Healthful eating, along with physical activity and, if needed, diabetes medicines, helps keep your blood glucose in your target range. The diabetes target range is the level suggested by diabetes experts for good health. You can help prevent health problems by keeping your blood glucose levels on target.

Blood Glucose Levels
What should my blood glucose levels be?
Target Blood Glucose Levels for People with Diabetes Before meals - 90 to 130 1 to 2 hours after the start of a meal- less than 180

Ask your doctor how often you should check your blood glucose on your own. Also ask your doctor for an A1C test at least twice a year. Your A1C number gives your average blood glucose for the past 3 months. The results from your blood glucose checks and your A1C test will tell you whether your diabetes care plan is working.
How can I keep my blood glucose levels on target?
You can keep your blood glucose levels on target by
· making wise food choices
· being physically active
· taking medicines if needed

For people taking certain diabetes medicines, following a schedule for meals, snacks, and physical activity is best. However, some diabetes medicines allow for more flexibility.
Your Diabetes Medicines
What you eat and when you eat affects how your diabetes medicines work. Talk with your doctor or diabetes teacher about when to take your diabetes medicines.

Your Physical Activity Plan
What you eat and when also depend on how much you exercise. Physical activity is an important part of staying healthy and controlling your blood glucose. Keep these points in mind:
· Talk with your doctor about what types of exercise are safe for you.
· Make sure your shoes fit well and your socks stay clean and dry. Check your feet for redness or sores after exercising. Call your doctor if you have sores that do not heal.
· Warm up and stretch for 5 to 10 minutes before you exercise. Then “cool down” for several minutes after you exercise. For example, walk slowly at first, stretch, and then walk faster. Finish up by walking slowly again.
· Check your blood glucose before you exercise. Do not exercise if your fasting blood glucose level is above 250 and you have ketones in your urine. If your blood glucose is below 100, eat a small snack.
· Know the signs of low blood glucose, also called hypoglycemia.
· Always carry food or glucose tablets to treat low blood glucose.
· Always wear your medical identification or other ID.
· Find an exercise buddy. Many people find they are more likely to do something active if a friend joins them.

Low Blood Glucose (Hypoglycemia)
Low blood glucose can make you feel shaky, weak, confused, irritable, hungry, or tired. You may sweat a lot or get a headache. If you have these symptoms, check your blood glucose. If it is 70 or lower, have one of the following right away:
· 3 or 4 glucose tablets
· 1 serving of glucose gel (check the label—you’ll want the amount equal to 15 grams of carbohydrate)
· 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of any fruit juice
· 1/2 cup of a regular (not diet) soft drink
· 1 cup (8 ounces) of milk
· 5 or 6 pieces of hard candy
· 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey
After 15 minutes, check your blood glucose again. If it’s still too low, have another serving. Repeat until your blood glucose level is 70 or higher. If it will be an hour or more before your next meal, have a snack.

Starches
Starches are bread, grains, cereal, pasta, and starchy vegetables like corn and potatoes. They provide carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Whole grain starches are healthier because they have more vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Eat some starches at each meal. Eating starches is healthy for everyone, including people with diabetes.
Examples of starches are
·bread · pasta · corn · pretzels · potatoes · rice · crackers · cereal · tortillas · beans · yams · lentils
What are healthy ways to eat starches?
· Buy whole grain breads and cereals.
· Eat fewer fried and high-fat starches such as regular tortilla chips and potato chips, french fries, pastries, or biscuits. Try pretzels, fat-free popcorn, baked tortilla chips or potato chips, baked potatoes, or low-fat muffins.
· Use low-fat or fat-free plain yogurt or fat-free sour cream instead of regular sour cream on a baked potato.
· Use mustard instead of mayonnaise on a sandwich.
· Use low-fat or fat-free substitutes such as low-fat mayonnaise or light margarine on bread, rolls, or toast.
· Eat cereal with fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk.

Vegetables
Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are low in carbohydrate.
Examples of vegetables are
· lettuce · broccoli · vegetable juice · spinach · peppers · carrots · green beans · tomatoes · celery · chilies · greens · cabbage
What are healthy ways to eat vegetables?
· Eat raw and cooked vegetables with little or no fat, sauces, or dressings.
· Try low-fat or fat-free salad dressing on raw vegetables or salads.
· Steam vegetables using water or low-fat broth.
· Mix in some chopped onion or garlic.
· Use a little vinegar or some lemon or lime juice.
· Add a small piece of lean ham or smoked turkey instead of fat to vegetables when cooking.
· Sprinkle with herbs and spices.
· If you do use a small amount of fat, use canola oil, olive oil, or soft margarines (liquid or tub types) instead of fat from meat, butter, or shortening.

Fruits
Fruits provide carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Examples of fruit include
· apples · fruit juice · strawberries · dried fruit · grapefruit · bananas · raisins · oranges · watermelon · peaches · mango · guava · papaya · berries · canned fruit
What are healthy ways to eat fruits?
· Eat fruits raw or cooked, as juice with no sugar added, canned in their own juice, or dried.
· Buy smaller pieces of fruit.
· Choose pieces of fruit more often than fruit juice. Whole fruit is more filling and has more fiber.
· Save high-sugar and high-fat fruit desserts such as peach cobbler or cherry pie for special occasions.

Milk
Milk provides carbohydrate, protein, calcium, vitamins, and minerals.
What are healthy ways to have milk?
· Drink fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk.
· Eat low-fat or fat-free fruit yogurt sweetened with a low-calorie sweetener.
· Use low-fat plain yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.

Meat and Meat Substitutes
The meat and meat substitutes group includes meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, fish, and tofu. Eat small amounts of some of these foods each day.
Meat and meat substitutes provide protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Examples of meat and meat substitutes include
· chicken · beef · fish · eggs · peanut butter · tofu · cottage cheese · cheese · lamb · turkey
What are healthy ways to eat meat or meat substitutes?
· Buy cuts of beef and lamb that have only a little fat on them. Trim off the extra fat.
· Eat chicken or turkey without the skin.
· Cook meat or meat substitutes in low-fat ways:
o broil
o grill
o stir-fry
o roast
o steam
o stew
o microwave
· To add more flavor, use vinegars, lemon juice, soy sauce, salsa, ketchup, barbecue sauce, herbs, and spices.
· Cook eggs using a non-stick pan or with cooking spray.
· Limit the amounts of nuts, peanut butter, and fried foods that you eat. They are high in fat.
· Check food labels. Choose low-fat or fat-free cheese

Fats and Sweets
Limit the amount of fats and sweets you eat. Fats and sweets are not as nutritious as other foods. Fats have a lot of calories. Sweets can be high in carbohydrate and fat. Some contain saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol that increase your risk of heart disease. Limiting these foods will help you lose weight and keep your blood glucose and blood fats under control.
Examples of fats include
· salad dressing · oil · cream cheese · butter · margarine · mayonnaise · avocado · olives · bacon
Examples of sweets include
· cake · ice cream · pie · syrup · cookies · doughnuts
How can I satisfy my sweet tooth?
It’s okay to have sweets once in a while. Try having sugar-free popsicles, diet soda, fat-free ice cream or frozen yogurt, or sugar-free hot cocoa mix.
Other tips:
· Share desserts in restaurants.
· Order small or child-size servings of ice cream or frozen yogurt.
· Divide homemade desserts into small servings and wrap each individually. Freeze extra servings.

(article taken from diabetes.niddk.nih.gov)