The Basics of Healthy Eating & Diabetes

0:00 [Music]0:08 welcome to the first episode in our nutrition education series for people living with diabetes whether you're just0:14 starting out on your diabetes Journey or are a Season Pro who could use a quick refresh this session offers all the0:20 basics when it comes to healthy eating and diabetes registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator Pamela0:27 Petroski will explore healthy choices the recommended plate model and the recommended eating pattern to maximize0:34 your energy and nourishment as well as help manage your diabetes over to you0:39 Pam hello my name is Pam and today during today's session we're going to review why healthy eating is essentialOverview0:46 to everyone for promoting good health minimizing injury and reducing the risk0:52 of diseases and why this is so important for diabetes management itself we will examine the rationale0:59 behind this concept of a balanced plate how it applies to your individual meal1:05 choices as well as dive a little bit deeper into the importance of key elements that provide energy from the1:11 foods that we eat and the role they may play in blood sugar control and so you aren't confused I may interchange the1:18 words glucose and sugar when I'm referring to what it is that's in your blood but it's the same thing so I hope1:24 you can keep up we'll start to crack down on the code of reading labels to1:29 help help make better choices it might take you a little bit of time in the beginning to figure out these labels but1:35 once you've got it you'll be well on your and we're going to organize all this information to develop a healthy1:41 eating pattern that works for you let me start by saying the most important thing1:47 there is no diabetes specific diet as diets are hard to follow in the long1:53 term as you may have found out in the past but what is important is the what1:58 somebody eats the how much they eat and the when they eat that's really2:04 important when we talk about making better food choices and planning healthy meals for diabetes2:10 management when people learn how these aspects of their eating habits can impact their health they will be able to2:16 make changes small or large to improve their blood sugar control and reduce the2:21 risk of complications so let's get going hereFood Nutrition2:28 food and nutrition important elements of diabetes management as I mentioned now I2:33 want you to think of food and nutrition as a as a type of treatment no different2:39 than medications or physical activity is for people living with diabetes and throughout this video we are going to2:45 focus on the food and nutritional aspects that are part of your diabetes2:51 selfcare learn how different foods affect your blood sugars because at different times of our lives our blood2:57 sugars may be affected differently by some of the quantities and the types of foods that we're eating and what that3:04 means to your risk of complications down the road as well as how small changes can make big3:11 differences while it's natural to have questions about nutrition and what foods to eat we're going to try to untangle3:17 some of that dietary advice that may be on the internet that you've already noticed or it may come from wellwishers3:23 to help you manage your diabetes that is evidence-based so be careful of the3:29 potential for false promises but maybe with bad diets supplements special3:35 diabetic or dietetic Foods it's always best to talk with your healthc care professional before putting your trust3:42 in potential misinformation out there and this could harm you instead of helping you I encourage you to go to3:50 diabetes.com3:58 stroke.com discussing and throughout keep in mind that there is no one diet fits-all4:04 approach finding out what works for you is most important to keeping youWhat Works For You4:13 healthy because eating is something that we need to do on a daily basis it we need to find out that right balance to4:19 keep ourselves healthy while still promoting good health and quality of life often people think that once they4:26 get their A1c to Target that they can go back to their old eating habits but remember what we said about healthy4:33 eating patterns being like a treatment for diabetes you take away that treatment and the blood sugars will4:38 creep back up so try to find that will what will work for you in the long run4:44 small changes can make the difference and you might find that you're doing all4:49 of these things already and it's still not making a difference it's always best again to talk with your diabetes4:56 educator to see what other changes might need to be made throughout your diabetes5:01 management so let's move on and and try to find what will work for you in the long run picking healthy food choices5:08 more often will help to provide energy to do daily activities fuel your muscles5:14 prevent injury and also help with your mood all things that are most important for managing diabetes and reducing your5:21 risk of diabetes or its complications but beyond controlling blood sugars healthy eating can also5:28 help you manage weight and as I said lower your risk of other complications or other chronic conditions like heart5:34 disease that is more prevalent in people that have diabetes high blood pressure5:40 osteoporosis arthritis certain forms of cancer are all linked to what we