This Morning: Type 2 diabetes can be 'devastating' says expert

A healthy diet is important for a healthy life, as stated by the old saying, You are what you eat. This is even more important in todays world where diabetes and obesity are a worldwide pandemic. According to the International Diabetes Federation 8th Diabetes Atlas, about 425 million people worldwide have diabetes and, if the current trends continue, 629 million of people aged 2079 will have diabetes by 2045. With these shocking statistics finding ways to help with better treatment is imperative. Studies and health experts agree that a low carb diet helps to lower blood sugar for better treatment and management.

Normally, when a person eats carbohydrates they are broken down into small units of glucose, which end up as blood sugar.

In healthy people, blood sugar levels remain within a narrow range throughout the day.

In type 2 diabetes however, this system doesnt work the way it is supposed to.

The actual amount that you need to eat will depend on your age, activity levels and the goals you are trying to achieve.

READ MORE:Diabetes symptoms type 2: Experiencing polydipsia when drinking is a warning sign

In a study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, low carb and ketogenic diets and how they affect type 2 diabetes was investigated.

The study noted: According to an alternative view, dietary components have a main role in producing hormonal responses that cause obesity, and certain types of carbohydrate can alter the homeostatic mechanism that limits weight loss.

The carbohydrate-insulin model (CIM) of obesity hypothesizes that a high-carbohydrate/low-fat diet causes postprandial hyperinsulinemia that promotes fat deposition and decreases circulating metabolic fuels (glucose and lipids), thereby increasing hunger and slowing the whole-body metabolic rate.

Insulin is the most potent anabolic hormone that promotes glucose uptake into tissues, suppresses release of fatty acid from adipose tissue, inhibits production of ketones from liver and stimulates fat and glycogen deposition.

Dietary carbohydrates are the main driving force for insulin secretion and are heterogeneous in their glycaemic index (GI) (an index of how fast blood glucose rises after their ingestion), and glycaemic load (GL) (derived from carbohydrate amount and glycaemic index).

As carbohydrates are the main source of glucose, reducing their intake may lead to a decrease in insulin requirements, an improvement in insulin sensitivity and a reduction of post-prandial glycaemia.

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In another study published in The Association of UK Dieticians, low carbohydrate diets for the management of type 2 diabetes in adults was analysed.

The study noted: The role and the amounts of carbohydrate in foods as part of the diet of people with type 2 diabetes is often misunderstood and has been questioned in recent years.

Low carbohydrate diets have been regarded as an effective option for people with type 2 diabetes since the publication of the Diabetes UK Guidelines in 2011 (Dyson 2011a) with the recently updated Diabetes UK guidelines reiterating this recommendation (Diabetes UK 2018).

Low-carbohydrate diets (i.e., defined as diets containing between 50g and 130g carbohydrate) can be effective in managing weight, improving glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk in people with type 2 diabetes in the short term i.e., less than 12 months (Diabetes UK 2018).

This is probably due to the accompanying reduction in energy (calorie) intake and subsequent weight loss (Diabetes UK 2018).

When considering a low carbohydrate diet as an option, people with diabetes who are on certain drugs including insulin should be made aware of possible side effects such as the risk of hypoglycaemia or in rare cases ketoacidosis; it is important that individuals on such treatments should be supported by doctors and dietitians to manage such risks which may involve adjusting medication.

Doctor David Cavan said: I have witnessed a big outcome in many of my patients since I started recommending carbohydrate restriction a few years ago.

"The effect of changing the diet in this way is far mar dramatic than any medication, including insulin.

"And some people, who had been on insulin for many years to treat their type 2 diabetes, have even been able to come out altogether.

Top tips for following the low-carb rule include:

Reduce or eliminate the amount of sugar and high-carb foods which include breakfast cereals, bread, pasta, white potatoes, rice, crackers, biscuits, sweets, and fizzy drinks.

Try to load up every meal with non-starchy and salad vegetables such as kale, lettuce, broccoli, mushrooms, or peppers.

Eat good fats, including oily fish, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, and animal fats. Also include nuts and cheese in moderation.

Try carbohydrate alternatives such as quinoa or cauliflower as a substitute or rice and zucchinis for an alternative for pasta.

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Type 2 diabetes treatment: Low carb diet has proven to be effective at lowering your risk - Express

Credit: Karl Reinhard / Scott Schrage.

