6 Do's of Diabetic Diet

Despite the huge increase in the number of elder people with diabetes, there are few studies of proper nutrition specific to that age group -most recommendations are based on younger patients. But experts do know that a major concern with respect to nutrition in the elders is malnutrition, which results from inadequate amounts of calories and consuming too much of the wrong foods. The often limited resources of the elders cause them to choose between eating good foods, buying all their medications, and spending money on occasional pleasures like a book or a movie. This isn't a medical problem but rather a social and economic problem, and it's not easily fixed.

The following are some nutritional recommendations that are reasonable and doable for the elder patient with Diabetes:

-- Take a multivitamin and a mineral tablet daily to ensure that you're getting adequate quantities of essential nutrients.

-- Consume a diet in which the carbohydrate content makes up 40 to 50 percent of calories. This recommendation is reasonable based on successful control of blood glucose in other patients.

-- Keep the levels of saturated fats down and mono unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats up for a healthier diet; these fats should represent about 30 percent of your daily calories.

-- Stick to a level of protein that's 15 to 20 percent of daily calories. This amount strikes a balance between too much protein that may hurt the kidneys and too little protein resulting in loss of muscle.

-- Get at least 20 grams of fiber in your daily diet.

-- Avoid a low-sugar diet. It won't improve your glucose control and may cause weight loss because of the lack of taste in the food.

Apart from the above there are many other things like you should keep your teeth in good condition to make eating easier and to avoid infections that complicate Diabetes. Brush, floss, and visit the dentist twice a year.