Introduction to the NutriCoach ideas on a Healthy Diet

If you are anything like I was when I was diagnosed, you want quick easy answers about what to eat and how to get healthy. I can tell you what works well for me, and others I have worked with, but understanding it will take some time and study on your part. I recommend you start with this page. Book mark the site and come back often until you have a clear understanding of what makes a healthy diet and you feel confident in planning a healthy meal

These are the dietary guidelines I use. If you follow them you should see a dramatic improvement within a couple of months.

• 20% calories from lean protein
• 50% calories from low glycemic carbohydrates to include all carbs in all sources including what some other plans call free foods.
• 30% good fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated)
• Less than 100 mg cholesterol per day
• Saturated fats limited to 7% of calories
• No Trans fats
• More than 30 grams of fiber
• Omega 3 at least 1000 mg EPA/DHA per day
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Plenty of acids such as lime juice, lemon juice and vinegar
• Less than 1500 mg sodium
• At least 2 quarts of non-caffeinated liquid per day

There are a small percentage of type 2 diabetics that will have problems regardless of what they do. There is also a small percentage that will not have major problems even if they do nothing. The majority of us can benefit greatly from proper nutrition and exercise. If my formula does not work for you, reduce the carbohydrates and increase the good fats.

Again if you are anything like I was what I just told you makes little sense and if you do understand it you are probably wondering how to achieve it. To make things easier initially there are recipes in the "File download" portion of this site that if used wisely will help.

I am a type 2 diabetic. At the time I was diagnosed I was also experiencing arthritis, acid reflux, acute recurrent bronchitis, coronary abnormalities, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic fatigue and a few other issues. With a vastly improved diet all the symptoms have gone away. I am now a well-controlled type 2 diabetic taking no meds including the ones I used to take for the other conditions.

The advise on this site is not vastly different from what you would hear from a good endocrinologist, if they took the time to explain it to you. That wasn't my experience or the experience I have heard from many other sources. I have taken the time and invested my money in building this site because I found many of my friends and family were not getting the education from their medical providers either. They also were not getting the information they needed to be well controlled. US and Canadian studies I read indicate that 1/2 to 2/3 of diabetics are not well controlled. Most authoritative sources say the current 23 million diabetics in The US and Canada are expected to double in the next 10 years. The situation is similar in Europe and the rest of the world. Therefore, I think there is a need for sites such as Diabetic-Diet-Secrets.com.

There are some key differences between my approach and the standard approaches.

The American Diabetic Association and Canadian Diabetic Association are more lenient with carb counting and types of carbs than I am. I draw from them and other sources like USDA food pyramid and others. I think they all have some good points, but also ignore some key issues. Unlike ADA, CDA, USDA etc. I recommend eliminating all high glycemic carbohydrates i.e. white rice, potatoes, breads from highly refined flours, sugar and any other high GI food. I draw heavily from the Low Glycemic sources and believe they are providing a valuable tool. Still I don't think Low GI is a total answer.

I think most of the above sources focus too much on carbohydrates and ignore some other issues such as good fat/bad fat and a proper level of protein and protein sources. I am not a low fat/no fat advocate, but I do recommend eliminating as much as possible trans fats and cholesterol and strictly limiting saturated fats. I strongly advocate for a minimum of 1000 mg Omega 3 per day (EPA/DHA) from fish oil not the flax oil or other supplements that fall under the omega 3 umbrella.

I suggest, like many others, that protein should be from sources such as lean chicken breast, fish, seeds, nuts, and legumes.

With fats and protein I differ from the extreme low carb advocates.

One major difference between my methods and other methods is the way I arrive at my meal plans. Many people follow the exchanges program and it is highly promoted by the medical establishment. I think it is too imprecise and allows foods that I think are bad choices. What I do and recommend is using nutrition tracking software to analyze, plan and record meals. There are many software options that work to some degree. I started with nutrient data books and doing the math on paper. I soon upgraded to a hand held devise from HealthFitCounter that was better and more convenient. I have tried FitDay, DietSoft, DietPower and a few other software programs and they all will work. Finally I found the software I now use and advocate. It is more powerful, has more options, has more data bases, has more foods in the data bases, and tracks more nutrients than anything else I have found.

There are other differences and I know there are many who disagree with me. I could go on to fully explain all of my personal nutrition goals but this is already getting pretty long and you will be find them as you study this site.