A native American who lived in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands of Texas between 1,000 and 1,400 years ago had one of the worst cases of constipation in the annals of medicine. Due to an infection, the mans colon swelled to six times its normal size, which made it impossible to digest normal food properly.

Ultimately, the man died of this horrific disease, known as megacolon. Centuries later, his remains, mummified by the arid conditions, were found in a rock shelter close to the junction between the Rio Grande and Pecos Rivers in South Texas.

But this story also has a positive side to it. Upon analyzing the mummy, scientists have found that during the last two to three months of his life, the man ate a diet of grasshoppers whose legs had been removed. Since his condition must have made it almost impossible to walk and procure food for himself, its likely that the man was fed by somebody else, perhaps family or other members of his community. Its one of the earliest bits of evidence of hospice care.

They were taking off the legs, said Karl Reinhard, professor in the School of Natural Resources at the University of NebraskaLincoln. So they were giving him mostly the fluid-rich body the squishable part of the grasshopper. In addition to being high in protein, it was pretty high in moisture. So it would have been easier for him to eat in the early stages of his megacolonexperience.

The Skiles mummy from Texas, named after Guy Skiles, the person who first discovered it in 1937, had been stored in various private and public museums. More recently, in 2003, Reinhard and colleagues published a study in which they reported that the mummy contained 1,2 kilograms (2.6 pounds) of feces in its huge colon, along with a large quantity of unprocessed food. This led the researchers to conclude that the unfortunate man was infected with the parasite-borne Chagas disease and suffered from severe malnourishment due to the fact that his body was unable to process food.

In their new study, Reinhards team revisited the Skiles mummy, this time using scanning electron microscopy, which offered new clues about the mans diet during his twilight days.

The researchers examined phytoliths, tiny plant tissue structures that remain intact even after the rest of the plant decays and which are so robust they normally survive the rough, bumpy ride through the human intestinal tract. But in the case of this mummy, the researchers were astonished by the phytoliths found inside it.

The phytoliths were split open, crushed. And that means there was incredible pressure that was exerted on a microscopic level in this guys intestinal system, which highlights even more the pathology that was exhibited here, Reinhard said. I think this is unique in the annals of pathology this level of intestinal blockage and the pressure thats associated withit.

This most recent analysis of the Skiles mummy will appear in a forthcoming chapter of The Handbook of Mummy Studies, which also includes best practices for preparing and analyzing the contents of mummified intestines.

In the same handbook, Reinhard also described two other mummies who also received special care during their last days. One of the mummies belongs to a 5 to 6-year-old child who was buried between 500 and 1,000 years ago in Arizonas Ventana Cave by the Hohokam people. The third mummy, of an even younger child, was buried roughly 750 years ago in southern Utah.

The rest is here:
Scientists find a fatal case of constipation in 1,000-year-old mummy with grasshopper diet - ZME Science

You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you James Allen.

The mind the invisible, transcendent world of thought, feeling, attitude, belief and imagination is unlimited in potential. To be utilized effectively and not be a waste when the need arises to cope with lifes challenges and adversity with matters of health, business, family, government, etc., it requires a daily diet of some paramount ingredients, i.e., positivity, hope, optimism, faith, confidence. Just as filling your car with gas allows it to drive and saturating your heart with love spreads kindness, thronging your mind with good vibes produces a healthier impact on your quality of life despite the circumstances.

The minds a terrible thing to waste, so dont. Instead, fill it with superlative thoughts to strongly (and safely) forge toward a non-pandemic tomorrow.

Dianne ScottDover

The Opinion page is populated with letters from you, our readers. The Delaware State News was founded on and still is dedicated to the basic principle of civilly and respectfully sharing ideas to create a better community for us all. To submit a letter to the editor, visit the Submit a Letter page.

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Letter to the Editor: Feed your mind a daily diet of positivity and good vibes - Delaware State News - Delaware State News

Thinking about starting the 16:8 diet, but want to find out more before you do? Well, you've come to the right place. This intermittent fasting diet has grown in popularity over the last few years and it's no wonder why. Changing the hours you eat can be a simple way to change your mindset about food, and it has great results.

Here's our expert advice on why the 16:8 diet may work for you...

"The 16:8 diet is an intermittent fasting diet," says dietitian,Dr Carrie Ruxton from The Health & Food Supplements Information Service. "16:8 intermittent fasting involves limiting consumption of foods and energy (calorie)-containing beverages to a set window of eight hours per day and abstaining from food for the remaining 16 hours. This cycle can be repeated as often as you like from just once or twice per week to every day, depending on personal preference.

