Tag Archives: obesity

Is food sensitivity making you fat? Find out about the ALCAT test

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London: Overweight, tired, skin problems and infertility are just some of the symptoms of food intolerence.

Many people suffer from food sensitivities /intolerencewithout knowing it. A food sensitivity is a reaction that you may not notice directly, symptoms may appear days after eating the substance, but it may be responsible for various “minor” illnesses such as chronic fatigue, overweight, chronic inflammation, migraine, arthritis, skin problems, poor mood and attention span, breathing difficulties, gastro-intestinal orders such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, sugar cravings, premature ageing, infertility and other conditions. This is different from a true allergy in that the reaction to the offending substance will usually happen immediately.

The ALCAT test examines the reaction of your living blood cells to foods and other substances so that you can tailor your diet for optimum health. This is not a test for true allergies. The IGE/IGG antibody response test is more suited to allergies.

There is a significant difference between the ALCAT test and IgG tests. The ALCAT test analyses the changes in the size (swelling and inflammation) and number of the white blood cells when the whole fresh blood is exposed to the individual test substances. There are many ways (mechanisms) by which the white blood cells’s may be triggered and that result in the release of inflammatory chemicals and the generation of damaging free radicals. IgG antibodies are also often present but block rather than cause reactions. Studies show that the ALCAT test correlates very well with double blind oral challenges with both foods and food additives. IgG does not. New studies show that the ALCAT test also correlates well with cytockine release where the IgG test does not. The consumer watchdog magazine WHICH recently criticised food intolerence tests other than ALCAT – read what they said here WHICH REPORT

The ALCAT test can also be used to screen for a whole host of substances that IgG cannot; such as, food additives and colourings, moulds, environmental chemicals, certain common anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics.

The ALCAT test, requires the patient to give a blood sample and examines the reaction to 100 most common foods costs £199.99(includes VAT).

The Alcat Test is unique. Your Alcat test results are contained in a detailed report of the body’s reaction to 100 common foods and substances including wheat, yeast and dairy. * These are category coded: red (severe intolerance, avoid at all costs for six months), orange (strong intolerance, avoid for 3-6 months), yellow (mild intolerance, avoid for three months/eat on rotation), green (acceptable, eat on rotation).

*The 100 Food Panel includes: Apple, Bakers Yeast, Banana, Barley, Beef, Black Pepper, Broccoli, Cabbage,Cantaloupe, Carrot, Casein, Cauliflower, Chicken, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Corn,CottonSeed, Cow’s Milk, Egg White, Egg Yolk, Fructose, Garlic, Gliadin, Gluten, Grape, Green Pea, Lamb, Lemon, Lettuce , Mustard, Oat, Onion,Orange, Peanut, Pear, Pork, Rice, Shrimp, Soybean, Squash, Strawberry,StringBean,Sugar, Sweet Potato, Tomato, Tuna, Turkey, Vanilla, Wheat,White Potato Almond, Asparagus, Avocado, Basil, Blueberry, Brewer’s Yeast,Brussel Sprouts, Candida Albicans, Carob, Cashew, Celery, Cherry, Clam,Coconut, Codfish, Coffee, Crab, Cranberry, Cucumber, Eggplant, Ginger,Goat’s Milk, Grapefruit, Green Pepper, Halibut, Honey, Hops, Lime, Lobster, Millet, Mushroom, Olive, Oregano, Parsley,Peach, Pecan, Pineapple, PintoBean, Plum, Psyllium, Rye, Salmon, Scallop, Sesame, Snapper, Sole, Spinach,Tea, Watermelon, Whey

Why many diets may fail

Even when dieting, the foods you eat may be preventing you from losing weight. Recent information has shed light on why some people will benefit from a diet and others will not. Our immune system reacts to the foods we eat and reactions to particular foods affect each of us differently.

In a study from Baylor Medical College in the US, researchers examined the effects of avoiding offending foods, or what is commonly referred to as “hidden food allergies”, were compared with low calorie dieting. The researchers were not only looking for changes in scale weight, but also a much more important measurement called body composition. Body composition is the ratio of fat to lean tissue. It is an important concern with regard to weight loss because the loss of lean tissue, as opposed to fat, is unhealthy. Lean tissue burns calories, even when you’re not exercising. Loss of lean tissue, rather than fat, can set you up for the yo-yo diet effect.

In order to determine a person’s hidden food allergies the Baylor researchers used a simple blood test, developed by ALCAT. They collected 100 subjects for the study who were having difficulty losing weight. Half of the subjects followed their Alcat test results and ate whatever they wanted as long as it was not indicated by the test as being a problem food. The other fifty subjects restricted their caloric intake, but did not eliminate problem foods indicated by the Alcat test.

Measurements of scale weight and body composition were taken at the beginning of the study and again one month later. The difference between the two groups was startling, 98% of the subjects following the Alcat eating program were successful in either losing weight and/or improving body composition. The calorie restriction group as a whole actually got worse, not necessarily heavier, but they lost more muscle than fat.

To the researchers, this study demonstrated that merely restricting food intake, without eliminating foods that inhibit metabolism, will not enough improve metabolic function necessary for healthy and long lasting weight loss.

Many doctors use the Alcat test as a valuable weight loss tool. Dr. Steven Lamm, author of, Thinner at Last, says, “I have seen the (Alcat) technique work when absolutely nothing else has made the scale budge”.

Even low carb advocates like Dr. Fred Pescatore, the former associate Medical Director of the Atkins Center and author of the bestseller, The Hamptons Diet, says, “I’ve been using the Alcat test in my practice for eight years. No other test is as accurate or useful”.

Listen to Dr Pescatore in this video interview;

When asked why the Alcat test works so well with weight loss, ALCAT states: “The wrong foods cause chronic inflammation which disrupts metabolism. Incompatible foods also disturb brain chemistry, thus causing food cravings. The allergic response also sets the stage for water retention and, for some, digestive disorders. Weight gain is caused by many factors, including our unique ability to metabolize foods. When dieting, each of us needs our own diet.”

