Nutrition for patients with type 1 diabetes

Diet and physical activity are extremely important in managing the A1C, Blood Pressure and Cholesterol levels of type 1 diabetes. Follow this article for more information on nutrition for the disease. type 1 diabetes.

There are many factors that influence the level of diabetes control. Several of these are controlled by the person with diabetes, including how much and what they eat, how often to monitor blood sugar, level of physical activity, and accuracy and consistency of blood sugar monitoring. use medicine. Even small changes can affect blood sugar control.
Eating the right amount of food each day and taking medications as directed can significantly improve blood sugar control and reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications, such as coronary heart disease, heart disease, and diabetes. kidney and nerve damage. In addition, these measures also impact weight control. A dietitian can help create a food plan that fits your medical needs, lifestyle, and personal preferences.

Eating at the same time every day is important for some people, especially those taking long-acting insulin (eg, NPH). If a meal is skipped or delayed, you run the risk of hypoglycemia.
People on continuous insulin therapy (those using an insulin pump or multiple daily insulin injections) have more flexible meal times. With these regimens, skipping or delaying meals does not usually lead to an increased risk of low blood sugar.
Occasionally, you can eat foods that are high in fat (for example, pizza), although blood glucose levels need to be monitored more closely. High-fat, high-protein meals should be broken up and consumed more slowly than low-fat, lower-protein meals.
When a rapid-acting insulin (eg, Humalog, Novolog) is used before a meal, blood sugar can become low shortly after eating a high-fat meal and then rise several hours later. People who consume meals that contain more protein or fat than usual may need an adjustment of their mealtime insulin dose to control the delayed rise in blood sugar. People who use insulin pumps can use an extended insulin regimen to better manage blood sugar levels after eating a meal high in fat or protein.

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy in the diet, and include starches, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and sugar. Most meats and fats do not contain any carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates have a direct impact on blood sugar levels while proteins and fats have very little impact. Eating a consistent amount of carbohydrates at each meal can help control blood sugar, especially if you take long-acting insulin (eg, NPH).
There are several ways to calculate the carbohydrate content of a meal. A dietitian often helps determine the amount of carbohydrates needed in each meal and snack based on your usual eating habits, insulin regimen, body weight, nutritional goals, and activity level. yours. Most people with diabetes report consuming moderate amounts of carbohydrates (44 to 46 percent of total calories). The breakdown of carbohydrates for each meal or snack is based on personal preference, meal time and interval, and insulin regimen.
It is important to keep in mind the serving size and the number of grams of fiber when calculating carbohydrate intake. Eating more than one serving will increase the number of calories and carbohydrates consumed and the dose of insulin needed. For example, some prepackaged snacks contain two or more servings. To calculate the carbohydrate content of the entire package, multiply the number of servings by the number of carbohydrates.
When a serving of food has more than 5 grams of fiber, the insulin dose is calculated by subtracting grams of carbohydrates from grams of fiber.

Protein and fat do not significantly affect blood sugar, but they do contribute to the number of calories consumed. Eating the right amount of calories each day can help maintain body weight. An individual's recommended calorie intake is shown below.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) nutrition guidelines do not give specific overall dietary goals except for the following recommendations, which are largely similar to recommendations for the general population :
Encourage a diet that includes carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and low-fat dairy. People with diabetes should avoid sugary drinks (including fruit juices). The ideal carbohydrate intake is uncertain. However, monitoring carbohydrate intake is important in patients with diabetes because carbohydrate intake directly determines postprandial blood sugar levels, and appropriate insulin regulation for carbohydrate intake is one of the most important factors possible. improve blood sugar control.
Acceptable variety of foods (low fat, low carbohydrate, Mediterranean, vegetarian). Fat quality is more important than fat quantity. Saturated and trans fats contribute to coronary heart disease (CHD), while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have a relative protective effect. People with diabetes are at increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Eating a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce these risks.