"Restricting food intake to eight hours a day helps to cut calories," says Dr Ruxton. "It may also help weight loss if the diet is healthy and the person does not make up for fasting by eating large amounts of foods during the eating period of eight hours. As well as cutting calorie intake, the diet may reduce resting energy expenditure and contribute to weight loss.

Don't worry about starving, you won't on this diet.

Start by picking a time frame for fasting, say 8pm until midday the following day or 5pm until 9am until the following day," says Dr Ruxton. "So, youd eat during the hours of 12 noon until 8pm or from 9am until 5pm. You could eat anything you like although any benefits that might be gained from the diet would not be so great if you choose a high proportion of less healthy foods.Its important to stick to nutritious whole foods during the eating period.Drink calorie-free beverages, like water and unsweetened teas, during the fast period to curb appetite and maintain hydration.

READ MORE:

While other diets often set strict rules and regulations on what can be eaten, 16:8 intermittent fasting is easy to follow and requires minimal effort," says Dr Ruxton.

It is really simple to follow. "It is generally considered less restrictive and more flexible than some other diet plans and is easier for some people to fit into their lifestyle, which can contribute to weight loss, adds Dr Ruxton.

Restricting food intake to just eight hours per day can cause some people to eat more than usual during eating periods in an attempt to make up for hours spent fasting," says Dr Ruxton. "This may lead to weight gain, digestive problems and the development of unhealthy eating habits. The 16:8 diet may also cause short-term negative side effects at the start such as hunger, weakness and fatigue though these often subside once a routine is established."

And that's not the only thing to look out for. Restricting food intake could also reduce intake of vitamins and minerals," says Dr Ruxton. "In fact, any change of food/diet regime can prejudice vitamin and mineral intake.

"This depends on your calorie intake during the eight hours you eat," says Dr Ruxton. "Research on this diet is limited, but has shown similar weight loss on an intermittent fasting diet and a low-calorie diet although intermittent fasting may be more effective for retention of lean tissue (e.g., muscle).

Yes, this one is definitely worth trying. "The 16:8 diet can be a safe and easy way to improve your health when managed with a healthy nutritious diet and a healthy lifestyle," says Dr Ruxton.

"However, it shouldnt be viewed as a substitute for balanced, healthy diet rich in whole foods. Though 16:8 intermittent fasting is generally considered safe for most healthy adults, its important to talk to your doctor before giving it a try. This is especially the case if you have any underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, low blood pressure, a history of disordered eating or if you take any medication. Plus, intermittent fasting is also not recommended for women who are trying to conceive or those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Here's the great news. "You dont have to sign up to anything," says Dr Ruxton. "There are plenty of 16:8 plans online. The cost of the diet is your choice as you choose what to put in your shopping basket. You may spend less eating during eight hours each day.

Good luck if you try the 16:8 diet - we hope it works for you.

See the rest here:
The 16:8 diet: what is it and could it work for you? - woman&home

Many people are making changes to their diets to eat healthier or in a more environmentally friendly manner. They might choose to eat less meat, less sugar or even adopt an entirely vegan diet. A growing number, however, are choosing a plant-based diet that focuses on foods that come from plants, but may still include animal products, such as meat or cheese.

American biochemist Thomas Colin Campbell coined the term plant-based in the 1980s to better explain his research on diet and nutrition. The term surged in popularity in 2016 when Campbells book The China Study was reprinted and alternative meat products such as Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger were launched.

Since then, plant-based foods have taken the world by storm. They are everywhere: fast-food chains, restaurant menus, grocery stores, social media, food blogs and on your plate. The global plant-based food market is predicted to reach a market valuation of US$38.4 billion by 2025. In the United States alone, the number of plant-based products available increased 29 per cent between 2017 and 2019.

As a research assistant at the Centre for Culinary Innovation, I work with industry to develop new food products. Although the work of the centre is not limited to plant-based foods, our team focuses on researching, understanding, experimenting and creating new ones.

The rapid growth of plant-based food is due to several factors. The most common reasons people in Europe, the U.S. and Canada give for eating plant-based food are the health benefits, curiosity to try new food, environmental concerns and animal welfare.

If you are thinking about switching to a plant-based diet, here are six things you should know about plant-based food.

According to the Plant Based Foods Association, a plant-based product consists of ingredients derived from plants, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds or legumes.

