Being diagnosed with diabetes, or managing the chronic illness over time, can be overwhelming. To give you a Simple Start™ let’s explore the link between diabetes and food.

Blood glucose levels change throughout the day because of food, exercise, and medication—but mostly from food. Knowing if your food choices are working to keep your blood glucose in range is a great place to start.

Watch for patterns in your test results that may be linked to specific mealtimes or foods. If your blood glucose doesn’t stay in range, talk to your physician or diabetes educator.

1. Test before and 2 hours after the beginning of some meals.
2. If your after-meal test result is more than 50 mg/dL higher than your pre-meal result, try eating a smaller portion of carbs next time.
3. You’ll soon learn what foods and portions keep you in range so you can make choices that are right for you.

Between-meal snacks are a good habit because they help keep you from getting too hungry. Being over-hungry often leads to overeating at meals, and that results in higher blood glucose results. When adjusting a meal, don’t cut all your carbs. Your body needs 3 to 4 carb choices (45-60 grams) at meals for energy.

Remember: Talk with your physician or diabetes educator to find out if you should try testing around some meals and to learn the blood glucose range that’s right for you.