eat so5:45 here's another good reason for why healthy eating matters eating well is good for overall5:51 health and there's many ways to do it I want you to pick what might work for5:58 you so what are the basics of healthy eating you might ask or maybe you already know think of it as a shift ofBasics of Healthy Eating6:05 food choices that can be done by eating more of certain types of foods replacing6:11 current choices with better options or limiting your consumption of less desirable Foods as we'll talk about6:17 throughout the session it's key to have a variety of foods but that doesn't mean that you6:23 have to eat all foods to ensure that you're getting all the nutrients like vitamins and minerals that are found in6:30 different food groups those food groups being fruits and vegetables meat and6:35 protein Alternatives dairy products and Grains and starchy Foods by the way I'm6:41 not a fan of kale but I try to pick other green leafy vegetables to get similar nutrients and as always make6:48 sure you're drinking water or low calorie beverage to keep well hydrated that is still part of a healthy eating6:55 pattern I know that cost in availability can be challenging to some where possible pick whole foods to avoid7:02 excess salt sugar preservatives that are usually found in packaged and ultr7:08 processed foods in some cases Frozen and canned can be just as healthy and maybe7:14 a better alternative preparing meals yourself gives you the advantage of knowing how what's going into your meals7:22 how you're preparing them and how it's making a difference on your diabetes control but it does involve a little bit7:29 of planning ahead of time I will warn you about that but once you get the hang of it you'll be right on your way so my7:37 first question to you is what do you do do you eat to live or do you live to eat7:45 some people will say that they know when their body is full and others may have difficulty with figuring out when to7:51 stop and when they're full have you ever eaten because you were bored feeling down or just because7:58 the food was staring at you on the table be aware of the different reasons for why you're eating by all means if you're8:05 feeling hypoglycemic please eat some sugar but be mindful of why you're eating what you do and that can be just8:13 as important as what you're eating some people may find that a strict routine with their food intake8:19 helps manage their blood sugars perfectly but only you will know if that's something that's sustainable for8:25 you meaning can you do it in the long term because this is something that you want to do for the long8:31 run it's important to find a way to enjoy what you're eating because it is8:37 something we have to do on a daily basis please look for ways to prepare meals that work for you because if you don't8:44 enjoy food preparation or perhaps eating becomes socially8:49 undesirable it can be a very stressful part of your day-to-day routine rest assured the more you become8:57 aware of what healthy eating can mean to you you and your blood sugar control and9:02 how you can learn how your body reacts to different foods at different times in9:07 your life uh with different situations you will find eating can be done in a way that is not considered9:14 difficult while still enjoying social aspects and reaping in all the nutritional9:20 benefits if you were to write down what you ate for a week what would your food or meals look like could you make some9:28 changes right now with what we've already talked about we're learning more and more about9:34 the importance of good nutrition and healthy food choices for day-to-day wellness and for reducing the risk of9:39 injury and chronic disease but what it means to you I might say again I may ask9:45 in five years and it might be different information so it's great to keep up to date on this9:54 information now look at this plate it looks amazing but it also looks a bit confusing using so here's what we'reThe Balanced Plate10:00 going to talk about with the concept of a balanced plate it's one of the most important diet habits you can do by10:08 picking half of your plate of vegetables vegetables are high in nutrients that10:13 the body needs to be healthy and because non-starchy vegetables tend to be higher in fiber and water content this can help10:21 to keep you full longer and control the amounts of other foods that are you're putting on your plate and that may10:28 control your blood sugars the other part of that half a plate can be divided up again so that a quarter is10:35 coming from protein foods and you want to be looking for lean proteins and10:40 plant proteins as well as fish to be part of that quarter of your plate try to eat at least two servings10:48 of fish each we week and maybe try different recipes that include plant-based things like tofu or legumes10:55 nuts and seeds as great sources of protein as well and last but not least fill that11:02 remaining quarter of your plate with your carbohydrates or what's commonly known as grains or starchy vegetables11:08 picking whole grains and crackers brown or wild rice quinoa oatmeal barley11:14 potatoes with their skins on are all going to be ways to fill that quarter of the plate while keeping you11:22 full now think about it was the plate that at your last meal did it look like11:27 this was the was the balance the same way perhaps there's a little bit