by NK
(Nigeria)
QUESTION: My mother is 80 and has high blood sugar as well as asthma. What should she eat, what should she avoid, and could her asthma medicine affect her glucose?
High blood sugar is not normal simply because a person is 80. However, glucose and HbA1c goals should be individualized according to her overall health, frailty, kidney function, memory, medicines, eating pattern, and risk of low blood sugar. She usually needs balanced meals with vegetables, adequate protein, whole fruit, and measured portions of carbohydrate. She does not need to avoid nuts, strawberries, or other nutritious foods unless she has a confirmed allergy, swallowing problem, or another medical restriction.
Answer by Dr. Albana Greca, MD, MMedSc
Hi NK,
At age 80, diabetes care should control symptomatic high glucose while also preventing hypoglycemia, dehydration, falls, malnutrition, and unnecessary treatment burden. Her exact glucose readings, HbA1c, medicines, kidney function, appetite, weight, mobility, and asthma control are needed before setting targets.
A practical meal can include:
Choose whole fruit rather than juice. Fruit such as apples, mangoes, grapes, berries, and oranges can fit into a diabetes meal plan when portions are appropriate. The amount matters more than banning one fruit. Our guide to foods and blood sugar explains how carbohydrate portions affect glucose.
Older adults also need enough protein and calories to preserve muscle and strength. Do not place her on an extreme low-carbohydrate or weight-loss diet without checking for frailty, poor appetite, unintentional weight loss, dental problems, or difficulty swallowing.
Limit sugary drinks, sweetened tea, fruit juice, sweets, large portions of refined grains, and frequent fried or highly processed foods. She does not need to avoid all fats; modest amounts of vegetable oils, avocado, seeds, or nuts can be appropriate.
Nuts and strawberries do not routinely trigger asthma. They should be avoided only if she has a confirmed or strongly suspected allergy, or if nuts create a chewing or choking risk. Food allergy is an uncommon asthma trigger in adults, but a known allergy requires strict avoidance and an emergency plan.
Oral or injected corticosteroids, such as prednisone, can raise glucose substantially, especially during an asthma flare. High-dose or repeated steroid courses may require temporary changes in glucose monitoring or diabetes treatment.
Inhaled corticosteroids are important controller medicines and generally have much less whole-body effect than steroid tablets. She should not stop an inhaler because of high glucose. Salbutamol or albuterol can sometimes cause tremor, a fast heartbeat, or a temporary glucose rise, but frequent need for a rescue inhaler may mean the asthma is not well controlled.
Take all inhalers, tablets, injections, and supplement packages to her doctor or pharmacist for review. Do not change asthma or diabetes medicine without instructions. Our medicine-safety guide explains why complete medication review matters.
There is no single target for every 80-year-old. A healthy, independent older adult may have targets closer to those used in younger adults. A person with frailty, memory problems, multiple illnesses, or a high risk of hypoglycemia may need less strict targets.
Even with relaxed goals, persistent glucose above about 180 mg/dL can increase thirst, urination, dehydration, weakness, infection risk, and poor wound healing. Age alone should never be used to dismiss high readings as normal.
Use a blood sugar log to record glucose, meals, asthma symptoms, inhaler or steroid use, and diabetes medicines. This can show whether glucose rises after meals, during asthma attacks, or after steroid treatment.
Seek urgent medical care for severe breathlessness, difficulty speaking, blue lips, confusion, extreme drowsiness, chest pain, or poor response to her prescribed rescue inhaler. Seek prompt diabetes care for persistent glucose around 300 mg/dL or higher, especially with thirst, frequent urination, weakness, or dehydration. Go to emergency care for vomiting, difficult breathing, fainting, confusion, glucose above 400 mg/dL, or a meter displaying “HI.”
Please arrange a review with her clinician and bring her exact glucose readings and complete medicine list. The safest plan should simplify treatment where possible, prevent low glucose, maintain nutrition and muscle strength, and keep both asthma and diabetes controlled. Do not automatically restrict nutritious foods or stop an inhaled steroid.
Educational safety note: This answer is for general diabetes education only. It does not replace personal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Do not start, stop, or change diabetes medicines, inhalers, steroids, supplements, diet, or exercise plans without speaking with her healthcare provider.
Last reviewed: July 2026.
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