Diabetes updates: what ups or lowers your risk

Today, I am bring some diabetes updates on what increases or decreases our chances to develop diabetes.

Heading off diabetes
Researcher David Nathan of Massachusetts General Hospital Believes people can prevent getting diabetes even if they are at high risk. And he has 10 years’ worth of data to prove it at the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study. Here are Dr. Nathan’s trips to head off diabetes:

• A brisk 30-minute walk once a day or equivalent
• Proper eating,
• Kept off a crucial 5 pounds over those 10 years

The results: lower your risk by a third!

“We can actually push back, delay or prevent the development of diabetes in a substantial fraction of people over a long period of time. That means almost certainly that they will be healthier”, say Dr. Nathan.

Statin Drugs Might Slightly Boost Diabetes Risk
Statins do not lower diabetes risk. In fact, it can actually elevate the risks, albeit modestly. This is the result of a latest study by researchers at the Einstein College of Medicine, New York. Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs that are commonly used in patients with cardiovascular conditions. However, its role in diabetes prevention has always been an issue of controversy. According to lead study investigator Dr. Swapnil

“Contrary to our expectation, we did not find any benefit of statins on diabetes risk. In fact, there is a suggestion that statins may be associated with increased risk — which needs to be explored further.”

Fish vs Shell fish in diabetes risk study
There is fish and there is fish. Some types can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes; some have the opposite effect. A British study reports that incorporating more white and oily fish in the diet lowers type 2 diabetes risk by 25%. However, one should take care about eating shellfish – e.g. mussels, oysters, crabs, and prawn. These seafoods actually elevate your diabetes risk by a whopping 36%! But is it really the shellfish? The researchers do not rule out that cooking and preparation methods can play a role in making these seafoods unhealthy. In the UK, for example, shellfish is usually fried in oil and served with sauces which are high in cholesterol. Fish that is good for the health should be eaten steamed, baked, of broiled with low fat sauces. Example of these fishes are:

• White fish: cod, haddock, sole, and halibut
• Oily fish: mackerel, kippers, tuna, and salmon,