How a dietitian can help you better manage your blood sugar

If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, an eating plan tailored to help you manage your blood-sugar levels is essential. Why? Because fluctuating blood sugar levels can affect you both physically and emotionally if uncontrolled. So who can help you? A registered dietitian who specializes in diabetes. Here's how he or she can make all the difference.

Consulting with a registered dietitian can make all the difference in the world when it comes to controlling your blood sugar levels. One thing you should know about the profession: not all registered dieticians specialize in managing diabetes. Before you book an appointment, make sure you are referred to one who does.

What will a dietician do for you?

• She or he will help you find both health and pleasure in what you eat by carefully matching your food to your medication or insulin requirements, exercise habits and daily schedule.
• If anything about your treatment changes or you get bored with your meal plan, your dietitian can help you adjust the details.
• Most of your contact with a dietitian will be at the beginning of your care to  establish your meal plan, but checking in once or twice a year is a good idea.

Remember that what you eat and when affects your blood-sugar more than any other lifestyle choice.

Eating well means it's vital to control calories, eat more fresh produce, count carbohydrates, eat less animal fat (but more healthy fats such as olive oil) and sort out the types of sugars you consume.

• Your dietitian will also tell you that meal planning is key to your care, whether your main goal is to lose weight, fine-tune your glucose intake or keep your blood sugar levels from dropping or spiking throughout the day.
• Part of the plan you'll receive from a dietitian includes healthy snack suggestions, portion sizes and a schedule of when you should eat – all vital to keeping your blood sugar levels steady.

Don't give up!

Although the guidelines you receive may seem like a hassle at first, keep yourself motivated by thinking of your loved ones who want you in their lives for a long time to come!  Soon enough, eating healthy will become second nature to you.

The short answer? No. The sugars in food are often more chemically complex than blood sugar and must first be broken down by the body. Fortunately, they are quickly and efficiently converted into freestanding glucose molecules by your digestive system if it is healthy.

• Our primary sources of glucose are the complex carbohydrates we ingest, which is the problem: foods such as rice, cereal, bread, pasta, milk, fruit, tortillas and sweets are a big concern because they are loaded with carbs (and everyone loves eating them.)

Why too many carbs aren't good

When you eat carbohydrates, your body converts them into glucose (or blood sugar) which is then absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to your body's cells. There, insulin helps the cells take in glucose, where it then gets converted to energy. The problem?

• If you eat more glucose than you use as fuel, the excess sugar creates a "sweet spill" throughout your body that can potentially damage cells, affect your mood and make you feel ill. Moreover, the end result is excess sugar in your bloodstream is stored as fat, potentially leading to weight gain.

Seeing a registered dietician when you have diabetes, pre-diabetes or insulin resistance (and even if you don't) may not seem like a priority. However, the advice you receive to help improve your eating habits will pay off as you start to feel better, trimmer and more energetic.