Move to a greener locality, it may lower risk of diabetes

From economictimes.indiatimes.com

Certain cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death in developing countries.

                                                                       Getty Images

WASHINGTON DC: People who have been living away from green spaces for a long time are prone to conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and Type 2 diabetes, which could lead to even deaths, according to a recent study.

The study which will soon be published in the journal, 'Journal of Public Health', suggests that air pollution may be associated with an increased risk for dangerous conditions like heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

Certain cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death in developing countries. Hypertension and metabolic syndrome are important causes of cardiovascular diseases. Metabolic syndrome is further associated with abdominal obesity, elevated blood pressure, and higher blood glucose levels.

These conditions are associated with a higher risk for various health problems. The causes of these disorders are complex and are related to genetic factors, lifestyle, diet, and environmental factors including traffic air pollution, traffic noise, residential housing, and neighbourhood quality.

Researchers investigated the associations between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and residential distance to green spaces and major roads with the development of hypertension and some components of metabolic syndrome. These associations were assessed among people living in private houses or multi-story houses in Kaunas City, a city of 280,000 and the second largest city of Lithuania.

In the present study, researchers investigated the association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and the residential distance to green spaces and major roads with the development of hypertension and some components of metabolic syndrome. These components included: a high triglyceride level, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, higher blood glucose, and obesity. The associations were assessed among people who lived in either private or multifamily houses. 

The results indicated that air pollution levels above the median are associated with a higher risk of reduced high-density lipoprotein. Traffic-related exposure was associated with the incidence of hypertension, higher triglyceride level and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. However, the negative impact of traffic air pollutants was observed only in the participants who lived in multifamily buildings.

"Our research results enable us to say that we should regulate as much as  possible the living space for one person in multifamily houses, improve the noise insulation of apartments, and promote the development of green spaces in multifamily houses," said the study's lead author, Agne Braziene.  

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/move-to-a-greener-neighbourhood-it-may-lower-risk-of-diabetes/articleshow/69956655.cms

This Compound in Tomato Skins Could Ward Off Diabetes, According to Scientists

From goodnewsnetwork.org

A compound found in tomatoes may offer a new way to fight diabetes, scientists have discovered.
Research funded by the French government has shown that lycopene, the substance which gives tomatoes their red colour, fights the inflammatory process that causes the condition.
Now a €500,000 ($568,000) research project is being planned to produce a modified lycopene pill to be used in human trials.

The French team led by Dr. Jean-Francois Landrier, director of the French National Health Research Institute’s cardiovascular and nutritional health division at Marseille University, has shown that lycopene dampens down this inflammatory process and slows the development of resistance to insulin signalling.

“We know that inflammation in fat cells called adipocytes, is strongly linked to insulin resistance,” he said. “After we found that lycopene activates an anti-inflammatory effect in adipocytes, we thought it could probably have an effect on insulin resistance – and it does.
“We were one of the first groups to show this effect, and it has now been backed up by a number of other studies,” added Landrier.
His group is now identifying which lycopene compound is most effective and most easily absorbed by the body with a view to setting up large-scale human studies using diabetic patients.

At least four million Brits – and 1 in 10 of those over the age of 40 – suffer from diabetes, which leads to heart disease, blindness, limb amputation and premature death.
The most common type 2 form of the disease develops as a result of an inflammatory reaction which occurs in the fatty tissue of people who are overweight. This leads to a breakdown in the insulin signalling mechanism designed to prevent a toxic build up of glucose in the blood, which can have fatal consequences.
An NHS England report which was published in April stated that treating diabetes and its complications costs £10 billion a year.

That’s why Dr. Miriam Ferrer, who is an in-house scientist for FutureYou Cambridge, a UK company which has already developed a lycopene supplement called “Ateronon”, said this most recent discovery is “exciting”.
“From research with Cambridge and Harvard Universities, we are aware of the anti-inflammatory properties of our lycopene or ‘tomato pill’, as it is generally known, could be beneficial in treating diabetes which is one of the biggest drains on NHS resources,” she said.
“All the lycopene work so far has been in cells or pre-clinical settings,” she added. “The prospect of now moving on to human trials is very exciting.”

Diabetes UK, the charity supporting sufferers of the disease, has also welcomed the research.
Georg Lietz, professor of international nutrition at Newcastle University, said much more work is needed to prove that a lycopene supplement really can produce benefits, but it will be an exciting new body of research for diabetes treatments.
“It does potentially have an anti-inflammatory effect, there’s some evidence it can have an impact on the development of obesity and there is a clear link with its benefits in reducing the damage of cardiovascular disease,” said Lietz.
“At the moment we don’t have much understanding of its impact on adipose [fat] tissue, and this research will be interesting.”

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/compound-in-tomato-skins-could-ward-off-diabetes/

Type 2 diabetes symptoms: This change in your body could be an early warning sign

From express.co.uk

TYPE 2 diabetes is a prevalent condition in the UK that is set to rise to five million by 2025. The symptoms can vary from person to person. Have you noticed this early warning sign?

TYPE 2 diabetes can be controlled and even prevented if a person overhauls their lifestyle and improves their diet. If left untreated, rising blood sugar levels in the body can cause a host of health problems. The most life-threatening risks are heart disease and stroke. Many people live with type 2 diabetes without realising it, as the symptoms do not usually cause pain. One early warning sign to watch out for is unexplained weight loss.

Unexplained weight loss is the term used to describe a decrease in body weight that occurs unintentionally.
The amount a person weighs is determined by a number of factors including age, calorie intake and overall health.

While losing weight can help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes - carrying excess weight is one of the chief culprits - unexplained weight loss can signify the condition, as Diabetes.co.uk explained: “In people with diabetes, insufficient insulin prevents the body from getting glucose from the blood into the body's cells to use as energy.
“When this occurs, the body starts burning fat and muscle for energy, causing a reduction in overall body weight.”

Frequent urination, another common sign of the condition, may also contribute to unexplained weight loss.

      Type 2 diabetes: Unexplained weight loss is an early warning sign (Image: Getty Images )

According to Mayo Clinic, “When you lose glucose through frequent urination, you also lose calories.”
Diabetes.co.uk recommends consulting your GP if you have unintentionally lost more than five percent of your normal body weight, or more than ten lbs (4.5 kg) in six to twelve months or less.
They will be able to determine what's causing the weight loss (e.g. undiagnosed diabetes) and the best way to treat the problem, it said.

• According to the NHS, other common symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:
• Peeing more than usual, particularly at night
• Feeling thirsty all the time
• Feeling very tired
• Itching around your penis or vagina, or repeatedly getting thrush
• Cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
• Blurred vision

             Type 2 diabetes: An increased thirst is another signifier (Image: Getty Images )

If you are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the health body recommends going for a check-up every three months to make sure the condition doesn’t lead to other health problems.
A routine check-up will assess your average blood sugar levels and how close they are to normal, it says.
“You have these checks every 3 months when newly diagnosed, then every 6 months once you're stable,” it said.

