Studies have shown that “exercise snacking,” that is, getting your exercise in a little at a time throughout the day, rather than in one marathon session, is better at controlling blood sugar than one marathon session.

But there’s one more consideration anyone with diabetes needs to consider to get the best workout for better blood sugar control…

And that’s the time of day they exercise…

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Afternoon workouts are best for blood sugar control

Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Joslin Diabetes Center, both affiliated with Harvard Medical School, took a look at whether physical activity at certain times of day was associated with greater improvement in blood glucose control.

They used data from the first and fourth years of the Look AHEAD study, a ten-year study that looked at weight gain among patients with type 2 diabetes.

The researchers analyzed physical activity data from the first and fourth years of the Look AHEAD study, which included data from over 2,400 participants.

Upon examining data from year one, they saw that patients who engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in the afternoon had the greatest reduction in glucose levels.

When they compared this with data from year four,  the group who exercised in the afternoon maintained a reduction in blood glucose levels.

In addition, the group who exercised in the afternoon also had the highest chance of completely stopping their glucose-lowering medications.

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Be picky about what type of exercise you choose

Not all exercise is helpful when it comes to blood sugar control. Some, including heavy weightlifting, sprints, HIIT and competitive sports can make it harder to manage. These cause the body to produce stress hormones (such as adrenaline).

Adrenaline raises blood glucose levels by stimulating your liver to release glucose. Exercise that’s too hard also makes it harder for your muscles to use insulin.

You’re better off choosing moderate-intensity workouts, doing sit-ups, push-ups and resistance exercises — like weight training with light weights. According to experts, more muscle mass helps the body better handle blood sugar. That’s because working muscle first uses stored sugars and then blood sugars for energy.

Hiking is also a good recommendation because, during longer exercise, muscles take up more glucose.

And if you need another good reason for working out later in the day, here’s more…

Not only does the research we’ve discussed here make it a good choice, but the natural rise in blood glucose that occurs between about 4:00 and 8:00 a.m. (known as the ‘dawn phenomenon’), can send your glucose levels even higher.

Remember, exercise gets harder the less you do, so find something you enjoy that works well for keeping your blood sugar in check — and stick with it.

Never stop taking any medication without consulting with your physician.

Source:

Afternoon exercise linked with greater improvements in blood sugar levels for patients with type 2 diabetes — Eureka Alert

Association of Timing of Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity With Changes in Glycemic Control Over 4 Years in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes From the Look AHEAD Trial — Diabetes Care

Why Does Exercise Sometimes Raise Blood Glucose (Blood Sugar)? — The American Diabetes Association

Exercise and Type 2 diabetes — WebMD

The post The best workout for better blood sugar control appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But did you know that one of the most dangerous and prevalent side effects of type 2 diabetes is damage to your kidneys?

As with many aspects of this disease, the damage gradually worsens over the years, often to the point of renal failure which results in dialysis and even organ replacement.

That’s why in addition to properly managing diabetes, it’s vitally important to be sure you’re not deficient in this one very important vitamin…

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Thiamin protects kidneys

In a study conducted by the Warwick Medical School in the UK, thiamine (known universally as vitamin B1) was found to slow, protect, and reverse kidney damage in the early stages! Professor Paul J. Thornalley and Dr. Naila Rabbani, who led the study at Warwick, published their results in the Diabetologia medical journal.

Diabetic nephropathy results in high emission of a protein in the urine called albumin. Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were given high doses of vitamin B1 and showed a dramatic reduction of more than forty percent in the excretion of albumin! 35% of participants returned to normal urinary levels of the protein by the end of the investigation.

A prior study from Professor Thornalley’s team proved conclusively that type 2 diabetics suffer from thiamine deficiency, which may be the source of multiple vascular issues.

In the trial, forty subjects were given either a placebo or 300mg of thiamine daily over three months with fascinating results. Vascular dysfunction and albumin readings were greatly improved for those who received B1.

“This study once again highlights the importance of vitamin B1 and we need to increase awareness. [We] are planning a foundation at the University of Warwick to further education and research in thiamine deficiency,” noted Dr. Rabbani.

The American Diabetes Association released data that diabetics account for almost half of the kidney failure cases diagnosed each year. It is known to be one of the leading causes of kidney failure.

B1 is a vitamin that is well tolerated by the body overall. Three doses of 100mg of B1 daily is a safe and inexpensive way to protect your kidneys from damage as a result of pre-diabetes, diabetes, and general kidney disease.

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Don’t forget your medicine in the form of food

As you know by now, I stand behind food as a cure.

Even if you’re taking B1 supplements, including some of these delicious and nutritious foods to your meal plan will benefit your total body. Raw or in salads provide the greatest benefit of B1 since cooking causes a loss of more than a quarter of the vitamin content.

Five of the best foods rich in B-1 (Thiamine) are:

1. Brewer’s yeast – the food product with the highest concentration of B1
2. Grains and cereals – wheat germ, rice, and oatmeal
3. Meat and fish – tuna is highest followed by pork and poultry
4. Dried fruits, seeds, and nuts – sunflower seeds, peanuts, pecans, and raisins specifically
5. Green veggies – Brussels sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, peas, and avocado

There are many benefits of adding more thiamine to your daily life. You don’t hear a lot about vitamin B1 because it isn’t as popular in the media as vitamin C or E and not as interesting to most researchers as vitamin D.

Yet it is essential to your body and required for some of your critical bodily systems to function properly. It carries out metabolic tasks such as converting carbs to fuel, protects your kidneys, safeguards your central nervous system, and regulates mood.

Ignoring the importance of vitamin B1 is dangerous. So don’t do that!

Add a combination of food and supplements of this crucial (and often overlooked) vitamin to your daily life and protect your kidneys.

When supplementing choose a quality brand and follow the manufacturer’s suggestion for serving amount. If you have questions, ask your doctor.

Sources:

1. Vitamin B1 Could Reverse Early-stage Kidney Disease In Diabetes Patients — University of Warwick
2. The potential role of thiamine (vitamin B1) in diabetic complications. — Current Diabetes Review
3. Kidney Disease (Nephropathy) — American Diabetes Association

The post The vitamin everyone needs (especially diabetics) for kidney protection appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Playing sports, gardening or even just sitting in the sun for a while on a humid day can make you sweat. You’re losing water, and that water must be replaced in order to avoid dehydration.

Your body responds to being hot and sweaty by making you thirsty, sending you a clear message to drink some water to replace those fluids.

But there are other reasons you might feel thirsty, and if it seems like you’re always thirsty, no matter how much you drink, this could be the sign of a more serious problem.

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5 illnesses that cause thirst

Never ignore the onset of extreme and unquenchable thirst, especially if it comes along with any other troubling symptoms. It could be due to a more serious condition.

Diabetes. Extreme and constant thirst is often the first sign of diabetes.

When your body doesn’t make enough insulin, or doesn’t use it properly, too much glucose builds up in your body. Glucose in the urine draws in more water, causing you to urinate more frequently. Your body dehydrates, making you thirsty.

Anemia. Anemia means your body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells, either because too many are being destroyed or lost, or because not enough are being made.

Mild anemia probably won’t make you thirsty, but if it becomes severe, you may find yourself constantly wanting to drink water. You may also feel dizzy and weak, and you may sweat more.

Kidney disease. Damaged kidneys cannot hold on to fluids well, and in order to prevent dehydration, the body prompts you to drink a lot of water.

However, it’s a delicate balance. If you have chronic kidney disease, watch for swelling or an increase in blood pressure, which could indicate that too much water is being retained and placing a strain on your heart.

Thyroid problems. When you produce too little or too much thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism), you can experience anxiety, dry mouth and other symptoms that lead to increased thirst.

Diabetes insipidus. The only things this rare condition has in common with Type 1 or 2 diabetes are its name, that they both make you thirsty and that they make you urinate a lot.

In most people, the kidneys pass about a quart or two of urine a day. Someone with diabetes insipidus can pass as much as 20 quarts of “insipid” urine a day, that is, urine that does not look or smell much like urine since they’re basically just eliminating water.

Other things that can make you thirsty

There are personal lifestyle choices and medications that can also cause excessive thirst.

Smoking. Tobacco can affect how much saliva your body makes. You can end up with a dry mouth and a feeling of thirst all the time. Also, smoking can make your saliva thicker and less like water, so it doesn’t do a very good job of keeping your mouth moist.

A low-carb diet. The ultra-low-carb keto diet can make you thirsty since carbs absorb and hold on to water in the body. Without them, you’ll urinate more often, and feel thirsty more often.

Diuretics. Diuretics, or water pills, are frequently prescribed for high blood pressure as well as congestive heart failure. Diuretics are designed to eliminate excess fluid from the body, which they do quite well. But the result, of course, is that you’re thirsty a lot.

The bottom line: Pay attention to your body

Pay attention to the signals your body is sending you.

If you’re thirsty, don’t ignore it. Have a glass of ice water with lemon, or maybe a glass of iced tea. When you’re no longer thirsty, stop drinking. Just like with your appetite for food, don’t force things.

Also, pay close attention to any other changes in your body that accompany thirst, especially if you’re more thirsty than normal. When in doubt, call your doctor.

And as a bonus, here’s a summer-friendly recipe for a fun thirst-quencher. It’s especially geared to people with kidney disease since it helps quench thirst without drinking too much. Anyone can enjoy it. I know I’ll be trying this healthy, thirst-quenching treat, based on my favorite candy, before the summer is out! Enjoy!

Sources:

1. Why am I always thirsty? — Web MD
2. 10 unexpected reasons why you’re thirsty all the time — prevention.com
3. Diabetes insipidus — Web MD
4. What to know about diuretics — Healthline.com

The post 5 serious conditions that can make you really thirsty appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

From peaches and pineapples to mangos and strawberries, summer is fruit season.

And no fruit may be more anticipated than watermelon.

Whether you eat it alone, turn it into a refreshing drink — like a cool watermelon agua fresca — or toss it into a cucumber watermelon salad, the sweet and juicy summer treat is always something to look forward to.

What you may not know however is that watermelon isn’t just tasty, it’s also great for your body.

In fact, scientists have now confirmed eating watermelon could be one of the best things you do for your health.

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From heart health to better blood sugar

The research, published in the journal Current Atherosclerosis Reports, took into account mounds and mounds of data on the health effects of watermelon gathered in trials for over two decades.

Specifically, they took into account clinical evidence on how eating watermelon or supplementing with one of the fruit’s signature compounds, citrulline, affects cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes.

And they found that one of the most impressive benefits of both is the way they support the heart and blood pressure while reducing the risk of diabetes.

The data showed it worked like this: Citrulline found in watermelon is a precursor to L arginine, which helps produce nitric oxide, a signaling molecule that plays a role in blood pressure regulation, lipid reduction and glucose control.

They also were able to determine that the rich levels of polyphenols and carotenoids in watermelon, particularly lycopene, provide additional support to help maintain normal cardio-metabolic health.

“Research is unveiling the health-promoting potential of watermelon. The current literature review provides evidence that watermelon intake and citrulline supplementation lower blood pressure in human trials. Although more research is needed, favorable effects on lipids/lipoprotein metabolism are emerging based on the data we reviewed and reported in preclinical models,” said lead author Britt Burton-Freeman. 

And if watermelon’s ability to lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels and keep blood sugar in check isn’t enough, the researchers say there’s even more…

Additional potential benefits of watermelon include:

• Better body weight control to battle obesity
• Improved brain health to keep your memory sharp
• Gut health support for a strong immune system

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You love watermelon, and it loves you right back

Clearly, eating this all-time summer fruit fave is a great choice for your health.

You might also be interested to know that while this research into watermelon homed in on some extremely important benefits eating the fruit brings, there is even more the scientists didn’t mention…

For men, watermelon can help with issues of sexual dysfunction and support strong erections.

Eating the fruit can also give you a super energy boost.

And it offers six more health benefits, including better eye health and happier, healthier joints that will have you loving the fruit more than ever.

Sources:

Scientific literature review confirms watermelon’s health potential – EurekAlert!

The post Watermelon for better blood pressure and blood sugar appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

These complications don’t happen to everyone with diabetes. But the longer you have the disease and the worse your blood sugar control is, the more likely you are to eventually develop one (or more) of them.

Why does diabetes impact so many different organs and systems in your body?

Because the excess sugar can damage the body in a multitude of ways:

• It can damage the walls of tiny blood vessels known as capillaries that supply blood to your nerves, particularly in the legs, and lead to nerve damage.
• It can damage the filtering system in the kidneys that removes waste from the blood, eventually triggering kidney failure.
• It can damage the blood vessels of the retina, causing vision problems or even blindness.

And that damage can extend to your bones as well…

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Diabetes puts you at risk for hip and other debilitating fractures

Researchers from the University of Sheffield reviewed health records from previous studies and determined that people with diabetes (type 1 and 2) have a higher risk of developing hip and non-vertebral fractures (fractures that don’t impact the spine or skull).

Like other diabetes complications, researchers found that the risk of bone fractures was higher for people who had the disease longer and those whose blood sugar control was worse. The risk was also higher for those with type 1 diabetes versus those with type 2 diabetes. But people with type 2 diabetes who used insulin had a higher risk too.

Even though bone fractures aren’t on most people’s radar as a possible diabetes complication, this isn’t the first study to show people with diabetes have a higher fracture risk…

• A 2014 study found that people with diabetes are as much as three times as likely to get a bone fracture as people without diabetes.
• Another from 2018 found women diagnosed after age 40 with diabetes experience a 30 percent increase in their risk of non-vertebral fracture and an astonishing 82 percent increased risk for hip fracture.

Hip fractures, in particular, are known to cause disability in older people and even increase the risk of dying within a year of the injury.

What’s the connection between diabetes and poor bone health? Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).

AGEs cause oxidative stress and inflammation. They also physically affect bone quality when they accumulate in bone collagen fibers. A growing body of evidence indicates that AGEs play a significant role in the progression of classical diabetes complications and diabetic osteopathy.

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Better controlled blood sugar for better bones

So, how do you protect your bones if you have diabetes?

First, you have to do everything in your power to get your blood sugar under control. For many people with diabetes, that means using diabetes medication, exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet. What should you eat specifically?

Steer clear of processed food, refined carbohydrates and sugary drinks. The Mediterranean diet is a great example of a sensible diet that can help people with diabetes get their blood sugar under control.

Also, consider how you cook the food you eat. Some cooking methods can contribute to AGEs formation in the body.

Next, you may have your doctor check your vitamin D levels. Why?

• According to McMaster University, many people with diabetes are
  low in vitamin D.
• Another study found that people with vitamin D blood levels of 50 ng/mL (considered adequate) were five times less likely to develop diabetes than those with 20ng/mL. The lead author of that study suggested that rather than focusing solely on obesity and sugar and fat intake, we should be focusing on vitamin D levels.

And not only is vitamin D known to help regulate insulin levels, we already know it helps promote bone health.

Beyond getting your blood sugar under control, you’ll also want to reduce your risk of falls… because if you don’t fall, you don’t fracture.

Yoga, Pilates and tai chi are beneficial forms of exercise that improve your balance, which reduces your risk of falling. So, consider practicing one of those regularly. You can also fall-proof your house — get rid of clutter, keep stairways well lit, keep cords and wires out of pathways, get rid of rugs (or get skid-free rugs). By making your home safer, you’ll be saving yourself a lot of hassle — and pain — in the future by preventing a potential fracture.

Sources:

1. People with diabetes at higher risk of bone fractures — co.uk.
2. People with diabetes are at greater risk of bone fractures —  EurekAlert!
3. The risk of hip and non-vertebral fractures in type 1 and type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis update — Bone.
4. Diabetes — Mayo Clinic.
5. Tai chi, Pilates and yoga — NHS Health Scotland.
6. Bone Fractures: Prevention — Cleveland Clinic.
7. Bone Fractures: A Diabetes Complication Often Ignored — Everyday Health.

The post AGEs: Why diabetes is bad for your bones appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

So for these reasons, it’s easy to understand the hype that came about when the diabetes drug Ozempic and its off-label version geared toward weight loss, Wegovy, proved successful for many people.

It seemed that the “magic pill” of our wildest dreams, that could make managing diabetes and weight loss effortless, was finally here.

But, as with most things that sound too good to be true, we learned about alarming side effects and insane medication costs that were not always covered by insurance.

Over the past dozen years or so, research has been ongoing into a natural, plant-based compound that appears to have the ability to support blood sugar metabolism and other health benefits as well — including promising studies on weight loss — all without the side effects of medication.

Most recently, it’s been referred to as “nature’s Ozempic.” Here’s what we know about berberine…

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Is this Traditional Chinese Medicine Nature’s Ozempic?

For more than 10 years now, science has been investigating how natural chemicals from the barberry plant can help control type 2 diabetes.

Specifically, a phytochemical (natural plant compound) called berberine seems to be doing the trick.

Berberine is also found in the perennial flower known as goldenseal, and other plants including Oregon grape and tree turmeric. In most of these plants, the compound is concentrated in the root or stem.

It’s been used in traditional Chinese medicine for a long time as an anti-inflammatory agent. It may also help prevent fatty liver disease, bacterial infections and lower your risk of heart disease.

An examination of data from a number of independent studies (known as a meta-analysis) was conducted by researchers at Iranian and British universities and found that supplementing with barberry can indeed decrease insulin levels.

