Diabetes is a metabolic disease where the body has unusually high blood sugar levels. This can be caused by inadequate production of the hormone insulin in the body or when cells do not respond properly to insulin. Insulin is needed to allow glucose from food to enter cells where it can be turned into energy.
Symptoms of diabetes can often be overlooked as they seem harmless in many cases. Here are some examples:
- frequent urination
- feeling very thirsty
- tiredness
- unexplained weight loss
- itchy skin
- blurred vision
Lifestyle choices such as engaging in physical activity and maintaining a balanced diet are very important in diabetes management. Seeing a nutritionist may be beneficial as they can use their expert knowledge to devise and monitor a specialised diabetes nutritional programme. A diabetes-specific dietary plan would be designed to keep blood sugar levels as regular as possible, made up of high fibre, low fat, low salt and low sugar foods. A nutritionist will be able to advise on how to include alcohol and treats into your diet without compromising your blood sugar levels or weight. In this way a nutritionist or nutritional therapist could improve the quality of life for someone living with diabetes in a controlled and safe way.
