6 Fundamental Nutrition Tips

Good diabetes management starts in the kitchen.

Unless you are a baby and you are being fed by your parents, you do have a choice when it comes to the foods you eat. 

Let me say this again: you do control and you have a choice regarding the foods you eat. 

Read that as many times as you can. 

I can not tell you what to eat; your doctor can not tell you what to eat. 

The only person who chooses what to eat is you. 

Do you agree with me on this ? 

It will be a waste of time to sit here and tell you exactly what to eat. There's no diabetes “diet”. 

I don't know you. I don't know if you are vegan ? I don't know if you like steak but don't eat chicken, I don't know if you eat pork or not, I don't know if you hate fish or love it. 

You get my point right ? 

So we are going to save us sometime and avoid confusion regarding what to eat as a type 1 diabetic.

Here are 6 fundamental nutrition tips I can give you when it comes to my experience with food and being a type 1 diabetic:

Tip 1: Protein should be the most important part of your diet. 

Prioritize protein. Eat protein with every meal. Protein is the most satiating macronutrient. 

Why protein? 

• It is required for the structure, function and regulation of the body's tissues and organs.

• It promotes growth, tissue repair, and it helps with immune function.

• It helps to produce essential hormones, provides energy when carbs are not available and preserves lean muscle mass.

• It promotes growth of muscle tissue in response to strength training.

• It increases functional strength.

• It increases glucose uptake.

• It supports muscle growth and repairs muscle tissue.

Tip 2: Keep Carbohydrates consumption moderate or low. 

This is very important especially if you are new to this. 

All carbohydrates turn into sugar (glucose) and carbs affect blood sugars most profoundly. 

The real problem most diabetics have and especially if you are new to this is eating large amounts of any carbs. The result is high blood sugars requiring large amounts of insulin. 

This results in uncontrolled blood sugar levels. Either too high or too low. 

Why? Carbohydrates are chains of sugar molecules. 

Simple or complex; carbs are composed entirely of sugar. 

So If you are going to control your diabetes, you will have to keep in mind what you eat especially when it comes to carbohydrates. 

The basic element of most carbohydrate foods is glucose. 

Carbs are not bad, your body needs carbs. They help to refuel your muscles with glycogen and they provide energy your body uses in order to function.

With more experience and through trial and error you should be able to eat larger quantities of carbohydrates. Again, you will need to test and see what works best for you.

Just make sure that you measure and limit total carbs intake to an amount that will work with your specific injected insulin needs.

Tip 3: Calculating insulin doses for high fat and high protein meals.

Besides calculating insulin for the carbohydrates you eat, you also need to calculate insulin for dietary fats and proteins. Especially for high fat meals. 

Why ? Dietary fats slow the digestion of carbohydrates that turn into glucose in your body. 

What does that mean ? 

Let's say you are going to eat a meal that is high in fat content. Example: Pizza, Chinese foods, ice cream, cookies, cake, etc…

First you need to calculate the amount of insulin to take to cover the carbs in this meal.

Since this meal contains high amounts of fats, it means that the digestion will be delayed by a few hours in your body so you will need to split your insulin dose.

Why ? Because the insulin dose you take when you start eating will be active in your body before the total amount of carbs in the meal are turned into glucose.

So it is recommended to split the insulin dose in half.

If using insulin pens; take the first half of the dose right before eating and take the second half dose 1 - 2 hours after finishing the food (meal). 

If using an insulin pump this will be programmed as an “extended bolus”.

By spreading your insulin dose over several hours you will be matching the rate of digestion of the high fat meal. 

Again, this could be different for everybody and is also something you need to figure out through trial and error according to your own specific condition and treatment plan with your doctor.

Tip 4: Try to keep the amount of protein and carbs you eat in every meal consistent each day. 

I know you are not a robot and it is very hard to eat the same food, the same amount and at the same time everyday. We are human beings. 

This is just a tip that will reduce the chances of having uncontrolled blood sugars throughout the day.  

My recommendation:

Try to eat the same amount of carbs at least, if possible in all your meals. 

Here's what I do (Example)

Everyday for lunch I eat 1 - 2 cups of brown rice or any other carb. I already know how to calculate how much insulin to inject for this depending on the quantity I am eating. 

Imagine one day I eat 4 cups and another day I eat 1 cup. You can still do it. 

But it is harder to measure and control blood sugar levels because your insulin doses may vary or be different at different times of the day. Do you get my point ?  

Our bodies and our food choices might change as we get older and the same applies for diabetes. 

