Over 1 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year and over 200,000 deaths are attributed to the disease. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, or if you simply want to take better care of how you eat, it is to your benefit to follow the American Diabetic Diet in order to keep your diabetes under control.

Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics must learn to follow a diabetic diet plan in order to stay healthy.

Diabetes is a very severe disease, but those afflicted with this condition can take precautions to perk up their health. Diabetic cooking is one way that people with this serious disease can improve their health. Those with diabetes do not have to bond to bland food if they have meals prepared with the essentials. It should focus on healthy meals that are full of nutritious ingredients.

Diabetes is an illness that the patient must live with the rest of their lives. The key to living with diabetes successfully is tight glycemic control, or controlling blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels can vary from time to time depending on several factors such as stress levels, amount of food consumed, type of food consumed, amount of insulin used or insufficient insulin coverage and the time of day.

The client who is diagnosed as a diabetic must face the challenges of restructuring their diet. A health diet and proper management can enhance their health by promoting stable glucose. The diabetic uses oral hypoglycemic agents, insulin or both must still monitor their eating habits and know what food groups to choose from to help them control their blood glucose levels.

The relationship between soy foods and long-term health benefits has been the topic of many discussions among physicians and health organizations for several years now. Studies have been conducted that prove the link between high soy diets and lower heart disease, strong bone mass and cancer prevention. Now studies are being conducted regarding the relationship between a soy diet and blood glucose or sugar levels.

Proper foot care is very important for people who are diabetic. People spend a great amount of time on their feet. Knowledge of proper foot care can save the diabetic individual from many future complications that can arise from foot care neglect, such as open wounds, infection, and loss of toe nails, poor circulation, peripheral neuropathy, septicemia and gangrene.

In assessing the diabetic client, the nurse should identify specific body systems that the disease effects. Always look first. Is the client obese, frail, emaciated or well nourished? Notice the client's face and skin color, are they pale, flushed or diaphoretic. Ask them how they feel. Are they hungry, thirsty, do they need to use the rest room? Offer them a drink of water if they are thirsty.

Diabetes means that your blood glucose (also called blood sugar) is too high. Your body uses glucose for energy. But having too much glucose in your blood can hurt you. When you take care of your diabetes, you will feel better. You will reduce your risk for problems with your kidneys, eyes, nerves, feet and legs, and teeth. You will also lower your risk for a heart attack or a stroke.

Gestational diabetes is a condition characterized by high blood glucose (sugar) levels that is first recognized during pregnancy. About 7 percent of all pregnant women in the U.S. are diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

Most women who have gestational diabetes give birth to healthy babies, especially when they control their blood sugar, eat a healthy diet, exercise, and keep a healthy weight.

Once a patient is diagnosed as having diabetes, their world suddenly changes. Now they must monitor their glucose before meals and at bedtime, they must watch the sugars that they consume and be aware of the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia and know what actions to take. This is a lot of information to process for a diabetic of any age.