Diabetes

How you react to being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes does not have to dictate how you feel about the disease. Type 2 diabetes, while a lethal disease, is not a death sentence. Your life is not at immediate risk just because you are a diabetic. Even though it is a serious cause for concern and you most definitely should work on a solution, there is no need to damn yourself or lose spirit.

It is certainly possible to live well despite having to control the type of carbohydrates and fats you need to eat each and every day. But there is hope even in doing a few but essential things to change your health.

It is all about blood sugar. Hyperglycemia is the condition underlying this form of diabetes and most of its problems…

  • cardiovascular conditions,
  • nerve and kidney damage,
  • skin problems, and
  • impaired vision

are all caused by chronically elevated blood sugar. For this reason, the first step to living well is to control your food intake so the high readings no longer cause internal damage. Talk to your doctor to determine the target range you should strive for. He can give you practical advice tailored for you so you can make daily progress.Keeping blood sugar readings within a reasonable range is your most important task: this is needed to ensure the disease does not exacerbate and add insult to injury.

Let’s talk about nutrition. Eating healthily is the key to living well with Type 2 diabetes. By eating healthy foods, you will gradually reduce your blood sugar. What and how you eat makes a difference. Your doctor can fill you in on more details. Do not overlook the importance of having a quality diet. Keep your blood sugar levels in line with delicious recipes and daily meal plans.

Next, comes exercise. Increase your daily activity and develop several blood sugar busting exercise routines. Exercise is essential for everyone, never mind people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Without physical activity, our health is left vulnerable to unpredictable circumstances. Don’t invite illnesses upon yourself by being sedentary.

Type 2 diabetics can improve their condition with regular exercise. Learn to enjoy physical activity sooner rather than later, because it is one of the most important habits you can develop in your life.

Also, living well requires you maintain a healthy body weight. Work on dropping a few pounds if you are above the ideal range. Exercising and eating well are the two main ingredients for weight loss, so dedicate your efforts in these areas so your weight is no longer a problem.

Uncontrolled blood sugar levels will shave years off your life. Lower your blood sugar, lose weight, and stop Type 2 diabetes and its complications in their tracks. Provided you are consistent; it will just be a matter of time.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.

Though commonly thought to be a vegetable, cucumber is actually a fruit. It’s high in beneficial nutrients, as well as certain plant compounds and antioxidants that may help treat and even prevent some conditions. Also, cucumbers are low in calories and contain a good amount of water and soluble fiber, making them ideal for promoting hydration and aiding in weight loss.

This article takes a closer look at some of the top health benefits of eating cucumber.

1. It’s High in Nutrients

Sliced Cucumber in a Bowl

Cucumbers are low in calories but high in many important vitamins and minerals. One 11-ounce (300-gram) unpeeled, raw cucumber contains the following:

  • Calories: 45
  • Total fat: 0 grams
  • Carbs: 11 grams
  • Protein: 2 grams
  • Fiber: 2 grams
  • Vitamin C: 14% of the RDI
  • Vitamin K: 62% of the RDI
  • Magnesium: 10% of the RDI
  • Potassium: 13% of the RDI
  • Manganese: 12% of the RDI

Although, the typical serving size is about one-third of a cucumber, so eating a standard portion would provide about one-third of the nutrients above.

Additionally, cucumbers have a high water content. In fact, cucumbers are made up of about 96% water.

To maximize their nutrient content, cucumbers should be eaten unpeeled. Peeling them reduces the amount of fiber, as well as certain vitamins and minerals, in a serving.

Cucumbers are low in calories but high in water and several important vitamins and minerals. Eating cucumbers with the peel provides the maximum amount of nutrients.

2. It Contains Antioxidants

Antioxidants are molecules that block oxidation, a chemical reaction that forms highly reactive atoms with unpaired electrons known as free radicals.

The accumulation of these harmful free radicals can lead to several types of chronic illness.

In fact, oxidative stress caused by free radicals has been associated with cancer and heart, lung and autoimmune disease.

