Q: My father is 58 years old. He is a diabetic patient and recently had a heart attack and also has a high creatinine level (around 3). He has low haemoglobin count and iron deficiency. He has problems in walking. What diet would you suggest? What is the treatment? He is on constant dose of insulin and takes injections to increase haemoglobin count. What is the best diet which can overcome his weakness?

A:Nutritional management, in the form of a meal plan designed especially for you, will help you to maintain blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible, and maintain or lose weight. A three-pronged attack on the situation can help you to control your blood glucose levels: - Increase your daily level of activity - Reduce your daily calorie intake and try to lose some weight - Choose carbohydrate foods that are digested more slowly Your insulin or oral medication must be matched to the foods you eat. Your meal plan will tell you how many carbohydrate choices you can eat and when you can eat them. The carbohydrate can come from any type of food containing carbohydrates. Since he also has a high creatin level it would be best to approach a dietician for a detailed diet plan. However here are a few general guidelines: Take the following food items, everyday: - Freshly crushed raw garlic 3-4 gms a day - Raw onions 20-25 gms a day - Raw salads with lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, radish, turnip, mustard, cucumber, etc. according to the season. 100-125 gms a day - Bran supplement (oat bran, wheat bran) 10 gms a day Gradually increase the proportion of the following foods in your diet: - Fresh seasonal fruits. - Soybean, in some form or the other, i.e., tofu, soy milk, nutrinuggets, soy powder, plain cooked soybeans or soybean sprouts. Include one of these in one meal on at least 4-5 days a week. - Carrot, spinach and all other vegetables which are yellow or orange in colour, or have green leaves. - Vegetable juices, not strained. - Sprouts-sprouts of mung and alfalfa are easy to make and are very nutritious. Reduce the intake of the following foods: - Non-vegetarian foods. Try to stop the intake of all red meats altogether, immediately. Become a vegetarian. If you cannot become a pure vegetarian, then gradually reduce poultry and eggs also so that you take only low protein fish or seafood only on 1 or 2 days a week. - Whole milk and its products. Take skimmed milk or up to 2% fat milk and their products instead. Processed cheeses must be replaces by low fat cottage cheeses. - Tea and coffee. Do not exceed 2 cups a day of tea or coffee. Try herbal teas. - White flour and its products. Replace these with whole grains, whole wheat or soya breads, unpolished rice etc. Use whole wheat bread instead of white bread. - Flush the system by taking water copiously. Please check with your doctor regarding the cause of anemia as it could be related to the kidney disorder, before including iron rich food in the diet.