Online Writing by Fran Aslam

Diabetes prevention is the first step, once it is discovered that a person has type 1 or type 2 diabetes.  Patient along with health care expert have to come up with a diabetic management plan.  Lifestyle changes along with the required medication prescribed by the doctor are extremely important preventive measure to bring blood sugars closer to a normal blood sugar range.  Following are some of the examples

1. Lose weight if overweight. As excessive body fat causes insulin resistance

2. Portion control meals and eat more frequent meals to get normal blood sugar range.

3. Make sure to create meals with low glycemic index and avoid refined carbohydrates.

4. Keep away from saturated fats and trans fats

5. Add fish and lean proteins to your weekly meal plans

6. Make salad main entree, lean protein and grain as sides of your plate

7. Add all low carb veggies in your salad

8. Increase your physical activity

These life style changes will bring an amazing healthy change to control diabetes. Follow your doctor, endocrinologist, dietitian and fitness expert for more advance care of diabetes. A personalized diet plan is a must, as insulin production and blood sugar levels depends on the type of food you eat.  This personalized diet plan is different from individual to individual depending on individual physical conditions, age, blood sugar levels and BMI. A medical expert will add nutrients that are deficient to maintain normal blood sugar levels, if required.

Constant research on diabetes shows that most of the Diabetic patients are either deficient or they need Vitamin D, E, B 12, B 6. Supplements of these vitamins and eating it in the form of fruits and vegetables will improve your body to produce normal blood sugar levels.

It has been noticed that these deficiencies are present in 99 % of the diabetics. Improving these vitamins by taking it orally in the form of food and supplement will definitely improve the blood sugar levels.

Here are some of the details about these deficiencies as a diabetic.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an important nutrient for everyone but it becomes one of the most important nutrition component for diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular and bone health.

•  Vitamin D deficiency is commonly found in people with poor diabetes control.
•  It plays an active role in regulating pancreatic beta cells.
•  Vitamin D deficiency creates insulin resistance along with magnesium deficiency.
•  Vitamin D’s deficiency in a diabetics promotes diabetes complications like neuropathy and retinopathy.
•  Vitamin D deficiency also impacts the metabolism control.

A US based study by Esther Krug, published at ENDO 2010, concludes that A1C was higher in patients with Vitamin D deficiency. It also said that racial differences were higher. People of color had lower vitamin D than caucasians and they were associated with even poorer diabetes control.

Aggressive screening of vitamin D levels is crucial for people with diabetes.

Seeing the importance of vitamin D for diabetes prevention, it seems that the requirement of this vitamin does not only require to use food with this vitamin but supplement are also required to control diabetes.

Vitamin B-12, and B-6 and B-8

B 12 vitamin is water soluble and is known to improve diabetic neuropathy treatment. Its deficiency provides poor function for the nerve cells all over the body causing uncomfortable tension of the nerves from the brain to all parts of the body. This deficiency becomes worse with high blood sugars and diabetic person suffers a lot. Vitamin B 12 therapy helps the nerves to be strong to work effectively as required by the body. B 12 vitamin also helps to improve diabetic retinopathy, that is the eye problems due to diabetes. It can be used as a supplement or vitamin B shots as decided by the health care provider to reduce nerve damage with diabetes. It can be found in foods like liver, yogurt, dairy products, fish, non fat milk. Benefits of vitamin B 12 complex make it easier to cope with diabetes.

Vitamin B 6 is water soluble and is also called pyridoxine. Vitamin B 6 deficiency causes nerve damage pain and neuropathy attacks severely. Vitamin B 6 improves protein metabolism. It helps in the break down of meat nuts seeds and grains legumes into building blocks for cellular repair of the body. Since diabetics have a weaker metabolism, this vitamin helps to over come the breakdown of food into cellular energy.

Consuming more than 200 mg of this vitamin daily may cause problems with neurological condition of the brain.

B 8 or vitamin Biotin is also water soluble and it is required to process glucose in the body. It works side by side with insulin provided by the body and enhances the impact of glucokinase. Glucokinase is found in the liver only, and it is said that diabetics do not have a full supply of it in the liver. Vitamin B 8 is an important factor for metabolizing sugars and therefor very important for diabetics. The usual food source for this is cereals, grain products, liver and lentils.

Vitamin B-12, B-6, B-8 all are very beneficial to diabetics. But “Vitamin B”is not good for the kidney issues and CKD. B vitamin therapy has been proved to be harmful for diabetics who have signs of kidney problems, as it creates a highly damaging effect for the kidney functions, and heart disease and stroke and peripheral vascular disease. Consult an endocrinologist before starting using any of these supplements.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C overcomes glucose intolerance especially in diabetes 2. It can be derived from vitamin c foods like fresh vegetables and fruits. Citrus fruits, like grape fruit or grape fruit extracts, oranges lemon and limes. Sweet pepper pimento and green sweet pepper, broccoli, cauliflower cabbage strawberries, and lots of other vegetables and fruits.

Vitamin E

The benefits of vitamin E include its anti-oxidant quality and it reduces the risk of diabetes complications, fights toxins and oxygenates the blood. It improves glucose tolerance. Supplements of vitamin E show normal blood sugar range once it reaches to an optimal supply after two three months of using the supplement.

Basically I will like to conclude by adding the most important fact that high nutrition helps reverse diabetes. Overcoming all the nutrition deficiencies will help prevent diabetes. Focus on nutrition with diet and supplements approved by diabetic dietitian or doctor, use them carefully as required and check results with blood glucose monitors and A1C test. You will be able to maintain normal blood sugar range.

Focus on your health for an enjoyable life always including the Golden years.  

The sole purpose of this information is health awareness. This information is real and based on facts. It is not a substitute for medical care from your doctor or health care provider. Please check with your doctor on any related matter that concerns you for your health and well being.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

71 Responses to “Diabetes Prevention – Overcoming Vitamins Deficiency”