It is also advisable to get a yearly check-up on your feet to see if you if you have lost any feeling, or have developed any ulcers or infections, said the health body.
This can be done by a local GP, diabetes nurse, or podiatrist.

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1144500/diabetes-type-2-symptoms-diet-treatment-signs-weight-loss

Ketogenic Diet and Cholesterol Changes—Risks and Rewards

From asweetlife.org

Keto is an increasingly popular diet these days. And it’s no surprise—who wouldn’t get excited about eating bacon and losing weight? Beyond weight loss, some recent studies have demonstrated that ketogenic diets offer additional benefits for people with diabetes. The ketogenic diet is high-fat, low carb, and sufficient protein to allow the body to burn fat and use ketones instead of glucose for fuel. This can lead to weight loss, as well as reductions in A1C and other cardiovascular risk factors. Originally, the ketogenic diet was developed as a method for treating medication-resistant epileptic seizures in children. It was not used as a weight loss tool because of concern among the medical community that such a high-fat diet could increase cholesterol, triglycerides, and overall risk of heart disease.

Cholesterol and triglycerides are both types of lipids, or fat molecules. Triglycerides are form of fat that circulates in the bloodstream and can be stored in fat cells or used for energy to meet a body’s needs. High levels of triglycerides can lead to plaque build up on arteries and can cause inflammation of the pancreas. Cholesterol is a wax-like molecule that is used to create important hormones such as androgens and other compounds like vitamin D and bile salts. When excess cholesterol is present in the blood stream, it builds up in arteries and veins, causing plaques and restricting blood flow. These plaques can lead to heart disease, heart attack, or stroke.

Cholesterol is characterized by the lipoprotein carrier that transports it. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) scavenges cholesterol and returns it to the liver, earning its moniker “good cholesterol”. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is commonly called “bad cholesterol”. This carrier is larger and lighter. Because of this, it sticks to surfaces like artery walls. LDL is responsible for dangerous blood vessel blockages. There are two different measures of LDL. LDL-P is the number of LDL particles in the blood. LDL-C represents the amount of LDL with cholesterol bound to it. When looking at cardiovascular risk, LDL-P may be the best measure. Most standard tests report an LDL-C value based on the Friedewald equation in which LDL is calculated by subtracting both HDL and triglycerides/5 from total cholesterol. Because of this calculation, the reported LDL-C is influenced by changes in other lipid levels. Together, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides all contribute to cardiovascular health. Ideal blood lipid ranges for adults are <200 mg/dL (total cholesterol), <100mg/dL for (LDL cholesterol), and >60mg/dL (HDL cholesterol), and <150mg/dL (triglycerides).

Experts also recommend having low total cholesterol/HDL and triglyceride/HDL ratios for reduced heart risk. In fact, in the long-term Medical, Angioplasty, or Surgery Study (MASS-II), a high triglyceride/HDL ratio was the only lipid measurement that correlated with elevated risk of a major cardiac event.

Some of our cholesterol level is controlled by our genes, but diet can influence the amount of LDL and HDL cholesterol in our bodies. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “the biggest influence on blood cholesterol level is the mix of fats and carbohydrates in your diet—not the amount of cholesterol you eat from food.” Some individuals, however, respond strongly to cholesterol in their diet.

Increased lipid and cholesterol levels have been reported in people on ketogenic diets. According to lipidologist Dr. Sarah Hallberg, “cholesterol levels improve for most people when in ketosis… but there can be a temporary rise in LDL-P or LDL-C if [a person] is losing a significant amount of weight.” In some individuals, ketogenic diets raise LDL and total cholesterol levels for more than a brief time. In the IUH/Virta diabetes reversal study, a significant number of patients experienced an increase in LDL-C over the course of a year. Elite athletes on ketogenic diets demonstrated increased LDL and total cholesterol levels as well. These people may be part of the population of “responders” whose cholesterol levels are closely linked to their diet.

According to the latest guidelines of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), LDL is just one piece of a complex puzzle when it comes to determining an individual’s cardiovascular risk. They recommend assessing a variety of factors including age, sex, race, bodyweight, blood pressure, medication use, family history of heart disease, inflammation, history of diabetes, and triglyceride levels, in addition to looking at blood cholesterol levels. The ketogenic diet seems to have positive effects on other blood lipids involved in cardiovascular health, including HDL, triglycerides, and the triglyceride/HDL ratio. In fact, patients on a Virta Health-formulated keto diet lowered their cardiovascular risk by nearly 12% according to the ACC 10-year risk calculator, by reducing several key factors including triglycerides, blood pressure, weight, and A1C, and increasing HDL. Patients with type 2 diabetes also reduced their need for insulin and 60% reversed their diabetes. Another recent study of a ketogenic diet in obese subjects revealed decreases in BMI, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL over the course of 6 months. Patients also exhibited increases in HDL. It is important to note that for this study, patients consumed 80-100g of lean protein and all additional fat was in the form of poly- and mono-unsaturated fat. This diet differed from other ketogenic diets that allow for much higher consumption of saturated fat. It is possible that the observed differences in cholesterol may relate to this key difference.

Since a ketogenic diet offers significant health benefits, especially for individuals with diabetes, many people think the benefits outweigh the potential risk associated with increases in LDL. Still, most experts agree that elevated LDL is a major cardiovascular risk factor, and is not something you should ignore. What can be done if this miracle diet raises your LDL cholesterol?

First, talk to your doctor. You may want to check what test was performed. If possible, try to obtain an LDL-P instead of LDL-C. In addition, calculate your triglyceride/HDL ratio as another, perhaps more meaningful, measure of cardiac health.

The LDL increase may be a temporary consequence of significant weight loss. If levels don’t go back to normal, you can ask your doctor about  switching fat sources from saturated to poly- and monounsaturated fats like olive or avocado oil. You can also ask about increasing consumption of fibre-rich, low-carb vegetables. Fibre can reduce cholesterol naturally. If your LDL-P is significantly elevated and/or these modifications do not help lower your cholesterol, your doctor may recommend adding a statin. In general, patients who are already on a statin do not need to change their dose when starting a ketogenic diet.  

https://asweetlife.org/ketogenic-diet-and-cholesterol-changes-risks-and-rewards/?utm_source=ASweetLife.org+List&utm_campaign=ca2903c630-ASweetLife+Weekly+Update++-+Nov.+14%2C+2017_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5125b14cf8-ca2903c630-413392997

Here Are 5 Low-carb Diets You Can Follow to Keep Diabetes Away

From news18.com/news/lifestyle

Low-carb diet improves health and help in increasing metabolism. Regular intake of low-carb diet keep diseases away.

A new study claims that low carb diet keeps diabetes away, whether one loses weight or not. The new study, conducted by researchers at The Ohio State University found that a low-carb diet may have benefits for people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes even if they don’t lose any weight. While the researchers also report evidence of increased fat-burning efficiency after a low-carb diet and an improvement in blood sugar, they did not see statistically significant improvements in blood pressure or insulin resistance.

