How to Eat With Diabetes and Crohn's Disease

When you consume a healthy, balanced diet that helps regulate and stabilize blood sugar levels, you can generally control diabetes 3. Crohn's disease, which is an inflammatory digestive disorder, doesn't have a specific known cause, and although there is no diet that can cure Crohn's disease, you can make dietary adjustments, which may be useful in preventing flare-ups of Crohn's disease.

Diabetes and Controlling Blood Sugar

The hormone insulin regulates blood sugar levels, which in diabetics, is either overproduced, underproduced, or both. Two major types of diabetes exist -- type-1 and type-2 5. In type-1 diabetes, the body makes little or no insulin, and the cause is still unknown. Type-2 diabetes, which is the most common form of the disease, is most prevalent in adults, although many younger people are now being diagnosed with it 5. If you have diabetes, it is important to control your blood sugar levels. MedlinePlus notes that you can do this by consuming fewer calories than usual, a consistent amount of carbohydrates at each meal and by consuming healthy monounsaturated fats 2.

Diabetic Dietary Recommendations

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Eating these foods can help promote balanced blood sugar levels. In addition to eating healthy foods, the association notes that portion size is also of high importance. Additionally, it's always better to choose whole foods over processed foods, which often lack sufficient nutrient content.

Crohn's and Diet

Crohn's disease is one type of inflammatory bowel disorder 1. It is characterized by chronic inflammation that can affect any part of the digestive tract. This inflammation often results in diarrhea, narrowing of the intestines, nutrient malabsorption and in severe cases, the need for surgical removal of sections of the digestive tract.

Avoiding Problem Foods With Crohn's

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People who have Crohn's disease should consume a healthy diet and avoid any foods that can potentially worsen symptoms, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse 4. During a Crohn's flare-up, avoid high-fiber foods, including fruits and vegetables. Following a flare-up, the UCSF Medical Center recommends that you eat foods that are easy on the digestive tract, which include:

• applesauce
  
• oatmeal
  
• sourdough or white bread
  
• diluted juices
  
• cooked eggs
  
• turkey
  
• chicken
  
• fish

Eating for Crohn's and Diabetes

From that point, it may be beneficial to keep a food journal to identify any foods that may cause Crohn's disease flare-ups. See your doctor during a flare-up to get personalized dietary recommendations.