Tag Archives: sugar

Natural solutions to control blood sugar

Posted on by

More than one third of people in the developed world have metabolic syndrome, an insulin-resistant state in which borderline high blood sugar and other metabolic abnormalities indicate an increased risk for serious health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and other ageing diseases.

Sugar-lowering drugs are not usually prescribed by doctors until a person has diabetes, which means many people are in a dangerous pre-diabetic state without any prevention treatments.

Natural supplements have demonstrated that they are able to help reduce the risk by lowering blood sugar.

These include cinnamon, chromium, alma, shalajit and seaweed and should be used to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Regular breakfast may protect against diabetes in youngsters

Posted on by

Children who eat breakfast regularly, particularly a high fibre cereal breakfast, had lower risk for type 2 diabetes than those children who ate breakfast infrequently, according to new research

Wheat 1 copy

The results came from research among 4,116 9–10 year old children attending 200 schools in London, Birmingham, and Leicester participating in the Child Heart and Health Study in England (CHASE), a study examining risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in children.

Researchers took various body measurements of the study participants and their levels of insulin, glucose, and other blood markers of diabetes risk. All the participants reported how often they ate breakfast and 2,004 children also completed a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire.

Seventy-four percent of the children reported that they ate breakfast every day, 11% and 9% reported that they ate breakfast most days and some days, respectively, whereas 6% reported that they rarely ate breakfast.

Children who ate breakfast every day had lower risk markers for type 2 diabetes (eg fasting insulin levels were lower) than those children who ate breakfast infrequently. In particular, the children who ate a high fibre, cereal-based breakfast had lower insulin resistance than children who ate other types of breakfast such as low fibre or toast-based breakfasts.

Studies of this type are often associated with confounding factors that can reduce the strength of the findings. However, in this study the association between eating breakfast and having a favorable type 2 diabetes risk profile remained after allowing for differences in socioeconomic status, physical activity levels, and amount of body fat.

Family GP, Dr Paul Stillman and advisor to the Breakfast Cereal Information Service (BCIS) commenting on the results said: “These findings are very encouraging and suggest the need to conduct further trials to see whether altering the breakfast habits of children can alter their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

“This study suggests that if all the children in England who do not eat breakfast daily could be encouraged to do so, it might reduce population-wide fasting insulin levels by about 4%. Moreover, encouraging children to eat a high fibre breakfast, instead of a low fibre breakfast might reduce population-wide fasting insulin levels by 11%–12%. Persuading children to eat breakfast, particularly a high fibre breakfast cereal regularly, could contribute to reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Breakfast cereals are a nutritious and convenient choice for breakfast as they contain a range of micronutrients. Choosing a high fibre breakfast cereal may offer additional benefit to health with regard to type 2 diabetes risk profile.”

For more information log onto: www.breakfastcereal.org

The real detox

Posted on by

Yogatastic Don’t spend loads of money on detox packs or string yourself out on a disgusting syrup, juice and pepper concoction – commit to something which actually works…

Every year we say we will stop eating when we feel full, or have one or two fewer glasses of wine but it never works.Well now the forced excess is all over and it’s time for punishing ourselves with the latest detox and weight loss fad. Or is it?

Losing that bloated sinking feeling and getting yourself back on track for 2011 could be much simpler than you realise.

We know the celebrities all endorse various detox/weight loss plans and we understand why. They are under a great amount of pressure to look good and above all, be the slimmest they can be, which prompts drastic measures in even the least neurotic and anxious of people. For those of us living our mundane (cough) everyday lives, such drastic action is not required: a few little tweaks can make all the difference.

Here are six quick tips to banish that ‘jabba the hutt’ feeling:

1. Make sure you get enough sleep. When you are tired your body wants the high energy, quick fix food which is very bad news for your blood sugar level and waistline. Tired people are also less likely to have the energy to exercise. Tired people always look older: perhaps the most effective inducement to get enough shut-eye. Need any more reasons?!

