Caring for elderly diabetic patients
In diabetic patients, we should prioritize dietary control in terms of both energy intake and the nutrients consumed each day.
Carbohydrates, protein, and fat affect blood sugar control, blood lipids, and maintaining body weight within the standard range. And blood sugar that is too high will make the skin dry and itchy—making it even itchier.
In the past, Dad took medication to control his blood sugar, but he has stopped taking it for many years now. I’d like to share some dietary guidelines we used with him for you to try adapting.
Dairy group: Diabetic patients should avoid all sweetened milk products, such as sweetened condensed milk, milk with added sugar, flavored milk, Milo, Ovaltine, and cocoa.
As for vegetables, such as Chinese kale, morning glory, various leafy greens, ivy gourd leaves, cabbage, angled gourd, winter melon, banana blossom, mushrooms, and bell peppers: leafy vegetables are high in fiber and low in energy, so you can eat them as desired. But for starchy vegetables, such as pumpkin, onion, carrot, peas, green beans, and neem, eat in moderate amounts.
For fruit, avoid very sweet fruits such as longan, grapes, ripe mango, durian, jackfruit, sugarcane, sapodilla, and custard apple. You should not eat canned fruit, candied/preserved fruit, fruit paste, or fruit in syrup. Fruits that are lower in sugar and can be eaten include rose apple, dragon fruit, green apple, jujube, and guava.
Rice: choose brown rice, as it helps control blood sugar levels better than white rice.
Meat/protein: choose low-fat, lean options such as chicken breast, fish, and egg whites. Avoid processed proteins such as Chinese sausage, sausages, and Vietnamese pork sausage.
Most importantly, focus on cooking methods. We usually choose boiled, baked, grilled, steamed, or roasted foods, such as rice porridge, blanched vegetables, steamed fish, baked chicken breast, steamed egg custard, boiled egg whites, and clear tofu soup. Stir-fried dishes are okay, but use only a little oil. Avoid drinks such as soda and sweetened beverages.
But!!!! Don’t forget that it’s not enough for your parents to just be alive—they also need to live their own lives. So we shouldn’t control them too much to the point that they become stressed or it causes arguments in the family. You can apply the main principles, but if they want to have something sweet sometimes, that’s okay—just limit the portion and how often they eat it appropriately. Our good intentions must not hurt our parents’ feelings, too.
Cheering on all dutiful children.
Article by
Pharmacist Rungmit Choonhengphan (female)
Co-founder of Piti
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