Fruits and vegetables, including cucumbers, are especially rich in beneficial antioxidants that may reduce the risk of these conditions.

One study measured the antioxidant power of cucumber by supplementing 30 older adults with cucumber powder.

At the end of the 30-day study, cucumber powder caused a significant increase in several markers of antioxidant activity and improved antioxidant status.

However, it’s important to note that the cucumber powder used in this study likely contained a greater dose of antioxidants than you would consume in a typical serving of cucumber.

Another test-tube study investigated the antioxidant properties of cucumbers and found that they contain flavonoids and tannins, which are two compounds that are especially effective at blocking harmful free radicals.

Cucumbers contain antioxidants, including flavonoids and tannins, which prevent the accumulation of harmful free radicals and may reduce the risk of chronic disease.

3. It Promotes Hydration

Water is crucial to your body’s function, playing numerous important roles.

It is involved in processes like temperature regulation and the transportation of waste products and nutrients.

In fact, proper hydration can affect everything from physical performance to metabolism.

While you meet the majority of your fluid needs by drinking water or other liquids, some people may get as much as 40% of their total water intake from food.

Fruits and vegetables, in particular, can be a good source of water in your diet.

In one study, hydration status was assessed and diet records were collected for 442 children. They found that increased fruit and vegetable intake was associated with improvements in hydration status.

Because cucumbers are composed of about 96% water, they are especially effective at promoting hydration and can help you meet your daily fluid needs.

Cucumbers are composed of about 96% water, which may increase hydration and help you meet your daily fluid needs.

4. It May Aid in Weight Loss

Cucumbers could potentially help you lose weight in a few different ways.

First of all, they are low in calories.

Each one-cup (104-gram) serving contains just 16 calories, while an entire 11-ounce (300-gram) cucumber contains only 45 calories.

This means that you can eat plenty of cucumbers without packing on the extra calories that lead to weight gain.

Cucumbers can add freshness and flavor to salads, sandwiches and side dishes and may also be used as a replacement for higher calorie alternatives.

Furthermore, the high water content of cucumbers could aid in weight loss as well.

One analysis looked at 13 studies including 3,628 people and found that eating foods with high water and low calorie contents was associated with a significant decrease in body weight.

Cucumbers are low in calories, high in water and can be used as a low-calorie topping for many dishes. All of these may aid in weight loss.

5. It Could Help Lower Cholesterol

Research shows that cucumbers contain certain compounds that could reduce blood cholesterol levels.

These compounds include phytosterols, or plant sterols, which can be found in many types of fruits and vegetables.

Studies show that plant sterols can reduce LDL cholesterol levels by an average of 5–15% in most people.

One study had participants with and without diabetes supplement with plant sterols. It found that LDL cholesterol levels were reduced by 15% in non-diabetic participants and by an impressive 26.8% in diabetic participants.

Cucumbers also contain pectin, a naturally occurring type of soluble fiber that could decrease blood cholesterol.

An animal study found that administration of pectin extracted from cucumbers caused a significant decrease in both blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Cucumbers contain plant sterols and pectin. Studies show that these two substances could potentially help reduce blood cholesterol levels.

6. It May Lower Blood Sugar

Several animal and test-tube studies have found that cucumbers may help reduce blood sugar levels and prevent some complications of diabetes.

One animal study examined the effects of various plants on blood sugar. Cucumbers were shown to effectively reduce and control blood sugar levels.

Another animal study induced diabetes in mice and then supplemented them with cucumber peel extract. Cucumber peel reversed most of the diabetes-associated changes and caused a decrease in blood sugar.

In addition, one test-tube study found that cucumbers may be effective at reducing oxidative stress and preventing diabetes-related complications.

However, the current evidence is limited to test-tube and animal studies. Further research is needed to determine how cucumbers may affect blood sugar in humans.

Test-tube and animal studies show that cucumber may help lower blood sugar and prevent diabetes-related complications, although additional research is needed.

7. It Could Promote Regularity

Eating cucumbers may help support regular bowel movements.

