00:07When it comes to managing diabetes, healthy eating isn't about following a strict diet or giving up every food you
00:15enjoy.
00:16Instead, it's about making smarter food choices that help keep blood sugar levels under control.
00:22Registered dietitian, Miwa Elia, says building healthier habits starts with simple, sustainable changes.
00:29Think about introducing small habits.
00:32So for example, number one, the first thing you need to do is swap out the sweetened beverages for water.
00:42So that would be juice, sodas, even if it's fruit juice that says no added sugar because fruit juice in
00:50and of itself will have sugar.
00:52Step number two would be to control your portions.
00:56So, you know, you do not have to cut out all rice if you enjoy rice, but instead of having
01:04three cups of rice, you would cut down to about half of that or one cup of rice.
01:09Regular physical activity is an important part of keeping blood sugar under control.
01:14The third thing you can do is on the other side of the energy equation, we're talking about taking in
01:21energy, but we also want to burn more energy.
01:24So really getting a regular exercise routine, even if it's just walking consistently about 30 minutes every day will do
01:33a fantastic job of helping that blood sugar to come down.
01:36One of the biggest misconceptions is that people living with diabetes should avoid carbohydrates, but that's not the case.
01:46The key, Elias says, is choosing healthier high fiber carbohydrates, balancing meals with proteins and healthy fats and paying attention
01:55to portion sizes.
01:56It's really about quantity and quality. So we want to one, choose more natural whole food carbohydrates.
02:05So anything that comes from nature versus in a processed package.
02:10It's better to eat fresh pineapple than to drink pineapple juice out of a box.
02:18Because at least eating the whole pineapple, there's some fiber that will slow down how fast the sugar enters your
02:25bloodstream versus drinking the juice.
02:27Using whole grain brown rice. So brown basmati is my favorite rice.
02:32That would not spike your blood sugar as much as using like white basmati rice or any other white rice.
02:40Similarly with whole grains like bread. So you want things that naturally come with more fiber and those tend to
02:49be the whole grain foods.
02:51Provisions, provisions actually in the right portion spike your sugar a lot less than rice and bread.
02:59Building a balanced diet can go a long way in helping regulate blood sugar.
03:04Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and lean proteins all support better health.
03:11While sugary drinks and foods high in added sugar should be limited.
03:16Elias said lasting change doesn't happen overnight.
03:20Instead of trying to overhaul your entire diet, focus on a few healthy habits that you can maintain over time.
03:26I would say start with small habits. Don't try to change everything at once.
03:33Have a few key habits that you work on being consistent with.
03:37So for example, one could be drinking more water, staying well hydrated.
03:44Two can be taking the time to portion out your food.
03:47Pull out your measuring cups and use the appropriate portions of your foods.
03:52Instead of before you even begin to swap out what you're eating, you can start with portion control.
03:58And three would be to find your favorite healthy foods and try to incorporate those more.
04:05Health experts says consistency is what matters most.
04:09Small changes such as drinking more water, eating balanced meals and staying active can make a meaningful difference in preventing
04:18and managing diabetes.
04:20I am Sharla Kista with tonight's Health Watch.
04:23FUCKAL
04:24UPRIATE
04:28TOYOWA
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