Diabetes - Are You At Risk?

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disease where the body is unable to produce insulin or incapable of utilizing the insulin well. Insulin is a substance in the body which helps to regulate the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood. If insulin does not work well, it will lead to high sugar level in your blood which is detrimental to your health.  Consequently it would result in blindness, kidney failure, cardiovascular diseases, foot and leg disorders.


There are two types of diabetes. 


Type 1 diabetes: Patient's body is unable to produce insulin required to convert excess sugar to glycogen. Insulin injection is needed to control blood sugar level. 


Type 2 diabetes: Patient's body is able to produce insulin. However their insulin does not function as well as normal insulin therefore causing high blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes can be controlled by a low sugar diet, exercise and medication. Insulin is only required in serious cases.


Symptoms of Diabetes

1. Blurred vision
2. Increased thirst or hunger
3. More urine
4. Fatigue
5. Rapid weight loss
6. Dry or itchy skin
7. Loss of feeling in the hands and feet
8. Cuts that takes a long time to heal

If you experience most of the symptoms listed, please do a health screening and consult your doctor to verify if you have diabetes.

You are at risk of diabetes if you belong to the following group:

1. Family history of diabetes
2. Obese
3. More than 40 years old
4. Pregnant

Prevention is better than cure

Moderate exercise daily is recommended as it improves your body metabolism and burns up the sugar you have consumed. Do not over consume as you would unknowingly add a lot of sugar to your body. Therefore you might also want to avoid eating too much chocolate, biscuits and sweets.

Should you have any questions, please email Jin's Health Tips at tanjinlin@gmail.com

Cranberry - The Fruit Everyone Loves

Although very small in size, Cranberry has a lot to give. Not only is cranberry a very delicious fruit or a dish on your dining table, but it also has many health benefits associated with it.

picture taken from uscranberries.com

Heart: Cranberry contains flavanoid and polyphenolic compounds which are proven to be good for the heart. These are antioxidants which prevent the oxidation of low density lipoprotein(LDL), which are your bad cholesterol. This would in turn reduce the risk of getting atherosclerosis, blocked arteries, which is due to the accumulation of the LDLs.

Gastric Ulcer: The presence the bacteria Helicobacter pylori is the main cause of many gastric ulcer. It neutralises the pH of the gastric lining which allows itself to the stomach wall and hence proliferates. However, Cranberry contains proanthocyanidins which undermines the bacteria's ability to stick on our stomach wall and hence preventing gastric ulcer.

Urinary Tract Infection: Similar to that of gastric ulcer, proanthocyanidins prevents the bacteria E. coli from clinging on the lining of the urinary tract. Since the E. coli cannot stay on the urinary tract, it gets flushed away and therefore less chance for an infection to occur.

Anti-inflammatory benefits: An infection on the gum may cause peridontal diseases which might damage the support for the teeth. However cranberry contains phytonutrients which has anti-inflammatory properties that is capable of combating such and infection. It also prevents inflammation along the gastro-intestinal tracts.

Choosing your cranberry is just as important as knowing the benefits of it. Jin's Health Tips suggests that you choose cranberries which are plump, deep red and firm. The firmness indicates the freshness of the fruit. The more red it is, the more nutritious it is.

Live well, Eat Well!

Should you have any questions, please email Jin's Health Tips at tanjinlin@gmail.com

DHA - The Health Formula

Over the past few years, there has been a hype about DHA in terms of its health benefits. It is widely advertised with products such as baby powder and supplements. DHA, Docosahexaenoic acid, is a very important omega-3 fatty acids required by our body. It is essential especially for pregnant women and for the development of the fetal's brain and eye. In addition, research has shown that DHA is also good for people with cardiovascular diseases, depression.

picture taken from www.nu-mega.com

DHA is very important for the development of the brain and retina especially for the fetus. Since the only source of DHA comes from the mother, pregnant women require a higher intake of DHA to meet her body's needs. After birth, the baby still requires a high amount of DHA for brain development. Even in adult hood, a good intake of DHA ensures a good mental health. This means that you are less prone to dementia, depression and other mental diseases.

Studies have also shown that DHA may also benefit your heart and prevent you from getting cardiovascular diseases. However, if you already have a heart disease, DHA reduces the chances of another attack. For patients who have undergone bypass surgery, it prevents the blood vessel from closing up again.

DHA can be obtained from fish oil which also contains EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid, yet another form of omega-3 fatty acids. The combination of DHA and EPA is believed to have a greater health benefit to our body. If you are a vegetarian, do not worry because there are other sources of omega-3 such as soya bean, brussel sprouts, flax seeds etc.

Jin Health tips recommends two servings of fatty fish per week to supplement your body with sufficient DHA.