Diabetes is a serious chronic condition characterized by elevated blood glucose levels due to a disruption in insulin action or secretion. Diagnosis is often made incidentally, following a routine blood test that shows elevated fasting glucose. The table below outlines the diagnostic criteria for Type II diabetes:

Not only can you, you should. Starchy foods cover a wide range — fruit, vegetables, legumes, breakfast cereals, bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and more. These foods provide a large share of nutrients that are essential for health every day, such as vitamins, antioxidants, fiber and energy. For this reason, unlike older dietary guidelines that restricted starchy foods, current nutritional guidelines actually encourage eating them daily. That said, there are a few conditions to make sure starchy foods don’t negatively affect blood sugar:

a) Total daily carbohydrate intake — shouldn’t exceed 50–55% of daily energy intake.

b) Type of carbohydrate — complex carbohydrates found in fruit, vegetables and whole-grain products raise blood sugar less than white bread, pastries and other “refined” foods.

c) Number and size of meals — 5–6 small/moderate meals a day help a great deal with blood sugar control.

The diet of a patient with Type II diabetes should follow the same general healthy-eating principles as the general population. The key factor is education and guidance from a qualified Clinical Dietitian–Nutritionist, who can put together a nutrition plan that’s realistic, effective and tailored to each patient’s personal needs.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and “spastic colitis” refer to the same condition. The term “spastic colitis” is an older one, used to describe uncomfortable digestive symptoms (pain, bloating, gas, distension) that couldn’t be linked to any underlying disease. Note: “spastic colitis” should not be confused with “ulcerative colitis,” which is a completely separate and more serious condition.

This complex and uncomfortable digestive condition — with symptoms like diarrhea or constipation (alone or alternating), pain, bloating, and gas — is now referred to as Irritable Bowel Syndrome. These symptoms have at various times been attributed to stress/anxiety, heredity and diet.
Nutritional management of IBS is based on a low-FODMAP diet (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides And Polyols), which has been shown to affect the hypersensitive environment of the stomach and intestines. The substances and foods to avoid are listed below:

Fructose: honey, apples, mango, pear, watermelon, high-fructose corn syrup (found in almost all packaged foods)

Fructans: artichokes, asparagus, beetroot, chicory, dandelion greens/arugula, leeks, radicchio, dry onion, the white part of green onion, wheat, rye

Lactose: milk, ice cream, cream, milk powder, yogurt, margarine, soft white cheeses (cottage cheese, mizithra, mascarpone, ricotta) Galactans: legumes, seeds

Polyols: apples, apricots, avocado, cherries, nectarines, pear, plums, prunes, mushrooms, sorbitol (E420 – chewing gum), mannitol (E421 – candy), xylitol (E967), maltitol (E965), isomalt (E953), diabetic-friendly foods.

The diet initially aims to reduce uncomfortable IBS symptoms, so all of the foods above are excluded for about 4 weeks. Afterward, these foods are gradually and carefully reintroduced, one food group at a time, so we can observe how the digestive system reacts to each group individually.

Finally, because this diet is practically difficult to follow and is often not nutritionally balanced on its own, it should only be designed by a Clinical Dietitian–Nutritionist and should not last longer than 6 weeks.