Diabetic diet emphasizes moderation

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What's for dinner for diabetics? Sorting through the confusion

Date published: 1/2/2005

AREADER, overwhelmed by an abundance of dieting advice for diabetics, asks for help sorting it all out.

QI read your article on the Net about the glycemic index. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in November of 2002 and since then have been living in a state of diet confusion. The more information I read about how a diabetic should eat, the more confused I have become. Good carbs, bad carbs, low fat, high fat, extremely low calorie vs. moderate calorie, etc. And to me, it seems that no two doctors or dietitians can agree on any one diet that is healthy for diabetics.

 I am 150 pounds overweight. I am a veteran of the diet wars, and nothing ever really worked short of starvation, which is impractical because most of us cannot sustain such feats of superhuman willpower for very long.

I want to do something, but what? My doctor and a dietitian both wanted me to maintain a 1,200-calorie-a-day diet, which I simply cannot do. I am willing to do my part, but I cannot lie awake in bed at night with my stomach cramping from hunger. I won't do that anymore!

 Because of nerve problems in my feet, I find walking difficult. I do not have access to a swimming pool where I live, but I try to do as much as possible in the way of exercising. But I want a good, sensible diet to follow.

 --M.L.

Maud, Okla.

AThe basic principles of eating to control diabetes are standard: heart-healthy eating, with moderate amounts of carbohydrates spread out throughout the day over a minimum of three meals.

How people meet those standards may vary. For example, someone who loves to cook will choose different foods than a restaurant-goer; an Italian-American may choose different foods than a Chinese-American. Also, people who need insulin injections may eat differently than people who don't; children and pregnant women with diabetes will have additional needs. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and other problems also can affect recommendations. Because a person's quirks complicate how they manage their diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends seeing a registered dietitian.

Date published: 1/2/2005