Dehydration is a major risk factor for constipation, as it can alter your water balance and make the passage of stool difficult.

Cucumbers are high in water and promote hydration. Staying hydrated can improve stool consistency, prevent constipation and help maintain regularity.

Moreover, cucumbers contain fiber, which helps regulate bowel movements.

In particular, pectin, the type of soluble fiber found in cucumbers, can help increase bowel movement frequency.

One study had 80 participants supplement with pectin. It found that pectin sped up the movement of the intestinal muscles, all while feeding the beneficial bacteria in the gut that improve digestive health.

Cucumbers contain a good amount of fiber and water, both of which may help prevent constipation and increase regularity.

Lemons are vitamin C rich citrus fruits that enhance your beauty, by rejuvenating skin from within bringing a glow to your face. One of the major health benefits of drinking warm lemon water is that it paves the way for losing weight faster, thus acting as a great weight loss remedy. 

Lemon Water Flushes Out Toxins And Is Extremely Beneficial For The Body

Warm lemon water serves as the perfect ‘good morning drink’, as it aids the digestive system and makes the process of eliminating the waste products from the body easier. It prevents the problem of constipation and diarrhea, by ensuring smooth bowel functions.

Nutritional Value Of Lemons

A glass of lemon juice contains less than 25 calories. It is a rich source of nutrients like calcium, potassium, vitamin C and pectin fibre. It also has medicinal values and antibacterial properties. It also contains traces of iron and vitamin A.
Lemon, a fruit popular for its therapeutic properties, helps maintain your immune system and thus, protects you from the clutches of most types of infections. It also plays the role of a blood purifier. Lemon is a fabulous antiseptic and lime-water juice also works wonders for people having heart problems, owing to its high potassium content. So, make it a part of your daily routine to drink a glass of warm lemon water in the morning and enjoy its health benefits.

16 Health Benefits Of Drinking Warm Lemon Water

  1. Lemon is an excellent and rich source of vitamin C, an essential nutrient that protects the body against immune system deficiencies
  2.  Lemons contain pectin fibre which is very beneficial for colon health and also serves as a powerful antibacterial
  3.  It balances to maintain the pH levels in the body
  4. Having warm lemon juice early in the morning helps flush out toxins
  5. It aids digestion and encourages the production of bile
  6.  It is also a great source citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium
  7.  It helps prevent the growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria that cause infections and diseases
  8.  It helps reducing pain and inflammation in joints and knees as it dissolves uric acid
  9.  It helps cure the common cold
  10. The potassium content in lemon helps nourish brain and nerve cells
  11.  It strengthens the liver by providing energy to the liver enzymes when they are too dilute
  12. It helps balance the calcium and oxygen levels in the liver In case of a heartburn, taking a glass of concentrated lemon juice can give relief
  13. It is of immense benefit to the skin and it prevents the formation of wrinkles and acne
  14. It helps maintain the health of the eyes and helps fight against eye problems
  15. Aids in the production of digestive juices
  16.  Lemon juice helps replenish body salts especially after a strenuous workout session

Packed with all the goodness, make it a point to begin your day with a glass of warm lemon water. Its cleansing and healing effects will have positive effects on your health in the long run. However, it is very important to note that when lemon juice comes directly in contact with the teeth, can ruin the enamel on the teeth. Hence, it is advised to consume it diluted and also rinse your mouth thoroughly after drinking lemon juice.

In functional medicine, we believe that every system in the body is connected. Your digestive and hormonal systems, for example, aren’t independent of one another. At the center of it all is a properly functioning digestive system.

When your gut is unhealthy, it can cause more than just stomach pain, gas, bloating, or diarrhea. Because 60-80% of our immune system is located in our gut, gut imbalances have been linked to hormonal imbalances, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, eczema, rosacea, and other chronic health problems.

I believe the gut is the gateway to health, and the first step I take with all of my patients regardless of their diagnosis is to heal the gut. I use a system called The 4R Program, which is a simple approach to repairing your gut and restoring your body’s balance.

