Healthy Eating

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Healthy Eating Diabetes
July 2006
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Healthy eating diabetes

• Session outline
• When to refer to a dietitian
• Aim of healthy eating
• Healthy eating guidelines
• Carbohydrates
• Fat
• Protein
• Alcohol
• Special considerations
• Pregnancy

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When to refer to a dietitian

• Refer to a dietitian, especially if client is
• Overweight / obese or underweight.
• Commencing insulin therapy.
• Unstable diabetes eg regular hypos or
  hyperglycaemia.
• Nutrition issues eg. Food intolerances, coeliac
  disease, high cholesterol, disordered eating.
• Pregnant.

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Healthy eating aims to

• Contribute to blood glucose control.
• Contribute to lipid control and control of blood
  pressure.
• Contribute to weight management.

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Healthy eating guidelines

• Enjoy a variety of foods every day.
• Eat regular, small to moderate sized meals.
• Include foods containing carbohydrates that are
  slowly digested (lower Glycaemic Index) and high
  in fibre.
• Limit salt intake.
• Aim for a healthy weight range.
• Include regular exercise.

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Carbohydrates (CHO)

• Carbohydrate foods should contribute
  approximately 50 of the daily energy intake.
• CHO to be included with every meal.
• CHO needs to be distributed evenly across the day.

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Best carbohydrates
Pasta
Low fat milk
Sweetcorn, sweetpotato
Dried beans / legumes
Low fat yoghurt
Multigrain / wholegrain breads, porridge, muesli,
Allbran, barley oats
Most fruit eg pears, oranges, apples
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Good carbohydrates
Basmati or Doongara rice
Dry biscuits eg Ryvita
Breakfast cereals eg Weetbix
Potato
Bananas, rockmelon, apricots, mangos, pineapples.
Wholemeal bread
Semolina, polenta, couscous
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Quick carbohydrates
Lollies eg Jelly beans, jubes
Ordinary jelly
Ordinary soft drinks / strong cordial / sports
drinks
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About fats
Canola has mostly mono-unsaturated fat but it is
a good source of omega 3 fats
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Protein foods
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Sample days intake
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Alcohol and diabetes

• Aim for no more than 4 (males) or 2 (females)
  standard drinks per day with 2 alcohol free days
  a week.
• Limit alcohol intake to special occasions if over
  weight, high BP, high TGs, poor diabetes
  control.
• Excessive drinking can cause a hypo if on
  insulin or some oral tablets. Always include a
  carbohydrate based snack / meal with alcohol (eg
  fruit, crackers or bread).
• Choose sugar free mixers.

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Special considerations

• Acute illness and convalescence
• May require increased protein / energy for
  healing eg post amputation surgery.
• If under weight / malnourished
• including extra fats may help with weight gain.
• increase the good fats eg poly/mono-unsaturated
  oils and magarine, nuts, seeds, avocado, olives,
  fish.
• Special diets for renal failure eg low
  potassium.
• Seek advice from a dietitian.

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PEG feeds or nasogastric feeding

• Dietitian involvement recommended.
• Feeding schedules need to be timed with insulin
  or medications.
• Usually use standard feed or a high fibre feed.
• Regular blood glucose monitoring is essential to
  guide adjustments in feeding regime / diabetes
  therapy.

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Sick day management / fasting

• May need to replace meals with carbohydrate
  fluids, eg
• Fruit juice
• Milkshakes, smoothies, milk drinks
• Sustagen
• Soups containing potato/noodles/pasta/beans
• Some situations may require use of sweetened
  drinks eg cordial, soft drinks, glucose/energy
  drinks
• May need some medication / insulin adjustment
  (consult Doctor)

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Pregnancy

• Same diet principals (eg regular CHO intake, low
  fat).
• Need to look at calcium, folate and iron intake.
• Saccharine and Cyclamate sweeteners NOT
  recommended.
• Use Spenda or Nutrasweet (in small amounts) if
  desired.
• Avoid alcohol.