Ian Blumer

For the more than two million Canadians who have diabetes, eating a balanced, nutritious diet is an essential part of maintaining good health. If you have diabetes, there are some great Web sites that you can consult for recipes, meal planning suggestions, and nutritional information. You can also follow some helpful tips when preparing food at home or eating out at a restaurant, so that no matter where you are, you can maintain a healthy diet and keep your diabetes in check.

If you have celiac disease, you need to maintain a gluten-free diet to stay healthy, but shopping for foods without gluten can be a challenge. Here are some tips to help you avoid gluten-containing foods and find gluten-free foods in your grocery store: Become a label-reader. In North America, it is the law that food that contains gluten must say so on the label.

Although you may not have any of the symptoms of celiac disease, you may still have the condition and be endangering your health through the consumption of gluten. Some people without symptoms of celiac disease should consider being screened for the ailment, which usually involves blood tests and always involves taking a biopsy if the blood test is positive.

If you or your child has celiac disease, you can still live healthy, active, full, rich and rewarding lives. Staying gluten-free is just one part of not just surviving but thriving with celiac disease. Follow these helpful tips and you’ll be well on your way to living successfully: Strive to be healthy. Commit to living gluten-free, eating nutritiously and exercising regularly.

Do you suspect that you or someone in your family has celiac disease and maybe you or they should give up gluten? Symptoms of undiagnosed or insufficiently treated celiac disease can vary greatly in their nature and number (including having no symptoms at all), but some symptoms are more common than others. If you have one or more of the following symptoms — especially if persisting and/or severe — speak to your doctor about the possibility you that have celiac disease: Gastrointestinal symptoms, especially Diarrhea Stools that are bulky, foul-smelling, and stick to the toilet bowl Abdominal bloating, especially after meals Indigestion, reflux, heartburn Unexplained or unexpected weight loss Small, intensely itchy, pinkish blisters on the elbows, knees, or buttocks (less often on the shoulders, scalp, face, and back).

A number of excellent Web sites provide healthy eating tips and recipes for Canadians with diabetes. Visit the reference links below to find nutritional information and recommendations from The Canadian Diabetes Association, Health Canada, and other reliable sources, and check out the recipe links for lots of healthy diabetes meal planning ideas.

Having diabetes can make eating out at a restaurant quite challenging. It can be hard to find foods that are diabetes-friendly, but increasingly Canadian restaurants are offering healthier food options. Here are some strategies you can follow to make eating out a healthful, not harmful, experience: Choose foods in the appropriate amounts from the different food groups.

One of the best ways to manage diabetes is by being conscious of your diet — which is a lot easier to do if you’re eating your own food at home. Here are some handy tips for keeping your healthy diet on track and in line with the Canadian recommendations when eating and preparing meals at home. Eat breakfast every day.

You can be diabetic and enjoy a meal just like every non-diabetic person out there does. Planning ahead and preparing everything from your ingredients to the mood of the room can help you have a successful dining experience. There's more help with ways to enjoy your meal when you live with diabetes available. Click here to check out a bonus chapter from Diabetes Cookbook For Canadians For Dummies, Updated Edition.