A pair of new reports suggests that those who take in ample amounts of omega-3 fats in their diet may have a lower risk for developing diabetes. Anyone who has this chronic, life altering condition would tell you that if they could, they'd prefer preventing the disease over living with it. You still have the chance to do that.
This latest work did something that most of the earlier research in this area hasn't, examined the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood and the later chance of diabetes - a stronger type of research than studies that ask participants to supply information about what they ate.
One of the projects involved just over 3,000 older Americans who were participants in a larger heart health study. The amounts of omega-3 fats in the blood were measured, and over the next ten years, 204 were told they had diabetes.
The team saw that those who had the most elevated blood levels of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) - the pair of omega-3 fats present in fatty fish - were just about 30% less likely to be diagnosed with diabetes any time over the next ten years. Even after accounting for other diabetes risk factors, such as weight and how much exercise you get, the omega-3 levels were tied to a reduced risk of diabetes.
The second study involved 43,000 Singaporean adults, aged 45 to 74 years, who were questioned about what they ate, and then followed for the next ten years during which time 2,252 of the subjects were given a diabetes diagnosis.
Even after taking weight and exercise into account, the team saw that those who took in the most ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) had a 22% lower chance of diabetes. ALA is found in some plant foods like flaxseed, soy and canola oil.
Omega-3 fats from fish weren't linked to risk of diabetes, and this may be the result of how fish is prepared. If fried the protective effects are likely overwhelmed by the bad aspects of the meal.
Even the researchers point out that their findings don't mean you should start popping fish oil supplements. No one is saying omega-3 fats, all by themselves, are able to take on diabetes. Maybe these fats are signs of some other part of the diet or lifestyle which have an impact on the risk of diabetes. It's a complex puzzle and these findings add useful information to the mix, but science does not have the answer yet.
There's no magic bullet for this disease, or any other.
The best bet when it comes to protecting yourself from diabetes is to eat lots of healthy foods including fruits, veggies, fiber filled grains, legumes, veggie oils and fish, rather than focusing on a nutrient of the moment. Eating this way will ensure that your body gets the essentials it needs, including those omega-3s.
Exercise is also important when it comes to reducing diabetes risk, 30 minutes of activity 5 days each week will help you look and feel your best, while also reducing your risk of diabetes.
FREE Bonus Secret Health Reports - For a limited time you can grab 5 FREE essential health reports from the Daily Health Bulletin. Click through now to discover more about how to avoid developing diabetes and what you can do if you have already been diagnosed.
Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert
No comments:
Post a Comment