more11:33 that you can add to that half of vegetables and a little less to the pasta that you may have consumed last11:39 night eating Foods in moderation will allow you to get the energy that your body needs as well as including enough11:46 fiber enough energy enough protein that all makes a healthy11:52 diet or as I say a healthy meal pattern a couple of tips that I might11:58 add to this is looking for bright vibrant colored vegetables so look for the oranges the12:05 greens the Reds in your vegetables if you can leave the skins on for extra fiber prepare your Foods in a healthy12:12 way baking broiling steaming poaching stir frying but you might say wow a12:18 plate with a piece of plain chicken a baked potato and some steamed broccoli12:24 and carrots just doesn't sound appealing so here's where you want to take some of your favorite recipes or the meals that12:31 you already consume and modify them a bit so that this balance holds true12:37 perhaps it's adding more vegetables to your uh to your meal perhaps it's12:43 pureeing some vegetables and making them into a sauce for your potatoes maybe12:48 it's adding um a salad before your meal so that we still have that balance of a12:55 half coming from vegetables a quarter coming from protein and a order coming from carbohydrates even if you have a13:02 recipe think of the ingredients that you're consuming and how you might rearrange the quantities of the foods in13:08 there so that you have this balance be careful though if you consume13:14 too many of the refr refined grains like bread pasta minate rice these may cause13:20 spikes in your blood glucose even if you are consuming only a quarter of your plate of them so be careful as you will13:27 notice this plate doesn't have any dairy products on it it doesn't have dessert on it so even a glass of milk and a13:33 piece of fruit after your meal could be healthy alternatives but be careful13:39 limit sugars and sweets for desserts that we sometimes have like cookies and ice cream cakes and Pie if you are going13:47 to consume a small quantity of that try to work it back into that balanced plate13:52 perhaps you eat a little less of the pasta or the potato if you know you're going to have some cookies perhaps you13:59 have less fruit and if you're going to be having some pie or an apple crisp so14:04 that you can still balance all the nutrients that your body requires and remember we're trying to do14:11 these things in moderation so it's not a complete Turn Around from today to tomorrow's14:18 meals another thing I want you to be cautious about is high fat and greasy Foods okay they won't necessarily affect14:25 your blood sugar now but they may affect your digestion they may also impact your weight going14:32 down going further and that may impact your diabetes Management in the long term so be careful with fried potatoes14:39 creamy sauces battered or breaded foods and of course that hydration14:45 factor is so important um it could be some low-fat milk it could be having14:50 water unsweetened tea or coffee plain broth could be a great addition to your meals but be cautious with regular pop14:58 even fruit juice or sweetened tea can raise your blood sugar and cause15:03 problems uh down for15:10 you now let's take a look at those sources of energy that I mentioned coming from the balance plate I made aCarbohydrates15:18 comment about carbohydrates or grains and starchy Foods so did you know that15:23 carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy the sugar that comes from all sources of carbohydrates is15:30 otherwise known as glucose when it enters into the bloodstream and that's why we have such15:35 an emphasis on carbohydrates when we talk about why we need to be careful with the quantity of the foods15:41 containing and how they impact our diabetes management converting carbs into15:47 immediate usable energy is easier for the body than using fat or protein as an15:54 energy source did you know that your brain muscles cells all need15:59 carbohydrates to function which is why a very low carb diet is not really healthy16:04 at all depending on the type of carbohydrates that you're consuming the food is converted into sugar or glucose16:11 at varying rates as it enters the bloodstream after being digested and metabolized it's either transported into16:18 the body through insulin to the cells or it's used later as a storage of energy16:26 if there's not enough insulin from within your body or you're not taking16:31 the right or enough of diabetes medications to help with that transport16:36 the glucose is left circulating in the bloodstream and this is where the complications of diabetes come into16:42 effect when your blood sugar levels are above Target for too long and cause16:48 damage to the vessels leading to other parts of your body the Dietary Reference16:53 intake for Canadians suggests a minimum of 130 gram of carbohydrates per day or17:00 45 to 60% of the total calorie intake coming from17:05 carbohydrates but what does that mean specifically for you well the easiest way in today's session is to have you17:11 refer back to that balance plate looking at a quarter of what you're eating coming from the starches or the grains17:17 that you're consuming now if you're working with a dietician or diabetes educator they can17:24 help you go into more detail with carb counting and what the ual number might mean for you