During the cold winter season, diabetes patients should receive timely flu injections to avoid catching a cold, which can worsen their condition. In addition to prevention, diabetes patients should also pay attention to their diet in winter. Below, we will explain some precautions for diabetes patients' winter diet.
【Three Soups Suitable for Winter】
1. Black Bean and Astragalus Soup:
Boil 60g of black beans and 30g of astragalus, and add a little salt to taste. It functions to tonify the middle and benefit qi, and to stabilize the exterior and stop sweating. It can be used for diabetes patients with long-standing illness, qi deficiency, unstable muscle tone, and excessive sweating.
2. Tremella and Goji Berry Soup:
Boil 15g of tremella, 10g of goji berries, and 100g of chicken liver to make a soup, and add a little salt and MSG to taste. It functions to tonify the liver and kidneys, and to clear liver heat and improve vision. It is suitable for diabetes patients with liver and kidney yang deficiency, blurry vision, double vision, dizziness, and other symptoms related to retinopathy.
3. Winter Melon Soup:
Dry the winter melon seeds and use 30g of them to make a tea. It functions to clear heat, quench thirst, promote diuresis, and reduce swelling. It can be used for diabetes patients with kidney disease, renal insufficiency, or damp-heat accumulation, with symptoms of excessive thirst, difficulty urinating, restlessness, and limb swelling.
【Foods Diabetes Patients Should Avoid in Winter】
1. Chili Pepper:
The capsaicin contained in chili peppers can promote insulin secretion, but chili peppers are hot and spicy, and consuming them excessively can generate heat in the body. Most diabetes patients have a yin-deficiency and fire-excess body type, so they should consume less chili peppers.
2. Sweet Potato:
The sugar content in sweet potatoes is over 20%, and consuming them will significantly increase blood sugar levels.
3. Beetroot:
The sugar content in beetroot is high, and consuming them will significantly increase blood sugar levels in diabetes patients.
4. Green Onion:
Consuming too much green onion can cause blurred vision and have adverse effects on the eyes. It is not suitable for diabetes patients with eye diseases.
【How Should Diabetes Patients Eat in Winter】
1. Choose Chinese Herbal Medicines:
Traditionally, Huangqi (Astragalus) is the main herb used in Chinese medicine to treat diabetes. In recent years, studies have found that Huangqi can increase insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar through various mechanisms. In addition, Huangqi can also improve immune function, blood circulation, and reduce proteinuria, which is particularly suitable for the treatment of diabetes and its complications. In addition, nourishing can be done through herbal medicine or food. If choosing herbal medicine, it is advisable to follow the doctor's advice and customize the treatment plan based on individual conditions. If choosing food, it is also important to comply with the principles of calorie control in diabetes diet.
2. Eat Smaller Meals More Frequently:
This can help reduce postprandial blood sugar spikes and is beneficial for controlling high blood sugar. When medication alone is not effective, controlling the condition can be achieved through meal frequency. Dietary therapy is the basis for treating all types of diabetes, regardless of the severity of the condition, presence of complications, or use of medication.
3. Balance Cold and Hot Foods:
Foods have different natures, such as cold, hot, warm, and cool. Nutrition experts suggest a balanced diet of hot supplementation for those who are cold and cold supplementation for those who are hot. Disrupting this balance will harm the body, and maintaining this balance is vital for longevity. For example, in the hot summer, drinking a bowl of cooling mung bean soup can relieve heat; in the cold winter, drinking red adzuki bean soup can warm the body. Eating cold crabs in winter should be accompanied by ginger, and after eating, drinking a cup of ginger and brown sugar soup is recommended. When eating hot pot in winter, it is important to have some cooling foods such as cabbage, tofu, and vermicelli.
4. Drink Plenty of Water in Winter:
Water is the source of yin energy, so it is important to drink plenty of water in winter. In terms of daily routine, besides maintaining regular sleep patterns, it is also important to go to bed early and wake up late. This is because in the cold winter, adequate sleep time is necessary to preserve the body's yang energy and yin essence, in order to achieve a healthy state of "balance of yin and yang, and a clear mind".
