Myths and Tips about Diabetes

The thinking about what diabetics can and should eat has changed. Learn more in the latest Blog from assisted living provider BMA Management.

By Rick Banas of assisted living provider BMA Management, Ltd.

With November designated as American Diabetes Month, the Heritage Woods affordable assisted living community that BMA manages in McHenry, Illinois hosted a Diabetes Awareness informational program earlier this week. The community’s dietary consultant Michelle Carter was the speaker. Michelle is a Registered Dietician.

Diabetes is a medical condition characterized by hyperglycemia or high blood sugar. Your body is having a hard time getting the sugars from the foods you eat into your cells to use as energy. Instead, the sugars build up in your blood stream. Common symptoms include thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision and extreme fatigue.

The American Diabetes Association

One of the myths about diabetes is that it is not that serious of a disease, Michelle said. In fact, it is very serious. The American Diabetes Association (diabetes.org) reports that diabetes causes more deaths each year than breast cancer and AIDS combined. If not managed properly, individuals with diabetes can become starved for energy. Complications from the disease can affect your eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, feet and stomach.

Other myths about diabetes include:

Senior Woman Eating Healthy Salad

Eating too much sugar can cause diabetes.
The answer is not so simple, says the American Diabetes Association. Genetics and lifestyle factors can cause the disease. A diet that is high in calories from any source can contribute to weight gain, which does increase your risk of diabetes. In particular, Michelle said, you should stay away from regular soda, fruit punch, fruit drinks, energy drinks and sweet tea as they are empty calories and high in sugar.

People with diabetes should eat special diabetic foods.
“Diabetic” and “dietetic” foods generally offer no special benefit, says the American Diabetes Association. Most still raise your glucose levels, often cost more, and can have a laxative effect if the food product contains sugar alcohols. Instead, the recommendation is to follow a healthy meal plan. Your goal should be to combine lean proteins with a little bit of healthy fat and the appropriate amount of carbohydrates, particularly non-starchy vegetables, whole grains and fruit. For most people, the recommendation is 4 to 5 servings of carbohydrates per meal, with 15 grams equaling one serving, said Michelle.

People with diabetes can’t eat sweets or chocolate.
If eaten as part of a healthy meal plan or combined with exercise, sweets and desserts can be eaten by people with diabetes. There are no more “Off Limits” foods. The keys are portion sizes and watching frequency, said Michelle.

Fruit is a healthy food. It is okay to eat as much as I wish.
Fruits are a carbohydrate that contains fiber, vitamins and minerals. Fruits need to be included in your meal planning.

The thinking about what individuals with diabetes can eat has changed, said Michelle. Generally speaking, healthy meal planning for diabetic should be no different than what would apply to anybody who is trying to be healthy. You should be eating a variety of different foods and watching portion sizes. You should be including more vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nonfat and low-fat dairy products, beans, lean meats, poultry and fish in your diet, said Michelle.

With the winter holiday season fast approaching, she also offered a few Holiday Tips:

Focus on friends and family rather than on food.

Eat slowly; enjoy conversation.

Try to keep your carbohydrate intake the same at each meal.

Share dessert; scrape off the frosting.

Nibble on vegetables with low-cal dip or on a few pieces of low-fat cheese.

Be selective. Pick favorites or have small portions.

Remember that if meal times are odd, you may have to have snack at your normal meal to prevent low blood sugars.

With Thanksgiving next week, here is a link to four healthy (and delicious!) recipes that Prairie Winds of Urbana Culinary Manager Devin Blobaum and his wife, Carol Shriver, regional dietician for Presence Health, shared during a “Diabetes and the Holidays” cooking demonstration earlier this week. They were the featured presenters at a Champaign Urbana Diabetes Coalition event at the Urbana Free Library. Their cooking demo, along with interviews from several residents from our community in Urbana, was part of a segment that aired on WILL News – Channel 13.

For a copy of some
Thanksgiving Recipes, click here.


All affordable assisted living communities managed by BMA Management, Ltd. are certified and surveyed by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. All assisted living communities are licensed and surveyed by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

“BMA Management, Ltd. is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois
and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”

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Gardant Management Solutions has 20+ years of industry-acclaimed operational history in developing, managing and consulting for senior living, assisted living and memory care communities.