Whether an individual is newly diagnosed with diabetes, pre-diabetes, or is at high risk for diabetes because a first degree relative has had diabetes, or a woman has had gestational diabetes, there is good news about the progress in managing this disease. The changes in diabetes management have been so significant, that if you have not seen a Registered Dietitian in a while, you would likely benefit from an assessment of your dietary habits, medications, and blood glucose levels.
I have added specific technology to the treatment of diabetes that I believe is instrumental in assisting people with diabetes in taking charge and really understanding the changes needed to maintain a healthy body. First, I measure metabolism. Rather than guess at a calorie level for the individual, I measure through indirect calorimetry, how many calories an individual needs at rest, and then I adjust those needs based on the persons exercise level. This makes it easier for the overweight person with diabetes to lose weight, and the average weight person to maintain a normal weight despite the changes in carbohydrate metabolism.
Second, I have clients who are willing keep a strict food log and do what I call "hyper-test". This means test the blood glucose before and after every meal and snack to determine their body's individual response to foods. There is much written about the glycemic index, where certain foods raise blood glucose more than other foods, but there is such individual variation, that I find if an individual is willing to take a couple of weeks to really "sleuth" for themselves to see the changes in blood glucose from all different types of eating, they are much more likely to understand which combinations of foods work best for them, and also see a direct correlation between eating and their blood glucose, which is a great way to learn the right food combinations for their own body.