10 Signs You Have an Unhealthy Gut:

1. Digestive issues like bloating, gas, diarrhea

2. Food allergies or sensitivities

3. Anxiety

4. Depression

5. Mood swings, irritability

6. Skin problems like eczema, rosacea

8. Autoimmune disease

9. Frequent Infections

10. Poor memory and concentration, ADD or ADHD

The 4 R Program

1. Remove

Remove the bad. The goal is to get rid of things that negatively affect the environment of the gut, such as inflammatory foods, infections, and irritants like alcohol, caffeine, or drugs.

Inflammatory foods, such as gluten, dairy, corn, soy, eggs, and sugar, can lead to food sensitivities. I recommend an elimination diet as the starting point to identify which foods are problematic for you, in which you remove the foods for two weeks or more and then add them back in, one at a time, taking note of your body’s response.

Infections can be from parasites, yeast, or bacteria. A comprehensive stool analysis is key to determining the levels of good bacteria as well as any infections that may be present. Removing the infections may require treatment with herbs, anti-parasite medication, antifungal medication, antifungal supplements, or even antibiotics.

2. Replace

Replace the good. Add back in the essential ingredients for proper digestion and absorption that may have been depleted by diet, drugs (such as antacid medications) diseases or aging. This includes digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid, and bile acids that are required for proper digestion.

3. Reinoculate

Restoring beneficial bacteria to reestablish a healthy balance of good bacteria is critical. This may be accomplished by taking a probiotic supplement that contains beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacillus species. I recommend anywhere from 25 -100 billion units a day. Also, taking a prebiotic (food for the good bacteria) supplement or consuming foods high in soluble fiber is important.

4. Repair

Providing the nutrients necessary to help the gut repair itself is essential. One of my favourites supplements is L-glutamine, an amino acid that helps to rejuvenate the gut wall lining. Other key nutrients include zinc, omega-3 fish oils, vitamin A, C, and E, as well as herbs such as slippery elm and aloe vera.

No matter what your health issue is, the 4R program is sure to help you and your gut heal! I have witnessed dramatic reversal of chronic and inflammatory illnesses in a very short period of time by utilizing this simple approach.

by -
0 661

People ignored good and healthy eating in the past and instead concentrated their efforts on treating illnesses and diseases. This has been found to be counterproductive as it is cheaper to prevent a disease than to treat it.

Now that we all are becoming more enlightened as to the reasons why we should pay more attention to what we eat, we need to do the best within our strength to achieve a state of positive health by investing on good food, no matter what it would cost to do so.

But what actually constitutes a good food? What types of foods should we or should we not eat?

Top 5 Foods You Should Be Eating Daily For a Healthy Living

  1. Green Beans

Green beans is a proteinous and high-fiber food, which is highly recommended because of its ability to prevent weight gain and also help you lose weight without dieting. Increasing one’s intake of green beans helps in losing weight. If you increase your fiber by 8 grams for every 1,000 calories you take, you will lose about 4½ pounds in the long run.

But should we recommend green beans only because it helps you in losing weight? No, of course! These peas have several health gains which you should benefit from. Studies have shown that green beans can cut the risk of diabetes, obesity and heart disease, including death rates.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, one cup of canned snap green beans has: 2.6 grams of fiber, 28 calories, 1.94 grams of sugar, 5.66 grams of carbohydrate, 0.55 grams of fat, and 1.42 grams of protein. It equally has some quantities of magnesium, potassium, calcium, Vitamin A, folate, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamin K.

Research by the Oregon State University shows that green beans contain chlorophyll, which is capable of blocking the carcinogenic impacts of heterocyclic amines produced when meats are grilled at a high temperature.

If you have never given green beans a thought, this should really interest you. Research conducted by the Harvard Medical School showed that green beans have the ability to promote fertility in women due to its rich iron content.