The Alcat test can be purchased at www.thevitalityshopuk.com

Drinking water doesn’t help weightloss

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Tokyo: Advice to drink lots of water to loose weight is a waste of time, according to new research.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have found that drinking the elixir of life does not keep one trim — instead, one could be better off eating foods rich in water like fruit, vegetables, rice, soups and casseroles.

According to them, it is unclear why water in food but not in drinks affects weight — it could be due to water-rich foods such as fruit, vegetables and rice also high in fibre.

In fact, the researchers have based their findings on an analysis of 1,000 young women in Tokyo. They compared the weight and waist size of the participants with the amount of water they consumed each day, both from drinks and food.

The study, published in the latest edition of the Nutrition Journal, found no link between water in drinks, including water itself, tea, coffee, soft drinks and fruit juices, and body shape, the ‘Daily Mail’ reported.

But the researchers found a link between water taken in from food, with women who ate the highest quantities of water-rich foods tending to have slightly smaller waists. And, those subjects also had a lower body mass index, meaning they were a better weight for their height.

The link held firm even when other factors such as the amount of exercise done and whether the woman was dieting were taken into consideration.

Vitamin D fights type 2 diabetes

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Helskinki: Scientists have discovered that higher levels of vitamin D may offer protection against tyep 2, adult onset diabetes.

Several thousand people, aged 40 to 74, were monitored over a 22-year-period, during which time 412 developed the disease.

Results showed that those with higher levels of vitamin D had the lower risk of diabetes. In particular, men with the highest blood level of the vitamin were 72 per cent less likely to develop the disease.

It is thought that low levels of vitamin D affect the body’s ability to produce insulin.

Vitamin D is produced naturally in the body by sunlight and it is also found in certain foods such as oily fish.

Diabetes is a growing problem, particularly in ageing adults and those who are overweight, particularly with high levels of belly fat are most at risk.

Obese don’t see themselves as fat

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Increasing numbers of people are failing to recognise they have a weight problem, according to new research published in the British Medical Journal online.

It is well known that women often view themselves as ‘too fat’ while men typically underestimate their weight. But how far has people’s perception of their weight changed with the growing obesity epidemic?

Researchers from the Health Behaviour Research Centre at University College London, compared data taken from two household surveys carried out in 1999 and 2007. In each survey participants were asked to give their height and weight (from which their Body Mass Index (BMI) and clinical weight category could be determined) and also categorise themselves as either: ‘very underweight’, ‘underweight’, ‘about right’, ‘overweight’ or ‘very overweight’. The 2007 survey also included ‘obese’ as a category.

Professor Jane Wardle and colleagues found the proportion of respondents whose weight placed them in the clinically obese category had nearly doubled in eight years from 11% in 1999 to 19% in 2007. Yet, those whose weight put them in the overweight category were less likely to think that they were overweight in 2007 than in 1999.

In 1999, 43% of the population had a BMI that put them in the overweight or obese range, of whom 81% correctly identified themselves as overweight. But in 2007, 53% of the population had a BMI in the overweight or obese range, but only 75% of these correctly classed themselves as overweight.

The researchers suggest that the growing division between actual and perceived weight may be due to overweight becoming more widespread in the population and the appearance of mild overweight being increasingly accepted as ‘normal’. These changes may have increased the level at which people perceive themselves to be overweight.

According to the authors, these perceptions are reinforced by media images of people who are morbidly obese, which add to the misconception that extremely high weights are required to meet the medical criteria for overweight. This can also increase the stigma attached to the labels ‘overweight’ and ‘obese’.

The authors warn that despite media and health campaigns aimed at raising awareness of healthy weight, increasing numbers of overweight people are failing to recognise that their weight is a cause for concern, or that messages about healthy eating and exercise are aimed at them.

Overweight people, who underestimate their body weight, may be ignoring important messages about modifying their lifestyles, claims Professor Sara Bleich from John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health in an accompanying editorial.

According to Bleich, the key to correcting misconceptions about weight is to treat obesity as a multilevel problem—focusing on broader society as well as the individual. Educating the entire population on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, rather than focusing on overweight individuals, may also reduce weight related stigma.

Does TV violence make you eat more?

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Rotterdam: TV violence triggers an increase in hunger, according to new research.

According to Dirk Smeesters, Associate Professor of Marketing at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, people who are thinking about their own deaths want to consume more.

In a paper published in the Journal of Consumer Research, “The Sweet Escape: Effects of Mortality Salience on Consumption Quantities for High- and Low-Self-Esteem Consumers”, Dirk Smeesters and co-author Naomi Mandel (Arizona State University) reveal that “consumers, especially those with a faced with images of death during the news or their favorite crime-scene investigation shows.”

Smeesters and Mandel conducted experiments in Europe and the United States on 746 subjects who wrote either about their own death or a visit to the dentist (the control group). The findings revealed that consumers with low self-esteem writing about their death ate more cookies and listed more items on a hypothetical shopping list compared to those who wrote about the dentist. Similar effects were obtained by subliminally presenting the word ‘death’ to consumers and exposing them to death-related news.

Smeesters and Mandel explain this effect using a theory called ‘escape from self-awareness’. When people are reminded of their inevitable mortality, they may start to feel uncomfortable about what they have done with their lives and whether they have made a significant mark on the universe. This is a state called ‘heightened self-awareness.’ One way to deal with such an uncomfortable state is to escape from it, by either overeating or overspending.

Follow-up research found that death-related news can not only increase consumers’ consumption behavior, but can also affect their preferences for domestic and foreign brands. More specifically, consumers who were exposed to death-related news (e.g. a news report about a fatal car crash) had more positive preferences for domestic brands, but more negative preferences for foreign brands compared to consumers not exposed to such news.

These effects were obtained because thinking about death made consumers more patriotic. These studies clearly demonstrated the potential negative effects of advertising foreign brands shortly after the broadcast of death-related programs on television.

About Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University

RSM is an internationally top-ranked business school renowned for its ground-breaking research in sustainable business practice and for the development of leaders in global business. Offering an array of bachelor, master, doctoral, MBA and executive education programmes, RSM is consistently ranked amongst the top 10 business schools in Europe. < a href="http://www.rsm.nl">www.rsm.nl

Banned slim pill gets UK go-ahead

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London: Acomplia, a weightloss pill banned in the US over concerns that it may increase the risk of suicide has been given approval for patients in the UK.

The once-a-day pill which is also available in Germany and France can now be prescribed by the public health authority, the National Health Service, to patients who have failed to loose weight on other pills such as Xenical and Reductil.

It has failed to get US authorisation because it it thought to increase suicidal thoughts in people already suffering from depression.

The European Medicines Agency has already issued a warning highlighting the fact that it may ber unsafe for anyone suffering from depression or taking anti-depressant drugs.

It has demonstrated success is helping two out of five patients shed 10 per cent of their weight.

Why diets fail most women – new research from Nintendo

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All women diet but 57% of them say not one of the diets they’ve tried has worked, according to research by My Health Coach, the new weight game from Nintendo.

Slimmers are bombarded with information on dieting wherever they go, and as a result are trying every fat-busting fad there is. Every woman polled had tried some form of fad diet or eating regime but 57% said no diet had actually worked for them in the long term.

Only 5% of British women can say they never think about dieting or weight loss. 14% think about it on a weekly basis and 12% think about dieting or start a new diet every single day. This obsession appears to be caused by social pressures with 48% of women saying they feel they’re expected to live up to catwalk models.

Although we clearly do want to be slimmer, 51% of women said they lack the motivation to make it a reality. Over a third fail to facilitate themselves in weight loss by exercising alongside their diet. These findings beg the question: are we asking too much of ourselves in terms of body image or are we not pushing ourselves hard enough to achieve our goals?

For more information visit www.ubisoftgroup.com

Women ignore heart dangers

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London: Three out of four women are ignorant of the risks to heart health as they age, according to new research by food manufacturer Benecol.

The risk of heart health problems increases after the menopause but 78% of women are unaware of the danger.

More than two thirds of the women, aged between 25 and 65 years, did not know that heart disease is the main cause of death in women or that it can be caused by high levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol.

Nearly 50% did not realise that cholesterol levels rise after the menopause because of the fall in levels of the hormone oestrogen.

The survey carried out by Consumer Analysis for Benecol concluded that the majority of women are confused about the symptoms of heart disease and the risk factors which include high blood pressure, obesity and smoking.

Scientists discover fat genes

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London: A gene sequence linked to an expanding waist line, weight gain and a tendency to develop type 2 diabetes has been discovered as part of a study published today in the journal Nature Genetics.

The study also shows that the gene sequence is significantly more common in those with Indian Asian than European ancestry. The research, which was funded by the British Heart Foundation, could lead to better ways of treating obesity.

Scientists from Imperial College London and other international institutions have discovered that the sequence is associated with a 2cm expansion in waist circumference, a 2kg gain in weight, and a tendency to become resistant to insulin, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. The sequence is found in 50% of the UK population.

“Until now, we have understood remarkably little about the genetic component of common problems linked with obesity, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” said Professor Jaspal Kooner, the paper’s senior author from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London. “Finding such a close association between a genetic sequence and significant physical effects is very important, especially when the sequence is found in half the population.”

The study shows that the sequence is a third more common in those with Indian Asian than in those with European ancestry. This could provide a possible genetic explanation for the particularly high levels of obesity and insulin resistance in Indian Asians, who make up 25% of the world’s population, but who are expected to account for 40% of global cardiovascular disease by 2020.

The new gene sequence sits close to a gene called MC4R, which regulates energy levels in the body by influencing how much we eat and how much energy we expend or conserve. The researchers believe the sequence is involved in controlling the MC4R gene, which has also been implicated in rare forms of extreme childhood obesity.

Previous research on finding the genetic causes of obesity has identified other energy-conserving genes. Combining knowledge about the effects of all these genes could pave the way for transforming how obesity is managed.

“A better understanding of the genes behind problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease means that we will be in a good position to identify people whose genetic inheritance makes them most susceptible,”
added Professor Kooner. “We can’t change their genetic inheritance. But we can focus on preventative measures, including life-style factors such as diet and exercise, and identifying new drug targets to help reduce the burden of disease.”

The research was carried out as part of the London Life Sciences Population (LOLIPOP) study of environmental and genetic causes of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity in approximately 30,000 UK citizens of Indian Asian and European ancestry. The scientists looked at the association between unique genetic markers, called single nuclear polymorphisms, and physical traits linked with obesity, such as waist circumference and insulin resistance.

“The studies we carry out through LOLIPOP are providing unique and important data,” explained lead author Dr John Chambers from the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Imperial College London.
“The number of people involved, the comparisons between two ancestries, and the detail with which we can explore genetic and environmental effects are helping us identify crucial linkages.”

This research was carried out by scientists at Imperial College London, University of Michigan, USA, and the Pasteur Institute, France.

Background:
1. “Common genetic variation near MC4R is associated with waist
circumference and insulin resistance” Nature Genetics, Sunday 4 May 2008, doi 10.1038/ng.156

Download an embargoed copy of the paper here:
FileExchange
(available until 16 May)

2. Imperial College London – rated the world’s fifth best
university in the 2007 Times Higher Education Supplement University Rankings – is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 12,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality. Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and business, delivering practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment – underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture. Website: www.imperial.ac.uk

3. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is the UK’s heart
charity, dedicated to saving lives through pioneering research, patient care, campaigning for change and by providing vital information. But we urgently need help. We rely on donations of time and money to continue our life-saving work. Because together we can beat heart disease. For more information visit bhf.org.uk

Why a healthy colon is key to good health

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Many of us can’t even bring ourselves to say the word ‘colon’ in public, yet a healthy digestive tract could be the key to long life and, far from being a dirty word, if you are going to look after just one bit of your body, make sure its your colon, because that takes care of everything else.