2. As above, high energy/sugar food is very bad news for you (unless you are a super-duper fit athlete who burns a gazillion calories a day). Eating high sugar foods sends you up into the stratosphere for about 20 minutes until you crash back down to earth and into the biscuit cupboard. We don’t need to give it up completely, just reduce portion size and be careful not to eat your treat after dinner as those calories will be going nowhere fast.

3. Raise your heart rate for at least 15 minutes a day. We all have some lonely exercise equipment or one of the many computer console exercise programs to hand for a quick endorphin boost, so requires no extra spenditure.  It gives you a little extra energy to go about your business and you don’t have to trek to the gym to spend time with other sweaty people. Yuck.

4. Alcohol. We’re sorry to have to say this but if you want to feel better within a week, any delicious alcohol-based beverage is out. Alcohol is full of sugar. Wine is quite probably the healthiest of all the marketed beverages but still, as above, we know it is hard to restrict ourselves to just the one glass. So we advocate cutting it out for just a little while. Your liver will give thanks and you will very soon notice you are much less sluggish with better skin.

5. Fruit and veg. You may have heard the news, you may not have done, but here it is; we do not have to eat 5 portions of fruit or veg a day. Of course it is advisable to eat as much as you can without stressing or obsessing if for no other reason that by eating something green, you are not eating a big cake or pork pie. Fruit is nice as well. You may have forgotten how nice it is with all those sugar laden treats out there but if you manage to cut back your sugar intake you will rediscover just how naturally beautiful many fruits are. Try to eat the actual fruits instead of getting juice – the fibre helps slow the flow of sugar into your bloodstream.

6. Supplements. The most important are fish oil/omega 3 capsules which come with a side helping of Vitamin D – perfect for sharpening the old brain functions and making us feel less depressed about being mid-winter. There is no Vitamin D RDA and although we probably get enough help from the sun during summer, we need to supplement like crazy in winter. If you are over 50 you should be taking a Vitamin D supplement all year round. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to all the old life threatening bad pennies of heart disease, diabetes and cancer and more research needs to be done to see exactly what deficient people are missing out on. As far as other vitamins are concerned: if you can manage a small daily dose of vitamin C, this will also help to reduce your chances of getting a bad cold.

See, not a massive change, but will help you start to feel loads better and you might be inspired to effect a bigger change in your lifestyle. It doesn’t take much to get your body back on track – our organs, especially our main detox organ – the marvellous liver – are very resilient and do their very best job with just a little help from us.

 

10% discount for ELIXIR readers on new zero calorie sweetner

Posted on by

image

A new natural sugar alternative thatÂ’s safe for diabetics is now available and to mark its debut Zsweet is offering all ELIXIR readers a 10% discount.

All you have to do is go to www.zsweet.eu and click to buy a packet of Zsweet. After choosing your shipping destination, you will be asked to insert the media code ZSWTEN1

One of the strongest sugar-substitute contenders to enter the marketplace, Zsweet® was ten years in the developing by a small American company whose mission it was to find low glycemic alternatives of the highest integrity and quality.

Its unique formulation makes it taste and look just like sugar, from its white sugar-like crystals to its like-for-like usage in baking – what better way to ease yourself into your bikini, ready for the imminent heatwave!

• Zsweet doesn’t raise blood sugar levels – the green light for diabetics

• Has no artificial ingredients – a healthy way of eating

• Doesn’t cause irritation during digestion

• Contains zero tooth decaying properties – great for kids

• It’s free from all bitter/nasty aftertastes – unlike most sweeteners on the market

• Contains zero calories – great for the waistline

• Unlike other sweeteners, Zsweet doesn’t contain any bulking up ingredients so can be measured and used just use it like ordinary sugar.

Its founder, Tim Avila, was devastated when his mother was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 10 years ago. He was already working with a natural product called erythritol (pronounced ee-rith-ri-tol) and saw many health benefits that could be developed. He borrowed $1.5million and over the next six years, made Zsweet what it is today.

