How can I help my patients develop healthier eating habits?

Ask your patients to think of one thing they are interested in and willing to do to improve their eating habits (for example, eating one additional vegetable serving a day). Discuss the nutritional guidelines below with your patients.

• Eat more fruits and vegetables, legumes, and whole and minimally processed grains.
• The “plate method” is a convenient way for some patients to monitor the amounts and proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, and nonstarchy vegetables in their diets. In addition, Rate Your Plate in the Diabetes Care Guide Toolkit is a handout that patients can use to quickly assess the nutritional value of their meals.
• Limit refined carbohydrates such as pasta, white bread, and low-fiber cereal. (A minimum of 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day is recommended.)
• Eat mono- and polyunsaturated fats (e.g., olive oil, canola oil, nuts/seeds, and fish, particularly those high in omega-3 fatty acids). Oily fish twice per week, such as salmon, herring, lake trout, sardines, and albacore tuna, is an ample source of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Foods high in dietary cholesterol, such as egg yolks, red meat, whole-fat dairy foods, and organ meats, should be limited.

From the ACP Diabetes Care Guide.