Diabetes Diet Plan
Diabetes Diet Plan
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Eat Healthy

Having diabetes doesn’t mean you will need to give up enjoyable and delicious food. With a little meal planning, you can find foods you love that will also help you control your blood sugar.

Work with your doctor, registered dietitian, or certified diabetes educator to develop a personal meal plan. The Shopping List (PDF Format) will help make your grocery shopping easier – just print it and go!

Guide to better fast-food choices

Sometimes you have to eat on the go. Make smart choices and balance your meals out with healthy meals at home. Here's some food for thought next time you're out and about:

  • Eat moderate amounts while limiting fat and salt. It's easy to eat an entire day's worth of fat, salt and calories in just one fast-food meal. But it's also easy to make good choices and enjoy a fairly healthy meal.
  • When ordering from the menu, stay away from items that are "jumbo," "giant," "deluxe," or "super-sized," since these items tend to have more calories.
  • Choose grilled or broiled sandwiches with lean meats such as turkey or chicken breast. Avoid toppings such as mayonnaise, and add flavor with lettuce, tomato, and onion.
  • Ordering a salad can be a good choice, but watch out for high-fat toppings like dressings, bacon bits, cheeses, and croutons.
  • Stick to soft tacos and other non-fried items when eating Mexican fast food. Choose chicken over beef.
  • Feel free to pile on extra lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa, but go easy on cheese, sour cream, and refried beans.
  • Choose the thin-crust pizza with vegetable toppings and limit your portion to 1-2 slices.
  • Leave off the meat and extra cheese, since they add calories, fat, and sodium.

A food plan to go

For better options on the run, consider:

  • Grilled chicken
  • Whole wheat rolls or bread
  • Fruit or cottage cheese
  • Salad with dressing on the side or fat-free
  • Single hamburger, regular or children's size
  • Low-fat deli sandwiches on wheat or pita bread
  • Wrap or whole wheat tortilla (no dressing)
  • Fat-free/low-fat milk or water
  • Low-fat or sugar-free frozen yogurt

And stay away from:

  • All-you-can-eat buffets
  • Fries and onion rings
  • Super-sizing

7 ways to make better choices

  1. Trade a high-fat food for a low-fat choice every week.
  2. Make your meal look bigger by serving it on a salad or dessert plate.
  3. Package half of your restaurant meal "to go" before you start eating.
  4. Curb your appetite by drinking a glass of water 10 minutes before each meal.
  5. Still hungry right after a meal? Wait 20 minutes—it takes that long for your brain to know your stomach is full.
  6. People tend to eat more in front of the TV. Turn off the set and try listening to music during your meal.
  7. If you need extra help creating a meal plan you can stay with, visit a registered dietitian or a certified diabetes educator.



Please see important safety information below for Avandia, Avandamet and Avandaryl, including boxed WARNINGS and who should not take Avandia, Avandamet and Avandaryl.

Avandia (rosiglitazone maleate)

Avandia, along with diet and exercise, helps improve blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Avandia can cause or worsen heart failure. If you have severe heart failure (very poor pumping ability of the heart), you cannot be started on Avandia. Avandia is also not recommended if you have heart failure with symptoms (such as shortness of breath or swelling) even if these symptoms are not severe.

Avandia may increase your risk of other heart problems that occur when there is reduced blood flow to the heart, such as chest pain (angina) or heart attack (myocardial infarction). This risk appeared higher in patients taking medicines called nitrates or insulin. Taking Avandia with insulin or with nitrates is not recommended.

If you have chest pain or a feeling of chest pressure, you should seek immediate medical attention, regardless of what diabetes medicines you are taking.

If you take Avandia, tell your doctor right away if you:

  • Have swollen legs or ankles, a rapid increase in weight or difficulty breathing, or unusual tiredness
  • Experience changes in vision
  • Become pregnant

Review your medical history and tell your doctor if you:

  • Have heart failure or other heart problems
  • Have liver problems or liver disease
  • Are pregnant or are nursing

Women taking Avandia should know that Avandia may increase the risk of pregnancy.