Zsweet is now being introduced to Britain by European distributor Cormac Walsh, who said: “I first became involved after my sister was also diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It helps diabetics in a huge way because they no longer have real anxiety about eating cakes and buns.”
As from November (2008) the E.U. officially recognises erythritol as zero calorie sweetener thereby formalising ZsweetÂ’s benefits:

1. Zero calories per gram – due to erythritol’s unique absorption and elimination process which does not involve the metabolism of erythritol.

2. Zero rated on glycemic index meaning that it does not have an effect on blood serum glucose or insulin levels – clinical studies conducted in people with diabetes conclude that erythritol may be safely used to replace sucrose in foods formulated specifically for people with diabetes.

3. Zero tooth decaying properties – erythritol is resistant to metabolism by oral bacteria which break down sugars and starches to produce acids which may lead to tooth enamel loss and cavities formation.

4. Safe – erythritol as a food ingredient is substantiated by a number of human and animal safety studies including short and long term feeding, multi-generation reproduction and teratology studies.
(source: Information)

Zsweet is made from a blend of erythritol and natural fruit extracts as flavour enhancers with no artificial components – not even trace amounts.

As Dr Roisin Lagan from CAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise – Loughry Campus) states, “Consumers are demanding a reduction in overall use of artificial colours, flavours and preservatives in food products. Alternative methodologies and natural ingredients are being investigated to maintain the product safety and quality consumers have come to expect from their food products.”

As the research is still ongoing, Dr Roisin adds that, “…one area under investigation by food technologists, is the potential of natural sweeteners, such as Zsweet, to reduce sugar levels in food products.”

CAFRE is an integral part of the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture & Rural Development). Loughry is the CollegeÂ’s centre of excellence for food technology and has lead responsibility for people development and technology transfer programmes in the food processing and supply industry. It provides key expertise in food manufacture, safety, packaging, innovation and waste minimisation.

So when you are craving for a spoonful of sugar, try a spoonful of this brand new sweetener Zsweet sprinkled over your morning cereal or over your evening dessert of fresh berries and crème fraiche and odds on, you’ll be a Zsweet convert.

More Information

• Zsweet can only be purchased on line at www.zsweet.eu
• Prices start at £8.49 for 300gms
,

Sugary drinks put men at increased risk of gout

Posted on by

image

London: Recent research reported in the British Medical Journal found that consuming sugary drinks can increase the risk of men developing gout, a form of arthritis.

These findings support claims made over 50 years ago by arthritis pioneer Charles de Coti-Marsh, states the UK’s Arthritic Association.

A twelve year study of nearly 50,000 men found a strong association between sugar sweetened soft drinks, usually containing fructose, and gout. Consuming two servings a day of a sugary soft drink increased the risk of developing gout by 85%.

Some sufferers of gout already know to avoid sweetened drinks, thanks to a little-known publication of 1957, ‘Rheumatism and Arthritis – The Conquest’, in which author Charles de Coti-Marsh states that gout sufferers can alleviate the condition by drinking plenty of fresh fruit and vegetable juices every day.

Bruce Hester of The Arthritic Association comments: “Charles de Coti-Marsh advocated drinking water, herbal teas and natural fruit juices. This new research demonstrates that his theories were in many respects sound. Although progress in the field of arthritis and nutrition is slow, we fully expect to see further justification of his theories as medical science progresses.”

Further information is containced in the report: ‘Soft drinks, fructose consumption, and the risk of gout in men: prospective cohort study’ which can be read online at www.bmj.com

About The Arthritic Association:

Founded in 1942, The Arthritic Association is a registered charity dedicated to helping relieve people from the pain of arthritis through natural methods.

Publications by Charles de Coti-Marsh, including ‘Rheumatism and Arthritis, The Conquest’, can be viewed online at
www.arthriticassociation.org.uk

Diabetics face increasing risk of heart attack, says new research

Posted on by

image

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.

Red wine pill may be cure for diabetes

Posted on by

image

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.

Pychnolgenol more powerful than drugs in lowering blood sugar, says new report

Posted on by

London: A new study to be published in the journal of Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice reveals that French maritime pine tree extract known as Pycnogenol® (pic-noj-en-all) delays the uptake of glucose from a meal 190 times more than prescription medications, preventing the typical high glucose peak in the blood stream after a meal.