Low-carb diets on their part have been popular for decades. They also improve numerous health markers, such as blood triglycerides, HDL (good) cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure.

Here are 5 popular low-carb diets one can follow:

Normal low-carb diet

Also called a carb-restricted diet, eating pattern tends to be lower in carbs and higher in protein than a typical Western diet. It usually emphasizes meats, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats. Recommended carb intake depends on individual goals and preferences.

Ketogenic diet
The method sees keeping carbs so low that the body goes into a metabolic state called ketosis. In this state, insulin levels plummet and body releases large amounts of fatty acids from its fat stores. These fatty acids are turned into ketones by the liver that supply energy to the brain. It’s a very effective way to lose fat and tends to cause a major reduction in appetite.

Low-Carb Paleo diet
It encourages eating foods that were likely available in the Palaeolithic era. According to people who follow the diet, returning to what ancestors ate should improve health because humans allegedly evolved and adapted to eating such foods.

Atkins diet
It involves reducing all high-carb foods while eating as much protein and fat as desired.

Mediterranean diet
The diet may help prevent heart disease, breast cancer, and type 2 diabetes and involves eating traditional foods of Mediterranean countries earlier in the 20th century. Unlike a regular low-carb diet, it emphasizes more fatty fish instead of red meat and more extra virgin olive oil instead of fats like butter.

https://www.news18.com/news/lifestyle/food-the-tippling-point-the-french-nazis-and-a-war-over-the-rescue-of-frances-heavenly-drink-champagne-2199939.html

Type 2 diabetes: Summer precautions for type 2 diabetics

From express.co.uk

TYPE 2 diabetes is a condition where a person needs to be cautious with the foods they eat and follow certain precautions. With temperatures set to rise according to the Met Office, what are the best tips for type 2 diabetics in summer?

Having type 2 diabetes should not stop a person from enjoying their summer to the fullest and with summertime now upon us, Doctor Sarah Brewer offers some tips for a diabetic friendly picnic to ensure one is healthy and happy this summer. Doctor Brewer said: “Picnics are a staple of the great British summer time, come rain or shine we’ll be out there with our blankets and sandwiches. If you have type 2 diabetes however, this one fun event could seem like something to avoid - but never fear, with these picnic inspirations for diabetics.”

Swap your sandwiches for salads instead
Replace carbohydrates like those in staple picnic food sandwiches with healthy monounsaturated fats. Avocado, oily fish and nuts in salad leaves for a diabetes friendly alternative. This simple approach can significantly improve glucose control.

Feel fruity
Dr Brewer recommends packing fruit. Although fruit contains natural sugars, most have a low to moderate glycaemic index and do not raise blood glucose levels excessively, though don’t overindulge in dried fruits.

A study involving 38,000 women found those eating at least one apple a day were 28 per cent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those eating no apples, while a recent analysis of 5 trials, involving almost a quarter of a million people, found that regular consumption of apples and pears is associated with an 18 per cent reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

Enjoy a chocolate-y treat
Opt for dark chocolate as it contains antioxidants that improve insulin resistance to help lower glucose levels, protect against heart disease and have beneficial effects on the circulation to reduce diabetes related side effects.
Just ensure your chocolate contains at least 70 per cent cocoa solids to minimise sugar content.
Try dipping your fruit into melted dark chocolate and popping in the fridge to set the night before your picnic or simply pack a tasty bar to snap and share.
Doctor Brewer added: “CuraLin is a type 2 diabetic supplement and can help keep blood sugar levels stable. They can even help regulate the consumption of typical sugary foods. CuraLin is made from 10 natural ingredients that work with the body to help balance the blood sugar profile.”

               Type 2 diabetes: Fruit contains natural sugars and doesn't raise blood glucose levels

                                                        (Image: Getty Images)

Tips for type 2 diabetics during the summer heat:

1. Drink plenty of water
2. Test your blood sugar often
3. Keep medicines, supplies, and insulin out of the heat
4. Stay inside in air-conditioning when temperatures are at the hottest
5. Wear loose, light clothing
6. Get medical attention for any health-related issue
7. Have a go-bad ready for emergencies

Type 2 diabetics can still enjoy summertime activities as long as proper precautions are taken and their diabetes is well controlled.

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1143758/type-2-diabetes-uk-food-met-office-insulin

Facebook Posts Better at Predicting Diabetes, Mental Health Than Demographic Info

From pennmedicine.org/news

Analysing language shows that identifying certain groups of words significantly improves upon predicting some medical conditions in patients

PHILADELPHIA – Language in Facebook posts may help identify conditions such as diabetes, anxiety, depression and psychosis in patients, according to a study from Penn Medicine and Stony Brook University researchers. It’s believed that language in posts could be indicators of disease and, with patient consent, could be monitored just like physical symptoms. This study was published in PLOS ONE.

“This work is early, but our hope is that the insights gleaned from these posts could be used to better inform patients and providers about their health,” said lead author Raina Merchant, MD, MS, the director of Penn Medicine’s Centre for Digital Health and an associate professor of Emergency Medicine. “As social media posts are often about someone’s lifestyle choices and experiences or how they’re feeling, this information could provide additional information about disease management and exacerbation.”

Using an automated data collection technique, the researchers analysed the entire Facebook post history of nearly 1,000 patients who agreed to have their electronic medical record data linked to their profiles. The researchers then built three models to analyse their predictive power for the patients: one model only analysing the Facebook post language, another that used demographics such as age and sex, and the last that combined the two datasets.

Looking into 21 different conditions, researchers found that all 21were predictable from Facebook alone. In fact, 10 of the conditions were better predicted through the use Facebook data instead of demographic information.

Some of the Facebook data that was found to be more predictive than demographic data seemed intuitive. For example, “drink” and “bottle” were shown to be more predictive of alcohol abuse. However, others weren’t as easy. For example, the people that most often mentioned religious language like “God” or “pray” in their posts were 15 times more likely to have diabetes than those who used these terms the least. Additionally, words expressing hostility — like “dumb” and some expletives— served as indicators of drug abuse and psychoses.

“Our digital language captures powerful aspects of our lives that are likely quite different from what is captured through traditional medical data,” said the study’s senior author Andrew Schwartz, PhD, a visiting assistant professor at Penn in Computer and Information Science, and an assistant professor of Computer Science at Stony Brook University. “Many studies have now shown a link between language patterns and specific disease, such as language predictive of depression or language that gives insights into whether someone is living with cancer. However, by looking across many medical conditions, we get a view of how conditions relate to each other, which can enable new applications of AI for medicine.”

Last year, many members of this research team were able to show that analysis of Facebook posts could predict a diagnosis of depression as much as three months earlier than a diagnosis in the clinic. This work builds on that study and shows that there may be potential for developing an opt-in system for patients that could analyse their social media posts and provide extra information for clinicians to refine care delivery. Merchant said that it’s tough to predict how widespread such a system would be, but it “could be valuable” for patients who use social media frequently.

