Category Archives: Diabetes

5 Step Food Fix to Help You Get Control of Diabetes

Posted on by
Reply

Once you have made up your mind to change your diet to get control of diabetes, try these meal-by-meal tips to get started on better blood sugar control.

  • Stop drinking sugar.

You can get a dramatic drop in blood sugar, lose weight and feel better by stopping all soda pop, juice and other drinks with added sugar. Eventually you can add some 100% juice back in small amounts but to start it is best to avoid completely. You can temporarily transition to diet drinks but the best alternative would be to drink water, even if you need to flavor it with frozen fruit or a little juice. Water is necessary for all the functions our bodies need to maintain, especially blood sugar control.

  • Eat breakfast every day.

Our bodies do much better when we start out the day with some type of energy source. If you can’t stand the thought of eating in the morning or are in a hurry, try a breakfast or protein shake. There are several options for protein shake beverages that are low in carbohydrate for diabetes. Whole grain cereal, oatmeal, yogurt or peanut butter toast are other options.

  • Plan a light lunch.

Avoid the fast food or restaurant meals unless you can choose a healthy, low calorie meal under 600 calories. That may even be too much if you are trying to lose weight. Be careful not to assume that because you are having salad that it is healthy. Some salads can be over 1000 calories, depending on what’s in it. You can look up calories in many restaurant meals at calorieking.com. Better yet, instead of eating out, pack a salad or sandwich or even just nuts and fruit.

  • Eat less starch and more veggies at your evening meal.

Potatoes, pasta and rice are heavy starch foods that are difficult to eat in small amounts. Try some meals without those starches and instead have more vegetables such as greens, carrots, cauliflower or other veggies you like. The key to enjoying eating more vegetables is to understand how they fight disease, and find great tasting ways to prepare them.

  • Snack between each meal if it helps control hunger and blood sugar.

Do you ever work all day with barely anything to eat and then go home and eat non-stop until bedtime? That is a common problem that can be solved with 2 words. PLAN SNACKS! Take snacks with you daily or keep them at work. Ideas: fresh fruit, nuts, trail mix, energy bars, yogurt, whole grain crackers with cheese, veggies and dip.

Is it okay to eat some sweets?
You can usually still eat small amounts of sweets even when you have diabetes. When blood sugars are high it is best to avoid them if possible. Blood sugar monitoring can really help you figure out how much and how often you can have them and still keep control of diabetes.

Keep in mind that if you are on medication for diabetes, most need to be taken with food. If you have any questions about that always ask your doctor.

Sign up for the free report “10 Strategies to Control Carb Cravings” so you can receive ongoing tips on diabetes as well as updates and discounts on programs!

Grapes: Good or Bad for Diabetes?

Posted on by
Reply

grapesI get this question a lot. Many people have been told grapes are too high in sugar and if you have diabetes you should not eat them.

Grapes are actually very heart healthy and have a low glycemic index, in the 43-53 range. One serving is about 15-20 grapes, a small handful. The equal amount of carbohydrate in grape juice would be about 1/3 cup.

More Health Benefits of Grapes

  • Resveratrol: grapes have more than any other food and it may help prevent damage to blood vessels.
  • Manganese, vitamin K and potassium: grapes are a good source of these nutrients and 19 different phytonutrients.
  • Helps control blood pressure: the flavonoids in grapes help keep arteries elastic so they can expand when needed for increased blood flow.
  • Helps lower LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff) by slowing LDL oxidation: LDL sticks to the walls of veins and arteries when it gets oxidized. This leads to inflammation and plaque, which narrows the blood vessels and increases the chance of heart attack or stroke.
  • Decreases activity of platelets, which are responsible for clotting. If platelets are too active it can cause clots to form inside blood vessels and lead to heart attacks.
  • Helps the release of nitric oxide, which is also helpful in preventing neuropathy, the nerve damage that causes numbness and pain in feet and hands.

Concord grape juice is also great for heart health and you can even make your own flavored water by diluting the juice. This can be a healthy alternative to regular or diet soda. (Just be sure you are buying 100% grape juice).

Of course if you are on certain medications you don’t want to interfere with levels of vitamin K or potassium so always check with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions.

Don’t Let Diabetes Get You Down.

Now I want to talk about the other effect of diabetes related to our heart . . . the emotional effect of having diabetes. Having any chronic disease is stressful, but diabetes is so much about food that it can often trigger more emotional eating just trying to deal with it all. And if you have high or low blood sugars, that can affect your mood.

