The National Diabetes Information Clearing House (NDICH), a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, offers very helpful tips for those of us struggling with blood sugar issues. They say that you can take good care of yourself and your diabetes by learning what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat. Their premise is that making wise food choices can help you feel good every day, lose weight if you need to, and lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and other problems caused by diabetes.

Healthful eating helps keep your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, in your target range. Physical activity and, if needed, diabetes medicines also help. The diabetes target range is the blood glucose level suggested by diabetes experts for good health. You can help prevent health problems by keeping your blood glucose levels on target.

So, what should blood glucose levels be? Target blood glucose levels for people with diabetes should be 70-130 BEFORE meals and less than 180 one to two hours after the start of a meal.

Ask your doctor how often you should check your blood glucose on your own, and also ask for an A1C test at least twice a year. Your A1C number gives your average blood glucose for the past 3 months. The results from your blood glucose checks and your A1C test will tell you whether your diabetes care plan is working.

And, how can you keep your blood glucose levels on target? Make wise food choices, be physically active, and of course, take medication if needed.

For people taking certain diabetes medicines, following a schedule for meals, snacks, and physical activity is best. However, some diabetes medicines allow for more flexibility. Your health care team can help create a diabetes plan that’s best for you. Here’s a typical sample of a healthy eating plan:

Here’s a handy chart you might want to use after talking with your doctor or diabetes teacher about how many meals and snacks to eat each day. You can note your meal and snack times on these clocks:

The diabetes food pyramid can help you make wise food choices. It divides foods into groups, based on what they contain. Eat more from the groups at the bottom of the pyramid, and less from the groups at the top. Foods from the starches, fruits, vegetables, and milk groups are highest in carbohydrate. They affect your blood glucose levels the most.

 

In answering the question “How much should I eat each day?”, the NDICH recommends having about 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day if you are a small woman who exercises, if you are a small or medium-sized woman who wants to lose weight, or a medium-sized woman who does not exercise much. They suggest:

Choose this many servings from these food groups to have 1,600 to 2,000 calories a day:
8 starches	2 milks
4 vegetables	4 to 6 ounces meat and meat substitutes
3 fruits	up to 4 fats

Choose this many servings from these food groups to have 2,000 to 2,400 calories a day:
10 starches	2 milks
4 vegetables	5 to 7 ounces meat and meat substitutes
4 fruits	up to 5 fats

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