Healthy Eating for Healthy Blood Sugar Feel free to use and share, but please credit: Christopher Chung; B.S. Nutritional Physiology & Metabolism, University of California Berkeley For any inquiries or to request updated versions, contact
What is diabetes? Too much sugar in the blood, and for too long. Sugar Blood High blood sugar 1 Question
Our blood needs to have some sugar in it
Normal fasting blood glucose: Blood is “happy”
Elevated fasting blood glucose (pre-diabetes): Blood is “uncomfortable”
High fasting blood glucose: Blood is “unhappy”
1. Eat What makes our blood sugar go up and down?
2.Bread broken down to glucose. 3.Blood glucose goes up.
What makes our blood sugar go up and down? 4.Glucose moves from blood to muscles. 5.Blood glucose goes back down.
What is diabetes? Answer: Too much sugar in the blood, and for too long. 1 Question
What causes sugar to be too high in people with type two diabetes? To answer this question, we need to identify two main players 2 Question
Glucose “gates” Insulin
With insulin present, the gate opens. Without insulin, the gate is closed.
Blood Glucose gate Insulin Pancreas Muscle
Muscle Blood
Normal function
Type Two Diabetes Over time, the gates “lock up” from being overworked.
Type Two Diabetes Pancreas says: Blood sugar is too high! I should make more insulin keys!
Type Two Diabetes
Pancreas says: I’m exhausted. I need to slow down insulin production.
Type Two Diabetes
What causes sugar to be too high in people with type two diabetes? 2 Question
1) The glucose gates stop opening What causes sugar to be too high in people with type two diabetes? 2 Question
1) The glucose gates stop opening What causes sugar to be too high in people with type two diabetes? 2 Question
1) The glucose gates stop working 2) The pancreas gets tired of making insulin Years later… What causes sugar to be too high in people with type two diabetes? 2 Question
Review: Type Two Diabetes
Three prongs of diabetes management and prevention Meal planning Weight Loss Medication
Eat vegetables and complex carbohydrates. (And not too much!)
Lose 5 pounds and keep them off.
Take your medication every day.