Nutrition Assessment 1

Running
head: DISCHARGE PLANNING 1

Nutritional Discharge Planning Project
Morgan McMahon
University of South Florida

DISCHARGE PLANNING 2

Discharge Planning Project
The patient, Luke Skywalker has recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus
(DM), and needs patient teaching on a new diet appropriate with his diabetes management.
Literary Review
Pathophysiology
DM is a disease in which there is a flaw in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. It
occurs when the pancreas cannot make enough insulin or when the body does not effectively
respond to insulin. When the body has an error in its response to insulin, the cells cannot
adequately absorb glucose from the blood, resulting in high blood sugar (Staff, 2014). Risk
factors for developing DM include being overweight, sedentary lifestyle, family history,
increased age, African American, Native American, Hispanic, and Asian American. The chances
of developing DM are raised significantly when a person has prediabetes (Staff, 2014).
Dietary Restrictions and Rational
In order to manage their DM, the patient needs to adhere to a specific meal plan. One of
the main concerns in a diabetic diet is keeping track of how much carbohydrates the patient is
eating because carbohydrates break down into glucose. Patients should try to include legumes,
whole grains, low fat dairy products, fruits, and vegetables in their carbohydrate intake to ensure
the intake of more complex carbohydrates. The patient should try and avoid more simple
carbohydrates such as baked goods, soda, table sugar, and syrups because they have little
nutritional value with a high amount of calories (Spritzler 2012). Regarding fats, the patient
should avoid foods high in trans fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol because they increase
cholesterol blood levels, and can be a factor in the development of heart disease. Diabetics
should try and eat more unsaturated foods such as avocados, almonds, and canola oil because

they can lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels (Evert, A., Boucher, J., Cypress, M., Dunbar, S.,
2013). Some of the best protein choices in a diabetic diet are plant-based proteins, chicken, fish,
as well as cheese and eggs. Protein choices should be lean and low in fat for the best nutritional
value. One of the main electrolytes that diabetics should reduce is sodium intake. The American
Diabetes Association recommends that diabetics should have no more than 2300mg of sodium
per day to decrease the risk of complications like heart disease associated with high sodium
(Evert, A., Boucher, J., Cypress, M., Dunbar, S., 2013).
Patient Teaching
One important aspect of patient teaching is showing he patient how to choose appropriate
meals. The American Diabetes Association provides one method for planning out meals called
the plate method. They suggest to have one-half of the plate with non-starchy vegetables, one-
quarter with a protein, and the last quarter with a starchy or whole-grain item with an additional
serving of fruit (American Diabetes Association, 2016). This helps ensure a well rounded diet,
and a system for choosing a meal. Another important point to teach the patient is to eat three
meals with a day at regular, consistent times with interval snacks in order to maintain insulin
secretion. Another teaching principle for the patient is to educate them on what a glycemic index
is, and how to utilize it in their carbohydrate choices (American Diabetes Association, 2016).
Conclusion
The patient, Luke Skywalker has been informed of his type 2 diabetes, and has been educated on
how the disease process affects his nutrition and food choices. As a result of his teaching, Mr.
Skywalker now knows that he has to watch his food intake of carbohydrates, proteins,
electrolytes, and fats in order to effectively manage his type 2 diabetes mellitus.

References
American Diabetes Association (2016, September 14). Create Your Plate. Retrieved from
November 04, 2016, from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
Diabetes: MedlinePlus. (2015, August 12). Retrieved November 04, 2016, from
https://medlineplus.gov/diabetes.html
Evert, A., Boucher, J., Cypress, M., Dunbar, S., Franz, M., Mayer-Davis, E., Neumiller, J.,
Nwankwo, R., Verdi, C., Urbanski, P., Yancy, W. (2013, December 19). Nutrition
Therapy Recommendations for the Management of Adults With Diabetes. Retrieved from
November 04, 2016, from
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/37/Supplement_1/S120.article-info
Staff, B.M., (2014, July 31). Diabetes. Retrieved November 04, 2016, from
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/basics/definition/con-
20033091
Spritzler, F. (2012, November 25). A Low-Carbohydrate, Whole-Foods Approach to Managing
Diabetes and Prediabetes | Diabetes Spectrum. Retrieved November 04, 2016, from
http://spectrum.diabetesjournals.org/content/25/4/238

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Running

head: DISCHARGE PLANNING 1

University of South Florida

DM is a disease in which there is a flaw in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. It

Dietary Restrictions and Rational

(Evert, A., Boucher, J., Cypress, M., Dunbar, S., 2013).

November 04, 2016, from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

November 04, 2016, from

Spritzler, F. (2012, November 25). A Low-Carbohydrate, Whole-Foods Approach to Managing

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