Why am I mentioning this? If you are struggling with managing diabetes and need help problem solving, email me to schedule a complimentary 15 minute chat and learn more about how I can help you take control of diabetes. Coaching sessions are customized to your needs and can be done from the comfort and privacy of your own home by phone.

Sign up for the free report “10 Strategies to Control Carb Cravings” so you can receive ongoing tips on diabetes as well as updates and discounts on programs!

Tips for Getting Off the Addictive Carbs Eating Pattern

Posted on by
Reply

If you are also struggling to get back on track with healthy eating and weight control take a look at these ideas. You might find a few tips that help you take a different approach instead of feeling like you have to go hungry.

  • Transition with “safe” sweets/snacks. Get the addictive sweets and snacks out of the house. Those are the ones that you can’t stop eating until you have stuffed yourself. If you know you are still going to get a sweet craving keep something around that you can have a small amount and walk away easily from. Those are what I call “safe” sweets/snacks. My choice is semi-sweet chocolate chips. I like to have a little chocolate but definitely don’t care to eat handfuls of chocolate chips. Lately, vitamin C drop candies have also been helpful.
  • Focus more on the healing foods you CAN eat instead of what you should NOT eat. Hopefully those foods will gradually replace the less healthy foods, and it keeps your thoughts about food, eating and weight positive.
  • Try a semi-liquid diet day. This does not mean starving but can work to get you jump started on losing a few pounds. For breakfast have a low calorie smoothie or a meal replacement drink such as Boost or Slim Fast. You can get them both in low sugar, high protein versions. Drink unsweetened tea, coffee or water. No sweetened beverages or artificial sweeteners if possible. They may trigger cravings. For lunch have a low calorie soup. These recipes look great! (Tip: make a crock pot of soup on the weekend to have ready to go meals for the week).
    Then if you want a meal for evening have a salad with lean meat, egg, fish or cheese added, and some salad dressing. For a little carbohydrate you can add a few whole grain crackers or croutons. Or switch it up and have salad for lunch and soup for dinner. Just remember . . . don’t add crackers or bread with your soup.
  • Practice eating until you START to feel full and then stop. This takes practice and if you know you have been overeating it takes practice to eat a little less each time until you no longer feel full and bloated after eating. This may mean eating a little more often but that’s okay because it will still help you over time eat less overall.
  • Take on a project that you really enjoy so you get involved and forget about wanting to eat. Rearrange a room in your house or start planning your spring garden!
  • If nothing is working do something to get inspired. Read a great book. Take a walk in the fresh air and sunshine. For me watching my daughter at tennis lessons inspires me to get active again.

Make sure you are signed up for the free report “10 Strategies to Control Carb Cravings” so you can receive ongoing tips on diabetes as well as updates and discounts on programs!

4 Ways to Get Your Mind Set to Fight Diabetes

Posted on by
Reply

“Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you chances are it will burn very briefly.”    Stephen Covey

Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This quote sums it up. The motivation for lifestyle change has to be yours.  You want to change not because your doctor tells you  . . . not because your family or friends want you to . . . but because there is something that matters to you enough to make you want to change your life!

If you are searching for the motivation to get healthier and fight diabetes I hope that you find some tips to inspire you and help you find the spark that lights your fire!

1.     Find the Strong Motivator Within You

What is your reason for wanting to make changes in your life and your health?

What do you envision yourself doing 5-10 years from now that diabetes might interfere with?

Sometimes we don’t think we are worth spending the time or money to improve our health. But think about it from the perspective of how your health will affect your ability to help others with your unique talents and gifts. What is your life purpose? We are all here to serve others in some way. What has God intended your work to be?  If you have less burden from diabetes you can help others so much more.

This may take some time to think and reflect on your life.

For example, one of my big motivators to stay well and beat diabetes is thinking about my “bucket list” of places I want to see and things I want to do and being able to do things with my kids and future grandchildren.  If I let diabetes take over my life and my body I won’t be able to enjoy all of those adventures! 

. . .Not to mention that I plan on working for many years helping others find better ways to manage and conquer diabetes.

2.     Post Your Goal

Post Your Daily or Weekly Goal where it will be a reminder.  I LOVE sticky notes but you can post it any way you like. Post it on your computer, on your desk, in your car, on your fridge!

Or you can post a picture related to your goal. Just make sure it is an inspiring picture.  For example if I want to start exercising to get in shape for a vacation to Europe, where I will be walking a lot, I could post a picture of the place where I will be going on vacation.

