Saliva Glucose Biosensor?
In 2021, the University of Newcastle, Australia issued a press release on the new diabetes test its researchers had developed. The testing method is the result of two decades of research, and $6.3 million in funding has gone towards creating a manufacturing facility for these tests. If all goes according to plan, the tests could hit store shelves in 2023.
At the heart of this new testing method is a device called a “saliva glucose biosensor.” These sensors are roughly the size of (but even thinner than) a stick of gum. Professor Paul Dastoor led the research behind the development of the saliva glucose biosensor. He said his work was partially inspired by his wife, a primary school teacher.
“It’s a heartbreaking scenario when the lunch bell rings and everyone runs to the playground, bar an unfortunate few who stay back to surrender their finger for blood testing at every meal time,” Professor Dastoor said.
He also said that the project’s overall goal was “to create a world where no one needs to bleed in order to eat.”
Initial research focused on the impact this technology could have on diabetes. People could eventually use similar devices in hundreds of different ways.
“The biosensor is a ‘platform technology’, which means it will be widely applicable to detect a variety of substances that identify a range of diseases. We’re already looking for the substances that identify cancer, hormones and allergies,” Professor Dastoor said.
How Saliva Glucose Tests Work
Since the 1960s, people with diabetes have relied on finger prick tests to measure their blood sugar tests. Despite this, blood isn’t the only bodily fluid that contains glucose – you can also find it in saliva.
Unfortunately, testing for glucose in saliva isn’t easy. One major obstacle: the fact that saliva contains 100 times less glucose than blood does.
“One of our key challenges was the sheer unavailability of glucose in saliva. It exists in minute concentrations, so you need to develop an incredibly powerful platform to detect it. Saliva also contains a plethora of other substances, so you’ve then got to tune out a lot of ‘noise’ to ensure results are accurate,” Professor Dastoor said.
The saliva glucose biosensor is up to that challenge. These sensors are coated with glucose oxidase, a natural enzyme. When a person with diabetes uses a biosensor, it interacts with saliva. That interaction creates an electrical current that the sensor can measure to determine glucose levels with high accuracy.
The Biosensor Manufacturing Process
The creation of saliva glucose biosensors relies on a new manufacturing method called “functional printing.” That involves printing devices the same way printers create text or images on paper. Professor Dastoor’s team has used standard printers filled with electronic inks to make these sensors at a low cost.
Currently, Professor Dastoor and his fellow researchers manufacture their biosensors in a small “factory on campus.” To meet the need for these sensors worldwide, a considerably larger production facility is in the works.
“A dedicated manufacturing facility for biosensors in the Hunter (Region) will enable us to dramatically ramp up production of the saliva biosensor to meet global demand,” Professor Dastoor said.
Use CGMs for Pain-Free Testing Today
While saliva glucose biosensors could transform the world of diabetes management, they aren’t the only way people with diabetes can painlessly check their glucose levels. Continuous glucose monitors have been available for years now, and they can make it easy to do glucose tests without needles.* Though they can’t eliminate the need for finger prick testing, they can significantly cut down on your need for these tests.
If you’d like to find a high-quality CGM at a low price, ADS has you covered. Check out the CGMs we have for sale, along with our “traditional” glucose testing products like glucose meters and testing supplies!
*Use a blood glucose meter to confirm any highs or lows and when your symptoms do not match your sensor’s readings.
https://www.northcoastmed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/diabetes-supplies-list-may-include-saliva-swabs.jpg321845projectmanagerhttps://www.northcoastmed.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ads-logo-new-new.pngprojectmanager2022-10-05 19:32:532022-10-06 15:23:27Diabetes Testing Supplies Lists May Eventually Include Saliva Swabs
In the past, successfully managing diabetes meant filling notebooks with blood glucose readings and calorie measurements. While people with diabetes still need to keep track of these statistics and other information, doing so has become much simpler over time. These days, one of the most critical tools in your diabetes management journey is your smartphone. Recent research shows that apps designed for people with diabetes can help you lose weight and reduce your average blood sugar levels.
With that in mind, it’s not surprising that there are a mind-boggling number of diabetes apps available for both iPhone and Android devices. If you’re trying to simplify your options for diabetes management apps, keep reading for our recommendations.
What to Look for In Apps for Diabetes
When you’re just starting to explore the world of diabetes apps, an ideal first step can be learning what works with the equipment you already have. All kinds of diabetes devices – such as insulin pumps, glucose meters, and continuous glucose monitors – have companion apps allowing them to connect to your smart device. By downloading these apps, you can unlock your equipment’s full potential.
Beyond that, you’ll want to think about how comfortable you are with modern technology. Some of the best diabetes apps are notable for their large number of features, making them perfect for people who want as much diabetes information as possible. On the other hand, that very depth can make them confusing to people who aren’t particularly tech-savvy.
Are you looking for more personalized guidance? Talking to a certified diabetes care and education specialist might be wise. When you let one of these specialists know what you need from a diabetes app, they can use Danatech (a site that lists knowledgeable reviews of these apps) to help.
Our Number-One Diabetes App
Medical ID
Apple Rating: N/A (pre-stalled on iPhone) Android Rating: 4.6 Free
In an emergency situation, you need a way to provide medical information to first responders as quickly as possible – especially if you have diabetes. Falling into a diabetic coma will prevent you from responding to any questions emergency personnel may have.
Having a medical ID on your phone is an ideal way to make this information accessible when it’s needed most. iPhones include these profiles as part of their standard Health app, while this app provides similar functionality to Android users. With Medical ID, you can list everything first responders may need to know (from your medical contacts to your blood type and allergies) and make it accessible from your device’s lock screen.