The final product directly replaces an animal product. By this definition, a cheese made from plant sources can be called plant-based, but flour or bread cannot. If the final product only partially replaces an animal product, then it should be labelled as a blend.

The terms vegan and plant-based have long been used interchangeably. But following a plant-based diet does not necessarily mean that you are vegan or vegetarian. It means that you are consciously choosing to eat more from plants, but you may still be eating meat, fish, eggs or other animal products.

In fact, plant-based food manufacturers are not targeting vegans and vegetarians since they are only a small percentage of the population. Their main targets are meat eaters and flexitarians people who eat mostly plant-based diets, but still eat meat.

Usually, a diet containing a higher proportion of plant-based food is automatically associated with being healthy. However, it might not always be the case.

A plant-based diet is healthy when it is mainly composed of whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts. In fact, such a diet has been shown to decrease the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Nutritionists remain concerned about heavily processed meat substitutes that contain high levels of saturated fats and sodium. These ingredients preservatives, flavouring and fillers enhance the taste, shelf life and texture.

Although they are considered natural, they are not necessary for a healthy diet. They may be environmentally friendly, but they may not be healthy, especially in large amounts.

Plant-based food is not going away anytime soon. In fact, what we are seeing now is a global increase of plant-based products.

What started with soy milk in the 1990s, and continued with almond milk in the 2000s and burgers in 2010s, has expanded to different types of plant-based products: pork, chicken, yogurt, ice cream, seafood, fish, eggs, cheese, sausage, jerky and more.

While Gen X and baby boomers may be more resistant to change their diets, millennials and Gen Z who are more likely to consider the food source, animal welfare issues and environmental impacts when making their purchasing decisions are embracing plant-based food and will continue to do so.

Millennials did not invent this type of eating, but they are re-inventing it and spurring a broader change in attitudes and consumption of plant-based food. Gen Z is growing up with plant-based eating as a norm.

What goes unnoticed by many consumers is how these products are made. Replacing animal food products is not an easy task, quite the opposite, it is a very complex one.

It takes years to research and develop plant-based food products. And it has only been possible because of the ingredients available, such as plant proteins, oils, flavourings and binders. The better they are, the better the final product will be. Not only in the sense of texture, appearance, flavour and mouthfeel, but also health.

The next wave of plant-based products will likely be healthier as better ingredients and processes (like 3D printing) will be available. If we look at Beyond Burger, for example, the new formulation is healthier than the previous one.

One of the main reasons consumers switch to a plant-based diet is because of sustainability and environmental concerns. Indeed, eating plant-based reduces the impacts of climate change, saves water and minimizes agricultural land use.

But be aware that many plant-based brands are a part of a larger operation. A specific brand may be sustainable and environment friendly, but the company that owns it may not be.

It is important that food companies be transparent. Consumers have the right to know where the products they buy come from and how they are made so they can make informed decisions and hold companies and brands accountable.

Excerpt from:
Diet resolutions: 6 things to know about eating less meat and more plant-based foods - The Conversation CA

Two new studies in mice and humans suggest that some individuals may produce insufficient quantities of vitamin A from the beta carotene in their diets. To compensate, they may need to eat more foods containing vitamin A to maintain good cardiovascular health.

Beta carotene is a pigment in all fruits and vegetables, and carrots and sweet potatoes are particularly rich sources.

Various findings indicate that people with high blood levels of beta carotene tend to have lower serum concentrations of the bad cholesterol that causes atherosclerosis narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart.

As a result, they have a lower risk of ischemic heart disease, which is the most common cause of death worldwide.

The molecular mechanisms that link beta carotene to lower blood cholesterol levels are poorly understood, however.

Now, two new studies have discovered that the body needs an active version of a certain enzyme to reap the full benefits of beta carotene for cardiovascular health.

The enzyme in question converts beta carotene into vitamin A, which reduces the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol produced in the liver.

However, up to 50% of people make a less active form of the enzyme, according to Jaume Amengual, an assistant professor of personalized nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who was involved in both studies.

Having a less active form of this enzyme makes the body less efficient at producing vitamin A from the beta carotene in fruits and vegetables.

To reap the full benefits to cardiovascular health, Amengual says, a person may need to get more vitamin A directly from animal sources, such as dairy, milk, oily fish, or cheese, for example.

In the first study, the scientists began by measuring the impact of the enzyme, called beta carotene oxygenase 1 (BCO1), on cholesterol levels in mice. Their findings have been published in The Journal of Nutrition.