3.     Enlist Help

We all need support to reach our goals. Here are some ideas:

  • Online forums where you can discuss concerns with others working toward the same type of goals.
  • Ask family members to support your goals, such as not having tempting foods around the house.
  • Get a group of friends or coworkers together that are working on similar goals and email each other or meet periodically.
  • Start a health challenge at work.
  • Hire a coach for accountability to help you stay on track.  Email me at http://kmnutrition.com/contact  to set up a free informational phone conversation.

4.     Start Your “Re-Energize” List

As you are working day-to-day to beat diabetes, realize that you will have days and maybe weeks where you have no motivation to do this anymore. That does not mean you have failed. You are human and that is normal. We cannot eat perfectly, exercise perfectly or do anything we know we should do perfectly. We can only do our best every day.

When you have those no-motivation days it will help to have a list of things you can do to re-energize. Here are a few ideas:

  • Forget about it. Take a break and forget about your goal for a day.  Maybe you have been thinking about it too much and just need to free your mind and focus on something else. You might find you come back refreshed!
  • Read an inspiring article or book. This can be any topic or any type – just pick something that feels inspiring to you!
  • Watch a move that inspires you.
  • Go to an event that you enjoy. This might be a sporting or other event or just getting together with friends.
  • Talk to someone that makes you feel good about yourself.
  • Tell yourself something positive about you every day . . . . Say it out loud and better yet, write it down in journal or notebook.  I like to think of it as a compliment to myself.  This positive self-talk can be powerful in helping you change your life!

Now . . Here’s your challenge for the week: Take time to think about the motivation from within you, write it down somewhere or type it in your phone as a reminder.

Controlling Diabetes is Like Taking a Road Trip

Posted on by
3

You Need to Map Your Destination

When you take a road trip you need to figure out the best way to get there right? I was going to say you need to get out the map but now we just pull out our GPS and let it guide the way. Too bad managing diabetes and weight control is not that easy!

Knowing your targets for blood sugar control is like knowing your destination for a trip. The road we travel to get to that destination may be paved with a food plan, exercise plan and maybe medication.

So once you know where you are going and you have planned your route you are ready to hit the road! Sounds easy enough right? Have you ever had directions that seemed easy but for some reason you keep going in circles and can never get there? You look at the map or plug your directions into your GPS but it takes you to a completely different place. How does that happen? In my experience it is usually because one part of the address is typed in wrong.

Trying to keep up with healthy eating and exercise for weight and diabetes control is a lot like that. You know where you are trying to end up but you seem to keep going in circles.

Have you heard the quote “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”? If you think about it that is what we often do with our diet and exercise habits. We keep buying the same food or doing the same routine and we think magically the outcome should be different. So what is the answer?
CHANGE! Change your routine. Change the way you eat. Change the way you exercise. Change whatever it takes to get on the right road that will take you to your destination.

You Will Run in to Road Blocks

A favorite saying in my state of Minnesota is that we have two seasons . . . winter and road construction. So if you are taking a trip in Minnesota there is a good chance you might run into detours or bad roads depending on the season.

You might run into road blocks when trying to changing your diet or exercise habits also. Family commitments, finances, job stress, illness are all common road blocks to making lifestyle changes. Don’t give up. That is simply life happening. Figure out a way to get around the road blocks or take an alternate route. Get support from a group, other family members, friends, or hire a diabetes coach.

I recently ran into a road block with my 5K training . . . my own motivation. I lost interest when I got up to running 20-25 minutes on the treadmill and soon I just quit. At first I felt like a failure but then I realized that I was still motivated to exercise but just not THAT type of exercise. All I had to do was revise my exercise routine to be interval training with a variety of different types of exercise instead and now I am back on track.

Rumble Strips Help Keep You on the Right Path

You may or may not be familiar with rumble strips but I am talking about those bumpy strips they put on the edge of the road to keep you from going off the road or on the yellow center line to keep you from hitting oncoming vehicles. If you are about to drive into danger they definitely wake you up.

Too bad we don’t have something like the speed bumps or the rumble strips at stop signs that would get our attention when we are about to eat too much!

What are the rumble strips of diabetes? What is it that lets you know when you are going the wrong direction and diabetes is getting out of control?

Doctor visits, daily blood sugar checks, calorie counts, carbohydrate counts, food records, clothes getting tighter all can be rumble strips that keep us from getting too far off course.

