A doctor may refer you to a dietitian for nutrition therapy to make sure that you're eating the best diet possible for your health condition. A qualified dietitian will assess your current diet and help you develop a meal plan that will allow you to learn healthier eating habits.

A cold glass of milk invigorates your taste buds and gives you a boost of calcium, but people with diabetes need to be selective with their milk choices. Milk provides important nutrients for bone health, but some varieties contain large amounts of saturated fat and sugar, which should be limited in a diabetic diet.

Insulin, a hormone secreted by your pancreas, helps control the amount of glucose in your blood. Glucose, also called sugar, is your body's main source of energy. The food you eat is converted to glucose and then driven into your body's cells where it can be used as fuel. Insulin plays a major role in this process.

Like any long-term illness, diabetes can affect physical, mental and social well-being. The hallmark abnormality with diabetes is high blood sugar, or glucose. Exposure to high glucose levels often damages small and large blood vessels over time, leading to a variety of possible physical complications.

Irritability is an emotional state characterized by feelings of frustration or annoyance, according to the medical website Wrong Diagnosis. Irritability has many causes, the most common of which is a stressful life situation.

The American Diabetes Association calls spinach a diabetes superfood and recommends that you regularly include this dark green leafy non-starchy vegetable in your diet.

A healthy diabetic diet can include any food in moderation, as long as it allows you to keep your blood sugar levels within target. However, "moderation" may be difficult to apply to some foods because of their very high carbohydrate content. Some foods also seem to trigger cravings or promote overeating.

Dried figs have a moderate ranking on the glycemic index, or GI. If you’re planning meals and snacks based on the GI value of the foods you eat, you can eat dried figs without experiencing a rapid, marked increase in your blood sugar.

Although most people equate diabetes with high blood sugars, individuals using insulin or certain diabetes pills may experience low blood sugar levels, especially if they miss a meal or exercise more than usual. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, may be mild and easily treated or can worsen to a medical emergency.

Januvia is a brand name for an oral anti-hyperglycemic drug that lowers blood sugar or glucose levels. This prescription medication contains the active ingredient sitagliptin and belongs to a class of drugs called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors.

Coffee is a popular pick-me-up and morning drink for many people. If you have diabetes and are watching your blood glucose levels, you should be thoughtful about adding sugar and creamer to your coffee. Both of these items can increase your blood sugar level.

Low blood sugar during the night can be a concern for people with diabetes, especially those on insulin. A 2003 study published in "Diabetes Care" investigated the impact of snack composition on nightly blood sugars in adults with Type 1 diabetes.