Healthy Eating If You Have Diabetes Prior to the session, be sure that you have tested your AV equipment and have all of your handouts ready. Welcome the participants as they enter the room. If you are using a virtual platform, be sure to welcome those participants as well. Provide the logistical details for the session ─ the length of the session, and when and how to ask questions. Be sure to include some interactive elements during the session to maintain participant interest. Just be sure to monitor the time and keep the session moving. Start the session on time.

Discussion Topics Why have a meal plan? Eating healthy with diabetes. “Welcome, today we will be discussing how to plan meals and eat healthy with diabetes.”

Your Meal Plan You can keep your blood sugar levels on target by Making wise food choices. Being physically active. Taking medicines, if needed. Read the slide. “For people with diabetes, particularly those taking certain diabetes medicines, following a schedule for meals, snacks, and physical activity is important. Work with your health care team to create a diabetes plan that will work best for you.”

Your Meal Plan Your meal plan helps you choose … What to eat. How much to eat. When to eat. Read the slide. “Your diabetes health care team may help you develop a meal plan. A meal plan helps you to reach your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol goals (the ABCs). Making wise food choices can help you to feel good every day; lose weight if you need to; and lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and other problems caused by diabetes. Physical activity and, if needed, diabetes medicines also help.”

Your Meal Plan Your meal plan should be based on What you like to eat and drink. Your daily schedule. The number of calories you need to reach or maintain your target weight. Your physical activity schedule and routine. The timing and type of any diabetes medicines you may take. Read the slide. “Ask your health care provider to refer you to a dietitian who specializes in diabetes. A dietitian can assist you in developing a meal plan that helps you to reach your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol goals. The plan can also help you in achieving and maintaining your target weight. The meal plan will be developed specifically for you ─ no two meal plans need to be alike.”

Healthy Eating Choose Your Plate. When eating a meal, a general guide is to fill - Half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. - One-quarter of your plate with a lean protein, such as beans, or chicken or turkey without the skin. - One-quarter of your plate with a whole grain, such as brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. When eating out, share a meal with someone else or take some home to eat at a later meal. Find out more at www.choosemyplate.gov. Read the slide. “Be sure to read food labels so that you know what a portion size is. Measure foods if you need to until you become familiar with accurate portion sizes.”

Eat Less Fat Look for ways to eat less fat Choose fewer high-fat foods and use less fat in cooking. - Bake, broil, or stew meats and fish instead of frying. - Use nonfat or low-fat salad dressings, mayonnaise, and margarine. - Use nonfat or 1% milk and low-fat cheeses. - Use low-fat flavorings, including spices and herbs. Read the slide. “What are you doing─ or could you be doing, to make healthier choices?”

Eat Less Fat Limit foods that are high in saturated fats or trans fats, such as Fatty cuts of meat. Fried foods. Whole milk and dairy products made from whole milk. Cakes, candy, cookies, crackers, and pies. Lard, shortening, stick margarine, and nondairy creamers. Read the slide. “Foods high in saturated fats or trans fats can increase the level of LDL (bad) cholesterol in your blood and increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. Limit these foods as much as possible. If you are unsure about how much or what types of fat a food contains, read the label or use resources from the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.”

Lower Fat and Calorie Substitutions Instead of this food: Fat (g) Calories Choose this food: Potato chips, 1-ounce bag 11 161 Pretzels, 1-ounce bag 1 108 Regular margarine, 1 tsp 4 34 Low-fat margarine, 2 17 Roast beef (chuck) untrimmed, 3 ounces 22 286 Roast beef (top round), trimmed, 3 ounces 153 2 Tbsp sour cream for topping for baked potato 6 ( 56 2 Tbsp salsa topping for baked potato 8 Chicken breast, with skin, breaded, fried 24 439 Chicken breast without skin, grilled 9 205 “Here are some examples of lower-fat and lower calorie substitutions. Selecting lower-fat options such as pretzels for a snack, low-fat margarine or salsa for a topping, and leaner cuts of meat and skinless, grilled chicken can all help in cutting fat and calories.”

