Trulicity is a prescribed medicine by experts to treat type 2 diabetes. Although there are no certain foods to avoid with Trulicity, it is recommended to maintain a healthy diet to prevent or minimize any side effects with this medicine.
How Does Trulicity Work?
Trulicity is the brand name of the prescription drug dulaglutide manufactured by Lilly. Trulicity belongs to a class of drugs known as glucagon-like peptide 1 GLP-1 receptor agonists. GLP-1 is a hormone that helps control blood sugar levels by increasing insulin production and decreasing glucagon secretion. Trulicity pen injector is used, like Ozempic to help improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is prescribed to adults with type 2 diabetes.
Not only does Trulicity help maintain blood sugar levels throughout the week, but it may also reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke in people with type 2 diabetes.
- Lower blood sugar levels
- Release more insulin
- Slow down digestion
- To reduce the risk of certain cardiovascular problems: People can use Trulicity to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack and to reduce the risk of death from a cardiovascular condition.
Trulicity is not insulin or a weight loss supplement. It is also not used to treat type 1 diabetes.
5 Common Foods to Avoid With Trulicity
While there are no foods known to interact with Trulicity that should be avoided, some foods can make Trulicity side effects worse. If you experience any side effects after eating some particular foods, try avoiding them to see if your symptoms improve.
In general, a healthy diet is recommended, and some specific foods to avoid with Trulicity or any other diabetes medicine. We all know that a healthy diet includes foods from all the food groups and also limits unhealthy foods that are high in fats, calories, and sugar. You can consult with your doctor or a dietician about what types of foods are best for you.
It is recommended to avoid foods and drinks that are high in fat, sugar, and calories, for example:
1. Fast food, Ice Cream, and Milkshakes
Fast food and ice cream and related products such as milkshakes contain saturated fat (and usually a lot of sugar as well). These high-fat foods tend to settle in your stomach, causing a delay in digestion. When combined with a GLP-1 agonist such as Trulicity, you are more likely to have symptoms of slow stomach emptying, such as bloating, nausea, vomiting, feeling full quickly, and even stomach cramps too.
2. Alcohol
Drinking alcohol regularly can affect your blood sugar levels.
Depending on how much and how often you drink, alcohol can cause high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Because alcohol can affect your blood sugar levels, you should avoid drinking alcohol if your blood sugar is not well controlled or if you have other diabetes complications.
For people with well-controlled diabetes, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol is usually fine.
However, it is best to limit alcohol consumption to less than 5 drinks per week. One drink is measured as 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.
3. Added sugars
In general, Americans drink a lot of sugary drinks, such as soda pop, sweet tea, and fruit juice drinks. These products contain the highest amount of sugar of any food. They are a surefire way to get your blood sugar under control. They have been shown to cause cavities, poor concentration, and even increase the risk of cancer. Water is the best option, and if you have a sweet tooth, you can add one of the many flavor enhancers out there or try flavored water straight off the shelf at the grocery store.
There are several names for added sugars:
- Brown sugar
- Cane juice
- Dextrose
- Fructose
- Fruit nectar
- Sugar
- High fructose corn syrup
- Sweetie
- Lactose
- Malt syrup
- Maltose
- Maple syrup
- Jaggery
- Raw sugar
- Saccharose
Consuming too much of this type of sugar adds non-nutritious calories to your diet and can raise your blood sugar. They sneak into your diet in processed foods like crackers, peanut butter, and even ketchup.
To see if a food product contains added sugar or not, always check the Nutrition Facts label and look for the “added sugars” line under “Carbohydrates.” Many processed foods like crackers, peanut butter, and even ketchup have added sugars.
4. Sweet Candy, Cakes, Cookies
Sweet snacks like sweets and cakes are all around us, from looking out at us at every turn at the grocery store, to showing up in the break room at work. Unfortunately, these treats are high in refined carbohydrates and sugar will result in spikes in blood sugar, and will make it more difficult to control your diabetes with dulaglutide. As an alternative, try trail mix with nuts and berries, yogurt, and fruits like apples and bananas.
5. Refined Grains
Grain is any food made from grains of wheat, oats, rice, cornmeal, barley, or other cereals. Bread, pasta, tortillas, breakfast cereals, popcorn, rice, grits, and oatmeal are prime examples of refined grain foods.
Refined grains are grains that have been ground, which is the process of removing the germ and bran (part of the kernel of the grain).
This creates a finer grain texture and improves shelf life. However, it also removes health benefits like dietary fiber, iron, and several B vitamins.
Examples of refined grains include:
- White flour
- White bread
- White rice
- Cornmeal
Talk to your doctor or dietitian about what amount of grains you should add to your diet.
How Long Does Trulicity Stay in your System?
Trulicity has a half-life of approximately 5 days. (This means it takes about 5 days for your body to get rid of half a dose of Trulicity.) Typically, it takes about 5 half-lives for a drug to exit your system. So Trulicity will remain in your system for about 25 days after your last dose.
Trulicity Side Effects
Common side effects of Trulicity Pen Injector include:
- Indigestion
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and retching
- Weakness
- Abdominal discomfort
- Fatigue
- Malaise
- Decreased appetite
- Abdominal pain and tenderness
Conclusion
However, patients with type 2 diabetes should consult their doctor before switching to Trulicity and undergo necessary medical tests to ensure the good and lasting effect of Trulicity.
