Many diabetic patients struggle with high post-meal blood sugar levels despite adhering to regular medication regimens prescribed by their doctors. Here are several strategies to better manage postprandial blood sugar:
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Establish Regular Eating Patterns Ensure that meals are consumed at consistent times and in consistent portions when physical activity levels remain stable. Maintaining a regular eating schedule helps diabetic patients sustain a steady weight over time. Irregular eating habits, such as consuming excess or inadequate amounts at unpredictable times, can impose undue stress on the pancreas, hindering effective post-meal blood sugar regulation.
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Diversify Your Diet Encourage diabetics to enjoy a diverse and balanced diet, comprising both staple and non-staple foods at each meal. Consuming a variety of foods extends the digestion process, facilitating better control over post-meal glucose levels.
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Emphasize Vegetable Consumption While increasing vegetable intake, it's important not to neglect staple foods. Choose multi-grain rice over white rice, and consume plenty of dark leafy vegetables rich in fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Limit starchy root vegetables like sweet potatoes, lotus roots, or potatoes, and when consuming them, reduce the portion of staple food accordingly.
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Optimize Cooking Techniques Simplicity in cooking often preserves more nutrients and aids in blood sugar control. For instance, eating whole grains, having raw or lightly cooked vegetables, and steamed fish are excellent choices. Blood sugar responses vary with different food preparation methods, and it's crucial for diabetics to cook with minimal oil and salt, as high-calorie diets impede post-meal glucose control.
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Adopt the Right Meal Sequence It's advisable for diabetics to begin their meals with vegetables, followed by staple foods, and finally meats. Vegetables’ high fiber content promotes satiety and curtails the intake of carbohydrates. Drinking soup first might lead to quick satiation but may result in a quicker return of hunger, prompting consumption of additional foods that could disrupt blood sugar control.
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Slow Down Eating Speed Eating too quickly can impair nutrient absorption and add strain to the digestive system. Chewing food thoroughly allows the pancreas to secrete digestive enzymes more efficiently. Encourage diabetics to chew each bite of food around 30 times and take at least 30 minutes for each meal, with breakfast ideally lasting between 15 to 30 minutes.
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Incorporate Appropriate Exercise Engage in 30 minutes of exercise following each meal, preferably within an hour. Consistent post-meal exercise helps regulate blood sugar levels. If exercise after meals doesn't yield satisfactory results, consider increasing the intensity or duration of the workout. Bear in mind that the heart rate during exercise should not exceed 70% of the pre-exercise level.