Type 2 Diabetes Diets & Nutrition

Coenzyme Q10 is vital for making energy needed for cells to grow normally and to stay healthy, and for the basic functioning of every cell. It is also an important antioxidant. Deficiency of coenzyme Q10 is known to lead to high blood sugar levels and insulin resistance symptoms.

Other symptoms that may indicate deficiency of Coenzyme Q10 :
	gum or periodontal disease
	hypertension (high blood pressure)
	arteriosclerosis / atherosclerosis (hardening / narrowing of the arteries)
	heart problems like angina, arrhythmia, or congestive heart failure
	stomach (gastric) or duodenal ulcers
	kidney or renal failure
	impaired immune function
	higher risk of cancer

Type 2 Diabetes Diets | Type 2 Diabetes Food List

Foods rich in coenzyme Q10 that may help an anti-high blood sugar diet include · migratory fish like herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines · germ part of whole grains, eg. wheat germ.

Vitamin D is needed to stimulate production of insulin. Lack of vitamin D can result in increased risk of diabetes due to insufficient insulin produced.

Other symptoms that may indicate deficiency of Vitamin D :
	rickets which causes soft bones, skeletal deformities or retarded growth in children
	osteomalacia resulting in muscular weakness and soft bones
	muscle or bone pain (including low back pain)
	frequent bone fractures
	osteoporosis
	higher risk of periodontal disease in adults over 50 years old
	rheumatoid arthritis
	increased risk of high blood pressure
	leads to hypocalcemia (low blood calcium level) characterized by muscle cramps, twitching nerves or muscles, numbness and tingling of fingers and toes, irregular heart contractions, and irritability

Type 2 Diabetes Diets | Type 2 Diabetes Food List

Foods high in vitamin D that may contribute to an anti-high blood sugar diet include · fish liver oils · mackerel · salmon, especially sockeye salmon · sardine · shrimp.

Chromium is especially critical for maintaining blood sugar balance, due to its role in formation of GTF (Glucose Tolerance Factor). GTF enables insulin to push glucose from blood into cells, where it is used for energy.

Chromium deficiency therefore leads to insulin resistance or glucose intolerance where cells in the body become resistant to the effects of insulin (in pushing glucose from the blood across cell membranes into cells), which affects the ability of insulin to regulate blood sugar and means higher amounts of insulin are needed.

Other symptoms that may indicate deficiency of Chromium :
	leads to high blood sugar levels that may result in type 2 diabetes in older people
	elevated blood insulin levels (hyperinsulinemia)
	high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol levels, and/or high triglyceride levels
	high blood pressure

Type 2 Diabetes Diets | Type 2 Diabetes Food List

Chromium-rich foods that are helpful to an anti-high blood sugar diet include · brewer’s yeast · molasses · onions (raw) · ripe tomatoes · romaine lettuce.

Since the 1990s, evidence has shown that magnesium supplementation can improve insulin sensitivity in diabetics and help regulate blood sugar levels, and that deficiency of magnesium causes insulin resistance linked to blood sugar imbalances and type 2 diabetes.

Other symptoms that may indicate deficiency of Magnesium :
	overactivation of nerve and muscle impulses, leading to tremors or hyperexcitability or irritability and nervousness
	muscle weakness, twitching or spasm, cramp, fatigue
	mental confusion, disorientation, or apathy
	affects calcium metabolism, leading to low blood levels of calcium, and softening and weakening of bones
	low blood levels of potassium
	increased risk of stroke
	elevated blood pressure
	loss of appetite, headaches, nausea, vomiting
	studies show migraine sufferers tend to have lower magnesium levels
	depression
	disturbed sleep or insomnia or sleepiness
	poor memory and reduced learning ability
	increased heartbeat or abnormal heart rhythms
	severe deficiency can lead to muscle contractions, tingling or numbness
	severe deficiency can cause seizures, delirium and hallucinations
	some studies showed that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to have magnesium deficiency; magnesium given in addition to ADHD medication appeared to decrease hyperactivity

Type 2 Diabetes Diets | Type 2 Diabetes Food List

Foods high in magnesium include · rice bran, wheat bran · peas and beans (legumes) such as black beans, black-eyed peas, green beans, green peas, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans, french beans · whole grains (such as brown rice, buckwheat, millet, oats, quinoa, wheat) · whole grain products (like whole-grain cereals, buckwheat flour, rye flour) · nuts (like almonds, cashews, peanuts) · seeds such as pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, mustard seeds · most dietary magnesium comes from vegetables, especially dark green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, swiss chard, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, broccoli, collard greens.

Due to the importance of manganese in enzyme activation, a deficiency is known to adversely affect many bio-chemical processes in the body and lead to high blood sugar levels (impaired glucose tolerance).

Other symptoms that may indicate deficiency of Manganese :
	nausea or dizziness
	vomiting
	skin rash
	hearing loss
	iron-deficiency anemia, due to manganese’s role in iron utilization
	blood cholesterol levels that are too low
	impaired bone growth or skeletal abnormalities, especially in children
	excessive bone loss and weak hair and nails
	loss of hair colour
	defective functioning of the reproductive system
	severe deficiency in infants can cause convulsions, and even paralysis, blindness and deafness

Type 2 Diabetes Diets | Type 2 Diabetes Food List

Foods high in manganese that can be useful in an anti-high blood sugar diet include · dark green leafy vegetables (broccoli, chard, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, spinach) · avocados · pineapple · raspberries · nuts (almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts).

Zinc regulates insulin activity and blood sugar balance. Lack of zinc can lead to lowered glucose tolerance with increased risk of diabetes.

Other symptoms that may indicate deficiency of Zinc :
	impaired sense of smell and taste
	impaired immune function
	susceptibility to pneumonia and other infections in malnourished children and the elderly
	skin ulcers
	slow wound healing
	retarded growth in infants and children
	delayed sexual maturation
	hypogonadism in males (where the body does not produce enough testosterone hormone)
	impotence
	reduced thyroid hormone output
	decreased metabolic rate
	mental lethargy
	depression
	lack of appetite
	unexplained weight loss
	diarrhea
	hair loss
	skin rashes or skin lesions
	eye lesions
	night blindness (difficulty with seeing in the dark)

Type 2 Diabetes Diets | Type 2 Diabetes Food List

Zinc-rich foods include · liver · meat (beef, chicken, lamb, pork, venison) · mushrooms · raw oysters.