House Call Eye Care

November 22, 2011

Diabetic Eye Health Challenged by Holiday Treats

The festive spirit of this holiday season has arrived. We are often tempted by delicious treats that surround us during this winter season. However, patients with diabetes need to exercise caution with such temptation to promote proper blood glucose control. This will improve the quality of whole body wellness; thereby preserving eye health and good vision.

Eliminating sugar and sweets from our diet is a step in the right direction to control blood glucose levels. For more effective control concentrate on choosing low glycemic index foods. Consumption of high glycemic foods causes a rapid conversion of carbohydrates into glucose. This leads to a spike of glucose in the bloodstream which is dangerous for people with diabetes. Studies have discovered that strict blood glucose control decreased the risk of vision loss associated with diabetic retinopathy. Research has shown that maintaining glucose to near normal levels reduced the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy as well as other complications associated with diabetes such as: nephropathy, peripheral circulation and neuropathy disorders, cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol.

The goal is to strive for a steady level of blood glucose throughout the day and avoid rapid peaks and crashes of blood sugar. A good strategy to help meet this goal is “grazing” throughout the day with low glycemic “mini-meals”. This is an easy method to avoid feeling hungry and a subsequent craving to overeat. These small meals or snacks should be well balanced with healthy fats(omega-3 fatty acids), fiber and protein.

I encourage patients concerned with diabetes to take steps today towards tightly controlling their blood glucose levels which will pay off with life-long improved quality of health and good vision.