I volunteer at a local group foster home.  One of our teen girls is overweight and at risk for diabetes.  Because the meals are made for all the kids there, it is difficult for her to figure out just what she can eat.  I did some research online and came up with a plan to make it simple.  It’s all about keeping blood sugar steady, and being aware of how this works so that we can make good choices.  When I was looking into all this, I realized what a good plan this really is for everyone!  So now we’ve got most of the other girls she lives with supporting her, and helping themselves to be more healthy by following the plan, too.  Here is it, if you want to check it out for yourself!

GOOD DIETARY CHOICES:

-Whole grains (brown rice, whole grain pasta, unprocessed oatmeal, legumes (peas, beans), vegetables, fruits (not too many bananas)

-Olive oil, Salmon, Tuna, Flax seed oil

-Lean chicken breast, tofu, whey protein powder

-Green tea, cinnamon, turmeric

-LOTS of water!

POOR DIETARY CHOICES (AVOID):

-JUNK food (no chips, no crackers, no cake, no chocolate, no candy, no soda, no cookies)

-White flour or white rice (no bread, no pasta, no pastry)

-Saturated or hydrogenated fats: NO red meat, no cheese, no ice cream or high-fat dairy, no pie, no peanut butter

-Fruit juice (too much sugar causes blood sugar to spike)

EXERCISE 20-30 MINUTES DAILY!