Patient's question:
My grandmother has been experiencing frequent swelling in her feet, nausea, and a lack of appetite recently. She also feels discomfort in her neck, and she has lost a lot of weight. A few days ago, she had some tests done, and the results showed blood sugar at 7.96, protein in urine at 44.2, and a very low white blood cell count at 2.96. The doctor concluded that my mother has diabetes based on these test results. However, my mother had absolutely no symptoms before this.Doctor's answer:
The normal values for human blood sugar tests are as follows:Glucose reference range: 3.9-6.0 mmol/L
Triglycerides reference range: 0.4-2 mmol/L
Total cholesterol reference range: 3.0-6.0 mmol/L
High-density lipoprotein reference range: 1.06-1.94 mmol/L
Low-density lipoprotein reference range: 1.8-4.1 mmol/L
Apo protein-A reference range: 1-1.6 g/L
Apo protein-B reference range: 0.6-1.1 g/L
Your mother's blood sugar level is already 7.96, which indicates symptoms of diabetes. However, it's not yet very high, and it can be well controlled. It is still manageable.
Dietary Guidelines for Diabetics:
Diabetes is a lifelong condition, and the treatment for it requires a comprehensive approach that combines dietary therapy, physical therapy, and medication. Among these, dietary therapy is the most fundamental. If controlled well, diabetics can lead a normal life. Therefore, people with diabetes should pay attention to the following points in their daily diet:
1. Mental Preparation for Dietary Therapy:
In the early stages of dietary therapy for diabetes, it can be a challenging task for both the patient and their family. Struggling between the desire to eat more but not being able to, and loving certain foods but not being able to eat them, requires understanding the relationship between the onset, development, prognosis of diabetes, and dietary therapy. It is essential to stay determined and adhere to dietary therapy.
2. Moderately Control the Intake of Starch:
Under normal circumstances, resting patients should consume 250–300 grams of staple food (rice, flour, corn, millet, buckwheat, etc.) per day; light laborers should consume 350–400 grams; and heavy laborers should consume 450–550 grams. Foods high in carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, yams, lotus root, vermicelli, and wheat gluten, should be consumed in moderation, reducing the intake of staple food accordingly. After blood sugar and urine sugar (+) levels decrease, the amount of staple food can be increased by 25–50 grams. Starch should be rotated or mixed to enhance nutritional value. Patients should observe the patterns of changes in blood sugar and urine sugar after meals, maintaining stable conditions with fixed staple food intake and adjusting promptly when conditions fluctuate. Flexibility and practical application are key to meeting the body's needs and maintaining a healthy weight.
3. Controlling Diet Does Not Mean Eating as Little as Possible:
Long-term hunger and insufficient calorie intake can lead to the body consuming itself, resulting not only in weight loss and weakened immunity but also worsening diabetes. Therefore, diabetics should follow medical advice to reasonably plan their daily total calorie intake, protein, fat, and carbohydrate ratios, and create a diet that suits them best.
4. Maintain Stable Meal Times and Quantities:
Diabetics should avoid snacking, smoking, and drinking alcohol as much as possible.
5. Strictly Limit Cholesterol Intake for Middle-Aged and Elderly Diabetics, and Those with Coronary Heart Disease or Hyperlipidemia:
Animal fat and internal organs contain high levels of cholesterol and should be eaten in moderation or avoided. No more than two eggs should be consumed daily.
6. Eat Coarse Grains and Legumes Instead of Refined Grains:
Within the recommended amount of staple food, it is advisable to consume more coarse grains, legumes, and vegetables, especially leafy greens like rapeseed, small cabbage, chives, spinach, and celery. These foods are rich in vitamins and minerals and contain a lot of dietary fiber, which can effectively prevent rapid blood sugar absorption, lower cholesterol, prevent atherosclerosis, and alleviate constipation.
7. Strictly Limit Sugar and Sweet Foods:
Diabetics should avoid sugar, candies, honey, and sweet foods, as well as sugary drinks. These high-sugar foods are easily absorbed by the body, raising blood sugar levels and increasing pancreatic, thus worsening the condition.
8. Learn Basic Nutritional Therapy Knowledge:
Patients and their families should learn about the nutritional content of common foods, especially their sugar content. They should also understand which foods can be eaten in moderation, which should be limited, and which are completely off-limits. It is important to be well-informed and know how to substitute foods with equal nutritional value.
9. Can Diabetics Eat Fruits?
This is a question that both patients and their families are very concerned about. Fruits contain high levels of fructose and glucose and are easily digested and absorbed, causing blood sugar to rise rapidly after consumption, which is not beneficial for patients. However, fruits should not be completely eliminated either. The intake of fruits should be adjusted based on the patient's blood sugar and urine sugar control. For example, if fasting blood sugar is no more than 11 mmol/L (2000 mg/dL), urine sugar is no more than 3+ signs, and there is no ketone acidosis, a small amount of fruit can be consumed, but it should be controlled, with no more than 150–200 grams per day. According to tests:
- Bananas, oranges, apples, and pears have a moderate sugar content and can be eaten in moderation.
- Melons, watermelons, and cherries have less sugar and are preferred.
- Tomatoes and cucumbers have very low sugar content and can be eaten more to replace fruits.
If diabetics follow the above dietary guidelines seriously and persistently, it will surely help control their condition and prevent complications.