Jan
18
Have you got any of these symptoms that signal the onset of type II diabetes?
If you believe that you’re at risk of developing type II diabetes, then consider adding these items to your weekly shop: leafy green vegetables, some avocados, nuts and whole grains. Each of these foods is high in magnesium – a nutrient that, according to the results of a new study, may be a key player in preventing type II diabetes.
You may not be aware of a condition known as Metabolic Syndrome (or MSX) which is a set of symptoms that puts you at high risk of heart disease and type II diabetes. It is estimated from UK research that 1 in 4 people may be affected by this. The main symptoms include excessive abdominal fat, elevated triglyceride levels, low HDL (these are the good guys of the cholesterol world), hypertension and a fasting glucose level that would indicate possible insulin resistance.
Having three or more of these symptoms are all that’s required to diagnose MSX.
Magnesium
In 2005, researchers collected dietary and medical data from more than 11,000 women over the age of 45 who participated in the ongoing Women’s Health Study. Results showed that subjects with the highest magnesium intake had a 27 per cent lower risk of developing Metabolic Syndrome (Diabetes Care, Vol. 28, No. 6, June 2005).
The following year, Northwestern University researchers reported on a study in which dietary and medical records for more than 4,600 healthy subjects were followed for 15 years. As in the earlier study, the highest intake of magnesium was linked with a significantly lower risk of MSX. These results are not entirely surprising. Previous research suggests that magnesium helps heart muscles relax, reduces blood pressure, and helps control homocysteine and C-reactive protein levels.
Can You Lower your risk of diabetes through magnesium supplements alone?
The latest magnesium/diabetes research comes from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. The Karolinska team reviewed seven large studies similar to the two above – in each study, dietary and medical records were followed over a long period. Four studies tracked diet only, while three studies reviewed dietary habits and supplement intake. The combined studies included more than 286,000 subjects.
Six of the studies found a significant association between high magnesium intake and a reduced risk of type II diabetes. The sources of magnesium – whether from diet or supplements combined with diet – were equally effective. The diabetes risk dropped by 15 per cent for every 100mg increase in magnesium intake (Journal of Internal Medicine, Vol. 262, No. 2, August 2007).
Could you be suffering from a magnesium deficiency?
It is quite easy for women to become magnesium deficient. High stress and menstruation can reduce magnesium levels, while a heavy intake of starches, alcohol, diuretics and some prescription drugs (such as antibiotics) can increase urinary excretion of magnesium. If a blood test shows your magnesium level is low (a normal range is anywhere between 0.66 and 1.23 millimoles per litre), you can help make up this shortfall by taking 500mg of magnesium per day. Magnesium gluconate and chelated magnesium are the preferred supplement forms. As always, talk to your doctor before adding magnesium to your supplement regimen.
Can simple dietary and lifestyle changes can ward off Type-2 diabetes?
In addition to increasing your magnesium intake, you can reduce your chances of getting type II diabetes by cutting down on the amount of refined carbohydrates (present in white bread and pasta) you consume. Instead, eat more high fibre foods and protein, which produce a much lower insulin response. Other foods to consume more of are vegetables, beans and pulses, which release sugar into your bloodstream at a slower rate.
Other factors that contribute to TypeII diabetes include being overweight (80 per cent of diabetics are overweight), a sedentary lifestyle, ageing (over 40’s are more at risk) and a family history of diabetes and smoking. The good news is that simple dietary and lifestyle changes can make a big difference to your likelihood of developing the disease. In a study of over 3,000 people with impaired glucose tolerance, it was found that lifestyle changes (dietary modifications plus regular exercise) was almost twice as effective as the drug metformin, in reversing symptoms (US National Institute of Health – The Diabetes Prevention Programme).
So, make sure you take steps to lose any excess weight. This can be helped by taking regular exercise. It’s not necessary to spend hours down the gym; just 30 minutes of brisk walking or cycling three or four times a week is adequate. Exercise increases the insulin sensitivity of your cells, so less insulin is required to transport glucose into them.
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29
Type 2 Diabetes
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Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes or Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 is a metabolic disorder, initially presenting with an elevated blood glucose level. It is the most common form of diabetes worldwide, as compared to other diabetes types, such as Type 1. Unlike Type 1 diabetes, which is caused by a failure in insulin production, Type 2 diabetes is associated with problems to the cells that respond to insulin. Patients of Type 2 diabetes can produce insulin normally. It is also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes as most people with this type of diabetes do not need to inject insulin. It is also still known as maturity-onset diabetes, since it occurs mostly in older adults. However, currently, more and more children are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes due to an increase in the incidence of obesity among this group so this name is becoming less appropriate.
Causes of Type 2 Diabetes
In many of the cases diagnosed, Type 2 diabetes is often a gradually progressive disease. It may be caused by insulin resistance or abnormal insulin secretion, namely insufficient production of insulin by the pancreas. In a non-diabetic, healthy person, the body’s cells (fat, liver and muscle) produce an insulin response, whilst in a Type 2 diabetes patient, the body’s cells do not produce a normal insulin response. The function of insulin is to induce the body’s cells to take up glucose from the blood to be used as a source of energy. Since the body’s cells are insulin resistant in the diabetic, they do not take up glucose from the blood as is normal, the result being an elevated blood glucose level or hyperglycemia. Other possible effects of insulin resistance are an increase in coronary heart disease and a rise in normal blood pressure. Type 2 diabetes is often associated with obesity, hypertension (elevated blood pressure), a more sedate lifestyle, elevated cholesterol levels and several other metabolic disorders. It may also be caused by other hereditary and environmental factors.
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
The early symptoms of Type 2 diabetes are so transient that, very often, they go unnoticed. The most common symptoms of Type 2 diabetes include polyuria (increased urination), polydipsia (increased thirst), polyphagia (increased hunger), increased tiredness, blurred vision, weight loss (or gain), slow healing of wounds, frequent incidence of infections (due to a suppressed immune system) and numbness in the hands and feet.
Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes
Diagnosis is confirmed by reviewing the signs and symptoms, followed by a series of blood tests. Some of the routine tests include the random or non-fasting blood glucose level and fasting blood glucose level test. In general, the normal glucose level is considered to be 100 milligrams per decilitre (mg/dL). If the random blood glucose level is higher than 200 mg/dL, diabetes is suspected. Diagnosis of diabetes is confirmed if the fasting blood glucose level is more than 126 mg/dL on two separate occasions. An oral glucose level test is sometimes performed to check how the body metabolises blood sugar. Diabetes is diagnosed if the blood glucose level is more than 200 mg/dL after two hours.
Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes
The treatment of Type 2 diabetes is simple when compared to Type 1 diabetes in the initial phase. Type 2 diabetes treatment is initiated with a recommendation to increase physical activity, alter normal dietary patterns and take prescribed medication. Some patients may be recommended for insulin injections, depending upon their overall health condition, medical history and severity of the disease. Regular exercise is very important since it helps reduce insulin resistance. However, care should be taken with these patients, who inject insulin and follow a more rigorous exercise regime at the same time. Since both insulin and exercise lower the blood sugar level, there is a risk of lowering glucose level below the normal, resulting in hypoglycemia, itself associated with certain other health complications such as dizziness, nausea, weakness, etc. Other ways to avoid Type 2 diabetes include maintaining body weight, regular exercise, maintaining a balanced diet(with a lower percentage of dietary fat) and regular monitoring of the blood glucose level.
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