Resources for Healthcare Providers

Diabetes Food Guide

The Diabetes Food Guide (DFG) was developed by a team of Registered Dietitians from The Community Diabetes Education Program of Ottawa (CDEPO) in efforts to provide a one-page (double-sided) teaching resource that highlights carbohydrate containing foods. It can be used as an introductory carbohydrate counting tool as well as a tool to support creating healthy, balanced meals for people living with prediabetes and diabetes. The DFG can be used to encourage people to eat a variety of healthy foods while helping to develop healthy eating behaviours which can support achieving glycemic targets. The DFG has been translated to different languages and some have been adapted to include culturally appropriate foods.

The DFG is intended to be used alongside education provided by a health care provider; unlike Canada’s Food Guide, it is not intended to be used as a standalone resource to be distributed to individuals without health care provider intervention. We are proud to be able to share this resource with health care providers across Canada!

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about our DFGs!

To read our Terms of Use, please click here.

What’s new!

Our Updated Diabetes Food Guide (DFG) is Now Available!

We are excited to announce the release of our updated DFG. This simple, evidence-based resource combines healthy eating recommendations from 2019 Canada’s Food Guide as well as recommendations from Diabetes Canada’s Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Key Features:

Redesigned plate image and user-friendly layout with larger font

Enhanced colour palette and real food images

Highlights carbohydrate containing foods on both sides of the resource

Describes key messages to enhance usability in clinical settings

Currently available for purchase in English and French.
Updated culturally adapted versions are coming soon - stay tuned!

We have simplified our ordering process of the Diabetes Food Guide!

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the changes:

You will need to create an account to place your order. This way you can also review all past orders.

All orders are now to be made through this online portal. Any orders received by fax will be declined.

Payment can be made by credit card through PayPal. We will not accept cheques moving forward. For any orders that are in the middle of being processed, they will be processed by the previous methods (including previous payment methods).

Those organizations who already have EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) set up with Centretown CHC, can continue to pay via EFT.

Contact us:

For any questions please email: [email protected]

Place your DFG order today!

How To Order DFG – Manual

New User

Don’t have an account?
Use the link below to create an account.

Create new account

Existing User?

Already have an account?
Use the link below to login.

Login to account

Email
Password

Stay signed in

Forgot your password?
Do you have patients with T2D who are achieving less than optimal blood glucose control?
Are they complaining of symptoms of hyperglycaemia but don’t take their OHA regularly? Or perhaps those pills just don’t seem to work anymore. Have you been reluctant to prescribe insulin because you don’t feel your patients will take it or you are not sure where to start and what to do to help them? For further information about prescribing insulin for your type 2 clients click here.

We can help.

Our team of specialized and Certified Diabetes Educator nurses (RNs) & dietitians (RDs) are able to start clients on insulin. We provide the education, encouragement and confidence they need to improve not only their glycemic control but those metabolic parameters as well, such as LDL, Total chol/ HDL ratio, BP.

Our insulin initiation program supports family doctors and specialists such as endocrinologists by offering clients several individual appointments as well as a 3 month follow up appointment to ensure they are on track.

All we need from you is a completed referral form. The client will be contacted by our team and the nurse or dietitian will inform you when the client will be seen. The RN or RD may make suggestions or recommendations which require your input when client preference or lifestyle or ability indicates some challenge. We will keep you informed on our work with the client.

Who qualifies for insulin initiation services?

We provide services to adults (18 years and older) with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D)

They must be a resident of Ottawa or have a family doctor or specialist practicing in Ottawa (the Champlain LHIN).

We will work in partnership with you to assess the effectiveness of the insulin regime and make adjustments as necessary.

Where to Start?

Complete the appropriate referral form and email or fax back. Click on the following link to go directly to Diabetes Central Ottawa to refer to a local community diabetes education program.Diabetes Central Ottawa.

If you are unsure about which insulin to use, what dose to start at, how to titrate or whether to discontinue the OHA, you can visit Diabetes Canada 2018 CPG webpage for interactive tools.

How soon can your patient be seen?

We are able to see clients for their first appointment within 2-3 weeks from receipt of the referral, depending on the client’s availability. If we are not able to contact the client then a fax will be sent to you informing you of this difficulty.
Clients requiring insulin immediately should be sent to the ER.
CDEPO has developed a tool to support Diabetes Educators in learning how to help people living with Type 2 Diabetes manage their glycemia and how to support Physicians and Nurse Practitioners in adjusting antihyperglycemic agents (AHAs). It is essential for Diabetes Educators to recognize when people living with Type 2 Diabetes may benefit from an AHA adjustment, with or without lifestyle interventions.

“Glycemia Management in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: A Guide for Diabetes Educators” contains an internal certification program to recognize Diabetes Educators who have gained the knowledge and experience to provide safe and effective AHA adjustment recommendations to Physicians and Nurse Practitioners.

In order to use this guide effectively, Diabetes Educators must have an understanding of blood glucose (BG) pattern management and experience in reviewing BG values to identify patterns and trends. In order to effectively manage glycemia, the Diabetes Educator needs to understand all of the factors that can impact glycemia and be able to translate this knowledge into practice.
Foot Care services (referral by healthcare providers only)- For chiropody services at Champlain Diabetes Chiropody Program, please complete and fax the following form Chiropody Referral Form.

If you are unable to access any of the referral forms please contact us for assistance:

Phone: 613-783-7760 (toll-free:1-888-220-8010) – Monday to Friday, between 8:45 a.m and 4:45 p.m.

Fax: 613-774-7241

Champlain Diabetes Chiropody (Foot care) Program

Specialized chiropodists provide advanced foot care:

Individual advanced foot care available for those at high risk of foot ulcers

No routine foot care provided

Must be referred by a primary care practitioner or a diabetes educator.

This is an amputation prevention program for people 18 years and older living with diabetes having foot ulcers, open wounds and/or ingrown nails with bacterial infections. The program is hosted at Centretown Community Health Centre and provides access to chiropody services to many locations throughout the region. Clients must be referred by a health care provider.