A cup of green beans gives you about 10 percent of folic acid and 6 percent of the iron your body needs. Since these are both needed for a viable pregnancy to be sustained, eating green beans remains a good source of getting them.

  1. Spinach

Spinach is one of the plants that can easily give you  omega-3 fatty acids and folate, which play a significant role in preventing stroke, heart diseases, and osteoporosis. In addition, folate helps to improve blood supply to the hindmost parts of the body, thereby assisting in guarding you against sexual problems that are related to age.

Besides, spinach contains lutein, a compound that plays a role in preventing the degeneration of muscles; hence it is referred to as the muscle builder. Lutein is equally believed to assist in sex drive. Taking a cup of fresh spinach or half a cup cooked daily would help to do the magic for your body.

Similarly, a recent study showed that “women with hair loss have considerably lower vitamin D2 and iron levels than age-matched controls. Spinach is equally perfect for fighting hair loss because it’s rich in iron and high in vitamin C, which helps in iron absorption.

You may not be lucky enough to have spinach in your area. In that case, alternatives you can take include romaine lettuce, kale, and bok choy.

  1. Tomatoes

We have seen how useful spinach is. Another highly useful vegetable our body needs is the tomato. They are used in different sauces at home. From stew to salads, fried eggs, sandwiches, and other dishes, tomato plays a role in giving them their palatable tastes.

But that is not why we really need lots of tomatoes in our daily meals. Red tomatoes (which are the preferred ones) contain a lot of antioxidant lycopene, which plays a role in reducing cancers of the prostate, bladder, stomach, and skin. Moreover, lycopene lessens the risk of coronary artery disease.

Processed tomatoes also contain high amounts of lycopene, which the body can easily absorb whether from the fresh or processed sources. A glass of tomato juice or 22 mg of lycopene daily is enough to take care of your body needs. If tomatoes are hard to get in your location, you can get lycopene also from pink grapefruit, guava, Japanese persimmon, Red watermelon, and papaya.

  1. Eggs

Eggs are known to contain high-quality animal proteins as well minerals and vitamins. Eggs contain almost everything needed to make a balanced diet. They easily fill you up and stop you from eating those junk foods that hardly have anything beneficial to add to your body.

Just an egg or two in the morning taken with whole grain toast or fresh fruit is enough to provide your body all it needs to kick start the day and keep going.

An egg has vitamin A, vitamin B2, B6, and B12, vitamin D, vitamin K, calcium, folate, zinc, phosphorus, selenium, essential fatty acids, protein, and other trace nutrients. This is why doctors and nutritionists recommend that a child should have at least an egg a day.

One other thing about egg is that it contains biotin and B vitamins that assist in minimizing hair loss. Since egg contains high-quality proteins, it plays a role in helping the hair to grow faster and healthier.

  1. Oats

Oats have a high level of soluble fiber, which helps in reducing the incidence of heart disease. They are approved by the FDA because of their numerous health benefits. Oats have plenty carbohydrates, but the fibers ensure that the sugars are released slowly, thereby reducing the possibility of developing diabetes.

Half a cup serving of oats contains 10 grams of protein, which helps in delivering energy that’s friendly to the muscles.

Similarly, Oats are rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and zinc which help to stimulate hair growth, making it healthy and thick.

You don’t have oats in your area? Don’t worry! You can get its same benefits from wild rice, quinoa, and flaxseed.

Conclusion

If you really want to enjoy a healthy life, you need to eat good foods daily. Money alone or drugs cannot give you guaranteed health, only the practice of eating super foods or quality diets can.

The health benefits of lemon include treatment of throat infections, indigestion, constipation, dental problems, fever, internal bleeding, rheumatism, burns, obesity, respiratory disorders, cholera and high blood pressure, while it also benefits your hair and skin. Known for its therapeutic property since generations, lemons help to strengthen your immune system, cleanse your stomach, and it is considered a blood purifier.

Lemon juice, especially, has several health benefits associated with it. It is well known as a useful treatment for kidney stones, reducing strokes and lowering body temperature. As a refreshing drink, lemonade helps you to stay calm and cool.

