Diabetic - Nutrients
of Benefit
Food supplements and
herbs can help to prevent or delay the onset of the long term diabetic
complication. Following are some food that will help slow the progress of
many long-term complication associated with diabetes like blindness, heart
disease, kidney failure and gangrene leading to amputation.
Fiber
Soluble fiber helps prevent drastic shifts in blood sugar levels, making it
a good weapon against diabetes. On top of this, soluble fiber can also lower
the cholesterol level. Soluble fiber targets the "bad" LDL faction and
leaves the "good" HDL alone. It blind cholesterol in the intestine and
prevent it from being reabsorbed. Foods high in soluble fiber include
fruits, vegetables, oats and dried bean.
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)
EPA is a particular group of essential fatty acids that has shown to have a
beneficial effect on the vascular system. Among vascular system problems
related to diabetic include:
-
Higher levels of blood
lipids such as triglycerides and cholesterol
-
Platelet aggregation,
which is responsible for beginning a blood clot thus interfering the blood
flow
-
Red blood cells are
inflexible making it hard for these cells to enter very small capillaries.
This reduces the oxygen supply to the tissues
-
Small blood vessels
become constricted
-
Higher blood pressure
EPA is found in
cold-water fish such as mackerel, haddock, sardines, anchovies, salmon and
tuna.
Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA)
The process of conversion of dietary linolenic acid (the main saturated fat
from vegetables) to GLA is inadequate in people with diabetes. Lack of GLA
may cause problem with the sheath covering the nerves and reduces blood
flow. GLA have positive effect in the approach to prevention and treatment
of of diabetic neuropathy. The main source of GLA is evening primrose oil
and borage oil seed.
Vitamin E
Benefits of vitamin E which concern the diabetic include:
-
help to dissolve fresh
clots in veins
-
reduces the oxygen
requirements of tissues and cells
-
helps form new skin in
healing burns and ulcers
-
increase the blood supply
to tissues and thus reduces diabetic gangrene and amputations
-
reduce the need for
insulin
-
prevents the platelets
from clumping together to form dangerous pre-clots
Vitamin E has no negative
side effect, but only one caution. Vitamin E interact with vitamin K. If you
are deficient in vitamin K or are on medication to prevent clotting, you
should take high levels of vitamin E only under medical guidance.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is extremely important for us because it is involved in so many
areas of health. Vitamin C stimulates our immune system to be more
aggressive which is very important to diabetics because of their risk of
infection. Vitamin C is essential in healing of wounds. This remarkable
vitamin can also protects and preserves vitamin E.
B
Complex
B complex is another important vitamin set for diabetic, it intimately
involved in sugar metabolism and energy release.
-
in neuropathy about 80%
diabetic patients have some improvement with B complex
-
some members of the B
complex have been reported to increase glucose utilization in diabetics
-
B6 supplementation may
reverse some forms of diabetes associated with pregnancy
Zinc
Zinc is the most valuable mineral to diabetics. Insulin contain an amazing
amount of zinc. Diabetics tend to have higher zinc requirements because:
-
replacement for zinc lost
in urine
-
a diabetic pancreas
contains only about 50% the amount of stored zinc of a normal person
-
zinc aid in the process
of healing wounds
-
zinc can stimulate immune
system
Magnesium
Magnesium has a fundamental role in carbohydrate metabolism, and specific
role in the efficient action of insulin. Lack of magnesium can contribute to
poor control of the diabetic condition. Low levels of magnesium are also
associated with heart disease which is more serious for diabetics due to
their propensity for heart disease.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Alpha lipoic acid helps to increase utilization of glucose and improves
blood sugar control in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Alpha lipoic acid
blocks Glycation (the process by which glucose combines with proteins
causing major tissue destruction resulting in neuropathy, kidney damage and
retinal injury). Diabetics generally have low levels of alpha lipoic acid
and it is important for them to receive it as a supplement.
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