Natural Healing with Flax: Important Help for Diabetics Anyone who is diabetic or lives with some who is, knows that one of the main problems in diabetes is insulin resistance and that complications such as heart disease and obesity often accompany the condition. Now there is real hope that a special class of fats, found in a few select foods, can help. Recent new evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids like those found in flax oil and can have an extremely positive influence on the health of diabetics including prevention of diabetic-related complications known as Syndrome-X.  Insulin Resistance: Major Cause of Diabetes
In simple terms, the main job of insulin in the human body is to regulate blood glucose or "blood sugar." This function is truly critical. If blood glucose rises too high, a person becomes at risk for dehydration, coma and possibly death. After a meal, when the body's blood sugar rises the pancreas is prompted to release insulin into the bloodstream, which causes muscle cells to take up the excess sugar and either use it or store it in a slightly altered form called glycogen. When blood sugar levels fall, the pancreas produces another hormone called glucagon that prompts the body to covert the glycogen back into glucose or to form more glycogen from protein. In a perfect world, this balance between the two hormones, insulin and glucagon, enables the body to maintain blood sugar at optimal levels. Unfortunately, for some 16 million Americans, their bodies do not respond adequately to insulin and is unable to maintain optimal blood sugar levels and they suffer from clear-cut diabetes. As a result, not only do blood sugar levels build-up in the blood, the body produces excessive amounts of insulin. This causes diabetes with symptoms such as excess thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, and tingling or burning in the fingers and toes as well as Syndrome-X, a prediabetic syndrome, characterized by obesity, high levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides, and hypertension. Many Americans at Risk for Syndrome-X What's more, many Americans, even if not overtly diabetic, are nevertheless insulin resistant and therefore prone to Syndrome-X. Indeed, virtually everyone who is overweight or suffers high blood pressure also suffers insulin resistance, says Dr. Artemis Simopoulos, author of The Omega Diet (Harper Collins, 1999). She estimates, "as many as half of the adults in this country may suffer from some degree of insulin resistance." Thus, persons suffering obesity and elevated cholesterol or blood pressure can also benefit by emphasizing foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Evidence Supports Role for Omega-3 Fatty Acids Most commonly in the modern America diet, healthy omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood and flax oil are displaced by a far greater intake of omega-6 fatty acids prevalent in corn, safflower, cottonseed and sunflower oils and saturated fat in beef, dairy and fried foods. A report from the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences shows that experimental diets high in omega-6 fatty acids produces insulin resistance. However, supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids such as those found in flax oil and cold water fish restores insulin sensitivity even though the diet remains high in other fats. A second study shows diets rich in omega 6 fatty acids from soybean or safflower oil or saturated fat induce far greater weight gain than diets that emphasize omega-3 fatty acids. Indeed, in this study, all groups consumed equivalent calories and grams of fat, but the difference between a soybean-oil diet and one rich in omega-3 fatty acids was the difference in weight between a 225 and a 150 pound man. Profound Human Consequences In Australia, researcher Leonard A. Storlien discovered people with muscle cells low in omega-3 fatty acids and high levels of omega-6 fatty acids were most likely to be both insulin resistant and obese. As the imbalance became more magnified, so did their weight and metabolic problems. Israeli Jews suffer from higher rates of obesity and diabetes than Americans even though they consume fewer calories and less fat, explains Dr. Simopoulos. This phenomenon has been called the Jewish Paradox" and is thought to result from their high consumption of oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids. Indeed, Israeli Jews consume more linoleic acid (one of the omega-6 fatty acids) than any other population group in the world; this very likely accounts for very high rates of obesity and diabetes. There is hope that dietary changes can enhance the body's insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk for Syndrome-X complications. In 1997, 55 persons diagnosed with Syndrome-X were assigned to a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids. After one year, their insulin sensitivity had improved; they also lost weight, and their blood pressure and triglyceride levels decreased. A second study of 48 people assigned to either a low-calorie but high carbohydrate diet or a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids found dramatic health differences between the two groups. After one year, those consuming low-fat, high carbohydrate diets had higher glucose levels and reduced insulin sensitivity. Persons consuming the omega-3 fatty acid-rich diet had enhanced insulin sensitivity, elevated high density lipoproteins (HDL's, the "good" cholesterol), lower triglycerides and blood pressure. They had significantly reversed Syndrome-X. As Dr. Simopoulos notes, "When your diet contains a healthy ratio of fatty acids, you have a more normal metabolism and a lower risk of Syndrome-X, obesity, and diabetes." There may not be a single nutritional supplement or pharmacological drug today that can offer the same level of protection against cancer and other diseases such as diabetes and Syndrome-X as flaxseed oil.  How to Find the Best Organic Flax Oil
Be sure the company that produces your flax is M.A.D. about fresh flax oil. Here's what to look for when it comes to being M.A.D. about fresh flax: This service is called Fresh ExPress and it guarantees you the absolute freshest flax oil anywhere. You will find this type of extremely high-quality flax oil in the refrigerator sections of natural health centers nationwide. Enhance Insulin Sensitivity The key to enhancing insulin sensitivity and curbing problems related to Syndrome-X is to consume a diet low in simple, refined carbohydrates (such as those found in sweets, desserts, baked and prepared foods) and rich in omega-3 fatty acids from flax oil and seafood (see our recommended low-glycemic foods). You'll want to emphasize seafood, green leafy vegetables, fish, legumes, whole grains, walnuts and flax seed oil. The evidence shows clearly that such a diet is important to health among diabetics and persons with cholesterol or blood pressure problems who also are likely to be suffering from insulin resistance and at risk for Syndrome-X.
References: 1. Hainault, I.M., et al. "Fish oil in a high lard diet prevents obesity, hyperlipidemia, and adipocyte insulin resistance in rats." Annals of New York Academy of Sciences: 98- 101. 2. Ikemoto, S., et al. "High-fat diet-induced hyperglycemia and obesity in mice: Differential effects of dietary oils." Metabolism, 1996; 45(12): 1539-1546. 3. footnote* Storlien, L.H. "Skeletal muscle membrane lipids and insulin resistance." Lipids 1996; 31 (Supplement): S-261-265. 4. Yam, D., et al. "Diet and disease, the Israeli paradox; possible dangers of a high omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet." Isr J Med Sci, 1996; 32: 1134-1143. 5. Torjesen, P.A., et al. "Lifestyle changes may reverse development of the insulin resistance syndrome." Diabetes Care, 1997; 30: 26-31. 6. Fanaian, M., et al. "The effect of modified fat diet on insulin resistance and metabolic parameter sin type Il diabetes." Diabetologia, 1996; 39(1): A7. |