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"Will type 2 diabetes affect my eating choices?"

ZocdocAnswersWill type 2 diabetes affect my eating choices?


Do I have to cut out sweets entirely? Are there sweets for diabetics?


Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body's ability to use insulin effectively is diminished. Since insulin is the substance that promotes the utilization of sugar, the concentration of sugar in the blood rises. This leads to many problems over the life span if it is not taken care of, such as heart disease, kidney disease, eye trouble, and many other things. Taking care of type 2 diabetes absolutely requires changing the way you eat. In particular concentrated sweet foods (such as refined sugar, non diet soft drinks, etc) must be strictly avoided, as these greatly increase the concentration of sugar in the blood. But there are many other changes to the diet that need to be made as well. It sounds like this is a new diagnosis for you, so you should definitely set up an appointment with a nutritionist who can walk you through diabetic meal plans and help you figure out how to eat appropriately to manage the condition. Eating choices are also important because being overweight is a big part of what triggers the development of diabetes. Therefore if you can begin to exercise and lose some weight (and restrict your caloric intake) it is possible that your diabetes will improve somewhat.

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