Adult-onset diabetes, commonly referred to as type 2 diabetes, affects millions of people in the country. The condition impairs the body’s natural ability to process blood sugar (glucose) efficiently. Often, people may experience blurred vision, hunger, and fatigue with signs of frequent urination and increased thirst, indicating the onset of the condition. This condition can be managed with proper medication and treatment. Diet and exercise also play a key role in knowing what to eat and, more importantly, foods to avoid for type 2 diabetes. Take a look! Dried fruits The process of drying can be either natural or artificial. You can also use a dehydrator (an apparatus that sucks the moisture out of fruits). Dried foods to avoid for type 2 diabetes include dates, raisins, prunes, apricots, and figs. The reason; dried fruits are high in natural fructose that the liver must metabolize on a daily basis. High levels of natural and processed fructose can affect the rate of metabolic activity and disrupt normal blood sugar levels. Any imbalance in blood sugar content can spike the symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes. The alternative is to switch to whole fiber fruits like apples, pears, and some berries for starters.

Schizophrenia is a chronic illness that affects one’s ability to think and behave emotionally. There is no known direct cause of the disorder, and the condition is often attributed to genetic changes that can alter brain chemistry. People living with schizophrenia often experience thoughts or experiences that may be far from reality, making it difficult for them to live their lives independently. Treatment for schizophrenia is lifelong, involving a combination of medications and therapy. However, certain changes in one’s diet and lifestyle can help cope with certain symptoms of the chronic illness. Here is a comprehensive list of mood-stabilizing foods for schizophrenia that help one manage the condition. Foods rich in B vitamins Vitamin B is crucial for boosting brain health, helping reduce the likelihood of suffering from some of the symptoms of schizophrenia. Essential water soluble vitamins including B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), b3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folate) and B12 (cobalamin) are excellent sources to supplement any deficiency. The best part, these vitamins are easily available in a combination of foods, including daily cereals, grains, legumes, seeds, dairy products, meats, poultry products, carbohydrates, leafy green vegetables, and even citrus rich fruits. A certified nutritionist can help plan a vitamin-rich diet that incorporates most of these readily available mood-stabilizing foods for schizophrenia.

Gout is a form of arthritis that affects both men and women and results in chronic pain and inflammation due to the accumulation of uric acid in the joints. While there are several triggers of gout flare-ups, diet plays a major role in keeping the condition at bay. A simple solution to managing the condition is to plan a gout-friendly diet while taking into account the common foods to avoid for gout: Seafood rich in purine Purine is a colorless crystal found naturally in several foods that form part of the daily diet. Seafood, including mackerel, trout, tuna, anchovies, sardines, shrimp, and lobster, are some of the foods to avoid for people with gout as they have higher-than-normal purine content. Digestion creates uric acid as the byproduct of purine, which crystallizes and accumulates in and around joints, triggering pain and discomfort associated with gout. Meats rich in purine Although one cannot drastically switch to a meat-free diet, patients of gout should cut down on red meat and organ meat consumption as they are high in processed saturated fats and also have high purine content. Liver, kidney, bacon, turkey, brain, veal, venison, and even sweetbread are purine-rich red meats that cause the uric acid levels to spike.

Migraines are severe headaches that are often accompanied by increased sensitivity to light and sound. They might also cause nausea with splitting headaches for days, or even weeks on end. Several triggers can cause a migraine, including hormonal changes, stress, lifestyle choices, and even dietary habits, so it’s best to avoid certain foods for dealing with migraines. Read on to know what to eliminate from your diet to reduce the pain and discomfort associated with migraines. Processed foods Anything you buy off the shelves contains preservatives or additives to enhance the flavor and improve its shelf life, but frequent consumption of processed foods increases the risk of migraines by tenfold. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is one such chemical that is usually listed as an all-natural preservative but is notoriously known for triggering a migraine headache within a couple of hours of consumption. Processed meats are also laced with nitrites and nitrates as they are preservatives for meat, but nitrates cause the blood vessels to swell, causing untimely migraines. So, limit your intake of cured meats, including bacon, ham, and hot dogs. Cheese Cheese is a calcium- and protein-rich dairy product that is naturally made and preserved. While it may not contain any chemicals, most types of cheese are rich in a compound called tyramine, which develops within the protein as cheese ages.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) presents discomforts that one might experience in the lower bowel or colon area. The symptoms vary from mild bloating and gassiness to more severe diarrhea or constipation that affects natural bowel movements. For people who suffer from common discomforts associated with IBS, the foods they eat and more importantly avoid, play a critical role to manage the disorder. The following are the foods to avoid for IBS to plan a healthy trigger-free diet. Dairy products Lactose intolerance is one of the most common problems associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Note that IBS presents a mix of discomforts that cause problems in one’s digestive tract. So there is no telling which dairy products can trigger intolerance. To stay safe, one must avoid and limit the consumption of soft dairy products including milk, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream. Limit ice cream intake as it is also high in lactose and can cause intestinal problems of bloating, gas, or abdominal pain. This is done to ensure there is no chemical imbalance in the lactase enzyme produced by the intestines to process the sugars in the dairy. The inability to do so causes an intolerance. Popular alternatives for a lactose-friendly diet include soy milk, rice milk, and oats milk.