Seven studies that included 452 subjects were included in the review. The analysis showed that barberry significantly reduces insulin levels. And lowering insulin is the first important step to preventing type 2 diabetes.

Hyperinsulinemia (higher-than-normal insulin levels) is a sign of insulin resistance, where your pancreas is working overtime to secrete insulin because your body is not responding to it. Left untreated, this will lead to type 2 diabetes.

Glucose and cholesterol improve with berberine

Two earlier studies had already shown the effectiveness of berberine supplements in preventing diabetes.

In 2008, a Chinese study examined a group of subjects with diabetes and dyslipidemia.

Many people who are diabetic or prediabetic also have the triple whammy of dyslipidemia: good cholesterol (HDL) is low, bad cholesterol (LDL) is high, and triglycerides are high.

In the Chinese study, 116 patients were given either 1g of berberine daily or a placebo for a period of three months.

In the berberine group, fasting glucose levels decreased from 7mm/liter to 5.6mm/liter, and triglycerides dropped from 2.51mm/liter to 1.10mm/liter. The placebo group showed significantly poorer results.

Together with lifestyle changes, berberine proved effective in controlling blood sugar

In a 2012 meta-analysis, four researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China reviewed data from 14 randomized trials that included 1068 subjects.

While berberine did not control blood sugar any better than oral diabetes medications like metformin, it did have some effectiveness against dyslipidemia.

However, when combined with lifestyle changes to prevent diabetes, berberine proved more effective in controlling blood sugar than metformin or similar drugs when combined with the same lifestyle changes.

You may be surprised to learn though that berberine isn’t the only plant substance that gives metformin some competition. Be sure to check out what my colleague wrote about the diabetes spice that improved glucose tolerance as efficiently as metformin while showing no significant adverse effects.

Berberine and weight management

Some research in animals and humans indicates berberine may be helpful for weight loss.

Berberine reduced weight gain and food intake in mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity while having no effects on mice on a normal diet.

In a 12-week study involving people with obesity, taking 500 mg of berberine three times a day resulted in an average 5-pound weight loss.

A study has also shown that berberine may help activate metabolism and increase brown fat in the body. Brown fat cranks up your energy burn, which has the potential to crank up your fat burn with it.

According to Medical News Today, Berberine appears to activate AMP-activated protein kinase, which can help regulate how the body uses blood sugar. Researchers believe this activation can help treat diabetes and related health issues, such as obesity and high cholesterol.

Berberine isn’t the only plant compound we’ve written about that appears to enhance the activation of energy regulator AMPK to boost metabolism.

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Supplementing berberine

Berberine supplements are available online or through your health food store. It’s always wise to choose supplements from a trusted brand and follow their guidelines on serving amount. Also check the product label for third-party certification, for example, from the National Science Foundation (NSF)

Although berberine is not known for troublesome side effects (other than digestive issues for some people) you should talk with your doctor if you’re taking any medications, especially those that already lower your blood sugar.

Berberine can interact with metformin and affect blood sugar levels, making them harder to manage. 

Whether it could be called nature’s Ozempic may be debated. It works differently because it is obviously not a drug.

Sources:

1. Berberine in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis — National Center for Biotechnology Information (ncbi)
2. The effect of barberry (Berberis vulgaris L.) on glycemic indices: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials — Science Direct
3. Berberine – A Powerful Supplement With Many Benefits — Healthline
4. Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes and Dyslipidemia with the Natural Plant Alkaloid Berberine — The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
5. Berberine — Medical News Today
6. Berberine is a potential therapeutic agent for metabolic syndrome via brown adipose tissue activation and metabolism regulation — National Library of Medicine
7. National Diabetes Statistics Report — CDC

The post Nature’s Ozempic? Berberine’s impact on blood sugar and weight loss appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Type 3 diabetes is the name some scientists are giving to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. According to the Mayo Clinic, type 3 diabetes occurs when neurons in the brain become unable to respond to insulin, which they need for basic tasks such as memory and learning.

In fact, some researchers believe insulin deficiency is central to the cognitive decline that occurs in Alzheimer’s patients.

Given this, it’s no surprise that investigators have found a link between uncontrolled type 2 diabetes and dementia. One study showed people with untreated diabetes develop signs of Alzheimer’s nearly twice as fast as those who treat their diabetes.

And the earlier you develop T2D, the higher your odds for dementia…

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Age and the T2D-dementia link

Prediabetes is an intermediate stage where blood sugar is elevated but has not yet crossed the threshold into full-blown T2D — the risk of which is substantial.

In the U.S., up to 96 million adults have prediabetes. And 70 percent of those will progress to full-blown T2D.

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health decided to investigate the association between prediabetes and dementia using data from participants aged 45 to 64 in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.

They specifically looked at measures of blood sugar control, particularly HbA1C and cognitive function. In addition, they examined whether age at diabetes diagnosis modified dementia risk — and the results were sobering…

When looking at age at diabetes diagnosis, they found:

• The risk for dementia is three times higher for those developing T2D before the age of 60.
• For those developing T2D between the ages of 60 and 69, dementia risk increased by 73 percent.
• For those developing T2D between the ages of 70 and 79, the increased dementia risk fell to 23 percent.
• There was no increased dementia risk for those developing T2D at ages 80 or older.

The researchers conclude that while prediabetes is associated with dementia risk, this risk is explained by the development of diabetes.

“Diabetes onset at early age is most strongly related to dementia,” they write in the study. “Thus, preventing or delaying the progression of prediabetes to diabetes will substantially reduce the future burden of dementia.”

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Prediabetes is tough to catch

One of the challenges with diagnosing prediabetes is it often has no symptoms. Your blood sugar could be slowly ticking higher without you even knowing it.

You’ll want to keep an eye out for prediabetes if you have any of the following risk factors:

• Weight – a body mass index (BMI) higher than 25
• Lack of physical activity
• Family history of prediabetes or diabetes
• Age – at age 45, your risk begins to rise and rises even more rapidly around 65
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol

If you find yourself in prediabetes limbo, you’ll want to pay close attention to your diet and get plenty of exercise.

But you can also get extra help from vitamin D. The common vitamin was recently been found to slash the risk of progression to T2D by 15 percent. It may be the reason that in a previous study, consuming full-fat dairy was shown to decrease risk of T2D progression by as much as 70 percent.

An extra plus about vitamin D? A study from the University of Calgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute found that a group of people who took vitamin D supplements had 40 percent fewer dementia diagnoses than those who did not take the supplements.

Sources:

Study shows dementia risk increases the younger a person develops diabetes — EurekAlert!

Prediabetes, intervening diabetes and subsequent risk of dementia: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study — Diabetologia

What is the link between Alzheimer’s and Type 3 diabetes? — Mayo Clinic

Prediabetes — Mayo Clinic

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Test for Diabetes — WebMD

The post How age, diabetes and dementia intersect appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, it’s estimated that 73 percent of cases are from these two causes alone.

If you’re one of them, you know that it’s a disease that generally worsens over time.

Yet, it is possible to have CKD and not even know it. As much as 96 percent of people with kidney damage or with mildly reduced kidney function may not experience symptoms or only very mild ones, like fatigue and loss of appetite.

Luckily, a simple supplement may offer hope…

Antioxidant for metabolic disorders

Researchers from three universities got together to look into the problem of chronic kidney disease because of the danger it poses to every person who suffers from the condition — which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by two to fifty times and comes with a 50 percent mortality rate for patients with end-stage renal disease.

The team, made up of scientists from the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran, the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, and the Kashan University of Medical Sciences in Iran set out to perform a systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials to evaluate the effects of CoQ10 supplementation on metabolic profiles of patients diagnosed with CKD.

The reason they focused on CoQ10 is that the antioxidant has been found to work as a complementary therapy for metabolic disorders.

It’s also been found that the circulating concentration of CoQ10 in patients with chronic kidney disease is low. All of this suggested that CoQ10 would be an ideal solution.

The team systemically reviewed seven scientific studies to evaluate the effects of CoQ10 supplementation on the metabolic profiles of patients diagnosed with CKD and found that it:

• Significantly reduced total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (which is significant because high cholesterol levels can cut off blood flow to the kidney resulting in loss of kidney function).
• Lowered the levels of malondialdehyde, which normally increases as kidney problems progress. Malondialdehyde level is commonly known as a marker of oxidative stress and the antioxidant status in cancerous patients.
• And, reduced creatinine levels (a chemical waste that goes up as the disease gets worse because proper filtration of blood decreases).

They concluded that CoQ10 supplementation significantly improved the metabolic profile in patients with chronic kidney disease.

CoQ10 is normally produced in the body, but production declines with age, beginning as early as our 20s. Fortunately, CoQ10 is available in supplement form.

If you’re currently being treated for CKD, talk with your physician before adding any supplement to your regimen.

An alkaline diet may also be a beneficial tool for avoiding the worsening of kidney disease. Because one of the functions of the kidneys is to remove acid from the blood, nutrition.org notes that “if kidney function declines and other tissues catabolize to maintain pH, then it is very plausible that manipulating the diet to reduce the acid load could spare tissues and improve outcomes.”

Sources:

1. National Chronic Kidney Disease Fact Sheet, 2017 — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation on metabolic profiles of patients with chronic kidney disease — EurekAlert!
3. The Effects of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation on Metabolic Profiles of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials — Current Pharmaceutical Design
4. Relationship between chronic kidney disease and metabolic syndrome: current perspectives — Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity
5. Cholesterol and Chronic Kidney Disease — DaVita Inc.
6. What Is Creatinine? — DaVita Inc.
7. Malondialdehyde can predict survival in hemodialysis patients — Clujul Medical
8. Chronic kidney disease and the global NCDs agenda — BMJ Global Health

The post How CoQ10 supports kidney health appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

My answer?  It’s a bit complicated.

A large study including over 100,000 patients with chronic kidney disease showed that statin use was associated with lower risk of death even after adjusting for age, gender, and presence of other health issues, regardless of severity of kidney dysfunction. So people with existing kidney disease need not fear statins.  Phew. 

Having said that, other studies have shown that statin use can be associated with deterioration in kidney function. Yikes.  

However, this finding is uncommon and seen primarily in people on high doses of the drugs. Small sigh of relief.

These are three observations that are not all necessarily pointing in the same direction so what’s the best way to put them together? 

Statins, kidneys and answers

Overall, statins are not worrisome when it comes to kidney function but as with any medication, it makes sense to use the lowest possible dose to attain your LDL goal — and to use lifestyle and especially diet to help you need less medication to get there. 

AND to take care of your kidneys in general! 

That means keeping your blood pressure readings under control, avoiding substances that are toxic to kidneys (like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications and CT dye), keeping well hydrated to avoid developing kidney stones, and not going crazy with protein intake.

When it comes to a health issue like kidney disease, the condition is not due to just one big thing. It’s usually the combination of many little things that finally overwhelm the system and affects how well an organ system functions.

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A special note about diabetics… 

We know that diabetes can lead to kidney dysfunction, in large part by damaging renal blood vessels. However, the vascular effect of diabetes is not selective and causes damage in arteries everywhere — including heart and brain arteries. 

This makes diabetics highly susceptible to experiencing heart attacks and strokes — with a risk level similar to that of someone with already established heart disease. So very aggressive prevention strategies make sense, especially since heart disease and stroke (and not kidney disease) are the main reasons diabetics die.

No wonder the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and the American Diabetes Association all recommend that people with type 2 diabetes between the ages of 40 and 75 take a statin — regardless of kidney function. 

Remember — there are three main groups that have been shown consistently to experience an outcome benefit from using statins: those with established heart or vascular disease, those with diabetes and those with familial hypercholesterolemia (very high LDL levels that are genetically driven). 

That means everyone else should try diet first. And even the three high-risk groups should incorporate dietary efforts to minimize the amounts of statins required to get them to their goal. Not only is that better for overall health, it sure is better for those kidneys!

The post Do statins hurt kidneys? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Like the way gum disease is tied to cancer and diabetes.

Well now, researchers have confirmed a new connection…

It comes from a type of drug known for helping get things “up” — but has been found to take down long-term blood sugar in type 2 diabetics…

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It’s all about nitric oxide

Before you read about this amazing connection, you need to know a little about nitric oxide (NO).

Nitric oxide is a gas that our bodies produce naturally. It acts as a signaling molecule, telling blood vessels to relax, for one very important purpose: to allow healthy blood flow to every nook and cranny of the body.

One arena where this is crucial is in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

NO is what makes drugs for erectile dysfunction, like Viagra and others, effective.

You see, erectile dysfunction is a vascular (blood vessel) and hormonal problem.

When NO helps the muscles in the penis to relax, the chambers inside the penis can fill with blood and an erection can be achieved.

Erectile dysfunction is not only a sign of trouble in the bedroom. It can be a sign of a serious heart problem or an indication of high blood sugar that is moving quickly toward full-blown diabetes.

And here’s where the connection comes in…

ED drugs promote effects of NO on blood sugar

Drugs like Viagra, known as PDE5 inhibitors, harness nitric oxide and its ability to open blood vessels.

That’s why, in previous research, investigators tested a theory that providing a sustained supply of NO may be an efficient way of treating cardiometabolic syndrome. Reduced NO absorption is a hallmark of the disorder.

And they were right. In experiments using mice, those that had their NO levels boosted had better glucose tolerance and lower fasting insulin levels. And compared to a control group that was not supplemented with NO, the NO mice gained 17 percent less body weight.

More recently, research at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden set out to investigate whether the drug tadalafil (Cialis), might have a similar effect in people…

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Potency drug reduced long-term blood sugar in small group of people

In their research, eighteen participants were randomly assigned to receive either a high daily dose of tadalafil or a placebo for a period of six weeks. The groups then switched for another six weeks.

Because tadalafil has several unpleasant side effects, including headache, heartburn, diarrhea, muscle and back pain, low blood pressure, nasal congestion, tinnitus and blurred vision, the participants were closely monitored. 

How did things pan out?

There was no significant difference in insulin sensitivity. But surprisingly, tadalafil caused a clear improvement in metabolic control, based on a test that shows how much sugar is in your blood known as the A1C test.

For people taking tadalafil, the level of A1C fell by an average of 2.50 mmol/mol (millimoles/mole).

“That’s a very distinct improvement in the long-term sugar levels, which we couldn’t have dreamed of after only six weeks of supplementary treatment in patients with well-controlled type 2 diabetes,” said Prof. Per-Anders Jansson who led the research.

But he also had a warning: “Self-medication with PDE5 inhibitors must never take place because, at worst, it can be life-threatening in combination with certain other drugs. These medicines are available on prescription only and must always be prescribed by the attending physician.”

His team is looking at repeating this pilot study with a larger group for a longer period to see if the results are similar.

How the body produces NO

Our bodies produce NO in a couple of ways — no drugs needed — with the right foods.

The most direct way is via the nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide pathway. Research claims it’s the most bioavailable, sustainable and quickest route for raising NO levels. And it works like this…

When we eat foods containing dietary nitrates (not to be confused with the food preservatives sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate), like beets or spinach, a chemical reaction occurs with bacteria in the mouth. This converts nitrates to nitrites and then NO in the gut, bloodstream and various organs.

The amino acids l-arginine and l-citrulline are also building blocks of NO and are found in a range of foods, including:

• Lobster
• Turkey
• Chicken
• Watermelon
• Squash
• Chickpeas
• Pumpkin
• Cucumber

So, whether you are a meat eater, a vegetarian or a vegan, there are foods available to you that will help generate healthy levels of nitric oxide naturally. That’s a relief considering the side effects — and the cost of drugs like Cialis…

To quote Dr. John Morley, director of endocrinology at Saint Louis University in Missouri, providing his opinion on a similar study, “Clearly, there is a potential, but these are among the most expensive drugs there are.”

Sources:

Potency drug reduced long-term blood sugar in type 2 diabetes — Eureka Alert

Feasibility of high-dose tadalafil and effects on insulin resistance in well-controlled patients with type 2 diabetes (MAKROTAD): a single-centre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over phase 2 trial — The Lancet

All About Your A1C — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The post The ED drug that brings long-term blood sugar down appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Moringa is native to India and grown in Asia and Africa and is becoming quite popular for its nutritional properties and medicinal compounds. When we called it a vitamin powerhouse, we weren’t joking…

Moringa has 7 times more vitamin C than oranges and 15 times more potassium than bananas!

So far, scientists have investigated only a fraction of its many bioactive plant compounds. But that’s changing — partly because a Fogarty-funded researcher, Dr. Carrie Waterman, a natural products chemist at the University of California, Davis, secured a five-year development award to explore moringa’s potential and bring to light the scientific evidence behind this superfood that comes from a plant traditionally known as “the miracle tree.”

Some of the claims that Dr. Waterman is delving into include the plant’s anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and antioxidant potential as well as its effect as a beneficial brain health agent. 

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Anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties

A growing body of evidence suggests that moringa helps fight sustained inflammation, which is linked to many chronic health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer.

In 2015, Dr. Waterman and colleagues published a 3-month study that showed feeding mice with 5 percent moringa concentrate while eating a high-fat diet improved glucose tolerance and insulin signaling. These moringa-fed mice didn’t develop liver disease and gain 18 percent less weight than the control group.

A small study of 30 women found that taking 1.5 teaspoons (7 grams) of moringa leaf powder every day for three months reduced fasting blood sugar levels by 13.5%, on average.