Apps for Tracking Food and Exercise
MyFitnessPal
Apple Rating: 4.7 Android Rating: 4.5 Free (In-App Purchases Available)
Few health apps are more popular than MyFitnessPal, and for good reason. With this app, you’ll find it easier than ever to track what you eat. Along with a database of 14 million food items, it boasts a barcode scanner and a feature called “Meal Scan” (which allows users to use their phone camera to log entire meals automatically).
Unlike some of the diabetes apps on this list, MyFitnessPal isn’t explicitly designed for people with diabetes. Still, this app is a powerful way to track what you eat and how often you work out. For extra features, like setting calorie goals for individual meals and workouts, upgrade to MyFitnessPal Premium.
Fooducate
Apple Rating: 4.7 Android Rating: 4.4 Free (In-App Purchases Available)
Just about every student knows how grades work – an A means you’re doing great, while a D means you need to improve. But what if you could extend this logic to deciding what to eat? That’s the premise behind Fooducate, an app that lets you scan food items to determine if they earned an A, B, C, or D in health benefits.
Fooducate’s database is smaller than MyFitnessPal’s, and it’s less focused on exercise than other apps out there. Still, its central metaphor offers users a simple way to understand how healthy or unhealthy certain foods are. That makes this app perfect for people who are new to diabetes management.
Apps for Tracking Blood Glucose
mySugr
Apple Rating: 4.6 Android Rating: 4.5 Free (In-App Purchases Available)
mySugr isn’t coy about its mission – the app’s motto is “we make diabetes suck less.” Just don’t let its sense of humor and quirky aesthetic fool you. This is a highly effective app for diabetes management that comes with a ton of features.
In the base app, you’ll get A1C estimates, medication and meal tracking, carb intake, and Apple Health integration – among other capabilities. Upgrading to the pro subscription will let you do even more. As a pro user, you can set reminders to check your blood sugar and calculate insulin doses, meal shots, and corrections.
Most of the apps listed here are meant to help anyone with diabetes. That’s not quite the case for OneTouch Reveal, since it’s designed to work with the OneTouch Verio Flex and the OneTouch Verio Reflect blood glucose meters. But if you do use a OneTouch meter, this app is a must-have.
With OneTouch Reveal, you’ll be able to take the data from your compatible glucose meter to the next level. The app can look for patterns in your readings and figure out when you should look out for overly high or low blood sugar levels. You can also share data with your healthcare team in the form of 14-day, 30-day, or 90-day summaries. Best of all, the OneTouch Reveal app is completely free – no upgrades required.
Diabetes Connect
Apple Rating: 4.7 Android Rating: 4.4 Free (In-App Purchases Available)
As we mentioned earlier, not everyone needs or wants the most comprehensive diabetes app on the market. If you aren’t entirely comfortable with smartphones or just don’t feel the need to track every possible diabetes-related statistic, Diabetes Connect may be just what you’re looking for.
Diabetes Connect is a straightforward app designed to help you track your blood glucose, insulin and other medications, and food intake. Intriguingly, this app lets users turn unused or unneeded features off, hiding them to simplify its interface. Along with that, Diabetes Connect syncs data across devices and can create easy-to-read graphs of diabetes stats.
Diabetes Apps for Data Management
Glucose Buddy
Apple Rating: 4.8 Android Rating: 4.0 Free (In-App Purchases Available)
When you really think about it, who doesn’t want a Glucose Buddy? This app certainly lives up to its name, offering all the features you could want from a diabetes app. A comprehensive food database, bar code scanning, and integration with Apple Health and Dexcom are all here.
Glucose Buddy doesn’t do everything for free – you’ll need to pay to use its A1C calculator (and remove ads). But that doesn’t detract from the app’s strengths, making it a true “buddy” for anyone dealing with diabetes.
Diabetes Tracker by MyNetDiary (Apple)/MyNetDiary’s Diabetes and Diet Tracker (Android)
First of all, don’t worry about the name – these are two different versions of the same app. What’s more important is how impressive this app is. You’ll be able to track any diabetes-related data point you can think of: blood glucose, insulin and medications, exercise (including GPS tracking), meals, and more. You can even log your water intake!
Of course, all that functionality comes with a price. Unlike any other app listed here, MyNetDiary’s offering isn’t free – you’ll need to pay about $10 to get started. On top of that, there’s a subscription for bonuses like fitness tracker/smart scale synchronization. But if you don’t mind paying up, it’s hard to go wrong with this app.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diabetes Apps
Which Diabetes App Is Best?
With so many options available today, it’s impossible to choose one app as the “best diabetes app” for everyone. We listed Medical ID as an app everyone should have since it lets users share essential medical data in critical situations. Beyond that, you’ll need to explore the apps listed here and think about which ones may be well-suited to your own needs.
Is My Diabetes App Free?
Almost every app listed here is free to download. In fact, MyNetDiary’s app is the only one that will require you to take out your credit card right away.
The majority of apps on this list offer extra functionality behind a paywall. For the most part, though, you’ll still be able to take care of the basics without paying extra.
What Is The Best Carb-Counting App for People with Diabetes?
Again, this is a situation where you’ll need to look at what’s available and consider what would be a good fit for you. For example, mySugr offers all kinds of features that can be helpful to people with diabetes – but if you just need the basics, Diabetes Connect may be the better option. Aside from Medical ID, however, most of the apps featured here offer carb-counting tools in some capacity.
Manage Diabetes With These Apps – And ADS
Not every diabetes app is suitable for everyone, but there’s sure to be a diabetes app that’s right for you. Hopefully, this list will help you take the first step when it comes to using technology to track your food intake, glucose levels, and more!
