Diabetes FAQ » Diabetes Tips » Tips for Diabetics with Crohn’s Disease

Tips for Diabetics with Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease affects half a million people in America. Whether you are diabetic or not, Crohn’s disease is a serious illness of the digestion system. Crohn’s disease is characterized by night sweats, diarrhea, obstructions, abdominal pain, GI bleeding, irritation and tears in the mucosa of the bowel. If you are diabetic and you have Crohn’s disease, you must do your best to keep your blood glucose levels in balance, because elevated glucose levels can exacerbate the symptoms of Crohn’s disease. The following tips will help you keep both disorders under control so you can lead a happy and healthy life.

1. Smoking. Most of the tips you will see here have to do with lifestyle. The first lifestyle issue is smoking. Smoking tobacco causes irritation in the digestive tract. You might believe smoking only affects the lungs, but that isn’t the truth. Smoking increases your risk of developing Crohn’s disease. Smoking tobacco products can cause peptic ulcers, gastroesophogeal reflux (commonly referred to as heartburn), gall bladder disease, and other problems in the body. Why smoking cigarettes puts you at greater risk of developing Crohn’s disease is not known, but smoking causes problems in the gastrointestinal system. If you have Crohn’s disease, it is important that you stop smoking, because you have greater risk for intestinal flare ups. It is believed that smoking interferes with your gut’s immune system defenses.

2. Diet. Another lifestyle issue is diet. What you eat is vitally important to the treatment of diabetes mellitus and Crohn’s disease. You will need to choose foods that will be good to manage your blood glucose levels and your symptoms of Crohn’s disease, which might choose to be quite challenging at times. As a diabetic, foods higher in fiber are a better choice to help manage a diabetic’s blood glucose level, but high fiber foods may aggravate your symptoms of Crohn’s disease. Most people with Diabetes and Crohn’s disease learn what they can eat and what they can’t eat by trial and error.

3. Exercise. Because you are diabetic, you should find an activity that you enjoy, because exercise is very important to a healthy lifestyle. Whether you are diabetic or not, exercise is important; however, exercise is part of what keeps your blood glucose levels within normal limits. It is important to check your blood sugars with a glucometer at regular intervals throughout the day. Record the values that you see on the screen of your glucose meter, so that you can keep track of any abnormal glucose levels. Report any consistent blood glucose levels to your doctor, because abnormal glucose levels could worsen your symptoms of Crohn’s disease.

4. Vitamins. When you have problems with your digestive system, such as people with Crohn’s disease do, it is important that you take vitamins. Vitamins are the agents that help you turn the food you eat into usable energy. You may have to take supplements of calcium and folic acid and you may also need to take injections of Vitamin B-12, if you are not able to tolerate foods that are higher in fiber. If you have frequent diarrhea, you may become depleted of fluid, electrolytes, and vitamins. Be sure to report to your doctor if you cannot keep your symptoms of Crohn’s disease under control.

5. Avoid Depression. Your attitude is very important to your recovery. You must try to keep a positive attitude, so that you can keep your spirits up. You must be able to believe you will be well, because it is easy to get into a depression when you feel badly. Depression, being a chemical imbalance of the brain, can block all your efforts to be well. You may not always feel well, but by making positive lifestyle changes, and trying to keep your frame of mind positive, you should be able to manage and cope with having two such life altering diseases.

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