I am looking for meal planning help along with recipes to help me prepare meals for my friend who has diabetes and has had a second triple by-pass recently. She is on a strict doctor’s diet of no salt, no fat, and no sugar and must lose 150 pounds to continue to live. Nothing tastes good or is appealing with these restrictions. Can anyone help?

I would suggest going to the American Dietetic Association’s website for some suggestions. There are menus available as well as cookbooks to help plan meals.

I would say that your friend will need to take up this battle herself, and I would encourage her to work with a dietitian who can help her to maintain a healthy diet in spite of the restrictions. There are spices which help to replace the desire for salt and a diet with fresh fruits and vegetables will often appeal to individuals who are struggling with restrictive diets. Additionally, I hope your friend has been referred to the appropriate professional for advice on exercise as this will be an important part of losing weight, however guidance by her physician or an exercise physiologist is needed.

JM