In addition to these apps, why not use your smartphone to simplify other aspects of living with diabetes? When you order insulin, glucose meters, diabetes testing supplies, and other products online from ADS, you’ll benefit from our fast shipping and attention to customer service. The supplies you need are just a tap away!
Do you think you need to cut out all fat sources for your diabetes diet to be successful? The truth isn’t that simple. In this article, you’ll find our breakdown of what fats your diet should limit – and which fats you should try to eat while managing diabetes.
A successful diabetes diet can help you control diabetes symptoms while improving your health in other ways. A big part of this involves keeping a close eye on your carbohydrate intake. You should avoid junk food and other sources of processed carbs while continuing to eat reasonable portions of whole grains and fiber. But this isn’t the only step you’ll need to take when designing your diabetes diet. Common sense suggests that you’ll need to avoid fat at all costs, right?
Despite what you might think, the answer to this question isn’t simple. Like carbohydrates, there are good and bad fats – and while some fats can make diabetes management more difficult, others can actually make life easier for you. Here, the team at ADS will fill you in on the fats you should (and shouldn’t) steer clear of while following a diabetes diet.
Dietary Fats 101
If you have diabetes, your risk of heart disease is higher than average. That’s because this condition can damage your arteries unless your blood sugar control is excellent. In fact, about three out of four people who have diabetes die from some form of heart disease. This elevated risk exists whether you have type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or even gestational diabetes.
Because of this, it’s crucial to do what you can to lower your heart disease risk. Along with controlling your blood sugar, you’ll want to control your overall fat intake. The trick is that while you shouldn’t overeat any fat, some types of fat can be surprisingly helpful in controlled portions. When limited to 30 percent of your calorie intake per day, healthy fats can make it easier to control diabetes – or even play a role in preventing type 2 diabetes.
Monounsaturated Fat
There are two different types of cholesterol you should know about: HDL (or “good”) cholesterol and LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol can build up along your blood vessels, eventually contributing to health problems. On the other hand, HDL cholesterol can absorb “bad” cholesterol, lowering your stroke and heart disease risk.
When eaten in moderation, monounsaturated fats can help lower the amount of LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream. Some sources of this type of fat include:
Avocados
Canola oil and olive oil
Several nuts (including pecans, cashews, hazelnuts and almonds)
Safflower oil
Peanuts, peanut butter, and peanut oil
Seeds like pumpkin and sesame seeds
Polyunsaturated Fat
The other “good” fat you should know about when putting your diabetes diet together is polyunsaturated fat. These fats have health benefits similar to those of monounsaturated fats. They, too, can help lower your LDL level.
Two subtypes of polyunsaturated fat are significant because the human body can’t produce them independently. These “essential fatty acids” can help to improve your heart health, too. One of these subtypes, Omega-3 fatty acids, is available in:
Walnuts
Oily fish (such as tuna, sardines, salmon, tuna, and mackerel)
Flaxseeds/flaxseed oil
Chia seeds
Canola oil
Meanwhile, you can get Omega-6 fatty acids by eating:
Walnuts
Flaxseeds/flaxseed oil
Eggs
Canola oil
Peanut butter
Sunflower seeds
Tofu
Saturated Fat
Of course, not all fats come with these health benefits. You should put effort into avoiding or limiting your saturated fat intake. This fat can increase your LDL levels, potentially leading to all kinds of health problems down the line. For most people with diabetes, getting less than 10 percent of your daily calories from these fats is ideal. Be sure to read Nutrition Fact labels on food packages too.
Oils that contain saturated fat include coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil. Saturated fats are also commonly found in animal products, such as:
Fatback/salt pork
Lard
Fatty meats (bologna, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, etc.)
Perhaps the worst type of fat for your health is trans fat. This type of fat is made when liquid oils are turned into solid fats through the process of hydrogenation. Trans fat can easily do damage to your blood cholesterol, it raises bad LDL levels and lowers good HDL levels, so it’s a good idea to avoid it whenever possible.
You’ll want to be aware of trans fats in foods like these:
Processed snack foods and baked goods
Shortening
Margarine
Some fast food items, including french fries
Get Healthy Fats With These Tips
Replacing unhealthy fats with healthy alternatives doesn’t have to be complicated! If you need some inspiration, get started with the ideas on this list:
Half an avocado topped with sunflower seeds – double items for double nutrition.
Add chopped olives to your salad or pizza.
Add a tablespoon of ground flax seeds to smoothies, muffins, bread, salads, or oatmeal.
Drizzle olive oil on bread or grilled veggies.
Make some popcorn on the stove using canola oil.
Top cereal, oatmeal, or salad with walnuts.
Smear cashew butter on a banana or sliced apples.
Dip your carrots and red pepper strips in hummus – the tahini is made from ground sesame seeds.
For a change of pace, mix pesto into your pasta instead of tomato sauce. Pine nuts are a type of polyunsaturated fat.
Add raw almonds to your smoothie.
Snack on some pistachios or almonds (unsalted).
Snack on homemade trail mix made with peanuts and raisins.
Make your own salad dressing with canola or olive oil, vinegar, and herbs.
Add ¼ cup of macadamia nuts to your favorite nonfat Greek yogurt and top with berries.
Make your own Greek guacamole: puree avocado, add chopped olives and tomatoes, sprinkle with feta cheese.
Enhance Your Diabetes Management With Supplies From ADS
The best way to make sure your diabetes diet is working for you is regular blood glucose testing. You’ll need constant access to glucose meters and related testing supplies to perform these tests. If you need a trustworthy company to ship you these items and others, look no further than ADS!
