What To Eat When You Have Both IBS And Diabetes

What to Eat When You Have Both IBS and Diabetes

Some people have the misfortune of having to deal with IBS and diabetes at the same time. Little information is available as to how many people struggle with the two health problems together. What seems to be the case, however, is that IBS and diabetes are two distinct disorders, with no physiological overlap. Therefore, it appears to be just plain bad luck to be stuck with the two.
IBS and diabetes do share one thing in common—a complicated relationship with food.
This can make the job of figuring out what to eat quite challenging. If you have both IBS and diabetes, it might be a good idea to work with a nutritionist who is knowledgeable about both disorders in order to come up with a balanced food plan that is optimal for stabilizing blood sugar, while avoiding foods that may trigger IBS symptoms. The following discussion covers some of the factors that you may want to consider as you seek a dietary plan that works for you.
What to Eat for Diabetes
If you have been diagnosed with either type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, you have hopefully discussed diet with your doctor and perhaps have worked with a nutritionist. Type 1 diabetes requires that you take special care with meal planning, while type 2 diabetes requires more of a focus on weight loss and control. Information on optimal diets for type 1 and 2 diets can be found here:
What to Eat for IBS
Unlike diabetes, the relationship between food and IBS symptoms is a somewhat controversial subject.
For years, the medical establishment downplayed the role of food as a trigger or explanation for IBS distress. This approac Continue reading

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Legumes may lower risk of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a serious health concern in the United States and across the globe. New research shows that a high consumption of legumes significantly reduces the risk of developing the disease.
The legume family consists of plants such as alfalfa, clover, peas, peanuts, soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, and various types of beans.
As a food group, they are believed to be particularly nutritious and healthful. One of the reasons for this is that they contain a high level of B vitamins, which help the body to make energy and regulate its metabolism.
Additionally, legumes are high in fiber and contain minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. They also comprise a variety of so-called phytochemicals - bioactive compounds that further improve the body's metabolism and have been suggested to protect against heart disease and diabetes.
Finally, legumes are also considered to be a "low glycemic index food," which means that blood sugar levels increase very slowly after they are consumed.
To make people aware of the many health benefits of legumes, the year 2016 has been declared the International Year of Pulses by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Pulses are a subgroup of legumes.
Because of their various health benefits, it has been suggested that legumes protect against the onset of type 2 diabetes - a serious illness that affects around 29 million people in the U.S. and more than 400 million adults worldwide. However, little research has been carried out to test this hypothesis.
Therefore, researchers from the Unit of Human Nutrition at the Continue reading

Study finds it may lower risk of diabetes

Despite recommendations from diabetes experts — including the American Diabetes Association — to eat fruit because of its high fiber and nutrients, many diabetics mistakenly think they should avoid it because of its sugar content. So British and Chinese researchers decided to look at the long-term impact of fruit consumption on both the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and of developing serious complications among those who already have diabetes.
The seven-year study, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, followed the health of more than 500,000 adults ages 30 to 79 (average age 51) from urban and rural areas across China.
About 20 percent of all study participants reported eating fresh fruit daily, while 6 percent said they never or rarely ate it. However, among those with diabetes, three times more said they never ate fruit compared to those without diabetes.
Among the study’s findings:
Those with diabetes who regularly ate fruit — about 100 grams or ½ cup daily — had a 17 percent lower risk of death from any cause; 28 percent lower risk of complications involving small blood vessels like kidney and heart disease; and 13 percent lower risk of complications involving large blood vessels, such as stroke and heart disease.
Among those without diabetes, those who ate fresh fruit daily had a 12 percent lower risk of developing diabetes compared to those who never or rarely ate it.
Study coauthor Zhengming Chen, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Oxford, said in a statement that the study “provides strong supporting evidence for the existing dieta Continue reading

Eating Right with Diabetes

More than 29 million Americans live with diabetes, both diagnosed and undiagnosed. Changing eating habits can be the most challenging aspect of diabetes self-management, but diabetes is manageable.
Managing diabetes means maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Along with proper medication and physical activity, this also requires balancing the foods you eat.
Eat a variety of foods. Choose foods from each food group every day, and don't be afraid to try new foods.
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Fruit contains fiber, vitamins and minerals and can satisfy your sweet tooth. Include more non-starchy vegetables including leafy greens, asparagus, carrots and broccoli each day. Also, choose whole fruit more often and juice less often.
Choose healthy carbohydrates. Increase the amount of fiber you consume by eating at least half of all grains as whole-grain foods each day. Brown rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, whole-wheat breads and cereals are good sources of fiber.
Eat less fat. Choose lean meats, poultry and fish whenever possible. Bake, broil, roast, grill, boil or steam foods instead of frying. Also, choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products.
Cut the salt. Use less salt and more pepper, herbs and seasoning. Eating less salt helps control high blood pressure.
Avoid skipping meals. Skipping meals can make you more hungry, moody and unable to focus. Learn what works best for you. Some people like three meals a day, while others enjoy two meals and two snacks. Find an eating pattern that is healthy for you and stick with it.
Focus on your food. Pick one place to sit down an Continue reading

Plant-Based Diets for Diabetes

The three diabetes videos I mentioned are:
For those seeking a deeper understanding of what diabetes really is and what causes it, check out How Not to Die from Diabetes, and this series of videos:
Thankfully, not only can diabetes be reversed, but so can some of its complications. See Can Diabetic Retinopathy Be Reversed? and, for diabetic neuropathy, my live annual review From Table to Able: Combating Disabling Diseases with Food.
Of course, preventing it is better:
There are some foods that may increase the risk:
And others that may help:
If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my videos for free by clicking here. Continue reading