Manage diabetes with 3 helpful diet strategies

A healthy diet is a big part of diabetes management. We'll give you 3 tips that you may not know to help manage the condition.

• Though partial hydrogenation keeps products fresher longer and decreases the need for refrigeration, trans fats are even worse than saturated fat for your heart and all-around health.
• Trans fats have been linked to type 2 diabetes, but their biggest threat is to your heart. They raise "bad" LDL cholesterol, cause a drop in "good" HDL cholesterol, and they boost blood levels of other toxins that cause cardiovascular disease.
• Animal research suggests that trans fats might also spark weight gain. Studies show that lab monkeys fed diets high in trans fat gain three times more weight than monkeys given equal amounts of other foods. Even worse, much of that extra weight took the form of belly flab, which raises the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
• Although many food manufacturers and restaurants have quit using trans fats, you still need to be vigilant. Avoid all foods that include any type of partially hydrogenated oil in their ingredient list. You should consume no more than two grams of trans fat per day, and even less is better.

• Before you leave for the day, pack your own healthy lunch, even if you don't have a refrigerator to store it. With an insulated lunch bag, you can bring chilled meals and snacks to work that will keep cool until you're ready to eat them.
• Check out your local kitchen or gift store. Men can find bags that are just as masculine as an old fashioned metal lunchbox, and women can buy insulated sacks that look like cute handbags or totes.
• Never let peers or coworkers pressure you into eating something you shouldn't. Being healthy requires no apologies.

• Soft drinks, sweetened teas, and sports drinks often have minimal nutritional value, but can contain tons of calories, virtually all from sugar or corn syrup.
• Studies show that soft drink calories don't fill you up the way food does, so you end up consuming more calories throughout the day than you would if you got those calories from something solid.
• Some experts argue that dropping soft drinks from your daily menu is the number one change to make when embarking on a healthier diet plan. Choose water, homemade iced tea, or drinks sweetened with a sugar substitute.

There are countless lifestyle changes you can make when looking to manage your diabetes. These are just 3 of them, but they're a straightforward and powerful way to start, and can significantly improve the quality of your diet and health. So take the plunge and commit to making healthier choices.