Using the Diabetes Food Pyramid:

The First Step
For most people, a great first step to healthier eating habits is to make a few simple changes. Perhaps you decide to eat more fruits and vegetables and to go lighter on the meats and sweets. If you make these changes and stick to them, pat yourself on the back. Before you make more changes, make sure you maintain the ones you have made. When you are ready, decide on the next change. Keep it easy to accomplish.
As you continue to change your eating habits to manage your diabetes, the diabetes food pyramid can help you and your whole family eat healthier. Here are some more healthy eating tips:
• Eat a wide variety of foods every day. Try new foods. Eating a wide variety of foods, even from the same food group, helps you get all the nutrients to be in good health. For example, within the fruit group, bananas are a good source of potassium and oranges are a good source of vitamin C.

• Be physically active every day. Try to accumulate 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Start slowly, by taking the stairs and walking more, or doing more yard work.

• Eat high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans. These are the foods you should primarily eat. They provide lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, yet they provide the least concentrated sources of calories.

• Use less added fat. It is well known that eating many foods that are high in fat, particularly ones with too much saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, can contribute to the development of clogged and narrowed arteries. This can lead to heart disease and people with diabetes are at an even greater risk for developing heart disease.

• Use less added sugar. Sugary foods, like jelly beans and regular soft drinks, and sweets, like ice cream and cookies, are not healthy for anyone. They provide a bunch of calories with little or no nutrients. Yet sugary foods and sweets are enjoyable to eat. Strike a balance -- practice moderation.

• Use less added salt and sodium. Americans eat more salt and sodium than they need. Most of the sodium we eat comes from processed foods like cold cuts, prepared foods, canned soups, and pickles. To keep your salt and sodium intake moderate, shake the salt shaker lightly and use more fresh and unprocessed foods.

• If you choose to drink alcohol, limit the amount and drink it with food. Check with your health care professional about an amount that's safe for you.
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