The team compared the effects of a beta carotene-rich diet in one group of regular mice and another group of mice without the gene for making BCO1.

After 10 days on the diet, the mice without the enzyme had more beta carotene in their blood and higher cholesterol levels than the normal mice.

Next, the researchers analyzed DNA and blood samples from 475 healthy young adults aged 1825. The participants also filled out questionnaires about their diets.

After factoring in the amount of beta carotene and vitamin A in the participants diets, the researchers discovered that those with a particular variant of the BCO1 gene had significantly lower cholesterol levels.

This genetic variant produces a more active form of the enzyme that converts more beta carotene into vitamin A.

The authors estimate that people who have one or more copies of this BCO1 gene variant could have a 9% reduction in LDL cholesterol, compared with those who do not. Although speculative, this decrease may be clinically meaningful if maintained through adulthood, they write.

The researchers acknowledge that one limitation of their study is that it relied on the accuracy of participants responses to the diet questionnaire.

It is also worth noting that this study was not intended to test the efficacy of any particular dietary intervention.

To explore whether the BCO1 enzyme could have a direct effect on the risk of atherosclerosis, the team conducted another study.

In the human study, we saw that cholesterol was higher in people who do not produce much vitamin A, explains Amengual, adding, To know if that observation has an effect in the long run, we would have to wait 70 years to see if they develop [cardiovascular disease].

Instead, the scientists fed beta carotene to two types of mice made genetically prone to develop atherosclerosis. The first type had a working version of the gene for making the BCO1 enzyme, and the other did not.

Overall, the mice with the enzyme that converts beta carotene into vitamin A had reduced plasma cholesterol levels and developed less severe atherosclerosis than the mice without the enzyme.

The researchers traced this effect to the animals livers. We observed that in mice with high levels of vitamin A, the secretion of lipids [cholesterol] into the bloodstream slows down, says Amengual.

The second study has been published in the Journal of Lipid Research.

See the article here:
What happens when the body cannot process beta carotene? - Medical News Today

(CNN)

If youre reading this, you deserve a big congratulations. You made it through 2020, a year that waschallenging, to say the least. And if youre anything like us, you probably deserve some dedicated self-care too. Maybe your yoga routine fell by the wayside when you became your kids substitute teacher. Maybe comfort food was on the menu after a day of endless video calls in your makeshift closet turned office. Or maybe you had to give up your daily runs with your best friend, the one person who really challenges you to be your best. And theres no shame in any of that; after all, living a balanced, healthy life can be hard enough in a normal yearone without a global pandemic.

Enter Noom.

Noom is a weight loss program that combines the power of technology with the empathy of real human coaches to help you achieve your long-term wellness goals. When you log in to Noom, your own personal specialist guides you along your journey to a new you. That means that youre not alone in facing down your wellness resolutions in 2021.

As our lives begin to return to normal, theres no guarantee that our old healthy habits will make a comeback or that well be able to forge the new habits we resolved to achieve last year, before wed ever heard the phrase quarantine 15.

Just think back to last year. According to a You.gov poll, the most popular resolutions for 2020 included exercising more (50%), eating more healthily (43%) and losing weight (37%). And last year, like every other year, diet books flew off the shelves around New Yearsonly to collect dust within a few months. That doesnt mean the books were bad. Restrictive diets just arent a long-term solution for achieving a healthy, sustainable body weight. As we learned in 2020, going carb-free doesnt help you deal with negative thinking or stress eating the things that can hold you back in the long run.

For real, lasting change, you need to learn how to identify the habits that are holding you back and how to change them. With Noom, youll answer a series of questions about your health, behavior and lifestyle that will help you set achievable, lasting goals, whether thats losing weight or getting fit. Then youll receive coaching from professionals trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Already exercising? Noom can fit in with your routine and syncs with all major fitness trackers. Coaches will help you with weekly, individual goal-setting tailored to your journey and lifestyle. Not sure where you want to end up? Nooms coaches will be happy to give you some ideas and the inspo you need to get there.

So this new year, forget the fad diet and go for Nooms two-week trial instead. If you find you like it (and you will), pricing starts at just $59 per month or $99 for two months. No need to wait for the new year to make some new resolutions. This holiday season, give yourself the gift of self-care, support and success. Give yourself Noom.

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In 2021, say goodbye to restrictive diets and hello to Noom - CNN