One of the complications associated with Type 2 diabetes is a high level of fats in the blood, which can lead to heart attacks. Researchers at Seoul National University in South Korea compared diets and blood fats in a group of adults with Type 2 diabetes, and reported their results in the Journal of Korean Medical Science in March 2012.
Information was taken from the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007 to 2008. Six hundred and eighty adults 30 years of age or older were included in the study. Their diets were classified into four types:
- bread, meat, and alcohol,
- noodles and seafood,
- rice and vegetables, and
- whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits.
The group eating mostly whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits showed lower total cholesterol and blood fat levels than those in the other groups, and those in the bread, meat and alcohol group showed the highest total cholesterol and blood fat levels.
From this information the investigators concluded a diet of whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables could improve the cholesterol and blood fat levels of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Their work was consistent with the position of the American Dietetic Association that a vegan diet is really healthful for anyone diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
To many, beginning a vegan diet might seem like a difficult task, but it can be easy and fun.
- a cup of cooked oatmeal sprinkled with cinnamon, raisins and chopped walnuts, with unsweetened soymilk makes a good vegan breakfast.
- for lunch, try a garden salad with lettuce, kale, onions, mushrooms, celery, parsley, garbanzo beans and a little dressing made with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- for dinner try whole wheat spaghetti and veggie crumbles or veggie meatballs with a sauce made from fresh tomatoes, olive oil, chopped onions, garlic, and rosemary.
Why not make a fruit smoothie with unsweetened soymilk, strawberries, spinach (you won't taste it), blueberries, and raspberries. When the weather is cooler try a soup with water, lentils, chopped kale, chopped broccoli, chopped carrots, chopped onions, chopped bell peppers, and curry powder. Or boil some water and add chopped tomatoes, potatoes, and celery with black pepper to taste.
During the holiday season try a tofu turkey. People who eat meat cannot tell the difference in flavor. Make cranberry sauce by boiling cranberries with sucralose, pecans, orange zest, raisins, currants, blueberries, nutmeg and allspice. Eat healthy.
If you can manage a weight reduction of 5 to 10% in your body weight, this will make a substantial difference to your diabetes, reducing your HbA1c by 1 and 2% on average. While this won't halt the progression of your Type 2 diabetes, it will slow it down significantly. It will also lower your total body fat, especially central fat, which is a major contributor to insulin resistance. The improvement in insulin sensitivity will also lead to a reduction in blood pressure and increase the level of your HDL... the "good" cholesterol in your bloodstream.
How do you start to create a healthy lifestyle today so you can improve your weight, insulin resistance and HDL cholesterol level?
For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body.
The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.
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