throughout your meals and17:32 daily intake although being aware of how much carbohydrate you're consuming is key equally important to the is the17:40 quality of that carbohydrate not just the quantity now I probably don't need17:46 to tell you where carbs are found but as a refresher you'll find them most abundantly in grains starchy vegetables17:53 fruit milk and of course various forms of sugars and sweets but the healthiest sources are going to come from17:59 unprocessed or minimally processed foods not only will you naturally get18:06 the most vitamins and minerals but they're probably going to be higher in fiber and more likely to have something18:12 called a lower glycemic index that we're going to talk about in a bit these are also referred to as18:18 complex carbs and your intake of carbs should consist mostly of these18:24 sources now you can still eat other types of carbs and less optimal sources18:30 would be things like white processed bread fruit juices desserts or other18:35 highly refined or processed foods you know honey maple syrup molasses all seem18:42 to have really healthy benefits um and may seem like healthier versions to18:47 sweeteners but really from a diabetes perspective they're no different than just eating straight table sugar and18:54 using it only if you're having a hypoglycemic reaction also known as simple carbs these things19:01 are easily digested and quickly brought to your bloodstream so that's something19:07 to be aware of because if you're not taking enough medication or your insulin19:13 is not working the same way as someone without diabetes this could cause problems with your blood sugar staying19:20 at Target but it also could interfere with weight management increased risk of19:25 heart disease and batty liver many people are confused about19:30 carbohydrates maybe you are right now but keep in mind that if you're just starting out it's important to eat a19:37 moderate amount of carbs and then try to pick the healthier sources then to19:42 follow a strict diet or totally removing them from your eating habits right now remember small changes can produce big19:50 differences in your diabetes management as I previously mentioned protein is anProtein19:56 important part of healthy eating for many reasons including growth and repair of body tissues such as muscle bone skin20:04 hair and virtually every other part of your body and like carbohydrates protein provide energy but it's not the body's20:12 preferred source of fuel from a diabetes perspective it's an important part of a20:17 meal to help regulate how quickly a meal is digested thus keeping you full longer20:24 and helping to reduce those spikes in blood sugars after eating including more20:29 plant-based proteins and fish is also beneficial as I mentioned before from both a diabetes and a heart health20:36 perspective the best picks from this food group would be leaner cuts of meat those with less marbling more fatty20:44 fishes uh low-fat dairy products eggs plant-based choices like soy tofu uh20:51 nuts seeds legumes now you can find small amounts of protein in grains and20:57 some vegetables but I don't consider them one of your better choices be careful with how those21:03 protein foods are prepared as some may be prepared with extra sodium from sauces or extra carbs from batter or21:10 breading and watch out for the skin on poultry or that marbling in your meat21:15 because those can contribute to unhealthy fats that we'll talk about in aFat21:22 minute so what about fat we used to think fat was really bad for us now we21:27 know a little bit different that fat is the most calorie dense food that we eat and we do need some of it not only is it21:34 a source of energy for our body but it assists with the growth and development of cells and helps the body absorb21:41 certain essential fatty acids or fat soluble vitamins the problem is with fats is21:48 that they're not all created equal the key to understanding the health aspect of fats is considering the21:55 total amount and knowing what type of fat is is saturated or trans fats you may have22:02 heard okay are also referred to as the bad fats in the diet and they're primarily found in animal sources22:09 including whole fat dairy products coconut and palm oil are the only two22:15 plant sources that I know of that are saturated fats in the diet and you want22:20 to be careful with them they may have other health benefits but from a cardiovascular perspective uh they can22:28 clog your arteries and contribute to your cholesterol levels unsaturated fats that would be22:34 monounsaturated polyunsaturated aka the good fats in our diet are mostly found22:40 in things like nuts and seeds avocad soybeans as well as all of their oils22:46 and those fatty fishes that I had referred to an easy way to remember the difference between the good and the bad22:52 fats in your diet is that the healthier ones the unsaturated ones are liquid at room temperature as in this picture here23:00 and the unhealthy fats are usually solid and you wouldn't want to have solid fat clogging up your blood23:07 vessels the main issue health issue with those saturated fats is its effect on cholesterol levels or the risk of heart23:13 disease which is also a significant risk for people living with diabetes so be careful with the quantities and look to23:20 see where they're found in your diet you may not be able to remove