21 Million Americans Have Diabetes

As bad as that statistic is, here is the really scary part: most of them have type-II diabetes, and about a third of those with disease don't know they have it.

From Yahoo News:

This represents about 7 percent of the population -- and more than 6 million of these people do not know they have the condition, the CDC said.

"Another 41 million people are estimated to have pre-diabetes, a condition that increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes -- the most common form of the disease -- as well as heart disease and stroke," the CDC said in a statement.

Diabetes is a lack of control of glucose, or blood sugar. Type-1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes, is an autoimmune condition in which the body mistakenly destroys the pancreatic cells that make insulin. It affects an estimated 2 million Americans.

Type-2 diabetes once was called adult-onset diabetes but it now affects many children as well. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and can lead to many other diseases.

"Diabetes is a leading cause of adult blindness, lower-limb amputation, kidney disease and nerve damage. Two-thirds of people with diabetes die from a heart attack or stroke," said Dr. Frank Vinicor, director of CDC's diabetes program.

Type-II diabetes is an unnecessary illness. Diet, exercise, and supplements can control or prevent the condition in nearly everyone.

A bit more from the article:

"Recent studies have shown that people with pre-diabetes can successfully prevent or delay the onset of diabetes by losing 5 percent to 7 percent of their body weight," Vinicor said in a statement.

"This can be accomplished through 30 minutes or more of physical activity most days of the week and by following a low calorie, low fat eating plan, including a diet rich in whole grains and fruits and vegetables," he added.

I work with a lot of clients who have diabetes or who are at high risk and want to avoid the disease. Nearly all of them come to me having been told to adopt the ADA (American Diabetes Association) dietary recommendations (like those in the last paragraph above) -- which are wrong.

Most diabetics are encouragd to eat too many grains and other carbs. Their diet should be based on protein, then healthy fats, and lastly on carb sources such as oatmeal, vegetables, and limited whole grains. Once a pattern of six small protein-based meals each day is established (with oatmeal for breakfast and as many vegetables as desired), attention should be paid to supplements such as alpha lipoic acid, cinnamon, fiber, fish oil, and other lesser supplements.

The final piece is exercise. Start with walking if that is the extent of your ability. Work up to doing high intensity cardio (ignore that whole "fat-burning zone" nonsense), and include weight training at least two or three days a week. Hire a trainer if you can afford it, or read books and magazines on training to learn good, safe form.

McDonald's Packaging to Carry Nutrition Info

A story on Yahoo News reports that McDonald's Corp. will begin printing nutritional info on their packaging in 2006.

The company has long maintained that its food can be part of an active, balanced lifestyle.

The packaging information will consist of icons and bar charts displaying how McDonald's menu items relate to daily recommendations for calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates and sodium.

They will debut at McDonald's restaurants at the Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy, in February.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit health advocacy group, called the move "a useful step in providing customers more, and more readable, nutrition information." But the Washington-based organization, which has long urged fast-food companies to both provide more information and offer healthier food, was muted in its praise and said McDonald's should provide calorie counts on its menu boards.

"Considering America's obesity epidemic, that calorie information would do more than just about any other measure to help people protect their waistlines," said CSPI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson.

He also said that instead of giving total fat content, McDonald's should have been more specific since its fried foods are high in saturated and trans fats, which increase the risk of heart disease.

But Dr. Louis Sullivan, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and a health adviser to McDonald's, said its "creative" approach is "scientifically sound and communicates complex information in a clear and accessible way."

If you can't wait to see all the bad news, you can go to McDonald's website (they don't make this obvious to find on the site) to get all the "nutritional" information on their poisons, er, I mean foods.

For example, I didn't know you could get a double Quarterpounder with cheese, large fries, and a large chocolate Triple Thick shake (32 fl oz cup) and not have an immediate heart attack and die, but apparently you can -- 2,410 total calories with 92 grams of fat (most of it saturated and trans fats, but they don't break down that information so that you can make an informed decision). That's one possible meal, albeit a large one that most of us would never consider ordering.

If you must eat at McDonald's (assuming there is no 7-11, Circle K, or grocery store for miles and miles in any direction), look at the nutrition chart posted on the wall someplace near the front counter -- otherwise you won't know how bad that crap is until you've already ordered it.

