nagpur healthy eating is a cornerstone of healthy living with or without diabetes but if anyone has diabetes she must know how foods affect blood sugar levels its not only the type of food one consumes but also the quantity and in what combination of food types said dr devyani buche senior physician orange city hospital and research institute ochri she was speaking at an education programme organized for nurses on managing diabetes in patients on thursdaydiabetes management includes learning how to count carbohydrates carbohydrates are the foods that often have the biggest impact on our blood sugar levels and for people taking mealtime insulin its crucial to know the amount of carbohydrates in their food so as to ensure that they are administered the right dose of insulin said dr bucheshe added as much as possible plan for every meal to have a good mix of starch fruits and vegetables proteins and fats too little food in proportion to diabetes medications especially insulin may result in dangerously low blood sugar hypoglycaemia too much food may cause blood sugar level to climb too high hyperglycaemia sugarsweetened beverages such as soda juice and sports drinks can be used as an effective treatment for quickly raising a low blood sugar countdr buche said that physical activity is another important aspect of diabetes management plan when we exercise our muscles use sugar glucose for energy regular physical activity also helps our body use insulin more efficiently patient should check their blood sugar level regularly stay hydrated and adjust diabetes treatment plan as needed she said if a patient takes insulin one may need to reduce insulin dosage before exercising or wait a while after exercise to inject insulin insulin and other diabetes medications are designed to lower blood sugar levels when diet and exercise alone arent sufficient for managing diabetes but the effectiveness of these medications depends on the timing and size of the dose medication taken for conditions other than diabetes also can affect blood sugar levels she said