“For instance, if someone is trying to lose weight and needs help understanding their food choices and exercise regimens, having a healthcare provider review their social media record might give them more insight into their usual patterns in order to help improve them,” Merchant said.

Later this year, Merchant will conduct a large trial in which patients will be asked to directly share social media content with their health care provider. This will provide a look into whether managing this data and applying it is feasible, as well as how many patients would actually agree to their accounts being used to supplement active care.

“One challenge with this is that there is so much data and we, as providers, aren’t trained to interpret it ourselves — or make clinical decisions based on it,” Merchant explained. “To address this, we will explore how to condense and summarize social media data.”

The current study received funding from a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Pioneer Award.
Other authors on this study include David A. Asch, Patrick Crutchley, Lyle H. Ungar, Sharath C. Guntuku, Johannes Eichstaedt, Shawndra Hill, Kevin Padrez, and Robert J. Smith.

https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-releases/2019/june/facebook-posts-better-at-predicting-diabetes-mental-health-than-demographic-info

5 Vegetables You Must Include In Your Diabetes Diet

From food.ndtv.com

Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that result in too much sugar in the blood (high blood glucose). There are various types of diabetes that the experts have classified: Type 1, 2, Pre diabetes, gestational diabetes. Late diagnosis, lack of awareness often makes diabetes management a difficult affair for many. Diabetes is also linked with a variety of conditions such as obesity and a range of heart ailments. Nutritionists assure that a healthy and proper diet, and fit lifestyle could help you manage your diabetes better. Off late there are many diabetics who have also reported that they were able to reverse the condition after taking all the necessary precautions.

An ideal diabetes diet is a mix of many factors. Sugary and refined foods are a strict no-no. The carbs present in these foods metabolise too fast and cause the blood sugar levels to surge. Sugary drinks are no good either. The lack of fibre and liquid calories make it worse to manage your sugar levels. One must prioritise foods that are rich in fibre and low in Glycaemic Index. The Glycaemic Index (GI) is a relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels. Carbs with low GI value (55 or less) are digested, absorbed and metabolised slowly and cause a gradual rise in blood glucose. Carbohydrates with a GI higher than 70 cause marked fluctuations in the blood glucose levels. These abnormal fluctuations have been correlated to Type 2 diabetes.

Here are some vegetables that diabetics must include in their diabetes diet

1. Bitter gourd

Its bitter-pungent taste may have taken a toll on the veggie's popularity, but the truth is that bitter gourd or karela is one of the healthiest and antioxidant rich foods that you can add to your diet. Bitter gourd contains active substances that lend anti-diabetic properties like charantin, which is known for its blood glucose-lowering effect and an insulin-like compound known as polypeptide-p.

2. Spinach
There must be a reason why Popeye couldn't stop gushing about his love for spinach and there are plenty of reasons for you to join the brigade too. Spinach is also a great source of folate, dietary fibre, vitamins A, B, C, E and K. Fibre delays digestion, which ensures that the sugar is not metabolised quickly and cause a surge in blood sugar levels.

3. Cauliflower
The floret is a storehouse of vital minerals and nutrients. The superfood is also loaded with, protein, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and manganese. The GI of cauliflower is calculated to be between 5 to 15, which is ideal for people with diabetes. Cauliflower also has high-fibre content which is further beneficial to check blood sugar fluctuations.

4. Broccoli
The nutritional powerhouse broccoli has umpteen reasons to be a part of your fit and fabulous diet. Consultant nutritionist Dr. Rupali Datta tells us that broccoli has a GI of 15, which is very low. It is an exceptional source of fibre, all of which makes it an excellent food for diabetics. One of the major areas of concerns among diabetics is the damage caused to blood vessels. In a lab study published in the journal "Diabetes" in 2008, a team of researchers found that sulforaphanes in broccoli protect against this type of cell damage. In another lab study, researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden found that sulforaphanes reduced production of glucose in liver cells.

5. Asparagus
You have seen them in stews, risottos and salads. Asparagus is used extensively in Italian and continental cuisine. In addition to adding a delicious flavour to your dishes, asparagus could also help keep your blood sugar in check. The non-starchy vegetable has just 20 calories, and almost 2 grams of dietary fibre per serving. It's especially high in an antioxidant called glutathione, which has been known to regulate sugar levels and increase insulin production.

Load up on this food and keep your blood sugar levels in check, naturally.

https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/5-vegetables-you-must-include-in-your-diabetes-diet-1867012

How to talk to loved ones about diabetes

By Emily Buxton Marrison
From eu.coshoctontribune.com

A couple of months ago I taught a series of classes called Dining with Diabetes.
The main objective of the class was to show how nutrition choices can help more effectively manage diabetes. Another piece of the class is the opportunity to be with others going through the same challenges and struggles, and learn from one another.

One common struggle is not from the person with diabetes, but instead from a family member. They want to know the best way to support their loved one and to help them adjust to the behavior changes they need to make to be healthy.
Ohio State University Extension recently published a new fact sheet, Communication Strategies to Support a Family Member with Diabetes. Since nearly 10 percent of Americans have diabetes, many of us know at least one family member who has been diagnosed. About 25 percent of Americans have prediabetes which, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, leads to diabetes within 5 years if left untreated.

Many of you may realize you need to have a tough conversation with a loved one, but you’re not sure how to start. Or maybe your nagging and preaching isn’t getting the results you are hoping for, so you are ready to try something new.

I think that one of the best places for you to start is educate yourself about diabetes. Have you studied the best recommended practices for managing diabetes? Where do you turn for trusted advice? Do you have reasonable expectations for your loved one?

Sometimes people with diabetes feel like their family members are the diet police, watching them like a hawk. Other people with diabetes may feel almost the opposite about their family members. They may feel like they are being sabotaged by their apathetic family as they are forced to watch everyone around indulge in unhealthy nutrition choices. During our Dining with Diabetes classes we focused on a balance between these two extremes by focusing on portion size and lower carbohydrate options rather than ever restricting foods from the meal plan.     

One thing to consider is at what stage of behaviour change your loved one with diabetes may be. Are they aware of the consequences of not changing or adopting self-management behaviours, but still not committed or motivated to change? Or maybe they are motivated to change, but are just starting out with new behaviours? The way you communicate with them depends on where they fall on this continuum on behaviour change.

If someone is not interested in change at all, then consider using “I” statements rather than “you” statements. A “you” statement would be “If you don’t stop eating ice cream like that, you’re going to end up with lots of complications.” An “I” statement would be “I care about you and am worried about the complications that diabetes can cause if we don’t make some changes.”

Look for opportunities to do things together including increasing your physical activity, cooking together, or changing other family habits. It can also be helpful to identify a partner who will provide coaching and accountability for their goals. The chances of success may increase if this accountability partner is a health care professional or other friend rather than a family member.

