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Blog author, Solai Buchanan is an experienced Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with an MS from Columbia Teachers College. She specializes in treating heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, polycystic ovarian syndrome,and other chronic diseases. She is a provider at a full-service cardiology practice accepting most insurance and staffed with a primary care MD, pediatrician, and cardiologist. Call: 718.894.7907. NYCC is lead by Interventional Cardiologist Sanjeev Palta, MD, FSCAI, FACC. He trained at Cornell-Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and the State University Hospital of Brooklyn. He currently is an Attending Cardiologist at New York Methodist Hospital and Maimonides Medical Center. He is also an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Having performed over 2000 invasive cardiac procedures Dr. Palta’s patients know they are in trusted hands.

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

EATING FATTY FISH REDUCES DIABETICS’ RISK FOR EYE DISEASE

A new analysis suggests that eating two or more servings per week of fatty fish such as salmon can significantly reduce diabetics’ risk of retinopathy.  Diabetic retinopathy develops when elevated blood sugar levels damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina.  It is estimated more than 80% of patients with type 2 diabetes will develop some form of diabetic retinopathy within 20 years of diagnosis. 

The current findings were drawn from a five-year Spanish study that tracked the dietary intake and health of participants (ages 55-80) with type 2 diabetes.  They found that those who routinely had fatty fish twice per week were 48% less likely to develop diabetic retinopathy than those who consumed less.

Why might intake of fatty fish be protective of eye health?  Omega 3 fatty acids are found in high concentrations in the eye where they are believed to help protect against oxidative damage caused by elevated sugar levels, systemic inflammation, and age-related changes.  While it is believed that the omega 3 fatty acids are the constituents in fish that promote eye health, studies in which individuals supplemented with fish oil rather than eating the whole fish have not yielded as positive results.  This may be due to benefits from other nutrients in the fish as well as the fact that the omega 3’s found in foods are fresher and less degraded than the oils extracted for supplements.

What to do:  To minimize the damage caused by diabetic eye disease, the most important measure is to control your blood sugar.    Controlling blood pressure is also important for eye health.  Fatty fish include salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, and rainbow trout.  Regular intake of fatty fish is not only is good for the eyes but also the other systems of the body, especially the cardiovascular and neural systems.  The amount of fish eaten in this study provided about 500mg daily of omega-3 fatty acids but do not supplement with fish oil without consulting your provider.  

Article adapted from:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160818131137.htm

Source:
Sala-Vila A, Díaz-López A, Valls-Pedret C, et al. Dietary marine ω-3 fatty acids and incident sight-threatening retinopathy in middle-aged and older individuals with type 2 diabetes: Prospective investigation from the PREDIMED Trial. JAMA Ophthalmology. Published online August 18, 2016. DOI:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.2906

Larsen, M.  Eat your fish or go for nuts.  JAMA Ophthalmology.  Published online August 18, 2016. DOI:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.2942

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