The health benefits of lemon are due to its many nourishing elements like vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, niacin thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, copper,  calcium, iron,  magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorusand protein. It is a fruit that contains flavonoids, which are composites that contain antioxidant and cancer fighting properties. It helps to prevent diabetes, constipation, high blood pressure, fever, indigestion and many other problems, as well as improving the skin, hair, and teeth. Studies conducted at the American Urological Association highlight the fact that lemonade or lemon juice can eliminate the occurrence of kidney stones by forming urinary citrate, which prevents the formation of crystals.

People use it to make lemonade by mixing lemon juice and water. Many people also use it as a washing agent, because of its ability to remove stains. The scent of lemons can also repel mosquitoes, while drinking lemon juice with olive oil helps to get rid of gall stones. It is well known for its medicinal power and is used in many different ways. As per the results reported in a study by the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, lemon provides protection against inflammatory polyarthritis and arthritis.

Health Benefits Of Lemon

Various health benefits of lemon are explained below:

Treats Indigestion

Lemon juice helps to cure problems related to indigestion and constipation. Add a few drops of lemon on your dish (take care, it does not go well with milk), and it will aid in digestion. It acts as a blood purifier and a cleansing agent, so a good drink after lunch or dinner is fresh lemon soda, which is also called fresh lime soda in many places. The recipe is lemon juice, cold water, soda, salts (common salt or rock salt) and sugar/honey for sweetness. You can also add some mint leaves or crushed fennel seeds for added flavor. Drink this whenever you have a heavy lunch or dinner.

Treats Fever

Lemon juice can treat a person who is suffering from a cold, flu or fever. It helps to break fevers by increasing perspiration.

Dental Care

It is also frequently used in dental care. If fresh lemon juice is applied on the area of a toothache, it can assist in getting rid of the pain. Massaging the juice on the gums can stop gum bleeding, while eliminating the bad odors that can come from various gum diseases and conditions.

Additionally, it can be used in the regular cleansing of your teeth. Keep your eye out for a toothpaste containing lemon as one of the ingredients, or add a drop of its juice onto your normal toothpaste. Some people also rub their teeth with the outer shell (the inner side touching your teeth) of a lemon after removing the juice. But be careful, it can be highly acidic, so if your mouth starts burning, rinse your gums and mouth quickly with water.

Hair Care

Lemon juice has proven itself in the treatment of hair care on a wide scale. The juice applied to the scalp can treat problems like dandruff, hair loss and other problems related to the hair and scalp. If  you apply this juice directly on the hair, it can give your hair a natural shine.

Skin Care

Lemon juice, being a natural antiseptic medicine, can also cure problems related to the skin. The juice can be applied to reduce the pain of sun burns, and it helps to ease the pain from bee stings as well. It is also good for acne and eczema. It acts as an anti-aging remedy and can remove wrinkles and blackheads. Drinking its juice mixed with water and honey brings a healthy glow to the skin, and if you thoroughly search the cosmetic market, you will find some soaps containing this juice, but they aren’t too easy to find!

Cures Burns

Use lemon juice on the site of old burns can help fade the scars, and since lemon is a cooling agent, it reduces the burning sensation on the skin when you currently have an irritating burn.

Internal Bleeding

It has antiseptic and coagulant properties, so it can stop internal bleeding. You can apply lemon juice to a small cotton ball and place it inside your nose to stop nose bleeds.

Promotes Weight Loss

If a person drinks lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water and honey, it can help reduce body weight.

Soothens Respiratory Disorders

Lemon juice assists in relieving respiratory problems and breathing problems, such as its ability to soothe a person suffering from an asthma attack. Being a rich source of vitamin C, it helps in dealing with more long-term respiratory disorders as well.

Treats Cholera

Diseases like cholera and malaria can be treated with lemon juice, because it acts as a blood purifier.

Relaxes Foot

Lemon is an aromatic and antiseptic agent and is useful in foot relaxation. Add some its juice to warm water and dip your feet in the mixture for instant relief and muscle relaxation.

