Each individual has a unique relationship with food that can be influenced by upbringing, culture, preferences, and health needs. For people with diabetes, the relationship with food becomes even more complex—what, when, and how much we eat all matter. This constant strategizing can strain our relationship with food.
After my type 1 diabetes diagnosis in my early 20s, I remember sitting in front of the fridge crying, feeling defeated by carbohydrates. I avoided them out of fear of how they were impacting my blood sugars, not realizing I was depriving my body of essential fuel and creating unhelpful beliefs around food. Over time, I began to challenge this approach to food, and my relationship with food and my diabetes improved as I embraced these key mindset shifts:
1. Blood Sugars are Data, Not a Judgment
It is incredible to be able to see our blood sugars at any moment, whether we are taking a fingerstick or using a CGM. However, that is all the blood sugar is: data. Because we can so easily see the numbers, we might turn them into self-judgements about what we ate, creating an unhelpful dialogue about food and making it the enemy. Instead of attaching judgment to the numbers, we can use blood sugar numbers as the insights to help inform future decisions around diabetes management.
2. Food is Fuel
Food provides the essential nutrients our body needs to function: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, our body’s main and preferred source of energy. The rate at which this happens depends on the amount or type of carbohydrate, and the ratio of carbohydrates, fats, and protein in a food. This can make it challenging to predict blood sugar responses, but that does not mean certain foods should be avoided at all costs. It just means that diabetes management may require extra planning around some foods. Even if blood sugars are not perfect, our bodies still need fuel to function.
3. Food is Neither “Good” nor “Bad”
Seeing a high blood sugar after eating may result in frustration, guilt, anger, defeat, you name it. If we are constantly experiencing these emotions after eating, they can impact how we view food. For example, if eating pizza raises my blood sugar more than I expected, I might start to blame pizza, and label it as “bad” or “off-limits”. When we do this repeatedly, we begin to train our brains that certain foods are not good for us and should be avoided. In reality, food is neither “good” nor “bad”. Food is food, it has no morals. Instead of labeling food, let’s remember: food is fuel, and blood sugar levels are simply the data to help guide our diabetes management, not a judgment of our food choices or a reflection of our worth.
4. All Foods Can Be Included in a Dietary Pattern for a Person with Diabetes
Food plays a huge role in diabetes management, but food also plays a role in how we go about the world, experience life, and interact with others. So we have to have a balance between, yes, eating to support our diabetes management, while honoring life’s experiences and being a human by enjoying food. What happens when we are faced with the option to choose a food that may be more difficult to manage blood sugar levels around? What if we want to enjoy a slice of birthday cake, or we just want ice cream because it is a Tuesday night, or our coworkers are going out for pizza? Do we avoid these experiences because of the food, or do we do our best with a bolus and enjoy the experience? Not every blood sugar response is going to be perfect, and that is ok. Enjoying food and the life experiences that go along with it are important, too. We all can and deserve to have a balanced, healthy relationship with food as a person living with diabetes.
A New Way Forward with Food and Diabetes
Living with diabetes can challenge how we see and approach food, but by shifting the way we think about food and blood sugars, we can build a healthier and even empowering relationship with both food and diabetes.
With compassion, curiosity, and balance, it is possible to manage diabetes while still enjoying food and all the experiences that come with it.
Medical disclaimer: Content not intended to be medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider for specific health needs and before making changes to your health or treatment plan.