all23:25 of the uh saturated fats in your diet but kind back is definitely a healthy23:30 way to go about the heart healthy aspect of your diet but regardless of the types23:37 of fat as I mentioned the total fat content is something you also want to be aware23:43 of as this is something that can contribute to Central adiposity or that23:48 weight that's carried around your middle section which is linked to insulin resistance and diabetesFiber23:57 management o fiber my friend it's a non-digestible carbohydrate Source24:03 naturally found in plant Foods it's found in things like the berries here other fruit veggies nuts24:11 seeds legumes whole grains as well as made into fiber24:17 supplements but the more a food is processed or refined the less natural occurring fiber is left in it unless24:26 it's added back during the processes or the manufacturing the good news about fiber24:32 is that the body is unable to break down and absorb this type of carbohydrate it doesn't cause a spike in blood sugars24:39 the way other carbohydrates can and in fact can actually help reduce the spikes in your blood24:44 sugars now to be clear there are two types of fiber soluble and INF soluble24:51 each one has important health benefits and plays a different role in the body soluble fiber dissolves in water forms a24:59 gel-like substance in your stomach that slows down digestion attaches to fatty25:05 acids to help remove them out of the body and in doing so can help control your blood sugar and cholesterol levels25:13 some good sources of soluble fiber that come to my mind are apples bananas oats25:18 peas black beans limma beans Brussels FRS avocados there's so many different25:24 sources of soluble fiber and you can find those lists on some of those websites ites that I've referred to25:30 previously now insoluble fiber equally as important but doesn't dissolve in25:35 water so if you were to compare two different soluble fi soluble and insoluble you would find that the25:42 insoluble fiber that comes usually um in whole grains uh the skins and the seeds25:49 and everything just sits at the bottom of your water glass there but it's so important because it25:55 actually is not broken down passes through your intestine and is a great way to remove some of the waste that26:02 collects in our intestine while all fiber is good for26:07 you my only word of caution is to be careful on how you increase the amount26:13 of your daily intake make sure you do it gradually and make sure that you're drinking adequate fluids and moving26:20 around otherwise you may run into some distressing bloating or gas or other gastrointestinal side effects as we26:27 learned more and more about its role in the health of our gut immunity and26:32 anti-inflammatory properties this also holds true for how it manages yourGlycemic Index26:40 diabetes now I referred to something called the glycemic index a while back26:46 and what is this glycemic index it's a scale that ranks a carbohydrate containing food or drink by how much it26:53 raises blood glucose level levels after it was consumed so as you can see on26:59 this chart here this graph foods with a high glycemic index rise blood sugars27:06 really quickly and faster than foods with a lower glycemic27:12 index as we know it also as the GI index it assigns a number to a food based on27:19 how drastically it makes your sugar rise and then come back down you will see after two hours your sugars are at the27:27 same level but it's what happens in between during that 2hour period that27:33 can also have an impact on Diabetes management and27:38 complications now these foods are ranked on a scale of 0o to 100 with pure27:43 glucose or table sugar given a value of 100 the lower a food's glycemic index27:50 the slower the blood glucose Rises after eating that food and that's a very good thing as seen in the yellow graph here27:59 generally speaking the more processed a food is um the carbohydrate food is the28:05 higher it's glycemic index is take for example a slice of French baguette bread28:11 its glycemic index is 95 so eating the same amount of grams of carbohydrate of28:19 of white bread when you compare it to something that has more fiber or fat in28:24 it I'm thinking maybe a half a cup of cooked barley that has a lower glycemic28:30 index one of something like 22 you can see how they may impact your blood28:35 sugars at one hour out or at a half an hour out if you were checking your blood28:41 sugars um after your28:46 meals to simplify things there's a chart on the28:52 diabetes.com medium and high glycemic index Foods I don't want you to get28:57 caught up on the exact numbers but to try and collectively put them in as they29:03 have them green categories for go low glycemic index food medium uh ones and29:10 then the high ones that we should try to eat a minimal amount of keep in mind that if you have protein29:17 foods or sources of fat or Fiber um in the foods that you're29:23 consuming or can add them to your meal that can lower the glycemic index of the total Meal which might have the same29:30 benefit than picking just low glycemic index Foods how can this help you make better29:38 choices well choosing lower glycemic index more often than high glycemic index foods will not only help you with29:45 realtime control of your blood sugars as I mentioned if you were checking them um but it'll help you keep full longer29:52 