These results provide evidence that moringa intake may be a useful tool in managing weight in obese individuals, including the risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Moringa leaf powder has been effective at lowering blood sugar and cholesterol in diabetic patients. Waterman hopes results from the research project, and these studies will fuel interest and funding for human clinical trials.

Antioxidant

Moringa leaves contain antioxidants that fight free radicals causing oxidative stress and cellular damage. Moringa contains flavonoids, polyphenols and ascorbic acid, which prevents the damage and degradation of free radicals cause in the cells of the organs in our bodies and keeps them functioning at their best.

Brain health

Moringa supports brain health because of its antioxidant, high content of vitamins E and C, and neuro-enhancer activities. These plant extracts show promising preliminary results as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. It also plays a role in memory, increased dopamine and serotonin (happy hormones), and could potentially treat depression in the future.

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How to use moringa powder and tea

Dr. Waterman plans to apply for NIH and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding to support additional research into how consuming moringa can affect inflammation and chronic disease in humans. “It can both generate income for farmers, as well as provide food security,” she said. “I think moringa can be a smart tool in our toolbox of strategies to approach global health needs in an environmentally and socially conscious way.”

In Western countries, the dried leaves are sold as dietary supplements in powder or capsule form.

• Add it to your smoothie
• Sprinkle it into your soups
• Add to your salad dressing
• Mix it in with baked goods
• Try moringa-infused teas

Research has shown that it is safe to eat the leaves, seedpods and leaf extracts. Moringa is available as a powder, pill, oil and tea. Pregnant women should not eat the bark, root, or pulp and use caution if breastfeeding. Always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements, especially if you are taking prescription drugs.

Sources:

Scientist studies the moringa plant’s medicinal, nutritional benefits — NIH Fogarty International Center

Effect of supplementation of drumstick (Moringa oleifera) and amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor) leaves powder on antioxidant profile and oxidative status among postmenopausal women — Springer Nature

Oxidative DNA damage protective activity, antioxidant and anti-quorum sensing potentials of Moringa oleifera — NIH 

Effect of plant extracts on Alzheimer’s disease: An insight into therapeutic avenues — National Institutes of Health

6 Science based health benefits of moringa oleifera — Healthline.com

The post Moringa: An anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic superfood appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It’s also easy to brush it off as just a matter of being cautious of what you eat or adjusting medication. But poorly managed diabetes can tear your body down — from your heart to your limbs.

One of the most common complications for diabetics is a foot ulcer. These wounds can take anywhere from 90 to 150 days to heal and are at high risk of infection.

In fact, foot ulcers often lead to hospitalization due to complications — and for 14 to 24 percent of diabetics will lead to amputation and increase their death risk by 2.5 times.

With numbers like these, it’s no wonder researchers are exploring ways to speed the healing of diabetic foot ulcers. One biomedical engineering team at Michigan Technological University is seeking to reduce the healing time from three months to three weeks by amplifying the body’s natural healing processes…

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The healing power of nitric oxide

The technology they’re using involves nitric oxide (NO), a chemical naturally produced by the body…

NO is a signaling molecule and in addition to promoting healthy circulation, it helps immune system cells communicate. Unfortunately, in patients with diabetes, nitric oxide production is impaired, lessening the healing power of skin cells.

“Nitric oxide is a powerful healing chemical, but it’s not meant to be heavy-handed,” says Megan Frost, a professor who runs a polymeric biomaterials lab at Michigan Tech. “We’re looking at the profiles of healthy and diabetic cells to find a more nuanced way to recover wound function.”

She and her team assessed NO under normal and diabetic conditions in skin cells called dermal fibroblast cells. Fibroblasts play a key role in the healing process, and past studies have shown their delayed response could be a major factor in slow healing time for diabetic foot ulcers.

When NO steps in, it helps get the healing process back into balance. But simply flooding the wound with nitric oxide isn’t the solution.

“The old approach is to add nitric oxide and sit back to see if it works,” Frost says. “What we’re finding is that it’s not enough to apply and leave; we have to keep tabs on how much nitric oxide is actually needed.”

To that end, Frost’s lab built its own nitric oxide-measuring device by hand. This device will be produced commercially to improve cell chemistry research.

The research team next plans to create bandages infused with NO that adjusts the release of the chemical based on the condition of the wound’s cells.

A little background in nitric oxide

In 1998, three pharmacologists won the Nobel Prize for identifying NO as a signaling molecule for the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Subsequent research has recognized it as an important player in the immune system as well.

NO was found in the endothelial cells that lined artery walls — where its chief function was as a powerful vasodilator. But because of its positive effect on circulation, it’s believed to also help white blood cells (infection-fighting cells) move efficiently within the body. According to the University of Reading, high amounts of nitric oxide produced by macrophages is toxic to bacteria.

NO is produced via the nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide pathway. When we eat foods containing dietary nitrates, like spinach or beets (don’t confuse this with sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate food preservatives used in lunch meats and hot dogs), a chemical reaction occurs with good bacteria or microflora on the tongue. The result is that the nitrates are converted to nitrites and then nitric oxide.

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Avoiding foot ulcers

Diabetes is associated with poor blood flow in the legs and feet. Additionally, many diabetics are prone to a type of nerve damage known as peripheral neuropathy which can decrease the perception of pain. That means a small scrape can go unnoticed until it has become an infected hard-to-treat wound.

Experts recommend diabetics check their feet daily for any blisters, cuts, scratches and ingrown toenails, all of which can cause an ulcer to form. And they advise smokers to stop smoking because it can slow the healing process.

Above all, proper management of blood sugar is imperative to avoid foot ulcers. Part and parcel of that is maintaining a healthy weight. Carrying extra weight increases stress on the feet which can lead to the breakdown of the skin.

In addition, diabetics need to maintain healthy vitamin D levels. In one study, researchers discovered that low vitamin D levels were significantly associated with a higher prevalence of foot ulcers in older patients with diabetes. Also, foot ulcers were more severe in patients with lower vitamin D levels.

Of course, following a healthy nutrient-rich diet is of utmost importance to successfully managing diabetes and avoiding complications. Most experts recommend variations of low-carb diets. Be sure yours include the nutrients most beneficial to your unique health needs.

Sources:

Nitric Oxide Technology Helps Quickly Heal Diabetic Foot Ulcers — Michigan Technological University

Investigative Study on Nitric Oxide Production in Human Dermal Fibroblast Cells under Normal and High Glucose Conditions — Medical Sciences

Frequently Asked Questions: Diabetic Foot Ulcers — University of Michigan Health

Preventing Diabetic Foot Ulcers — NYU Langone Health

Healthy foods to boost nitric oxide production — WedMd

The post ‘Miracle’ molecule may speed diabetic foot ulcer healing appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

I’m a strict two-cup-a-day gal myself.

But considering the results of two major studies, I’m seriously considering upping my caffeine game somewhat…

Taken together, these two studies (and previous research) suggest caffeine may be a helpful strategy for lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

And in a world where diabetes and obesity rates are skyrocketing, it sounds like something we need to know more about…

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Higher blood caffeine linked to less risk of obesity and diabetes

By approaching things from a new angle, three Swedish researchers have shown that higher levels of caffeine in the blood are associated with less body fat and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

The scientists already knew that previous studies had suggested that drinking 3-5 daily cups of coffee is associated with a lower risk of the condition.

But they were also aware of two problematic issues with this research…

First, it consisted mainly of observational studies, where a causal relationship could not be established. Second, it was difficult to separate the specific effects of caffeine from those of other compounds contained in coffee.

To resolve this issue, they turned to a research technique known as Mendelian randomization, which uses the presence of certain genetic variants as evidence of a particular outcome — in this case, body fat and type 2 diabetes risk.

Using nearly 10,000 subjects from six long-term studies, their analysis determined that people with a genetic variant that is a predictor of high caffeine levels also had less body fat and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

Per the researchers, caffeine is known to boost metabolism, increase fat burning and reduce appetite. A daily intake of 100 mg (one cup of coffee) has been estimated to increase energy expenditure by around 100 calories a day, which could certainly help lower the risk of developing obesity.

“Our Mendelian randomization finding suggests that caffeine might, at least in part, explain the inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes.”

Coffee reduces inflammation, another diabetes factor

Researchers from the University Center Rotterdam in the Netherlands analyzed a large set of data from two large, ongoing studies: the UK Biobank, and the Rotterdam Study in the Netherlands.

UK Biobank subjects included 502,536 people from the United Kingdom who were between 37 and 73 years old. Rotterdam Study subjects numbered 14,929.

The analysis indicated that drinking coffee boosts levels of the anti-inflammatory hormone adiponectin and the cytokine known as interleukin-13, which also controls inflammation.

At the same time, coffee consumption decreases levels of C-reactive protein and leptin, both of which promote inflammation.

Since type 2 diabetes is an inflammatory disease, this goes a long way to explaining why coffee lowers diabetes risk.

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A few words of caution

The researchers say their next step would be randomized controlled trials to assess the effectiveness of non-caloric caffeinated beverages on obesity and type 2 diabetes.

But a few words of caution.

First, if you decide to increase your caffeine consumption, ease into it and don’t go over that 3 to 5-cup range. Also, bear in mind that when these studies refer to a cup of coffee they mean 6 to 8 ounces. Your favorite oversized mug probably holds 16 ounces — so that’s technically 2 cups right there.

Secondly, these studies included calorie-free caffeinated drinks — so that means no milk or sugar in your coffee. I have a friend who enjoys caffeinated sparkling water. She drinks a brand called AHA that is only lightly flavored and contains no sugar or artificial sweeteners (not even stevia or monk fruit). But it contains half the caffeine as a cup of coffee.

Thirdly, caffeine is a stimulant. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to avoid it after 2 or 3 pm, so that it doesn’t prevent you from falling asleep.

Research shows that lack of sleep encourages food cravings that ultimately can lead to excess body weight, obesity and diabetes.

Don’t forget that caffeine can be an irritant, so if you have irritable bowel syndrome or an overactive bladder, you should probably check with your doctor before increasing your coffee consumption.

Most importantly, some people are overly sensitive to caffeine. If you’re one of them, you may experience some or all of the following:

• Jitteriness or shakiness
• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Diarrhea
• Heart palpitations
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Urinary urgency (needing to rush to the bathroom to pee)

If these symptoms can’t be explained otherwise, and you’ve recently increased your coffee intake, you may need to back off.

Sources:

High blood caffeine level might curb amount of body fat and type 2 diabetes risk — Eureka Alert

Appraisal of the causal effect of plasma caffeine on adiposity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease: two sample mendelian randomisation study — BMJ Medicine

How coffee helps lower type 2 diabetes risk: New clues on mechanism — Medical News Today

C-reactive protein partially mediates the inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: The UK Biobank and the Rotterdam study cohorts — Clinical Nutrition

An Overview of Caffeine Sensitivity — Verywell Health

The post Caffeine’s potential role in reducing obesity and diabetes appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But for decades, experts, including doctors and nutritionists, have maintained that not only could T2D be avoided with the right intervention — but that the disease could be reversed. There aren’t many conditions or diseases that present that opportunity — or where food is the medicine.

The number of people suffering from T2D is rising globally — and at a much faster rate in developed regions like Western Europe and the United States. Experts believe this is mainly because of the Western diet

And research appears to back up this hypothesis — including which specific foods are the biggest troublemakers…

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Poor diet linked with the majority of diabetes cases

Using data from 1990 and 2018, investigators at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University developed a research model based on dietary intake in 184 countries.

Their analysis estimates that a staggering 7 out of 10 cases of T2D worldwide in 2018 were linked to poor food choices. That translates to more than 14.1 million global cases!

Out of the 11 dietary factors considered in the analysis, three foods significantly contributed to rising T2D incidence. They were…

• Insufficient intake of whole grains;
• Overconsumption of refined rice and wheat;
• And excess intake of processed meat.

They also noted factors like drinking too much fruit juice and not eating enough non-starchy vegetables, nuts or seeds.

Previous studies had estimated that 40 percent of cases of T2D were linked to a poor diet. The Tufts researchers felt the reason their number was as high as 70 percent was due to the inclusion of refined grains.

You can’t just lump grains into one group. Whole grains are full of benefits that promote good metabolic health. But refined grains are a totally different monster…

Refined grains are wheat grain products or flours that have had the bran and germ removed, rendering them low in fiber. Refined grains are used in many processed foods, cereals and ready-to-eat baked goods and bread. And they have the opposite effect of whole grains, especially concerning heart problems, stroke risk and blood sugar.

“Our study suggests poor carbohydrate quality is a leading driver of diet-attributable type 2 diabetes globally, and with important variation by nation and over time,” says senior author Dariush Mozaffarian, a nutrition professor and dean for policy at the Friedman School.

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The best diets for combating type 2 diabetes

If you’re at elevated risk for blood sugar problems, you don’t want to join these rising ranks of people touched by full-blown T2D. Consider this a wake call and heed the alert about which foods have the biggest negative impact—and which ones can support normal blood sugar levels.

Several eating plans can help reduce your T2D risk. In fact, some have reversed type 2 diabetes…

In one study, an eight-week restricted-calorie diet was able to reverse type 2 diabetes. Of course, that study involved ingesting only 600 calories a day, so it may not be feasible for people outside of a clinical environment to follow such a strict limit.

Instead, you might want to try a 5:2 eating pattern, which involves eating 600 calories two days in a row, then eating a normal amount of calories for the rest of the week. For most people, that’s between 1,800 and 2,400 calories. A study of the 5:2 eating plan found it reduced blood sugar and weight.

Other diets that can help keep blood sugar levels balanced include the paleo diet, the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet. All these diets focus on lowering consumption of refined grains, processed meat and added sugars, and the latter two also include plenty of whole grains and fiber from plant sources. Fiber helps to control blood sugar, as well as blood pressure and heart disease risk

Sources:

Study Links Poor Diet to 14 Million Cases of Type 2 Diabetes Globally — TuftsNow

Incident type 2 diabetes attributable to suboptimal diet in 184 countries — Nature Medicine

Epidemiology of Type 2 Diabetes – Global Burden of Disease and Forecasted Trends — Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health

The post 3 dietary factors that lead to millions of T2D cases appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Fruits and vegetables with these color pigments contain anthocyanins, a group of polyphenol antioxidants that have a strong effect on cellular inflammation. Research shows that regularly eating foods rich in anthocyanins can lead to drastic reductions in acute inflammation and oxidative stress.

That’s likely why other studies have linked anthocyanins with benefits that affect cardiovascular function, risk of Parkinson’s disease, lung function, a strong immune system, slower aging, improved control over obesity and vision loss.

Anthocyanins also can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. And Finnish researchers have found that this benefit could be enhanced by a particular variety of these antioxidants…

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Acylated anthocyanins may boost protection

In addition to their anti-inflammatory effects, anthocyanins have been found to reduce the risk of diabetes by affecting energy metabolism and the gut microbiota. The Finnish study showed this protective effect is increased when the anthocyanin is acylated.

When an anthocyanin is acylated, it changes its physical and chemical properties. Acylated anthocyanins are more effective antioxidants and can also improve the intestinal barrier. This is important because your intestinal barrier enables absorption of essential nutrients and an unhealthy intestinal barrier can lead to problems connected to leaky gut syndrome.

In addition, acylated anthocyanins have probiotic properties that help maintain balance in the gut microbiome, suppress inflammatory pathways and modulate the metabolism of glucose and lipids. That last part is especially beneficial for blood sugar problems.

“The latest research has shown that the acylated and nonacylated anthocyanins can impact type 2 diabetes in different ways,” says Kang Chen, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Turku in Finland.

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Best sources of acylated anthocyanins

Chen notes the plant’s genotype defines whether they produce acylated or nonacylated anthocyanins.

“In general, purple vegetables contain many acylated anthocyanins,” he says. “Also, purple potatoes, especially the Finnish variety called Synkeä Sakari, are abundant in acylated anthocyanins.”

The researchers say a large amount of acylated anthocyanins can be found in purple potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, red radishes, purple carrots and red cabbages.

By contrast, many berries, including bilberries and mulberries, contain mostly nonacylated anthocyanins. Two exceptions are blueberries and gooseberries, both of which appear to have a significant amount of acylated anthocyanins, according to earlier studies.

Previous research has found that anthocyanins can be degraded through high-temperature cooking methods. Interestingly, the Finnish researchers observe that acylated anthocyanins do appear to be more stable than their nonacylated counterparts when exposed to moderate heat.

Still, if you want to preserve maximum acylated anthocyanin content in your red and purple foods, it’s probably best to consume them raw or gently steam or boil them.

Sources:

Purple Vegetables and Tubers Have Antidiabetic Properties — University of Turku

Anthocyanins as Promising Molecules Affecting Energy Homeostasis, Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota in Type 2 Diabetes with Special Reference to Impact of Acylation — Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

Anthocyanin composition and content of blueberries from around the world — Journal of Berry Research

Anthocyanins in berries of ribes including gooseberry cultivars with a high content of acylated pigments — Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

Effect of domestic cooking methods on the anthocyanins and antioxidant activity of deeply purple-fleshed sweetpotato GZ9 — Heliyon

The post How purple produce pushes back at blood sugar problems appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And, because the disease is often silent, up to 9 in 10 patients don’t even realize they have it until it’s severe.

If that weren’t bad enough, over the past four decades, modern medicine has offered only a handful of new options for treating it.

