I have pre-diabetes and have just been diagnosed with high blood pressure as well. My doctor says to watch my sodium intake. I feel like I’ve been hit with a double whammy! In addition to trying to lose weight and watch my carb intake, I now have to watch my salt as well. Could you give me some low salt ideas for dinner meals?

The best way to ensure that you are eating a low sodium diet is to ditch foods in cans and boxes. Stick to fresh and frozen as often as possible. Even some frozen meats have added salt, so be sure to read labels.
Make meals with fresh turkey, chicken or pork. Your sides should consist of fresh vegetables and whole grains. Most grains such as brown rice, quinoa and barley are naturally low in sodium. If you don’t have the time to prepare your veggies from scratch, you can substitute frozen, but make sure they are plain, no added sauces or flavors that will spike the sodium level.
Add all your own flavors to your food, don’t buy pre-marinated or seasoned foods. Stick with Salt-free seasonings and marinades such as Mrs Dash. You can also create your own low sodium season mixes with fresh or dried herbs and spices.
It may seem like a real challenge at first to keep your sodium intake within the suggested 2400 milligrams a day, but once you make it routine, it won’t seem that hard anymore. I actually struggle sometimes to get up to the suggested amount.

My husband was diagnosed with diabetes as few months ago and has been working hard to lose weight and control his blood sugar. Each year we have a family gathering for thanksgiving that includes lots of food (large turkey dinner with all the trimmings and assorted pies & cakes for dessert). What are your suggestions to ensure my husband doesn’t overeat but also does not feel deprived this thanksgiving?

Your husband should still be able to enjoy the traditional holiday foods, but in moderation. He should fill his plate mainly with light meat turkey and vegetables, either fresh or steamed. He can sample the other not-so-good-for-you foods by taking about a tablespoon or less of each. Portion size is key. If possible, provide smaller plates so he doesn’t feel like he has to fill a normal or platter sized plate.
Make sure he waits about 20 minutes before going for seconds. This will allow his body time to realize it is full and he will be less likely to overeat.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last spring. I enjoy eating hearty soups in the fall and winter months. Can I still eat soup? Are there any soups that are better for me to eat than others?

Soups can actually be a really good food choice if you are mindful of what goes into it. The broth helps to make you feel full fast and you can incorporate all kinds of healthy ingredients into it.
Making it yourself is probably your best bet. Find or make your own fat-free, low sodium broth and then add frozen or fresh vegetables, lean meats that have been trimmed then baked, boiled or grilled, and if desired, add whole-wheat noodles to make it a complete meal. You can also add different varieties of dried or low sodium, rinsed canned beans to add protein, fiber and flavor. Jazz it up with your choice of fresh or dried salt-free herbs and spices.
For times when you can’t prepare it from scratch, keep a few cans of Campbell’s Select Harvest Heart Healthy soups on hand. They are low in calories, sodium, fat and contain nutritious ingredients.

My doctor has diagnosed me with diabetes and has told me to lose weight. I have heard about high protein diets, low fat/high carb diets, and many others. I want a sound diet instead of a fad. What type of diet is best given my situation?

I think your first step would be looking at this transition as a lifestyle change rather than a diet and then consult an updated food pyramid, or better yet, creat your own at www.MyPyramid.gov. We are learning that in addition to all other differences we have such as appearance and personality, all individuals are unique in the diet they should be eating. Recently, physical activity has been added to the pyramid, showing that nutrition and exercise go hand in hand when controlling weight and lifestyle diseases.
In general, eat fresh as often as possible. The greater amount of whole, non-processed foods you consume, the better.
Getting lean sources of protein with each meal is important. Stick to complex carbs such as brown rice, whole wheat pastas, quinoa and whole-grain breads. These two groups together should make up half of your meal, fill the remaining half with fruits and/or vegetables.
Preparation can be just as important as the food itself. Stay away from breaded, battered and deep-fried foods. Stick to foods that have been baked, boiled, broiled, steamed, grilled or served fresh.

I have diabetes and work long hours. I usually eat lunch at my desk while working. I’m struggling with what I can have for lunch. Could you give me some tips on what to pack for lunch at work?

My first suggestion for you, if you are not already doing so, would be to try to make lunch a small meal by eating healthy snacks throughout the day. Having breakfast, a mid-morning snack, a small lunch and then an afternoon snack will not only speed up your metabolism but may help control sugar spikes or drops.

If you are trying to keep your diet within about 1300-1500 calories, plan to get about 400 at breakfast, 200 in your morning snack, 300 at lunch and another 200 on your afternoon snack. This leaves approximately 200-400 calories for dinner.

Now what should your snacks and meals consist of? Since you are working at work and usually at your desk, you will want foods that are portable and easy to consume. For your morning snack, consider a banana and a serving of unsalted nuts, or an apple with a tbsp of all natural peanut butter. For lunch you could do a small salad made with fresh spinach leaves, fresh veggies of your choice and then a half sandwich of homemade tuna or another low sodium, lean meat. You could opt to make a larger salad and forego the sandwich. Make sure you add a protein and fat source to the salad such as olives, meats, beans and/or avocados. Other options would include wraps in whole wheat tortillas paired with fresh vegetables or pitas. Keep in mind to make fresh, natural choices and if you are short on time and must bring something that is already prepared, lean cuisine and healthy choice do have quite a few options that are all natural, whole grains and 300 calories or less, of course they are still higher in sodium so keep these to a minimum. For an afternoon snack, grab some carrot sticks and a tbsp or two of hummus to dip in. Or find a healthy snack bar that you like and is preferably all  natural. I would suggest Luna, larabar or Clif bars.

I was just diagnosed with pre-diabetes. The nurse told me to eat lots of vegetables. Could you tell me what “lots of vegetables” means and what type of vegetables to consume? Also, how should I prepare them?

You should strive to get a minimum of 3-5 cups of vegetables a day. Any vegetables are good, but try to eat a variety so you are not consuming too much of any one kind.

Stick to buying fresh or frozen varieties. Canned often lack the nutritional benefits of fresh and have a lot of added sodium. The three best ways to lock in nutrition while keeping calories and fat low is to bake, steam or eat them raw.

Is it ok to eat peas & carrots if you have diabetes? I heard to avoid those two veggies.

I had to do some research in order to answer this question and the following information came from www.carrotmuseum.co.uk

“There has been conflicting evidence as the whether people with diabetes should eat carrots and confusing advice about how much sugar there is in carrots and what their true glycemic number is, and therefore some advisors err on the side of caution and do not recommend you eat them. The current thinking is that carrots are now an “ok” food for diabetics (medium effect on blood sugar levels), so the advice from the World Carrot Museum is that carrots are fine in moderation and you should, as always,  consult your health practitioner or dietician should there be any concerns and before contemplating a change in diet. Avoiding carrots because of their Glycemic Index ranking would be a big mistake, particularly given all the vitamins and minerals they contain and the low Glycemic Load of each serving.  As seen elsewhere in this site, carrots are highly nutritous and can provide significant health benefits for several organs of the body.”

As for peas, they are a quality complex carbohydrate that is high in soluble fiber. They are effective in reducing the risk of diabetes. They assist in regulating blood glucose levels, lowering blood pressure, protects against macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. They are also a good source of non-meat protein.