Dao Earl, from the UK colonic and fasting retreat Sura Detox, explains: “The colon was designed to generate nutrients from food, and propel the wastes out of the body, but our modern lifestyle stresses, combined with increased toxins in food, are putting too much strain on our digestive system. As a result, the tract becomes clogged, which both inhibits digestion and results in these poisons being reabsorbed into your bloodstream. So, whether you are looking to get more wastes out (weight loss, allergies, cholesterol), or get more nutrition in (osteoporosis, deficiencies) clearing your bowel is the best place to start.”

“Why is it that despite the high intentions to eat more healthily, and find the perfect, stress-free work/life balance, more and more of us are struggling with the pressures of everyday life, under which we reach for food to relax us, alcohol to enjoy ourselves, and caffeine to wake us up? We are working hard and fast against our wants and needs. For many the time has come to step off the merry-go-round for a moment, get some perspective, and start asking some pretty loft questions about all this.”

Sura Detox offers week long retreats once a month at its beautiful retreat in the heart of rural Devon. Each retreat takes the form of a juice or water diet and twice daily colonics.

Fasting gives your body the chance to naturally purge itself of its toxins, as it redirects the energy normally required for digestion, and focuses upon purifying itself. The general program and frequent colonics ensure the thorough elimination of waste, so that yo! ur body has the utmost opportunity for restoration.

All Sura Detox programmes are supported by powerful nutritional talks to encourage visitors to adopt healthier eating patterns, as well as complementary therapies such as yoga, massage and homeopathy.

Results from Sura Detox speak for themselves. Many visitors find that lifetime ailments such as arthritis and asthma are substantially improved, and the effects of the retreat itself, actually result in a feeling of mental cleansing too.

Sura Detox retreats are held once a month in Devon. For more information on the retreats, visit www.suradetox.com or call 08456 343 895.

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Average person’s heart is five years older than their real age

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London: The average person’s heart is five years older than their chronological age, according to a new study.

Based on an analysis of heart health checks conducted at branches of Lloydspharmacy, and using a protocol developed by Unilever and Boston University, the study shows that people’s hearts are aging faster than they should.

The research is based on a sample of more than 3000 tests conducted on adults less than 60 years old. The study should be a real wake up call for smokers in particular. The findings reveal that puffing away results in a heart age which is a full 14 years older than smokers’ actual age. The figure for non smoking men is 4 years. Women, however, fare better. The average Heart Age of non-smokers in this age group is the same as their chronological age.

Recently it emerged that while death rates from coronary heart disease are falling among the old they are levelling off or rising among people aged 35 to 54, suggesting that there is a middle aged heart disease bulge caused by over-indulgence and sedentary lifestyles.

The findings of the research coincide with the launch of a tie-up between Lloydspharmacy and Flora pro.activ. The initiative was launched by Gloria Hunniford who has been working with Flora pro.activ on a number of heart health campaigns.

Heart health is an issue that Gloria feels passionate about. She lost her first husband, Don Keating, as a result of an undetected heart condition and then her husband Stephen Way suffered a heart attack just after they got married.

Gloria herself had raised cholesterol (6.35mmol/l), and these experiences alerted her to what she describes as, “the silent killer cholesterol”, and made her realise that she needed to take serious steps to protect her own heart.

As part of the link between Lloydspharmacy and Flora pro.activ, people can get a free Cholesterol test and Heart Check worth £15 at more than 600 branches of Lloydspharmacy nationwide in return for two proofs of purchase of any Flora pro.activ products.

The Lloydspharmacy Cholesterol and Heart Check is a 10-15 minute consultation involving, amongst other things, cholesterol and blood pressure tests and a lifestyle assessment. Based on these results a percentage risk score of developing heart disease over the next ten years is estimated.

Heart Age

Heart age is calculated using a range of factors including blood pressure,
blood cholesterol, diet and lifestyle. The Heart Age Calculator was
developed through collaboration between Unilever (the parent company of
Flora) and the Boston University Statistics and Consulting Unit, the department that was involved in identifying the factors that increase people’s risk of heart disease in the world-famous Framingham Heart Study.

About Lloydspharmacy

Lloydspharmacy has 1,700 pharmacies across the country. These are based predominantly in community and health centre locations. The company employs over 16,000 staff, of which 80 per cent are women and dispenses 120 million prescription items annually. The pharmacies have over two million visits per week by customers who are also predominantly women.

Lloydspharmacy is the trading name of Lloydspharmacy Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Celesio AG based in Stuttgart. Celesio is the leading pharmaceutical distribution company in Europe and is represented in 15 countries. With its three divisions, Celesio Wholesale, Celesio Pharmacies and Celesio Solutions, the group covers the entire scope of pharmaceutical trade and pharmaceutical-related services.

Lloydspharmacy which is a community pharmacy has primary care at the heart of its business. This is why has launched a range of products aimed at community health such as affordable blood pressure monitors, Solar Safe products and is a supporter of NHS initiatives such as NHS Choices by providing terminals in-store for patient information.

High GI foods linked to lifestyle diseases

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Sydney: Scientists in Australia have found conclusive evidence that a high GI diet, generally rich in food that is burnt by the body quickly, leads to a higher risk of common lifestyle diseases.

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of how different foods affect your blood glucose levels, with those that are “low GI” released more slowly and deemed better for health. This slow release means that less insulin is released into the bloodstream and the body’s stores less fat.

A team of nutrition experts at the University of Sydney evaluated 37 diet studies involving nearly two million people worldwide to analyse the effect of eating high GI foods, which are usually highly processed.

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found a link between a high GI diet and a high risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.The diet was also linked to gall stones and some types of cancer.

Lead researcher, Alan Barclay said: “The key message from this study is that the GI of your diet is a powerful predictor of disease risk.Grandma was right, you are what you eat.”

He said the link with diabetes was “not surprising” because eating high GI foods inflates your blood glucose and insulin levels.

“You may literally ‘wear out’ your pancreas over time and eventually it may lead to type 2 diabetes in older age,” Mr Barclay said.

