who follow the Mediterranean diet live longer, have less heart disease, and a reduced risk of cancers. Dr. Martinez-Gonzalez, from the University of Navarra (Spain), and colleagues studied 11,380 University graduates with no history of diabetes, via food questionnaires administered periodically to follow dietary habits. During the study, it was generally observed that those subjects who adhered moreso to a Mediterranean diet were also found to be at the highest risk for type-2 diabetes (age, family history, previously smoked). Over the 4.4 years of follow-up 33 new cases of type-2 diabetes were documented. Those study participants who were found to have the highest adherence to the Mediterranean diet were 83% less likely to develop type-2 diabetes (as compared to those with the lowest adherence). The researchers suggest that the Mediterranean diet lowers plasma concentrations of inflammatory markets and markers of endothelial dysfunction, two biomarkers that predict the future likelihood of type-2 diabetes. Green Leafy Vegetables Reduce Risk of Diabetes in Women An increased intake of green leafy vegetables may reduce the risk of women developing type-2 diabetes. Specifically, Lydia A. Bazzano, from the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (Louisiana USA), and colleagues, found that for every additional serving consumed, the risk was slashed by 10%. The team's study involved 71.346 female nurses (ages 38 to 63), followed for 18 years. The researchers also found that whole fruit consumption led to an 18% reduction in diabetes risk; interestingly, fruit juice consumption was correlated to an increased risk. Legumes Lower Diabetes Risk An increased consumption of legumes, such as peanuts and soybeans, has been shown to markedly reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes. Raquel Villegas, from Vanderbilt University (Tennessee, USA), and colleagues from the Shanghai Cancer Institute (China) followed 64,227 Chinese women for 4.6 years and used questionnaires to assess dietary intakes of the subjects. In those study subjects with a high intake of a variety of legumes, the researchers revivemagazine.ca
found a 38% reduction in diabetes risk. In particular, a high intake of soybeans was associated with a 47% risk reduction. Wine and Tea Compounds Beneficial for Type-2 Diabetes Dietary phenolic compounds, found in high concentrations in red wine and certain teas, may play a role in slowing the passage of carbohydrates into the bloodstream. Kalidas Shetty, from the University of Massachusetts (USA), and colleagues, have found that red wine inhibits the activity of alpha glucosidase, an enzyme responsible for triggering the absorption of glucose by the small intestine, by almost 100%; black tea extracts produce a 90% inhibitory effect. State the researchers: "It is clear that [red] wines and [some] teas have high antioxidant activity and good inhibitory profiles on carbohydrate ‌ absorption in the intestine." According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, the financial burden of diabetes and its complications is enormous. People with diabetes incur medical costs that are two to three times higher than those who do not have the disease. By 2010, experts estimate that diabetes will cost the Canadian healthcare system $15.6 billion a year and that number will rise to $19.2 billion by 2020. The societal costs of this disease are significant as well, as diabetes profoundly impacts individuals, families, and society at-large. People with diabetes can expect to live active, independent and vital lives if they make a lifelong commitment to careful diabetes management. Find out how you can uncover the secrets of a healthy, vital, productive lifespan by using the Physician Directory online at Worldhealth.net, the official educational website of the A4M. Log on today to www.worldhealth.net, the leading Internet portal sharing the very latest knowledge in aging intervention as embraced by the A4M's 22,000-plus physician, scientist, and health practitioner members from 105 nations worldwide. While at Worldhealth.net, be sure to sign up for the FREE Anti-Aging News Journal, delivered weekly to your computer desktop.
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