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Diabetes management can be a challenge for anyone, but it’s not just adults who have this disease. According to the CDC, roughly 210,000 people under the age of 20 had diabetes as of 2018. And with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes becoming more common in kids, understanding how to manage diabetes at any age is more important than ever.
When you’re helping your child live a successful and healthy life while managing diabetes, there are countless things you’ll need to keep in mind. One essential factor in successful diabetes management is blood sugar testing. To make this process relatively pain-free for your child, follow our tips for using a diabetes lancet device and other equipment.
Why Kids Need To Check Blood Sugar
Once your child is diagnosed with diabetes, you’ll have to work with their healthcare team to develop a diabetes management plan. This plan will cover their diet, exercise routine, and much more. And to make sure the measures included in the program are working, you’ll need to check their blood glucose regularly.
Whether you’re young or old, finger prick tests are an unfortunate reality of life with diabetes. And even though your child’s tiny fingers might be extra-sensitive, you can’t afford to skip out on these tests. Blood sugar testing is essential because it can:
Show how your child’s diet, exercise, and medications affect their diabetes
Help you change their diabetes management plan if needed
Give your child a chance to avoid diabetes symptoms
Lower the risk of future complications
Scheduling Blood Sugar Tests
There’s no exact number of daily tests every child with diabetes needs. You’ll have to talk to members of their healthcare team to figure out a testing schedule that’s right for them. Many children with diabetes test their blood sugar before meals and at bedtime, but that may not be the case for your child.
It’s also crucial to realize that your child’s blood sugar testing needs may change from day to day. For example, suppose they get sick or change their diabetes treatment regimen. In that case, they should test their blood glucose more often than average. You may also need to test your child’s blood sugar during the night sometimes, especially if they have episodes of hypoglycemia.
Blood Sugar Testing Tips
If your child has diabetes, there’s no getting around the need for finger prick tests. However, there are a few ways you can help make this process as quick and painless as possible.
Try A Lancing Device
There’s a definite learning curve to the blood sugar testing process, but it can be particularly complicated for youngsters. A great way to simplify things is by picking up a lancing device. These are made to hold lancets and can allow your child to test their blood sugar with the touch of a button.
Not all lancing devices are made equal, however. Look for devices that are easy to use, are the right size for your child’s hands, provide excellent safety features, and offer multiple depth settings.
Experiment With Depth Settings
Let’s expand on that last point: a high-quality lancing device should allow users to try different depth settings. When these settings are adjustable, your child will be able to determine how far the lancet goes into their finger ahead of time.
Finding the correct depth setting is crucial for cutting down on glucose testing-related pain. Your child should start with a lighter depth setting, as these settings are the least painful to use. They can stick with this setting if they can get a good blood sample; otherwise, they can increase the depth a bit and try again next time.
Use The Right Lancets
Your child’s lancing device won’t be beneficial if they don’t have lancets to use with it. Lancets come in different gauges, and larger numbers indicate thinner needles.
Thin needles are less painful than their thicker counterparts, so starting with them is a good idea. If they don’t work as well as they should, your child can use thicker alternatives the next time they need to test their blood sugar. But no matter what, make sure your child knows not to reuse lancets – they need to be disposed of after use.
Take Care of Fingers After Tests
If these tips aren’t enough to mitigate your child’s sore fingers, certain skincare products may help. One excellent choice is tea tree oil, which they can apply to their fingers twice a day. This oil can help reduce pain, and it shouldn’t be hard to find in your nearest pharmacy.
Consider a CGM
Though you can’t eliminate your child’s need for finger prick tests, modern technology can help you reduce the number of tests they’ll need to do. With continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems, people with diabetes can observe their glucose levels throughout the day without fingersticks.*
Not all CGMs can be used by patients of all ages. As a result, you’ll need to do some research before making a decision. Get started by exploring the CGMs available from ADS – not to mention our diabetes testing supplies and glucose meters!
*Use a blood glucose meter to confirm any highs or lows and when your symptoms do not match your sensor’s readings.
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For countless people, summer is the best time of year – and it’s not hard to see why. This season is a great time to enjoy outdoor activities like barbecues, beach parties, and fireworks displays. But even if you take time off during the summer months, you can’t afford to stop taking diabetes management seriously at this time of year.
The symptoms and complications tied to diabetes don’t go away when the temperature rises. In fact, the combination of summer weather and diabetes can lead to several issues if you aren’t careful. Luckily, some simple diabetes management methods can help you make this summer a delightful one.
Diabetes and Summer Weather
If you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, you’re particularly susceptible to the effects of summer weather. Here’s how heat and humidity can affect people with diabetes:
Heat and Diabetes
Some of the most well-known complications of diabetes include damage to nerves and blood vessels. Those complications can cause problems on their own, but they can also change how your sweat glands work. That means people with diabetes can have trouble cooling down, possibly leading to heat exhaustion or even heat stroke. Be alert to signs of heat exhaustion and contact your health provider if necessary.
Many people with diabetes also find it easier than average to get dehydrated. That is partially due to the increased urination caused by high blood sugar levels. Additionally, medications like diuretics can make the issue worse. Because of this, it’s essential to make sure you’re getting enough fluids during the summer.
Finally, the summer heat can even change how your body uses insulin. To ensure you’re staying in range, it’s a good idea to test your blood sugar more often than usual in the summertime.
Humidity and Diabetes
Even dry heat can be dangerous to people with diabetes, but warm summer days can also be very humid. That’s a problem because sweat cools people down by evaporating. Since less sweat will evaporate when it’s humid out, this system won’t work as effectively. Combined with the sweat-related issues you may already have if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, this can be a real cause for concern.
