Nutritional Supplements for Diabetes

Major Symptoms of Diabetes

❖ Frequent urination

❖ Extreme thirst

❖ Fatigue

❖ Increased appetite

❖ Repeated hard-to-heal infections of the skin, gum, vagina, etc.

❖ Blurred vision

❖ Loss of feeling in the hands or feet

❖ Dry, itchy skin, etc.

If you experience one or more of these symptoms on a regular basis, make an appointment with your physician and get the facts about the symptoms.

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Diabetes When not Taken Care of can Lead to the Following Complications

Heart Disuse: Adults with diabetes have heart disease and death rates that are about two to four times higher than others. The disease accelerates blood vessel damage and can prevent proper blood flow to the oxygen-dependent muscles of the heart increases the risk of blood clots to sensitive areas such as the brain.

Stroke: The disease affects the circulatory system, which increases the risk of blood clots to sensitive areas such as the brain.

High Blood Pressure: This occurs because the disease affects the circulatory system.

Blindness: This disease prevents the flow of blood to the tiny arteries and capillaries of the eye when blood cannot get to these cells. They eventually die causing blindness, kidney disease, nervous system damage, amputations, and dental disease.

 

Way out of Diabetes

Despite all the complications of diabetes, there are several ways through which we can battle diabetes and win, these include the following:

❖ Through good nutrition

❖ Through exercise

❖ Through weight loss

❖ Through the help of natural supplements

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Nutritional Supplements for Diabetes

The nutritional aspect of handling diabetes covers three major areas of nutrition:

1. Reducing diets rich in carbohydrates that are easily converted into STARCH.

2. Reducing diets rich in protein which are easily converted into SATURATED FAT.

3. Increaser the in-take of FIBER, which can be gotten from vegetables and fruits.

 

(A) Diet low in starch: 

A diabetic patient should be conscious of foods with high starch content. It is when starch is hydrolyzed by acid that it is converted into glucose which in turn increases the blood sugar level.

A diabetic patient should be careful with the following foods:

• All kinds of millet
• Rice
• White and wheat bread
• Corn flakes
• Root and tubers which include, yam, Irish and sweet potato
• Macaroni, spaghetti, and other flour products
• Corn and its products, oats, honey, ice cream, pastries and sugar cane, etc.

If you are diabetic, you should either eat these foods very rarely or avoid them completely. Most of these foods are quickly converted into glucose and enter the bloodstream much faster, and then raise your blood sugar level. It has a high glycemic index.

 

(B) Diet low in protein: 

This has to do with getting rid of the animal product we eat. Animal products consist of meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products such as milk, cheese, and eggs.

The primary cause of adult-onset diabetes is not sugar, although sugar aggravates the problem, it is not that the pancreas is not producing enough insulin; the problem is caused by the saturated fat gotten from the animal products.

The fat is coating the cells and not allowing the insulin to break through to the insulin receptors within the cell. When you remove the fat from your diet, the fat melts off the cells, and then the insulin which the body is naturally producing starts to work fine.

If you will do this, your cells will actually recover. Also, note that the soya bean product is a good substitute for animal protein.

You can get all kinds of products from soya beans such as cheese, soya milk, soya powder, etc. avoid animal products.

(C) Consumption of More Fibre:

Another important way to control diabetes through nutrition is to increase the fiber in your diet. fiber slows down digestion and the absorption of carbohydrates.

If you have diabetes, most of the carbohydrate calories you eat should come from fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain large amounts of fiber.

NOTE: Fruits like:

• Banana,
• Mango,
• Pawpaw,
• Pineapple and other sweet fruits can aggravate diabetes.

Also, fruits like:

• Cabbage,
• Cucumber,
• Garden egg,
• Watermelon,
• Apples,
• Pears,
• Peaches,
• Carrot is a good source of fiber for the diabetic.

All kinds of vegetables such as spinach, waterleaf, Ugwu, bitter leaf, cabbage, lettuce, pumpkin, and all kinds of leafy green vegetables will actually be the best.

Also, don’t overcook your vegetables for maximum benefit. A plant-based diet is the best for the diabetic.

Relevant Tips for Diabetes Nutrition

(i) Soya bean product is a good substitute for animal protein.

(ii) Plantain and its powder is also a good diet for the diabetic

(iii) Wheat powder is also very good

(iv) Bean and bean powder are also very good

(v) Note that honey should be taken sparingly

(vi) Fresh garlic and ginger should be consumed regularly

Note: Proper diet is still the cornerstone of treating diabetes.

Control of Diabetes Through Exercise

Exercise holds special benefits for diabetics:

(i) Exercise helps muscles to take up glucose from the bloodstream and use it for energy which in turn reduces the sugar level.

(ii) Exercise prevents sugar from accumulating in the blood by burning calories.

(iii) Exercise helps to control weight which is a major treatment for type 2 diabetes.

(iv) Exercise makes you feel calm and have a sense of well-being. People who exercise feel better about themselves.

(v) People who exercise feel more energetic and are more productive at work.

Note: All diabetics should consult with their physicians before beginning an exercise program. You can begin with walking briskly (quick) three to four times a week for at least twenty minutes.

Choose an exercise activity that you truly enjoy, walking is only a suggestion. It could be ballroom dancing or playing table or lawn tennis. Anyone you enjoy, then, stick with it.

Note that exercise is one of the major ways to overcome both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Control of Diabetes Through Weight Loss

Many cases of diabetes are directly linked to obesity; weight control is a powerful key to the prevention of diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is direct, linked to obesity and diets rich in saturated fats. I strongly encourage you to lose weight if you are seeking to prevent diabetes. If you already have type 2 diabetes, weight control is absolutely essential.

Also, note that you did not gain your weight overnight, and losing it overnight would not be healthy.

 

Control of Diabetes Through the Help of Supplements

There are some natural nutrients and supplements that can be very helpful in controlling your blood sugar.

It includes; Chromium polynicotinate: Which helps to improve glucose tolerance. Alpha-lipoic acid is a very powerful anti-oxidant, which lowers blood sugar.

300 milligrams of lipoic acid should be taken two to three times daily, Vitamin E in high doses. It is also an antioxidant; it will prevent the diabetic from developing cataracts and cell damage.

Vitamin C (Emergent-C). It is advisable to take 2000 milligrams of vitamin C on daily basis. It can lower the sorbitol level which can be dangerous to the diabetic.

There are other supplements such as zinc, magnesium, niacin, vitamin B6, Biotin, Omega 3, and Omega 6 which could be useful.

Many of the vitamins and minerals can be taken in a comprehensive multivitamin and mineral supplement.

You can find a good supplement in any health food store. You also need to consult your physician about any supplement you decide to take.

Conclusion