But that may be changing — thanks to the identification of an enzyme “helper” molecule that could be used not only to help develop new treatments, but prevent kidney disease in the first place…

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Protecting the vital role of tubule cells

Metabolic reactions spark energy to carry out specific functions in the human body. Metabolites are like fuel for those reactions. Without these helper molecules, important processes can go awry and often lead to disease conditions.

Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that using a common supplement to boost one such helper molecule, called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD for short), protected mice from kidney dysfunction by protecting the mitochondria of kidney tubule cells.

Mitochondria are responsible for supplying energy to most cells in the body. And similarly, NAD is found in all living cells. Of course, NAD synthesis (like so many things) decreases with age and also quickens aging.

When the researchers were mapping metabolite changes in mouse and human kidneys, they identified differences in levels between healthy and diseased kidneys that were consistent, including a prominent decrease in NAD in diseased kidneys.

So they decided to give mice supplements to see if it would reverse the NAD loss — and it did. That protected the mitochondria in the tubule cells which are used to return filtered nutrients to the body’s bloodstream.

When the mitochondria in those cells are damaged, a pathway causing inflammation and kidney disease development is activated. But NAD supplements suppressed the inflammation,  protected the tubule cell mitochondria and prevented kidney dysfunction in the mice.

When asked what the results of this study could do for the future of kidney disease treatment, co-lead investigator Katalin Susztak, MD, Ph.D., had this to say: “We hope that this research can lead to improved care in the future. So when patients have metabolite changes, they can receive treatment before kidney disorders arise.”

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Boosting the body’s NAD

The research team hopes that their research will lead to further studies into the role of metabolite changes in kidney dysfunction, as well as the development of new pharmaceuticals to prevent and treat kidney disease.

But the supplement that boosted NAD used in this research is already readily available over the counter…

The researchers suggested nicotinamide riboside or nicotinamide mononucleotide — both of which are forms of B3 — and act as precursors to help the body produce the enzyme NAD.

For people at risk of kidney disease, supplementing to support NAD could be key to avoiding it.

If you currently have kidney disease and take medication, it’s a good idea to discuss taking supplements with your prescribing physician.

Sources:

Key mechanism for kidney disease identified – EurekAlert!

Kidney Disease Statistics for the United States – NIH

The post Key player in kidney disease identified (and a supplement that helps) appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, coffee now has a reputation for helping protect your brain from neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and your heart against heart failure and stroke.

Coffee’s even been found to brew up better gut bacteria, which could help keep your immune system running strong.

Investigators have also found that people who drink coffee are less likely to suffer from diabetes and people who don’t have a higher risk of developing it.

Considering that 96 million (1 in 3) Americans have prediabetes, the implications could be huge. But researchers had to show more than an association and set out to do so…

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Putting out the coals that fan the fire

Using massive sets of data from the UK Biobank (with 145,368 participants) and the Rotterdam Study (with 7,111 participants), the researchers were able to confirm that a simple one-cup per day increase in coffee consumption was associated with a four to six percent lower risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D).

And the underlying mechanism they were searching for?

T2D is considered, in part at least, an inflammatory disease. The researchers saw that coffee consumption resulted in lower levels of an inflammatory biomarker — C-reactive protein (CRP) — which increases when inflammation is present in the body.

From there, things got even better…

One extra cup led to:

• Lower insulin resistance. When you’re insulin resistant, the insulin key doesn’t work as effectively and can lead to high glucose levels.
• Lower levels of the hormone leptin, which regulates food intake and energy balance.
• Higher adiponectin, a hormone that regulates glucose and lipid metabolism, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing effects.

When asked about these results, lead author, Dr. Trudy Voortman, PhD, had this to say: “Coffee is one of the most frequently consumed beverages worldwide and its potential health effects trigger significant scientific research. Previous studies have linked higher coffee consumption to lower risk of developing T2D but underlying mechanisms remained unclear.

“Our research shows that coffee is associated with differences in the levels of inflammation biomarkers in the body, and as we know that T2D is partly an inflammatory disease, this could be one of the mechanisms at play. These findings could also support future research into the effects of coffee on other inflammation-related chronic diseases.”

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Drinking coffee to your benefit

About that one “extra” cup per day…

That increase was measured against varying amounts the individuals in the study were already drinking. Among participants, that ranged from 0 to less than 6 cups per day. The study found benefits from the one additional cup regardless of whether individuals were at the lower end or higher end.

Experts consider consuming 3-5 cups of caffeinated coffee per day to be a moderate and safe amount for most adults. Of course, pregnant or lactating women should decrease that by at least half.

This research also weighed the benefits against different coffee preparations…

It turns out that drinking filtered or espresso coffee had the strongest beneficial association with lowering both diabetes risk and inflammation, compared to other types of brewed beverages.

Now, if you drink your coffee black, you can boost its ability to squelch inflammation further by adding milk. Copenhagen researchers found that adding milk creates an intersection between polyphenols and proteins that doubles coffee’s anti-inflammatory benefits.

I realize not everyone is a coffee drinker. In that case, you might want to read about how fish oil can improve blood sugar (hint: it also has a lot to do with inflammation!).

Sources:

New research reveals a potential mechanism for how coffee may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes – EurekAlert!

The post What an extra cup of coffee does for diabetes risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Diabetes can affect many parts of the body and is associated with serious complications, such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-limb amputation, among other conditions.

Exercise and diet are your main weapons against becoming a diabetes statistic.

But aside from avoiding sugar and processed foods and “eating healthy,” there’s an important trace mineral that can further swing the odds in your favor…

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Manganese for regulating blood sugar

Manganese is a trace mineral, one that your body only needs in small amounts. But without it, your body is in trouble.

To illustrate this point, iron is also considered a trace mineral, and we know that iron deficiency results in anemia.

Manganese is heavily concentrated in the pancreas and is involved in the production of insulin.

A person with insufficient manganese will have impaired glucose tolerance. In other words, blood glucose is raised beyond normal levels, but not high enough to warrant a diabetes diagnosis… yet.

That’s called prediabetes, and in addition to making you ripe for a diabetes diagnosis sooner than later, it carries serious risks of its own.

Research links insufficient manganese with diabetes risk

According to previous research published in Diabetes Care, a higher intake of manganese is associated with a lower type 2 diabetes risk among postmenopausal women.

Jung Ho Gong, an undergraduate research assistant at Brown University, looked at 84,285 postmenopausal women who had taken part in the observational study portion of the Women’s Health Initiative, a long-term national health study.

He evaluated the association between manganese intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes and found that those in the highest 20 percent for manganese intake had a 30 percent lower risk than those in the lowest 20 percent.

Related: The diabetes ‘spice’ that beat metformin

And additional research supports these findings…

A 2014 study based on the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNAHNES) had previously shown a connection between manganese and reduced risk of diabetes.

This study measured the blood manganese levels of 3,996 participants and evaluated them for the presence of diabetes and four other chronic diseases.

Blood manganese levels were significantly lower in subjects with diabetes. This suggested to the researchers that manganese played a role in maintaining a steady glucose level.

This isn’t surprising since manganese helps the body metabolize fats and carbohydrates, a process that must run well to regulate blood sugar.

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Other ways manganese is important for your body

Having sufficient manganese in your diet protects you from more than diabetes. In fact, it’s…

• essential for bone strength and the prevention of osteoporosis and fractures.
• a vasodilator, so it promotes healthy blood flow.
• involved in the digestion of proteins and amino acids.
• important in the production of thyroxine, the main thyroid hormone that controls how much energy the body uses (when it doesn’t function well, you have low energy associated with low thyroid).

But just how much manganese do you need to consume to benefit?

According to the Linus Pauling Institute, the adequate daily intake for manganese is 2.3 milligrams in adult men and 1.8 milligrams in adult women. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level for manganese is 11 milligrams per day. Manganese can become toxic in higher doses, don’t go over that amount.

Good food sources of manganese include:

• Shellfish
• Nuts, especially almonds and pecans
• Beans and legumes such as lima and pinto beans
• Oatmeal and bran cereals
• Whole wheat bread
• Brown rice
• Spinach
• Pineapple
• Dark chocolate
• Sweet potatoes

Also, manganese is a part of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), one of the most important antioxidants in your body. It works to prevent disease by fighting free radicals.

So, getting those manganese-rich foods into your diet may not only keep diabetes away, but it can keep your immune system strong. That’s something we all want and need right now!

Sources:

1. Higher manganese intake may be tied to lower type 2 diabetes risk — Medical Xpress
2. 10 Evidence-Based Benefits of Manganese — Healthline
3. Diabetes Statistics — Diabetes Research Institue Foundation
4. Statistics About Diabetes — American Diabetes Association
5. Welcome to the Women’s Health Initiative — Women’s Health Initiative

The post Is this trace mineral behind your blood sugar problems? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It’s a serious disease that can cause blindness, foot amputation, nerve damage and kidney problems, to name a few of the possible long-term effects.

And even though diabetes doesn’t just appear out of thin air, it can sneak up on you…

Approximately 1 in 3 American adults have prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but have not crossed the threshold for diabetes yet.

Unfortunately, most people in this stage don’t know the warning signs of prediabetes, that it carries a serious threat for heart damage or that it’s a critical point for stopping the trajectory to type 2 diabetes.

Physicians will advise keeping weight, blood sugar and cholesterol levels healthy through diet and exercise to avoid prediabetes.

But if you still find yourself in prediabetes limbo, you could benefit from extra help — like taking a common vitamin found to slash the risk of progression to full-blown diabetes…

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Vitamin D could save millions from a diabetes diagnosis

Vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin, is best known for powerful immune support. Few of us realize it also has important roles in insulin secretion and glucose metabolism. In fact, previous research has associated low blood levels of vitamin D with a higher risk of developing diabetes.

Researchers from Tufts Medical Center conducted a review and meta-analysis (they combined the statistical results) of three clinical trials comparing the impact of vitamin D supplements on diabetes risk for adults with prediabetes.

Over a three-year follow-up period, they saw that supplementing vitamin D was associated with a 15 percent decreased likelihood for developing type 2 diabetes in adults with prediabetes.

Given the fact that more than 374 million adults worldwide have prediabetes, the authors used their findings to deduce that vitamin D supplementation could delay the development of diabetes in more than ten million people.

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Vitamin D helps take down risk factors

If you know a little more about vitamin D’s association with other risk factors that are known to contribute to the development of diabetes, there’s no mystery about why D is the anti-diabetes vitamin…

Take obesity, considered one of the top risk factors. People who are low in vitamin D are also more likely to be obese. But worse, a study from Spain has shown that lacking vitamin D expands your chances of developing diabetes even more than being overweight.

Another study found that people with vitamin D blood levels of 50 ng/mL (considered adequate) were five times less likely to develop diabetes than those with 20ng/mL. The lead author of that study, Dr. Cedric Garland, believes rather than focusing solely on obesity and sugar and fat intake, we should be focusing on vitamin D levels.

Per the good folks at Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health, the RDA for vitamin D provides the daily amount needed to just maintain healthy bones and normal calcium metabolism in healthy people. That means 600 to 800 IU a day likely won’t turn prediabetes around.

The Institute of Medicine increased the upper limit of vitamin D to 4000 IU a day for adults, but other experts recommend a therapeutic daily dose of 5000 IU. Because of a growing body of research that’s finding vitamin D is not a one-size-fits-all vitamin, some have also suggested that dosage be based on BMI.

If you’re unsure what your vitamin D levels are, your doctor can test them. He’d also best know of any conditions or medications that could lower your levels or potential interactions.

Sources:

Vitamin D supplementation may lower diabetes risk for the more than 10 million adults with prediabetes — Eureka Alert

Vitamin D and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in People With Prediabetes — Annals of Internal Medicine

Time out: should vitamin D dosing be based on patient’s body mass index (BMI): a prospective controlled study — Cambridge University Press

The post The vitamin that could turn prediabetes around appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Because they do not bind chemically to the material they’re added to, so they’re oh-so-easily absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream.

Phthalates, like several other synthetic chemicals, are endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs).

That means they disrupt the workings of the hormones that control pretty much every function in your body.

And because of the intimate nature of many of the personal care products these chemicals are used in, women are especially hard hit…

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Studies have shown that women with high levels of phthalates experience menopause earlier than women with lower levels. Early menopause increases a woman’s risk for cognitive decline and all-cause mortality.

Studies have shown they also interfere with the production of thyroid hormones. A urine analysis of 1,660 study participants found the higher the phthalate levels in the body, the lower their thyroid levels.

But the phthalate assault on women doesn’t end there…

Phthalates raise women’s risk of type 2 diabetes

Research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism shows that the phthalates found in shampoo and makeup can dramatically raise a woman’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

In the study conducted by scientists at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, about 1300 women without diabetes were followed for a period of six years.

During that time, periodic urine samples were taken that measured the amount of phthalate metabolites present.

Women with higher levels of phthalates in their urine were up to 63 percent more likely to develop diabetes.

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How to cut down on phthalate exposure

Fortunately, some manufacturers of personal care products realize the dangers of phthalate exposure.

I began using phthalate-free shampoo and conditioner as soon as they hit the market. And now they are easy to find in most stores.

The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Skin Deep® cosmetics database and Guide to Healthy Cleaning are also great sources to find personal care and cleaning products that are free from phthalates and undisclosed fragrances, as well as other harmful chemicals.

But, because phthalates are everywhere chemicals, please follow these other tips to minimize your exposure:

• Never heat food in plastic containers.
• Avoid processed foods whenever possible.
• Eat organic meat, especially organic chicken. Researchers have found evidence of phthalates in the meat of non-organic chickens that they believe originally came from the chicken feed fed to these animals.
• Do not use plastic cups when you drink hot beverages.
• If you use sanitary napkins or pads, look for phthalate-free brands.

Sources:

Chemicals found in shampoo shown to raise women’s risk of diabetes by two thirds – study — express.co.uk

Phthalates and Incident Diabetes in Midlife Women: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) — Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

Pthalates: the everywhere chemical — National Institutes of Health

Phthalates may increase diabetes risk in women, but which women and why? — Medical News Today

The post Thyroid, menopause and diabetes: The phthalate danger to women appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

So when the wonder drug Ozempic was approved in 2017 for people with type 2 diabetes — it stirred quite a bit of excitement.

Diabetics who manage their weight greatly reduce the risks of serious complications including stroke. And suddenly, people with diabetes who’d struggled with weight maintenance were losing it with ease thanks to a weekly injection of Ozempic — or, specifically, its active ingredient semaglutide.

But something else happened…

It wasn’t long before Ozempic was prescribed “off-label” to people without diabetes solely for weight loss. If you could pay the price, there were doctors more than glad to help. You may have heard about Hollywood’s obsession with the drug.

But just so everyone could get on board, and insurance companies would pay the outrageous cost, semaglutide was dressed up and reintroduced as a new product: Wegovy.

Marketed and approved by the FDA for “chronic weight management,” the only difference is dosage: Wegovy gets you 2.4 mg of semaglutide to Ozempic’s 1 mg.

So, it seemed that the “magic weight loss pill” so many have hoped for had finally arrived. But not without a cost… and I don’t just mean the $1,400 monthly price tag…

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Be careful what you wish for

It’s really no wonder that we’d be willing to try almost anything to lose weight. There are so many kinds of diets, choosing the right one could take a doctorate. But even doctors, in recent years, have admitted they receive less than a handful of instructional hours in medical school about diet to improve health.

That’s why a personal friend of mine, was ready to jump on the Wegovy bandwagon — and it’s a cautionary tale that’s echoed by many others…

“It was awful,” she said. “I would wake up in the middle of the night with extreme acid reflux and feeling like I was going to throw up. And then it caused fatigue so bad I could barely do anything. And because it’s an injection you have to ride it out for a week before the side effects subside.”

I’ve come across several personal stories like this online. Wegovy users have lamented they miss enjoying food or going out to eat. One stated, “If I take too many bites, I have to run to the bathroom.”

Some have gone so far as to say they now hate food. It’s no wonder when you hear why…

“It started off making me nauseous and after eating or drinking a very small amount, I felt full. If I tried to eat a few more bites it felt like everything was backing up in my esophagus.”

These complaints fall right in with semaglutide’s most common so-called side effects — nausea and vomiting — that some experts say may not beside effects at all, but the mechanism by which it works so well. If you can’t keep the food down, it won’t pack on the pounds.

Is Wegovy worth the risk?

Semaglutide is a synthetic form of the natural hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) which is released when we eat to stimulate insulin and prevent the release of another hormone called glucagon. These actions regulate blood sugar levels and slow the passage of food from the stomach to suppress appetite.

Dr. Robert Kushner of Northwestern University, who also serves on a medical advisory board for Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy, explained, “What the pharmaceutical companies have done is taken this hormone that is naturally occurring and restructured it into a drug.”

And like quite a few drugs, semaglutide comes with a warning…

A black box warning — or boxed warning, as the FDA prefers to call them — is the most serious type of warning mandated by the FDA. Such a warning, usually prominently featured on a drug’s label, warns of serious adverse reactions or special problems associated with a drug.

And both Wegovy and Ozempic have their very own — for thyroid cancer.

While clinical trials have not demonstrated if Wegovy increases thyroid cancer risk in people, in rodents, “semaglutide causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures.” If a patient has a family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or the genetic condition MEN2, they are warned not to take the drug.

But other concerning issues with Wegovy did show up in clinical trials with humans…

Some patients experienced acute pancreatitis and acute gallbladder disease. Symptoms for both are similar, including abdominal pain, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and dark urine in the case of gallbladder disease.