BBC Reports New Study Suggests Ginseng Helps Prevent Colds

BBC News reports that a Canadian study shows that ginseng, taken daily, can help prevent the common cold. Ginseng has long been thought to work as an adaptogen, meaning that it strengthens the body's immune system to better handle stress. This study seems to suggest that ginseng stimulates specific immuno-enhancing chemicals in the body: immunoglobin-proteins. Ginseng may be more effective that echinacea, but I wouldn't stop taking echinacea when cold symptoms arise.

The University of Alberta team found just one in 10 people taking daily ginseng capsules had two colds or more, compared to a quarter of others.

Researchers also found ginseng reduced the severity of colds, the Canadian Medical Association Journal reported.

But UK doctors said that while many people did use the herbal remedy, the evidence was still anecdotal.
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In the study of 323 people, the Canadian team gave one group two capsules of North American ginseng a day for four months during the winter and the second group a placebo, or dummy pill.

Just 10% of the ginseng group got two or more colds, compared to 23% of the others.

Symptoms

Symptoms and duration of cold were also much less severe - by about a third each - the researchers said.

It is thought ingredients in ginseng improve the immune system by stimulating immunoglobin - proteins that act as antibodies.

Lead researcher Dr Tapun Basu said the study had shown that the herbal remedy was "effective" in warding off colds.

And he added: "The safety of this formulation was also evident. It therefore appears to be an attractive alternative treatment for upper respiratory tract infections.

"However, further studies are required to assess its efficacy and safety."

Pregnant women, and people with diabetes and high blood pressure are all advised to avoid ginseng.

Dr Jim Kennedy, prescribing spokesman of the Royal College of GPs, said patients often asked about whether ginseng helped to protect against colds.

But he said: "We cannot advise people to use ginseng.

"While the supposed benefits of ginseng are widely known, there is still no proof it helps. The evidence is still anecdotal."

High-Fat, Low-Carb Diet Could Curb Alzheimer's

For a long time, fat was thought to have a negative impact on the health status of people with Alzheimer's disease. However, a new study suggests that a high-fat, low-carb diet can lower levels of the brain protein amyloid-beta, an indicator of Alzheimer's disease. The study was done with rats, so it is still unclear if the results will apply to humans as well. The findings appear in the current issue of Nutrition and Metabolism.

From the Healthcentral article:

"This work supports the premise that key aspects of Alzheimer's disease can be altered by changes in metabolism. It also highlights the interaction of dietary components and how such components influence the metabolic state," the researchers wrote.

The study was led by Samuel Henderson, a researcher with the Colorado-based pharmaceutical company Accera Inc. Henderson's team also included researchers in Belgium.

The researchers believe insulin and a related hormone, insulin-related growth factor-1 (IGF-1), are major factors in how diet may affect Alzheimer's disease.

"Insulin is often considered a storage hormone, since it promotes deposition of fat but insulin may also work to encourage amyloid-beta production," the authors noted.

I would argue that insulin is not the only factor in the results of this study. Every cell in the body is built from lipids we ingest from our diet. If we ingest the wrong kinds of fats or insufficient levels, the health status of our cells will suffer. We know beyond a doubt that our diets are deficient in omega-3 fats, which are crucial to healthy brain development and function.

A more pointed study would look at the results of a low-carb diet with high levels of omega-3 fats from fish oil and omega-6 and -9 fats from flax oil. I suspect this approach would yield even better results.

HGH Sprays Are a Scam, Says FTC

For years, companies have been marketing oral sprays that are claimed to contain human growth hormone (HGH, an anti-aging drug popular among those who can afford it). The FTC has filed a temporary restraining order against three companies requiring them to stop making such false claims. Read the story here.

The whole premise of supplemental HGH use for fat loss is silly. It takes pharmaceutical doses (supraphysiological levels) to induce any fat loss. This isn't possible without actually injecting the drug, which is a popular approach to anti-aging among the wealthy (and not without risks). However, all other attempts at increasing HGH levels with supplements or workout strategies are doomed to failure.

