November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. There are multiple lifestyle factors that can help manage diabetes including good sleep, consistent physical activity, and a balanced eating plan.
One simple method for creating a balanced eating plan is the Diabetes Plate Method. Below are the steps for this method:
Choose an appropriately sized plate – approximately 9 inches in diameter
Fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables- examples include broccoli, bell peppers, green beans, zucchini, asparagus, carrots, leafy greens
Fill one quarter of your plate with lean protein such as chicken, turkey, eggs, fish, “loin” or “round” cuts of beef and pork, tofu, lentils, beans
Fill one quarter of your plate with carbohydrate foods. Try to make half of your grains throughout the day whole grains including brown rice, oats, popcorn, whole grain breads and pastas. Other carbohydrate sources include fruit, starchy vegetables (corn, peas, potatoes, squash) and dairy products such as milk
Another method of managing diabetes is through carbohydrate counting. Carb counting simply involves counting the number of grams of carbohydrate in a meal and then matching it to the next dose of insulin. For more on this check out this website
For additional information, please check out the article below:
JCHD Services
If you would like to meet with a Registered Dietitian to discuss a plan that works for you, please reach out to Megan at 636-797-3737 x 124.
About the author:
Megan has been a Registered Dietitian with the Jefferson County Health Department for approximately two years. She provides individual and group nutrition counseling as well as community presentations. Megan’s favorite ways to stay active are lifting weights and walking her dog, Tucker