What happens if you stop the drug? Rebound weight gain

Additional problems have plagued people who have somehow found a way to stick with it, at first…

One is sticker shock… then gaining the weight back quickly.

Yolanda Hamilton, a nurse from South Holland, Illinois, told NRP that, at first, using Wegovy gave her more energy. Her sugar cravings subsided, and she felt satisfied with smaller meals. She dropped 60 pounds, and her blood sugar and blood pressure both came down.

But then Yolanda changed jobs, and her new health insurance plan didn’t cover the cost of Wegovy. When she could no longer afford to use the drug at a sticker price of about $1,400 a month, the weight started coming back surprisingly fast.

In a matter of months, she has gained back 20 pounds. “I’m very frustrated about the weight coming back on in so little time,” she says.

Based on how the drug works, the “rebound” weight gain is no surprise. And it may be even harder to reign in according to what a study in the New England Journal of Medicine found over a decade ago…

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Altered hunger-related hormones

That research found that hunger-related hormones disrupted by dieting and weight loss can remain at altered levels for at least a year, fueling a heartier-than-normal appetite.

That’s one reason that severely restricting calories isn’t the best way to lose weight. But can you imagine how difficult it might be for our hunger hormones to recover following drug-induced disruption?

Fruits and vegetables give the body the nutrients it needs to restore balance to our hunger hormones to do their jobs naturally — without being starved or manipulated by a drug.

Take berries. In studies snacking on berries create a sense of fullness that other snacks don’t. And, because of their anthocyanin content, they help make the body more sensitive to insulin — the hormone that takes glucose out of the blood and into cells to be used for energy.

Soluble fiber stabilizes blood sugar, slowing down the time it takes food to empty from the stomach and sugars to break down. This is good news for diabetics, hypoglycemics and anyone looking to lose weight naturally. Aiming to eat 30 grams of fiber each day can help with weight loss, lower blood pressure, and improve the body’s response to insulin just as effectively as a more complicated diet.

A diet high in protein has been shown to help suppress ghrelin, the hormone that signals hunger. It’s especially helpful to start your day with a protein-rich breakfast. Protein also has a positive impact on leptin (the hormone that signifies satiety).

Black seed oil from the plant Nigella sativa has numerous studies that indicate its positive effects on blood sugar and weight. It’s found in supplement form or bottled, like olive oil.

Side effects? It’s possible it could take a little longer to lose weight by eating better than with Wegovy and may require some exercise. But using the right food to achieve your goals will leave you with habits you’ll benefit from for the rest of your life — and won’t leave you nauseous or running for the bathroom, require an injection or empty your savings account.

Sources:

New Medication has Implications to avoid Would-be Chronic Disease — Pharmdive.com

Wegovy works. But here’s what happens if you can’t afford to keep taking the drug — NPR (Maine Public)

The dark side of A-list weight drugs — Evening Standard

I miss eating: the truth behind the weight loss drug that makes food repulsive —The Guardian

After dieting, hormone changes may fuel weight regain — CNN Health

The post Wegovy: From rebound weight to that black box warning appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

You may believe that once you’ve crossed the line into type 2 diabetes territory, there’s no going back. You’re stuck with this disease for the rest of your life. But that’s far from the truth.

Sure, it’s not easy to get your metabolic health back in order once it’s gotten that far out of whack. But it is possible. People have done it through diet and exercise.

Or maybe you’ve known for a while that it’s possible to reverse type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise, but you still struggle to nail down (and stick to) an exact plan that will help you do so.

If that’s the case, this latest study from researchers at Newcastle University could help…

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A proven diabetes-reversing diet

In a recent study, researchers from Newcastle University found that following a low-calorie diet for eight weeks reverses type 2 diabetes.

In fact, within just one week of starting the low-calorie diet, participants in the study experienced a dramatic improvement in insulin sensitivity, and their fasting blood sugar levels returned to normal.

But be warned… the low-calorie diet used in the study was extreme. Study participants only ate 600 calories per day for eight weeks. The recommended calorie intake for the average adult is between 1,500 and 2,500 calories per day (depending on sex, age and weight loss goals), so that’s quite a difference.

Of course, if you’re considering trying it anyway, you may be wondering why drastically reducing your calorie intake has such a dramatic impact on diabetes…

When it comes to reversing type 2 diabetes, researchers say it all comes down to weight loss. Most people who develop type 2 diabetes have been overdoing their calorie intake for far too long.

Eating too many calories causes a condition called fatty liver to develop, which is an accumulation of excess fat in your liver.

Once you get fatty liver, your liver starts making too much glucose. Your liver also starts sending extra fat to your pancreas, which interferes with one of the pancreas’ most important jobs—insulin production. So too much glucose and not enough insulin becomes a recipe for disaster, which eventually causes type 2 diabetes.

But according to researchers, losing body weight can also help you shed weight off the pancreas, which can get things in working order again.

In the study, researchers found that you only have to lose one gram of fat off of your pancreas for its insulin production to normalize. And by following this low-calorie diet, people were able to do that and lose an average of 11 pounds of overall body weight in eight weeks.

“Many have described to me how embarking on the low-calorie diet has been the only option to prevent what they thought — or had been told — was an inevitable decline into further medication and further ill health because of their diabetes,” said the lead author of the study Professor Roy Taylor.

And Professor Taylor has more good news…

Even if you’ve had type 2 diabetes for as long as a decade, Taylor says you can reverse it by trimming fat off your pancreas.

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Using a low-calorie diet to ditch your diabetes

Now, there’s something I want to emphasize here…

Type 2 diabetes is a serious condition. As it progresses, it can cause heart failure, blindness, kidney disease and leg amputations. So making an effort to reverse it is one of the best choices you can make for yourself and your health.

But you shouldn’t undertake it lightly — especially if you’re planning on following an extremely low-calorie diet like the one used in the study.

If you’re going to reverse your type 2 diabetes through a major lifestyle change like this, you shouldn’t go it alone. Partner with a trusted healthcare professional who can guide you, monitor your progress and provide support and encouragement along the way.

Of course, if you do decide to try this low-calorie diet challenge, it will be life changing. Not only did it reverse type 2 diabetes, but researchers said study participants didn’t even feel hungry and tired from cutting back on calories. They actually felt better.

If you’re looking for a solution that’s more moderate, you could also try something known as intermittent fasting. One version, known as the 5:2 diet, only requires you to lower your calorie intake to 800 calories for two days per week and allows you to eat normally for the other five days. This diet has also been shown to help you lose weight and lower blood sugar levels.

But if extreme low-cal dieting or fasting isn’t for you, just stick to healthy eating and exercise. It may not be a quick fix for losing weight and reversing diabetes. But if you’re committed and consistent, you will get to your goal and reclaim your health.

The post Say goodbye to type 2 diabetes in 8 weeks appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Having type 2 diabetes can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease by causing the endothelial cells that line your blood vessels to malfunction. This could lead to plaque buildup, stroke and heart disease.

Other health problems linked to type 2 diabetes include nerve damage, foot sores and infections, vision loss and blindness, kidney problems and sexual difficulties like vaginal dryness and erectile dysfunction.

Given all this, it’s important to do whatever you can to reduce your odds of developing type 2 diabetes or to properly manage the condition if you already have it.

Research has found that sitting too much can be a recipe for type 2 diabetes. So exercise is definitely an important part of managing diabetes risk.

As with most things, the type of exercise that’s best for lowering your risk of type 2 diabetes is the exercise you’re most likely to stick with. But if you’re not someone who enjoys intense gym workouts or vigorous aerobic activities like running, I have some good news for you…

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A good walk does your blood sugar good

Walking is a great way to reduce diabetes risk. According to one study, participants who didn’t walk were up to 66 percent more likely to develop heart disease and diabetes.

Even the American Diabetes Association recommends light walking as a great place for people with diabetes to get started in managing their condition. This is especially effective when done after eating. At least two studies show walking after a meal has a greater effect on lowering blood sugar than walking at other times during the day.

How long or far do you have to walk to lower your diabetes risk? As with most health conditions, it appears the more steps you take, the better your protection against developing type 2 diabetes.

A team of researchers recently analyzed Fitbit data and type 2 diabetes rates from a group of participants in the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us research program between 2010 and 2021. About 75 percent of the participants studied were female.

After analyzing the data, researchers found participants with an average daily step count of 10,700 were 44 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with an average of 6,000 steps per day. This appears to be true regardless of age, sex, body mass index (BMI) or the amount of time spent sedentary.

Prior studies of the relationship between physical activity and type 2 diabetes relied on questionnaires conducted at a single time point. Dr. Andrew S. Perry of Vanderbilt University Medical Center notes the data used by the study was obtained from wearable devices linked to electronic health records.

“We found that people who spent more time in any type of physical activity had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” Perry says. “Our data shows the importance of moving your body every day to lower your risk of diabetes.”

Perry adds the researchers hope to study more diverse populations in future studies to confirm the findings.

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Optimizing your walks

Interestingly, this study appears to contradict an earlier review of data from select All of Us participants that indicates the risk of diabetes and hypertension remained the same even after participants reached 8,000 to 9,000 steps per day.

That earlier study also showed people who are already overweight can reduce their risk of becoming obese by 64 percent by increasing their steps from 6,000 to 11,000 a day. Since obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, that’s another great reason to up your daily step count.

If you find it a struggle to reach 11,000 steps a day, you might want to try breaking it down into more manageable chunks instead of doing it all at once. For instance, it takes about 10 minutes of brisk walking to hit 1,000 steps. So if you aim for a 10-minute walk every hour you’re awake, you’ll exceed that 11,000-step goal.

Whatever you do, make sure you’re not making these 7 common mistakes that can reduce the health benefits of your walks.

Sources:

Women who take more steps per day may have a lower risk of diabetes — Endocrine Society

Association of Longitudinal Activity Measures and Diabetes Risk: An Analysis From the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program — The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

It’s a great time to get moving. — American Diabetes Association

Health problems – Type 2 diabetes — NHS

The post The activity that slashes diabetes risk 44 percent appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, ultra-processed foods, convenience foods and packaged baked goods have already been linked to everything from chronic pain and high cholesterol to fatty liver disease and memory problems.

That’s why nutritionists try to warn us away from the metabolic-disaster trifecta altogether…

But researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center have found that though fats, salt and sugar are the quickest recipe for poor health, one among them does the most damage at making your body ripe for metabolic disease…

The chain of events that leads to metabolic disease

After putting mice on a Western-style, high-fat, high-sugar diet and monitoring their microbiomes, researchers were not surprised to see characteristics of metabolic syndrome, including weight gain, insulin resistance and glucose intolerance — in just four weeks.

But what was most interesting was why these changes took place: The bad diet made dramatic changes in the mice’s guts that set off a sequence of events that created metabolic havoc…

Specifically, there was a significant decrease in the amount of segmented filamentous bacteria found in their guts. These bacteria, which are common in the microbiome of rodents, are vital due to their role in keeping levels of gut immune cells, known as Th17 cells, strong.

And those immune cells are the ones that prevent metabolic disease, diabetes and weight gain.

“These immune cells produce molecules that slow down the absorption of ‘bad’ lipids from the intestines and they decrease intestinal inflammation,” says Ivalyo Ivanov, PhD, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. “In other words, they keep the gut healthy and protect the body from absorbing pathogenic lipids.”

So when the number of Th17 cells goes down, the risk of metabolic disease goes up.

But there was more…

“Sugar eliminates the filamentous bacteria, and the protective Th17 cells disappear as a consequence,” says Ivanov. “When we fed mice a sugar-free, high-fat diet, they retain the intestinal Th17 cells and were completely protected from developing obesity and pre-diabetes, even though they ate the same number of calories.”

So to be clear, the enemy doing the most damage was sugar — not fat—disrupting the microbiome to a point that it eliminated natural protection from obesity and diabetes.

Sugar: A key opportunistic player in metabolic syndrome

Based on what you’ve just learned, you might think that simply eliminating as much sugar from your diet as possible would keep metabolic disease at bay, right?

Well, here’s where it gets tricky…

The team discovered that eliminating sugar didn’t help all mice.

In fact, for reducing sugar intake to work, the mice had to have beneficial bacteria in their guts to start with.

“This suggests that some popular dietary interventions, such as minimizing sugars, may only work in people who have certain bacterial populations within their microbiota,” Ivanov says.

In these cases, the researchers believe that probiotics could be the key to better health and metabolic protection.

And although people don’t have the same filamentous bacteria as mice, the team is confident that a healthy and balanced human gut microbiome contains bacteria that should have the same protective effects.

Sources:

Sugar disrupts microbiome, eliminates protection against obesity and diabetes – ScienceDaily

The post The one thing disrupting your natural protection from obesity and diabetes appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And with that rise in blood sugar problems comes the rise in the number of people on diabetes drugs, like metformin.

These people then have to suffer the side effects — like stomach pain, diarrhea, gas, weakness, muscle pain, headache and even upper respiratory infections — that come with those medications.

But what if I told you that there was a plant that researchers believe may be just as effective at improving glucose intolerance as metformin, but without the side effects?

The plant that induced ‘antidiabetic activity’

Scientists at the Desert Medicine Research Center (Indian Council of Medical Research) set out to test the performance of the seeds of a plant popular in traditional medicine for blood sugar problems versus metformin.

The plant, Nigella sativa, is often used in pickles as a spice.

Here’s what they found…

One of the active compounds found in the Nigella sativa plant, thymoquinone (TQ), induced what they called “antidiabetic activity.”

Specifically, it helped reduce appetite, glucose absorption in the intestines, blood glucose level, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, body weight and it simulates the secretion of insulin from beta-cells in the pancreas.

But as they say on those old commercials… wait, there’s more.

They even say it helped improve glucose tolerance as efficiently as metformin while showing no significant adverse effects.

Let’s say that again.

It appeared to work as well as metformin without the side effects!

And to top it off, it stimulated partial regeneration of pancreatic beta-cells. Those are the cells in your pancreas that actually store and release insulin and produce hormones that slow the rate of sugar entering your bloodstream to better control your blood sugar levels.

In other words, the seeds of the Nigella sativa plant appear to help the body keep blood sugar problems at bay.

How to use Nigella sativa

So what is this Nigella sativa plant, how do you find it and how can you use it?

Here are the answers…

Nigella sativa is also known by a number of other names you may recognize. These include:

• Black cumin
• Black sesame
• Onion seed
• Black caraway
• Roman coriander

It’s also simply referred to as “black seed” or in the case of the oil, “black seed oil.”

The oil itself is actually a golden color and has been used for health purposes since the time of the Pharaohs.

Long before a diagnosis is made, most people experience blood sugar spikes that lead to insulin resistance. That’s when, or before, you want to make changes to your lifestyle, including a sensible diet, exercise and nutrients that can help.

Sources:

1. Metformin — RxList
2. Antidiabetic Properties of a Spice Plant Nigella sativa — Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism

The post The ‘diabetes’ spice that beat metformin appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

If you’ve ever had issues with high blood sugar, you know that these two changes make for a far better blood sugar reading. And you know what else?

The blood sugar benefits of exercise can last for a full 24 hours after your workout. So clearly, you better keep moving if you want healthy blood sugar.

But how much activity do you need per day to keep your blood sugar balanced?

That’s the million-dollar question. Many of us are short on time and stuck in sedentary jobs, so we need to know how little exercise we can get away with, without putting metabolic health in jeopardy.

Lucky enough, we may finally have the answer…

The short, simple exercise routine that balances blood sugar

An international collaborative study from researchers at the University of Otago, the University of Prince Edward Island and the University of Guelph in Canada answered the question that all diabetics and prediabetics want to know….

How much do I need to exercise to improve my blood sugar?

The answer is two minutes every half hour.

In the study, researchers reviewed 44 international studies that looked at how prolonged sitting impacted metabolic health. And they found that short, repeated bouts of movement can lower blood sugar for up to nine hours after you eat.

They also found that short, frequent bursts of movement can lower the amount of fat in your blood, which means better heart health.

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Move more frequently

It’s scary to think that most people spend 75 percent of their day sitting. Considering the effect exercise has on blood sugar, it’s no wonder prediabetes and diabetes are epidemics in this country.

But now we know that preventing blood sugar issues could be as simple as stopping every half hour to walk around for two minutes.

I’m lucky enough to work in a home office where my only co-workers are my dogs and cats. They’re always reminding me to get up and fill their food dish, fill their water dish, give them treats or let them outside. They keep me moving frequently throughout the day (sometimes too often) those furry little buggers.

But if you don’t have needy canine and feline friends with you throughout the day, set a timer on your phone for 30-minute intervals. When it goes off, take a walk around the office, go up and down some stairs, close your office door and do some jumping jacks, turn on a song and dance… whatever you need to do to squeeze in two minutes of movement.

The people around you may think you’re crazy. But there’s nothing crazy about taking care of yourself. If anyone asks, tell them exactly what your doing and invite them to join along. God knows, we could all use more movement in our lives.

The post The 4-minute hack that lowers blood sugar for hours appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

We all look to avoid that dreaded “spare tire,” better known as belly fat, or visceral fat.

But that spare tire doesn’t just keep you from bending over and tying your shoes.

Dangers are lurking inside visceral fat that you won’t find in the fat on, say, your thighs, or elsewhere.

Visceral fat is an invisible killer. It’s stored in your abdominal cavity but wraps around your organs and raises your risk of serious diseases including diabetes, dementia and of course heart problems.

