Click here to listen to Episode 19 of The Diabetic Toolbox Podcast: Taking An Honest Look at the Food We Eat
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Is this the year you will change your life and take control of your health? Taking control of your health is about the habits that create your lifestyle. These habits should sustain you and make you better At the Diabetic Toolbox; we believe you deserve a body that brings you joy. We also believe that regardless of your family’s medical history, you can become the health change agent for your family. So don’t let the idea of bad genes stop or discourage you from going for your wellness goals. As you get healthy, so will your children, grandchildren, and future generations. To help you do that, the Diabetic Toolbox will be airing new episodes Monday through Friday, so be sure to follow us wherever you listen to podcasts or head over to thediabetictoolbox.com to follow us so you don’t miss an episode.
Today, we will talk about taking an honest look at our daily food. One thing we need to do when we are working towards reversing or successfully managing diabetes is to take a hard and honest look at what we eat. We need to do this regularly, whether you are just starting or a wellness veteran. That does not mean starting another diet or constituting foods as good or bad; it means simply asking ourselves is this food helping me get to the next step of my wellness journey?
I had to do this with my love affair with chips. I love them, and I ate them almost every day. But then, I noticed that my fingers, ankles, and wrists were swelling; of course, I knew it was because of the enormous amount of sodium I was consuming, but I convinced myself that if I stuck to my workouts and drank more water, I would be okay. But, as my health coach always says, you cannot exercise your way out of a bad diet. So, I gave up my potato chips cold turkey, and within a week, the swelling in my fingers, wrists, and ankles disappeared.
What foods do you need to give up right now as you fight this disease?
That does not mean you must give up all the foods you love; it means choosing foods that lighten your body’s workload, make it easier to process the food you eat, and promote overall health. You can start this week by doing two things: keep a food journal for the next seven days. A food journal is a simple but mindful way to check in with yourself and to see exactly what you are eating; sometimes, we fail to count calories from snacks or what we drink, and those calories could add up and be the difference between losing or gaining weight. A study in the Obesity research journal found that journaling takes less than 15 minutes a day and provides you with valuable information you can share with your wellness team.
The next thing you might try this week is to eat slowly; research finds people who eat quickly tend to weigh more; it takes about 20 minutes before your brain cuts off hunger signals to your stomach; to help, you can set a timer for 20 minutes and chew your food 25 to 30 times to slow down your eating and give your brain time to catch up to your stomach.
This is a new year and a new chance to get healthy and reverse or successfully manage your prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. It means taking simple steps to manage your eating habits and create a healthy lifestyle that supports your wellness journey. If it makes it easier, try one of the tips we discussed today: eating slowly, chewing your food 25 to 30 times at each meal, or keeping a food journal and chronicling everything you eat this week.
Don’t forget to download your Lose Eight pounds in 30 days kit; it includes a 30-day walking calendar and my 14-day clean eating challenge. Clean eating and walking are an unbeatable combination. Lose weight, lower your blood sugar, and create joy. Get started on your mindful journey toward reversing or successfully managing your prediabetes diagnosis. Click the link in the show notes or head over to thediabetictoolbox.com.
That is all I have for you today; remember, you are stronger than you give yourself credit and more blessed than you know. I will talk to you tomorrow.
With Peace & Love,
Renee
The Diabetic Toolbox 