1319 results found for: Blood Sugar

Natural Products Show Delights Palate

A walk through the miles of aisles that make up the Natural Products Expo at the Anaheim, California Convention Center is not only an exercise in endurance, but a wonder at all the passion and creativity that go into creating delicious, FoodTrients-filled, healthy foods that enrich our bodies and our lives. The intrepid FoodTrients Team waded through nearly 2,800 vendors, rubbing shoulders with over 65,000 fellow attendees to spot trends and share some of the exciting products we found. What follows are only some of the new product highlights. Over the coming months, we will bring you more of the […]

Hemp for a Healthy Heart?

The word cannabis stirs a lot of emotion in people today — some positive and plenty negative. But whatever your beliefs are, one thing is for sure: There are definitely health benefits to these plants. Despite all the legal issues and controversy surrounding cannabis, we decided to look at the heart health benefits of hemp seeds. Needless to say, we were pleasantly surprised. Interested in what we found? Then let’s dive in. Hemp Oil Contains Omega-3s, Sterols, and Oleic Acid In a recent study, Spanish researchers analyzed the chemical composition of hemp seed oil and found a mix of heart-healthy compounds. […]

Fried Meat May Raise Risk of Diabetes

Toxic chemicals found at high concentrations in fried and grilled meats may raise the risk of diabetes and dementia, researchers say. US scientists found that rodents raised on a Western-style diet rich in compounds called glycotoxins showed early signs of diabetes, along with brain changes and symptoms that are seen in Alzheimer’s disease. The findings matched what the researchers saw in a small number of older people, where those with higher levels of glycotoxins in their circulation had memory and other cognitive problems, and signs of insulin resistance, which precedes diabetes. The results are tentative, but if confirmed by other […]

Higher Vitamin C Levels Linked To Lower Risk of Stroke

A presentation at the American Academy of Neurology’s 66th Annual Meeting, held in Philadelphia from April 26 to May 3, 2014, revealed a protective effect for high plasma levels of vitamin C against the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Hemorrhagic stroke is characterized by bleeding in the brain and, although less common than ischemic stroke, is associated with a greater risk of mortality. “Scurvy is caused by vitamin C deficiency, specifically a plasma vitamin C concentration of less than 11 micromoles per liter, and may have hemorrhagic manifestations,” write authors Stéphane Vannier, MD, of Pontchaillou University Hospital in Rennes, France and colleagues. […]

The 8 Forms of Vitamin E and How They Preserve Your Memory

I’ve mentioned to you a few times how your heart and brain health are connected and that what’s good health practices for one benefits the other.  That’s why, as a cardiologist, I also look for new research that benefits the brain as well as the heart. Recently, I came across some new research about Vitamin E that I’d like to pass on to you as it is especially helpful in protecting your memory.  And the positive side effect is that it also benefits your heart! Is Your Memory Getting The Full Benefit of Vitamin E? You may not know this, but […]

Cinnamon Improves Liver Enzymes

The February 2014 issue of the journal Nutrition Research described the outcome of a trial conducted by Iranian researchers which revealed a benefit for cinnamon in men and women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease includes steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and can result in death if left untreated. The trial included fifty men and women between the ages of 20 and 65 years with NAFLD. Participants were randomized to receive two 750 milligram capsules of cinnamon or a placebo daily for twelve weeks. Blood samples collected before and after the treatment period were analyzed for […]

Flawed Research Used to Attack Multivitamin Supplements

Two flawed studies, a rehashed review, and an editorial published in the December 17th issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine have attempted to discredit the value of multivitamin supplements. Both of the studies were plagued by grievous methodological flaws. In one of the studies, subjects were given low-quality, low-potency multivitamin supplements. Treatment adherence rates and drop-out rates were horrendous in the studies. Nevertheless, mainstream sources are using these reprehensible studies to undermine dietary supplements. The first study examined the cognitive effects of low-potency multivitamin supplementation in aging male participants.  Not surprisingly, the conclusions in the present analysis question the value of multivitamin benefits for cognition. In the other study, […]

Obesity and Weight Loss

A startling 60 – 75% of the adult population in the United States is overweight or obese (American Heart Assc. 2012). Around the world, the prevalence of obesity has nearly doubled from 1980 to 2008 (Stevens 2012).