Diet tips for diabetes prevention and control

Researchers at Tulane University have analyzed data from the well-known Nurses' Health Study from 1984 to 2002, that followed 18 years worth of diet and health info from 71,346 nurses.

They have concluded that a diet that includes just one serving of dark leafy greens such as lettuce, kale, and spinach along with three servings of whole fruit a day reduce diabetes risk.

Lydia Bazzano, an epidemiologist at Tulane said "Based on the results of our study, people who have risk factors for diabetes may find it helpful to fill up on leafy greens like lettuce, kale and spinach and whole fruits, like apples, bananas, oranges and watermelon rather than drink fruit juices, which deliver a big sugar load in a liquid form that gets absorbed rapidly."

They also found that one serving of fruit juice can actually increase a woman's chances of developing diabetes. Probably due to the high sugar intake in a short time.

Many diabetics have found they get better control of their diabetes by including more raw food in their diet, especially dark leafy greens and fruit as discovered by the Tulane researchers.

However, this can be tricky and hard to maintain. Many raw food gurus and plans advocate not only high amounts of fruit - but fruit juice as well. Searching for juice recipes produces results that include mostly fruit. Many plans state because it's natural and not processed sugar it is actually good - or even healing for everyone across the board. If you have diabetes, approach these plans with caution and care.

Because raw food diets are restrictive, fruits are one of the few pleasures. As diabetics, we may discover yet one more thing we cannot have - or find the diet way too limiting to maintain. However that doesn't mean we should abandon the idea of adopting some raw food into our diet. A "mostly" raw diet or just including more raw foods into your diet is a great way to take steps towards better control and health.

I identify myself as a "mostly" raw fooder. I try to have green juice or a green smoothy daily that may include one apple. Other than that, I try to enjoy limited fruits in their whole state by themselves as snacks and choose a variety of colorful raw veggies when I can. When I cannot totally follow the raw food rules, I make sure what I eat is still low-glycemic and follows what is generally acceptable in the diabetes community - or what was enjoyed by local indigenous cultures before they were effected by diabetes from modern foods.

This is a great way to not only prevent diabetes, but according to my own non-scientific, non-professional opinion to help improve your health when you have diabetes.