But there’s one diet that can interrupt the deadly processes that happen unseen due to visceral fat…

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What is the Green Mediterranean diet?

You’re probably already familiar with the traditional Mediterranean diet. It includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, olive oil, some eggs and dairy products, and poultry and fish (the pesco-mediterranean diet eliminates all meat and instead includes lots of fish).

But the green Mediterranean diet takes it a step further. Not only does it emphasize polyphenol-rich foods like leafy greens, but it includes these three daily components

• green tea
• walnuts
• a shake made with duckweed (an aquatic green plant that is high in protein, iron, vitamin B12, and polyphenols)

Study proves Green Mediterranean diet twice as effective

Here’s why visceral fat is deadly.

Over time, it aggregates, or collects, between organs and produces hormones and poisons that have been linked to heart disease, diabetes, dementia and premature death.

Professor Iris Shai of Ben-Gurion University in Israel led an 18-month trial with 294 participants ate one of three diets: a standard Mediterranean diet, a green Mediterranean diet, or a diet that followed generally accepted health guidelines.

The green Mediterranean diet reduced visceral fat by 14 percent over the 18-month period — double the 7 percent lost by people who ate the standard Mediterranean diet. 

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How to “go Green”

If you’re not already following a Mediterranean diet, take a look at this guide to getting started.

Then, start to tweak things gradually. Eliminate one portion of meat and substitute fish or a plant-based protein like nuts, seeds or legumes.

Fruits and veggies should make up the bulk of your diet. Don’t forget, whenever possible, raw is better for you.

Pile on whole grains (rich in heart-protective betaines) like brown rice, barley and buckwheat.

And don’t forget those healthy fats: olive oil, avocados, walnuts and almonds.

Get as close as you can to a diet that’s free of all meat. Drink plenty of green tea (though black tea has some impressive benefits of its own!). And go easy on the dairy.

Find duckweed powder at your local health food store and start adding a bit into your smoothies. It has a mild taste, so it shouldn’t be long before you’re drinking a duckweed smoothie every day, and you’re on your way to “eating green.”

Sources:

The Green Mediterranean diet reduces twice as much visceral fat as the Mediterranean diet and 10 percent more than a healthy diet — Eureka Alert

What Is a Green Mediterranean Diet—and Is It Healthy? — Eating Well

The effect of high-polyphenol Mediterranean diet on visceral adiposity: the DIRECT PLUS randomized controlled trial  — BMC (BioMed Central) Medicine

The post The diet that doubles fat loss and reduces disease risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

MS affects the central nervous system and eventually leads to severe physical and cognitive disabilities. Nearly 1 million adults in the U.S. are currently living with MS.

Blair, who is now 50, was diagnosed with MS in her late 40s, though she believes she was experiencing symptoms for several years before that.

Fellow actress Christina Applegate also has opened up about her struggles with MS and her fears it may end her acting career. Applegate, who is now 51, was diagnosed only a year or so ago, though she too says in hindsight she was showing symptoms a few years earlier.

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Autoimmune diseases on the rise in 50-plus year-olds

Both Applegate and Blair are squarely in the demographic that’s showing a sharp rise in autoimmune diseases like MS. Autoimmune diseases are a wide-ranging group of illnesses caused when the immune system starts attacking the body itself.

While researchers don’t know exactly why this increase is happening, they have a few theories. We’re all exposed to hundreds of chemicals in our environment every day, our diets include far more processed and fast foods, we spend more time indoors, and we don’t move nearly as much as we used to.

Another possible contributing factor could be the increase in prescription drug use. Many of us, especially as we age, end up having to take one or more medicines to help manage conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and asthma. And it turns out at least one of these medicines may contribute to increased MS risk…

In fact, scientists at the University of Arizona Health Sciences have discovered a link between the anti-hyperglycemic class of type 2 diabetes medications and elevated risk of MS in people older than 45.

Could diabetes medication be a contributor?

There is growing evidence of an association between metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes and MS. The common link between the two appears to be an increase in autoimmunity.

“Our findings reinforce the need for a precision medicine approach to preventing MS in these vulnerable populations,” says lead researcher Dr. Kathleen Rodgers, associate director of translational neuroscience at the Center for Innovation in Brain Science.

Interestingly, anti-hyperglycemic exposure in people younger than 45 reduced MS risk.

“Previous research has shown a neuroprotective effect of anti-hyperglycemic medications in Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias,” Rodgers says. “For MS, we wanted to further examine age and sex differences, particularly among men and women under 45 with type 2 diabetes.”

The researchers found men older than 45 had a slightly significant increase in MS risk, while women over 45 showed a significant increase in MS incidence after exposure to anti-hyperglycemic drugs. Exposure to insulin was associated with a greater increase in MS risk.

But why did women fare worse?

The researchers speculate immune system changes that occur during the perimenopause to menopause transition may be the reason more women develop MS. Two important points from the study:

• With the fall of estrogen at menopause, there is an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines and increases in immune cell activity.
• It is known that diabetes, similar to MS, is linked to a pro-inflammatory state and that symptomatic worsening in female diabetics occurs during menopause due to loss of estrogenic control of insulin sensitivity and resistance.

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Can women lower their risk?

While no woman can avoid the transition from perimenopause to menopause and beyond, there are steps you can take to that might help reduce your risks of developing MS.

First and foremost, live a lifestyle to make type 2 diabetes less likely. That includes a healthy diet, exercise and maintaining a healthy weight.

Secondly, consider supplementing specific vitamins shown to affect the immune system and even decrease the risk of developing an autoimmune condition.

Vitamin C has been shown to help boost the health of certain cells that play a key role in immune system regulation. This could help prevent or possibly even reverse autoimmune disease.

Vitamin D is another key nutrient in the fight against autoimmune disease. Research has linked low vitamin D levels to an increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. And Harvard investigators have found that women with low vitamin D levels are 43 percent more likely to develop MS than women with adequate levels.

The VITAL trial gives even more credibility to vitamin D. In that study researchers followed 25,871 adults and found that participants who took both vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid supplements for 5 years reduced the occurrence of autoimmune disease by 25 to 30 percent compared with those who got placebos only.

One good way to boost vitamin D levels is through careful exposure to the sun. In one study, participants who spent an average of 30 to 60 minutes outdoors every day had a 52 percent lower risk of MS compared with those who spent an average of less than 30 minutes outdoors daily.

Supplementing is certainly a good option. Just be sure to choose vitamin D3 over D2. The most important thing you need to know about the two types of vitamin D is this: The scientific community has recognized that vitamin D3 is not only superior to D2 but has proven effects on your health.

Sources:

New Study Identifies Connection Between Diabetes Medications, Multiple Sclerosis — The University of Arizona Health Sciences

Age and sex differences on anti-hyperglycemic medication exposure and risk of newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis in propensity score matched type 2 diabetics — Heliyon

Christina Applegate is ‘pretty convinced’ ‘Dead to Me’ will be her last acting gig amid MS — USA Today

Christina Applegate and MS: The Early Warning Signs She Says She Missed — Healthline

Selma Blair’s Multiple Sclerosis Timeline: Her Diagnosis, Leaving ‘DWTS,’ And Service Dog — Women’s Health

The Rising Toll of Autoimmune Diseases in Older People — AARP

Oral Antihyperglycemic Drugs — Medscape

The post Diabetes medications and more: Why MS is on the rise appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

When you’re eating a healthy diet low in refined sugar and fats, here’s what happens:

The food you eat is broken down into blood sugar (glucose), and insulin (produced by your pancreas) helps it enter your bloodstream. 

Insulin then helps glucose move from your blood into your body’s cells so it can be used for energy. It also signals your liver to store any extra glucose for later use.

Naturally, when glucose enters your cells, there’s less of it in your bloodstream. You don’t need as much insulin anymore, so insulin levels decrease.

But when you eat a diet high in sugar, your pancreas works overtime to pump out more and more insulin to that sugar into your cells.

Eventually, your cells start ignoring all that insulin. It’s like someone talking incessantly. After a while, you just tune them out.

That’s when the risk for diabetes goes way up. But that’s not all…

It turns out men can face double the danger in the form of vascular disease…

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Why men are more vulnerable than women

Prior to menopause, estrogen protects women against insulin resistance.

A 2021 study by researchers at McMaster University in Canada showed that estrogen improves insulin sensitivity in fatty tissue, stimulates muscle tissue to absorb glucose more readily, and improves the liver’s response to insulin.

A newer study from the University of Missouri School of Medicine set out to demonstrate how men and women react differently to sudden, unhealthy changes in their diet.

“We know that incidence of insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease is lower in premenopausal women compared to men, but we wanted to see how men and women reacted to reduced physical activity and increased sugar in their diet over a short period of time,” said Dr. Camila Manrique-Acevedo, associate professor of medicine.  

In the study, 36 young men and women had their physical activity dramatically reduced for ten days — from 10,000 steps a day to just 5,000. They also increased their sugary beverage intake to six cans of soda per day.

The result?

Only the men showed decreased insulin-stimulated leg blood flow (a sign of vascular insulin resistance), a drop in a protein called adropin, which regulates insulin sensitivity and is an important biomarker for cardiovascular disease, and a drop in nitrite (a precursor to nitric oxide).

Vascular insulin resistance is a feature of obesity and type 2 diabetes that contributes to vascular disease — including diseases of the arteries and disorders that affect circulation. In addition to its connection to insulin sensitivity, adropin is a fat-burning hormone believed to contribute to body weight regulation.

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“These findings underscore a sex-related difference in the development of vascular insulin resistance induced by adopting a lifestyle high in sugar and low on exercise,” said Dr. Manrique-Acevedo.

“To our knowledge, this is the first evidence in humans that vascular insulin resistance can be provoked by short-term adverse lifestyle changes, and it’s the first documentation of sex-related differences in the development of vascular insulin resistance in association with changes in adropin levels.” 

Avoid double the trouble

It’s pretty clear that men would be well advised to pay close attention to their exercise habits as well as their diets in order to stay off the road to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The good news is, even though this research demonstrated bad habits can do a lot of damage in a short period of time — previous research has also shown that cutting back on sugar for less than two weeks reduces liver fat and lowers blood sugar.

So if you’re facing the holidays or planning some vacation time and know you’ll be consuming more sugary foods and getting less exercise — at least you know you can quickly get back to healthier habits and back on track to healthy living.

Sources:

Sedentary lifestyle and sugary diet more detrimental to men — Eureka Alert

Young Women Are Protected Against Vascular Insulin Resistance Induced by Adoption of an Obesogenic Lifestyle — Endocrinology

Insulin Resistance and Diabetes CDC

The Role of Estrogen in Insulin Resistance: A Review of Clinical and Preclinical Data — American Journal of Pathology

The post Sedentary habits and sugar worse on men than women appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It’s a scary statistic. And even more frightening is the fact that if you’re part of that 96 million, you may not even know you’re on the verge of developing diabetes— much less at increased risk for heart attack or stroke.

In fact, people with prediabetes have a significantly higher risk of heart attack or stroke compared to people with normal blood sugar levels.

But there is good news…

Diabetes is one of the most preventable diseases. And perhaps one of the simplest ways to do that is by cutting down on the carbs…

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A head-to-head comparison

While many doctors have finally started recommending low-carb diets to help their diabetic patients, there weren’t many studies on how helpful the diet could be for people with diabetes that doesn’t yet require medication or for people with prediabetes.

But that changed thanks to research from a team of scientists at Tulane University.

The researchers compared two groups, pitting the standard American diet against a low-carb diet to see whether going low-carb really can help keep diabetes at bay.

While one group was assigned to a low-carb diet, the other continued eating their usual diet.

And after six months, the researchers found that a low-carb diet can help those with unmedicated diabetes — as well as those at risk for diabetes — lower their blood sugar.

The participants in the low-carb group experienced greater drops in hemoglobin A1c, a marker for blood sugar levels, when compared with the group who ate their usual diet.

And the low-carbohydrate diet group also lost weight and had lower fasting glucose levels — making it a triple win.

“The key message is that a low-carbohydrate diet if maintained, might be a useful approach for preventing and treating Type 2 diabetes, though more research is needed,” said lead author Kirsten Dorans, assistant professor of epidemiology at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

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How low must you go?

So how can you embrace a low-carb diet to keep your blood sugar in check and avoid heart troubles?

What dieticians consider “very low-carb diets” (VLCDS), aim for a 10 percent or less intake of carbohydrates daily. But relax, on a low-carb diet (LCD), you only need to keep your carb intake to less than 26 percent of your daily calories.

In a previous Tulane study comparing VLCD against LCD, the LCD diet led to higher diabetes remission rates in just 6 months, plus more weight loss and improved body fat.

One of the best things about going low-carb is not feeling hungry or deprived, which is so often the case on other diets. The low-carb meals you make can be super satisfying, especially if you focus on the foods you should eat more of, including proteins (lean meats, fish and eggs), healthy fats (like olive oil), leafy green vegetables and specific fruits, like apples, blueberries and stone fruits.

Avoid refined and processed carbs (white bread, flour) and opt for whole food carbs, like fruit with fiber content, and complex carbs that help you feel full longer, like whole grains.

It goes without saying to avoid sweetened drinks (especially sodas) and juices.

Give it a try. Researchers from the University of Michigan found that eating three low-carb meals in a 24-hour period can lower your post-meal insulin resistance by a whopping 30 percent.

And here’s a tip: To figure out the percentage of carbs you’re putting on your plate, multiply the grams of carbohydrates in your meal by four (because there are four calories in a gram of carbohydrates) and divide your answer by your total daily calories. Multiply that number by 100 and you have your carb intake percentage all figured out.

Sources:

At risk for diabetes? Cut the carbs, says new study – EurekAlert!

The post Cut carbs now to cut 3 major health threats appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Well, that’s kind of where some recent research into diabetes and dementia puts us.

Controlling diabetes is essential to preventing dementia. Insulin resistance can, and does, occur in the brain. And studies show that untreated diabetes can make Alzheimer’s develop nearly twice as fast.

But sometimes, shortcuts to controlling diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer’s come with a price tag that we may not want to pay.

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A toxic drug that may prevent Alzheimer’s

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs), are an old class of diabetes drug sold under the brand names Actos or Avandia.

In 2010, the FDA severely restricted Avandia after it was linked to an increased risk of heart attack. The United Kingdom went so far as to completely ban its use.

Actos has also been linked to heart issues, as well as bladder cancer and liver toxicity. Though it has not been banned in the US or UK, it’s been subjected to warnings and recalls and bans in other countries.

TZDs are also strongly associated with loss of bone mass and unexplained weight gain.

But researchers from Arizona University are hoping these toxic drugs can find a new lease on life as a preventive measure against Alzheimer’s disease.

In a study that gathered data from 560,000 type 2 diabetics for nine years, they found that people who used a TZD for diabetes had a 22 percent lower risk of developing dementia than those who used metformin.

It’s thought that TZDs prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s by reducing bad cholesterol in the blood and boosting blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain.

It kind of makes sense that a diabetes drug might hold promise for preventing Alzheimer’s, often referred to as “type 3 diabetes.”

But really, aren’t there safer ways to do that?

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Safe ways to lower Alzheimer’s risk

While it might make sense that a diabetes drug could prevent dementia, and while it may seem to hold out hope, is it really worth the other health risks?

Most people would say “no.”

But, as with most health concerns, often risks can be lowered by making simple lifestyle changes, starting with the foods we eat (and don’t eat).

Well, let me fill you in on a few ways you might reduce bad cholesterol and boost your blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain — without the risks of a TZD drug…

Have you ever eaten beets?

I’ve always avoided them, but I may be changing my tune.

Beets are full of dietary nitrates, and nitrates boost the production of nitric oxide in the lining of your blood vessels, which in turn means better blood flow and oxygenation to your brain.

And as for what not to eat…

Did you know that too much salt can produce the same conditions in your brain as Alzheimer’s?

That’s right — over-consumption of salt stimulates your brain, but in the wrong way. It triggers the production of hormones that constrict your blood vessels and prevent the free flow of blood to the brain.

If you want to improve blood flow to your brain and lower your LDL cholesterol all at once, try adding cranberry juice to your diet. Just make sure it’s 100 percent juice, and not juice cocktail, which is full of added sugar.

Not a fan of cranberries? Not a problem. People who consumed a drink made with powdered blueberries saw brain changes in just 6 months because they’re full of anthocyanins — compounds that boost brain blood flow.

Sources:

Old diabetes drugs slash the risk of dementia by more than a FIFTH, study finds — UK Daily Mail

Association Between Age at Diabetes Onset and Subsequent Risk of Dementia — JAMA

The post Old diabetes drug with a dangerous past may treat Alzheimer’s appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Long before your doctor looks at you with concerned eyes and tells you there’s something up with your blood sugar, your body is most likely becoming more and more resistant to insulin.

As you may already know, insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb the sugar they receive from food and turn it into energy. When your cells become resistant to insulin (i.e., they don’t respond to it anymore), your cells aren’t absorbing sugar properly and it’s left in your bloodstream.

Diet, exercise and weight all contribute to insulin resistance. But recent research shows there’s another invisible culprit fueling your insulin resistance… a type of free radicals known as reactive oxygen species.

Reactive oxygen species are an unavoidable part of life. Your body creates them in response to pollution, cigarette smoke, chemicals, X-rays and other stressors in your environment. But reactive oxygen species also form naturally in your body during essential bodily functions like when your cells create energy. These reactive oxygen species cause DNA damage that leads to premature aging and disease.

