Archived Article From October 2007
Medicine for Diabetes
Frank Goldman, PharmD
Most people with diabetes need medicine to manage their blood
glucose levels. People with diabetes are classified as either Type I
or Type 2. A type 1 can not make any insulin or enough insulin. They
must take insulin by injection. People with Type 2 Diabetes often
make some insulin, but they produce less insulin than they need.
Are
“typically” people with diabetes and typically have one of two
types. Type 1, which is when a person cannot make enough insulin, or
the more common form of diabetes, type 2, which is when a person
makes insulin, but it is not enough
you.
Many people with type 2 diabetes take pills. There are many types of
diabetes pills and they work in different ways. These drugs are not
insulin and are usually prescribed to people with diabetes along
with recommendations for making specific dietary changes and getting
regular exercise.
Knowing about your medication should include, name of the
medication, strength, side effects and the proper time to be taken.
Glucose goals and a choice of medication must be individualized to
slow the progression of diabetes and delay or prevent long-term
complications associated with diabetes.
Blood sugar goals and the choice of what kind of medication to use
to help manage diabetes must be individualized…complications
associated with it.
Although the day-to-day management of your diabetes is very much up
to you, controlling diabetes is always a team effort. Your
pharmacist is a member of your healthcare team. Along with your
diabetes educator, dietitian , healthcare provider and the friends
and family that help support you. Do not forget that
if you have a question about your medication or supplies, your
pharmacist is there to help.
Bountiful Fall Vegetables are Here!
Just because the leaves are turning color and that chill is in the
air, it doesn’t mean fresh wholesome vegetables are hard to find and
enjoy. When it comes to nutrient packed vegetables that taste good,
you can’t beat hearty root vegetables like squash- butternut and
acorn, pumpkin, beets, parsnips, rutabaga, turnips, and sweet
potatoes, and the more standard ones such as broccoli, cabbage,
carrots, cauliflower and spinach. All are in season now, and all are
fat free, and taste delicious!
These vegetables are a good source of many nutrients, such as
Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, and are also a smart
choice to help lower your risk of heart disease. Why? These seasonal
vegetables are loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants, health
promoting substances and energy.
And having diabetes does not limit you from enjoying these hearty
vegetables. People with diabetes do not need to avoid foods found in
the starch and starchy vegetables group. In fact, people with
diabetes need to eat foods from this group to help meet their daily
requirement for calories, macronutrients, fiber, vitamins, and
minerals and for overall good health.
If you are not a veggie lover, maybe the bountiful harvest of these
colorful vegetables will encourage you to try them, experiment with
some new recipes, and discover the world of fall vegetables. Eating
them as part of your balanced diet can be an asset to controlling
your diabetes while enjoying a delicious treat!
Here are a few tips to read when selecting these vegetables:
Potatoes: from Yukon Gold to Russets- naturally fat free with 145
calories and 35 grams of carbohydrate in 1 medium potato; providing
Vitamin C and potassium.- Winter squash- butternut, acorn and spaghetti- 1 cup providing only
80 calories, 18 grams of carbohydrate, fiber, and Vitamin A.
- Parsnips- high energy, low fat nutrient dense with only 115 calories
in 1 medium, fiber, Vitamin C and potassium.
- Turnips- add a tangy bite to foods and in 1 medium only 30 calories
and providing Vitamin C and potassium.
- Carrots-A truly portable snack with only 30 calories in 3 ounces and
plenty of Vitamin A and fiber.
These vegetables are considered complex carbohydrates, which are the
preferred carbohydrates in a diabetic diet, because they are high in
fiber and other important nutrients. Carbohydrates have the most
affect on blood glucose levels. But remember it is the amount and
type of carbohydrate which affect your blood sugar level. Working
these delicious and healthy vegetables into your meal is easy to do.
Talk to a diabetes educator or a dietitian if you have any questions
on how to fit this bountiful harvest of nutrition into your meal
plans.
ROASTED VEGETABLES
Ingredients:
2 potatoes
2 sweet potatoes
2 parsnips
4 carrots
2 stalks celery
2 red onions
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions:
Peel turnips and scrape the carrots and parsnips, and cut all the
vegetables into 2 inch chunks. Cut the onion into sixths.
Put all the vegetables into a roasting pan and add the olive oil.
Sprinkle with ½ the fresh rosemary.
Let sit.
About an hour before dinner put the pan in a 4500 oven and roast,
tossing the vegetables occasionally, for 30-40 minutes, until the
potatoes are tender and browned.
Take out of the oven, pour on the vinegar, and toss rapidly to
glaze.
Sprinkle with the remaining rosemary.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 115
Carbohydrates: 15 grams
Protein: 1.5 grams
Fat: 5 grams
Cholesterol: 0 grams
Fiber: 2.5 grams
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