Given that November is diabetes awareness month, I thought we’d take a look at the huge roll that weight plays. Here’s the thing about diabetes — it’s actually one of the few diseases that can be controlled and even prevented if you eat right and keep your weight down. Because we all have control over what foods we choose to put into our bodies, we can all decide to be healthy and work on preventing diabetes. The bottom line is simply this- if you want to prevent diabetes or improve your health if you have diabetes, you need to lose weight which you can do by following some of these guidelines:

• Portion control, portion control, portion control - this is huge! No matter which restaurant you go to these days - they give you well over one portion, not to mention the foods are generally high in sodium, fat, and calories. Use smaller plates, or just put less food on your plate to begin with, and try staying away from restaurants and fast food! You deserve to be healthy and fast food isn’t going to get you there.
• Eat at least 3 meals every day - Yes, everyday! Eating one or two large meals each day doesn’t do your body any good. You need at least 3 meals each day, or you can take the route that I usually do and eat 5 small meals each day. DO NOT skip on breakfast– it’s important which means it should be healthy. Try a cereal like Kashi Go Lean Crunch which is high in fiber and other nutrients that your body needs.
• Eat slowly - you’ve heard this before. Your body takes about 20 minutes to signal the brain that you’re full.  If you eat slower and STOP when you feel full, you won’t overeat. There’s absolutely no need to “clear your plate.” When you’re full, stop.
• Share portions when eating out - this is something my husband and I do all the time. Anytime we’re out at a restaurant, we always share unless we’re really wanting something different. If that’s the case — we ALWAYS take at least half of our meals home.
• Don’t drink your calories - Soda pop is loaded with calories. Avoid it. Water is best, followed by milk.
• Pay close attention to cooking method - Stay away from fried foods! Fried foods are much higher in calories and fat. Try grilling, broiling, or baking instead.
• Limit high-calorie condiments - You’d be surprised at how many calories certain condiments have like butter, mayo, creamy sauces like tarter sauce, and salad dressings. These calories can really add up, so try alternatives like mustard instead of mayo.
• Fill up on veggies - Veggies are good for you, it’s as simple as that. They’re the one food group with the lowest amount of calories.

If you already have diabetes, it’s even more important that you follow the guidelines above. Diabetes is a very serious disease, and taking it lightly like regularly eating sweets, eating out, skipping meals, and eating foods high in fat can lead to more medical problems and even death.

Have a family member with diabetes? Let them know that it’s diabetes awareness month and that you care about their health and well-being!

Source: Yahoo Health