Diabetes is becoming more and more common in North America. According to health.gov, one in 10 Americans have diabetes and another 84 million adults in the United States are at high risk of developing the disease. People of all ages are at risk, but a 2009 article in the “International Journal of Diabetes Mellitus” suggests that by the year 2025, two-thirds of the people who have diabetes will be age 60 or older.
In addition to complications of diabetes, older diabetics are more likely to have hypertension, cardiovascular disease or dyslipidemia as well. This means that seniors with diabetes must take extra care to follow the advice of doctors as far as treatment options go, especially since some cases might require regular doses of insulin, and must be carefully monitored. However, your diabetes treatment plan will likely mean an adjustment to your diet, whether you are on medication or not.
Standard Diabetes Diet
This diet is often prescribed to patients with diabetes. The goal of this diet is to help keep blood sugar levels stable by controlling portion size, regular meal times, and including the right foods in your diet. This diet is typically rich in nutrients and low in calories and fat.
A rough macronutrient breakdown looks like this: carbohydrates make up 45 percent to 65 percent of total daily calories, then 25 percent to 35 percent of daily calories from fat, with the remainder of calories from protein. These are rough guidelines and everyone’s ideal levels will be slightly different, so it’s important to check with your doctor or a nutritionist before you start this type of diet as part of your treatment plan.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates have the biggest impact on blood sugar, due to how they are broken down in the body. When you eat carbohydrates, digestible forms are turned into sugar, which enters the bloodstream and triggers insulin production. The problem comes when diabetics can’t produce enough insulin, or can’t properly use what it makes.
This is why diabetics need to be careful about which types of carbohydrates they eat. The best options are those that are also high in fiber, since this help to regulate blood sugar. Great options for whole grains are oatmeal, popcorn, brown rice, and quinoa. You should also focus on starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, parsnips, pumpkin, green peas, squash, corn, beans, and lentils.
In addition to these types of carbohydrates, you should also eat plenty of non-starchy vegetables per day, such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, and dark leafy greens. (About three to five servings is a good number to aim for.)
Fats
We often hear that fat is bad for us, but this isn’t entirely true. The body needs a certain amount of fat in the diet in order to function properly. However, the type of fat makes a big difference: you want to avoid foods containing saturated fat or trans fat.
Instead, focus on healthier fats from things like avocados, nuts, and olives. Keep in mind that even though these fats are healthy, you really need to carefully watch your portions. These foods can be quite calorie dense, so it’s easy to overindulge.
Protein
There is no universal “right” amount of protein recommendation that suits everyone. Everybody is different and therefore will have different needs when it comes to protein. Discuss your needs with a doctor or nutritionist to get a better idea of how much of your diet should be made up of protein.
Once you know how much you need each day, make sure you choose healthier, lean sources like fish, or skinless poultry like chicken or turkey. Keep in mind that you don’t have to get all (or any of) your protein from meat alone. You can also get protein from nonfat or low-fat dairy products and legumes.
Special diet concerns for seniors
Many seniors with diabetes also have other health concerns to deal with at the same time. In these cases, it might not be enough to stick to the standard diabetes diet alone. Talk to your doctor about any adjustments you might need to make to the diabetes diet to ensure you stay healthy and keep your body happy.
At Bria Communities, we have 16 years of experience working with nutritionists to plan menus that address the special dietary needs of seniors. Our regular menu incorporates the basics of the standard diabetes diet into all our daily meals. Our chefs consider portion size, carb control, and lean proteins as part of their planning, which means everyone can enjoy the menu selections without having to worry too much about whether or not they fit into their diet plan.
In some cases, residents have dietary needs that extend beyond our standard menu plans. We work with these residents to create meals that work for them. Often this means preparing a la carte items as replacements for offered menu items, and creating specialized versions of their favourite dishes for them to enjoy. (For example, if a resident’s favourite dish is tapioca pudding, we can create a special sugar free portion just for them.)
Our approach is that every resident deserves the healthiest and tastiest meal possible every time. We’re happy to make it easy to find options that suit their needs.
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