Good nutrition is one of the most important parts of living a healthy life with diabetes. But if you manage to eat healthy, you will be far less likely to suffer from many common problems caused by diabetes, such as eye, heart, nerve, and kidney disease.

How can I improve my eating habits?

A meal plan tailored just for you is a great start. Your meal plan should keep in mind your normal eating habits and other lifestyle factors, and is best made with the help of a registered dietitian (RD) or diabetes educator. The most important goal of your meal plan is to help you to move toward your ideal body weight. Eat regular, well-balanced meals from the major groups. Your balanced meal plan will have much more food from fruits, vegetables, breads and grains than from meat, milk, dairy products and fat.

What will a meal plan do for me?

• Your meal plan will give you a strategy for success – a road map to progress toward your ideal weight and better control of your diabetes.

• Make your body more responsive to insulin. Some people can reduce or eliminate medicines for diabetes and high blood pressure when they are at their ideal body weight.

• You can improve your blood glucose (sugar) control to a near normal level. This has been shown to reduce diabetes complications.

• Last but not least, your healthy eating habits can improve your overall health.

A "best-dressed meal plan" has…

Carbohydrates: 50-60% of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates. Good sources include bread, potatoes, rice, cereals, and many fruits and vegetables.

Protein: 15-20% of your daily calories should come from protein. Good sources include meat products, dairy, some vegetables and beans, and small amounts in some starches. People with diabetic kidney disease may need to eat less protein.

Less Fat: Less than 30% of your daily calories should come from fat. Eat less saturated fat (less than 10% of calories) and choose unsaturated fat products instead. Because diabetes increases your risk of heart and blood vessel diseases, a low-fat diet is key to good health. Plus, it will help you reach your ideal weight.

Less Sodium, More Fiber: Reduce your sodium, or salt intake, to 2-4 grams per day. Also, eat 20-30 grams of fiber a day.

Self-care tips…

• If you do not have a meal plan, ask your doctor to refer you to a registered dietitian or diabetic educator to help you design one.

• To control blood glucose and lose weight, reduce your portion sizes from all food groups.

• Decrease or stop drinking alcohol. Alcohol conflicts with diabetes medicines, and can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

• Get moving! An exercise plan will work hand in hand with your meal plan to improve your blood glucose control and help you lose weight.