Download “Eat moderate portions of carbs and protein every 4 to 5 hours”

General Nutrition Guidelines for Controlling Blood Sugars
Carbohydrates
Provide energy
Energy is glucose
Eat at least every 4 to 5 hours


Eat meals about the same time each day.
If meals are farther than 5 hours apart, have small snacks.
Include carbohydrate and protein in each meal
Carbohydrate can
be found in milk,
yogurt, starchy
vegetables, fruit,
grains (bread,
cereal, pasta,
crackers, rice…),
and sweets.
* Try to eat the
same amount of
carbohydrate at
each meal
Eat moderate portions



If overweight, decrease amounts of all foods eaten by ¼.
Eat non-starchy vegetables in unlimited amounts.
Eat a variety of foods each day including whole grains, fruits,
low-fat dairy products, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats.
Limit sugar, sweets and fats



Eat sweets, salty foods and fried foods in small amounts.
Limit added fats like salad dressing and mayonnaise.
Save dessert for special occasions, split a portion, and use
no-added sugar versions. Try fruit as a substitute.
 Choose water or sugar-free beverages instead of juices, regular
soda, and sweet tea.
Increase activity and/or exercise daily
Protein
Slows digestion of carbs
Protein is found in
red meat, fish,
poultry, nuts,
cheese, eggs, tuna,
cottage cheese,
lunchmeat, and
peanut butter.
*Lean cuts of meat
include eye,
round, tip, top and
loin.


Daily exercise is ideal, at least 20 minutes up to an hour daily.
Combine aerobic and strength training exercises for maximum
impact.
 Get approval from your doctor before starting or resuming your
program.
 If you are on insulin, check your blood sugars before and after
exercise.
 Do not exercise if your blood sugar is below 100 or above 240.
Limit alcohol



If you drink, do so in moderation (1 to 2 drinks less than daily).
Always have something to eat with an alcoholic drink.
Be aware that some diabetes medications are not compatible with
alcohol.
Have a snack at bedtime if dinner was 3 or 4 hours
earlier. Include carbohydrate and protein, such as:



A slice of cheese and 6 saltines
Half a sandwich
A small banana and a small handful of almonds
“Eat moderate portions of carbs and protein every 4 to 5 hours”
Free Condiments – Salt/Salt Sub/Pepper/Sugar Sub
Free Beverages – Coffee/Tea/Water/Diet Soft Drink
Dinner
Lunch
Breakfast
CHOICES
DAY 1
DAY 2
2 Meats
4 Carbohydrates (Starch, Fruit,
or Milk)
2 Egg Omelet
1 English Muffin
1 cup Home-fried Potatoes
1/4 cup Pecans in Cereal
1 cup (cooked) Oatmeal
2 Tbsp Raisins
1/2 Banana
6 Slices Turkey Bacon
2, 4” Whole Grain Waffles
2 Tbsp Light Syrup
3/4 cup Blueberries
1 Fat
Free Foods
1 tsp oil in the Potatoes
2 tsp Sugar-free Jam
1 Tbsp Low-fat Margarine
1 Tbsp Low-fat Margarine
2 Meats
4 Carbohydrates
(Starch, Fruit, or Milk)
2 Meats in Chili
1 cup Chili
½ cup Mandarin Oranges
2” square Cornbread
1/2 cup Tuna Salad
1 Whole Wheat Pita
1 Mango
6 oz. Lite Yogurt
2 Meats in Tacos
2 Chicken Soft-shell Tacos
1 cup Skim Milk
1 Small Orange
2 Vegetables
2 cups Carrots and Celery
Sticks
¾ cup Cucumbers Marinated
in Vinegar
2 cups Tossed Salad
1 Fat
Free Foods
2 Tbsp Low-fat Dressing
1 tsp Sugar-free Jam
1 Tbsp Lite Mayo in Tuna
Lettuce, Tomato in Pita
2 Tbsp Guacamole
2 Tbsp Fat-free Dressing
4 Meats
4 Carbohydrates
(Starch, Fruit, or Milk)
4 oz Baked Chicken
1 cup Un-buttered Mashed
Potatoes
1 small Dinner Roll
1 cup Skim Milk
12 Medium Grilled Shrimp
1 cup Brown Rice
½ cup Pineapple in Lite Syrup
4 oz Grilled Steak
½ large Baked Potato
1 slice Bread
1 Kiwi
2 Vegetables
1 cup Cooked Broccoli
2 Fats
2 Tbsp Low-Fat Margarine
1 cup Roasted Green and
Red Pepper with Onion
2 Tbsp Low-fat Margarine
½ cup Sautéed Mushrooms
½ cup Green Beans
1 Tbsp Low-fat Margarine
2 Tbsp Lite Sour Cream
1 Tbsp Steak Sauce
3 Graham Crackers
4 Rice Cakes
6 cups Lite Popcorn
1 1/2 Tbsp Reduced-fat
Cream Cheese
1 ½ tsp Almond Butter
1 Fat in Popcorn
Free Foods
Snacks
DAY 3
2 Carbohydrates
(Starch, Fruit, or Milk)
1 Fat
Most women need: 3 to 4 carbohydrate choices (45 to 60 grams) at each meal.
Most men need: 4 to 5 carbohydrate choices (60 to 75 grams) at each meal.
*Based on 2000 calorie per day diet
Heart-Healthy Living
Tips to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke
Get plenty of fiber (25+ grams daily)
 Soluble fiber is ideal, found particularly in legumes, oats, flax,
psyllium, citrus, prunes and pears
 2-plus cups vegetables daily
 2-plus cups fruit daily
 4-plus servings whole-grains daily (3+ gm fiber bread, 5+ gm cereal)
 Legumes (kidney and pinto beans, split peas … ) often
Choose heart-healthy fats
 Omega-3 fats (1 to 2 grams daily)
 Fatty fish 2 or more times weekly
 1 Tbsp. ground flax daily (good fiber source also)
 2 Tbsp. nuts daily (good fiber source also)
 Monounsaturated fats
 Olives, nuts, nut butters, seeds, avocado
 Oils—canola, olive, peanut
Consume plant sterols (2 to 3 grams daily) if lipid levels are high
 Naturally in all plant-based foods
 Fortified in many foods and some supplements
Limit intake of saturated fat (12 to 16 grams or less daily) and
cholesterol (200 to 300 mg daily)
 Animal products
 Limit to 6 oz. meat, poultry, fish daily
 Avoid fried and grill, bake or broil instead
 Use lean meat cuts—eye, round, tip, top, loin
A healthy diet is essential for preventing
heart disease, as the
foods we eat on a routine basis impact our
weight,
cholesterol
numbers, glucose levels and blood pressure.
 Choose skinless, white meat poultry
 Have fish (especially fatty types like salmon and sardines) 2 or
more times weekly
 No more than 1 whole egg daily, egg whites/sub as desired
 Tropical oils— avoid palm, palm kernel and coconut oil
 Limit added fats to 2 to 3 tsp. daily and avoid solid fats
When these factors are
normal, the heart stays
healthy and strong.
 Use legumes and vegetarian meat as animal product alternatives
 Use Fat-free, low-fat and reduced-fat items
Avoid trans-fats (0 to 2 grams daily)
 Hydrogenated fats in processed foods like non-dairy creamers,
margarine, chips, crackers and cookies
A few basic guidelines
can help get or keep
you on track.
Maintain/achieve normal blood pressure

Limit salt intake to 1500 to 2300 mg sodium daily

Choose foods with little or no added salt

2-plus cups each fruits and vegetables daily to increase potassium and magnesium intake

2 to 3 servings non-fat, 1% or low-fat dairy daily for calcium content
Maintain/achieve normal blood glucose levels

Eat moderate portions of carbohydrate and protein each meal

Eat at least every 4 to 5 hours

Limit sweets to 100 to 150 calories or less daily

Limit/avoid juice and sugar-sweetened beverages
If you consume alcohol, do so in moderation

Up to 1 drink most days for women, up to 2 drinks most days for men

1 drink = 5 0z. Wine, 12 oz. beer, 1 1/2 oz. liquor
Aim for a healthy body weight