More fractures have been observed in women taking Avandia.

For more information about Avandia, please see the Medication Guide. For further information on Avandia, please see full
Prescribing Information.

Avandamet (rosiglitazone maleate/metformin HCl)

Avandamet, along with diet and exercise, helps improve blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes. It is a combination of two drugs - rosiglitazone maleate and metformin HCl.

Avandamet can cause or worsen heart failure. If you have severe heart failure (very poor pumping ability of the heart), you cannot be started on Avandamet. Avandamet is also not recommended if you have heart failure with symptoms (such as shortness of breath or swelling) even if these symptoms are not severe.

Rosiglitazone, a component of Avandamet, may increase your risk of other heart problems that occur when there is reduced blood flow to the heart, such as chest pain (angina) or heart attack (myocardial infarction). This risk appeared higher in patients taking medicines called nitrates or insulin. Taking rosiglitazone with insulin or with nitrates is not recommended.

If you have chest pain or a feeling of chest pressure, you should seek immediate medical attention, regardless of what diabetes medicines you are taking.

A small number of people who have taken metformin, one of the components of Avandamet, have developed a rare yet serious condition called lactic acidosis (a buildup of lactic acid in the blood). Lactic acidosis occurs most often in people with kidney problems and can be fatal in up to one half of the cases. You should not take Avandamet if you have kidney problems. Tests should be used to check your kidneys before and while taking Avandamet. You should not drink alcohol excessively when taking Avandamet. If you are taking medicines for heart failure, you may be at increased risk of lactic acidosis.

If you take Avandamet, tell your doctor right away if you:

  • Have swollen legs or ankles, a rapid increase in weight or difficulty breathing, or unusual tiredness
  • Experience changes in vision
  • Become pregnant

Review your medical history and tell your doctor if you:

  • Have heart failure or other heart problems
  • Have liver problems or liver disease
  • Are pregnant or are nursing

Women taking Avandamet should know that Avandamet may increase the risk of pregnancy

More fractures have been observed in women taking Avandamet.

For more information about Avandamet, please see Patient Information. For further information on Avandamet, please see full Prescribing Information.

Avandaryl (rosiglitazone maleate and glimepiride)

Avandaryl, along with diet and exercise, helps improve blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Avandaryl is a combination of two drugs - rosiglitazone maleate and glimepiride.

Avandaryl can cause or worsen heart failure. If you have severe heart failure (very poor pumping ability of the heart), you cannot be started on Avandaryl. Avandaryl is also not recommended if you have heart failure with symptoms (such as shortness of breath or swelling) even if these symptoms are not severe.

Rosiglitazone, a component of Avandaryl, may increase your risk of other heart problems that occur when there is reduced blood flow to the heart, such as chest pain (angina) or heart attack (myocardial infarction). This risk appeared higher in patients taking medicines called nitrates or insulin. Taking rosiglitazone with insulin or with nitrates is not recommended.

If you have chest pain or a feeling of chest pressure, you should seek immediate medical attention, regardless of what diabetes medicines you are taking.

Avandaryl may cause low blood sugar. Lightheadedness, dizziness, shakiness or hunger may mean that your blood sugar is too low. If you have kidney problems, you may need a lower dose of Avandaryl to reduce problems with low blood sugar. Talk to your doctor if low blood sugar is a problem for you.

If you take Avandaryl, tell your doctor right away if you:

  • Have swollen legs or ankles, a rapid increase in weight or difficulty breathing, or unusual tiredness
  • Experience changes in vision
  • Become pregnant

Review your medical history and tell your doctor if you:

  • Have heart failure or other heart problems
  • Have liver problems or liver disease
  • Are pregnant or are nursing

Women taking Avandaryl should know that Avandaryl may increase the risk of pregnancy

More fractures have been observed in women taking Avandaryl .

For more information about Avandaryl, please see Patient Information. For further information on Avandaryl, please see full Prescribing Information.