Diabetes FAQ » Diabetes Tips » Tips for Diabetics to Decrease Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Tips for Diabetics to Decrease Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Most people who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have had symptoms since childhood. As a child you may have had bouts of diarrhea followed by days of constipation. You may have had to live with constipation to the point of having to have enemas once or twice a week and then later to deal with diarrhea. Sometimes finding out you are a diabetic can actually help people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome.

If you have recently been diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic and you have lived for years with IBS, you may actually improve your symptoms of IBS. When you become a diabetic, part of your treatment is to change your lifestyle habits, which includes your eating habits and your activity. Some people never improve their symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, because they have never really gotten their blood glucose levels under adequate control, for whatever reason. Some people who are diabetics don’t watch their diet as closely as other people with diabetes, but those who do watch their diet usually do improve their symptoms of IBS.

Some foods seem to aggravate the symptoms of IBS, while other foods seem to help it. Milk contains lactose, which causes many people to have gas and irritable bowels. Ice cream, being loaded with sugar, often does the same as milk or even worse. Some people with IBS, whether they are diabetic or not, will start running to the toilet soon after eating a bowl of ice cream. If you are diabetic, you will not likely eat ice cream made with sugar, you will more likely eat ice cream that is made without sugar, if you eat it at all. For many people, leaving off dairy products, such as milk, and ice cream will help to diminish their signs of IBS.

Many people with irritable bowel syndrome are overweight. No, all people with IBS are not overweight, but a significant number of people with IBS are overweight. By adhering to your forced lifestyle changes to control your blood sugar levels, you will also be likely to improve your IBS conditions, because when you get your blood glucose under control, you get your weight under control, which has the positive effect of getting your IBS under control.

Diabetes can be a blessing for many people, because until they received the diagnosis of diabetes, they may have had unhealthy eating habits. Most people improve their diets significantly when they discover they have a disease, such as diabetes. Diabetes, which is out of control, can damage every organ system in your body, but if you have your blood glucose levels in control, you can improve every organ system in your body.

Many people with IBS suffer with stomach cramps, bloating and some even have evidence of ulcerative colitis with their IBS symptoms. If you have IBS, you may suffer with headaches and anxiety, which is related to the stress that IBS causes on your body. If you have diabetes, and have been living a healthier lifestyle, you may have noticed that your symptoms of IBS have improved. If your symptoms of IBS have not improved, look at your blood glucose levels. If the glucometer reading shows you have elevated blood sugars, look at what you have been eating. If you have been eating only what you should be eating, and your blood sugar levels are still high, report this to your doctor. Your doctor may be able to help you with your symptoms of IBS. When you get one problem under control, you usually get the other under control also.

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