Today I’ll leave you with this quote from Michael Jordan: “If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.“

https://eu.coshoctontribune.com/story/news/local/2019/06/15/how-talk-loved-ones-diabetes/1455676001/

Five things about diabetes everyone should know

From diabetes.org.uk

1. One in 15 of us live with diabetes.

One in 15 of us live with diabetes. That’s 4.7 million people in the UK – more than cancer and dementia combined. That includes one million people who don’t even know they have diabetes.
Chances are, lots of people you know are living with diabetes.

2. There are different types.

Type 1 and Type 2 are the two main types of diabetes. There are rarer types too. What they all have in common is they raise sugar levels in the blood. And that can seriously damage the body.
But there are differences in why they happen and how they’re treated.

3. Anyone can get it.

Why people get diabetes is complicated. Some things increase your risk of developing it, from genetics and ethnic background to gender, age and lifestyle factors. But sometimes it isn’t clear why people get it.
Anyone can get diabetes, at anytime. It doesn’t discriminate.

4. It’s not just tablets or injections.

It’s so much more than that. Every day involves a thousand little questions, decisions and things to remember. It’s appointments, checks, calculations, what to eat. It’s your care on your shoulders. It’s knowing things won’t always go to plan.
It’s day in, day out. It never stops. It’s relentless.

5. It never stops, but you don’t have to either.

When you’ve got diabetes, just getting through the day can be a monumental achievement. But it doesn’t mean life stops. People have become professional athletes, topped the charts and ruled the country with diabetes.
It might make life harder but it doesn’t have to change your ambitions or adventures.

Everyone's story is different

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved/Diabetes-Week?utm_source=bronto&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Find+the+five+facts&utm_content=Find+the+five+facts&utm_campaign=Enewsletter+June+2019

Sleep habits linked with blood sugar control in diabetes and prediabetes

From reuters.com

(Reuters Health) - Too little sleep - or too much - can be tied to problems with blood sugar levels, not just in people with diabetes but also in people at high risk for developing the disease, a new study finds.
Irregular sleep schedules and poor sleep quality are known to be associated with poor blood sugar control in people who already have diabetes. In the current study, however, 73% of participants had “prediabetes” - meaning they weren’t yet diabetic but their blood sugar levels were almost in the diabetes range. The rest had recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes but hadn’t been treated yet.
“Don’t let the ‘pre’ fool you - prediabetes is a serious health condition,” public health officials warn on the website of the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. “Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.”

Overall, the study involved 962 overweight or obese adults, ages 20 to 65, who underwent blood tests and filled out sleep questionnaires.
Compared to people who said on the questionnaires that they got 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night, people who averaged less than 5 hours or more than 8 hours of sleep at night had significantly higher levels of haemoglobin A1C in their blood, reflecting poor blood sugar control over the past 2 or 3 months.

This was true whether people had diabetes or prediabetes.
“In the past, the general wisdom was that short sleep duration is bad for you but here we also found that maybe too long of a sleep duration is also not good for you,” lead study author Dr. Babak Mokhlesi of the University of Chicago told Reuters Health by phone.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine advises adults to sleep for at least 7 hours a night.

The current study doesn’t prove that sleep habits affect blood sugar levels or diabetes risks; it only shows a correlation.

How sleeping for more than 8 hours a night might increase the risk of developing diabetes is not fully understood, the researchers wrote in Diabetes Care.
Sleeping longer hours could be a sign of underlying health conditions that in turn lead to worse glucose control, experts suspect.
“The presumption is that it’s the prediabetes itself or other components of the metabolic syndrome that are pushing people to sleep longer ... not that their oversleeping is increasing their risk of developing diabetes,” said James Gangwisch, of Columbia University in New York City, who was not involved in the study.
The study authors found that sleep duration was linked with other diabetes risk factors, too, aside from haemoglobin A1c. For example, people who slept more than 8 hours a night had higher fasting blood sugar levels, on average. And people who slept less than 6 hours a night, and those who did shift work, had a higher average body mass index.

The researchers also found that “evening people” who stay up late at night and sleep late in the morning, and people with “social jet lag” who go to bed and wake up later on weekends than during the week, had significantly higher blood pressure.

The next step would be to conduct studies where people are either made to improve or continue their current irregular sleeping habits and see if there is an improvement in blood sugar, blood pressure and BMI levels, said Mokhlesi.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-prediabetes-sleep/sleep-habits-linked-with-blood-sugar-control-in-diabetes-and-prediabetes-idUSKCN1TC2E2

Type 2 diabetes: How to keep your portion sizes in check to avoid risks

From express.co.uk

TYPE 2 Diabetes is a life-long condition that requires constant monitoring. Making necessary lifestyle changes mitigates the risks of developing serious health complications. Taking this precaution could save your life.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition caused by abnormally high levels of blood glucose resulting from either the body’s inability produce enough insulin to control glucose levels or a natural resistance to the effects of insulin. If untreated, it can cause a host of serious health problems related to eyes, the heart and nerves. Over 3.8 million people are diagnosed with diabetes in the UK but the actual number of people living with the condition could be much higher as the condition often goes undetected. Making necessary lifestyle changes can help mitigate serious health risks.

There are many triggers but obesity is one of the chief culprits.
Carrying excess weight encourages the resistance of insulin, which causes blood glucose levels to spike. The connection is confirmed by the fact that weight-loss has been proven to control or in certain cases cure type 2 diabetes.
According to the non-profit Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), “The degree of insulin resistance and the incidence of type 2 diabetes is highest in a person with an “apple” shape.
“These persons carry the majority of their excess body weight around their abdomen. In contrast, the 'pear' shaped person carries most of their weight in the hips and thighs and this is not as likely to be associated with insulin resistance.”
It is therefore imperative that people with type 2 diabetes monitor their weight. One effective way to do this is to keep your portion sizes in check.

     Type 2 diabetes: Healthy portion sizes help maintain a healthy weight (Image: Getty Images )

The portion sizes will vary depending on a person’s weight, gender, body composition and activity levels, but as a rough guide, Diabetes UK recommends following meal plan:

Starchy food
Includes rice, pasta, bread and chapattis for energy. Choose wholegrain where possible. One portion is:
Cooked rice = 2 heaped tablespoons
Half a jacket potato = 1 computer mouse
Breakfast cereal = 3 tablespoons
Boiled pasta or cooked noodles = 3 heaped tablespoons

Dairy food
Includes milk, cheese and yoghurt for calcium, which is essential for strong bones and teeth. One portion is:
Semi or skimmed milk = one medium glass (200ml or 1/3 pint)
Hard cheese = small matchbox (30g)
Reduced or low-fat cream cheese = two small matchboxes (60g)
Low-sugar, low-fat fromage frais/yoghurt = 125g pot