promote weight management and also help lower the risk of some of those diabetes complication in including the risk of29:58 heart disease and stroke and as I mentioned even if you can't remove all the high glycemic index30:04 foods from your diet try just lowering the glycemic index of the meal by adding a source of protein even if it's a glass30:11 of milk or some nuts um to your to your grains leave the30:17 skins on your potatoes have fruits and vegetables where possible um so that you30:23 can add extra fiber to your meal and another thing that people aren't weren't30:28 aware of is to cook pasta and rice undercooked a bit alante you might be30:34 familiar with that term because the more something is processed the higher the glycemic index so if we can undercook30:40 something not meaning you eat it raw um but that's also going to lower the glycemic index uh as your body takes it30:48 in but remember just because a carbohydrate containing food has a low30:54 glycemic index attached to it you still need to be careful with how much you're consuming total because the total grams31:01 of carbs whether it's a low or a high glycemic index food will still impact your blood sugarFood Labels31:10 control so one of the things that most people um have problems or tell me that31:17 they're confused about is reading food labels and just as I mentioned previously about picking less processed31:23 foods it doesn't mean that you can't eat foods that have a a label on them but31:29 the key is being able to understand what you're looking for so let's try to break31:34 this down into three little easy steps so a label can help determine if it is a31:40 good choice or whether you should think twice about something when you're picking it up on the shell when you know what your things31:47 you're looking for this is a great way to be able to compare different foods maybe there's a better option that you31:53 didn't realize in the same category of foods31:58 most Foods packaged in Canada have to have a nutrition fact table like the one you see here on the slide notice the32:05 first red back box that's probably most important because that's the serving32:11 size that all the rest of the information in this nutrition facts table is based32:16 on so if you see this it's 107 calories for this serving but only if you're32:23 eating this serving of 12 crackers so you need to determine is this the32:29 serving size that I'm eating or is it another amount that is my portion and be able to adjust the numbers based on32:38 that specifically though when you're looking at from a diabetes and a blood sugar management um perspective you'll32:46 see in bold that we have those micro or macronutrients we were talking about32:51 before fat carbohydrate and protein and they're bolded underneath and indented below32:59 each of that Bolding listed is subcomponents of those Foods remember I referred to saturated fats before as an33:07 unhealthy part of the total fat intake and for carbohydrates specifically from33:12 a diabetes perspective you'll see that the total amount of carbohydrates in33:17 these 12 crackers is 27 grams but this can be confusing because when you indent33:24 you see that fiber is a component of it sugars might be a component of it from what is added in the preparation of of33:31 these crackers you might see sugar alcohols you might see starch all of33:36 these subcomponents that are indented add up to the total amount of33:42 carbohydrate so if you trying to determine how many grams of carbs you're33:47 actually consuming from this label the number would be 27 but wait because fiber is that33:56 carbohydrate food that your body can't digest it means you get to subtract the fiber content from that total34:03 carbohydrate so really there's 26 grams of carbohydrates in34:08 this so this makes it a little bit easier to see that a food that is34:13 contains a lot of fiber may have a lot more carbohydrates but really you34:18 subtract that amount of fiber from the total carbohydrate and that's how you would determine how many grams of carbs34:26 your body is actually getting and turning into sugar in your34:32 body now one of the things that a lot of people will do is that they will count their carbs and be able to swap things34:37 out meaning that there's 12 crackers for 27 grams of of carbs and if you know34:44 that a slice of sandwich bread is 15 grams of carbs or half a cup of cooked pasta is 15 grams of carbs you could say34:52 do I want some soup broth with 12 crackers or would I like to have two34:57 slices of sandwich bread or do I want six crackers and one slice of sandwich35:03 bread to get 30 gram of carbs let's say if that's what I'm consuming at my meal35:10 this is where it can can get confusing but you know what I think we're going to have more discussion on this in another35:16 session and as well when it talks about fat and protein I'm going to leave that35:22 to another session on label reading now that second box probably35:29 another confusing thing to you what is percent daily value or DV the percent DV35:36 is meant to act as a benchmark to determine if a food is high or low in a certain nutrient compared to what the35:43 daily recommended intake value is for Canadians now this is an average it's35:50 based on an average eating of 2,000 calories per adult but what does this35:55 mean specifically to you well a food is considered low in a