Health for All says
As an experienced TCM practitioner, I have a unique perspective on diabetes and diet management. Diabetes mellitus, as a metabolic disease, is characterized by an abnormally high blood sugar. Therefore, for diabetic patients, it is very important to reasonably control the intake of staple foods in their diet.
In TCM theory, diabetes is classified as "thirst-quenching". Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the occurrence of diabetes is related to multiple factors, among which the invasion of six lewd factors (wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness, fire), improper diet, etc., will lead to abnormal operation of qi and organs, as well as the function of the spleen and stomach. Therefore, the method of diabetes in traditional Chinese medicine is mainly to start from regulating qi and strengthening the spleen and stomach, and through traditional Chinese medicine conditioning, acupuncture and other means, in order to achieve the purpose of balancing yin and yang in the body and adjusting blood sugar levels.
For diabetics, the choice of staple foods is very important. Here are six ways I can help people with diabetes choose and consume staple foods to reduce the impact of postprandial blood sugar.
Method 1: Choose a low GI (glycemic index) staple food.
GI is a measure of how food increases blood sugar, and foods with low GI are able to release sugar into the bloodstream more slowly, reducing blood sugar fluctuations. Diabetic patients should try to choose staple foods with low GI value, such as whole wheat bread and brown rice, to replace white bread and white rice with high GI value.
Method 2: Control the intake of staple foods.
While choosing staple foods with low GI values can help control elevated blood sugar, intake control is equally important. Diabetic patients should reasonably control the intake of staple foods according to their own conditions and doctors' advice, and avoid excessive carbohydrate intake leading to violent fluctuations in blood sugar.
Method 3: Diversify the types of staple foods.
Diversification of staple foods can provide richer nutrients, increase satiety, and reduce the impact of single foods on blood sugar. For example, you can choose foods rich in dietary fiber, such as corn and sweet potatoes, as a supplement to your staple food to make it more varied.
Method 4: Mix staple foods and vegetables reasonably.
Vegetables are rich in fiber, which lowers the GI of foods and provides smoother blood sugar control for diabetics. Therefore, a reasonable combination of staple foods and vegetables can slow down the digestion and absorption of staple foods and reduce the impact of postprandial blood sugar.
Method 5: Allocate staple food intake at a reasonable time.
Diabetic patients should arrange the intake of staple foods reasonably. In general, eating more staple foods at breakfast can meet your energy needs when you wake up in the morningEat staple foods in moderation at lunch to keep your body energized**;Eat mainly protein and vegetables at dinner, and reduce the intake of staple foods.
Method 6: Pay attention to the way the staple food is cooked.
The cooking style also has a certain impact on the GI value of the staple food. Diabetic patients should try to choose healthy cooking methods such as steaming and stewing, and avoid using high-fat and high-calorie cooking methods such as frying and stir-frying to reduce blood sugar fluctuations.
In short, it is very important for diabetic patients to choose and consume staple foods in their daily diet, pay attention to the type and intake of staple foods, match vegetables, allocate intake time reasonably, and pay attention to cooking methods. At the same time, diabetic patients should also consult a doctor according to their own conditions, follow the doctor's instructions, and combine the conditioning methods of traditional Chinese medicine for a comprehensive ** in order to achieve better blood sugar control.
Thank you for taking the time to read our article. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. I wish you all the best!
References: 1China Traditional Chinese Medicine Information Network. (2021).Handbook of Chinese Medicine on the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes. Accessed June 14, 2021, link: chinadmdcn