Treats Rheumatism

It is also a diuretic and can treat rheumatism and arthritis. It helps to flush out bacteria and toxins from the body.

Reduces Corns

Lemon juice can dissolve lumps on the skin, so it can be applied at the places where the skin has hardened up, like the soles of feet and the palms of your hands. Drinking it with water can help patients reduce gall stones for the same reasons.

Throat Infections: Lemon is an excellent fruit that fights against problems related to throat infections, due to its well-known antibacterial properties.

Controls Blood Pressure

Drinking lemon juice is helpful for people suffering from heart problems, because it contains potassium. It controls high blood pressure, dizziness, and nausea, because it provides a calming sensation to both the mind and body. It is commonly employed to reduce mental stress and depression.

Lemon has proved to be nature’s boon to everyone who uses it. It provides many valuable solutions to health-related problems, because it contains its own set of antiseptic and natural medications. It also aids in treatment of malaria. A good practice is to eat anywhere from a quarter to a half of a lemon per day to get the maximum benefits from this powerful little fruit!

by -
0 1204
Researchers suggest that sodium – which we commonly ingest through salt, or sodium chloride – could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults.

Diabetes is a common condition that affects more than 29 million people in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Type 2 diabetes accounts for up to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases and is characterized by abnormal levels of blood sugar.

This type of diabetes is most often diagnosed in middle-aged and senior people. Another metabolic condition called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is often misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes; it also appears later in adulthood.

LADA is a more slowly progressing disease, and it does not initially require insulin treatment.

A new study conducted by Dr Bahareh Rasouli, of the Institute of Environmental Medicine at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden – in collaboration with researchers from other Swedish and Finnish institutions – now looks at the impact of sodium intake on the risk of type 2 diabetes and LADA.

The researchers have presented their findings at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, held in Lisbon, Portugal.

High sodium intake may be a risk factor

Existing research had already suggested that the sodium we usually absorb from our daily intake of salt may significantly increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The team explains that this may be because sodium impacts insulin resistance, but also because excess salt can lead to hypertension and gaining excess weight. But until now, no studies had looked at the impact of sodium intake on the risk of LADA.

Dr Rasouli and colleagues analyzed data from the Epidemiological Study of Risk Factors for LADA and Type 2 Diabetes, which is a large Swedish cohort study.

Questionnaires were used to collect information about the participants’ daily diets. These data then allowed the team to calculate the daily caloric, nutrient, and sodium intake for each participant.

Dr Rasouli and colleagues also took into consideration genetic risk factors for diabetes, and the participants were split into “high risk” and “other” categories depending on their genetic profile.

Confounding variables, including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), smoking, physical activity levels, and alcohol intake, were also adjusted for.

The researchers found that each extra gram of sodium (or 2.5 grams of salt) per day was linked to a 43 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes. For LADA, each extra gram of sodium led to a 73 percent increase in developing the condition.

Participants were also divided into three groups depending on the quantity of their sodium intake. These were “low consumption” (for under 2.4 grams of sodium daily, or up to 6 grams of salt), “medium consumption” (2.4 to 3.15 grams of sodium, or up to 7.9 grams of salt), and “high consumption” (more than 3.15 grams of sodium daily, or more than 7.9 grams of salt).

It was noted that the people who fell within the high consumption category were at a 58 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than the individuals in the low consumption group.

People with a high genetic risk of diabetes who also had a high daily sodium intake were almost four times as likely to develop LADA than people with a low daily intake of sodium.

Based on these findings, the researchers “confirm an association between sodium intake and type 2 diabetes.” They add that “high sodium intake may be a risk factor for LADA, especially in carriers of high risk HLA [human leukocyte antigen] genotypes.” These are people who already carry a significant genetic risk of diabetes.

The authors suggest that their study may lead to fresh prevention strategies for diabetes, and especially LADA.

These findings may have important implications in the primary prevention of diabetes with adult onset.