Food Guidelines for Feeding Your Chronic Illness, Part 1

There are just so many different forms of chronic illness that affect so many different parts of the body that it’s difficult to generalize what works best for a single person. There are certainly generalities, probably well known to those who follow wellness advice - less meat, more vegetables, cut down on fat, sodium, and sugar intake.

If you suffer from multiple chronic illnesses, there may be conflicting or stacking diets that are best for feeding your body. With that in mind, let’s take a look at guidelines for specific illnesses.

Diabetes

Steady, low carbohydrates are the best way to go, making your meals balanced throughout the day. Planning out your meals Whole, nutrient-rich foods provide the necessary vitamins to keep your body going. Staying hydrated helps to keep your blood sugar leveled, and eating lots of fiber will aid digestion and slow the uptake of sugars and carbs. Remember to eat in moderation and at regular times, so that you don’t overload your body trying to digest the food (even if it’s proper food for you).

Eat:

• Non-starchy vegetables - spinach, broccoli, peppers, leafy greens

• Whole grains - oats, quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pasta

• Lean proteins - fish, chicken, turkey, beans, lentils, tofu, eggs

• Fruits - unsweetened whole fruits

• Healthy fats - avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, canola oil

• Low-fat dairy - milk, yogurt, cheese, kefir

Limit/Avoid:

• Added sugars - soda, juice, candy, cakes, cookies

• Refined carbs - white bread, white rice, flour tortillas

• Saturated & trans fats - fatty meats (bacon, sausage), fried foods, butter

• Processed foods - packaged goods, high-sodium snacks

• Alcohol {it drops your sugar at first, then spikes it}

Popular Diets Aligned with Guidelines:

• Mediterranean Diet

• DASH Diet

Further Reading:

• Mayo Clinic

• American Diabetes Association

• CDC

• MedlinePlus

• Alberta Health Services

Heart Disease

While whole, healthy food is important for preventing and treating heart disease, the emphasis on regular exercise and quitting smoking must be mentioned. A diet does a LOT for your body, but it only goes so far if you’re hurting yourself in other ways. Plant-based is the primary focus of heart healthy diets, making sure you cut down on fat and sodium.

Eat:

• Wide variety of fruits & vegetables - eat the rainbow!

• Whole grains - oats, quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pasta

• Lean proteins - legumes, nuts, fish, seafood, white meat chicken and turkey

• Non-tropical vegetable oils - canola, corn, olive, soybean, sunflower

• Low-fat dairy - milk, yogurt, cheese, kefir

Limit/Avoid:

• Added sugars - soda, juice, candy, cakes, cookies

• Foods prepared with salt

• Saturated & trans fats - fatty meats (bacon, sausage), fried foods, butter

• Red meat - beef, pork, veal, lamb

• Processed foods - packaged goods, deli meats, hot dogs

• Alcohol

Popular Diets Aligned with Guidelines:

• DASH Diet

• Mediterranean Diet

• Vegetarian Diet

Further Reading:

• American Heart Association

• Cleveland Clinic

• Harvard Health

Liver Disease

Most liver diets aim to reduce the amount of fat and inflammation in the body, to lessen the strain on your liver. It is emphasized that alcohol should not be consumed, as it is directly processed through the liver and can cause more damage.

Eat:

• Non-starchy vegetables - spinach, broccoli, carrots

• Fruits - fresh, frozen, or canned in its own juice (not syrup)

• Fish and seafood - especially cold-water fish

• Poultry and eggs - skinless white meat chicken and turkey, eggs

• Whole grains - oats, quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pasta

• Healthy fats - olive oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil

• Legumes and beans - peas, lentils, red beans, black beans, soy beans

• Nuts and seeds - raw and unsalted versions of almonds, walnuts, cashews, chia

• Polyphenols - black coffee, green tea, walnuts

Limit/Avoid:

• Added sugars - soda, juice, candy, cakes, cookies

• Refined carbs - white bread, white rice, flour tortillas, potato chips

• Saturated & trans fats - fatty meats (bacon, sausage), fried foods, butter

• Red & processed meats - beef, pork, veal, lamb, hot dogs, chicken nuggets

• Processed foods - frozen meals, cheese, canned veggies with added salt

• Alcohol {try out a mocktail instead}

Popular Diets Aligned with Guidelines:

• Mediterranean Diet

Further Reading:

• American Liver Foundation

• Mayo Clinic

• Baylor College of Medicine

• WebMD

IBS

For irritable bowel syndrome, the common approach is to test your body with the FODMAP diet in order to see how it reacts to certain foods; then you’ll know what works and doesn’t work for you. In general, limiting fatty food, spicy food, acidic food, and alcohol, as well as reducing stress, are some of the best ways to manage flare-ups.

Eat:

• Grains - oats, rice bran, gluten-free pasta, corn, quinoa, white rice

• Lactose-free dairy - almond milk, coconut milk, lactose-free yogurt, hard cheeses

• Less dense vegetables - bean sprouts, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, potatoes

• Protein - beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, tofu

• Nuts & seeds - almonds, macadamia, peanuts, pine nuts, walnuts

• Citrus fruits - grapefruit, kiwi, lemon, lime, oranges

• Melons and berries - banana, blueberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, strawberries

Limit/Avoid:

• Gluten - breads, most cereal, grains (like wheat and rye), pasta, processed foods

• Dairy with lactose - cow’s milk, yogurt, pudding, ice cream, ricotta cheese, mascarpone

• Sweeteners - natural and imitation - honey, HFCS, agave nectar, sorbitol, xylitol, isomalt

• Cruciferous vegetables - artichokes, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower

• Allium vegetables - garlic, onion, leek, shallot, chives

• Certain legumes - chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, soy products

• High fructose fruit - apples, pears, peaches, cherries, pears, watermelon, blackberries

Popular Diets Aligned with Guidelines:

• FODMAP Diet

Further Reading:

• National Institutes of Health

• Cleveland Clinic

• University of Virginia Health System

This is by no means a comprehensive list of items for the diets listed, and there are many more conditions that require certain diets (I’ll write subsequent posts to cover more conditions). Of course, the best thing you can do is talk to your healthcare provider or a nutritionist to decide on what’s best for your body. You should also discuss changes in diet with your practitioner, preferably before you begin.

If you'd like some help planning out your meals

I have a Meal Plan Bundle in the shop so you can plan and track your daily and weekly meals. This cuts down on decision fatigue, potentially make unhealthy choices, and going off-diet. It comes with a bonus Grocery List so that you can be prepared for the grocery store after you've made the plan!