Many people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes just want to stop it in it's tracks. They just want to lower their blood sugar levels, lose weight, lower their cholesterol levels and avoid any of the complications that may think about coming their way later.

Include this hint in your food plan and you could be on your road to freedom:

Make fiber a part of most meals. Like starch, fiber is a complex carbohydrate and cannot be digested by our body, so no calories are added to the diet and it does lots of great things for us.

There are two types:

- insoluble which doesn't dissolve in water and adds bulk or roughage to our intestinal tract

- soluble-fiber which is particularly important if you have type 2 diabetes:

* firstly, it helps to lower your cholesterol levels, and
* secondly, it helps regulate your blood sugar levels

So because soluble-fiber helps regulate your blood sugars, high fiber diets:

* lower post-meal blood sugars
* decrease the amount of sugar in your urine
* decrease your insulin needs and increase your insulin-sensitivity

Where can you find soluble-fiber? Most plants contain both types of fiber. The following foods are some of the richest sources of soluble-fiber:

* beans: cooked kidney beans, butter beans, canned baked beans, black-beans, lentils, pinto beans, chick peas, split peas and lima beans. A half cup will add about 2 grams
* oats and oat bran: half a cup of oat bran contributes 3 grams, one cup of cooked oatmeal ... approximately 2 grams
* barley which is usually found in soups
* some fruits: apples, mango, plums, kiwi fruit, pears, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, citrus fruit and dried fruits such as apricots, prunes and figs
* some vegetables: artichoke, celery root, sweet potato, parsnip turnip, squash, brussel sprouts, cabbage, green peas, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and asparagus

Both fiber types fill you faster when they are part of the meal and discourage you from overeating. And high-fiber meals help you to eat less, not just at that meal but also at the following one. This is because fiber lowers your insulin level. What does insulin do ... it helps stimulate your appetite. Lower insulin level, lower hunger pangs!

As well as lowering your blood sugars it helps to cut calories by blocking the digestion of some of the fat, protein, or carbs eaten at the same time. Whichever way you look at it, eating fiber is a good thing if you have type 2 diabetes, want to lose weight and regulate your blood sugar levels.

Soluble-fiber seems to be a vital part of blood sugar control for many diabetics. It leaves the stomach slowly and so you feel full for longer.

Many factors affect your blood sugar levels, what you eat and drink, your weight, your stress levels, how much exercise you're getting and the medications you are taking. So if you are having trouble achieving "tight control" of your blood sugars, please do not hesitate to contact your health care provider.

If you would like to download a free copy of my E-Book: Answers to Your Questions please click here now.

Beverleigh Piepers is a registered nurse who would like to help you understand how to live easily and happily with your type 2 diabetes.
http://drugfreetype2diabetes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beverleigh_H_Piepers