The American Diabetes Association (ADA) was founded by 28 physicians in 1940. ADA is a United States based association working to prevent and cure diabetes and for
the betterment of the lives of the people affected by it. By 1960 the Association’s Committee on Statistics estimated 1.25 million known cases of diabetes, with 72,000 cases diagnosed that year.
During the first 30 years of its formation, the membership of the association was only limited to physicians, health care professionals and research scientists. However, the organization went through a major reconstruction in 1970, following which the membership was expanded to general members.
ADA is now a volunteer driven association operating from its headquarters in Virginia and other local offices across United States.
Website
Their website, diabetes.org, was launched in February 1995 and offers help to diabetes patients through a number of programs. Most of the programs on the website are free. However, there are a few cook books that the association charges for. The health programme is broadly divided under two categories namely Food and Fitness. Under the foods section, diabetes patients can find a set of recipes, cook books, do’s and don’ts of eating habits. Whereas, the fitness section allows them to read through a number of exercising options, ideas and techniques.
The association has not laid out a specific diet plan for all to follow. Instead, they encourage patients to start off their meal planning with one of their published books named “Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy“. The book is worth $33.94 (currently at a discounted price of $27.99) and available on their website and cheaper at Amazon. The book provides the answers to common questions by diabetic patients regarding their diets, such as their health and nutrition goals, use of cooking oil, healthy recipes, dietary supplements and
strategies for making food shopping and preparation easier. The book comes with a “Healthy Proportions Meal Measure” which is a plastic portion control guide that fits right over a plate and allows to serve just the right amount of protein, starch, vegetables and fruit for perfect portions. Each cavity of the meal measurer has a 1-cup and 1/2-cup mark and can be adjusted for individual dietary needs.
Author
The writer of the book, Hope Warshaw, has been a dietitian and diabetes educator for more than thirty years. She has owned Hope Warshaw Associates, LLC, for over twenty years. Her work today spans from corporate consulting to writing consumer articles and authoring numerous best-selling books. She counsels people with diabetes and those with weight concerns. Hope is most well known for her expertise in the areas of diabetes nutrition management and healthy restaurant eating. The author has an active presence on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Guidelines (Restrictions)
ADA also sets out certain guidelines for diabetes patients regarding alcohol, sodium in-take, super foods, eating out, fats, fruits, dairy, lean meats, non-starchy vegetables, drinks, sugar and desserts, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols;
Alcohol: The association suggests that if you choose to drink alcohol, you should limit its amount and have it with food, but only after consulting your health care team. It is of vital importance to communicate your drinking habits to your doctor before he/she prescribes a diabetes pill.
– Sodium In-take: American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes have 2,300 mg or less per day. If someone has diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure), they should be shooting for 1,500mg or less per day.
– Dietary Super foods: Beans, dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, fish high in Omega-3 acids, whole grains, nuts, fat-free milk and yogurt have been advised by ADA as foods that every diabetic patient should eat to superpower their diet.
– Eating out: ADA sets out detailed guidelines to help diabetic patients in eating out. It is about making the right and healthy choices and dining on time,
as per the directions laid out by ADA.
– Fats: ADA distinguishes between healthy and unhealthy fats and further categorizes the fats that are good for diabetic patients and those that are poisonous for them.
– Fruits: ADA also sets out the amount and type of fruits diabetic patients should take while keeping the diabetes under control.
– Dairy: Fat-free, low-fat, plain non-fat yogurt, non-fat light yogurt, unflavored
soy milk have been classified as the best choices for dairy products.
– Lean meats: The best choices for lean meats are the cuts of meats and meat alternatives that are lower in saturated fat and calories, such as Dried Beans, Legumes, Peas, Lentils, fish and seafood, poultry without skin, eggs, beef, pork, veal and lamb.
– Non-starchy vegetables: The best choices are fresh, frozen and canned vegetable and vegetable juices without added sugar, sodium or fat.
– Drinks: ADA recommends choosing zero-calorie or very low calorie drinks, such as water, unsweetened teas, coffee, diet soda, other low calorie drinks and mixes.
– Sugar and Desserts: ADA suggests that the key to keeping your blood glucose levels on target is to substitute small portions of sweets and
sweeteners for other carb-containing foods in your meals and snacks.
– Artificial Sweeteners: There are five artificial sweeteners that have been tested and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), namely acesulfame potassium (also called acesulfame K), aspartame, saccharin, sucralose and neotame. These sweeteners are used by food companies to make diet drinks, baked goods, frozen desserts, candy, light yogurt, and chewing gum and can be bought by patients to use as table top sweeteners.
Diabetic Patients can add them to coffee, tea, or sprinkle them on top of fruit.
Some are also available in ?granular? versions which can be used in cooking and baking.
Exercise (Fitness Guidelines)
Other than the food-related guidelines, recommendations and restrictions, the ADA also laid out a detailed fitness programme for diabetic patients. The guidelines range from the type to the timing, intensity and do’s and don’ts of exercise and workout routines, tailored specifically for diabetic patients.
People with pre-diabetes, diabetes or the general adult public are advised to aim for a minimum of 30 minutes most days. Walking, gardening, doing yard work, swimming, or cleaning house will all work to meet this goal. Anything that increases your heart rate and causes you to break a light sweat. Children and teens are advised to aim for at least 60 minutes most days.
Social Media
The association is active on the social media, having its profile up and running
on twitter, facebook, youtube and pinterest.
Reviews
The ADA meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability set out by BBB. The association was declared to meet the standards in the areas of board oversight, board size, board meetings, board composition, conflict of interest, effectiveness policy, effectiveness report, program expenses, fund raising expenses, accumulating funds, audit report, detailed expense break-down, accurate expense reporting, budget plan, truthful materials, annual report, website disclosures, donor privacy, cause marketing disclosures as well as complaints.