Are You Ready for a Diabetes Road Trip?

Decide on your destination. Map your route. Find ways to get around the roadblocks. Use your rumble strips to keep you on track.

Reach your destination!

Make sure you are signed up for my newsletter so you can receive ongoing tips on diabetes as well as updates and discounts on programs!

To Your Best Health,

Karen

What You Don’t Know About Diabetes CAN Hurt You

Posted on by
1

I often hear people refer to Type 1 Diabetes as “the really bad diabetes” because people have to take insulin with type 1 diabetes. However, did you know that with Type 2 diabetes blood sugars start to go higher than normal up to 10 years before you are diagnosed?

This means that for up to 10 years blood sugars higher than normal can start to do damage to the body and by the time someone is diagnosed they can already have permanent damage to nerves and blood vessels. So the reality is that one type of diabetes is not worse than the other but rather the key to avoiding debilitating effects of diabetes is to stay in control no matter what type you have.

With Type 2 diabetes the earlier you catch it the easier it is to control and reverse. Since most people do not have any symptoms, even when blood sugars are in 200s, the only way to know if it is high is to do the blood testing.

I challenge you to change the way you think about diabetes and change the way you take care of your health.

Know Your Risk: Take the ADA Risk Test
Risk Factors include inactivity, extra body weight particularly around the waistline, family history of diabetes or personal history of gestational diabetes, and high blood pressure.

If you want to stay off diabetes medication you need to catch diabetes early – not wait until it takes control of your life.

Know Your Numbers: Don’t depend on your doctor or clinic to keep track for you.
Do you really expect one doctor to keep track of hundreds of patients? Even with electronic medical records your elevated blood sugar level may get overlooked. Ultimately it is your responsibility to take care of your diabetes. Know your A1c, and if you have diabetes get a monitor and learn what the numbers mean. Always get a copy of your lab results and keep it in a file.

Know the Symptoms: Remember that by the time you feel symptoms blood sugars have usually been high for a while.
Blurry vision, thirst, frequent urination, hunger, numbness or tingling in hands or toes, fatigue, or sores that don’t heal can all be symptoms of high blood sugars. If you have any of these symptoms see your doctor.

Know the Power of Nutrition: Don’t underestimate how what you eat and how much you eat affects your blood sugar.
Nutrition therapy is EXTREMELY underutilized in getting you well and keeping you well.

If you catch diabetes early nutrition can keep you off medication in 2 ways: weight loss and healing nutrients. See a registered dietitian to get recommendations on food changes you could make. Learn how to shop, cook and eat healthier.

Know Your Medications: Ask your doctor, pharmacist or diabetes educator about the medications you are on.
Keep a list of your medications with you. Learn what each medication is for, what the side effects are and potential interactions with foods, other medications or alcohol.

This is a lot like knowing your numbers. Take time to look over your medications with your pharmacist or doctor. Tell them if you are having trouble with cost, side effects or symptoms you think might be related to a medication.

Know the Power of Muscles: Move More!
Do you know what insulin resistance is? That is the biggest problem with Type 2 diabetes. Your body is making insulin but not using it very well. Guess what moving your muscles does? Exercise is your medicine for insulin resistance. Move Your Muscles More!

Know Yourself
I have listed a lot of things you should know but this one is very important. Be realistic about what you can accomplish. You can’t change eating and exercise habits overnight. Get a team of experts on your side so you can go to them with questions. Know when you need help and support and don’t be afraid to ask family or friends for support.

If you would like more information on any of these topics about diabetes sign up to receive my free newsletter twice monthly and check out diabetes services offered here
http://kmnutrition.com/services

To Your Best Health,
Karen

The Inflammation-Diabetes Connection

Posted on by
2

What is Inflammation?

Inflammation is the body’s reaction to infection or injury. Classic signs of inflammation are redness, swelling and pain. Living in Minnesota the example I think of is a mosquito bite, where you feel very little pain but you get the annoying redness, swelling and itching. That’s an obvious inflammatory reaction that is temporary.

Ever had a sinus infection? If you go to the doctor you will be diagnosed with sinusitis. Any medical diagnosis that ends with “itis” means inflammation. So sinusitis simply means inflammation of the sinuses.

What does inflammation have to do with diabetes?

Diabetes and many chronic health problems are a condition of inflammation, but the scary part is that the inflammation is hidden, as Dr Mark Hyman describes it. This hidden inflammation can start way before you know you have diabetes. You feel no pain until it has caused complications that sometimes are not reversible.

