Managing Diabetes and Your Diet

No matter how clear the principles of healthy eating may be, putting them into practice can be downright confusing. How does "30 percent of calories from fat" or "2 Carbohydrate Servings" translate to what's on your plate? And where does your eating plan come in when your only choice for a meal is a convenience store? In this section, we'll address many of the issues that may come up in everyday eating.

Start with Your Team

Many resources can point you toward good eating, including guidelines from the American Diabetes Association and the International Diabetes Center. But for the most practical advice that applies to your own health situation and lifestyle, start with a diabetes specialist. This person is likely to be a Registered Dietitian (RD) and/or a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE)—both are experts in translating the abstract principles of nutrition into real-life eating.

Divide and Conquer

Getting started on eating better would be much easier if there were a simple, "big picture" image of what a sensible eating pattern looks like. The current debate about the relevance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid, as well as the many competing pyramids produced by others, is a case in point. But one method is winning converts and praise across the board—perhaps because of its utter simplicity. Call it the "Divide Your Plate" strategy:

• Imagine a plate and divide it in half. Fill one half with vegetables, and divide the other half into two quarters.
• Fill one quarter with a lean protein, such as fish, skinless poultry, beans or tofu.
• Fill the other quarter with a grain-based or starchy side dish, preferably whole grains, like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta or a slice of whole-grain bread.

What this method lacks in precision it more than makes up for in good sense. If you focus on making most of your meals look this way, you'll automatically be following sound nutrition guidelines and choosing appropriate portions—without having to pull out a nutrition guide or a measuring cup every time.