DIABETES & HEART HEALTH

Which food & supplements you should consider...

My mother(80) had a heart attack in October this year (2019) and had 2 stents inserted into her arteries. It was a wake-up call for her and us.

She never had heart problems in the past nor had typical diabetes complications so far.  And her blood sugars levels have been in check (She checks it daily and is taking insulin shots).  This tells me even if your numbers might be in check, you still are at a risk of vascular damages. If you are diabetic, stickier than normal blood is circulating the body. I am learning approximately 70% of the diabetes patients die of some type of heart disease. This is a shocking number!

The reason is their higher level of sugar and lipids oxidizes blood vessels, which results in inflammation.  Picture it this way.  Oxidation inside blood vessels is like rust inside a pipe.  With rust and fat accumulating on the wall of blood vessels, blood cannot flow properly. You can read more on blood vessel damages in diabetes here.

Then it is critical for her to minimize oxidative stress overall and to control her blood sugar level.

I made a list of food and supplements that the diabetes should consider incorporating into their diet hoping that it wold help others as well as my mother:

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights free radical damages in cells. Taking vitamin C(500mg) twice a day is shown to improve blood sugar levels and help in maintaining a good cholesterol level.

Onion

Raw onion has very low glycemic index of 10 with a lot of fiber, which is ideal for diabetes diet.  APDS (Allyl Propyl Disulphide) in onion may increase insulin and lower blood sugar levels. It also contains Quercetin, an antioxidant, that lowers cholesterol levels and reduces the heart risks such as artery hardening, high blood pressure and heart attack.  

Bitter Melon

It contains at least three active compounds that are anti-diabetic.  Charanti, which has a blood sugar-lowering effect, vicine and polypeptide-p, an insulin-like compound together reduce blood sugar and blood lipids (fats) levels.  Mice were fed a diet that included bitter melon leaf and improve blood sugar levels were observed in a 2018 study .

Bitter melon also contains lectin that acts on peripheral tissues and suppress appetite, which reduces blood sugar concentrations.

Bitter Melon Smoothie

Apple Cider Vinegar

Taking 1 Table spoon of apple cider vinegar before a meal slows the rise of blood sugar level. (* People with kidney stone or ulcer should avoid this)

Omega-3 Fatty Acids & Krill Oil

Omega-3 fatty acids increase the circulation of adiponectin( hormone) in the body.  And this hormone is linked to insulin sensitivity and metabolism, such as blood sugar regulation and inflammation.

Krill oil has many cardio health benefits.  It is derived from Antarctic shrimp-like creatures.  It contains phospholipids that help omega-3s integrate into the blood cell membranes leading to a higher level of omega-3s in the body compared with other fish oils.  Astaxanthin gives krill oil its red color and is an antioxidant that protects the oil from oxidation.

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Burduck Roots

It prevents sugar and fat from getting absorbed into the body, which lowers the blood sugar level. It also has a diuretic effect, which helps with weight control.  Tannin in burdock has anti-inflammatory effects.  Burdock might also slower the growth of breast cancer tumors (2016 study).

Seaweed

Sticky substance, Arginine, in seaweed improves circulation and cleans blood.  Arginine is an essential amino acid that gets changed into nitric oxide (NO) that helps blood vessels relax improving circulation.  It delays the absorption of sugar in the body, which prevents the rise in blood sugar.  It also removes toxin in the body.

Garlic

Garlic contains more than 400 chemical compounds that could aid in various health issues. Allici, APDP and s-ally cysteine sulfoxide increase the insulin levels in the blood. Garlic helps in improving cardiovascular health by reducing cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood lipids.

Change lifestyle

Avoid food that increase blood sugar level rapidly like rice, white bread, cookies, etc.  If you have rice or bread, you should eat it with some protein or vegetables, so that blood sugar level rises gradually instead.

Exercise regularly.

I put my mother on garlic, krill oil supplements and 1,000 mg of Vitamin C so far.  She is stable for now, thank God!