specific nutrient if36:01 there's less than 5% DV so take a look on that side panel there of the label36:07 and look to see if any of these foods are less than 5% and they would mean that that's a a low intake of that so36:14 there's really not very much fiber uh in this food product but sodium on the other hand has 16% and we will say that36:23 if food is considered high in a nutrient if it has more than 15% % of of daily36:30 value in the case of sodium of course maybe this is something you want to be36:35 aware of and eat less of because you're also watching your blood pressure or you've eaten other high salty foods that36:42 day so this is how you can compare two labels of crackers and pick which one36:48 might be the more desirable choice and last but not least the third box that I36:53 want to draw your attention to is the ingredient list of things okay and that tells us what ingredients37:00 are found in a food which can help us if we have allergies food intolerances um or we don't like a37:08 certain uh ingredient uh in a food um now what you need to be careful though37:14 is is my rule of thumb is to say look at the first three ingredients if the first37:20 three ingredients have a starch a flour uh sugar or anything in the end37:27 with o e dextrose glucose fructose37:33 maltose those are all sources of carbohydrates and you need to be careful37:38 and if it's in the top three ingredients it's likely a higher proportion in that37:43 food um product there so you can be careful watching what you're consuming37:50 and and what's being put into those Foods now I haven't written it down here37:57 it's not on the slide but lastly I think it's really important to take a look at Health claims on labels just because a38:03 food has a health claim doesn't mean that it's a food that's good for you for example there's some kinds of candies38:10 out there that promote fat-free but we know that there's a lot38:15 of sugar in them and there's other things that say no added sugar or dietetic food but they still may have a38:23 lot of carbohydrates in them even if they aren't sugar that's in it or if it's dietetic what does that mean what38:30 do these terms mean so you want to be careful when you're looking at a label and and do a little more38:40 sleuthing now just because you're trying to change your eating habits to uh help38:46 you with diabetes does not mean you can't eat out okay it can be a38:52 significant part of business dinners can be a nice social Gathering or it can38:57 convenient option when you don't have the time to cook and with a bit of planning you can make nutritious choices39:03 the next time you eat out and your blood sugars will appreciate it now keep in39:09 mind many restaurants actually have a menu and their nutrition information listed online so if you have the time39:16 take a look at that menu before you actually go to the restaurant sometimes by the time we're at the restaurant or39:23 the time we're at the the takeout line there we're looking at at at you know the most desirable food and perhaps our39:29 appetite is is on high alert there we may not be picking the best choices so39:35 if you can decide ahead of time that may help make better options for you keep39:41 that balance plate in mind ask for a salad as an appetizer instead of the garlic bread that's put in front of you39:48 uh pick two veggie options instead of potatoes with your steak have the smaller steak not the larger one or if39:55 you want to have a small piece of pie after maybe you don't have as much of the starch with your meal and the40:01 breaded um cheese sticks uh to be start off with watch the portion sizes as I40:08 mentioned about the steak and the large uh amount there portion sizes in fast40:13 food restaurants and uh restaurants tend to be typically much larger than at home40:21 leading us to eat more because wow we paid for it it tastes good why wouldn't40:26 we listen to your body and try to stop before you are full ask for a takeout container leave40:34 it aside put your napkin on it uh you want to be careful because those extra40:40 portions if done on the rare occasion may not be a problem but if eating out40:46 is something you do on a regular basis could be the difference between you managing your blood sugars optimally or40:55 not some of the things that like to suggest to people is ask for half portions share an entree share an41:02 appetizer um as I mentioned package it up to go uh so that you're not stuck41:08 with the food in front of you and just eating because it's there not because you're hungry ask how food is prepared maybe41:16 you prepare your chicken a certain way but the way they do it in the restaurant41:21 might have added salts or or sauces and things like that order foods that have been steamed41:28 baked broiled grilled roasted similar to how I was mentioning how you would do it at at home don't forget about the41:36 breading or the batters that can come on Foods the sauces the dressings they all add some of those extras that you may41:42 not be putting on your foods at home yes it may taste Ultra good but it may have41:48 a a bad effect on your overall health I also caution about the41:54 sweetened drinks or alcohol drinks that that uh that might be served when you're eating out at a restaurant if you do42:01 drink alcohol limit it to when you're eating a meal um as it can affect your blood sugar levels and