November has been designated as ‘National Diabetes Awareness Month,’ bringing additional attention to a disease that nearly 12% of Americans deal with daily. At roughly 34 million individuals with either type 1 or 2 diabetes, those that don’t have it will likely have a family member or friend that does. Monica Nyman, Registered Dietitian and Senior Nutrition Educator with the St. Louis Dairy Council, first explains what diabetes is. Whether type 1 or 2, the pancreas is not producing any or enough insulin to break down the carbohydrates from your food.

Nyman shares what kinds of foods can help manage your diabetes. When shopping for food, she tells that the carbohydrates on the label are your first focal point.

Dairy products are an excellent way to get necessary proteins. When eating foods packed with protein or those that are fiber-rich, you can slow down the digestion process giving your body more time to break these foods down into sugar.

If you need help or even resources, plenty of options exist to find how best to take care of yourself following a diabetes diagnosis.

Find out more about the St. Louis Dairy Council by visiting www.stldairycouncil.org.

Monica Nyman appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.