Meat, fish, eggs, pulses, beans and nuts
These foods are high in protein, essential to build and replace muscle. One portion is:
Cooked lean meat (eg chicken, beef or pork) = deck of playing cards (60–90g)
Beans and pulses (eg red kidney beans, butter beans, chickpeas or lentils) = 4 tablespoons
Nuts or peanut butter (unsalted) = golf ball (2 level tablespoons)
Quorn, tofu or soya = snooker ball (120g)

Fruit
“Fruit Provides you with important vitamins, minerals and fibre that help protect you against stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers,” says the charity. It is an essential part of your five-a-day plan. One portion is:
One handful of grapes
One small glass (150ml) of fruit juice (limit to one portion a day)
Two small satsumas, clementines or tangerines
Two medium plums
Two tinned pineapple rings or 12 chunks in natural juice
One heaped tbsp raisins, sultanas, currants or dried cranberries
Seven strawberries

Vegetables
An important source of fibre, minerals and vitamins, and an important part of any five-a-day plan. One portion is:
Three heaped tablespoons cooked veg (eg carrots, peas, sweetcorn, mixed veg)
One medium onion
One large sweet potato
Two broccoli spears
One heaped tablespoon tomato purée
One piece of cucumber (5cm)
Four large mushrooms or 14 button mushrooms
Three heaped tablespoons beans or pulses (eg kidney beans, chickpeas or lentils)

Foods high in fat and sugar
The health body explains: “You can enjoy foods from this group as an occasional treat, but they will add extra calories so it’s best to keep them to a minimum, especially if you are trying to lose weight. One portion is:
Butter/margarine = one dice (5g)
Low fat spread = two dice (10g)
Unsaturated oil (eg sunflower, rapeseed, olive oil) = 1 teaspoon
Chocolate = one fun size bar

Type 2 diabetes: Keeping a record of your daily intake is a helpful way to track progress (Image: Getty Images )

Keeping a record of your current daily intake before you get started is a helpful way to track your progress and see how much you eat in relation to the recommended standards, says the American Diabetes Association.
It adds, “Don't feel bad and think you have to lose a lot of weight. You only have to lose 5-10 lbs. to lower your chances for diabetes. If you have diabetes, losing 5-10 lbs. could help you manage it.”
According to Diabetes UK, other top tips to manage portion sizes include:

• Use smaller plates and bowls to help make your portion sizes look bigger.
• Weigh food if you find it hard to gauge portion sizes. Foods like muesli,
• Pasta and rice can be difficult to get right at first, so try using the same container to measure out certain foods.
• Be mindful of what you’re eating. It takes about 20 minutes before your brain registers that you’re full, so eat slowly, putting your knife and fork down in between mouthfuls.

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1138494/diabetes-disorder-management-symptom-diet-nutrition-sugar-blood-insulin

What and How You Eat Affects Your Odds for Type 2 Diabetes

From drugs.com/news

SATURDAY, June 8, 2019 -- The kind of foods you eat, and even the order in which you eat them can affect your odds of developing type 2 diabetes, three new studies suggest.
The studies -- being presented to the American Society for Nutrition -- found:

• Switching to a mostly plant-based diet (but one that could still include meat and dairy) could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 60%.
• Eating greater amounts of vitamins B2 and B6 was linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, while getting more B12 in the diet seemed to be associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
• The order that you eat your foods appears to matter. People who ate vegetables before having meat or rice had lower blood sugar levels, along with positive changes in their hunger hormones.

Dr. Rekha Kumar, an endocrinologist at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medical Centre in New York City, reviewed the findings.
"Emphasizing fruits and vegetables and whole foods is a very practical and easy way to manage type 2 diabetes," she said. "Half your plate should be green, even at breakfast, when you could have an egg white omelette with spinach for example."
As for the sequence of eating, Kumar said vegetables, high-fibre foods and even protein take longer to leave the stomach, which slows down the rise in blood sugar levels.
"Theoretically, changing the order you eat foods could have implications on weight and appetite control," she said.

Prioritize plants
The first study included more than 2,700 people recruited at an average age of 25. Forty percent were black and nearly 60% were women. Their health and diets were followed over 30 years.

People who made the greatest improvement in dietary quality from early to middle adulthood cut their odds of diabetes by almost two-thirds compared to those whose diet quality declined slightly, the study found.

What constitutes a quality diet? Researchers said it's one that contains more "nutritionally rich, plant-centred" foods.
The study's lead author, Yuni Choi, a doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in St. Paul, said a plant-centred diet is high "in natural plant foods, low in highly processed plant foods and generally low in animal-based foods."
So, vegetables, fruits and whole grains get a thumbs-up, but white bread and white rice get low-quality scores. Choi said this type of diet can include some lean meat and low-fat dairy.

On average, those who improved their diets the most ate four or more servings of vegetables daily, two servings of fruit, 1-1/2 servings of nuts or seeds, nearly two servings of whole grains, less than one serving of processed meat and about one serving of red meat, Choi said.
Choi and her advisor and co-author, David Jacobs, think the diverse nutrients found in plant foods help to prevent diabetes.

'B' gets an A for health
The second study looked at dietary data from about 200,000 American adults over 15 years.
People who had the most vitamin B2 and B6 had a roughly 10% reduction in their diabetes risk. B2 is found in eggs, lean meat, green vegetables and fortified grain products such as cereals and bread, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. B6 is found in fish, lean meat, fruits (other than citrus), and potatoes and other non-starchy veggies.

Though total vitamin B12 intake wasn't linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, the odds rose 11% when researchers looked solely at B12 from food sources. They found no similar increase in diabetes risk from B12 in diet supplements. They said this may be because B12 in foods often comes from animal products.

The third study found that the order in which you eat can affect your blood sugar levels. Researchers asked 16 Chinese adults, mostly men, to eat five experimental meals in a set order. The meals contained a vegetable, meat and rice, and portion sizes stayed the same.
Overall, the smallest spike in blood sugar levels resulted when vegetables or meat were eaten first. The meal with vegetables, meat and rice eaten separately, in that order, led to a lower increase in blood sugar and a favourable response in appetite hormones.

"The way we eat and present food to our mouth may have significant physiological effects," said study author Christiani Henry, director of the Clinical Nutrition Research Centre at Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences.
Henry said fibre and other nutrients in vegetables appear to slow the transit time of food, which may also slow the rise in blood sugar levels after eating.
Eating vegetables first is "a simple, practical way to reduce blood glucose rise when eating rice," he said. Henry added that more research is necessary to see if similar changes would help control blood sugar spikes for foods eaten in places like the United States.

The three studies were scheduled to be presented between Saturday and Tuesday at the American Society for Nutrition meeting in Baltimore. Research presented at meetings is typically seen as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

https://www.drugs.com/news/you-eat-affects-your-odds-type-2-diabetes-83036.html

For Latinos with diabetes, new study looks at ways to improve medication adherence

By University of Southern California
From medicalxpress.com/news

                    Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles. Credit: Ricardo Carrasco III

Latino adults have higher diabetes rates than non-Latinos, yet research shows they are less likely to correctly follow medication instructions provided by their doctors. Furthermore, diabetes can set off a cascade of medical complications, requiring multiple medications that often create a challenging daily regimen. In a new study coming out of the Keck School of Medicine of USC, student researchers have identified several potential approaches for improving medication adherence among Latinos.

