That Health Rules

I am one of those at risk to develop Diabetes.  I am the youngest of 9 siblings and am sure my mom was already a diabetic by the time I was born.  In short I have the genetic makeup to have one and it now depends on the environment …how I can modify the risk factors… that will determine if indeed I will develop this disease or not.

So when my latest Fasting blood sugar reached 96 mg/dl… I was laready alarmed.  Remember from my previous posts that individuals with a normal fasting blood sugar between 89 to 99 mg/dl have the highest risk to become diabetic in the next few years.  So the first thing I did was to change the way I eat…modify my lifestyle in terms of preference of food and settled in to more fruits and vegetables PLUS brisk walking almost everyday. I have already lost at least 14 pounds and I have reached a normal BMI of 22 …YAHOOO:)

Now comes a new study publsihed this September 2008 in Diabetes Care:

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• High intake of tomatoes, beans, refined grains, high-fat dairy, and red meat was associated with an 18% greater risk ^:95% CI 1.06–1.32]
•  High intake of whole grains, fruit, nuts/seeds, green leafy vegetables, and low-fat dairy was associated with a 15% lower diabetes risk (0.85 [0.76–0.95]; P = 0.005).
• The low-risk food pattern was also inversely associated with diabetes risk (0.87 [0.81–0.99]
• Individual component food groups were not independently associated with diabetes risk.
• Associations were not modified by sex or race/ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS—Multiple food groups collectively influence type 2 diabetes risk beyond that of the individual food groups themselves.

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Beans and tomatoes are nutrient-rich foods so I thought they should be part of a healthy meal?  But the most likely reason why intake of tomatoes and beans are linked to a higher risk of diabetes is the fact that in the study group, their intake was associated with intake of less healthy meals from pizza parlors or burger junctions as well as cheese and tacos

The study specifically also points out that in terms of health benefits and effects of foods, one should focus more on the importance of the whole diet rather than on certain foods or food groups that might be beneficial to us.

So…I guess am doing well with my lifestyle change because I am eating foods now proven to help me lower my risk and am enjoying eating them.

Again By Eating Right … We Should Live Well!

This entry was posted on September 24, 2008 at 9:28 am and is filed under General Health Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Medical News Bits, Nutrition Health Tips, The Diabetes Facts.