Dietetic Recommendation for People Living with Diabetes

Diabetes is a non-communicable and metabolic disease; a low carbohydrate and high-fat diet, also called the “Bernstein diet,” is made specifically for managing the blood glucose level challenges in diabetic people. It is the most recommended type of diet that most health professionals support. They often prefer a high-carbohydrate and low-fat diet.

Going back in time, this diet was first started by an endocrinologist named Bernstein, who later on published a book called Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution: A Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars, to help educate the public; and to also helps people living with diabetes who developed resistance against insulin. Using this diet was another possible way to manage their blood sugars.

Diabetes, in general terms, is the body’s inability or inefficiency to produce enough insulin for the regulation of glucose in the body. On the other hand, insulin refers to a hormone produced by the pancreas with the sole purpose of converting carbohydrates (sugar and starches) and other food materials into energy. In the case where there is a development of insulin resistance in the body, there is always a risk of one developing health problems such as increased blood pressure, cardiac complications, increased blood cholesterol levels, and a likelihood of having diabetes.

Bernstein was also among the people diagnosed with diabetes at a very young age. He tried many experiments that he thought would work for the management of the condition. After several attempts with no success, he finally found a way to help manage the situation by refining his diet and adjusting the insulin regimen. This was a huge success because his blood sugar level was nearly normal, which resulted in a huge improvement in his health.

Looking at this type of diet, one can easily say it is a weight loss diet rather than a medically accepted diet, bringing a lot of controversies about this particular type of diet. Moreover, it goes against how diabetes has been managed before, using a high-carbohydrate and low-fat diet. What should be noted is that this type of diet does not recommend a specific ratio of the main food groups of the human diet but only supports a situation where the management of a person with diabetes is individualized.

Another popular opinion is that a person’s blood sugar levels should be tested at least five times a day because it is difficult to estimate how much of a particular food one has eaten and how it will behave in the body. Hence, the best way to find out is through testing their blood before (Fating blood sugar) and after some time when they have finished consuming the food.

Rules of Bernstein Diet

This diet comes with some rules that govern how their meal is to be planned to have a normal blood sugar level. These are;

1. Eliminate foods that contain simple sugars because they can cause a fast-acting change in the blood glucose level in the body. An example of the foods to be avoided is table sugar.

2. Limit your intake of carbohydrates to the amount that can work with the insulin produced by the pancreas or injected into the body. This is believed to affect post-meal blood glucose levels positively (won’t rise too fast).

3. Stop eating food when the feeling of hunger ends. This rule focuses on the point that one does not need to stop eating when they are not satisfied but should also know when to stop when they feel full.

4. Many people who follow this type of diet are always encouraged to read the labels of the food items they are purchasing; since some food items have compounds in the form of free sugars that can rapidly increase blood glucose levels in the body. Therefore, such foods should be avoided, e.g. honey and glucose.

5. Foods to be avoided include snacks, milk, cottage cheese, breakfast cereals, some vegetables that are canned soups, and fruit juices. However, the foods they are encouraged to take are; fish, butter, soy milk, eggs, and other poultry foods.

The main benefit of using such a diet is maintaining a constant and normal blood sugar level, which can help reduce their risk of developing complications associated with the condition, such as renal diseases, eye problems, gastroparesis, and feeling of tiredness.

In conclusion, there have not been reports of people using this type of diet; however, criticism comes in part involving the use of too many fats in the diet and is believed not to be balanced in terms of nutrients. This leaves a question, should diabetic patients use this type of diet or not?

Share your thoughts in the comment.

 

Written By: Jackson Omanwa