Simple measures such as giving patients pillboxes for their medications, helping patients' family members understand their medication regimen and having patients attend weekly education sessions about managing the disease through lifestyle changes are all ways that patients could improve medication adherence.

The study also points toward specific challenges that under-served Latinos may be facing. Such challenges include having difficulty understanding what their medications are for, keeping track of their medications and feeling that they may take too many medications. Cohorts in this study took an average of 6.5 prescribed medications daily.

"Obtaining patients' perspectives is key to finding solutions that help improve their medication adherence and health outcomes," says Andrea Bañuelos Mota, the study's first and corresponding author. "Not only do our findings suggest several potential approaches to intervention for Latinos with diabetes, but they could also pave the way for the development of future evidence-based guidelines." Bañuelos Mota is currently enrolled in the Keck School's Doctor of Medicine/Master of Public Health (MDMPH) degree program.

Published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine (JGIM) on June 4, the cross-sectional study involved conducting surveys of 120 patients from across four safety net clinics in Los Angeles. Patients were at least 18 years old, self-identified as Latino/Hispanic/Chicano, were diagnosed with diabetes for more than six months, and were taking multiple diabetes medications. Furthermore, the study's dependent variable was patients with "controlled diabetes" (i.e., having a haemoglobin A1c level of less than 7.5%) versus patients with "uncontrolled diabetes" (i.e., having a haemoglobin A1c level equal to or greater than 7.5%).

"This study is exemplary of excellent primary care research and brings awareness to the language and literacy barriers faced by our immigrant communities, which health care providers must address to deliver quality medical care," says Jo Marie Reilly, MD, MPH, professor of clinical family medicine (educational scholar). Reilly leads the Keck School's Primary Care Initiative, a program created to promote careers in primary care and the one through which this study was established.

Conceived and led entirely by a team of five medical students—including Andrea Bañuelos Mota, Emilio Ernesto Feliz Sala, Jennifer M. Perdomo, Joel Alejandro Solis and Walter M. Solorzano—the study also marks an achievement for the Keck School initiative. "JGIM is one of the highest ranked general internal medicine journals, so it is particularly impressive that a student group got a paper accepted," says Michael Hochman, MD, MPH, a faculty mentor on the project with Reilly. Hochman is an associate professor of clinical medicine and serves as director of the USC Gehr Family Centre for Health Systems Science.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-06-latinos-diabetes-ways-medication-adherence.html

Recipe: Low Carb Chicken Souvlaki Skewers

By Carolyn Ketchum
From asweetlife.org

I am never happier than when it’s grilling season. Fresh foods cooked over an open flame make live easier and more delicious. And these easy Chicken Souvlaki skewers are no exception. Marinate the chicken for a few hours or even overnight, then thread onto skewers and in less than 10 minutes, you’ve got dinner!
Ingredients

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
• Creamy Feta Dressing (optional)
Equipment:
• 6 bamboo or metal skewers (If using bamboo skewers, set them in a pan of water to soak for at least one hour.)

Instructions

1. In a large ziplock bag, combine the lemon juice, avocado oil, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add the cut up chicken.
2. Seal the bag and toss to combine well. Refrigerate 2 hours to marinate and up to overnight.
3. Set your grill to medium high. Thread the chicken onto the skewers and grill 3 to 4 minutes per side (they will cook quickly if you cut the pieces into 1-inch pieces
4. Remove and serve with cauliflower rice.
5. Drizzle the Creamy Feta Dressing over, if desired.

Yield: 4

Food energy: 321 kcal

Total fat: 17.95g

Carbohydrate: 2.80g

Protein per serving: 39.49

Total dietary fiber: 0.53g

Notes

*Nutritional information does not include feta dressing

https://asweetlife.org/low-carb-chicken-souvlaki-skewers/?utm_source=ASweetLife.org+List&utm_campaign=71710696d7-ASweetLife+Weekly+Update++-+Nov.+14%2C+2017_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5125b14cf8-71710696d7-413392997

The risk of type 2 diabetes is increasing if you practice these 3 lifestyle choices

From timesnownews.com/health

Environment, hereditary, family history, genetic makeup, ethnicity, and lifestyle choices, all play a very important role in determining the onset of diabetes.

New Delhi: Diabetes is one of the most common lifestyle diseases that affect people across the world. Diabetes is caused when the sugar levels in the blood rise, due to the absence of the enzyme insulin, which is responsible for the breakdown of sugar in the body. Though the causes of diabetes are not clear, there are certain lifestyle choices and habits that can put you at a greater risk of the disease.
Diabetes risk is determined by several factors. Environment, hereditary, family history, genetic makeup, ethnicity, and lifestyle choices, all play a very important role in determining the onset of diabetes. While some of these things are not under our control, some are. One must understand and take measures to reduce the risk of diabetes, by following a healthy lifestyle. If you follow these 3 lifestyle practices, it may be time to change because these can lead to diabetes.

                                                       Photo Credit: Getty Images

Smoking

Smoking is directly linked with the inefficiency of the body, weight gain, and heart health issues. Heart health and diabetes are further linked closely to each other. If you have been a long-term smoker, chances are that the damage is already done. However, quitting right now may still be able to push the onset of these diseases a little farther, and may also reduce the symptoms. Quitting smoking may also reduce the risk of your family around you of getting those diseases, as it will reduce the incidence of passive smoking.

Sedentary lifestyle

If you are one of those people who does not exercise at all and sits at his desk all day, you may be putting yourself at the risk of many diseases, including diabetes. A sedentary lifestyle leads to an inefficient body and is also one of the leading causes of obesity. Obesity is directly linked to diabetes and other health conditions. You must incorporate some form of exercise in your routine to be able to reduce the risk.

Eating too much sugar

People believe that eating too much sugar or sugary foods is not the cause of diabetes, and they are right. Eating sugar does not directly cause diabetes. However, consuming too much sugar can definitely lead to weight gain, which can put you at a greater risk of diabetes. Almost everyone likes desserts, and some people like them more than others. But controlling your diet is very important to reduce the risk of such diseases.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

https://www.timesnownews.com/health/article/the-risk-of-type-2-diabetes-is-increasing-if-you-practice-these-3-lifestyle-choices/429820

Mediterranean diet tied to better memory for diabetics

From kfgo.com/news

(Reuters Health) - People with diabetes may have better brain function if they follow a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish and healthy fats, a U.S. study suggests.

Mediterranean diets have long been linked to better heart and brain health as well as a lower risk of developing diabetes. But research to date hasn't offered a clear picture of whether any cognitive benefits of eating this way might differ for people with and without diabetes, said lead study author Josiemer Mattei of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.