Inflammation leads to insulin resistance, meaning your body needs to produce more insulin to keep blood sugars normal. At the point where your body can no longer keep up, blood sugars start to run higher than normal more often. Eventually you may feel symptoms but many do not feel any different until blood sugars are in the 300s . . . 3 times the normal level.

What Causes Inflammation in our body?

There are many things that can cause the hidden inflammation. Our environment, stress, inactivity, food allergies or sensitivities, other health conditions and . . . my reason for this article . . . our diet. Our fast-paced modern world means we are exposed to more harmful chemicals, we have more stress, we sit too much at a desk or in front of a screen, and we eat far too many processed foods.

How Can You Reduce Your Level of Inflammation?

Start De-processing your diet. That means eat less packaged foods and more whole fruits, vegetables and whole grains. It means less eating out and more cooking at home. Sounds simple but it’s not. Changing the way we eat takes time, planning and learning new ways of cooking and trying new foods.

Where do I Start?

Consider these 3 changes in your diet to start anti-inflammatory eating.

1. Start deprocessing your diet.

Think about what you can do to make your meals and snack choices less processed and more fresh foods. For example, if you are eating canned soups then start making your own in larger batches and freeze small in containers for quick meals. If you buy cookies, start making homemade instead. Set a rule for how many times a week you can eat out and start cooking more meals at home. These are just a few suggestions to get you started.

2. Eat more anti-inflammatory foods.

Your best source is fish such as salmon or tuna or other foods high in omega-3 such as flax meal. Other anti-inflammatory foods include whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and nuts.

3. Eat more fiber.

Again, whole grains, fruits, veggies and nuts are your best choices. Instead of cold cereal, pasta or instant rice, try some less processed grains such as steel cut oats, barley, or brown rice. Don’t forget to also drink more water as you increase fiber.

If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for my free newsletter to receive ideas every month on foods that will help you fight inflammation and diabetes . . . . plus you will receive the free report “10 Strategies to Control Carb Cravings” which is available at http://kmnutrition.com.

To Your Best Health,
Karen

7 Starter Tips for Newly Diagnosed Diabetes

Posted on by
3

Hearing that you have diabetes is a very emotional experience and many questions go through your mind. When I was told I had gestational diabetes 14 years ago I’m pretty sure I went home and cried, feeling the “why me”? reaction. Well all those emotions are perfectly normal and you really just need to let yourself go through them.

At the same time getting some direction on what to eat is very helpful. You will probably get advice from everyone around you but if you want some professional advice to get you started, here are some tips:

1. Until your blood sugars are in control try to completely cut out the sweetened beverages, including soda pop, juice, punch, sweetened teas, etc. Water and other unsweetened drinks are your best choice. Milk does have some natural sugar also but you don’t need to cut that out. Just keep your serving to an 8oz glass 2-3 times/day.

2. Eat 3 meals a day. They don’t need to be big meals but your body will do better if you eat regularly.

3. Trim down the super-sized meals, especially the starches. Often our evening meal is our biggest of the day. If you tend to have large portions of bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn or other starches try to cut those down to smaller portions. It’s not necessary to completely cut them out, but if you feel you are overeating just cut them in half.

4. Try more non-carb snacks when you get hungry. Some choices are nuts, raw veggies with dip, string cheese, hard boiled egg, beef jerky.

5. For sweets craving go ahead and have a little of what you are craving. Just try to keep it to a small portion such as a couple small cookies or snack size candy bar. You can try some sugar free jello or fruit to satisfy the sweet craving also.

6. Keep moving. You may not feel like exercising but try to walk or do activities that keep you moving unless your doctor has given you activity restrictions. If you have type 2 diabetes and your body is able to use its own insulin then moving the arm and leg muscles can help lower the blood sugar.

7. Make sure you connect with a dietitian or diabetes educator to help you learn how to manage your diabetes. After meeting with a dietitian most people are relieved to find out they don’t have to give up their favorite foods. Getting the knowledge, tools and ongoing support is key to not letting diabetes take over your life!

Book Review: The Blood Sugar Solution by Mark Hyman, MD

Posted on by
1

Over the past couple weeks I had an opportunity to read The Blood Sugar Solution, a great new book that has a wealth of information about how we can beat diabetes. To help spread the word about this book I have agreed to share my review.

