Based on a poll of 54 Abbott respondents
Start Date: 17 February 2012 | End Date: 30 March 2012

Diabetes is a condition that stays with you for life. Every day is a balancing act - eating the right type and quantity of different foods, exercising just enough and taking medications on time - all to achieve good blood sugar control. And, that is not enough! Individuals with diabetes need careful and constant monitoring as risks for heart and kidney related diseases and even amputations peak.

Some take to the control well, but to many other individuals all these careful measures that need to be managed meal by meal, day by day and month by month - take a toll on their emotions - and, frustration can rank high! At Abbott Nutrition, we try to understand your challenges and so we asked - what frustrates you most about your diabetes condition? Here are your responses.

Believe it or not! The majority of our respondents (61%) have replied that it is "Carbohydrate Counting!" Injections - though painful; and clinic visits - though tiresome - ranked way behind! And, yes, many of those who live with individuals who have diabetes just do not get it! And if you are curious, the other things that bear down include single votes on issues like raging blood sugars, tingling sensations on feet, frequent urination, weight gain and occasional fainting spells.

What is Carbohydrate Counting? What's it got to do with Diabetes?

No... you do not have to count the grains of rice or strands of noodles in your plate! And, no this clever suggestion was not devised to just keep you from eating it!

Carbohydrate Counting, otherwise called 'Carb Counting', is an educational approach devised by Dietitians to help individuals with diabetes to control the portion of carbohydrates at each meal to achieve blood sugar control. The simple premise is that carbohydrate containing food raise your blood sugar more than proteins or fats. By keeping track of how many carbohydrates you eat at each meal or snack and setting a limit for your maximum amount to eat, you can help to keep your blood glucose levels in your target range.

To learn about Carbohydrate Counting, you can visit a Dietitian or call Abbott Nutrition's Careline for a brochure on the topic and to speak with a Nutrition Advisor.

Dietary Guide to Keeping Blood Sugar In Control

1. Eat to Your Calorie Allowance
   Under eating will keep blood sugar depressed but, it will also impact your health and wellness over time. Over eating will cause blood sugar peaks. So, eat to your ration - all determined by your gender, age and activity levels. Aim to achieve and maintain a healthy weight as it one of the simplest ways to get blood sugar, blood lipids and blood pressure in line.
2. Pick the Right 'Carbs' and Portion
   Every individual with diabetes deserves to eat well - a well balanced meal made up of wholesome foods from each of the four food groups. Wholegrain items made with less fat, sugar and salt should make up the foundation of a healthy diet, accompanied with smaller portions of fruit, vegetables and lean protein foods. Of all these choices, Carb-rich foods send the blood sugar surging the most. Therefore picking Carbs that are slowly digested will help manage the blood sugar spikes, as they release glucose slowly into the blood stream.
3. Space the Carbs Through The Day
   Eating all the allocated Carbs in a day at one meal will not give you the result you want. Spacing the daily Carb ration over three main meals and one or two snack each day will help moderate the insulin demand from the pancreas. Your Dietitian is your best guide to provide a personalised meal plan to help you achieve this.
4. Consider Diabetes-specific Meal Replacements
   Dealing with real foods - picking the right type, portioning and guesstimating Carbs can be tiring. For many individuals with diabetes, replacing a meal or two with a scientifically designed diabetes-specific beverage can help improve weight, waistline, blood sugar, blood pressure and blood lipids. Recent large scale scientific studies called Look AHEAD and Why WAIT? have shown that meal replacements help achieve great control.

Why Glucerna may help?

Glucerna is a diabetes-specific nutritional drink that can be used as a meal supplement or meal replacement. Designed with slow release carbohydrates, Glucerna has a low Glycemic Index (GI) Score to confirm its moderating impact on blood sugar level. Easy to prepare from powder or available as a ready to drink beverage, Glucerna removes the uncertainty of food portioning and the tacky detail of Carb-Counting. Enjoy the convenience and revel in the resulting blood glucose results.

Ask your Physician or Dietitian today if Glucerna is right for you.

Reference: the survey was conducted in Singapore