Diabetes and Homocysteine

Homocysteine is an amino acid found in the blood that when in excess can increase your risk of heart disease. Happily you’ll find reducing your Homocysteine level much easier than raising your HDL. All you need to do is take a certain kind of vitamin tablet.

The quickest way to limit your Homocysteine level is to consume adequate levels of the vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid. The combination of the three should keep this troublesome substance under control.

If you eat a normal varied diet, you probably get enough B12, but if you’re a strict vegetarian, you may want to consider taking a B12 supplement. B6 is usually present in sufficient quantities in a high-quality multi-vitamin. And a generous glass of good old orange juice should give you all the Folic Acid you need. (Today Folic Acid is included in most multi-vitamin products) Folic Acid can also be found in beans and green vegetables.

Vitamins B12 and Folic Acid are inexpensive and almost entirely non-toxic in the usual doses. Vitamin B6 is generally safe but high doses should be carefully avoided as they can cause irreversible nerve damage. Also, extremely high doses of Folic Acid can confuse some blood tests.

Homecysteine limiting nutrients - Usual daily dosage levels

Folic Acid           400mcg
Vitamin B12       1,000mg
Vitamin B6           50mg

And as a bonus, recent studies have found that Homocysteine is also a risk factor for Alzheimer’s Disease. So by taking Folic Acid you’re reducing your risk of having a heart attack and memory problems at the same time!

Hydrogenated Fats

The media has been busy of late warning people about the dangers of hydrogenated fats. What are they? They’re fats that have undergone a hydrogen process that converts them so they become solid at room temperatures, have long shelf lives, and become smooth and spreadable, all desirable qualities according to the food industry.

Unfortunately as they are now highly-processed saturated fats, they are very unhealthful and encourage the development of heart disease. Consuming hydrogenated fats also raises the LDL level in a fashion similar to saturated animal fats. Some studies have also found that these highly processed fats reduce “good” HDL levels which makes them all the more dangerous.

Hydrogenated fats can be found lurking in shortening, margarine, baked goods and crackers. Read your food labels and carefully avoid hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats.

Good Fats 

But lest you think that all fats are permanently off limits, there are some good fats out there. We’re talking about fats that taste good and are at the same time extremely good for you.

First we’ll look at the oils. From a heart disease prevention perspective, Olive Oil and Canola Oil are your best choices. They taste great (some people use them as a replacement for butter/margarine). And the best news is – those cultures that consume the most Olive Oil have very low heart disease rates and long life spans. This may help account for the fact that northern Europeans who consume very little Olive Oil have three times as much heart disease as southern Europeans who use it more heavily.

Studies have shown that increasing your intake of Olive Oil can reduce your total cholesterol. Also, Olive Oil contains Oleic Acid which seems to help prevent heart disease.

Some dieters who used Olive Oil as a substitute for carbohydrates found the change actually boosted their beneficial HDL levels somewhat. And Olive Oil is unique in that it’s the only fat that doesn’t contribute to heart disease by increasing the deadly LDL oxidation process. And Olive Oil goes very well with healthful vegetable dishes which may be yet another reason why it’s use is so healthy.

Be careful when buying Olive Oil though. Due to the recent dramatic increase in the popularity of Olive Oil, mislabeled oils can be found on supermarket shelves as suppliers seek to pass off their overstocked and less popular oils as real Olive Oil. It’s best to stick with established and respected brands though they may cost a bit more.

The Omega-3 Story

Here is another good fat that diabetics should pay special attention to. Though fish are obviously animals and their flesh contains a kind of animal fat, this fat is a good fat, fat that promotes a healthy heart. Scientists are busy isolating and identifying all the various health benefits of consuming certain kinds of    fish.

Fish oil contains two different substances that each have unique health-promoting effects. EPA acts to prevent and/or reverse heart disease. DHA is another that primarily effects the brain and nervous system. These powerful substances can be found in cold-water fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon, and herring. If you don’t care for fish or can’t eat it for other reasons, fish oil capsules are available at any health food store.

Fish oil capsules are taken by millions of arthritis sufferers as fish oil promotes the production of Prostaglandins that oppose inflammation and so help control arthritis stiffness and pain. Others take fish oil to help stabilize an irregular heartbeat. There are also several studies going on that are taking a look at the effect of fish oil on children who suffer from attention deficit disorders.

Fish oil consumption can have a large impact on the development of heart disease. In one study, fish oil capsules reduced triglyceride levels an average of 28%. (3,000-4,000mg per day) Researchers were surprised by how very quickly fish oil worked in this study. Effects became obvious in only a few days with maximum effects appearing after two weeks.
 

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