1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of apple juice or soda ½ a banana 1 apple 4-5 saltine crackers, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of raisins 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of honey Candies (e. g. lifesavers, skittles, gummy bears, or starbursts)
First, talk to your doctor or nutritionist about how many carbohydrates you need in a day. Then, use that information to portion out your carbohydrates throughout the day. In general, 15 grams (0. 53 oz) of carbohydrates counts as one serving. Generally, men need 4 to 5 servings per meal, or 12-15 servings each day, while women need 3 to 4 servings per meal, or 9-12 servings each day. Remember that this increases or decreases depending on the amount of energy you’re exerting. Sitting in the office requires fewer servings, while climbing a mountain may require many more. Remember to adjust accordingly, as each day is different.
For reference, one slice of bread is often a serving of carbohydrates, as is one small to medium piece of fruit, 0. 5 cups (120 ml) of ice cream, and 1 cup (240 ml) of milk.
If you aren’t sure how much food to measure out, consider scheduling a meeting with a dietician. They should be able to show you what portion sizes look like.
Opt for lean proteins, such as chicken breast, fish, and beans. Try to limit your intake of fats, particularly trans fats, which are often found in processed foods. Focus mainly on good fats. Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are good fats, and they are found in foods like nuts, sunflower oil, olive oil, fatty fish, flaxseeds, and canola oil. Avocados and peanut oil contain good fats as well, but they’re also calorie-heavy. [8] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source Carbohydrates quickly metabolize, meaning they are digested and absorbed quickly. Because of this, they’re able to give your body the quick energy it needs. Protein takes longer to metabolize, so it helps sustain energy. Fruits and vegetables give you fiber, which slows digestion, adds bulk to your diet, and helps stabilize your blood sugar.
One type of medication helps your body produce more insulin. Another type keep your stomach from breaking down sugars, meaning not as much enters your bloodstream. Other types stop your liver from releasing as much glucose to your blood, lowering your blood sugar levels.
Remember that once you have been prescribed long-acting insulin, you’ll need to follow up continuously with your doctor to see if you still need the insulin or if the dosages need to be changed.
Ask your doctor if this option is a good one for you. They may think so, or they may suggest changing your current morning and evening doses before adding short-acting or rapid-acting insulin into the equation. Also talk to your doctor about how your short-acting needs to be adjusted in coordination with your blood sugar readings. If your reading is too low, you may give yourself less or none at all. If your reading is too high, you may need to give yourself more short-acting insulin. Your doctor will likely give you a sliding scale, which will tell you how much short-acting insulin to take when your blood sugar is at certain levels. It may be a good idea to consider the different factors, such as eating or drinking alcohol, that may have caused your blood sugar level to rise before you resort to taking the short-acting insulin. Short-acting or rapid-acting insulin is especially beneficial for those that often exercise strenuously.
For instance, if you have type 1 diabetes, your doctor may recommend checking before each meal, as well as before bedtime and before and after exercising. If you have type 2 diabetes, your doctor may decide you don’t need to check it as much. Often, they’ll want you to check it before meals. If you’re on insulin, you may have to check it before you give yourself the shot, as you may need to adjust your insulin intake based on your blood sugar levels for short-acting insulin.
You can squeeze your finger a bit if you’re not getting enough blood. Some older meters require that you put the blood on the strip before inserting it into the meter. Typically, you want your results to be 70 mg/dl to 100 mg/dl before a meal and under 140 mg/dl after a meal. [14] X Research source However, talk to your doctor about your target range.
Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week.
Try adding yoga or meditation to your week, both of which can help stress levels. Use deep breathing when you find yourself getting stressed. Close your eyes, and breathe in to the count of 8. Hold the breath for 4 counts, then breathe out to the count of 8. Keep focusing on your breathing until you feel yourself calming down.
One drink equals 5 fluid ounces (150 ml) of beer, 12 fluid ounces (350 ml) of wine, or 1. 5 fluid ounces (44 ml) of liquor. Eat something before you drink, and always count the carbohydrates you drank when tallying up your carbs for the day
