Cystic-fibrosis related diabetes, or CFRD, requires nutritional planning that balances increased calorie requirements with the need for carbohydrate control. Maintaining stable blood sugar levels may help you gain weight and improve your overall health. A healthy eating plan for CFRD encourages you to eat foods that are high in calories, fat, protein and salt while monitoring carbohydrates to keep your blood sugar stable.
Nutritional Considerations
Cystic fibrosis, or CF, is an inherited disorder that affects the cells that cover the surfaces of the body and inner passages of the lungs, pancreas, liver, digestive and reproductive organs. With CF, a genetic error disrupts the way these cells react to salt, causing your body to produce a thick mucus that clogs internal passages, obstructs breathing and blocks the secretion of hormones, enzymes and other substances. This thick mucus interferes with the actions of your pancreas, a gland that produces insulin. Insulin is a hormone that allows your cells to absorb and utilize glucose. With CFRD, your pancreas can no longer produce enough insulin. Your body also loses its ability to respond to insulin. If you have CFRD, your doctor may prescribe insulin to help your body use glucose and to stabilize your blood sugar levels.
Carbohydrates
Your body converts carbohydrates, or sugars and starches, into glucose for energy. Carbohydrate-containing foods include grains, leafy and starchy vegetables, fruits, beans, milk products, desserts, snacks and soda. Although you should not avoid or limit carbohydrates in your diet, you will need to keep track of how many grams of carbohydrates you eat, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, or CFF, notes.
To maintain stable levels of glucose in your bloodstream, your health care team can help you coordinate your intake of carbohydrates with your use of insulin. If you take the same doses of insulin each day, you may need to regulate the times of your meals and eat approximately the same amount of carbohydrates at each meal. If you want more flexibility in the amount of carbohydrates you eat and the times that you eat your meals and snacks, you may prefer an eating plan that allows you to adjust your insulin doses to match the amount of carbohydrates you consume. Your activity level also affects the balance of carbohydrates with insulin.
Fats, Protein and Salt
Fats and protein do not affect your blood sugar levels directly. However, fat delays the digestion of other foods, so a high-fat meal may have a less-marked effect on your blood sugar. Cystic fibrosis interferes with your pancreas' ability to produce the enzymes that help your body digest fats, starches and protein. Your diet must help compensate for this loss with extra fat and other nutrients. High-fat foods include whole milk and cream, butter, bacon, peanut butter, avocados, eggs, nuts and vegetable oils. Foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids also contribute to your daily fat intake. Foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids include salmon and other fatty fish, walnuts and flaxseed, canola and soybean oils.
Protein has a minimal effect on blood sugar, but this nutrient is vital for boosting your immune system and helping your body build and repair new tissues. High-salt foods, such as pretzels, salted peanut butter, cheese and salted nuts, can replace the additional salt that you lose in perspiration because of effects of CF on sweat glands.
Energy Needs
A person with CF may require 20 to 50 percent more calories than the average person to maintain weight, support lung function and fight infection, according to the CFF. When you aren't getting enough calories from the foods that you eat, your doctor may recommend high-calorie nutritional supplements. You may also require overnight feedings through a surgically created opening in your abdomen or a tube that leads from your nose to your stomach. You may need insulin coverage before taking high-calorie supplements to keep your blood sugar stable. Getting enough calories in your diet while controlling your blood sugar may help you achieve a healthy weight, boost your lung function and avoid infections.
