A friend of mine who has hypertension, was recently diagnosed with diabetes and high cholesterol. The doctor put her on pills, told her not to eat pies, cakes, doughnuts, ice cream, etc., and said she is to monitor and come back in about two weeks. What type of food, drinks or diet she be on now?

I presume your question is what food she should eat if she has diabetes. That is a complex question. We all have foods we prefer. One of the secrets for patient success is to individualize the treatment. It should be a diet she can eat and allow for weight loss on a gradual basis. The diet should be low in fat and cholesterol. Since she has high blood pressure, it should also be low in salt.

I would suggest that your friend see a dietitian who has expertise in counseling patients with diabetes. The process should involve a discussion of what is usually eaten, the need to cut calories and how that will be done, how food affects the blood sugar, and a discussion about foods high in fat, cholesterol, and salt that need to be minimized or avoided.

So you see, this is not easily done by phone. I would suggest she contact her physician’s office or local hospital to find the name of a dietitian who can help.

JTL