To predict the effects of heat and humidity, you might want to check the heat index. This measurement takes both of these factors into account, making it an ideal reference point for people with diabetes. Generally speaking, if it’s 80°F in the shade and humidity levels are at 40 percent or higher, it’s time to think about ways to stay cool.
Follow These Diabetes Management Tips This Summer
Living with diabetes during the summer may sound tricky, but you shouldn’t have to work too hard to stay healthy at this time of year. Just make sure to follow these pieces of advice:
Stay Hydrated
Anyone can get dehydrated during the dog days of summer – and that goes double for people with diabetes. Try to drink plenty of water when it’s hot out, whether you’re thirsty or not. But don’t replace water with alcohol, sports drinks, or caffeinated beverages! These can cause you to lose water, along with potentially making your blood sugar spike.
Don’t Ignore Your Blood Glucose Levels
Summer might be a busy time of year for you, but you shouldn’t test your blood sugar less often because of that. Instead, it’s a good idea to do more tests than average during this season. Along with the effects of heat and humidity on people with diabetes, some foods that are often served at summertime events can increase your blood sugar.
Dress For the Weather
Wearing the right clothes for any season is crucial – after all, you wouldn’t put on shorts and a tank top during a blizzard. You’ll need to put some thought into your summer wardrobe, as well. Wear clothes that are loose, lightly colored, and lightweight. When you go outside, put on a hat and sunscreen for added protection. For your exercise routine, also watch with the time of day you’re exercising outside. You might have to exercise outside in the early morning when it is cooler outside. Finally, make sure not to go barefoot!
Update Your Diabetes Diet
If you’ve worked hard to develop a dietary plan for diabetes, you may not think there’s any need to change it now. However, adjusting your diet to reflect what’s in season is a fantastic way to mix up your routine while enjoying different fruits and vegetables. These are some of the best types of summer produce for diabetes:
Watermelon. This fruit is practically synonymous with summer, and it’s a great source of hydration, too. Along with that, it’s packed with antioxidants like lycopene, and high in vitamins C and A, and other nutrients.
Cucumbers. When you eat a cup of cucumbers, you’re getting just 4 grams of carbohydrates and 16 calories. They have small amounts of Vitamin K and A but are 95% water. Eat them without removing their seeds or skins – you’ll get more nutrients that way!
Tomatoes. Whether they’re a vegetable or a fruit, tomatoes are a healthy seasonal addition to your plate. They can lower your risk of complications from diabetes, are low in calories and carbs, and deliver several essential vitamins to promote good health. They are an excellent source of Vitamin C, A and K.
Peppers. Want a crispy but sweet addition to your meals? Peppers are loaded with healthy nutrients and antioxidants. They are a great source of vitamin C, B6, thiamine, folic acid and beta-carotene. Try different color varieties like yellow, red, and green.
Prepare For the Worst
When you think of summer weather, your mind might jump to sunny skies and gentle breezes. That can be the case much of the time, but not always. The start of June for certain areas means the start of hurricane season, and significant thunderstorms are also more common in the warmer months.
Weather-related emergencies during the summer could cause a power outage in your area or force you to shelter away from home. Have a plan in place to protect medications like insulin that need to be refrigerated, and make a supply kit you can grab if you need to leave in a hurry.
Keep Your Diabetes Supplies Cool
Certain types of supplies used by people with diabetes can be affected by summer weather. Do you use insulin, oral medications, or a combination of both? If so, don’t leave these medicines in a hot car or direct sunlight. And if you’re going on a summer road trip, keep your medications in a cooler (without putting your insulin in direct contact with ice or an ice pack).
Other diabetes supplies that heat can damage include:
You should choose a reliable company to send you supplies like these year-round. Are you looking for a trustworthy diabetes supply company? If so, get started with ADS today!
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Almost anyone with diabetes could tell you that eating your veggies is essential. Though they’re a source of carbohydrates, vegetables also come packed with the nutrients and fiber you need for successful diabetes management. And while you should eat balanced amounts of many different foods to keep your diabetes in check, fresh produce is the cornerstone of a healthy diabetes diet.
What you might not know is that one of the best “vegetables” for diabetes technically isn’t a vegetable at all! Though they often get classified as veggies for culinary purposes, mushrooms are actually considered fungi. But don’t let that discourage you – after all, these savory morsels could be just what your diabetes management strategy needs. Read on to learn how mushrooms can help you control diabetes and how you can add them to your diabetes diet.
The Health Benefits of Mushrooms
Do you prefer the meat-like texture of Portabella mushrooms, the relatively small size of white button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms or Asian cuisine made with shiitake mushrooms? No matter what your favorite mushroom is, we have good news: all edible mushrooms offer similar nutritional benefits.
When you eat a cup of raw mushrooms, you’ll get just one gram of sugar and two grams of carbs – not to mention zero grams of fat. At the same time, mushrooms are highly nutritious and a good source of antioxidants.. The serving listed above contains 22 percent of your daily value of vitamin B2, 16 percent of your daily value of vitamin B3, and 12 percent of your daily value of selenium. Mushrooms contain other minerals like potassium, copper, iron and phosphorus.
Why Make Mushrooms Part of Your Diabetes Diet?
No matter who you are, mushrooms can be a delicious, nutritious addition to your diet. That said, they have quite a few diabetes-specific benefits, including:
Low Glycemic Index/Glycemic Load
The glycemic index and glycemic load systems are slightly different. Still, they both have the end goal of helping people understand how foods can affect their blood sugar. No matter which method you prefer, you’ll find that mushrooms will have a minimal impact on your glucose levels. Their glycemic index of 10-15 is considered “low,” while a one-cup serving has a glycemic load of less than 1.
