Preventing Diabetes Naturally Through Diet

Diet has a lot to do with diabetes prevention

Diabetes information can help you know which foods you should add to your diet to prevent diabetes naturally. Once you know more about diabetes and how the foods that we eat affect blood sugar levels, it is possible to take steps to a healthy diet. Diet seems to be nature's medicine when it comes to preventing or treating diabetes.

Stay informed of the latest findings in diabetes prevention

Each year, more studies are completed on diabetes prevention. Foods are studied, and science moves forward, although slowly, to provide information to the public about which foods to eat and which to avoid. For instance, according to a study at the Harvard School of Public Health, white rice eaters who ate five or more servings had 17 percent more chance of developing diabetes. Another study by this institute found that women who ate peanut butter five or more times a week also had reduced risk of developing the disease. Simple changes in diet such as limiting the amount of white rice eaten, or switching to brown rice and adding peanuts or peanut butter to your diet are simple changes for anyone to make.

Decide to eat healthy to prevent diabetes

Adding foods that have a low glycemic index (GI) to your diet is another way to avoid type 2 diabetes. These foods do not raise blood glucose like foods with a high GI do. If you eat lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, these foods have a low GI. When you keep your blood sugar level consistently low by eating these foods that actually lower the amount of sugar in your blood, you reduce your risk of diabetes.

Make healthy substitutions in your diet

Changing your diet doesn't need to be drastic and happen all at once. You can make little changes to gradually move from an unhealthy to a healthy diet. Substitute an apple or pear for a cupcake or other dessert, and have a baked potato or sweet potato instead of mashed. The foods that you eat control your blood glucose level, and it is important to remember that YOU control what you eat. Portion control is also important because most of us eat far larger portions of foods than we need. By simply reducing how large a carbohydrate-heavy meal is, you may avoid diabetes. Enjoy the food that you love, but if you know that it is not the best for you, eat it occasionally and in smaller portions. You'll control your weight at the same time that you avoid developing diabetes.