But there’s good news…

If reactive oxygen species contribute to insulin resistance, it’s a safe bet that antioxidants — your body’s protectors against free radicals — can help reverse it. In fact, it’s more than a safe bet. It’s scientifically proven.

And a recent collaborative study from U.K., Australian and U.S. researchers shows there’s one particular antioxidant that could help people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes reverse their insulin resistance and reclaim their health.

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CoQ10 fights free radicals that fuel diabetes

In a major collaborative research effort, researchers from the University of Sydney, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Genentech Inc. and the University of New South Wales recently demonstrated that the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) reverses insulin resistance.

These researchers examined the correlation between CoQ10 levels and insulin resistance in a bunch of studies, including experimental laboratory studies, mouse models and studies that used samples from human tissues.

They determined that as the CoQ10 levels in tissues got lower, insulin resistance got higher. In other words, cells without an ample supply of CoQ10 were more likely to be insulin resistant. Researchers think this connection relates to reactive oxygen species.

In fact, they confirmed that more reactive oxygen species formed in cells that didn’t have enough CoQ10.

But there’s a positive side to their findings…

When researchers restored healthy CoQ10 levels to those depleted cells, insulin resistance reversed. That means the antidote to insulin resistance may be an inexpensive supplement available at your local health food store.

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Using CoQ10 for insulin resistance

So does this research prove that CoQ10 supplements are the answer to type 2 diabetes?

Not quite. More often than not, type 2 diabetes is caused by lifestyle — not getting enough exercise and eating an unhealthy diet. Stress plays a big role in the disease too.

So I’m not suggesting you take a CoQ10 supplement and completely ignore these other factors. That would be silly. And probably wouldn’t work.

Start exercising, eating right and destressing daily. Then if you want extra help getting your insulin and blood sugar back on track, try a CoQ10 supplement.

But you should know, CoQ10 supplements are hard for your body to absorb, so some of them are a waste of money.

Choose a CoQ10 supplement called ubiquinol. Ubiquinol is the natural antioxidant form of CoQ10, and it’s absorbed eight times better than the conventional form of CoQ10 (known as ubiquinone).

You’ll also want to look for a supplement that’s crystal-free since your small intestine can’t absorb the crystals found in some CoQ10 supplements.

Once you start exercising, eating healthy and taking the right CoQ10 supplement, your insulin resistance will probably resolve itself. Then you can reverse your body’s descent into type 2 diabetes and send it on the path toward better health instead.

Sources:

1. Prediabetes & Insulin Resistance — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
2. Simple molecule could prevent, alleviate pre-diabetes — MedicalXpress. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
3. J. Fazakerley, et al. “Mitochondrial CoQ deficiency is a common driver of mitochondrial oxidants and insulin resistance.” — eLife, 2018.
4. Lobo, et al. “Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact on human health.” — Pharmacognosy Reviews. 2010 Jul-Dec; 4(8): 118–126.
5. Hajhashemi, et al. “Are antioxidants helpful for disease prevention?” — Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2010 Jan-Jun; 5(1): 1–8.
6. Bajaj and A. Khan. “Antioxidants and diabetes.” — Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2012 Dec; 16(Suppl 2): S267–S271.

The post The anti-diabetes antioxidant that reverses insulin resistance appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

I took metformin for a week, the leading prescribed drug for treatment of type 2 diabetes in the United States and taken by 80 million people around the world.

This medication is often touted as a wonder drug for individuals with type 2 as well as for those living with other health challenges.

My reasons for taking metformin were highly personal…

I have a genetic predisposition for both prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes (I’m not diabetic but I swing in and out of pre-diabetes), and I’m getting older. I did copious amounts of research, and it seemed, on all three counts (prostate cancer prevention, managing diabetes (increasing insulin sensitivity) and anti-aging), that metformin could truly be a wonder drug.

So, truth be told, I really wasn’t looking at metformin as a drug — I was looking at it more as a “superfood.”

However, I quickly changed my mind, and here’s why…

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How does metformin work for type 2 diabetes?

Metformin is designed to help control the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood by reducing the amount of sugar you absorb from your food and the amount of glucose made by your liver. Metformin also increases your body’s response to insulin, a natural substance that controls the amount of glucose in the blood. People who have type 1 diabetes, however, do not produce insulin and therefore should not use metformin.

People with type 2 diabetes are prone to developing serious complications, such as kidney problems, diabetic neuropathy, heart disease to name a few. Use of metformin, along with lifestyle changes (e.g., diet, exercise, not smoking) and routine monitoring of blood sugar can help prevent these life-threatening issues.

What are the health benefits of metformin?

I’ve already mentioned that metformin can be effective in controlling blood glucose levels. But what if you’re like me — swinging in and out of prediabetes?

The Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group conducted a randomized clinical trial among adults at high risk for type 2 diabetes and examined the impact of either lifestyle intervention or treatment with metformin on the prevention or delay of diabetes onset. Lifestyle changes (low-fat, low-calorie diet plus 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly) resulted in a 58 percent reduction in the development of type 2 diabetes, while use of metformin alone reduced diabetes incidence by just 31 percent – which is pretty good but nowhere near the benefits from just making lifestyle changes!

The kicker here though is that the benefits of taking metformin and making the lifestyle adjustments were not cumulative, so making the lifestyle adjustments alone should be the first priority.

But metformin can do more…

Take prostate cancer, for example. A recent study found that metformin could be a useful complementary treatment, especially in men using androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Metformin appears to work directly on the prostate tumor as well as helping to lower insulin levels throughout the body.

More generally, metformin can suppress tumor growth, enhance the activity of anticancer medications, and improve immunity. This latter benefit is associated with the ability of metformin to lower blood sugar by improving insulin receptor sensitivity. The drug can reduce the fuel supply for bacteria, viruses, and fungi, which tends to reduce one’s susceptibility to infections.

Related: 4+ reasons diabetics should eat mushrooms

Metformin can also help with weight loss. This benefit comes in handy not only among men who are struggling with type 2 diabetes but those who simply need to drop some excess weight. Results of the BIGPRO 1 trial showed that use of metformin was associated with a decline in bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, LDL) concentration when compared with placebo and a decrease in damage to artery linings, a characteristic that contributes to the complications associated with type 2 diabetes (i.e., damage to the eyes, kidneys, and nerves). Other benefits of metformin include a decline in total cholesterol, free fatty acids, and tissue plasminogen activator antigen, all of which are associated with cardiovascular complications.

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Metformin and life extension

Some research has even suggested metformin may help extend lifespan. The potential life-extension benefit goes something like this: metformin inhibits a complex called mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which regulates the production of protein, boosts energy production, and creates waste. Metformin can help keep mTOR levels from being elevated too much or too often (situations associated with inflammation and cancer growth), which in turn can contribute to longevity.

Related: This anti-diabetes antioxidant reverses insulin resistance

What are the side effects of metformin?

Side effects associated with starting use of metformin can include nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, and stomach pain. These side effects typically fade as individuals become accustomed to the drug. Metformin should not be taken if you have a history of liver or kidney disease or of congestive heart failure. Anyone with a history of alcohol abuse also should avoid taking metformin because serious lactic acidosis may develop.

People with diabetes are encouraged to exercise regularly, yet use of metformin may interfere with this activity. A study published in Diabetes Care reported that “metformin has the potential to lower some patients’ selected exercise intensity” and also tends to increase heart rate.

The combination of using metformin and exercising may also result in another complication. Use of metformin reduces levels of blood glucose, but exercise can increase levels of the hormone glucagon, which deals with low blood sugar. The combination of metformin and exercise can result in significantly elevated concentrations of glucagon as the body attempts to compensate for the impact of metformin. One result is a less than effective result at lowering the glycemic response after eating than is possible by taking metformin alone.

In addition, the results of at least one small study suggest that use of metformin may lower sex drive and testosterone levels. Given the intense interest among men in their testosterone levels and the desire to boost them, these side effects are not welcome as well.

A total of 64 men with type 2 diabetes were evaluated: 30 who were taking metformin and 34 taking sulfonylurea. Twenty-seven nondiabetic men served as controls. Use of metformin was associated with a significant reduction in testosterone levels, libido, and low testosterone-induced erectile dysfunction, while use of sulfonylurea was associated with a significant elevation in all three factors.

Related: A simple step to stop diabetes

Continued use of metformin also is associated with a reduction in vitamin B12 absorption. Since absorption of this nutrient declines with age, the addition of metformin to the picture can make it worse. A decline in B12 concentrations can cause an elevation in homocysteine levels (which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, especially among people with type 2 diabetes), and this decrease in B12 values can grow over time. Low concentrations of B12 are associated with changes in mental function, neuropathy, and anemia.

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What side effects did I personally experience?

Ok, so you know the TV ads for drugs right – 5 seconds on the actual drug and 5 minutes on the side effects. I get it, drugs have side effects and they spend all that time telling you what they are for one reason, to avoid legal liability. It’s a fact – as long as they TELL YOU you can die from taking a drug you can’t sue them if you die – that’s America for you!

Some of the known side effects of metformin are above – but for me, one week on the drug was enough – notwithstanding all the purported health benefits. Here’s what I personally experienced:

1. A 5lb weight loss in a week that was unexplained by any other reason;
2. Constant nausea and lightheadedness;
3. Massive fatigue and low energy – basically resulting in me being unable to finish basic workouts;
4. Muscle weakness – I was lifting only ~75% of my normal weights and they were even feeling heavy;
5. Low motivation and anxiety;
6. Sleepiness by 8pm – normally I don’t feel like going to bed until after 10.30pm;
7. Lack of breath – just climbing stairs had me puffing;
8. Heart palpitations; and
9. Constant dry mouth.

If it had just been one or two of the above I may have sucked it up, but all of them together felt like a sledgehammer — especially when I was in the middle of training for some pretty intense Spartan and other obstacle course races. All of my training partners were looking at me wondering what the heck was wrong with me!

So I quit.

Did I give up on all the great benefits I was seeking — prostate cancer prevention, improving insulin sensitivity and anti-aging? No way!

I just doubled down on these natural therapies. Here’s how it went for me…

Sources:

The post I took metformin for a week and this happened appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Sleep gives your body the time it needs to shut down, repair and regenerate after the stresses of the day. If you’re perpetually short on sleep, it opens you up to more than fatigue — it can cause chronic pain and raise your risk of other serious ailments.

Unfortunately, as you get older, sleep gets even harder to come by. Older adults commonly experience shifts in the quality and duration of their sleep due to a change in their body’s internal clock.

If you regularly have trouble sleeping, you may be wondering if there’s a tipping point where insufficient sleep really starts to have an impact on your health. According to recent research, it appears the five-hour mark is the one to watch out for.

For instance, participants in one study who reported getting less than five hours of sleep on a regular basis had double the risk of dementia of those who reported getting seven to eight hours of sleep a night.

Now, there’s new research that once again pegs the five-hour mark as the danger zone when it comes to your risk of developing multiple life-threatening diseases…

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Five hours or less can lead to more disease

Researchers at University College London (UCL) took more than 7,000 people at the ages 50, 60 and 70 from the Whitehall II cohort study and used their information to analyze the impact of sleep duration.

Over a 25-year follow-up, they tracked how long each participant slept, their mortality, and whether they received diagnoses for two or more chronic diseases (known as multimorbidity), like heart disease, cancer or diabetes.

The results were clear: getting five hours of sleep a night or less in mid-to-late life was dangerous for the long-term health of these participants.

At age 50, people getting five hours of sleep or less were 20 percent more likely to have been diagnosed with a chronic disease, and 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with two or more chronic diseases compared with people who slept for up to 7 hours.

In addition, sleeping for five hours or less at the ages of 50, 60 and 70 was associated with a 30 to 40 percent higher risk of contracting two or more chronic diseases when compared with those who slept for up to seven hours.

As if those risks aren’t alarming enough, getting five hours or less of sleep regularly at age 50 was also linked with an increased risk of death. Specifically, the elevated risk of chronic diseases caused by sleep shortage equated to a 25 percent increase in mortality risk.

Interestingly, the research team also reviewed whether sleeping for longer durations of nine hours or more affected long-term health.

There was no clear connection between long sleep durations at age 50 and multimorbidity in healthy people. However, if a participant already had a chronic condition, longer sleep was linked with a 35 percent higher risk of developing another illness. Researchers say this could be due to underlying health conditions that affect sleep.

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Sleep added to cardiovascular health measures

Lack of sleep is a very unhealthy matter. But it especially hits your cardiovascular health hard. As such, the American Heart Association has added sleep to its original Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) list as the eighth metric of cardiovascular health (CVH).

“There are a host of other ways that poor sleep could increase the risk of heart disease or stroke, including by increasing inflammation and increasing blood pressure,” observes Jo Whitmore, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation.

Researchers at Columbia University explored this expanded measure in a recent study of 2,000 middle-aged to older adults from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). These individuals participated in a sleep exam and gave comprehensive data on their sleep characteristics.

The researchers used this data to evaluate which sleep parameters should be prioritized for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. As far as duration, they found that sleeping 7 hours or more, but less than 9 hours, each night was ideal.

“In our study, even a CVH score that includes only sleep duration, the most widely measured aspect of sleep health and the most feasible measure to obtain in a clinic or public health setting, predicted CVD incidence,” says lead author Dr. Nour Makarem, a professor at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health.

“Our results highlight the importance of embracing a holistic vision of sleep health that includes sleep behaviors and highly prevalent, mild sleep problems rather than strictly focusing on sleep disorders when assessing an individual’s cardiovascular risk,” Makarem adds.

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Easing into sleep

Dr. Severine Sabia, lead author of the UCL study, gives some tips for ensuring a better night’s sleep, such as promoting good sleep hygiene by making sure the bedroom is quiet, dark and a comfortable temperature before sleeping.

“It’s also advised to remove electronic devices and avoid large meals before bedtime,” Sabia says. “Physical activity and exposure to light during the day might also promote good sleep.”

Finally, you can help offset age-related decline in melatonin production by adding a melatonin supplement to your evening routine. Or if you prefer not to take supplements, you can drink tart cherry juice before bedtime. A study found when adults had two daily glasses of tart cherry juice, they slept 39 minutes or longer on average and had an up to 6 percent increase in overall sleep efficiency.

Sources:

Five hours’ sleep a night linked to higher risk of multiple diseases — EurekAlert!

Association of sleep duration at age 50, 60, and 70 years with risk of multimorbidity in the UK: 25-year follow-up of the Whitehall II cohort study — PLOS Medicine

Sleep as a new 8th measure of cardiovascular health — EurekAlert!

Aging and Sleep — Sleep Foundation

The post Sleeping five hours or less? Meet your long-term health risks appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

While some free radicals occur naturally in the body, others are caused by external factors like environmental pollutants, industrial solvents, radiation, cigarette smoke, prescription drugs and pesticides. When you’re exposed to these factors, as we all are, it increases the number of free radicals in your body. This can lead to a cascade of cell damage, premature aging and disease.

Oxidative stress has been linked to conditions like heart disease, arthritis, stroke, metabolic disease, respiratory diseases, immune deficiency, Parkinson’s disease and other inflammatory conditions.

Antioxidants counteract oxidative stress and help bring the body back into balance. They are found naturally in fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts and include nutrients like vitamins C and E, selenium and carotenoids such as beta-carotene.

When antioxidant intake is increased, most people notice improvements in energy, immunity, cognitive function, skin and other markers of vitality, and reductions in pain and inflammation. And it’s possible that antioxidants can help protect against the conditions caused by oxidative stress — including one of the most preventable mechanisms involved in metabolic disease…

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Antioxidants and insulin sensitivity

Researchers in Italy studied the effects of dietary antioxidants on participants who were obese and had metabolic syndrome but were not yet diabetic.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic risk factors that can result in heart disease and/or stroke. And, because people with metabolic syndrome become resistant to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, they are at high risk of developing diabetes.

Each study subject was randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups. All groups followed a low-calorie, Mediterranean-type diet averaging 1,500 calories daily, with only 25 percent of calories coming from protein. The rest of the calories came from carbohydrates like whole grains that are low in the glycemic index, meaning they do not raise blood sugar levels quickly or dramatically.

Group A only ate this kind of diet, while group B ate the same diet plus took the antidiabetes drug metformin, which increases insulin sensitivity. Group C followed the same diet as groups A and B, but the diet was calculated to enrich antioxidant content to 800 to 1,000 milligrams a day coming from fruits and vegetables. And group D followed this antioxidant-enriched diet and took metformin.

All four groups had a similar loss in weight. However, only groups C and D, the groups receiving the antioxidant-rich diet, showed a significant decrease and insulin resistance. And according to some measures of insulin response to an oral glucose tolerance test, group D had the best improvement in insulin resistance.

The participants in the antioxidant diet reported no adverse effects. “We think that a total antioxidant level of 800 to 1,000 milligrams a day is safe and probably not close to the maximum tolerable level,” says principal author Dr. Antonio Mancini, an endocrinology researcher at Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome.

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Pumping up your own antioxidant count

You might be pleased to know that this isn’t the only study that’s found a diet high in antioxidants can counter blood sugar problems…

The French National Institute of Health and Medical Research looked at health and diet records of 64,223 middle-aged women between 1993 and 2008. They found that women eating the most antioxidants had a 27 percent lower risk of developing diabetes than women eating the least.

