Diabetes
Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood glucose (sugar) level to become too high.
FOODS TO EAT MORE OF
FOODS TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE
ESSENTIAL OILS
HERBAL
NATURAL
YOGA / MEDITATION THERAPY
SUPPLEMENTS
MIND-BODY CONNECTION
FOOD MEDICINE
Not all recipes are nutritionally perfect, but the options below are a great way to start incorporating beneficial foods into your diet in delicious ways. Always try to buy organic, and feel free to make substitutions to accommodate gluten-free, vegan, etc diets.
FOODS TO EAT MORE OF
- Regular meals and snacks to avoid fluctuations in blood sugar levels
- A balance of starches, protein and fats at each meal.
- Fruits: apples, avocados, blueberries, grapefruit, lemons, limes, pears
- Vegetables: artichokes, arugula, broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, kale, onions, romaine lettuce, spinach, watercress
- Cinnamon, garlic, turmeric & ginger
- Fish (especially salmon), beans, flax seeds, olive oil, pumpkin seeds, spirulina, tofu and other soy proteins, whole grains, unsweetened yogurt, oats, nuts, maitake mushrooms
- Some studies show coffee (up to 4 cups a day) can help diabetes as well (although some sources recommend avoiding caffeine).
FOODS TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE
- Alcohol and smoking.
- Any abrupt changes in diet and exercise.
- Bran cereals, miller's bran
- Excessive salt & sugar
- Red meat & dairy products (except yogurt)
- Potatoes
- Processed/refined foods
ESSENTIAL OILS
HERBAL
- Aloe Vera juice, astragalus, black cohosh, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, dandelion root and leaf, evening primrose oil, fenugreek seeds, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, ginseng, linden flower, milk thistle, stevia, sumac, stinging nettle, turmeric, yarrow
- Burdock can be helpful for late-onset diabetes.
NATURAL
- Bay leaves can help with blood sugar imbalances (fairly strong, so steeping in soups/sauces for awhile and then discarding the leaf works well).
- Juice Jerusalem artichokes and drink daily
- Maintain a normal weight and exercise daily
- Matcha tea
YOGA / MEDITATION THERAPY
- Yoga For Diabetes (30 minutes - Yoga With Adriene)
- Chair Yoga Sequence For Arthritis, Injuries & Mobility Issues! (24 minutes - Julie Cerrone Croner)
- Chair Yoga: Joint Freeing Sequence: Pain Relief (18 minutes - Laura Goellner)
SUPPLEMENTS
- Antioxidants: 1,000 mg Vitamin C, 900 IU Vitamin E, and 150 mg alpha-lipoic acid each morning
- Bilberry: 125-160 mg twice daily (should contain 25% anthocyanosides)
- Brewer's Yeast: 3 Tablespoons daily
- Chromium: 200 mcg 3 times daily with meals (may alter insulin requirements - consult your doctor)
- Coenzyme Q10: 100-200 mg daily
- Essential Fatty Acids: 1,000 mg evening primrose oil 3 times daily, 1,000 mg fish oils twice a day (or use 1,000 mg borage oil once a day for primrose oil)
- Grapeseed extract: 100 mg twice daily
- Gymnema Sylvestre: 200 mg twice daily (may alter insulin requirements - consult your doctor)
- Niacin: 800 mg twice daily
- Psyllium: 7.5 grams of the seeds or 5 grams of the husks 1-2 times daily (with water/juice)
- Taurine: 500 mg L-taurine twice daily on an empty stomach (if using longer than 1 month add mixed amino acids)
- Vitamin B Complex: 1 pill each morning with food (look for B-100 complex with 100 mcg vitamin B12 and biotin, 400 mcg folic acid and 100 mg all other B vitamins)
- Vitamin C: 2,000-3,000 mg daily
- Zinc/ Copper: 30 mg zinc (add 2 mg copper daily if using zinc longer than 1 month)
MIND-BODY CONNECTION
- Represents issues with personal boundaries (either emotional, psychological or physical). This could be either a violation of your personal boundaries by others; or areas where you violate others' personal boundaries.
- Can also represent a longing for what might have been, a lack of sweetness in your life.
FOOD MEDICINE
Not all recipes are nutritionally perfect, but the options below are a great way to start incorporating beneficial foods into your diet in delicious ways. Always try to buy organic, and feel free to make substitutions to accommodate gluten-free, vegan, etc diets.
Abbreviation Definitions:
LC = Low Calorie (under 400 for breakfast, 600 for lunch/dinner, and 200 for beverages/sides/snacks)
GF = Gluten Free
KT = Keto / Low Carb
VG = Vegan
VT = Vegetarian
LC = Low Calorie (under 400 for breakfast, 600 for lunch/dinner, and 200 for beverages/sides/snacks)
GF = Gluten Free
KT = Keto / Low Carb
VG = Vegan
VT = Vegetarian