The researchers were more surprised by the “strong relationship” between GI and cancer.

High GI foods cause constant spikes in blood glucose which increase insulin and a related substance called ‘insulin-like growth factor one’, both of which have been shown to increase the risk of developing cancer.

“Other research shows that a high GI diet tends to reduce ‘good’ HDL cholesterol levels and raise triglycerides levels; bad news for cardiovascular diseases,” he said.

“And people with low HDL cholesterol and high triglyceride levels are more prone to gall stones.”

The researchers said their findings support eating a low GI diet to maintain healthy weight and help avoid disease.

Caryl Nowson, a professor of nutrition and ageing at Deakin University in Melbourne, said because high GI foods were typically high in fat and sugar and low in fibre, they were also ready known to be linked with disease.

“This review is just a new way of breaking down dietary information we already have,” Prof Nowson said.

She said while the benefits of eating according to GI rating had been proven, it was just one of many ways to structure a healthy diet.

“If you focus on having a classically balanced diet high in fibre and low in sugar, fat and refined foods you’ll find you’re eating relatively low GI anyway,” Prof Nowson said.

Diabetics face increasing risk of heart attack, says new research

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London: As the number of people with diabetes continues to grow, the number of diabetics who have a heart attack has doubled over the last ten years, UK researchers say.

The number of people with type 2 diabetes, the form associated with being overweight, has grown in the UK from 1.4 million in 1996 to two million. Thousands more are believed to have the disease without realising.

And around 13,000 people with type 2 diabetes are now treated for a heart attack every year, compared with less than 6,000 in 1996.

Hospital admissions for other associated diseases such as strokes and angina has also doubled among diabetics, along with keyhole heart surgery, according to a new Imperial College in London and Leicester University.

They compared the records of cardiac treatments carried out in English hospitals between April 2005 and March 2006 with those from April 1995 to March 1996.

The analysis showed that diabetics accounted for 13.9 per cent of patients treated for a heart attack in the later period, up from 7.2 per cent a decade ago.

Angina admissions had more than doubled, from 6.7 per cent to 15.3 per cent, while the proportion of diabetics among those being treated for strokes had risen from 6.1 per cent to 11.3 per cent.

The researchers looked only at type 2 diabetes, the most common form. This is usually identified in middle age, although Britons’ expanding waistlines mean more children are being diagnosed with it.

Type 2 diabetes is often controlled initially with a stringent diet and exercise regime, but many sufferers will see their condition worsen over time and will eventually need tablets or insulin injections.

The high blood sugar levels among those with diabetes make them five times as likely to develop heart disease as the rest of the population.

Can fizzy drinks cause obesity?

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St Pauls: Drinking carbonated diet drinks is linked with metabolic disorders, researchers at the University of Minnesota have concluded.

Metabolic syndrome is an increase in risk factors toward cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This includes a larger waistline, high blood pressure and higher levels of fats found in the blood.

The research which took over nine years and examined data on 10,000 individuals.

The study showed that people who drank one can of diet soda every day were 34 percent more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, but those who drank one can of regular soda were only 10 percent more likely to develop it.

Does this new information cause people to want to steer clear of carbonated diet drink?

The researchers say more research is required to establish the link with diet drinks.

Is salt fuelling child obesity?

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London: Salt-rich diets could be the reason why many children are getting fatter, University of London researchers say.

In a study of data on 1,600 children, they found that children eating a salty diet tended to drink more, including more fattening, sugary soft drinks.

They reported in journal Hypertension that halving the average daily salt intake of six grams a day could cut 250 calories a week from a child’s diet. They said the the food industry should reduce salt content in products.

One in five children in the UK is overweight and there are fears that this will contribute to a rising trend in adult obesity, heart disease and stroke in years to come.

Eating products high in salt tends to make people thirsty and it is known that in adults, a salt-laden diet tends to increase the amount of sugary soft drinks consumed.

This is the first study to see if the same effect was found in children.

The team from St George’s, University of London, looked at data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, conducted in 1997.

They used a sample of 1,600 four to 18-year-olds who had all had their salt and fluid intake measured precisely.

They found that children eating a lower-salt diet drank less fluid and estimated that one gram of salt cut from a daily diet would reduce fluid intake by 100 grams per day.

Approximately a quarter of those 100 grams would be sugary soft drinks, they predicted.

The researchers estimated that if children cut their salt intake by half – an average reduction of three grams a day – there would be a decrease of approximately two sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week per child.

That, in turn, would decrease each child’s calorie intake by almost 250 calories per week.

They urged parents to check the salt content of their children’s meals and manufacturers to find ways to reduce this content.

They said reductions in the salt content of 10% or 20% cannot be detected by human salt taste receptors and do not cause any “technological or safety problems”.

Professor Graham McGregor, one of the paper’s authors and the chairman of Consensus Action on Salt and Health, said that while some manufacturers had acted to reduce salt levels in bread and cereals – the main sources of salt for children – there was still plenty left for the industry to do.

“Unfortunately some food specifically targeted at children has to be laced with salt otherwise it would be inedible, because it is made from mechanically-recovered meat,” he said.

“The salt levels in some of these products have been brought virtually up to the level of sea water.

“This is evidence of another, hidden way in which eating too much salt may harm the health of children and the industry needs to do a lot more.”

Dr Myron Weinberger, from the Indiana University Medical Center, wrote that reductions in salt and soft drink consumption in children, coupled with an increase in physical activity, could help reduce the “scourge of cardiovascular disease” in western society.

A spokesman for the British Heart Foundation said that better food labelling would help parents to choose healthier foods for their families.

“When children regularly swill down salty foods with sugary, calorie-laden soft drinks, it can mean double trouble for their future heart health.

“This report is yet more proof that children must be supported to make healthier food choices to avoid becoming obese or increasing their blood pressure.”

Fast food harms the liver

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Too much fast food and too little exercise can harm the liver in just one month, research suggests.

A small study found that people who ate junk food twice a day experienced varying degrees of damage to their liver.

