Diabetes, afflicting more than 2% of the population worldwide, is a chronic ailment characterized by high levels of glucose in the blood. People detected with diabetes need to make certain dietary changes. Carbohydrates can make the blood sugar level rise faster than fibers, proteins or fats. Diabetics should cut back on excess carbohydrate intake and include more of proteins and fibers which can help to keep their blood sugar levels in check. Chia seeds is one such food item that is high in proteins, and low in fats and carbohydrates. These seeds are hydrophilic in nature, meaning they can absorb water many times their own weight. So when you consume chia seeds, they form a viscous gel, and this retards the processing of food in the body. This in turn regulates food absorption. It also slows down the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar, an essential factor concerning diabetes. Another added benefit of chia seeds is their ability to control insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that transports the sugar (glucose) from the blood into the muscles and the liver where it can be utilized by the body as fuel. With the insulin level in check, the sudden spikes in glucose levels are evened out, stabilizing the metabolism. Since the release of sugar is now controlled, you feel fuller and energetic for a longer period of time, thereby reducing food cravings.
A majority of people who suffer from diabetes suffer from type 2 diabetes, and it is more commonly seen in overweight people. Adding chia seeds to the diet is an excellent way to lose weight. Being rich in dietary fiber and with their tendency to retain water, they fill you up faster and suppress the appetite. Unlike other grains, even a small amount of chia seeds provides your body with enough fiber for a day. So including chia seeds is beneficial, especially for diabetics, as just eating a small quantity of fiber-rich food can help you lose the extra flab.
A lot of people suffering from diabetes also have high blood pressure and increase in cholesterol levels, a precursor to cardiovascular disease. Eating chia seeds provides your body with a healthy dose of alpha-linolenic acid, the heart-friendly omega-3 fatty acid found abundantly in them, which can improve cardiovascular health. This fatty acid also helps prevent the deposit of cholesterol and other fatty materials on the arteries, which can lead to atherosclerosis. Thus chia seeds lead to lesser amounts of fat accumulation in the body by keeping a check on the level of triglycerides and cholesterol. Read the rest of this entry »
Sugary Drinks and Health Issues
November 27th, 2011There are three major health effects of soft drinks or sugary drinks which are basically caused due to the over-consumption of these drinks. It has been shown in a research that people who have more than two bottles of sugary drinks in a day are more likely to have a high fatty acid content, which may cause many heart disease, diabetes, etc. Following are some of the common diseases which can be caused due to excessive sugary drinks consumption.
Heart Diseases
A study was conducted in the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center on 4,200 women and men aged between 45 to 85 years in the year 2002. At that time, none of them were suffering from any heart diseases. There were three followups of these participants in the span of five years. It was found that the women who drank more than two sugary drinks in a day were at a greater risk of getting heart diseases and diabetes as compared to the women having one per day. One of the lead researcher of this study, Dr. Christina Shay said: “These women also developed high triglycerides and women with normal blood glucose levels more frequently went from having a low risk to a high risk of developing diabetes over time.” Dr. Shay added: “Most people assume that individuals who consume a lot of sugar-sweetened drinks become obese, which in turn, increases their risk for heart disease and diabetes. Although this does occur, this study showed that risk factors for heart disease and stroke developed even when the women didn’t gain weight”. The observations done in case of women was not observed in case of men. On this, Dr. Shay said “They have smaller bodies, less muscle mass and need fewer calories than men. It is possible that men need more sodas to see an effect.” But the study proved the risk of having heart diseases because of excess consumption of sugary beverages. It also increases the risk of high blood pressure.
Diabetes
Intake of increased amount of sugar through the regular consumption of sugary drinks will no doubt take you to diabetic conditions. According to a study published in the journal Diabetes Care, people who drink more than two sugary beverages in a day are 25% more prone to develop type 2 diabetes than the people having only one. Apart from this, weight gain is also associated with sugary drinks because of the high calorie content of the drink, which in turn increases the chances of acquiring diabetes. In one of the researches, it has been found that cutting off even one can of soda per day from the child’s diet has shown improvement in the insulin level. Read the rest of this entry »
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