Eating Right on the Go with Diabetes

People today are busier than ever:  shift work, long hours and commute times often leaves very little time at the end of the day to do everything else that needs to be done:  housework, bills , laundry, shopping, relationships, helping kids with homework and meal prep? – who has time for that?! 

Now more than ever, it is important for us to take care of ourselves, and the busier and more stressed we are, the more important it is.  Hectic lifestyles and high stress often lead to burnout, cardiac (heart) problems, ulcers, autoimmune disorders – and especially for the diabetic,  poor blood sugars and cardiorenal  issues (cardiac and kidney issues), like Chronic Kidney Disease.

Here are some great tips to help you eat smart – on the go!

1)      Keep it simple!    Meals don’t have to be fancy.  You can skip cooking your vegetables even!  When you make a meal – make it double, freeze one and eat one, so when you’re pressed for time, you know you already have a healthy meal ready!

2)      Keep your deli drawer stocked with grab – and- go proteins! – boiled eggs, cooked and un-breaded chicken tenders,  a cooked salmon burger even – these are easy to just grab and eat on the run. 

3)      Have a small snack every 3-4 hours – think vegetables, proteins, carbs every 3-4 hrs, like a baby!  It can be as simple as celery or apple and peanut butter.  If you’re on the go, get little packets of peanut butter and take them with you to work – easy to grab and go.  A ziplock bag with a handful of nuts or seeds can give you a power serving of protein in just a handful.   A boiled egg is just a mouthful.   These types of snacks will give you a quick boost,  keeps your blood sugar from dropping and is super-fast to snack on.  Remember that by keeping your blood sugar from dropping, you are less likely to overcompensate for a low.  This helps prevent high blood sugars and will help you have energy after work to enjoy your time off.  You’re less likely to binge!

4)      A quick note here on shakes.  I LOVE my protein shakes, and have one or two every day….BUT, remember that it is important to consider your digestion and absorption.  Often, when you grab a shake, you miss some very important early digestion mechanics that help you absorb the nutrients in your shake.  Food preparation in itself, the act of chewing, smelling food – starts saliva production and gets your body ready to do the work of digestion.  So, you may want to prep your shake in a blender – add some ice, some strawberries, a handful of kale into the blender.  Eat a nut or an apple – something to get digestion started so that you don’t miss the nutrients you paid for in that healthy shake!!!

5)  If you eat out  - beware of FAST food.  Fast food is usually fast because it is easy and quick to breakdown into sugar - having a high glycemic index (a high effect on your blood sugar).  Order a salad or veges instead of fries or rice.  Lunch sizes are often smaller, and less-expensive than dinners. Beware of dressings and sauces which are loaded with extra calories, sugars and tend to spike blood sugars.  Try to pack a meal instead of eating out!  Skip the soda - your body needs water, and this will help absorption as well!