They also put on large amounts of weight in a relatively short amount of time.

Twelve men and six women – 17 of whom were students – were recruited for the study, published online in the journal Gut.

They were all healthy and slim, but for the study they ate at least two fast food meals a day, preferably from well-known fast food restaurants.

Exercise was also restricted to under 5,000 steps per day each.

Blood samples were taken at the start of the study, two weeks into the study and after four weeks.

Participants were urged to greatly increase their daily calorie intake, and only stopped the trial early if they gained 15% in weight.

Another group ate a normal healthy diet and acted as controls.

National Bike Week – 14-22 June

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London: Bike Week, the UK’s biggest mass participation cycling event, is this year challenging families to get out of their cars, step away from the TV and get on their bikes. The call to action is ‘Free the Family’ and rediscover how much fun you can have together on a bike.

From Bristol to Belfast and Edinburgh to Eastbourne, thousands of free cycling events will provide the opportunity for everyone from total novices to passionate cyclists to get on their bikes. This year’s focus on the family means there will be children’s rides, free bike safety checks and advice on getting started.

Andre Curtis, Manager at Bike Week said; “Plenty of parents have forgotten how much fun cycling was as a child. This year’s Bike Week will help to revive those memories and encourage families to spend quality family time together, have fun and get fit at the same time. We hope that taking part in a Bike Week event will act as a catalyst for people to cycle more regularly and enjoy the long term benefits of a healthier lifestyle.”

Why not join the 500,000 people who came along last year? To find out what is taking place in your local area, visit www.bikeweek.org.ukand enter your postcode. If you’d like to take part but don’t have a bike – this shouldn’t stop you – you can simply search for your nearest bike rental outlet on the website. All participants get the chance to win a Center Parcs family holiday – giving another reason to get on your bike!

For further information, or if you’d like to organise your own event, log on to www.bikeweek.org.uk or phone 0845 612 0661 (within UK)

Five reasons to get on your bike:

1. Cyclists live on average at least two years longer than non-cyclists and their fitness levels are equivalent to being ten years younger – so forget nip and tuck, think pedal and push!

2. Cycling is the ultimate family activity; it’s healthy, fun and encourages children to be independent.

3.Twenty minutes of gentle cycling burns up to 100 calories, so if you cycle to work, you’ll be able to have that afternoon treat without feeling an inch of guilt!

4. Studies show that car drivers are exposed to five times as much polluted air than cyclists, making cycling good for the environment, as well as your health

5. In a rush? Cycling is often much quicker than public transport or taking the car – even better, you won’t spend a penny on public transport, road tax, parking, MOT or fuel.

Bike Week will run from 14-22 June 2008
Bike Week is one of the UK’s biggest annual promotions of cycling and provides a national umbrella for locally organised events and activities up and down the country.

Bike Week began as a grass-roots organisation in 1923 and receives funding from the Department for Transport, Cycling England, Transport for London, Northern Ireland Executive, The Welsh Assembly Government and The Scottish Government. Bike Week also receives funding from the cycle industry via Bike Hub.

The partners that run Bike Week are drawn from the whole cycling community including the cycle industry, Cycling England and Cycling Scotland, Sustrans, CTC and Cycle Campaign Network. More information can be found at www.bikeweek.org.uk

Moderate daily exercise reduces death in men

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Washington: Brisk walking for just 30 minutes daily is enough to half the risk of premature death of men from all causes, according to new research.

The US-government-sponsored analysis — the largest such study ever — found that a regimen of brisk walking 30 minutes a day at least four to six days a week was enough to halve the risk of premature death from all causes.

“As you increase your ability to exercise — increase your fitness — you are decreasing in a step-wise fashion the risk of death,” said study author Peter Kokkinos, director of the exercise testing and research lab in the cardiology department of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

That conclusion applies more or less equally to white and black men, regardless of their prior history of cardiovascular disease. According to Kokkinos, that may be because the veterans in the study all received the same level of care, regardless of income.

This evened the playing field, he said, giving him “great confidence” in the results, which will be published in the Feb. 5 issue ofCirculationand were released online Jan. 22.

In the study, Kokkinos and his team reviewed information gathered by the VA from 15,660 black and white male patients treated either in Palo Alto, Calif., or in Washington, D.C.

The men ranged in age from 47 to 71 and had been referred to a VA medical facility for a clinically prescribed treadmill exercise test sometime between 1983 and 2006. All participants were asked to run until fatigued, at which point the researchers recorded the total amount of energy expended and oxygen consumed.

By tracking fatalities through June 2007, Kokkinos and his colleagues found that for both black and white men it was their fitness level, rather than their age, blood pressure or body-mass index, that was most strongly linked to their future risk for death.

The study proved that it takes relatively little exercise to achieve health benefits.

Red wine pill may be cure for diabetes

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San Francisco: Resveratrol, a substance found in red wine, may cure the symptoms of adult onset diabetes, according to the results of a new trial of a drug based on this ingredient.

The American company, Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, says the trial demonstrates the drug is safe and cuts blood glucose levels, which are not controlled in diabetics, in results presented today at the 26th Annual JPMorgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. The findings could lead to a new drug to control Type 2 Diabetes which now affects millions and the number continues to grow.

The 28-day study of pills to deliver a control, 2.5 gram or five grams of what it called SRT501 each to roughly 30 patients with Type 2 Diabetes in India.

The drug is also being tested on 130 patients in a Phase 2 study in combination with metformin, a drug therapy for Type 2 Diabetes, and results are expected later this year. Any anti-ageing effects have yet to be established.

The drug targets an enzyme called SIRT1, from the sirtuin family of enzymes which control the ageing process. The new drug, SRT501 acts by increasing the activity of the mitochondria, the energy powerhouse of our cells, and lowering levels of glucose in the blood and improving insulin sensitivity.

