Chapter 6 E
DIABETES
Diabetes is one of the major
national diseases in the Western countries. For example, in Finland about
200,000 people have diabetes, but the number is expected to grow by up to 70%
in the next ten years. Already, the share of diabetes from all public health
services is 11%.
As far as the
prevention or care of diabetes are concerned, they start from the same starting
points as the care of cardiovascular diseases. It has been noted that
especially diabetes of the adult type, which is the most common form of
diabetes, is very closely connected to cardiovascular diseases. Those who have
diabetes have a greater risk of getting cardiovascular diseases and high blood
pressure and vice versa. For example, newspaper Etelä-Suomen Sanomat
reported on 6 May 2004 that "up to two thirds of people who have had a heart
attack have morbidly high sugar values"; these diseases go often hand in hand.
So, when we try
to prevent and to take care of diabetes, we must start with the very same
factors as with heart diseases and the care of high blood pressure. The same
means are suitable also for treating arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure.
However, a few minerals and trace elements such as chromium and magnesium are
important in its care. Fibers are also especially useful in the care and
prevention of diabetes.
Chromium has been found to
be an important ingredient in adjusting sugar metabolism. Those exposed to the
Western diet do not get much chromium, whereas they get plenty of sugar that
predisposes to diabetes. Newspaper Helsingin sanomat reported on 28 August
2004, "Drinks containing sugar predispose to diabetes". The newspaper
reported of a study of almost a hundred thousand women, and according to it those
who had at least one glass of sweetened drink per day had approximately 83%
higher danger of getting adult diabetes.
The significance of chromium is that it
regulates sugar and fat content in the blood. It has been observed that an
adequate amount of chromium decreases and neutralizes elevated sugar values,
but if a too little amount of chromium may raise them to a harmful level. In
addition to this, according to some studies, diabetes of the adult type has
been kept in check by large amounts of chromium (magazine Terveyden kuvalehti 2
/ 1997, p. 71), and thus it can also can people with diabetes.
Good sources of chromium are mushrooms.
It can also be found in whole meal grain, potato, nuts, yeast, spinach, banana,
fish, meat, and eggs.
Magnesium is another
ingredient that is believed to be useful in the prevention of diabetes.
Possibly also zinc that can be got from whole meal grain, meat, fish, nuts,
beans, peas, and vegetables, is important. Zinc can also decrease a very common
ailment of men, that is prostatomegaly, which may cause impotence. It has been
found that those who get enough of magnesium have a much smaller risk of
getting adult diabetes.
The best sources
of magnesium are, for example, whole meal grain products, fish, nuts, peas,
beans, blueberries, soybean, and seed.
Fiber. Food containing
fiber is good for those people who suffer from heart problems and it is useful
also to diabetics, because it binds to itself both sugar and fat and prevents
their access to the body. Fiber also decelerates rising of the blood sugar
level after meals, and holds it at an even level for a long time.
Lots of fiber
can be found in whole meal grain (rye bread and porridge, rolled oats, bran,
barley grouts, dark rice, dark pasta, graham bread), and that is why we
should use these instead of white flour, white pasta, and white polished rice.
Other good sources of fiber are nuts (peanut 8.1%), seed, black currant (4.9
%), and all produce of the plant kingdom.