In America, we have increased how much and how often we eat. In our rush to get out the door we often skip breakfast, the most important meal of the day. We also no longer eat a healthy breakfast, one that is large enough to hold us over until our next meal. Instead we opt for a quick fix. A donut, cinnamon roll, sugar sweatened cereal and a host of other unhealthy foods have replaced healthy, hearty whole grains and fruits. We’ve replaced nutritious foods with those containing fats, sugars, refined carbohydrates and high fructose corn syrup. We no longer eat the fiber rich foods which are very important to the diet of a type 2 diabetic. Fiber, a non absorbable carbohydrate, slows the absorption of the absorbable carbohydrate. We want carbohydrates entering the blood stream slowly. Refined carbohydrates enter our blood stream quickly and shortly after eating – our blood sugar spikes and then it drops – leaving us feeling sluggish and hungry for more.
We are also eating too often. Not only at breakfast, but, all day long we are dumping processed, refined foods and fats into our bodies. This is really bad for the pancreas. We do not give it any time to rest. Not only is the pancreas working harder to get the sugar out of the blood but because we have increased our intake of refined fats, we are clogging up our arteries and preventing oxygen rich blood flow to the major organs and extremities. Lack of blood flow contributes to the complications from Type 2 Diabetes.
To prevent this from happening choose whole foods. We like to say – eat close to the tree. Start shopping in your fresh produce aisle. Look for fresh organic fruits and vegetables which will fill you up and keep you full longer. Buy whole grain products with the highest fiber count, nut butters, seeds and nuts.
You can start on your path to wellness each morning with a few simple steps:
- eat a hearty breakfast which includes whole grains and fruits
- be sure to eat until you are full
- avoid processed, refined foods
- use nut butters on your whole grain toast with some low/no sugar jams
- do not use artificial sweeteners
This program makes it easy to modify your eating habits and these are just a few of the steps that will help put you on a path to wellness.
I want to see you succeed! I know you can do it!
Cheryl~