Dietary Changes for Pre-Diabetes

If you've been diagnosed with pre-diabetes; it's time for a dietary tune-up.  You can take action to delay or even prevent getting diabetes through lifestyle changes!

Two major recommendations to reduce the chances that pre-diabetes will lead to diabetes are losing weight if you are overweight, and increasing your physical activity.  Those extra pounds are actually making hormones that increase your chances of getting diabetes.  You can decrease your chances of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 50% just by losing 7-10% of your weight.

The first step to changing your way of life is to evaluate yourself - are you the type of person who maintains change when it's done all at once or do you do better at gradually changing?  Most people maintain change   permanently if lifestyle changes are gradual.  Remember that it takes up to three weeks of practice for a new habit to take hold!

The Harvard School of Public Health recommends these four dietary changes:

• Eat more whole grains
• Eat less sugar
• Limit red meat and avoid processed meat
• Choose good fats instead of bad fats

Here are 10 tips for fitting these changes into your daily life:

1. If you eat breakfast cereal, choose a cereal containing at least 5 grams of whole grain fiber per serving.   Likewise, look for bread with at least 3 grams of whole grain fiber per slice.
2. Add beans to your diet:  Pinto beans, black beans and fat-free refried beans are some popular choices.
3. Make a meatless meal at least once a week.  Dishes based on beans, lean fish, roasted vegetables and salads can be tasty and satisfying.
4. This is huge:  Decrease or eliminate sugar-sweetened drinks.  This includes sodas other than diet sodas, and sweet tea, unless using artificial sugars.  If you choose to drink soda, experiment with different brands and flavors of diet sodas to find one that you enjoy.
5. When dining out, choose salads, grilled chicken or fish and fruit salads.  Restaurants are now serving many more healthy choices!
6. At home, switch to cooking with liquid canola or olive oil instead of with shortening and lard.
7. Switch from butter to margarines and spreads that do not contain trans fats.  Also use low-fat or light versions of foods like sour cream, cream cheese and mayonnaise.
8. Nuts contain good fats.  Enjoy them in moderation - no more than 15 - 20 nuts at a time!
9. Switch to skim or 1% milk and reduced fat cheeses.
10. Plan ahead: pack a fruit, a few nuts or another healthy snack before leaving home.  Peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread are delicious!

By making these changes in your daily eating habits, you will be taking good care of yourself and investing in your health.  Remember to be patient with yourself:  It takes time to create new habits.

Submitted by:

Karin Adler RD, LDN

Clinical Dietitian

Parkwest Medical Center

kadler@covhlth.com

References:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/diabetes-prevention/
Accessed March 22, 2011