Saturated fats (in meat, cheese, ice cream, etc.) can be replaced by monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (in fish, olive oil, nuts). Consumption of trans fatty acids should be kept as low as possible. Trans fats are banned in processed foods in the United States. Although very small amounts of trans fats occur naturally in meat, poultry, and dairy products, these naturally occurring amounts of trans fats are too small to be of concern.
The role of protein restriction in the diabetic diet is uncertain. Furthermore, it is uncertain whether low-protein diets contribute significantly to other measures to reduce cardiovascular risk and preserve renal function, such as ACE inhibitors, volume control, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. extreme blood pressure and blood sugar. Therefore, protein intake goals should be individualized. A typical daily protein intake is 15 to 20% of total calories. There should be no automatic reduction in dietary protein intake below the usual protein intake in patients who develop diabetic nephropathy. People with kidney disease should try to keep their dietary protein intake at the recommended daily allowance of 0.8 g/kg body weight per day. Patients should be encouraged to substitute lean meats, fish, eggs, beans, peas, soy products, and nuts for red meat.
A high-fiber diet (25 to 30 grams per day) can help control blood sugar and glycated hemoglobin (A1C). A diet low in sodium (less than 2300 mg per day) and high in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products can help control blood pressure. For people with diabetes and heart failure, a low-sodium diet can relieve symptoms. Artificial sweeteners do not affect blood sugar levels and can be consumed in moderation. For those who consume sugary drinks regularly, drinks containing artificial sweeteners can be a good short-term alternative strategy. However, people are encouraged to cut down on both sugary and artificial drinks and replace them with water. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has tested and approved five artificial sweeteners: Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), saccharin (Sweet'N Low, Sugar Twin), acesulfame-K (Sunett, Sweet One), neotame, and sucralose (Splenda). Stevia (sometimes called rebaudioside A or rebiana) is derived from the stevia plant and is now generally recognized by the FDA as safe as a food additive and tablet sweetener. When it is recognized as safe by the FDA, it means that experts have agreed that it is safe for the general public to use in appropriate amounts.
Sugar alcohols (sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, mannitol and maltitol) are commonly used to sweeten sugar-free candies and gum and slightly raise blood sugar. When calculating the carbohydrate content of a food, half of the sugar alcohols should be included in the total carbohydrate content of the food. Eating too much sugar alcohol at once can cause cramps, bloating, and diarrhea.
In the past, people with diabetes were told to avoid all foods with added sugar but this is no longer the case. You should still eat products with a certain amount of sugar in combination with a healthy diet. If you take insulin, calculate your insulin dose based on the number of carbohydrates, including the sugar content, as described above. Read nutrition labels carefully and compare products to each other to determine which has the best balance of servings and amounts of calories, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. Some sugar-free foods, such as diet soda, sugar-free gelatin, and sugar-free gum, do not contain a significant amount of calories or carbohydrates and are considered free-food. Any food with less than 20 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates is considered free-food, which means there aren't enough calories or carbohydrates to affect your weight or cause you to need insulin.

The recommended number of calories for weight maintenance depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level. Specifics:
Active men, women - 15 calories/lb. Most sedentary women, men, and adults over 55 - 13 cal/lb. Sedentary women, obese adults - 10 cal/lb. Pregnant, lactating women - 15 to 17 cal/lb. To lose 1 to 2 pounds per week (a safe rate of weight loss), subtract 500 to 1000 calories from the total calories needed to maintain your weight. For example, an overweight man weighing 250 lbs would need to eat 2500 calories per day to maintain his weight. To lose weight, he should eat 1500 to 2000 calories per day. When losing weight, his recommended calorie intake should be recalculated.
In general, nutrition is an extremely important factor for patients with type 1 diabetes to control their disease. To be able to come up with a timely and reasonable treatment plan, you should conduct early diabetes screening at reputable medical facilities.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital offers a diabetes screening package - dyslipidemia for customers with signs of diabetes for the purpose of accurate diagnosis and screening based on the following criteria: quantitative blood test. From there, the doctor will make conclusions and give advice on disease prevention as well as appropriate and scientific treatment for the patient.

Reference article: update.com