Lupus, Diabetes and Heart Health Balance

christiangeek · April 2019

Hi everyone! I'm finding it hard to balance these things and my doctors are not super helpful. I know losing weight will be good for me overall and I'm working at that. I am lost, though, about what to eat. Things that are good for my diabetes seem to not be good for my heart health and then lupus throws in another element, like no nightshades, which I love, and also having a lot of days where I'm just not able to properly prep and cook.

I'm interested in practical tips, community with others with similar challenges, etc.

I hope everyone has a happy Monday!

fcanad · April 2019

I’m not in your situation.
I am working full time plus and a full time student. Meal prep is limited. I am unashamed that I eat very small variations of my microwaveable home cooked day to day.
Do you have a meal that mostly fits into everything? Personally, two of my three meals are based on chia seeds or flax meal, and one meal is broccoli based.
From what I have read, and this may be completely not right for you, have you considered fish, nuts, or seeds as your caloric base?
I don’t think I’m as helpful as you need, but I believe you can sort it out (and/or get a referral to a nutritionist)

MichelleSilverleaf · April 2019

You might benefit from a visit to a registered dietician, especially one who deals with diabetes.

rheddmobile · April 2019

I have both lupus and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is controlled by diet and exercise, lupus comes and goes.

There’s no scientific evidence that nightshade vegetables have anything to do with lupus flares. Unless you personally have observed a connection for you in particular, there is no science-based reason not to eat them. I eat tomatoes every day and potatoes several times a week and they don’t have any effect on me.

My OMG I feel like crap I can’t even meal is Chicken Wicker’s. Small roasting pan, chicken thighs, Wickers marinade. Dump the marinade on the chicken so the top is dry and the bottom is covered and roast for an hour. Perfect tender chicken with crisp skin every time. Open a can of field peas and a can of greens or a boxed salad to go with. No effort to cook except opening and pouring. Microwave steam bags of veggies are also a good low effort alternative.

I also roast a pork loin about once a week. It’s very lean meat, no trouble to roast, and can be sliced for sandwiches and stir fries or whatever is needed. Prepping whole grains and roast root vegetables is also a good idea. I prep steel cut oats made with milk, walnuts, and apples, five days at a time. This seems like it would be a high carb and hard to tolerate meal, but for some reason it doesn’t spike me at all. Test yourself after every meal for a while with new foods until you know how they affect you.

Low fat cottage cheese is like a magic food. Due to whey protein having a stronger effect on insulin than on blood sugar, my glucose levels actually DROP when I eat cottage cheese with a meal. Cottage cheese is what I eat when my cortisol levels are super high and I need to keep my glucose levels low.

Tuna is another great low effort option - both diabetics and people with lupus benefit from eating fatty fish. Canned salmon can also work. And if you have the wherewithal to get to the store for fresh fish, grilling a fish or baking it takes very little time and effort.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to lose weight. The second best is regular exercise. Unfortunately a lupus flare can make exercise nearly impossible. On those days keep an eye on your heart rate and exercise by heart rate level.

Wishing you good days!

ultra_violets · April 2019

I'm a type 2 diabetic. I admit I'm not that familiar with lupus and its effect on your dietary needs, but hopefully I can share something that's useful. Protein will keep your blood sugar level, and you want those good fats for your heart. I love pistachios (of course you can't go crazy with them because those calories add up but I have 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup every day). Not only are they a source of those good fats, but they naturally lower your blood sugar and your insulin resistance. I also admit I'm not the best cook, nor do I enjoy it that much, though I'm getting better. So when I cook, I like to get two to three meals out of it. I'll get the big tray of 8 chicken thighs and roast them very simply. That's two dinners and a lunch. I also like salmon. Salads, eggs and hard cheese like cheddar, also always good!

rickiimarieee · April 2019

I’m not in your situation either but I have lupus as well, not sure which kind you have but my lupus doesn’t come with any issues of eating. I have SLE

kimny72 · April 2019

christiangeek wrote: »

Hi everyone! I'm finding it hard to balance these things and my doctors are not super helpful. I know losing weight will be good for me overall and I'm working at that. I am lost, though, about what to eat. Things that are good for my diabetes seem to not be good for my heart health and then lupus throws in another element, like no nightshades, which I love, and also having a lot of days where I'm just not able to properly prep and cook.

I'm interested in practical tips, community with others with similar challenges, etc.

I hope everyone has a happy Monday!

While some people find lowering carbs drastically helps their diabetes, others find they can eat at a more moderate carb level if they are balanced properly.

Do you have a heart condition? What foods that you are eating for diabetes are bad for your heart?

I would second seeing if you can get referred to an RD.

christiangeek · April 2019

Thanks, everybody! Working on the referral to an RD. I really appreciate the words of encouragement and the helpful hints!

Lupus, Diabetes and Heart Health Balance

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