Posted: May 1st, 2022

Assignment: Your mom is pre-diabetic and her doctor wants her to make some changes

Your mom is pre-diabetic and her doctor wants her to make some changes to her eating regimen and way of life. Record and clarify your high three meals/way of life recommendations and how you’d advocate that she incorporate them in her day. Be particular in your meals/way of life recommendations by providing substitutions to her present plan.

Present Plan: Your mom’s day consists of skipping breakfast and simply consuming 2 cups of espresso. She eats a bagel or sandwich with deli meat for lunch. At round 3oclock she eats a handful of chocolate coated almonds (as a result of she heard almonds are wholesome) and for dinner, she often simply heats up a frozen dinner or eats spaghetti with jarred sauce, Her job is sedentary and when she will get house she often both watches tv after she is carried out with housekeeping.

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Prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes, affects over 88 million Americans (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2022). Left unaddressed, prediabetes often progresses to type 2 diabetes within five years (American Diabetes Association [ADA], 2022). Your mother’s doctor has expressed concern about her current diet and activity patterns putting her at risk for developing prediabetes or worsening prediabetic conditions. Small but impactful changes can help her better manage her blood sugar and overall health. This paper will outline my top three recommendations for modifying her food choices and daily routine.
Fiber Intake
One of the most important dietary adjustments your mother can make is increasing her fiber consumption. Fiber, found in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, plays a key role in blood sugar regulation. It slows the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, preventing sharp rises and falls after meals that characterize prediabetes (Mayo Clinic, 2022). Currently, your mother’s breakfast skip and deli meat sandwich for lunch provide minimal fiber. Incorporating more high-fiber, whole foods can help stabilize her blood sugar levels throughout the day.
As a first step, she should replace the bagel or sandwich at lunch with a whole grain option like whole wheat pita bread or brown rice cake filled with hummus, spinach, tomato and avocado. This will supply sustained energy from the complex carbs in the whole grains along with fiber and nutrients from the other ingredients (Harvard Health Publishing, 2020). The hummus, in particular, is a fiber powerhouse, providing four grams per 2 tablespoon serving (United States Department of Agriculture [USDA], 2022). She could also prepare extra servings to enjoy as an afternoon snack if hunger strikes before dinner.
Another easy fiber swap is exchanging the chocolate covered almonds, which provide limited nutritional value, for a small container of roasted chickpeas. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, contain nearly eight grams of fiber per half cup serving along with protein, iron and other important vitamins and minerals (USDA, 2022). Their crunchy texture satisfies salty, crunchy cravings without excess calories or sugar that could spike blood glucose. Studies show eating chickpeas may aid weight control and reduce risk of heart disease and diabetes (Harvard Health Publishing, 2020). Your mother should aim to work roasted chickpeas into her routine two to three times per week.
Finally, substituting the frozen dinner or pasta dish a few nights a week with a large salad would boost her daily fiber intake. A salad featuring mixed greens, beans, nuts, seeds and a fiber-rich dressing can provide over 10 grams of fiber depending on toppings selected (USDA, 2022). Edamame, chickpeas, lentils and kidney beans offer both fiber and plant-based protein to keep her feeling full. Nuts and seeds add healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and additional fiber. Overall, focusing on high-fiber whole foods can help your mother meet the recommended 25-30 grams of daily fiber intake for disease prevention and blood sugar regulation (MedlinePlus, 2021).
Hydration
In addition to fiber, staying hydrated is another important lifestyle factor for blood sugar control. Water regulates appetite and helps transport and digest food, improving the body’s ability to process glucose (Mayo Clinic, 2022). It also aids kidney and liver function critical for blood sugar homeostasis. However, your mother’s current routine of coffee in the morning and nothing else until lunch provides inadequate fluid intake. Carrying a water bottle to sip from throughout the day can help remedy this.
As a starting goal, she should aim to finish one 20 ounce water bottle by lunchtime and refill it for the afternoon. Adding slices of citrus like lemon, lime or orange not only flavors the water but provides vitamin C and antioxidants as well. Citrus may also encourage drinking more water due to the appealing scent and taste (Healthline, 2022). Herbs like mint can have a similar effect. Flavored sparkling waters offer another option if still water seems dull. The key is finding a hydration routine she enjoys sticking with long-term. Downloading a hydration tracking app may also help your mother consciously work towards drinking her daily water needs, which the Institute of Medicine sets at around 11 cups for women (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2005). Proper hydration combined with increased fiber intake can aid blood sugar regulation.
Increased Activity
Sedentary time puts your mother at risk for worsening prediabetes and related health issues like heart disease. Even light physical activity, as little as 10 minutes at a time, provides benefits (ADA, 2022). Taking a 30 minute walk after dinner each night would be a realistic starting goal to boost her activity levels. She could also park farther from work or the grocery store to add more steps to her daily routine.
If motivation is an issue, your mother may find an activity tracking device or app helpful. Wearing a fitness tracker or using a step counting app allows her to visually monitor progress towards incremental activity goals. Studies show tracking steps leads to increased activity levels over time (Bravata et al., 2007). She could begin by aiming for 5,000 steps per day and gradually increasing from there, as 10,000 steps is the recommended daily minimum for overall health (Tudor-Locke et al., 2011).
On days with more free time, she could swap screen time for light household chores, gardening or playing with grandchildren if applicable. Yard work, vacuuming and mopping involve movement and energy expenditure. Activities should make her breathe heavier and break a sweat for maximum health impact. Over time, even modest increases in non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, through daily living can yield metabolic benefits (Levine, 2007). The goal is finding enjoyable ways of moving more that fit her lifestyle.
Conclusion
With small, sustainable changes to diet and daily routine, your mother can better manage her prediabetes risk factors. Increasing fiber intake through whole foods, staying hydrated, and gradually raising activity levels through lifestyle modifications provide a balanced approach. Regular medical checkups allow monitoring A1C and other markers. With diligence and her doctor’s guidance, it is possible for her to transition to a prediabetes prevention plan. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Works Cited
American Diabetes Association. (2022, January 25). Prediabetes. https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/prediabetes
Bravata, D. M., Smith-Spangler, C., Sundaram, V., Gienger, A. L., Lin, N., Lewis, R., … Sirard, J. R. (2007). Using pedometers to increase physical activity and improve health: A systematic review. JAMA, 298(19), 2296–2304. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.298.19.2296
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, February 9). Prediabetes – Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/prediabetes.html
Harvard Health Publishing. (2020, February). Fiber for health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/fiber_for_health
Healthline. (2022, March 3). 7 Benefits of Drinking Water with Citrus. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/citrus-water-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_1
Levine, J. A. (2007). Nonexercise activity thermogenesis–liberating the life-force. Journal of internal medicine, 262(3), 273–287. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2007.01804.x
Mayo Clinic. (2022, February 18). Prediabetes – Symptoms and causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prediabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371444
MedlinePlus. (2021, December 7). Dietary fiber. https://medlineplus.gov/dietaryfiber.html
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. Dietary Reference Intakes for Water research paper writing service, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/10925.
Tudor-Locke, C., Craig, C. L., Brown, W. J., Clemes, S. A., De Cocker, K., Giles-Corti, B., … Blair, S. N. (2011). How many steps/day are enough? For adults. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 8, 79. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-8-79
United States Department of Agriculture. (2022). USDA FoodData Central. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/.

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