Health News You Can Use

High Protein Intake Promotes Thermogenesis
Many studies support the high protein diets advocated by Atkins and the South Beach plan. New information suggests that high protein intake triggers an increase in heat-producing chemicals known as uncoupling proteins (UCPs). UCPs increase metabolic rate (calorie burning), making it easier to lose weight. This study used rats as subjects, but similar findings have been found in humans. (Eur J Nutr, published online, Dec. 2004)


Replace Simple Sugars with Whole Grains
For many of us, it's obvious that consuming simple sugars results in fat storage. UMass researchers confirmed the obvious, finding that those who consume simple, high-glycemic carbs had higher body mass indexes than those who consume complex carbohydrates. (Am J Epidemiol, 161: 359-367, 2005)

So ditch the simple sugars (any form of sugar, white flour, and some fruits) and add whole grains into the diet. Whole grains tend to have higher protein content and higher fiber content, both of which slow digestion, preventing sharp increases in insulin levels. Insulin leads to fat storage (except post-workout) so you should be trying to control your insulin levels. Whole grains also leave you feeling fuller after a meal. (Am J Clin Nutr, 80: 1237-1245, 2004)


Eat Fish to Prevent Senility
Another new study demonstrates the brain-protective power of fish oils. If you can't tolerate eating fish, and some people can't, get some fish oil capsules and take 4 to 24 a day (more for blood sugar control and reduction of inflammation).

From CBS/WebMD:

(WebMD) Fish really is brain food after all, according to a new study, which shows eating fish can slow the mental decline associated with aging.

The results show that eating fish at least once a week slowed the rate of mental or cognitive decline in elderly people by 10 percent to 13 percent per year.

"That rate of reduction is equivalent to being three to four years younger in age," write researcher Martha Clare Morris, ScD, of Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, and colleagues in the Archives of Neurology.

Their findings were released online today in advance of the scheduled December publication date in the journal.

Researchers attribute the protective effects of fish on the brain to omega-3 fatty acids. Fish, especially oily types like salmon and tuna, are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain development and normal brain functioning.

Eating fish regularly has already been linked to a lower risk of dementia and stroke, and some animal studies show that at least one type of omega-3 fatty acid known as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) plays an important role in memory performance during aging.

Fish Slows Mental Decline
In the study, researchers looked at the relationship between fish consumption and age-related cognitive decline in more than 4,000 participants aged 65 and over in the ongoing Chicago Health and Aging Project.

Researchers interviewed the participants every three years and assessed their mental function as well as their diets.

After more than six years of follow up, researchers found that the more fish people ate, the slower their rate of mental decline.

People who ate fish at least once a week experienced a 10%-13% lower rate of cognitive decline than those who ate fish less frequently.

Researchers say these protective benefits of fish persisted even after adjusting for other dietary factors, such as fruit and vegetable consumption.

"This study suggests that eating one or more fish meals per week may protect against cognitive decline associated with older age," write the researchers. "More precise studies of the different dietary constituents of fish should help to understand the nature of the association."

Sources: Morris, M. Archives of Neurology, Oct. 10, 2005 online edition; vol 62.
News release, American Medical Association.
Story by Jennifer Warner
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
© 2005, WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

No Soft Drinks in Arizona Schools

From KIKO News:

The Arizona Republic reports that efforts are being made to extend a ban on soft drink sales from elementary and middle schools to high schools. State School Superintendent Tom Horne and state Representative Mark Anderson say they plan to introduce legislation in January to do that. High schools were originally included in the legislation that passed this year. But they were taken out of the final version after heavy opposition from the food and beverage industry. The Arizona Beverage Association says it will continue to fight to keep the soda ban from being extended to high school. The group issued a school vending policy this week that promotes a variety of choices for high school students. This includes keeping at least half of the slots in vending machines for regular soda. The other half would be for nutritious and "low calorie" beverages. Horne says he would agree to keep diet soft drinks in high schools if the association will stop serving sugary soft drinks.

California has made similar efforts, as have other states. With the ever-increasing problem of teen obesity and diabetes, it's time to realize that health is more than a "personal willpower" issue. Yes, people should know better than to ingest poisons (high-fructose corn syrup), but kids are the most impressionable segment of the population -- they respond to emotional cues more than rational thought (peer pressure or prestige, for example). The soft drink companies target a young audience because they have disposable income and they are easily influenced.

There is no good reason to have soft drinks in the schools. The kids should be drinking water, milk, or fruit juice (and not Gatorade or Powerade unless they are in a school sport that entails dehydration risk). The soft drink companies have built a business model around getting young people attached to their product with the awareness that these kids will likely become lifetime customers (same scam the cigarette companies once used).

Stepping back to look at this politically, what these new laws are saying is that health is not simply a personal choice -- the social structures (capitalism in this case) play a role as well. This is part of the Integral Fitness Solution to getting a handle on the obesity epidemic. We cannot ignore the role our society plays in the problem, nor can we ignore the role of cultural values ("the Pepsi Generation," "Have a Coke and a Smile").