Potential Anti-Diabetic Properties
As if that’s not enough, mushrooms are rich in compounds known as polysaccharides. Early research focusing on animals that have type 2 diabetes suggests that these compounds could possibly fight diabetes by:
Reducing blood sugar
Limiting damage to pancreatic tissues
Cutting down on blood cholesterol
Boosting resistance to insulin
Reduced Risk of Dementia
People with diabetes have a heightened dementia risk, as there’s a correlation between high blood sugar and Alzheimer’s disease. Luckily, the B vitamins found in mushrooms like riboflavin, folate, thiamine, pantothenic acid and niacin may reduce the risk of cognitive decline in older adults.
Protection from Gestational Diabetes
Maybe you don’t have diabetes right now but are planning to get pregnant and want to avoid gestational diabetes. In that case, mushrooms can still help! A diet rich in mushrooms, other veggies, and more foods packed with vitamins could lower your likelihood of developing gestational diabetes.
Easy Ways to Eat More Mushrooms
Are you wondering how to start eating more mushrooms? Here are a few quick ideas:
Try eating them raw! If you truly want to savor the flavor of mushrooms, it’s hard to beat making them the main event.
Mix them into other foods! Mushrooms can enhance everything from casseroles to soups, salads, in a stir-fry and much more.
Eat them for breakfast! Place sautéed mushrooms on top of your whole grain cheese toast or add them to an omelet.
Use them as a topping! Pizza with mushrooms is a classic, but mushrooms also go great with hamburgers and steaks.
Go meatless! Instead of topping your next burger with mushrooms, why not cut out the middleman? Portabella mushrooms make a great stand-in for beef patties. This is a great lower calorie, fat and cholesterol option! (One caveat: since mushrooms aren’t very high in protein, be sure to eat other plant-based proteins, too!)
Tour the world from your dinner table! Shiitake mushrooms are a vital part of many Asian cuisines. The next time you order Chinese food or make your own, be sure to include these mushrooms in your meal!
Regardless of how you choose to enjoy eating mushrooms, your diabetes management strategy shouldn’t just focus on your diet. You’ll also need to get regular exercise, check your blood sugar regularly, and find a reliable source of diabetes supplies. ADS can help you with the latter point – we offer insulin pumps, glucose meters, and much more!
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Fruits and vegetables are an indispensable element of any healthy diet – including diabetes diets. While they contain carbohydrates, the positive impact they can have on your overall well-being more than makes up for this. When you eat the right amount of produce and focus on adding the healthiest options to your diet, you’ll get nutrients, fiber, and much more.
In fact, veggies and fruits are so delicious and nutritious that they’re the focus of a month-long celebration – National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month, which occurs every June. Of course, this isn’t the only time you can reap the benefits that vegetables and fruits bring to the table. Whether you’ve found this article in June or any other time of year, keep reading for the ADS guide to fresh produce and diabetes.
The Health Benefits of Produce
Fruits and vegetables aren’t just full of nutrients – they’re nutrient-dense, which means they offer lots of minerals and vitamins but low calories. Along with this, the antioxidants they contain can help lower your risk of some chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.
The USDA has acknowledged the health benefits of produce in its MyPlate program. That program, intended to help people eat a balanced diet, asks people to fill 50 percent of their plates with fruits and vegetables during meals. That’s equivalent to 1.5-2 cups of fruit and 2-3 cups of vegetables per day!
How Fruits and Veggies Fight Diabetes
If you have diabetes, following the keto diet or other fad diets that heavily restrict your carbohydrate intake might sound like a good idea. But that’s not necessarily the case – while it’s important to count carbs when you have diabetes, you still need to eat a balanced diet just like everyone else. And even though produce contains some carbs, its health benefits can help you keep your overall well-being in check.
Along with that, many fruits and veggies are high in fiber. That’s important to know if you have diabetes since fiber can help you control your blood sugar, lose weight, and reduce your levels of LDL (AKA “bad” cholesterol).
However, the way you consume produce matters if you have diabetes. Your best bet is to focus on fresh fruit or raw/cooked vegetables. Salty cooked or canned vegetables, sugar-packed jams and jellies, fruit juice, and other produce-based products can cause health problems if you aren’t careful.
10 Best Vegetables and Fruits for People with Diabetes
While it’s usually a good idea to add fruits and vegetables to your diet, some types of produce are exceptionally healthy for people with diabetes. You can’t go wrong with these options:
Leafy Greens
Spinach, collard greens, kale, and the like are more than a match for diabetes – they come packed with omega-3 fatty acids and minerals perfectly suited to boost insulin production and keep your blood glucose in check.
Berries
Despite their sweet taste, berries are relatively low in sugar. They also contain lots of nutrients and fiber, making them an ideal treat for people with diabetes.
Sweet Potatoes
Don’t let the name fool you – sweet potatoes boast a low glycemic index, meaning they won’t have a severe effect on your blood sugar level. That makes them an even better option than regular potatoes if you have diabetes.
Citrus Fruits
Oranges and other citrus fruits are full of fiber. Meanwhile, they’re chock-full of vitamin C – just make sure to eat them raw instead of drinking orange juice.
Broccoli
It’s hard to overstate how healthy broccoli is for people with diabetes. This veggie is low in calories and full of vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants.