Balance calorie intake and physical activity to maintain a healthy weight

To lose weight

Take in fewer calories than you burn to lose weight

Eat portions that are 1/4 smaller than usual

Have a half-plate of veggies at lunch and dinner

Track food intake and physical activity

Minimize foods and beverages with added sugars
Be physically active

30—60 minutes or more most days

Minimize sedentary activities
Avoid the use of and exposure to tobacco products
Manage stress

Regularly take inventory of body’s cues for stress

Build tools for practicing stress relief
Practice good dental hygiene

Bleeding gums allow bacteria to inflame arteries and vessels
Get adequate sleep to feel rested

7 to 8 hours may be ideal for the majority of people
Know your vitamin D status and supplement to normal levels

Vitamin D at normal levels protects from inflammation

Supplement with 1,000 to 2,000 IU or per MD
Food Groups Grains: Make at least half of your grains whole Choose Daily Whole grain bread products Whole grain crackers & pret‐
zels Air popped popcorn Whole grain cereals Whole grain pasta Brown rice, quinoa, barley Corn or whole‐grain tortillas Oatmeal Whole grain granola bar Sometimes Foods Save for Special Occasions Cornbread Muffins Biscuits Crackers‐refined Sweetened cereals Granola French toast Pancakes Waffles Flour tortillas or fried taco shells Bakery products such as donuts, biscuits, croissants, Danish pas‐
tries, pies cookies, cake Snacks made with partially hydro‐
genated oils, including chips, snack mixes, regular crackers, butter‐flavored popcorn Vegetables: Fresh, frozen, or canned vege‐ Frozen vegetables in sauce Vary your veggies, the more color‐ tables (without added fat and Potatoes no added salt) ful the better Fried vegetables Hash browns, fried potatoes Fruits: Focus on whole fruits of varied colors Fresh or frozen fruit (no sauce) Canned fruit (canned in its own juice, water, or extra light syrup) Fruit canned in light syrup Dried fruit 100% juice Fruit in heavy syrup or sauces Fruit drinks with <100% juice Sweetened juices or drinks Milk: Get your calcium rich foods daily Nonfat or 1% milk or butter‐
milk Reduced fat cheese ( made with 2% milk) Nonfat or low fat yogurt or cottage cheese 2% white or chocolate milk Hard full fat cheese Pudding made with low fat milk 2% or higher cottage cheese Whole milk, yogurt, or ice‐cream Processed cheese Custard Eggnog Meat and other protein foods: Go lean with protein by choosing low‐fat and lean cuts of meat Bake, broil, grill, poach or braise meats as much as possible Fish (fresh or frozen) Skinless poultry Lean cuts of beef and pork (loin, round, lean hamburger) Ground meat, 10% fat or less Venison and other wild game Meat alternatives (such as Boca or Morningstar farms products) Canned fish packed in water Egg whites/substitute Dried beans and peas Nuts and seeds Nut butters (peanut, almond) Tofu Ham roast, ham cutlets Ground meat with > 10% fat Canned fish packed in oil Beans cooked in oil Whole eggs Duck Shellfish Center cut bacon Light chicken or turkey sausage Lunch meat ( 98% fat free, without nitrates or nitrites) Fried fish Higher fat cuts of meat (ribs, t‐
bone steak, regular hamburger) Ground meat with > 20% fat Bacon or sausage Cold cuts (salami, bologna, pep‐
peroni) Poultry with skin Corned beef Fried meat, poultry, fish Hot dogs Organ meats (liver, brains, sweet‐
breads) Fats and oils Go easy on your portion sizes, a little fat goes a long way Unsaturated Fats: Oils—Canola, olive, peanut Salad dressings Nuts and seeds Avocado Mayonnaise Olives Saturated Fats: Tropical oils (coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils) Butter or Lard Light sour cream Reduced fat cream cheese Non‐dairy creamer Half and half Trans fats: Stick margarine & some spreads Shortening Hydrogenated fats Saturated fats: Regular sour cream Regular cream cheese Cream