Here are just a few of my favorite highlights:

We need to start making changes for the sake of our kids and grandkids. The book begins by discussing the hidden epidemic of diabetes and obesity and how 1 out of 3 of today’s children will have diabetes at some point in their life. This is something I can relate to because my children are in that risk category. Diabetes is common for 3 out of their 4 grandparents’ families, I had gestational diabetes and now have prediabetes; my dad and sister have type 2 diabetes and another sister has prediabetes.

But what Dr. Hyman points out is that much of the diabetes and obesity is related to our lifestyle and environment and even if you have diabetes in your family genetic history, getting the right nutrition can still prevent those genes from being expressed. This is Nutrigenomics, and he defines it as “how food talks to your genes”. In other words, if we get enough of the right power nutrients our body can fight disease on its own. In fact Nutrition is the first step in his 7 step program to take on diabetes.

Dr. Hyman talks about functional medicine, which looks at healing the body by treating the underlying problems and not just treating the symptoms, like too many of the medications are doing. He is taking a holistic approach to looking at what can cause diabetes and weight problems, including how we breathe, our sleep, stress and so much more.

The Blood Sugar Solutions also does a great job of explaining insulin resistance and inflammation, two underlying problems with type 2 diabetes. Included in the book are quizzes you can take to assess your own situation. He also gives you suggestions for natural alternatives to medications.

We all know how expensive medications are and how our health care costs are going up each year. If you are concerned and find yourself complaining about these costs I urge you to take a look at his ideas and start to make small changes in your life to be healthier and be a part of the solution.

Many of the nutrition suggestions he makes are strategies I try to incorporate into my lifestyle and help others accomplish but I can tell you 3 things that the book has inspired me to do for my own diabetes prevention: belly breathing, yoga, and putting more plants in my house. These are just a few of the many great recommendations for specific changes you can make to fight diabetes.

Lastly, my only skepticism about the book is that it may be difficult for many to follow the food plan. However, don’t get discouraged. Just start with whatever you feel you can accomplish and take it in small steps if necessary.

If you get a chance to read the book and you want to work towards some of the changes recommended to reverse diabetes in your life, feel free to contact me to talk about my nutrition and diabetes coaching services for extra support.

How to Reverse Diabetes during Your Workday

Posted on by
1

Do any of these sound familiar?

Are you so rushed in the morning that you don’t take time to have breakfast?

Are there sweets and treats brought in several days that tempt you?

Is the stress of your job making you want to eat to feel better when you get home?

Are you so busy that you can’t or don’t take time for lunch?

Do you go out to restaurants for lunch most days?

What changes can you make?

1. Take time to grab breakfast. If you’re not hungry drink a small smoothie or juice. If you can’t take time to sit down and eat, grab a granola or breakfast bar or fruit on the way out the door. Try to choose something with a few grams of fiber for the benefit of hunger control and blood sugar stability.
2. Create a wellness contest at work to make everyone want to practice healthier habits. Instead of allowing donut trays and sweets to sit around the office, suggest that only fruits and veggies be brought in and designate days for sweets such as Fridays only. Start a walking program and get pedometers for a 10,000 steps club.
3. Limit the frequency of eating out for lunch to once a week as well. Brown bag it the rest of the week by planning ahead on the weekends and picking up sandwich foods, healthy frozen dinners, salads, pita pockets, fruits, and veggies. Or take leftovers to work. If you don’t have time for lunch at least take a snack break. You will be more productive if you get a break and have some energy and nutrition.
4. Have healthy snacks available at work and plan a morning and afternoon snack if you need them. The afternoon snack especially can help keep you from overeating in the evening. Great choices include fruits, veggies, yogurt, granola, string cheese, nuts, or even a little dark chocolate if you crave something sweet.
5. Find ways to manage stress during your work day such as deep breathing, walk breaks, or at least make sure you take a few minutes to distress once you get home, even if it means listening to your favorite music while you prepare dinner.
6. Plan no-cook evening meals for those days when you work later and know you won’t have time to cook. Make a couple large batches of entrees on the weekend and then plan a salad, sandwich or pizza night to save you from having to cook several nights of the week.
7. Replace soda, even diet, with water. Flavor your water with lemon or frozen berries to make your own naturally flavored water.

Now, these ideas will all work but what’s the one key to putting them into action to reverse diabetes?

PLANNING

The #1 thing you will need to do is sit down one day each week and plan your meals. If we don’t plan ahead and have the right foods on hand we just grab what’s available, which usually is not the healthy choice.

Start your plan today, take control of your health, and start to feel the benefits of reversing diabetes!