The study revealed the pine bark is more potent for suppressing carbohydrate absorption in diabetes than synthetic prescription
alpha-glucosidase inhibitors such as Precose®. “Diabetes mellitus type II is a serious disease with rising prevalence,” said Dr. Petra Högger, a lead researcher of this study.

“This study is crucial for those suffering with the disease because it affirms that Pycnogenol® is more effective than prescription medication Precose® and supports the abundance of other research done on Pycnogenol® and diabetes.”

The study was conducted at the University of Wurzburg Germany. Dr. Högger investigated the interaction of Pycnogenol® with the enzyme alpha-glucosidase, which breaks down carbohydrates in a meal. Results revealed Pycnogenol® is 190 times more potent for inhibition of alpha-glucosidase than the synthetic inhibitor acarbose, a common prescription medication for treatment of type II diabetes (sold in Europe under the name Glucobay® and the United States under the name Precose™). Pycnogenol® was shown to inhibit the intestinal enzymes (alpha-glucosidase) involved in the digestion of complex carbohydrates such as starch and normal table sugar. The alpha-glucosidase breaks down carbohydrates into glucose molecules which are then absorbed into the blood stream. “The high concentration of procyanidins (flavonoids) found in Pycnogenol® is responsible for demonstrating these excellent results,” said Högger.

According to Högger, the large procyanidin molecules were found to be particularly active for inhibiting the activity of alpha-glucosidase, thus demonstrating such notable results. “The carbohydrates enter the blood stream steadily over prolonged periods of time, which makes meals last longer and prolong satiety.”

In two separate studies conducted in 2004, Pycnogenol® was found to significantly lower blood sugar levels in type II diabetes patients. A study published in the March 2004 edition of Diabetes Care revealed that patients who supplemented with Pycnogenol® experienced lower blood sugar after meals and lower fasting blood sugar.

Another study published in the October edition of Life Sciences revealed a significantly further lowered blood glucose level in patients who supplemented with Pycnogenol® while continuing their anti-diabetic medication with acarbose and metformin.

About Pycnogenol® Pycnogenol® is a natural plant extract originating from the bark of the maritime pine that grows along the coast of southwest France and is found to contain a unique combination of procyanidins, bioflavonoids and organic acids, which offer extensive natural health benefits. The extract has been widely studied for the past 35 years and has more than 220 published studies and review articles ensuring safety and efficacy as an ingredient.

Today, Pycnogenol® is available in more than 600 dietary supplements, multi-vitamins and health products worldwide. For more information, visit
www.pycnogenol.com

Stem cell hope for diabetes

Posted on by

New Orleans: Scientists have used stem cells from human bone marrow to repair defective insulin-producing pancreatic cells responsible for diabetes in mice.

The treatment also halted damage to the kidneys caused by the condition.

Researchers from New Orleans’ Tulane University are hopeful it can be adapted to treat diabetes in humans.

Stem cells are immature cells which have the capacity to turn into any kind of tissue in the body.

The US team treated diabetic mice who had high blood sugar and damaged kidneys.

One group of mice were injected with stem cells. After three weeks they were shown to be producing higher levels of mouse insulin than untreated mice and had lower blood sugar levels.

The injections also appeared to halt damaging changes taking place in the glomeruli, the bulb-like structures in the kidneys that filter the blood.

Researcher Dr Darwin Prockop said: “We are not certain whether the kidneys improved because the blood sugar was lower or because the human cells were helping to repair the kidneys.

“But we suspect the human cells were repairing the kidneys in much the same way they were repairing the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.”

Dr Prockop said his team were planning to carry out trials in patients with diabetes.

“The physicians will be selecting patients with diabetes whose kidneys are beginning to fail.

“They will determine whether giving the patients large numbers of their own adult stem cells will lower blood sugar, increase secretion of insulin from the pancreas and improve the function of the kidney.”

Theoretically, pancreatic beta cells produced from a patient’s own bone marrow could be used to treat diabetes, overcoming the requirement for immunosuppression following islet transplantation.

