Ulcerative colitis, nafld and t2 diabetes diet. Any advice please? Thankyou in advance.

[midnight blue]

Hello I'm totally confused as to what to eat because of above conditions. I really would appreciate any suggestions as what to eat, because diabetes is low carb high fibre - not an option with inflammatory bowel disease. And am so confused with conflicting information online. Does anyone have any suggestions please. Many thanks, Jo

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hello I'm totally confused as to what to eat because of above conditions. I really would appreciate any suggestions as what to eat, because diabetes is low carb high fibre - not an option with inflammatory bowel disease. And am so confused with conflicting information online. Does anyone have any suggestions please. Many thanks, Jo

Hi Jo, Jo here,

The diet for both diabetes and NAFLD is a low carb, high FAT, diet, not high fibre per se. So hopefully we can help you find work-arounds. Can you list what you're all good to eat for the Colitis? Assuming you had that before the T2 and have been living with it for a while? Maybe we can help sort some stuff out.

https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html might help some. I'm also thinking, is a mainly carnivore diet up your alley? That's practically no fibre and no carbs. Doesn't have to be that restrictive, but maybe if you build your meals around that, add in greens that can work for you...

You'll be okay, it's just a puzzle, and it can get sorted.
Hugs,
Jo

 

[CatsFive]

Hello I'm totally confused as to what to eat because of above conditions. I really would appreciate any suggestions as what to eat, because diabetes is low carb high fibre - not an option with inflammatory bowel disease. And am so confused with conflicting information online. Does anyone have any suggestions please. Many thanks, Jo

Not sure that low carb has to be high fibre. One eats more protein & fat, neither of which are high fibre. And you might not need to make much of a change, depending on what you eat now, and how you respond to a change.

However, reducing alcohol & sugars will help. I say 'sugars' plural as many things, especially processed foods, have ingredients ending in 'ose' and those are various types of sugars.

 

[lovinglife]

My hubby isn’t T2 but has colloid colitis & IBS for which the dietary advice is very similar to ulcerative colitis, he eats a low carb diet of about 80 - 100 g carbs per day, he avoids red meats as that seems to irritate him but he eats, chicken, fish, turkey, he eats veg in moderation as long as it’s peeled, look at the veg on a FODMAP diet there are plenty of lower carb options that you may be able to eat. He avoids cauliflower & broccoli. He should avoid alcohol but he doesn’t - he’s not a big drinker but does have the odd glass of wine or a whisky - no beers though

he doesn’t eat fatty meats but does eat the skin on chicken he has butter, avocado, olive oil, he doesn’t eat much bread at all or pasta, he has a very small portion of rice now and then. He has full fat Greek yogurt and hard cheeses. He drinks plenty of water but too much coffee!

I have diverticula disease which is also recommended a similar diet and I do full keto with fatty meats etc and I’ve not had a flare up in 10 years, it’s been the best diet for me both for my T2 and my diverticula disease

 

[midnight blue]

Thankyou so much folks. Amazing advice. I said I was confused, eg having to eat high fibre. Yes I do eat meat, and have considered the keto diet as an option. I will check out your link Jo, and I'll check out the high protein and fat and low carb options. I'm relieved I'm not the only one out there dealing with this. I'll be sure to let you know how I get on. Thanks again. I'm feeling a bit less confused and despondent. I think I may be feeling a lot more optimistic lol !!! Best wishes, Jo

 

[Oldvatr]

I too am using LCHF diet, which I interpret as being Low Carb Healthy Fat. So, the fats I eat are the natural ones that come with the low carb (e.g. bacon fat or lard, butter, olive oil and nuts. But I reduce to near zero all processed oils like seed oils, vegetable oils and 'spreadable' butters and marges., .

And get some oily fish inside you - its got good fat and vitamins that are often missing in the Western Diet. The Mediterranean Diet is a good one to follow, and the LCHF version of it is referred to as the Pioppi diet and thats the one I follow.

 

[midnight blue]

Thankyou, I've not heard of that diet, I'll look into that too!!! Much appreciated.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Thankyou, I've not heard of that diet, I'll look into that too!!! Much appreciated.

And keep in mind that these diets can be mixed'n'matched, eh...! A lot of Mediterranean meals are keto or a smidge over, carnivore is even lower than keto... Just go with what is right for you physically and mentally: this is going to be something you're going to have to impliment for a long time yet, if all goes well, and it has to be enjoyable if you're going to keep it up.

 

[midnight blue]

Thankyou yes it's a whole new learning process, but it'll be worth it. Thanks again, Jo

 

[Happy hippy]

Thankyou so much folks. Amazing advice. I said I was confused, eg having to eat high fibre. Yes I do eat meat, and have considered the keto diet as an option. I will check out your link Jo, and I'll check out the high protein and fat and low carb options. I'm relieved I'm not the only one out there dealing with this. I'll be sure to let you know how I get on. Thanks again. I'm feeling a bit less confused and despondent. I think I may be feeling a lot more optimistic lol !!! Best wishes, Jo

Im the same U/Colitis and type 2.
I love Tesco finest wholemeal bread with seeds & grains. 2 slices a day keeps things working. Sometimes toasted with a scrap of marmite. But my diet is bad on the whole and my sugars very high atm. Drs aware x

 

[midnight blue]

Thanks happy hippy, mine are high for some reason at the moment, I've been on steroids for the best part of a year and just stopped them recently. But since stopping, my blood glucose is much higher. I'm due to start biologic medication, so hopefully it'll help with the uc and diabetes. I'll give that bread a go, sounds good. Take care and thanks again

 

[RFSMarch]

Hi Jo, Jo here,

The diet for both diabetes and NAFLD is a low carb, high FAT, diet, not high fibre per se. So hopefully we can help you find work-arounds. Can you list what you're all good to eat for the Colitis? Assuming you had that before the T2 and have been living with it for a while? Maybe we can help sort some stuff out.

https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html might help some. I'm also thinking, is a mainly carnivore diet up your alley? That's practically no fibre and no carbs. Doesn't have to be that restrictive, but maybe if you build your meals around that, add in greens that can work for you...

You'll be okay, it's just a puzzle, and it can get sorted.
Hugs,
Jo

I have just returned to the forum after a long break. I have just been diagnosed with colitis and my bloods have soared while my weight has plummeted. But my GP seemed to think that to manage the colitis would be at odds with LCHF and what I have found is confusing… “no don’t touch that, oh but you can have it with this” …

Any advice would be very gratefully received

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I have just returned to the forum after a long break. I have just been diagnosed with colitis and my bloods have soared while my weight has plummeted. But my GP seemed to think that to manage the colitis would be at odds with LCHF and what I have found is confusing… “no don’t touch that, oh but you can have it with this” …

Any advice would be very gratefully received

Basically go with things that don't rip up your gut *and* keep your blood glucose happy.... What are you eating now, what can't you tolerate, gut-wise, and let's see where the respective diets can work together and overlap? Give as much info as you can, what you've been told, what the advice has been, what you're eating and drinking, what absolutely is a no go... And we could puzzle on from there.

 

[RFSMarch]

Basically go with things that don't rip up your gut *and* keep your blood glucose happy.... What are you eating now, what can't you tolerate, gut-wise, and let's see where the respective diets can work together and overlap? Give as much info as you can, what you've been told, what the advice has been, what you're eating and drinking, what absolutely is a no go... And we could puzzle on from there.

I haven’t really deviated that much from my normal LCHF routine, but things started to go on the wonk when I came back from a golfing holiday. Unlike most hotels where you have a buffet … this was a la carte and THE tiddliest portions you ever did see (and you had to look very closely to see anything!) and this hotel in particular seemed to be very averse to veg, so things felt stuck for a while.

I generally stick to between 125-150g of carbs in a day. Obvs there are occasional days where that is a little higher, some days a little lower. So the sharp rise in bloods was a bit surprising.
At the moment I am waiting for the referral to the consultant from the IBD clinic. For the sugars I now have Metformin, Jardiance and Sitagliptin and my GP suggested that I focus more on the bloods as we know what that is (HIGH HIGH HIGHHHHHH!) and while I wait for the NHS referral system to work, I can see if anything that didn't spike me before has now suddenly decided to hate me!

So new Libre sensor on, and because my appetite comes and goes seemingly like the sun in an English summer, I am making more of an effort to note if I haven't had a full portion. I don't typically eat bread, I limit myself to 50g of pasta if I have it, or potatoes etc, and I limit myself to a 1/4 cup of brown basmati rice if I have it.

Fruit wise, I have 4-5 strawberries cut up with full fat greek yoghurt for breakfast, eggs or soup at lunch and then dinner tends to be a little more carb heavy - so maybe that is an area to look at. I do allow myself a lunch-box sized banana because the rapid weight loss has brought about the worst cramps in my calves and the front of my legs. Agony!

I also snack on cut apple and 2-3 dried apricots (again to keep things moving) and nuts - almonds and plain cashews.

So unless my body is totally rejecting all that, I am a touch baffled!

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I haven’t really deviated that much from my normal LCHF routine, but things started to go on the wonk when I came back from a golfing holiday. Unlike most hotels where you have a buffet … this was a la carte and THE tiddliest portions you ever did see (and you had to look very closely to see anything!) and this hotel in particular seemed to be very averse to veg, so things felt stuck for a while.

I generally stick to between 125-150g of carbs in a day. Obvs there are occasional days where that is a little higher, some days a little lower. So the sharp rise in bloods was a bit surprising.
At the moment I am waiting for the referral to the consultant from the IBD clinic. For the sugars I now have Metformin, Jardiance and Sitagliptin and my GP suggested that I focus more on the bloods as we know what that is (HIGH HIGH HIGHHHHHH!) and while I wait for the NHS referral system to work, I can see if anything that didn't spike me before has now suddenly decided to hate me!

So new Libre sensor on, and because my appetite comes and goes seemingly like the sun in an English summer, I am making more of an effort to note if I haven't had a full portion. I don't typically eat bread, I limit myself to 50g of pasta if I have it, or potatoes etc, and I limit myself to a 1/4 cup of brown basmati rice if I have it.

Fruit wise, I have 4-5 strawberries cut up with full fat greek yoghurt for breakfast, eggs or soup at lunch and then dinner tends to be a little more carb heavy - so maybe that is an area to look at. I do allow myself a lunch-box sized banana because the rapid weight loss has brought about the worst cramps in my calves and the front of my legs. Agony!

I also snack on cut apple and 2-3 dried apricots (again to keep things moving) and nuts - almonds and plain cashews.

So unless my body is totally rejecting all that, I am a touch baffled!

Banana's and apricots are a T2's kryptonite, pretty much. If you lack potassium, why not just supplement with, you know, a supplement? Still reap the benefits and no spike to show for it to boot. Less tasty maybe, but it won't send your blood sugars into the stratosphere. As for keeping things moving, something fermented that's less carby could well do the same, say, that lovely full fat greek yoghurt with some psyllium husk tossed in, if you can tolerate that. I add coconut to mine, and/or blue berries (or the rare strawberry, if we have them), walnuts or cocoa powder. Almonds and cashews are a little carby-er than say, walnuts, macadamia's and pecans would be... And I don't know how long you've been on metformin, but that can cause rather bad muscle cramps as well, as with long term use often comes the inability to absorb vitamin B12 efficiently. (Which can make your calves go absolutely bonkers.). Not a fan of the pasta and rice, but when it comes down to it, I do think the fruit is more damaging...

I hate to cut this short, but we're off to bed for the night. Hang in there, and listen to your meter.
Good luck!
Jo

 

[Margarettt]

Hi @RFSMarch type 2 with ulcerative colitis here. I've had colitis for 20 years and have never been as healthy as I have been on my keto diet since last August. I do want to say that I've been one of the lucky ones who historically could go two or three months without a flair and when it did I could normally sort it out in a couple of months just by doubling meds. I've only needed steroids a handful of times in all these years. I say this because I believe everyone's colitis (like everyone's diabetes) is different so my experience is just my experience and not a recommendation.
My diabetic nurse was supportive of me going very low carb but suggested I check with my gastro consultant. I did and she (the consultant) was all for it as long as I didn't forget about fibre. We talked about nuts and avocados and I use a lot of keto subs which can have lots of fibre.
I have fewer than 20 carbs a day (often 10-12) and I promise lots of my day to day day colitis symptoms (if you know you know) have disappeared.
I wouldn't eat dried apricots but a small fresh apricot has 3 carbs. (the season is May to September and they came into Sainsbury's on Tuesday. I'd been checking every day for a fortnight) one apricot as a "pudding" doesn't spike me.
I really don't worry about fibre on a day to day basis but if I randomly think about it or if very occasionally things get a bit stuck I'll add some seeded crackers and avocado to a meal.
I'm not recommending this site but its a good list https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/high-fiber-low-carb-foods
Good luck

 

[RFSMarch]

Banana's and apricots are a T2's kryptonite, pretty much. If you lack potassium, why not just supplement with, you know, a supplement? Still reap the benefits and no spike to show for it to boot. Less tasty maybe, but it won't send your blood sugars into the stratosphere. As for keeping things moving, something fermented that's less carby could well do the same, say, that lovely full fat greek yoghurt with some psyllium husk tossed in, if you can tolerate that. I add coconut to mine, and/or blue berries (or the rare strawberry, if we have them), walnuts or cocoa powder. Almonds and cashews are a little carby-er than say, walnuts, macadamia's and pecans would be... And I don't know how long you've been on metformin, but that can cause rather bad muscle cramps as well, as with long term use often comes the inability to absorb vitamin B12 efficiently. (Which can make your calves go absolutely bonkers.). Not a fan of the pasta and rice, but when it comes down to it, I do think the fruit is more damaging...

I hate to cut this short, but we're off to bed for the night. Hang in there, and listen to your meter.
Good luck!
Jo

I know that some of the more stringent LCHF groups I started with would faint and clutch their pearls if I mentioned bananas or a couple of pieces of apricot but certainly the first time around with using Libre to measure spikes it was not particularly heavy for me than, say, grapes or pineapple. Everyone is different and I appeared to tolerate a small ‘nana with my afternoon coffee, so it will be fascinating to see what has changed, and what is spiking now, outside of the infection itself which could also be at play.

I have a job where you are glued to your seat for hours on end and lunch/dinner depending on shift times are not always at regular times, so I would find that a banana would help stop me flagging.

Going to hunt for flax seeds and I am pretty sure I saw someone back in the day say that chia seeds could be used for puddings. Or maybe I imagined that!

 

[RFSMarch]

Banana's and apricots are a T2's kryptonite, pretty much. If you lack potassium, why not just supplement with, you know, a supplement? Still reap the benefits and no spike to show for it to boot. Less tasty maybe, but it won't send your blood sugars into the stratosphere. As for keeping things moving, something fermented that's less carby could well do the same, say, that lovely full fat greek yoghurt with some psyllium husk tossed in, if you can tolerate that. I add coconut to mine, and/or blue berries (or the rare strawberry, if we have them), walnuts or cocoa powder. Almonds and cashews are a little carby-er than say, walnuts, macadamia's and pecans would be... And I don't know how long you've been on metformin, but that can cause rather bad muscle cramps as well, as with long term use often comes the inability to absorb vitamin B12 efficiently. (Which can make your calves go absolutely bonkers.). Not a fan of the pasta and rice, but when it comes down to it, I do think the fruit is more damaging...

I hate to cut this short, but we're off to bed for the night. Hang in there, and listen to your meter.
Good luck!
Jo

Forgive the double post - anither 'oddity' - I was prescribed chewy Vit D tablets after my previous bloods and I was able to chomp on them until ... fairly recently and not surprisingly around the same time frame as the bowel issues. The chalky minty taste started making me feel quite nauseous so now I have Vit D supplements with no chompiness but I am finding that taking SOOOO amy tablets is making me gag or forcing them down and getting that kinda bruised feeling in my gullet.

Are there any tips people can share to get tabs down you without reflux and feeling you are going to just bring them straight back up!?

 

[RFSMarch]

Quick update: the postie has brought unto me an appointment with the dietician who has noted that I am diabetic and @JoKalsbeek said pretty much the same thing in your first reply that it is about finding something that doesn’t flair up and still allows me to stick to a LCHF regime that works for me. I think this is quite positive… her suggestion (appointment is in a couple of weeks to let the colitis meds kick in) is much the same as we have discussed… more detailed food diary, checking pre and post prandial bloods and trying to have my snacks at a time that works for testing twice after.

for the first tme I actually feel a little better about things so thanks all for advice thus far.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Forgive the double post - anither 'oddity' - I was prescribed chewy Vit D tablets after my previous bloods and I was able to chomp on them until ... fairly recently and not surprisingly around the same time frame as the bowel issues. The chalky minty taste started making me feel quite nauseous so now I have Vit D supplements with no chompiness but I am finding that taking SOOOO amy tablets is making me gag or forcing them down and getting that kinda bruised feeling in my gullet.

Are there any tips people can share to get tabs down you without reflux and feeling you are going to just bring them straight back up!?

There's a liquid form of vitamin d available through the pharmacy, maybe that's an option? It's a heavy hitter though, not something you take daily, but the drops are easy to ingest...