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Have you ever wondered how to fill your plate? If
you are older and have diabetes, your plate may be your
best friend in managing your diabetes. Take charge of
your plate and the food choices you make. Simple
strategies may help you - and those you care about who
have diabetes - be in control.
Diabetes impacts about 16 million Americans each
year. Diabetes rates are increasing so rapidly that the
disease is considered an epidemic. In Colorado, the
number of cases has risen by an estimated 26 percent
since 1990.
The disease occurs when the body becomes resistant
to insulin or when it does not produce enough insulin.
When this happens, the body is unable to adequately use
sugars and starches, also known as carbohydrates, from
the food we eat for energy - then blood sugar, also
called blood glucose, rises above the normal values.
Controlling diabetes helps to prevent or delay
long-term complications that can have harmful effects
on heart health, eyesight, blood vessels, nerves and
kidneys.
Everyone with diabetes has individualized needs. If
you do have diabetes, talk to your doctor about the
best method of treatment. Controlling diabetes can help
improve your health and quality of life. By controlling
your diabetes through good blood sugar control, you can
lower your risk for eye disease, kidney failure, heart
disease, nerve damage and stroke.
Although there is no cure for diabetes, it can be
controlled with diet, exercise and medications. One
meal-planning approach to controlling diabetes is the
Plate Model. This method can be used by anyone to
assist in healthy eating. The Plate Model approach to
healthy eating is simple and is designed so that
appropriate food selection can be made visually without
having to weigh or measure foods. The method helps you
to eat more fruits and vegetables, less fat and
cholesterol and helps to control the amount of
carbohydrate ingested at each meal. This is especially
important for individuals with diabetes, since
carbohydrate foods raise blood glucose levels the most.
Here is how the Plate Model works:
- Use a 9-inch plate.
- For lunch and dinner: fill a quarter of the plate
1/2 inch deep with starchy foods such as potatoes,
corn, peas, winter squash, pastas, rice or cooked dry
beans. Note: 1/2 inch is about the thickness of your
little finger.
- Next, fill a quarter of the plate with a serving of
meat or meat alternative. The best choices are lean
meats, fish, poultry, low-fat cheeses or legumes
prepared without oils or fats.
- Fill the remaining half of the plate with
non-starchy vegetables such as tomatoes, green leafy
vegetables, broccoli, carrots, etc. These foods are low
in carbohydrate and high in nutrients.
- Side dishes include a serving of fruit (1 cup fresh,
? cup canned or 4 ounces juice) and a 1-cup serving of
low-fat milk or yogurt.
- Planning a breakfast is slightly modified. The
meat, meat alternative and vegetables are optional.
Each serving of carbohydrate food (fruit, dairy and
starchy vegetable) in the Plate Model contains about 15
grams of carbohydrate. So each serving of 15 grams is
equal to one carbohydrate choice for those who use
carbohydrate counting.
By following the Plate Model for meal planning and
food selection, you may benefit by having better blood
glucose control, losing weight and eating a more
nutritious diet that is higher in fiber and lower in
fat and cholesterol. These benefits are good for
everyone, and especially those with diabetes. Using the
Plate Model can help individuals with diabetes to
manage the disease.
If you do have diabetes, good control of the
disease is key in having a long, healthy life. Because
everyone with diabetes has individual needs, it is
important to talk to your doctor or health care
provider about the best method of treatment for you.
However, everyone can benefit from a healthy diet and
being active each day.
More information and instructions for using the
Plate Model can be obtained by contacting the
Extension Family and Consumer Agent in your
county. The office is usually listed in the phone book
under the county government listings.
For more information, contact your local
Colorado State University Extension office.
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Uploaded Tuesday, November 27, 2007
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