However, a way to prevent transplanted cells from being destroyed by the body is needed as this is why Type 1 diabetes develops in the first place.

Diet sugars may pile on the pounds, says top psychologist

Posted on by

Swansea: Artificial sweetners, do not help slimmers to loose weight, says a top medical experts.

Professor David Benton, a psychologist from Swansea University in Wales, said those who use artificial sweetners are more likely to eat more of other foods and eat even more calories.

In a report in the magazine, Nutrition Research he says slimmers would be better off cutting out fat. He says people may compensate for the lack of sugar by eating more of other foods, which may have even more calories. Professor Benton, a psychologist who has written a report in the journal Nutrition Research Review, said people trying to lose weight and keep it off would be better reducing fat intake rather than calories in sugar.

Professor Benton, whose report was partly funded by the sugar industry,said it was questionable as to whether artificial sweetners were helpful in the long term.

New sweetner with health benefits launches in UK

Posted on by

image

London: Perfect Sweet announces the launch of a new, completely natural, low carb, low GI sweetener with a host of health benefits, making it perfect for dieters, diabetics, children, dental patients, mums-to-be and women at high risk of osteoporosis – as well as anyone concerned about oral health and general well-being.

A deliciously sweet alternative to sugar for everyday use, Perfect Sweet is derived entirely from xylitol, a naturally occurring substance found in strawberries, plums and pears. Whilst it looks and tastes just as good as sugar, it offers a much healthier alternative.

Because xylitol releases its energy, much slower than any other sugar or sweetener, people who eat it in the place of sugar feel fuller for longer and are less likely to snack. This makes Perfect Sweet deal for diabetics or others for those on low GI diets who need to keep their blood sugar stable.

Xylitol contains 40% fewer calories than conventional sugar and has a GI (Glycemic Index) count of just seven, compared to conventional sugar (which has a GI of 49). That means you would have to eat up to seven times as much Perfect Sweet to have the same effect on your blood sugar – or your hips. For those on a low carb diet, xylitol makes an ideal companion too, with it having 75% fewer available carbohydrates than sugar.

Perfect Sweet has a number of other surprising health benefits, which makes it much more than just another alternative to sugar. Added to a range of food and drinks such as tea, coffee, smoothies, cereals, fruit puddings or snacks, Perfect Sweet can turn everyday drinks and food into delicious health products.

“We all know the consequences of our addiction to sugar: weight gain, mood swings, skin problems, diabetes, oral cavities and even infections such as overgrowth of Candida Albicans, which is though to lead to thrush and many other afflictions,” says Edward Baylis at Perfect Sweet. “But until now there just hasn’t been a satisfactory, non-chemical alternative to sugar. The most exciting thing about Perfect Sweet is that for the first time we have a 100% natural, completely healthy product, that is not only as delicious as the stuff we’re used to, but actually delivers a host of positive health benefits. This is the kind of product parents will be encouraging their kids to eat!”

Priced at ÂŁ2.69 for a 225g pack, Perfect Sweet is available in selected SainsburyÂ’s, Tesco, Holland and Barrett and Waitrose stores. For more information www.perfectsweet.co.uk

More benefits of Perfect Sweet

Oral Health
One of the major discoveries in respect to xylitol was the discoveryfinding that when it iwas broken down in the mouth and stomach it produces an alkaline environment, rather than an acidic one , which like like sugar does. This means thatIn this alkaline environment the bacteria that cause tooth decay canÂ’t survive and decay is prevented. Thee alkaline environment which is created also favours calcium and mineral absorption so enamel decay is even seen to be reversed.

Osteoporosis
Increased calcium absorption in the stomach has led to studies observing a much improved bone density (stronger bones) when using xylitol regularly. This could be a potentially massive be a huge help for those living with conditions such as osteoporosis.

Bacterial and Yeast Infections
The killing of bacteria with xylitol, has further led to the discovery that ear infections, and other bacterial and yeast infections (such as thrush), can be prevented when using it. There has been particular interest in the use of xylitol to help prevent ear infections in young children.