It will change with time. But it will help and make things easier if you follow a predetermined “meal plan” with the same amount of food at a consistent time schedule.  

Do I follow this everyday ? No, of course not. 

It is impossible to eat the same thing, same quantity and at the same time everyday 365 days a year. That's not what I am saying. 

In very simple terms: 

Try to keep the amount of protein and carbs you eat in every meal consistent MOST days. 

If you follow this, it will be easier for you to calculate insulin doses and you will have better chances to keep in range glucose levels. 

That's it.

Tip 5: Checking your blood sugar levels 2 - 3 hours after eating meals will help you figure out which foods work and make corrections.

Diabetes is a test, correct, try, and learn experience. 

You need to be constantly experimenting with the foods you eat to see which foods spike your sugar levels and avoid those preferably. 

Everyone is different, we all have different lifestyles, and we all do different types of activities. Our bodies are different.

By constantly monitoring your sugar levels, especially 2 - 3 hours after eating you can notice which foods are spiking your sugar and this will allow you to correct insulin doses when necessary. 

You need to be constantly asking:

-What foods keep my blood sugars in range ? 

-What foods are a challenge ? 

-Am I dosing the right amount of insulin for this specific type of food ? 

-What do I need to change/ adjust ?

When your sugar levels are in range you know your insulin doses and your food choices are on track. This is what we want to keep doing. 

As a reference aim to be in the range 70-140 mg/dl within 2-3 hours after eating. 

This does not have to be the case 100% of the time. No. 

Just keep this in mind as a reference and do not judge yourself by these numbers.

This is just a reference you can follow, you need to remain flexible and willing to make changes and corrections when appropriate. 

These are tips we can all follow but at the end of the day my diabetes and yours are unique. They are not the same. 

Keep this in mind.

Tip 6: When treating low blood sugars (hypoglycemia) avoid hypoglycemia binge.

How to treat hypoglycemia ?

There’s a rule called: The rule of 15.

If your blood sugar is 50 -70 mg/dL, you eat 15 gr of fast acting carbohydrates.

If your blood sugar is less than 50 mg/dL, you eat 30 gr of carbohydrates.

You wait 15 minutes and then re-check your blood sugar levels. 

If the blood sugar is still less than 70 mg/dL, take another 15 gr of carbohydrates.

Fast acting carbs:

Dex 4 Glucose Tabs; Serving: 4 Tabs; Carbs (grams): 16

Welch’s Fruit Gummies; Serving: 0.8 Ounce Pouch; Carbs (grams): 19

Fruit Juice/ Soda; Serving: 1/2 Cup or 4 ounces; Carbs (grams): 15

White Sugar; Serving: 4 Teaspoons; Carbs (grams): 16

Honey; Serving: 1 Tablespoon; Carbs (grams): 17

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to treating lows.

These are the factors that are involved: body size (weight), blood sugar level, the rate of change at which carbs raise your sugar.

What’s most important is the type of food to raise your sugar.

You need to choose foods that will raise your sugar as quickly as possible (Fast acting carbs). 

The glycemic index will work as a guide to select foods, try to choose foods with at least 70 score.

Some examples: Dextrose, dry cereal, pretzels, jelly beans, Gatorade, vanilla wafers, graham crackers, lifesavers, glucose tablets.

A low blood sugar is NOT a reason to eat cake, ice cream, chocolate bars, sweet desserts, a caramel Frappuccino or just overeat and binge on sweets to justify the low.

If you have done this you probably ended up with your sugar going very high and this defeats the purpose of correcting a low blood sugar. 

It becomes a rollercoaster that is not fun at all.

Measure the food you eat (fast acting carbs) to treat a low and wait at least 15 minutes before checking your sugar levels again.

So to close this letter:

-Tip 1: Protein should be the most important part of your diet. 

-Tip 2: Keep Carbohydrates consumption moderate or low.

-Tip 3: Calculate insulin doses for high fat and high protein meals.

-Tip 4: Try to keep the amount of protein and carbs you eat in every meal consistent each day.

-Tip 5: Checking your blood sugar levels 2 - 3 hours after eating meals will help you figure out which foods work and make corrections.

-Tip 6:When treating low blood sugars (hypoglycemia) avoid hypoglycemia binge.

Are you dealing with uncontrolled blood sugar levels ?

I’ve been a type 1 diabetic for the past 10 years of my life and I wrote THE MANUAL with all information, practical tips and tools you can use to gain control of your blood sugar levels so you can live an active, healthy and happy life without diabetes complications.

Whenever you are ready heres the link: THE MANUAL

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