The Clinic of Cybernetic Medicine Moscow

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20 % discount on all treatments
Clinic of Cybernetic Medicine
T: +7 495 101 5030
Email: For information in English email Sono Wood suno@cybermed.ru
Web: www.cybermed.ru

“We treat the whole person – not just their illnesses” – Alexander Avshalumov, Founder and Director

This clinic specialises in the treatment – investigating the body as a whole – of many illnesses including:

• Diabetes
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Neuroses and depression
• Hepatitis including “C”
• Breast disease and endometriosis
• Erectile disfunction
• Migraine, dizziness and headaches of uncertain origin
• Psoriasis and eczema
• Multiple sclerosis
• Heart disease
• Hypertension
• Arthritis and stiff joint problems
• Spinal disc problems – back pain
• Acute and chronic lung disease
• Kidney disease
• Male and female genital disorders
• Thyroid gland disorders
• Abdominal and duodental ulcers
• Disorders of the pancreas and intestines
• Selected oncology
• Chronic fatigue syndrome such as ME
• Obesity
• Complex symptoms of ill-health without clear diagnostics

In its approach to illness the clinic looks at the whole body and organ function in a series of comprehensive tests. These include “The Gold Standard” which includes 15 different types of diagnositics. Most of them are non-invasive: all are totally safe. The whole process takes only three to five hours – the result: a unique protrait of a person’s state of health, from the micro the macro, from the level of cellular metabolism and each individual body organ, to the working of the body as a coordinated, well-managed entity. The process is unique to this Moscow clinic.

The Gold Standard leads to an individually-designed programme of treatment which treats the body as a whole, restoring proper management and fuction.

The results to date are clear. A wide range of illnesses have ben successfully treated and chronic conditions and symptoms may be quickly and safely alleviated in our out-patients clinic in Moscow.

The Clinic of Cybernetic Medicine uses the latest US and Russian equipment including cardio vision equipment, cellular metabolism diagnostics, radio thermometry and magnetic tornado therapy amongst others.

International Kurotel Longevity Centre & Spa – Brazil

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Kurotel Centro de Longevidade e Spa
Rua Nações Unidas, 533
CEP: 95670-000
Gramado – RS – Brasil
T: + 55 54 3295 9393
+ 55 54 3421 9393
Email: reservas@kurotel.com.br
Web: www.kurotel.com.br

The Kurotel specialises in a number of treatments including anti-ageing, weightloss, stress and quitting smoking.

For example: Kur Method was specially designed to improve the quality of life – which means having the correct weight for your height, emotional balance, managing your stress, enjoying yourself; therefore finding balance and getting closer to the person you want to be. Kur Method focuses on self-awareness, predictive medicine and on the development of a life style with healthy habits, so as you feel you are having the best time of your life.

Anti-obesity drugs fail to deliver long-term weightloss

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London: Patients taking anti-obesity drugs will only see “modest” weight loss and many will remain significantly obese or overweight, according to a study published on www.bmj.com today.

In a new study from Canada, which looked at the long-term effectiveness of anti-obesity medications, it was found that three drugs recommended for long-term use – orlistat, sibutramine and rimonabant, reduced weight by less than 5kg (11 pounds). This equated to a loss of less than 5% of total body weight.

Whereas guidelines from the UK’s National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommend stopping the use of anti-obesity drugs if 5% of total body weight is not lost after three months.

While making changes to lifestyle and diet are recommended as the initial treatment for obesity, the use of anti-obesity drugs is common. It’s estimated that in 2005 global sales of anti-obesity drugs reached $1.2billion. Current UK guidelines recommend using drug therapy in addition to making lifestyle changes if a patient has a body mass index of greater than 30.

The Canadian researchers reviewed the evidence from thirty placebo-controlled trials where adults took anti-obesity drugs for a year or longer. The mean weight of the volunteers in all of the trials was 100kg (15.7 stone). The mean body mass index levels were 35 – 36.

Professor Raj Padwal and colleagues found orlistat reduced weight by 2.9kg, sibutramine by 4.2kg and rimonabant by 4.7kg. They also found that patients taking the weight loss pills were significantly more likely to achieve 5 – 10% weight loss, compared to those who took the placebo.

The health benefits associated with taking the drugs varied. For example, orlistat reduced the incidence of diabetes in one trial and all three drugs lowered patients’ levels of certain types of cholesterol. Adverse effects were recorded with all three drugs, in particular, rimonabant increased the risk of mood disorders such as depression or anxiety. The authors noted that no trials examined rates of death and disease as a result of taking anti-obesity pills. They recommend that trials looking at this should be carried out in the future.

The authors also noted that there were high drop-out levels in all the trials. On average 30 – 40% of patients failed to complete the trial. They say this suggests that a failure to properly adhere to the treatment could be a major factor limiting the effectiveness of anti-obesity drug therapy.

In an accompanying editorial, Professor Gareth Williams warns of the potential damage to society if anti-obesity drugs are licensed to be sold without prescription. This already happens in the United States, and as Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK) has applied to sell orlistat over the counter throughout Europe, it could happen here.

He warns: “Selling anti-obesity drugs over the counter will perpetuate the myth that obesity can be fixed simply by popping a pill and could further undermine the efforts to promote healthy living, which is the only long term escape from obesity.”

Eat your way to health with green cuisine

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London In the beautiful, tranquil surroundings of Penrhos Court, a Herefordshire manor farm on the Welsh borders, award-winning author, chef and nutritionist, Daphne Lambert, has run Greencuisine organic food, vitality and health courses for over 15 years.

Greencuisine offers a range of practical nutrition-based cookery courses using locally grown organic foods. Run in small groups and led by qualified practitioners- all who have many years of experience of helping people to achieve optimum health – Greencuisine courses provide hands-on tuition in the kitchen and individual nutritional advice, as well as daily Yoga classes, massage and gentle walks in the local countryside.

Greencuisine cookery courses are designed to revive and rejuvenate while enabling participants to see the joy of food and ways in which our diet directly affects health. Owner and Leading Nutritionist, Daphne Lambert, believes that we are what we eat and that the foods we choose have a significant effect on our health and wellbeing.

