Strategic Nutrition Proposed for Diabetes

Adverse chronic health outcomes associated with poor blood glucose control in diabetics include increased risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and vascular complications that can lead to blindness and limb amputations. Overall global spending on patient care for diabetes is $465 billion.

10 Sep 2012 --- According to the World Health Organization, in 2000 there were 171 million people with diabetes. In 2010, that number rose to 366 million, and projections estimate that nearly 600 million people will have diabetes within the next 20 years.

The personal and societal costs of diabetes are significant. Adverse chronic health outcomes associated with poor blood glucose control in diabetics include increased risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and vascular complications that can lead to blindness and limb amputations. Overall global spending on patient care for diabetes is $465 billion.

The most common form of diabetes, responsible for about 90 percent of cases, is Type 2 diabetes. This form of the disease is not an autoimmune disease and usually becomes evident in adulthood (adult-onset diabetes) due to the gradual development of insulin resistance often associated with obesity.

In addition to weight loss and controlling the amount and type of carbohydrates consumed, diabetics also may benefit from increased intake of various micronutrients and phytochemicals. The following list contains some important nutritional components that have been shown in human studies to be of potential benefit to the diabetic patient:

•  Chromium Picolinate
•  Magnesium
•  Vitamin D
•  Biotin
•  Brewer’s Yeast
•  Ipomoea Batatas (Sweet Potato)
•  Silybum Marianum (Milk Thistle)
•  Trigonella Foenum-Graecum (Fenugreek)
•  Green Tea

Source: Fortitech