On medication for Diabetes (apart from Metformin)?

You should check with your doctor or nurse before making a significant change to your diet.

On medication for high blood pressure?

A low carb diet can reduce your blood pressure and you will need to keep an eye on this.

• Lunch can be difficult, especially if you are eating at work or 'on the run'.  It can just involve a little bit more preparation than 'popping out for a sandwich', but can still be very quick an easy.  Grab yourself a lunchbox and throw in all kinds of things that you enjoy!  
• Meats, salad items, mixed above ground vegetables and cheese are easy items to throw in a box.
• Sandwiches with bread options contain significant amounts of carbohydrate that is broken down into sugar - click here to see an illustration of how many teaspoons of sugar are in typical portions.
  
• Try substituting a Cos lettuce leaf as a 'wrap' as a sandwich alternative or lettuce fajitas!  See the other low carb alternatives.  
• Go for fruit which grows in our climate as this is likely to contain less sugar - click here to see the amounts of sugar in different types of fruit which helps show why bananas should be avoided
  
• Eggs are a great zero carb option
• Eating plenty of protein and healthy fats (like avocado) helps keep you feeling full until dinner
• Click here to see other foods and how many teaspoons they contain.
  
• What about Cooking fats? Avoid Trans Fats (vegetable oils, seed oils, margarine ) - they are known to increase inflammation and  cardiovascular disease.  Try using olive oil for cooking or on salads.  Coconut oil is great for cooking stir fries, for example.  Butter is a good fat (in moderation). The difference between good fats and trans fats is based on the oxidation qualities.   
• "Turn the white stuff on your plate green!" Dr David Unwin

Meal ideas: