Celiac And Type One Diabetes

[elye]

Hey, all,

This is the first time I've written, as I'm still technically a newbie at this--diagnosed October'05. What I'm NOT new at is the diabetes, which I've had for thirty-three years. I am very tightly controlled, and take my daily diabetes regimen very seriously.

At times throughout my life I've thought there wasn't a tougher challenge than adhering to the restrictive diabetic diet. Whoa, was I wrong. The celiac diet, in this society, is MUCH more challenging. And now that I must combine these two ways of eating, boy, it really seems overwhelming sometimes. I'm hoping there are other insulin-dependent diabetic celiacs out there who can give me some tips on dealing with some of the big antipodal cruxes of these two diets.

Keeping my blood glucose levels tightly controlled has meant, for me anyway, paying great attention to the glycemic load in the food I eat; eating foods low or medium on the index, and staying away from those that have a high number. I have for years avoided high blood sugar levels and had superb haemoglobin A1C readings by filling my complex carbohydrate allotment with whole grain pasta and oatmeal, and avoiding potatos, corn and peas, which are known to cause surges in blood sugar. So you see my problem...Potatos, corn and peas are STAPLE carbohydrates in the celiac diet! And I can't go near that pasta or oatmeal anymore (I am eating rice noodles, which don't seem to keep my blood sugar at the nice, lowish level that I experienced with wheat noodles, but the readings are acceptable, so...)

Any advice?

[psawyer]

I have been insulin dependent since March 1986--almost twenty years. I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2000, but I believe that I had it long before that. I had symptoms that could be caused by celiac disease as far back as 1969.

Rule #1:

When the celiac and diabetic diets conflict, the celiac diet MUST RULE. Extra sugar will be a temporary problem with limited long-term effect, but gluten will do serious damage which will last a lot longer than a few hours.

You don't have an email address in your profile. I'll send a PM with mine.

[psawyer]

I sent you a long email on this topic. I saw in another post you made that you are in Ottawa. I am originally from Ottawa, but have lived in the Toronto area since 1960.

[gabby]

Peter I'd be interested in your views on this subject. I'm in a similar boat... I have hyperinsulinemia and am fending off diabetes tooth and nail, but I'm finding it difficult to figure out a decent eating plan. I've been doing this for only a couple years (tightlly controlled blood sugar diet and celiac) and I have to tell you that I'm floundering. It seems so many foods give me major digestive problems (tofu, soya, milk), and I just don't know what to eat anymore. So many celiac-legal foods are off-limits because they drive up my blood sugar. I'm down to eating plain meat and lettuce.

I also have this interesting side problem: since my blood sugar is tightly controlled, I never get hungry and have actually lost interest in eating altogether. Ihave to force myself to eat...and when I do, it never tastes right and it not enjoyable.

If you have any advice/tips/book suggestions/lifestyle adjustments, I'd love to hear them.

thanks

Gabby

[elye]

I sent you a long email on this topic. I saw in another post you made that you are in Ottawa. I am originally from Ottawa, but have lived in the Toronto area since 1960.

Ah, another National-Capital celiabetic! (like my new coined word?) Have been here all my life, but I hear Toronto has MANY more places to pick up gluten-free foods, and restaurants with gluten-free choices. It's really slim pickins here.

Thanks again for your email.

[elye]

Peter I'd be interested in your views on this subject. I'm in a similar boat... I have hyperinsulinemia and am fending off diabetes tooth and nail, but I'm finding it difficult to figure out a decent eating plan. I've been doing this for only a couple years (tightlly controlled blood sugar diet and celiac) and I have to tell you that I'm floundering. It seems so many foods give me major digestive problems (tofu, soya, milk), and I just don't know what to eat anymore. So many celiac-legal foods are off-limits because they drive up my blood sugar. I'm down to eating plain meat and lettuce.

I also have this interesting side problem: since my blood sugar is tightly controlled, I never get hungry and have actually lost interest in eating altogether. Ihave to force myself to eat...and when I do, it never tastes right and it not enjoyable.

If you have any advice/tips/book suggestions/lifestyle adjustments, I'd love to hear them.

thanks

Gabby

Hi, Gabby,

Yep, I hear you. I really miss all the fibre-packed foods I used to eat constantly to keep my blood sugar steadily low. The one thing that is high-fibre that we can still eat as celiacs (and lactose-intolerant) is legumes, so I eat a big portion every day, either at lunch or dinner. It works like pasta used to--fills me up, keeps me below 8 or 9mmol...kidney beans, chick peas, lentils. I throw them in everything. I also puree them to make a lower-calorie peanut butter-like spread. Really good!

Wow, I wish I were like you and had no appetite! Lower blood sugars for me mean hunger, and since tight control means constant tendencies toward insulin reactions, I find I'm eating very often. Funny, with me it's when I get the odd high blood glucose reading that I can't bring myself to eat anything...

[tarnalberry]

So you see my problem...Potatos, corn and peas are STAPLE carbohydrates in the celiac diet! And I can't go near that pasta or oatmeal anymore (I am eating rice noodles, which don't seem to keep my blood sugar at the nice, lowish level that I experienced with wheat noodles, but the readings are acceptable, so...)

Any advice?

Those don't have to be your staples. Specialty gluten-free pastas like Tinkyada are made from rice and rice bran, so they have the fiber and protein that will give them a similar glycemic index to whole wheat pasta. And the other gluten-free grains have more protein and fiber (and fat) than wheat anyway - buckwheat, millet, quinoa, teff, not to mention the higher protein beans and lentils. Creamy potatoes have a lower glycemic index than starchy potatoes. Don't forget to make use of plenty of other foods that aren't primarily carbohydrates in your diet as well - nuts (and nut meal), soy, seeds (flax meal is good for many things), and so on, besides the regular eggs, dairy (if you can have it), meats, and vegetables.

[kevsmom]

Hello fellow diabetics and celiacs - we are not alone

I have been diabetic for 27 years, and was just diagnosed with celiac in April 2005. I have been carrying a order to go to the lab in my pocketbook for 3 weeks because I'm afraid to know what my A1C is. I'm also waiting for a day that at least my fasting blood sugar is reasonable.

In addition to having trouble with the glycemic index, I know a lot of my problems involve depression. I tend to seek comfort foods to make me feel better. I have been stocking up on gluten free goodies because I can eat them. I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to compensate with additional insulin to cover the extra carbohydrates. Because of the additional food and the extra insulin, I gained back the 30 pounds that I lost when I was so sick prior to celiac diagnose (plus an additional 16).

I need to get myself back on track. Somebody smack me .

Cindy

[elye]

Hello fellow diabetics and celiacs - we are not alone

I have been diabetic for 27 years, and was just diagnosed with celiac in April 2005. I have been carrying a order to go to the lab in my pocketbook for 3 weeks because I'm afraid to know what my A1C is. I'm also waiting for a day that at least my fasting blood sugar is reasonable.

In addition to having trouble with the glycemic index, I know a lot of my problems involve depression. I tend to seek comfort foods to make me feel better. I have been stocking up on gluten free goodies because I can eat them. I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to compensate with additional insulin to cover the extra carbohydrates. Because of the additional food and the extra insulin, I gained back the 30 pounds that I lost when I was so sick prior to celiac diagnose (plus an additional 16).

I need to get myself back on track. Somebody smack me .

Cindy

Do you exercise? Hey, there's no escaping it: regular workouts do WONDERS for high blood sugars and depression. Exercise is an absolutely necessary part of my diabetes maintenance, and I know it's vital to my tight control and ability to stay up and happy most of the time. Who knows, it may even contribute to intestinal health and healing!

[ehrin]

Hi elye -

I've been a T1 for almost 26 years (26th anniversary is next month) and was diagnosed with Celiac and gastroparesis in October (diagnosis' were a week apart, literally). I've been having a hard time managing my blood sugars since going gluten-free. My A1c went from 5.8 to 6.5 and I think it's due to the lack of low GI foods, so I feel your pain, I truly do. I'm overweight (one of those rare celiac's) and am going to try the core program at Weight Watchers. It's based on low GI foods and I'm hoping that with my already extensive knowledge of foods I'll be able to pull this off. Lately brown rice has been my best friend. I almost eat it daily. For me I think it's just going to be a learning process. I'm taking it one day at a time. But I do THANK my diabetes for already making me so aware of food and what is in food. I think if I didn't have diabetes, and I grew up on Lipton noodles and processed foods, I'd be in a much tougher situation.

Good Luck!

[kevsmom]

Thank you for your advice. Unfortunately, excercise is difficult for me. I broke my ankle 2 years ago, have had 3 surgeries on it, and am still having a lot of pain and swelling. I am going to physical therapy twice a week, but this is the only exercise that I am getting. I used to walk for excercise, but that is totally out of the question now. I can barely get around at work. I can't vacuum without being in pain (my poor 17 year old has had to to that, as well as the laundry because I can't go up and down stairs). There are a lot of other things that I just can't do.

I do have Osteopenia, and am on Fosimax.

Hopefully things will improve in the future.

Cindy

[tarnalberry]

Thank you for your advice. Unfortunately, excercise is difficult for me. I broke my ankle 2 years ago, have had 3 surgeries on it, and am still having a lot of pain and swelling. I am going to physical therapy twice a week, but this is the only exercise that I am getting. I used to walk for excercise, but that is totally out of the question now. I can barely get around at work. I can't vacuum without being in pain (my poor 17 year old has had to to that, as well as the laundry because I can't go up and down stairs). There are a lot of other things that I just can't do.

I do have Osteopenia, and am on Fosimax.

Hopefully things will improve in the future.

Cindy

what about swimming (or just walking in a pool) or weights?