interact with42:07 some of the medications you take and talking about medications and the timing of your of your eating be careful about42:14 this the more you uh deviate from uh consistency in your medication times42:20 that you take uh me meds or the times that you eat the more can have an impact42:26 on your blood sugars and your diabetes management bottom line healthy eating takes a bit of planning when you're42:33 going out but once you do it you can do it without compromising your diabetes management and enjoy eating out with42:40 friends family or if it's for business now we're getting towards the42:47 end of things here and I'm trying to sum things up here and see if I can help you to find out what is right for you but42:54 healthy eating patterns and healthy eating habits can not be easily defined as just one thing because it's different43:00 for every person as I mentioned before there's no one diet fits all to some43:06 healthy eating May mean eating more variety of foods and that's the change that you make and to others it might43:12 mean trying to eat out less or less take out Foods your healthy eating pattern must43:18 take into consider the factors like health conditions culture and religious43:23 reasons food aversions socioeconomic status any factors that are important to you43:30 okay and working with a diabetes educator or you yourself can look at all these factors to see how they can help43:37 you or how they may become a barrier to planning a healthy meal pattern uh for43:42 diabetes management but it can be done now some of the healthy eating patterns43:47 that I know that I've seen out there that work for people would be following a Mediterranean style diet a Nordic43:54 style eating pattern the DASH diet you may have heard of vegetarian style diet43:59 now these are all dietary patterns that work very well with diabetes friendly food choices they're rich in protective44:06 Foods as I mentioned from a cardiovascular perspective they might have lots of antioxidants they could be44:12 high in fiber they may be low in processed foods um but these are all things that44:17 you want to take a look at when you're planning what your healthy eating pattern is so let's try these things on44:23 for size can you eat three meals a day and snacks as needed okay try to eat44:30 something within two hours of waking and avoid going more than six hours between wake in waking hours between meals and44:38 snacks consistency of meal timing will also help you get a better understanding44:43 of what your blood sugars are doing don't forget to eat a variety of foods to get the right amount of protein44:50 and fiber in your diet because this too will help with your blood glucose44:56 levels remember that plate concept for planning meals try to balance it with three or45:02 four of the food groups that we initially talked about at meal times and as needed with a source of protein with45:09 another food group if you need a snack if there's been long periods of time without eating or perhaps you're doing45:15 extra physical activity um more than usual this balance will help you to get45:20 the fuel that your body needs while avoiding the spikes in blood sugar levels switching to lower glycemic at45:27 foods that might be your healthy eating pattern change that you're going to make um and finding ways to do it that are45:35 enjoyable sip on water or other low calorie fluids throughout the day to stay hydrated watch out for your45:41 caffeine and alcohol intake dipping energy levels can be a result of not45:47 getting enough fluids and getting the right fluids will leave your body and mind feeling much45:54 better and if you don't have those fluids that can leave you feeling mentally and physically exhausted and46:01 putting you at risk for overeating or making inappropriateConclusion46:06 choices cutting back on ultr processed foods you know those packaged foods that46:11 I was referring to before um can be also a way to help develop a healthy eating46:20 pattern now I'm going to say I love this slide here of a puzzle pieces and I46:26 don't know if any of you use puzzles but you might be feeling quite puzzled right now by all this information that I've46:32 shared with you but I assure you once you start fitting all these pieces together you will see the bigger picture46:39 if it's not just through this session but other sessions that you will be46:44 watching improved eating habits feeling more in control of the things that you do have control over are just one step46:51 closer to you having better diabetes management I'll hope you come to realize46:57 that you don't have to have all the pieces to the puzzle here to know what the bigger picture looks like it's not47:03 an All or Nothing But fitting in some of the little pieces bit by bit as you go47:10 along your journey I will finish with leaving you with this 8020 rule when it comes to47:17 eating if you can follow the guidelines 80% of the time you will be in a very good position to having a better47:24 understanding of how your body and your blood sugar respond to your eating habits this will allow you that47:30 flexibility 20% of the time to find out what works best for you and continue to47:36 make modifications I thank you for participating in today's session I wish47:42 you good health and I hope you found a couple of key takeaways that you can start working on in the days to47:55 follow