Having diabetes? Include vitamins in the diet. One needs to have an adequate intake of vitamins particularly those suffering from diabetes. Vitamins are essential for maintaining good health. Vitamin deficiency can affect health.
Hereditary factors and even an unhealthy lifestyle can, of course, be the reason for the onset of diabetes.
Experts do say that diabetes is more of a lifestyle disorder. Apart from hereditary factors, an unhealthy lifestyle and bad nutritional habits do cause this disease. A healthy, balanced diet is required for the prevention and management of Type 2 diabetes. It is important to include vitamins in your diet. Also, it is important to maintain a healthy weight and physical activity.
A balanced diet means having all of the vital nutrients and also to include vitamins in your diet. Vitamins do help regulate blood sugar levels. Most vitamins fight the effects of oxidative stress and damage caused by free radicals to the blood vessels as well as organs.
Table of Contents
Vitamin C:
Intake of vitamin C can rather reduce the occurrence of diabetic retinopathy by almost 50 percent. It also does reduce oxidative stress and does offer protection from inflammatory conditions. Thus it is essential to include vitamins in your diet. Regular intake of vitamin C decreases the risk of this disease. In case, insulin was made use of to control blood sugar along with Vitamin C, it does stop blood vessel damage. This is very quite common in patients with diabetes. Blood vessel damage can lead to heart diseases; reduce circulation and amputation and kidney diseases. It can also cause diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to blindness.
Also read: Reasons To Consume Vitamin C In Summer
Food sources:
Citrus fruits, berries, kiwi
Vitamin E:
This is acknowledged as a lipid-soluble antioxidant. It protects the membranes by inhibiting lipid peroxidation. One does need to avoid high doses, as vitamin E can be fatal. However, moderate consumption of vitamin E can, of course, reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in diabetes patients. Regular intake of this vitamin in recommended doses can reduce the risk of heart attack by almost 43 percent. It also decreases death due to heart disease by around 55 percent.
Food sources:
Nuts and seeds, wheat germ
Vitamin B1:
People who do suffer from diabetes are usually deficient in vitamin B1. This could be the result of frequent urination, a condition that often occurs along with diabetes. Deficiency in this vitamin can cause hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)-induced tissue damage is understood. Regular intake of vitamin B1 can also reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, bringing down oxidative stress. It can also prevent and also reverse early stages of nephropathy, a kidney condition that diabetes patients often experience.
High doses of vitamin B1 can effectively reverse the onset of early diabetic kidney disease. Also known as diabetic nephropathy, this disease does develop progressively in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Food sources:
Yeast and yeast products, pork, nuts, pulses, wholegrain cereals.
Vitamin B3:
This is a naturally occurring vitamin that does lower cholesterol levels and triglycerides by inhibiting their synthesis while raising high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. It also does reduce the risk of heart diseases in diabetic patients. Vitamin B3 can no doubt lower blood sugar levels, reduces fatty liver and also prevents peripheral nerve damage as well.
Food sources:
Meat, fish, wheat flour, maize flour, yeast extract, coffee. It is, therefore, necessary to include vitamins in your diet
Vitamin B12:
The most common symptoms of a deficiency in this vitamin are anemia, neuropathy as well as cognitive decline. The liver can store this vitamin for up to 3 years. This is also the only water-soluble vitamin. Even elderly people and those who have undergone bariatric surgery can store it for up to 1 year.
Regular check-ups help and need to know the amount of vitamin B12. A deficiency in this vitamin can rather cause irreversible, painful and potentially disabling nerve damage. Diabetes happens to be a serious health issue across the world and it can cause severe nerve damage. The symptoms can range from numbness to pain. It can rather cause a loss of balance and co-ordination.
Whatever said and done, it is important to include vitamins in your diet.
Food sources:
Meat, fish, dairy, eggs
Vitamin D:
This is a fat-soluble vitamin and it can be had by exposing oneself to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. A deficiency in this vitamin does affect glucose metabolism. It does affect the functions of the beta cells and increases insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. Both these conditions can rather increase blood sugar levels.
Food sources:
Oily fish, eggs, fortified spreads
Vitamin A:
Too much vitamin A is harmful and can lead to osteoporosis. However, the risk of overdose arises only when it is taken from dietary supplements and if one consumes foods rich in vitamin A, this risk does not apply.
Food sources:
Liver, milk and dairy, eggs, fortified fat spread carrots.