3 healthy habits that make all the difference for diabetes

Dr. Juneau is a cardiologist and Director of Prevention at the Montreal Heart Institute; he oversees the Institute’s Diabetes Prevention Clinic, sponsored by Sun Life.

Here are his three recommendations.

1. Eat healthy

Your diet plays an important role in managing diabetes.

A balanced plate is an excellent way to eat well while staying healthy.

Find a delicious balance

• Vary your foods: Go for diversity. Choose fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Favour lean protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy products.
• Reduce sugar: Limit foods high in refined carbohydrates. Favour complex carbohydrates based on whole grains and legumes.
• Eat more fibre: Eat fibre-rich foods. This will slow down the absorption of sugar in the blood.
• Stay hydrated throughout the day.

Make your own meals

This will help you make healthy choices and stave off cravings.

• Cook at home: By cooking your own meals, you can control the ingredients and the amount of added salt, sugar, and fat.
• Read food labels carefully: Think about portion size and carbohydrates, sugar, sodium, and saturated fat content.

Drink water

Water is the healthiest drink.

To change things up, you can add a few drops of lemon or lime juice; or try herbal teas.

Also:

• Avoid carbonated and sugary drinks. Even fruit juices with no added sugar naturally contain large amounts of sugar.
• Limit your alcohol consumption. If you do have a drink, we recommend not doing so on an empty stomach. Don’t drink every day. Limit your consumption to the amount agreed on with your doctor.

2. Get regular exercise

Lack of exercise can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Like most people, you may already want to be more active. Just go for it!

The benefits of exercise in managing diabetes

Regular exercise is essential for preventing and treating type 2 diabetes.

It helps control weight and offers other benefits, even without weight loss:

• It reduces blood sugar levels,
• helps manage stress,
• decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease and
• may delay the need for medication.

Aim for daily physical activity

If you’re just starting out, ease into it slowly.

You can choose activities that are fun and fit your schedule.

• Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. This equates to about 30 minutes most days, broken down into 10- or 15-minute sessions.
• You can walk, swim, skate or play badminton – all excellent aerobic activities.
• Add muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice a week.

3. Learn to manage your stress

Stress can speed up your heart and raise your blood sugar. It’s important to learn how to manage it.