Eat More Fiber Increase fiber by eating more whole-grain foods Breakfast cereals made with 100% whole grains. Oatmeal. Whole-grain rice and pasta. Whole-wheat bread, bagels, pita bread and tortillas. Read the slide.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit without added sugar. Dark green vegetables like broccoli, spinach and brussel sprouts. Orange vegetables, including carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and winter squash. Beans and peas (black beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, split peas, lentils). Read the slide. “Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, including dark green and orange, every day.”

Eat Less Sugar Eat less sugar by limiting foods such as Sugar-sweetened beverages. Fruit-flavored drinks. Tea or coffee sweetened with sugar. High-sugar desserts such as cakes, pies, or ice cream. Read the slide. “Read food labels to increase your awareness about the amount of sugar found in foods. Sugar comes in many forms, including sucrose, fructose, and corn syrup. Choose things like sugar free pudding, or fresh fruit”

Eat Less Salt Eat less salt by Using less salt in cooking and at the table. Eating fewer foods high in salt, such as─ - Canned and packaged soups. - Canned vegetables. - Pickles. - Processed meats. Read the slide. “It is easy to eat too much salt (sodium), which can contribute to high blood pressure. Canned and packaged foods can be high in sodium. Be sure to read the nutrition labels in addition to using less salt in cooking and at the table.”

Use Label Nutrition Facts Read the nutrition facts on labels for The number of servings in the can or package (often more than one serving) The amount of the following in each serving - Calories. - Total fat, saturated fat, and trans fats. - Sugar. - Sodium (salt). - Fiber. “You can also use the nutrition facts label to determine the calories, the number of servings, the amount of sugar, and the total fat in packaged foods. Check the serving size. The information on the label is based on the serving size. Keep in mind that packages often contain more than one serving. You want to limit the total fat, sugar, and sodium in your diet and increase the amount of fiber.

Your Plan What are two things that you can do to eat healthier starting this week? __________________________ “As you can see, there may be many small or large changes that you can make in order to eat healthier. Start by identifying two things that you can start to do this week. Making a small number of changes over time will increase your success.”

More Help Remember that healthy eating, physical activity, and diabetes medicines all help to prevent diabetes problems. “Studies show that people with type 2 diabetes who lose weight with physical activity and make healthy changes to their eating plan are less likely to need diabetes and heart medicines. Remember to ask your health care team about your healthy eating plan and all of your medicines. Ask whether you need to change the amount of medicine you take or the food you eat before any physical activity.” Note: Tell participants about the “Being Active If You Have Diabetes” session.

More Help Recipes and nutrition information for people with diabetes Tasty Recipes for People With Diabetes and Their Families. What I Need to Know About Eating and Diabetes. Interactive Meal Planning Tutorial for People With Diabetes. Find information on carbohydrate counting and the exchange method at www.diabetes.org. “You can find more nutrition information─ including recipes─ from the National Diabetes Education Program, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Dietetic Association web sites.”

Learning About Diabetes Learn How to Manage Your Diabetes Ask your doctor for a referral to a diabetes self-management education program recognized or accredited by the American Diabetes Association or the American Association of Diabetes Educators. Visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website to find a nutrition professional who can help you develop a healthy meal plan (www.eatright.org). “Learn all you can about diabetes. This has been a very general overview of healthy eating for people with diabetes. By working with a nutrition professional, you can develop a healthy meal plan based on your specific likes, needs, medications, activity level and more. Also, learn more about how to manage your diabetes at a diabetes self-management education program.”

For more information, call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) www.diabetesatwork.org “Thank you for your participation. Our next session will be (state when the next session will be held).” For more information, call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) TTY 1-888-232-6348, or visit www.cdc.gov/info To order resources, visit www.cdc.gov/diabetes/ndep