You went to the doctor and they told you that you have diabetes. Now what?
⮞Do you cut out all carbs and go sugar free ?
⮞Do you avoid all starchy foods and fruits?
⮞Do you need to start counting all the carbohydrate you are eating?
⮞Do you need to start medications and/or insulin?
⮞Do you need to follow a special diabetes diet plan?
In 2017 to 2018, the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System reported 3.4 million Canadians were living with diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar that is caused by either defective insulin action (a hormone produced by your pancreas to control blood sugar levels), defective insulin secretion or a combination of both. When blood sugars are too high, this can result in acute and long term complications and increases your risks for heart disease, kidney disease and lower limb amputations.
Your dietitian can help you to truly understand what your diagnosis means, and work towards a lifestyle that fits your specific needs while keeping the blood sugar in check. We’ll discuss management techniques, nutrition needs and help you to feel supported throughout this process. No matter which type of diabetes you’re diagnosed with or where you are in your journey, you will be able to take control over your diagnosis by understanding and implementing several lifestyle changes. We’ll work with you to incorporate your favorite foods into your diet so you do not need to feel restricted or deprived.
We work with children and adults diagnosed with :
⮞Prediabetes – when your blood sugar level is higher than it should be but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Nutrition interventions can delay or prevent progression to type 2 diabetes
⮞Type 1 Diabetes – can develop at any age, but occurs most frequently in children and adolescents. With type 1 diabetes, your body produces very little or no insulin, which means that you need daily insulin injections to maintain blood glucose levels under control. Nutrition interventions can help prevent hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
⮞Type 2 Diabetes – is more common in adults and accounts for around 90% of all diabetes cases. With type 2 diabetes, your body does not make good use of the insulin that it produces. Nutrition interventions can help regulate blood sugar levels, reduce or eliminate need for medications, and prevent other chronic diseases
⮞Gestational Diabetes – happens during pregnancy due to the changing hormones. Nutrition interventions can help reduce risks to both mother and child. GDM usually disappears after pregnancy but are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
A diabetes diet plan is a eating plan that helps manage your blood sugar, manage your blood pressure (if applicable), manage your cholesterol (if applicable), helps you get to or maintain your healthy weight and reduce the risk of diabetes complications including stroke and/or heart attack.
Here are some general recommendations for a diabetes diet:
Diabetes dietitians typically have clinical experience working in hospitals, diabetes clinics that treat patients with diagnosed diabetes. These RDs will also partake in continuing education to stay current with the latest research, treatment guidelines, and best practices in diabetes nutrition.
A diabetes dietitian can help you with the following :
Typically, remission may be possible if:
We make it easy for your to find a specialized diabetes dietitian in BC. Check out the dietitians listed on this page – if you are looking for a specific subtype of diabetes ie. type 1 diabetes, gestational diabetes, click on the particular categories above. Look through the diabetes dietitians and click on their profiles to read more about their qualifications, experience, and services. Connect directly with your diabetes dietitian and get started !
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