Hypertension and Diabetes- meal plan help!

penguinattackstudios
penguinattackstudios Posts: 79 Member
in Food and Nutrition
It’s been a long time since I’ve been on here and even longer since my husband has had hypertension and diabetes. We’ve let the diet go on the wayside and had another hypertension scare - I feel like I’ve forgotten all recipes to cook to help with this.

Mind you he’s a picky eater and I currently have the following list of what he can do/will eat:

- Vegetables with hummus
- Berry fruits and beets - smoothies
- Dark chocolate
- Leafy greens/salads
- Hawaiian Kabobs (pineapple chicken)
- lower sodium foods
- tuna with low salt crackers
- fermented foods (miso careful of salt though; kimchi and sauerkraut)
- zucchini boats
- zoodles
- low sugar carmalized pecans
- asparagus
- meatloaf

Things he will not eat: seafood, mushrooms, pasta/breads (limiting carbs), oatmeal, beans, sweet potato.
Any other suggestions?

Replies

  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    The thing that improved my diabetes the most and completely fixed my hypertension was regular exercise.

    Log everything, eat within a carb limit, watch sodium. If he’s not motivated enough to log his own food, remind him how nice it is to have two feet!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,249 Member
    One thing I learned about hypertension a few years ago after suffering a small stroke is that the average person does not get enough potassium, the RDA for an adult is 4,700mg which I found doable purely through food choices. Things like low sodium tomato juice (900mg in 250ml/8 oz serving), low sodium V8 (850 mg in 250 ml serving) and milk (350 mg in 250 ml serving of 2% milk) as well as lots of fruits and vegetables.

    Can't offer much on the diabetes side.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Check with his MD or ask to see a dietitian. :)

    This.

    I was experimenting with DASH earlier in the year, and it's focused on adequate potassium, magnesium, and calcium as well as reducing sodium, all of which is supposed to help with high blood pressure (I don't have it, just trying out that way of eating). Rather than logging those minerals, the idea is that you will have enough if you follow the recommended food choices (dairy, whole grains/legumes, and veg and fruit are stressed). I'm not doing DASH anymore (although much of what I do overlaps), but I do watch and make sure I'm hitting those mineral goals when I log (off and on, probably a few days a week, but over at Cronometer).

    Both DASH and most T2D diets that aren't very low carb (more commonly it's limited carbs paired with fiber and protein) also focus on the importance of fiber.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Cutting carbs very low may help. It will lower his BG and when BG is low, insulin is low. Insulin is amain controlling factor in sodium and water retention. When insulin is low, one usually loses electrolytes and water weight; that's why low carb results in some water weight lost early on.

    I would consider cutting carbs to below 50g and see if it has an effect. Good luck.
  • nastroazzurro
    nastroazzurro Posts: 7 Member
    I have T2 and did at first follow a low carb
    ‘lifestyle’ change.
    I also started weight training (which I love!) and found that low carb equalled low energy.
    I was also on a deficit as had a load of weight to shift.
    So I had to weigh up what worked best for me.
    I upped my carb intake so that I could train properly (good carbs I hasten to add; no starch or refined stuff).
    Result was, because of my weight loss and exercise, that my BG has remained low and my T2 is now reversed.
    I found that there was no need to be really radical with diet, just sensible.
    I have given up beer though 🥺

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