How to reduce sugar in a diabetic diet?

Written by Lin Xiang Dong
Endocrinology
Updated on September 16, 2024
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Dietary control is the most important method of treatment for diabetes. If dietary control is improper, all hypoglycemic drugs, including insulin, will not be very effective, and the focus of dietary management in diabetes is to control the intake of carbohydrates. Our Chinese diet is primarily based on carbohydrates like rice. Mainly, we control the amount of rice consumed, with each meal (lunch and dinner) consisting of about 100 to 200 grams of rice. This is complemented by plenty of vegetables and a certain amount of lean meat to enhance satiety. By controlling the intake of carbohydrates in our daily lives, blood sugar levels can drop significantly.

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Written by Lin Xiang Dong
Endocrinology
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Can diabetics drink alcohol?

It is not recommended for diabetes patients to drink alcohol, as alcohol consumption can lead to digestive enzyme disorders, causing problems with the blood sugar regulation mechanism in patients, significantly increasing blood sugar fluctuations. This can lead to severe hypoglycemia or severe hyperglycemia, severely affecting the patient's condition. Therefore, it is advised that diabetes patients should avoid alcohol, and it is best to quit drinking altogether.

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Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes

The symptoms of gestational diabetes differ from those of non-pregnancy diabetes; non-pregnancy diabetes is mainly characterized by excessive drinking, eating, urination, and weight loss. During pregnancy, excessive drinking and eating may be physiological responses due to increased appetite, and frequent urination may be caused by the enlarged uterus pressing on the bladder during early pregnancy. Weight loss is generally not apparent in gestational diabetes due to the growth of the fetus, the uterus, and the increase in amniotic fluid. For women who had a higher body mass index before pregnancy and a family history of diabetes, it is recommended to start glucose tolerance screening from the time of planning to conceive. For those who gain weight rapidly after becoming pregnant and have a significant increase in amniotic fluid, we typically conduct routine diabetes screening between 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy. Gestational diabetes has severe impacts on the pregnant woman, the fetus, and the newborn, thus early detection and treatment are advised.

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Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
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Is frequent urination diabetes?

If the urine output exceeds 2500 mL in 24 hours, this condition is called polyuria. There are many causes of polyuria; diabetes is just one of them. Additionally, physiological causes are also seen, such as eating a large amount of fruits that have a diuretic effect, like watermelon, or drinking a lot of water previously. This is referred to as physiological polyuria and does not require special treatment. Pathological causes, apart from diabetes, also include diabetes insipidus or electrolyte disturbances. For instance, long-term hypokalemia, hypercalcemia, or increased aldosterone can all lead to polyuria. It is advisable to promptly visit the urology department of a hospital for tests such as blood glucose levels, routine urine tests, and endocrine examinations to understand the causes of polyuria, and to determine whether it is caused by diabetes.

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Diabetes dietary taboo fruits

Many patients have a misconception after being diagnosed with diabetes; they think that fruits are sweet and they should avoid all fruits. This statement is half right—fruits are indeed sweet, but not all fruits are off-limits. Diabetes patients can still consume fruits, provided that they pay attention to the quantity and type of fruit they eat. First, let’s discuss the fruits that should not be eaten by diabetic patients, which are those high in simple sugars. Consuming these fruits can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels. Examples include dates, whether dry or fresh, longans, whether dry or fresh, lychees, whether dry or fresh, and bananas, which all have very high sugar content. These fruits are not recommended for diabetic patients; on the other hand, fruits like kiwis, cherries, kumquats, and grapefruits are generally suggested as suitable for diabetic patients.

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Causes of diabetic foot

The main causes of diabetic foot are as follows: The first one is poor blood sugar control in patients. Some patients have long neglected their blood sugar levels, leading to consistently high levels. The second cause is vascular disease in the lower limbs of the patient, including arteriosclerosis, with severe cases leading to occlusion and subsequent ulceration of the feet. The third reason is the presence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in patients, which results in abnormal sensations or numbness in the feet. Many patients wearing new shoes or stepping on sharp objects inadvertently can lead to diabetic foot. The fourth cause is infection induced by patients who initially neglect minor foot injuries, or who improperly manage such injuries at home, leading to the development of diabetic foot. Therefore, we advise diabetics to maintain good control of their blood sugar and take timely measures to prevent diabetic foot.