Hello all, I hope these medical minis aren’t too basic for my readers, but I wanted the lay person to be included too.

What is a healthy plate? It is a plate that contains all the foods from the diabetes food pyramid: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, starchy veggies, whole/low fat milk, lean meats, meat substitutes and healthy fats.

·      One half of your plate should contain vegetables.

·      One fourth of your plate should be a starch/starchy vegetable

·      One fourth lean meat or protein.

·      One fruit side serving

·      One dairy side serving

Here is a sample 2000 calorie diabetic meal plan for adults and older children.

·      2 cups of fruit (2-3 servings)

·      2 ½ cups of vegetables each day (5 servings)

·      6 oz of grains (1/2 grains to be whole grains), beans and starchy vegetables. (6 servings)

·      3 cups milk-low fat or fat free and other milk products.

·      5 ½ lean meat, meat substitute

·      Know your doctors recommendations on salt, fats and sugars.

·      Please remember to exercise daily.

·      Eat about the same time each day

·      Depending on blood sugar control, many people need a bedtime snack.

·      Plan ahead for Holidays in order to enable you to eat as routinely as possible.

·      Alcohol may cause low blood sugar, no more than 1 drink a day for women, 1-2 for men a day no more than 1-2 times a week.

I hope this leaves ‘food’ for thought, Geri.  (lol)