"A healthy Mediterranean diet includes foods that are rich in fruit and vegetables, which has antioxidants, and in fish and oils, which include healthy fats," Mattei said by email. "These nutrients help sustain cognitive function by reducing inflammation and oxidation in the brain."

These benefits may help people whether or not they have diabetes. When people do have diabetes, however, the abundance of whole grains and legumes in a typical Mediterranean diet may help keep blood sugar well controlled and improve cognitive function, Mattei added.


As reported in Diabetes Care, researchers followed 913 participants in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study over two years, assessing their eating habits, testing for type 2 diabetes, and administering a series of tests for cognitive function, memory, and executive function.
For diet evaluations, researchers scored participants' eating habits based on how much they consumed of the main foods that make up a Mediterranean diet, plus how much they ate of foods typically included in two other types of heart-healthy diets, including the DASH diet recommended by the American Heart Association.


Among people without diabetes, more closely following a Mediterranean diet was associated with memory improvements during the study period, but not with changes in other types of cognitive function. For these participants, the other two heart-healthy diets were both tied to better cognitive function.


For diabetics, however, the Mediterranean diet was associated with a wide range of improvements in brain health. People with diabetes who more closely followed a Mediterranean diet had bigger gains in cognitive function, word recognition, and clock drawing skills than their counterparts who didn't eat this way.


When people had diabetes, the brain health benefits of the Mediterranean diet were limited to individuals who had well-controlled blood sugar at the start of the study or experienced improvements in blood sugar control during the study. There wasn't a clear benefit for people who started out with poorly controlled blood sugar or individuals who got worse during the study.

The study wasn't a controlled experiment designed to prove whether or how a Mediterranean diet might directly improve brain health.

One limitation of the study is that its focus only on Puerto Rican people means the results might not apply to individuals from other racial or ethnic groups or with different dietary traditions. Researchers also relied on study participants to accurately recall and report what they ate and drank, which isn't always accurate.


Still, following a Mediterranean diet may make sense for many people with and without diabetes, said Allen Taylor of the Tufts University USDA Human Nutrition Research Centre on Aging in Boston.

"There are many salutary effects of consuming a Mediterranean diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, lower in simple sugars, lower in red and processed meats, with a few servings per week of fish," Taylor, who wasn't involved in the study, said by email.

https://kfgo.com/news/articles/2019/may/31/mediterranean-diet-tied-to-better-memory-for-diabetics/

Best and Worst Breads for People With Type 2 Diabetes

From everydayhealth.com

Bread isn't taboo when you have type 2 diabetes — as long as you eat the right kinds and watch your portion size.

If you have type 2 diabetes, at some point someone has probably looked disapprovingly at your toast and told you, “You can’t eat that.” Ignoring for a moment the audacity of this know-it-all, most of the time the remark is simply untrue.
Contrary to popular belief, people with type 2 diabetes can, in fact, eat bread — the right kinds, in moderation. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) puts it this way: “Starchy foods can be part of a healthy meal plan, but portion size is key. Breads, cereals, pasta, rice (whole-grain options are better), and starchy vegetables like potatoes, yams, peas, and corn can be included in your meals and snacks.”
If you’ve been nervously avoiding the bread aisle at the supermarket until now, fear not. Once you get label-savvy, you’ll be able to find the healthiest, most satisfying bread for you.

                      Whole-grain breads are a better choice than breads made with white flour.

                                            Dennis Lane/Getty Images; Thinkstock

Read Nutrition Labels – Carefully

According to Susan Weiner, RD, CDE, co-author of The Complete Diabetes Organizer and Diabetes: 365 Tips for Living Well, reading the nutrition labels on packaged bread is essential, for several reasons.

Fibre. Weiner strongly encourages people with diabetes to choose a high-fibre bread, with at least three grams of fibre per slice. “Aim for a whole-grain bread with ingredients like oats, quinoa, or bran,” she says. “They may contain a good portion of fibre, which will improve glycaemic response.”

Carb and calories counts. If you’re making a sandwich with two slices of bread, choose a variety that has no more than 15 grams of carbohydrates and 100 calories per slice. If the bread is higher in carbs and calories, use just one slice for an open-faced sandwich (a romaine-lettuce leaf or another vegetable can double as the top “slice”).

Whole grain versus white flour. Maria Rodriguez, RD, CDE, program director of the Mount Sinai Diabetes Alliance in New York City, says you can tell if any packaged loaf is 100-percent whole grain by looking at the ingredient list: “The first ingredient will say ‘whole.’ You can also look for the whole-grain stamp.”

Healthiest Breads You Can Buy

Whole-grain breads are ideal for anyone monitoring calories and carbohydrates. If you’re unenthusiastic about the usual versions, you’ve got plenty of other choices:

• Spelt, flaxseed, chia-seed, and almond-flour breads. These can deliver lots of fiber, protein, and healthy fat. But be sure to check labels: These loaves may also be higher in calories. If a slice contains more than 100 calories, have one instead of two.
• Whole-grain wraps and tortillas. Look for wraps that are 100-percent whole-wheat, whole-corn, whole-rice, or lower-carb (many contain non-GMO ingredients), or try a lower-carb, high-fiber tortilla: “It may have half the carbohydrates and twice the fiber of a typical slice of bread,” Weiner says. (Just pay attention to calories per serving, since wraps and tortillas tend to be large.) Fill with scrambled eggs for breakfast, or lean protein and vegetables for lunch.
• Organic whole-grain breads. Many companies are now turning organic ingredients into delicious and nutritious loaves. Some are sliced especially thin so they’re lower in carbohydrates per serving.
• Sprouted bread. Ezekiel bread and the like can be great for people with diabetes. Instead of flour, these breads are made with whole grains that have begun to sprout and so have a lower glycemic response, according to a 2012 study in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism.
• Traditional pumpernickel bread. Made with rye flour (and sometimes some wheat flour) and fermented with sourdough starter, pumpernickel can have a lower glycemic index. Avoid loaves containing molasses (used for coloring), which will increase the carbohydrate and sugar content.
• Gluten-free corn and rice tortillas and breads. While these gluten-free choices aren’t always made with 100-percent whole grain, they’re ideal for people who have both diabetes and celiac disease.

Breads to Avoid

The worst breads for someone with diabetes are made with refined carbohydrates, such as white flour. Processing grains to make white flour softens the texture, but it also strips away fibre, vitamins, and minerals and results in a higher glycaemic index, according to the ADA.
Manufactures will often add back vitamins and minerals that were lost during processing, but that won’t increase the fibre content (unless they add that back, too). Understanding how to read labels will help you avoid breads that contain enriched wheat flour.
Other types of breads to avoid are those that list sweeteners — such as sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, or molasses — among the first ingredients.
Lastly, avoid breads that contain raisins or other dried fruit, as these are higher in carbohydrates.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes/best-worst-breads-diabetes/