blog

How to Eat to Reduce your Risk of Diabetes

Lifestyle factors are a major cause of Type 2 Diabetes. Being overweight (particularly that toxic belly fat) is driving our bodies to a state of havoc, where our hormones stop working properly and toxic things start to build up in our bodies. This is the gateway to diabetes and heart disease!

Did you know that in 90% of people with Type 2 Diabetes have excess belly fat!

Along with exercise, healthy eating can reduce your risk of developing diabetes by half!

How do I eat to reduce my risk of diabetes?

Eat like a Mediterranean!

The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating, rather than a strict diet. It is healthy, simple and varied! There is lots of evidence that puts the Mediterranean diet as one of the healthiest ways of eating out there! It has shown to lower diabetes risk, help with weight loss and lower heart disease risk. The Mediterranean style of eating is very similar to the Australian Dietary Guidelines.

Here’s how to eat the Mediterranean way:

  • Eat plenty of vegetables every day
  • Eat fruit and nuts every day
  • Use extra virgin olive oil as your main source of fat
  • Eat plenty of lentils, beans and chickpeas
  • Eat at least 2 servings of fish per week
  • Limit red meat to once a week
  • Eat small amounts of low fat yoghurt and cheese regularly
  • Eat wholegrain breads and cereals
  • Enjoy the occasional glass of wine with a meal

Foods to limit:

Refined carbohydrates, or foods high in sugar and white flour. These foods are also referred to as high GI foods or low fibre.

  • Doughnuts, pastries, cake, cookies
  • Takeaway burgers, burritos, pizza, pasta, pies, sausage rolls
  • White bread and pasta
  • Chocolate and lollies
  • Chips
  • Sugary cereals
  • Soft drink

The way these foods break down in your body can contribute to diabetes as well as to your waistline!

Sources: Diabetes Australia & National Centre for Biotechnology Information

The Mediterranean way of eating is celebrated for its low rates of disease, weight management and numerous other health benefits! Check out this week’s Mediterranean style recipe!

Easy Stuffed Eggplants with tzatziki

Diabetes – Recipe Video from Life Life Get Active on Vimeo.

Serves: 4 Time: 45mins Cost: $18.50 ($4.70/serve)

  • 2 eggplants
  • 1 cucumber
  • 2 tomato
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup dill
  • ¼ cup olives
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • ½ cup Greek yoghurt
  • 1 block (200g) feta (or 1 cup grated hard low-fat cheese)
  • extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180oC, line baking tray.
  2. Slice eggplant in half, and slice diagonal lines across each eggplant face (approx. 1cm deep).
  3. Bake for 20min.
  4. Meanwhile, heat pan over medium heat with olive oil.
  5. Add canned tomatoes, chickpeas, olives, season with salt & pepper and cook for 5mins.
  6. Scoop out centre of eggplants leaving about a 1cm rim, then add eggplant flesh to tomato mixture.
  7. Spoon the tomato mixture into eggplant boats then sprinkle with crumbled feta.
  8. Bake for 20min.
  9. Salad: dice cucumber, tomato and red onion, then drizzle olive oil, squeeze half a lemon, season with salt & pepper.
  10. Tzatziki: Finely chop dill, mix with Greek yoghurt and a big squeeze of lemon juice.

Serve!

If you’d like to receive our free nutrition plan and attend one of our free fitness sessions come and join us.

REGISTRATION/SIGN-UP

Do I need to sign-up?
Yes, you need to register with Live Life Get Active.
You must also book in for every session you want to attend.

I’m having troubles when registering, can you help?
If you cannot complete the sign-up process, please contact our Help Desk to resolve the issue.

Live Life Get Active is building a fitter, healthier and happier Australia and we want people to have fun along the way. With the help of Local Government and Corporate Australia we provide FREE health, fitness and nutritional education both online and in the parks, suburbs and cities of Australia.