Apples
Eating one of these fruits a day might not keep the doctor away, but it certainly won’t hurt – the anthocyanins that apples contain can help give insulin production a lift. Try to eat smaller apples, and don’t forget to include them when counting carbs.
Asparagus
Asparagus contains quite a bit of protein, but this vegetable’s health benefits don’t stop there. You’ll also get a heaping helping of fiber and vitamins from a serving, including 18% of your suggested daily amount of vitamins C and E.
Red Onion
These onions come with layers of diabetes-fighting benefits. They’re low in calories, deliver essential vitamins, and have antioxidant properties.
Cherries
The anthocyanins contained in cherries may help lower your blood sugar, and they’re full of vitamins, calcium, and fiber. Perhaps best of all, it’s easy to add them to all kinds of recipes for a quick health boost!
Zucchini
The magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B included in zucchini can all help keep your blood glucose levels under control. This veggie can also improve your eye health, which is especially important due to the vision-related complications associated with diabetes.
Fun Ways to Increase Your Produce Intake
Eating right shouldn’t be a chore! Use these tips to have fun while adding more produce to your diet:
Find ways to “sneak” vegetables into recipes you already enjoy.
Stop by your local farmer’s market and see what they have available.
Liven up your breakfast with the addition of a half of a banana or berries.
Plant a vegetable garden in your backyard – you’ll get fresh veggies and physical activity!
Cut vegetables like broccoli or peppers up ahead of time and package them for use when you need a quick fix.
Try new vegetables and fruits regularly. Explore the produce aisle and get creative!
Enjoy National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month with ADS
There’s no better time than the present to balance your diet by eating more fruits and veggies, and that’s true no matter what month it is. That’s why we here at ADS celebrate National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month all year long!
To maximize the health benefits associated with fresh produce, you should make sure you have a diabetes strategy that’s working for you. That means you’ll need to check your blood sugar regularly, get the insulin dosage you need, and find a reliable supplier for diabetes supplies.
ADS can ship insulin, glucose meters, and other products directly to you – if you’re interested, take a look at all the diabetes supplies we have available!
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It’s no overstatement to say that diabetes can have a significant impact on your overall health. If you’ve been diagnosed with this condition, you’ll need to change your diet and set up an exercise routine to keep it under control. Otherwise, you’ll be at risk of short-term symptoms like extreme hunger and thirst and frequent urination. That’s not even mentioning long-term complications such as heart disease, nerve damage, and vision problems.
These effects of diabetes are relatively well-known, but you might not know that diabetes can affect the quality of your sleep. Whether you tossed and turned through the night or slept like a baby before your diabetes diagnosis, keep reading for crucial info on diabetes and sleep.
The Link Between Diabetes and Sleep
We’ve known that diabetes can impact people’s sleep for at least a decade now. In 2012, a research team looked into connections between sleep disturbances (including difficulties falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, and oversleeping) and diabetes. Their research found a clear link between the two and made it clear that sleep deprivation can be a diabetes risk factor.
Even if you have diabetes, your sleep may or may not be affected by the disease. That’s because the impact diabetes can have on rest is tied to symptoms that not everyone experiences. These symptoms are more likely to affect your rest:
People with high blood sugar levels may need to urinate more frequently than usual. As a result, they might have to wake up to go to the bathroom during the night.
Excess blood glucose can drain water from your tissues. That can make you dehydrated, meaning you might need to get up and get a glass of water late at night.
Low blood sugar symptoms can affect your sleep, too. These symptoms include sweating, shaking, and dizziness.
Sleep Disorders in People with Diabetes
In addition to the impact these symptoms can have on your sleep schedule, certain sleep disorders are seen more commonly in people with diabetes. These include:
Sleep Apnea
When you have sleep apnea, your breathing repeatedly stops and starts multiple times per night. This is the most common sleep disorder for people with diabetes – particularly type 2 diabetes, as it can be exacerbated by excess weight.
Symptoms of sleep apnea include snoring and daytime sleepiness. Common risk factors are obesity and a family history of sleep apnea. To manage this condition, you may need to use a CPAP (a special mask) and weight loss can help, as well.
Restless Leg Syndrome
As its name suggests, the defining trait of restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a relentless need to move your legs. Since it’s most common during the night, it can make falling asleep or staying asleep difficult.
Things like high blood glucose levels, thyroid disorders, and kidney problems can increase your RLS risk. It has been found that tobacco use or iron deficiency can also trigger the syndrome. If you think you might have RLS, let your healthcare team know.
Insomnia
If you have a rough time falling or staying asleep, there’s a good chance you have insomnia. High levels of glucose and stress can increase your likelihood of experiencing this condition.
To treat insomnia, start by considering sources of stress in your life and working from there. Professional medical advice can help you deal with insomnia, as well.
Improve Your Sleep with These Tips
While diabetes can affect your sleep, poor sleep can also make it more challenging to manage this disease. Not getting enough rest can affect your hormones and can increase the likelihood that you’ll overeat to gain energy. That can cause you to gain weight, making diabetes management more complicated – and potentially making your sleep problems even worse.
To avoid this vicious circle, you’ll need to do what you can to improve your sleep habits. A few simple steps can help:
Make an environment where it’s easy to sleep. If you haven’t bought a new mattress lately, it might be time for an upgrade. Along with that, keep your bedroom at a relatively cool temperature.
Don’t do anything stimulating before bed. That can include exercise, caffeinated drinks, and even basic housework. If you have to exercise at night, consider a slow yoga routine.
Set a sleep schedule and stick to it. By following this schedule all week long (including weekends), you’ll essentially train yourself to get tired when you need to sleep. Also, it is recommended to not take naps after 3 pm and for no longer than 20 minutes.