So, if you have metabolic syndrome and aren’t eating a lot of antioxidant-rich foods, you may want to change that. Focus on the fruits and vegetables that give you the highest antioxidant count per serving. For instance, strawberries contain roughly 38 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of antioxidants, while blueberries contain 166 mg/dL and blackberries 111 mg/dL.

Then there’s the acai berry, a health powerhouse that contains as much as 10 times the antioxidants as blueberries. One study indicates eating acai fruit pulp might reduce markers of metabolic disease such as blood sugar and cholesterol levels in overweight people.

What about supplementing with nutrients high in antioxidants, like vitamins C and E? The issue with that is that if you simply take a vitamin C supplement, you won’t be getting the plant chemicals, or polyphenols, naturally found in fruits and vegetables like proanthocyanins and flavonoids. These polyphenols also have antioxidant activity and may team up with vitamin C to fight disease.

So, if you are going to take an antioxidant supplement, make sure it contains the same polyphenols found in plant-based foods. That way, you’re getting the full benefit of the antioxidants.

Sources:

Well-defined quantity of antioxidants in diet can improve insulin resistance, study finds — ScienceDaily

Antioxidants — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Effects of Açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) berry preparation on metabolic parameters in a healthy overweight population: A pilot study — Nutrition Journal

The Antioxidant Food Table — Retina Foundation

The post The surprising effects of antioxidants on insulin resistance and metformin appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

WHAT?

There’s a large body of popular literature claiming that cold water immersion can do all sorts of things: end chronic pain, ward of dementia, reduce symptoms of depression, boost the immune system and help you lose weight.

But the scientific proof for much of this is spotty.

That’s why a group of Norwegian researchers set out to get things straight.

Here’s what they discovered.

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Cold water increases “good” fat

Three Norwegian scientists conducted a detailed search of the scientific literature on the subject of cold water immersion. They analyzed 104 studies and the health claims they made.

The one health benefit they found to be conclusive was that cold water swimming or bathing increases the amount of beige fat in your body.

This “good fat” actually can burn calories, which in turn can help protect against obesity and heart disease.

And one more thing — a cold bath or swim seems to be related to a process that can prevent diabetes.

Several of the studies the scientists examined give credit to the possibility that beige fat improves glucose metabolism by increasing the production of the protein adiponectin. This protein plays a key role in protecting against insulin resistance.

So what about other health claims?

Lead author James Mercer of The Arctic University of Norway explains why more research is needed before broad claims can be made about the health benefits of cold water immersion.

“Based on the results from this review, many of the health benefits claimed from regular cold exposure may not be causal. Instead, they may be explained by other factors including an active lifestyle, trained stress handling, social interactions, as well as a positive mindset.

“Without further conclusive studies, the topic will continue to be a subject of debate.”

In other words, losing weight, feeling less depressed, or having more energy may actually be a result of other behaviors like regular exercise and handling stress well, and cold water immersion may just be “going along for the ride.”

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Should you try cold water therapy?

If you decide you’d like to give cold water immersion a try, and think, “What have I got to lose?” Mercer and his colleagues have a word or two of advice for you.

Education is needed regarding the health risks associated with taking a dip in icy water, say the study authors.

These risks include hypothermia, where your body loses heat more quickly than it can produce it. Body temperature can drop so low that the heart, nervous system and other organs cannot function properly. Hypothermia is considered a medical emergency.

Also, studies show that plunging into cold water without giving the body time to adjust can result in abnormal heart rhythms that can be fatal, particularly in warm weather.

So, while cold water immersion seems to hold promise as a practice with some great health benefits, it’s probably best to talk with your doctor before trying it, and to perhaps pursue other methods of improving your health or losing weight until more research has been done.

However, if you want to give the “live cold, die old” lifestyle a try, you’re only option isn’t jumping into a cold lake with both feet. Drinking coffee and lowering the thermostat have been found to stimulate brown fat as well, not to mention the Japanese study that found fish oil can help too.

Sources:

An icy swim may cut ‘bad’ body fat, but further health benefits unclear — Science Daily

Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water – a continuing subject of debate — International Journal of Circumpolar Health

Heart Attack Warning Over Cold Water  — heart.co.uk

The post How cold would you go to burn fat and cut diabetes risk? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

This is when you’ll want to have your doctor check your blood sugar to see if you have diabetes. If you do, your doctor will go over the list of potential health effects with you. The blood sugar disorder can damage your blood vessels, leading to heart attack and stroke, as well as problems with the kidneys, eyes, skin, feet and nerves.

But there’s one side effect that physicians are surprisingly reluctant to discuss with you. And it’s one that only 50 percent of men and 19 percent of women with diabetes bring up with their doctors themselves…

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Diabetes and the bedroom

As much as we supposedly live in a society that’s open about sex, we can be a little shy when discussing our own sex lives. But when you’re hit with diabetes, there’s a good chance it’s going to impact your sexual activity.

High blood sugar levels can cause vascular and nerve damage (or neuropathy), both of which can decrease blood flow to the genitals. This can make sex difficult for men due to erectile dysfunction, and uncomfortable or painful for women due to vaginal dryness. Diabetes can also leave you more vulnerable to yeast infections, which can contribute to further genital discomfort in women.

Beyond just the physical act of sex, diabetes can also kill your sexual desire. In fact, low libido is an often-overlooked symptom of diabetes. Without healthy nerves and good genital blood flow, it’s tough to feel pleasure or achieve orgasm, so desire naturally falls off.

In addition, diabetes can throw your hormones out of whack, particularly testosterone. Both men and women with diabetes tend to have low testosterone levels, which can reduce your sex drive. The risk of low testosterone is twice as high for men with diabetes, especially those who have type 2 or who are overweight, as it is for men without the disease.

Ways to revive your sex life after diabetes

The best way to help bring your sex drive back to life after diabetes is to properly manage your condition. If you’re a person with diabetes who’s experiencing low libido or sexual dysfunction, make sure to check your blood sugar to determine whether the treatment plan you’re on is working to properly manage it.

Of course, diet is very important to keep your blood sugar in check. And some diets have been shown to reverse the condition. Researchers from Newcastle University found that following a low-calorie diet for eight weeks reverses type 2 diabetes.

If your diabetes is under control and you’re still having problems in the bedroom, it’s time to look at other treatment options.

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There are drugs that increase blood flow to the penis — but be aware that they are not without their side effects. Some foods and nutrients can help do the same, without those side effects, for both men and women by improving blood flow.

And as far as low libido in men, if it’s caused by low testosterone, there are also options there to help increase levels that can renew their desire for sex — including combatting estrogen dominance. Surprisingly following the keto diet has been found to improve testosterone levels.

But with women, it’s not quite as simple. For one thing, diabetes isn’t the only condition that can cause a woman to lose her libido. For instance, menopause often brings her sex drive to a screeching halt thanks to low estrogen levels and increased dryness and thinning of the vaginal walls. And menopause also brings with it an increased risk of developing diabetes, making it difficult to know which is the culprit in stealing a woman’s sexual desire.

If low estrogen is an issue, estrogen replacement therapy, preferably in the form of cream or mouth lozenge, as well as natural estrogen supplements can help restore vaginal health and lubrication. There are also lubricants a woman can use to make sex more comfortable and pleasurable.

In the case of low testosterone, while some limited studies have shown that giving women testosterone can increase their sexual desire, more research is needed to confirm its effectiveness.

Finally, if you’re a man or woman and you find that pain from diabetic neuropathy is interfering with your sex life, you may want to add a vitamin D supplement to your daily regimen. Studies show people with painful diabetic neuropathy tend to have lower vitamin D levels than those without neuropathy, or whose neuropathy is painless.

Sources:

1. 10 signs that may indicate you are at risk for diabetes — Voyage Healthcare

2. Diabetes – long-term effects — Better Health Channel

3. Sexual Dysfunction and Disease — Cleveland Clinic

4. Sex and Diabetes — American Diabetes Association

5. How does diabetes affect your sex life? — Medical News Today

6. Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Painful Diabetic Neuropathy — MedPage Today

The post The diabetes side effect no one talks about appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Lately, I’ve been staying in bed later. I hate getting up in the dark. I also find myself more reluctant to go out for that afternoon walk. Much more pleasant to just sit in the sun, when it’s there.

But it’s not just about winter.

I ended my teaching career five years ago, and according to an ongoing study, I’ve fallen into one of the traps of retirement.

Trouble is, it doesn’t bode well for my future health — or yours — if you’ve fallen into the same trap…

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Retirees sleep more, move less

A group of researchers from the Department of Public Health at the University of Turku and Turku University Hospital in Finland set out to highlight just how much the balance between physical activity, sleep and sedentary time changes once we retire.

To do this, they examined data from 551 retirees who participated in the Finnish Retirement and Aging Study (FIREA), an ongoing longitudinal study of older adults in Finland that was begun in 2013.

Using accelerometers and other measurement devices, the researchers calculated the daily proportions of a 24-hour period that each person spent in one of four movement states: sleeping, sitting (sedentary behavior), doing light physical activity, or doing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

To make a long story short, no matter what type of work most retirees did, after retirement they’re spending more time sleeping and sitting.

“The decrease in the amount of physical activity is probably explained by the absence of activity related to work duties and commute to and from work when a person retires. These are replaced to some extent by sleep and, in the case manual workers, also sedentary time,” says primary author of the research article, Postdoctoral Researcher Kristin Suorsa. 

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Why this matters, and what you should do about it

The researchers cited previous findings that less moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and more time sitting, sleeping longer, or only getting only light physical activity increases a person’s risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

This is serious stuff. Need proof?

According to a study published recently in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, if you’re less active and suffer a heart attack, the odds are likely that you’ll die immediately. That means no opportunity for life-saving surgery and a second chance.

Now, let me interject something before we go further…

In 2020, a global study assessed the best countries for seniors to live in. One of the measures was life expectancy. Finland came in at #1 and the United States at #28. So, if Finnish retirees need to move more, you know the same goes — if not more so — for those of us in the U.S.

“Based on our research, people who are retiring should aim to increase the amount of physical activity, particularly moderate-to-vigorous activity. At the same time, long periods of sedentary time should be avoided and sitting should be divided into shorter periods with frequent walking breaks,” says Kristin Suorsa, primary author of the study.

Examples of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity include brisk walking for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, to jogging or running just a couple of hours a week.

Muscle-strengthening and balance activities are also important to keep seniors active and healthy.

Of course, you’re still going to spend some time in that easy chair. Just be aware that what you do while you’re sitting there can determine whether you end up with dementia.

So, if you’re newly retired, or getting ready to retire, you’ll want to heed this advice. It’s wise to prepare now for how you’re going to stay active and enjoy the years to come.

Sources:

Retiring increases amount of sleep and decreases physical activity — Eureka Alert

Changes in the 24-h movement behaviors during the transition to retirement: compositional data analysis — International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

The post Two mistakes to avoid (like your life depends on it) when you retire appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That’s because dropping the extra pounds is one of the most effective ways to improve your blood sugar.

And now according to a new study, there’s one more big benefit to following a weight management program for your diabetes — being able to cut back on or even toss out both your diabetes and your blood pressure medication for good.

Lose weight and kiss diabetes and high blood pressure goodbye

The research specifically utilized a weight management program developed by researchers at the Universities of Glasgow and Newcastle for the Diabetes UK-funded Diabetes REmission Clinical Trial (DIRECT).

It involves multiple phases — the first of which is 12 weeks on a diet that involves consuming low-calorie soups and shakes. And it can lead to weight loss of over 15 kg or 33 pounds in just four months when followed fully.

For the second phase, you simply choose foods and eat wisely in order to maintain your weight.

For the study, researchers had participants stop all diabetes and blood pressure drugs at the start of the diet and then only had them restarted if their blood sugar or blood pressure went up.

And here’s what happened.

Not only did participants experience remission of their type 2 diabetes, but the diet also helped lower blood pressure — and reduce the need for antihypertensive medications.

The study showed that:

• Maintaining the 33-pound weight loss allowed 80 percent of people to become free from type 2 diabetes, without the need for diabetes medications for at least 2 years.
• Average blood pressure fell steadily as people lost weight.
• Blood pressure remained lower after the formula diet period finished, and then at 12 and 24 months.
• Just over a quarter (28 percent) of people needed to reintroduce a blood pressure tablet during the diet.
• Another 28 percent were able to remain off their blood pressure medications for at least two years following the diet.

“Our study shows that, in addition to possible remission from type 2 diabetes, there are other very important health benefits, as weight loss is a very effective treatment for hypertension and its associated serious health risks,” said Professor Mike Lean, from the University of Glasgow.

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Slimming down to ditch the drugs

The study showed that simply by losing weight, you have the power to not only improve your heart, blood vessel, and blood sugar health but also finally either decrease or eliminate the need for medication to treat those issues.

Of course, you don’t want to simply ditch the drugs without talking to your doctor, even if you are losing weight.

Instead, start a healthy weight loss plan and ask your doctor to monitor your blood pressure and blood sugar to help you get off the medications safely.

To follow the diet used in the study, check out the book Life Without Diabetes: The Definitive Guide to Understanding and Reversing Diabetes by Ron Taylor, MD.

Or simply follow a low-calorie, nutrient-dense diet with plenty of fruits and veggies, such as the Mediterranean diet. Weight loss might be slower. But when it comes to weight loss, getting to your destination is what matters.

Sources:

Reversing Type 2 Diabetes and Ongoing Remission — Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre

Diabetes remission diet also lowers blood pressure and reduces need for medication — EurekAlert!

The post Kiss diabetes and high blood pressure goodbye in one step appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, from Alzheimer’s and dementia to kidney issues, heart disease and more, living with type 2 diabetes sets you up for a multitude of health-related concerns.

Yet, the good news is that nine out of ten people who begin to experience these blood sugar issues and are classified as pre-diabetic are capable of avoiding full-blown diabetes through simple lifestyle changes.

This makes type 2 diabetes one of the most preventable of all diseases.

Lifestyle changes that work to guard against T2D include:

• Caring for your oral health
• Spending more time in the sunshine
• Increasing your levels of trace minerals in your diet
• Maintaining a healthy BMI
• Consuming one or more servings of whole grains per day
• Fasting to improve pancreas function
• Avoiding insulin resistance

Making even one of these simple changes can provide big protection. And adding in a few (or all of them) could be the secret to keeping your blood sugar in the green zone for life.

And now, thanks to research from a team of scientists at the University of Naples, you can continue stacking up your blood sugar protection—by eating much less of one food group found to increase the risks by 30 percent and another with protection that could add up to more than 10 percent…

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Animal-based foods and diabetes dangers

If you’ve been told your blood sugar isn’t looking so hot, your doctor may have offered dietary advice. Based on existing guidelines for the prevention of type 2 diabetes that would include eating specific plant-based foods such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, olive oil and typically limiting consumption of most animal products.

But a recent study shed new light on what foods may be worse or better for your blood sugar…

To determine how animal-based foods may impact type 2 diabetes, the researchers chose 13 different meta-analyses that included 175 estimates on the following 12 foods: total meat, red meat, white meat, processed meat, fish, total dairy, full-fat dairy, low-fat dairy, milk, cheese, yogurt and eggs.

So which were the winners and losers in the battle for better blood sugar?

Let’s start with the losing team — meat…

Foods to limit or avoid here include:

• 100 grams per day of total meat increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 20 percent
• 100 grams per day of red meat raised blood sugar risks by 22 percent
• Just 50 grams per day of processed meats (like hot dogs, sausage and bacon) pushed type 2 diabetes risk up by 30 percent

“There are several potential reasons for this,” said lead researcher, Annalisa Giosuè, PhD. “For example, red and processed meat are important sources of components like saturated fatty acids, cholesterol, and haem iron, all known to promote chronic low-level inflammation and oxidative stress, which, in turn, can reduce the sensitivity of the cells to insulin.”

And processed meats also pack a huge punch of nitrates and sodium, which can lead to damage and malfunction of the pancreas’ insulin-producing cells, making matters even worse.

On the other hand, the research showed that white meat, with its lower fat content, better fatty acid profile and lower amount of haem iron, is only associated with a four percent rise in diabetes risk.

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Dairy lovers rejoice

So if red and processed meats were the losers in diabetes prevention, you may have guessed that dairy came out on top.

Yup, the researchers found that dairy products were associated with reducing the risks of blood sugar problems. Here’s how it panned out:

• Total dairy intake of 200 grams per day was linked to a five percent reduction in diabetes risk
• 200 grams per day of low-fat dairy conferred a three percent risk reduction
• 100 grams per day of yogurt offered a six percent reduction in risk
• 200 grams of milk per day was associated with a 10 percent reduction in risk

According to the researchers, the reason for these benefits likely lies in the vitamins and other bioactive compounds found in certain dairy products that may support healthy glucose metabolism.

The only dairy products that did not seem to offer help for warding off blood sugar issues were cheese and full-fat dairy.

However, since past studies have found a reduced incidence of every component linked to metabolic syndrome with full-fat dairy, you might want to take that last one with a grain of salt.

Sources:

Dairy products associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes, study finds — Integrative Practitioner

Dairy products in moderate amounts may protect against type 2 diabetes – but red and processed meat raise risk, Italian research suggests — EurekAlert

8 Key Statistics on Type 2 Diabetes — Diabetic.org

The post Some animal-based foods not so bad for T2D appeared first on Easy Health Options®.