What does a diabetic diet include?

Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
Updated on April 25, 2025
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The diet for diabetes primarily includes the following aspects:

First, it is recommended to eat at regular times and in fixed amounts daily.

Second, avoid consuming foods with a high glycemic index, such as porridge, glutinous rice, and rice noodle rolls, as these are not recommended.

Third, the diet should be bland, as many diabetic patients also suffer from high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and high uric acid. Therefore, a bland diet is emphasized.

Fourth, overly sweet fruits such as lychee, longan, banana, and grapes are not suitable for consumption.

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Early symptoms of diabetes in men

Symptoms of diabetes in men in the early stages first require distinguishing by gender. Diabetes can be characterized by "three excesses and one deficiency": excessive drinking, excessive eating, excessive urination, and weight loss, which are typical symptoms. Of course, many patients, such as those in the early stages of type 2 diabetes, may have atypical symptoms such as itchy skin, blurred vision, and foamy urine which appears more foamy. There might also be dental cavities characterized by severe decay, or some men might experience sexual dysfunction. These symptoms may be related to diabetes, and if these symptoms appear, it is important to consider checking blood sugar levels to confirm the presence of diabetes.

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Symptoms of gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes refers to abnormal glucose tolerance that occurs during pregnancy. It usually involves only mild, asymptomatic hyperglycemia without the typical symptoms of diabetes such as dry mouth, excessive thirst, frequent urination, and weight loss. However, significant increases in blood sugar can lead to symptoms such as dry mouth, excessive thirst, frequent urination, and weight loss. It is important to be vigilant for gestational diabetes in patients who exhibit symptoms such as excessive amniotic fluid, a large fetus, or recurrent urinary tract infections. Therefore, it is generally recommended for pregnant patients to complete an OGTT (Oral Glucose Tolerance Test) by the 24th week of pregnancy to confirm whether they have gestational diabetes. After childbirth, blood sugar levels in women with gestational diabetes generally return to normal, but the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the future significantly increases. Therefore, patients with gestational diabetes should undergo diabetes screening 6 to 12 weeks postpartum and be monitored over the long term.

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Is there a difference between gestational diabetes and regular diabetes?

Gestational diabetes and common diabetes, although both types of diabetes, have significant differences between them. First, gestational diabetes is a disease specifically occurring during pregnancy and often only appears during the gestational period. After pregnancy, the majority of women will revert to a normal blood sugar state, so the main focus for gestational diabetes is on screening and intervention during pregnancy; Second, common diabetes is a chronic disease that accompanies an individual throughout their life, requiring long-term management of blood sugar through various methods. Therefore, the main difference between the two lies in the duration of the disease. Pregnant women with common diabetes, if they become pregnant, are referred to as having diabetes compounded by pregnancy, which also requires strict blood sugar management, but its mechanism of occurrence and principles of treatment differ from those of gestational diabetes.

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Diabetic foot prevention care

First of all, it's important to keep blood sugar under control. It's recommended that people with diabetes check their glycated hemoglobin every three months to see if their blood sugar levels meet the standards. Second, many patients suffer from diabetic foot due to severe diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Injuries such as stepping on a nail or accidental bumps may lead to infections. Therefore, it's suggested that patients with diabetes check their feet daily for any small wounds or ulcers, and if found, they should seek timely treatment from an endocrinology specialist. Third, using warm water for foot baths and treatments like local infrared lamp therapy are advised. It's important to ensure that the temperature is not too high, generally around 40 degrees Celsius, to avoid burning the skin.

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How to determine if you have diabetes

If a patient experiences significant symptoms of dry mouth, excessive thirst, increased urination with more foamy urine, increased appetite, but an unexplained weight loss, known as the "three polys and one low" symptoms, it is necessary to monitor fasting blood glucose. If the fasting blood glucose exceeds 7.0 mmol/L or the blood glucose two hours after a meal exceeds 11.1 mmol/L, or if there are no clear "three polys and one low" symptoms but random blood glucose levels exceed 11.1 mmol/L on two occasions, a diagnosis of diabetes can be confirmed. At the same time, it is essential to rule out secondary effects on blood sugar levels caused by infections, trauma, or the use of steroid medications. It is also recommended that the patient undergo tests for glycated hemoglobin, as well as insulin and C-peptide release tests, to further clarify the diagnosis.