What do you think are the most widely and commonly prevailing chronic diseases in the world? Well, many of us will come up with diabetes and obesity as the answer. It’s true! The continuously rising incidences of these ailments consecutively for a century have become a great concern for today’s medicine. The modern ways of treatment have been challenged by both diabetes and obesity, since no medicine has been as yet formulated to treat these conditions completely.
All of the present treatment is limited to management of symptoms and prevention of complications, but none of them is effective in reversing the condition. This has made the scientists to join their ultra-genius brains to as to stop this emerging ball of diseases which is gulping a whole lot of people deep into its folds.
What causes diabetes and obesity?
Diabetes and obesity in today’s time are also mainly due to man’s own fault. A sedentary lifestyle is the backbone of these ailments. Moreover, nothing is as harmful as a diet full of sugars and complex carbohydrates. Excessive sugar in diet apart from adding to obesity and increasing the risk for diabetes, which is harmful to the CNS.
Several studies have been made to search for the positive effects of nutrition in controlling diabetes and obesity. Foods containing omega-3 fatty acids and pro-biotics are considered best for these diseases, since these two compounds possess both the properties of promotion of the immune system, and protection of healthy tissues from the harmful impact of the ailments. According to a study, a serving of yogurt can keep away your risk of getting diabetic. Dr. Frank Hu, who is a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, says that, not quite significant, but daily consumption of yogurt can cut down your risk of developing diabetes by 18 percent.
Research that favors consumption of yogurt and reduced risk of obesity was published in the journal “Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases” by the name “Yogurt consumption, weight change, and risk of overweight/obesity”. The study included 8513 individuals who consumed yogurt and were followed for a period of about 6 years and 8 months. At the beginning of the trial, none of the subjects were overweight. However, in the period of follow-up, 1860 participants developed obesity.
How yogurt can prevent obesity?
The mechanism of this effect is yet a mystery, however, it has been hypothesized that the calcium ingredient of yogurt could be the secret. Calcium is known to affect the metabolism and speed up oxidation of fats, which can well explain why yogurt can prevent obesity.
A recent study has shown beneficial effects of full-fat yogurt in decreasing the risk of diabetes and in fighting obesity. This is anticipatory to the prevailing fact till present that diabetic and overweight individuals must resort to low or no-fat yogurt.
The journal ‘Circulation’ contains one of the studies which reports that consumption of full-fat dairy products can cut down the risk of diabetes by 44 percent. In this research, blood from 3,333 adult subjects from the year 1980-1990 was analyzed and studied for the bio-markers of full-fat yogurt. It was observed that the blood containing greatest levels of such bio-markers was less prone to the development of diabetes.
The idea of replacing full-fat dairy products with low ones might have failed, since people compensate for the lack of fats with an overdose of carbohydrates. These carbs are converted into sugars, and the sugars are ultimately converted into fats. Hence, it makes no difference at all.
Are dairy products really good for you?
The dean of Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, as well as the head of this study, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian told CBC News that “Our findings suggest that national guidelines that focus only on low-fat dairy should be re-examined, allowing flexibility for individual consumers to select either whole or reduced fat milk, cheese, and yogurt.
Not only eating healthy can cure you or protect you from these chronic ailments, but an addition of a variety of healthy habits to your lifestyle can bring about the desired change in your health you might have wished for. Regular exercises are equally as important as a balanced meal daily. People with obesity must combine these two factors to avail the benefit. Diabetic people can also prevent the progression of their ailment through these two factors.