Consider using white noise. If outdoor noises can wake you up easily, white noise may help you tune them out. You can generate white noise by turning on a fan or downloading a white noise app for your smart device.
Cut out digital distractions. Texting and web browsing before bed can keep your mind active long after you put your phone down. Along with that, the glow from screens may wake you up. If you have to read something before bed, make sure it’s in a paper book or on an e-reader with an unlit e-ink screen.
Don’t drink before bed. Even if alcohol helps you unwind, it may wake you up in the middle of the night.
Monitor your blood sugar closely. By controlling your blood glucose levels, you’ll reduce diabetes symptoms and their effects on your sleep patterns. To do this, you’ll need a reliable glucose meter and other diabetes testing supplies. You can purchase all these items and more from ADS!
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When you’re trying to manage diabetes and keep diabetes symptoms under control, one of the most effective steps you can take is following a diabetes diet. Chances are, your healthcare team has already mentioned certain foods you should include in this diet. These recommendations might consist of fruits, vegetables, and certain types of meat.
But have you ever wondered why these food categories could help you fight diabetes? The answer is simple: foods in these groups tend to be “nutrient-dense.” If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of nutrient density, read on for our guide – and a list of nutrient-dense superfoods that can turbocharge your diabetes diet.
What is Nutrient Density?
People can’t eat an infinite amount of food on a given day. That may seem like a fairly obvious statement, but it means that you and everyone else need to make choices about what you eat to get the nutrients you need. Even if two different food items have similar amounts of calories, they could have radically different effects on your overall health. This is the case because they have differing amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
The concept of nutrient density refers to a food item’s nutritional content compared to its calorie count. Highly nutrient-dense foods are packed with vitamins and minerals while containing relatively few calories. On the flip side, foods with low nutrient density have lots of calories but limited nutrients. They also tend to be high in saturated fats and sugars.
Some foods with low nutrient density (more commonly known as “junk foods”) include candy, white bread, chips, ice cream, and soda. Excessive amounts of these foods can wreak havoc on anyone’s diet. Still, it’s imperative to avoid them if you have diabetes since they could make your diabetes symptoms worse. The good news is that many foods with higher nutrient density levels can help you keep your diabetes diagnosis under control.
Try These Nutrient-Dense Foods
Are you looking for nutrient-dense foods to add to your diabetes diet? Your healthcare team can help, but it may be a good idea to consider these amazing superfoods:
Beans and Peas
Beans are delicious, affordable, and packed with nutrients. Focus on eating these types of beans to manage your blood sugar while getting lots of fiber, protein, iron, zinc, and folate:
Kidney beans
Pinto beans
Garbanzo beans
Lima beans
Black beans
Black-eyed peas
Split peas
Lentils
Blueberries
Many items in the produce section are great for your health, but few fruits can match blueberries in terms of nutritional value. Though vegetables can have higher levels of vitamins and minerals, these berries make up for this with the antioxidants they contain. Some of these antioxidants can cross the blood-brain barrier, allowing them to protect your brain – studies show that blueberries may boost memory in older people. Furthermore, in another study blueberries appeared to lower obese individual’s with metabolic syndrome their LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels. These berries could play a role in fighting cancer, too.
Dark Chocolate
Living with diabetes doesn’t have to mean giving up dessert – especially when you treat your sweet tooth to dark
chocolate! When it has a high cocoa percentage and you eat it in moderation, dark chocolate can be much more nutritious than you might think. Studies have shown that dark chocolate is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods! As a result, dark chocolate has health benefits similar to those associated with blueberry consumption. Furthermore, research suggests that eating this chocolate at least five times a week could lower your heart disease risk by 57 percent.
Garlic
Garlic can do much more than add flavor to your meals. When you add garlic to your diet, you’ll benefit from its high amounts of calcium, manganese, selenium, copper, potassium, and vitamins C, B1, and B6. Meanwhile, it contains sulfur compounds like allicin, which could lower your blood pressure and LDL cholesterol. As if that’s not enough, studies show that garlic has various cancer fighting properties too.
Kale
Leafy greens, in general, are great for diabetes management, but nothing beats kale. This veggie is chock-full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and beneficial bioactive compounds. Kale is high in vitamin C, A and vitamin K1. It also contains large amounts of vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese and copper. Kale may be even healthier than spinach because of its lower amount of oxalates. These are substances that can bind to certain minerals in your intestines and prevent them from being absorbed by your body.
Salmon
You may have heard that fish are a good source of protein for people with diabetes. But that doesn’t mean that all fish are equally nutritious – and salmon is one of the best options out there. This type of fish is exceptionally high in omega-3 fatty acids, and eating it can reduce your risk of certain serious diseases. Along with essential fatty acids and protein, eating salmon will give you many B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and selenium. It is recommended to eat fatty, omega 3 rich fish at least once or twice a week for good health.
Sardines
Sardines are another type of fish that’s packed with heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. They’re also a uniquely
nutrient-rich option since they’re customarily eaten whole – including their organs. Because of this, sardines offer small amounts of almost every nutrient you could need. (But be sure to exercise caution when purchasing sardines – canned sardines can be high in sodium. Instead, try to find water-packed sardines with packaging that uses the term “low sodium.”)
Support Your Nutrient-Dense Diet With Diabetes Supplies
Once you’ve built a diabetes diet that focuses on nutrient-dense foods like these, you’ll need to watch your blood sugar levels to make sure it’s working as intended. That means having reliable access to glucose meters, continuous glucose monitors, and diabetes testing supplies. If you need a trustworthy supplier of these items and many others, choose ADS to get the job done!
