Diabetes/Weight Loss

Diabetes / Weight Loss

America is the second most obese nation on the planet. The same food habits that have caused obesity have also caused diabetes to reach near epidemic levels in the US. Fortunately these trends can be reversed for us as individuals and for the nation. The answers lie mainly in going back to what we ate before we were derailed by bad advice from “experts” and became addicted to starches, sugars and sugary beverages. Apparently, that is not easy to do based on a CBS News report that rats would rather starve than eat healthy food. Magnesium is low in the American diet because it is refined out of processed foods. Lack of this mineral is the nutrient insufficiency most associated with diabetes. Exercise, of course, is good for what ails you. Read about these motivators.

News:

Excellent article on reversing Type 2 Diabetes.

Comparing apples and pears…shapes that is. Those of us in the nutrition field have believed for a long time that fat around the waist (giving an apple silhouette) was more harmful than fat that accumulates in the butt and thighs (leading to a pear shape). In fact, a large waistline (over 35″ for women and 40″ for men) has long been listed as a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease. Now, a large study has confirmed the fact and shed light on possible reasons. It seems that it is the fat packed in around our internal organs (visceral fat) that causes the most trouble. The kind of fat just under the skin, may not be flattering but it is not as dangerous. Exercise tends to burn visceral fat apparently because the heart, which relies on fat as its primary fuel, sends signals to control how much of it is burned for energy.

The donut shape. A recent study showed that those in the group that ate the most added sugar (25% of calories) were three times as likely to die as those in the group with the lowest sugar consumption (10% of calories). LINK. Sugar increases cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and, of course, blood sugar. The fat made from sugar is stored mainly around the middle. Sugary soft drinks are likely our worst problem. Two cans a day is enough to put a person in the high risk group. Besides this obvious source of sugar, it is also hidden in virtually everything in the center part of the grocery store. And don’t forget that starch quickly turns into sugar. Unfortunately, artificial sweeteners do not seem to help.

Olive Leaf Extract (OLE). A well-designed study showed that supplementing with “olive leaf polyphenols for 12 weeks significantly improved insulin sensitivity and pancreatic beta-cell secretory capacity [insulin production] in overweight middle-aged men at risk of developing the metabolic syndrome….Remarkably, the observed effects of OLE supplementation in our study population is comparable to common diabetic therapeutics (particularly metformin), and our results could have clinical significance for patients with type 2 diabetes.” Ole improved some factors not affected by metformin.

Omega-3 Fats. A study of 2,000 men over 20 years in Finland showed that those who had the highest blood levels of EPA and DHA (usually from fish oil) had a 33% reduced risk of developing diabetes.

Radio Shows:
How to find the clues in your routine blood tests, Dr. Jim LaValle
How to Cure Diabetes, Sherry Rogers, MD
Diabetes—New thoughts and better approaches. Dr. Richard Bernstein
Mindless Eating, with Cornell professor, Brian Wansink, PhD

Books:

How to Cure Diabetes by Sherry Rogers, MD
Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars
Mindless Eating, by Cornell professor, Brian Wansink, PhD
Suicide by Sugar by Nancy Appleton, PhD
Aloe Vera Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy by Martie Whittekin, CCN
The Slow Down Diet by Marc David

Products:
Omron Pocket Pedometer with Advanced Omron Health Management Software
Perfect Portions Digital Scale (I love mine)
Consumer Reports Top-rated Glucose Monitor

Blood sugar management:
Blood Sugar Balance by Kyolic
Glucose Optimizer by Jarrow. Combines vitamins, minerals and herbs.
Glutamine Capsules by Jarrow. Empty a capsule under the tongue to help with carb cravings.

Weight management: Studies show that slim people have a better balance of organisms in the gut than heavy folks. Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics helps create the right environment for all your billions of good guys.

Links:
Body Mass Index. This mathematical calculation is not of much help for instance to a body builder who would score as obese just because of the weight of his muscle. Having a % body fat analysis done (at the gym?) is more revealing.

Diabetes risk test. The American Diabetes Association has a lot of useful information on their site, but in the opinion of health experts I admire their recommendations for what to eat lag behind the science and rely too heavily on medication.

Free ebook on the Paleo Diet. (At the time of writing this page I hadn’t read it but it sounds good.)