If you are one of the millions who suffer from type 1 diabetes and you are looking at your carb consumption, then you are on the right track. Carbohydrates are found in almost all foods, except meat, and have a direct impact on the sugar levels in your bloodstream. Carbohydrates from your meal can enter your bloodstream in as little as 15 minutes or up to 2 hours. The carbs enter as glucose which is a syrup containing dextrose, maltose, and dextrin. Glucose has the greatest effect on your blood sugar levels.
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Types of Carbs
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy found in food: in short, they are fuel for your body. There are two basic types of carbs that you will ingest from your food – simple and complex. Simple carbs come from sweet sugar foods like candy, cake, and most other desserts that we love. Complex carbs come from starchy foods like pasta, potatoes, cereals, and breads.
Simple carbohydrates get digested into your body very quickly as compared to complex carbohydrates. It is highly recommended for individuals to consume complex carbohydrates, rather than simple carbohydrates. Reading the Glycemic Index (GI) of foods can be an easier and better way. The lower the Glycemic Index of the food, the better. Any food that has a high GI should be avoided.
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Carbs and blood sugar
Understanding that all carbs raise blood sugar levels, the strict rules of managing type 1 diabetes will become a dieting nightmare of the past. Today, we have a better understanding of the relationship between carbs and blood sugar levels. This better understanding along with newer, faster-acting insulin has brought a new found freedom to people with diabetes. New strategies in dealing with glucose levels allows greater flexibility in food choices in relation to managing blood sugar levels.
New Strategies
Previously we mentioned understanding how different carbs affect blood sugar levels in different ways has led to a system based more on an individual diet plan. The new found system finds a better balance of diet, exercise, and insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels. The new system is based on your personal diet and how the carbs effect you. This doesn’t mean you can just eat anything or any amount however it does help offer the freedom to eat a more normal diet.
Individual Plan
A large part of your individual plan will still depend on using portion control and the types of carbs you ingest. Eating carbs that are more nutritious, and possibly more filling, like beans for example; can still be of great benefit. Label reading is an important tool for every person, whether you have diabetes or not. Many foods that we think are good for us, have a great deal of carbs with very little nutrition. Other factors, like dining out, can cause trouble for counting your carbs. Don’t hesitate to ask for the nutrition facts related to the meal you wish to order.
Dietician
Once you have learned to count the amount of carbs that you intake on a daily basis and the type of carbs you are ingesting you can begin to count how much insulin you will need, based on that diet. This should never be attempted alone but with the help of your doctors and dietician. Counting your carbs has become a very important part of intensive blood sugar management.
The dietician, in combination with your doctor, will calculate the carb to insulin ratio to determine the amount of insulin you will need or diet changes needed to accurately treat your diabetes. An example of this formula would be something like 30 grams of carbs equals a need for 2-3 units of insulin.
Here’s a short video explaining about the formula for insulin-carb ratio:
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Personal Responsibility
The sum of all these measures comes down to personal responsibility. Fast-acting insulin coupled with new techniques has led to greater freedom and a healthier life for those who struggle with diabetes. However it is up to you to ensure good nutrition, variety, and moderation in your food choices. The direct correlation between diabetes and carbs from our diet is obvious.
Alternatively, you can check out the Diabetes Destroyer program that might be able to reverse your diabetes naturally.
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