Daphne Lambert says: “With over 25% of British adults now obese and cases of type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancer on the increase¹, there is an immediate need to re-evaluate our diets and re-educate ourselves about the ways in which the food we eat affects our health.

“In Britain today, one in three adults dies of heart disease² and a quarter of us die from cancer related deaths caused by unhealthy diet³. As a nation we have lost a significant level of understanding and knowledge about how we think about and prepare food. Our courses are designed to provide practical health advice from qualified practitioners as well as hands-on sessions in the kitchen learning to prepare nutritious organic food that can be easily made at home.”

All Greencuisine cookery courses are residential, fully catered and all diets catered for and foods included. Take-home cookery and health food course notes are provided to enable attendees to integrate what they have learnt into their everyday lifestyle.

Greencuisine Cookery Courses:

Food and Health – £605 five day course

An essential course for everybody who wants to understand more about the food they eat and the impact it has on our health and on the body. Learn how to prepare a wide selection of organic, fresh, seasonal food with expert advice from Daphne Lambert on maximising nutritional value. Discover the importance of whole foods, the benefits of juicing, understand the digestive system and take part in daily Yoga classes. This course is booking now for corporate team building days.

Women’s Health – £350 two day course

A long-established, two day course developed exclusively for women and centred on foods that promote vitality and health. Includes daily yoga classes and time spent in the kitchen learning to create a range of delicious and nutritious dishes such as sushi, almond, date and banana torte, cranberry and banana smoothie and hemp cheese.

Women’s Health – £699 five day course

The 5 day version of the WHC offers a more in depth combination of hands on cooking, diet awareness, nutrition, yoga and massage with Daphne Lambert, Sue Pembrey and Belinda Jobst. Plenty of time is spent in the kitchen creating dishes to help give health and vitality.

Living Nutrition – £1,400 four weekends one in each season

Now in its fifth year, Living Nutrition is an annual course run by Daphne Lambert and Dragana Vilinac exploring the relationship between the food we eat and our health and vitality. Learn practical skills for optimising health through cooking, understand how to make informed decisions about the food you buy and the environmental impact food production can have, develop an insight into Traditional Chinese Medicine and gain an understanding of how your body works and your own individual nutritional needs.

A Feast for the Soul – £550 weekend course

A Feast for the Soul is a journey of self discovery through the preparation and sharing of food. This enlightening and popular course is run by Daphne Lambert and Jonathan Snell both whom use their vast experience to demonstrate how food choices in our diet should not be based purely only on the physical but should embrace philosophical, emotional and spiritual perspectives. Jonathan is an expert in the phsychology of belief and behaviour and the physiology of movement and psycho-physical integration. The course involves lots of time spent in the kitchen and is built around discussions about our beliefs and understandings of food including reference to food stories, tales and legends.

Greencuisine also offers gift tokens that can be used to purchase any Greencuisine course. For further information or to book a place on a course visit www.greencuisine.org or call 01544 230720.

Diets high in fat encourage binge eating

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Chicago: People who eat a high-fat diet are more likely to binge eat at night, according to scientists at the Northwestern University.

Their esearch reveals that over-eating will alter the body’s internal clock, which regulates when we sleep, wake and feel hungry.

The conclusion was made after studying the reactions of mice fed on only high-fat foods. After two weeks, they exhibited an interference with their internal clocks, causing them to eat extra food when they should have been either asleep or at rest.

Prof Joe Bass, who led the research, said: “We found that as an animal on a high-fat diet gains weight it eats at the inappropriate time for its sleep and wake cycle all of the excess calories are consumed when the animal should be resting.

“For a human, that would be like raiding the refrigerator in the middle of the night and bingeing on junk food.”

The study, published in the Cell Metabolism journal also reveals that starting a high-fat diet increases the propensity for obesity because the body’s metabolism is disrupted and eating patterns become irregular.

Older adults suffering increase in disabilities

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Older adults are suffering from increasing levels of disability as a result of obesity, according to new research by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association is the first to track effects of obesity on disability over time.

“Obesity is more hazardous to the health of the elderly than we previously suspected,” says Dawn Alley, PhD, lead author, and Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. “For an older person, suffering from obesity means they are much less likely to be able to walk to the front door or pick up a bag of groceries.”

The study reveals that obesity, which has become more common among older Americans, is having an increasingly profound impact on their day-to-day activities and overall health.

The researchers examined health data from 1988-1994 to data from 1999-2004, the researchers found that the odds of suffering from functional impairment have increased 43 percent among obese adults age 60 years and older. This means they are less able to do things like walk a quarter of a mile, climb 10 steps, pick up a 10-pound weight, and bend over.

“We believe that two factors are likely contributing to the rise in disability among older, obese people,” says Virginia Chang, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Penn; Attending Physician, Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center; and senior study author.

“First, people are potentially living longer with their obesity due to improved medical care, and second, people are becoming obese at younger ages than in the past. In both instances, people are living with obesity for longer periods of time, which increases the potential for disability.”

The study evaluated health survey data from 9,928 Americans age 60 years and over from the National Heath and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) conducted from 1988 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2004. Researchers estimated the risk of functional and activities of daily living (ADL) impairment – the inability to move from a bed, dress, or eat – for normal weight, overweight, and obese populations for both time periods, and evaluated trends in the relationship between obesity and disability over time. Results revealed that obesity increased by 8.2% among the population over 60 during this time period, and that the disability gap between obese and non-obese groups widened.

Researchers also found that obese people are not benefiting from some of the health improvements that the rest of the population is experiencing. For example, although the odds of ADL impairment decreased by 34 percent among the general population, no such improvements were seen in the obese population.

Other recent studies have suggested that obese populations have actually become healthier since the 1960s. While other obesity-related risk factors — such as high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol — have declined, this new research suggests that quality of life for obese older people may be deteriorating.

“Preventing disability should be another motivation for health care providers, policymakers and the public to take obesity seriously in the elderly population. Spending time and resources to prevent obesity now may reduce the need to treat disabilities later,” says Dr Alley.

The study was supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholars Program and by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.