DukhSukh

source:American Journal of Kidney Diseases

Eating fish may reduce the occurrence of kidney disease in diabetics.

Studies in the past have shown that fish and fish oil consumption is beneficial in managing diabetes. To examine whether or not fish helps preventing kidney disease in individuals with or without diabetes, researchers from Britain studied 22,384 men and women out of which 517 were diabetic. The researchers used food frequency questionnaires to know the consumption of fish by the participants.

It was found that among the 517 diabetics, the presence of gross albumin (protein) in the urine (macroalbuminuria), an indication of advanced kidney disease, was 8.3 percent compared to 0.6% in non-diabetics. Microalbuminuria (presence of small amounts of albumin in urine - an indicator of early kidney damage) was 23% in diabetics, compared to 11% in non-diabetics. According to food questionnaire responses, 18 percent of diabetics who ate fish less than once a week had macroalbuminuria, versus 4 percent of those who included fish in their diet more than twice a week. After adjusting the data for clinical, social, demographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors, regular fish consumption remained a significant predictor of freedom from macroalbuminuria among diabetics.

The above findings could be attributed to the fact that fish has a unique nutrient composition that might prevent kidney damage by enhancing blood sugar control or improving lipid profiles.

Further studies are expected to resolve the types of fish, modes of preparation, and dietary frequency to best protect the kidneys of patients with diabetes.

“Diabetes diet.” Simply hearing these words may be enough to make you feel overwhelmed or frustrated.

Perhaps you have said, or heard someone else express, one of these thoughts:

• Eating too much sugar causes diabetes.
• There are too many rules about choosing foods that are OK in a diabetes diet.
• You have to give up all your favorite foods when you’re on a diabetes diet.

These three statements are all myths about diabetes diets. Take a closer look at these and other myths to find out the facts about diabetes and diet.

Diabetes Diet Myth 1: Eating Too Much Sugar Causes Diabetes.

How does diabetes happen? The causes are not totally understood. What is known is that simply eating too much sugar is unlikely to cause diabetes. Instead, diabetes begins when something disrupts your body’s ability to turn the food you eat into energy.

To understand what happens when you have diabetes, keep these things in mind: Your body breaks down much of the food you eat into glucose, a type of sugar needed to power your cells. A hormone called insulin is made in the pancreas. Insulin helps the cells in the body use glucose for fuel.

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