Reducing GI does not boost effects of low-calorie diet

A low-glycaemic index diet may not be any help for obese people trying to lose weight, contrary to growing popular belief, suggests a new study out of the US.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota tested whether reducing the glycaemic index of a diet already low in calories would have any further benefit for a group of obese adults.
But although the new trial confirmed the benefit of lowering glycaemic index on insulin sensitivity, it did not impact the subjects' weight, they write in this month's issue of the Journal of Nutrition (135:2387-91).

Source

I am not surprised with this study since it compares the two diets with an equal caloric intake. What readers may be misled to think is that a low-glycemic diet is no better than a high-glycemic one in trying to lose weight. My own experience is that a low-glycemic intake helped me lose 20kgs in 6 months simply by stabilising my sugar levels and preventing hunger-pang-binging-spells.

PCB linked to sperm damage

PERSISTENT chemicals in the environment may be damaging human sperm, an international team of scientists reports today.

The team found an apparent link between levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the bloodstream of more than 700 men and the degree of damage to the DNA in their sperm. The damage is insufficient to affect fertility, and the results are equivocal because one group of men — Inuit from Greenland — did not show any link even though they carried high levels of PCBs in their blood.

Nevertheless the findings, in Human Reproduction, seem certain to cause concern.

PCBs are ubiquitous in the environment and, like DDT, persist for decades. Originally produced in the 1950s and 1960s, they are synthetic organic chemicals, ranging from oily liquids to waxy solids, used for electrical insulation, as plasticisers in paint, plastics and rubber, as pigments and dyes and for many other purposes.

World news from The Times and the Sunday Times - Times Online

Tocotrienol Protects Against Stroke

PALM Tocotrienol Protects Against Stroke Injury Of Brain
Bernama - Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia

The first evidence that palm tocotrienol, an extract from palm oil may protect against stroke injury of brain, was revealed at the International Palm Oil Congress (PIPOC) by Vitamin E researcher, Professor Chandan K Sen.

He said that neuroprotective (brain health) benefits of palm tocotrienol dietary supplement is a new discovery and links the supplement to more and diverse uses.

Findings from Sen's latest research studies showed that even short term dietary intake of palm tocotrienol is readily absorbed by major organs - the brain, the heart, the lungs and the skin.

Source: BERNAMA

Crossing over to the Dark Side

Nobody needs an excuse to eat chocolate. But if ever you're looking for something to ease the guilt, this is it:

Researchers found eating 100g of dark chocolate each day for 15 days lowered blood pressure in the 15 person-study. The University of L'Aquila team also found the body's ability to metabolise sugar - a problem for people with diabetes - was improved. But eating the same quantities of white chocolate did not have an effect, the researchers said. The team said an antioxidant called flavanol was responsible for the effect because it neutralised potentially cell-damaging substances known as oxygen free radicals, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported.

But, to state the obvious:

Dark chocolate contains antioxidants, but also a lot of fat and calories. People who want to add some chocolate to their diet need to subtract an equivalents amount of calories by cutting back on other foods to avoid weight gain.

And coronary heart disease, I might add.

Source: Pakistan Tribune

Other links:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3185363.stm
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/88/99702.htm
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/73/81921.htm

Getting back in shape

I've been eating without thinking and neglecting exercise for a couple of months now. Chomping my way steadily up 3kgs since I dared look at the scales. So, today, I decided I will start counting again and logging my exercise and intake.

Input today: 2240cals! (from a kong-fu chau for dinner, and McD's double cheeseburger for lunch) Bad, bad, bad. I'm going to try to get back to a sub 1500cal day in order to lose 1kg a week.

Just to remind us how much a Double Cheese-burger McValue meal can set you back, these are the figures:


Double Cheeseburger = 480cals


Coke = 210cals


French Fries = 453 cals

Eat that all... 1143cals! Doesn't leave much space for anything else does it?

Anyone who needs an Excel worksheet to calculate his input vs. output plus a chart to boot, contact me and I'll send you one! Join me on the crusade against obesity.

Genes 'decide cholesterol levels'

from BBC Health, 11 July 2005

US scientists say they have pinpointed why some people can eat all the chocolate and chips they want and not increase their cholesterol levels. A study by researchers at the Berkeley National Laboratory of identical twins show it really is all in the genes.

Each pairing - of a keen athlete and a couch potato - were allocated either a high or a low fat diet. In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the scientists said genes, not exercise, decided the effect.

One more reason to not take responsibility and blame your parents! This study shows some are naturally blessed with cholesterol-resistant genes, but the rest of us will have to be extra careful.. At least until natural selection weeds us out of existence! - YY

Big study links red meat diet to cancer

by Sarah Boseley, health editor, The Guardian
Wednesday June 15, 2005

'International scientists yesterday delivered a long-awaited verdict on red meat, concluding in a definitive study of the eating habits of half a million people that beef, lamb, pork, veal and their processed varieties such as ham and bacon, increase the risk of bowel cancer.

Those who eat two portions a day - equivalent to a bacon sandwich and a fillet steak - increase their risk of bowel cancer by 35% over those who eat just one portion a week, the study found. The World Health Organisation's international agency for research on cancer (IARC) called for everybody to eat more fish and less meat.'

They are quick to add however:

'Although man has been eating red meat for thousands of years, it is the way in which we now eat it that could be the problem. "Meat used to be the relish and still is in Mediterranean countries. It is a treat. The bulk of the meal comes from the other things like carbohydrates and vegetables," said Professor Bingham.

When eaten in stews and casseroles, the portion sizes tend not to be so large, and the meat is mixed with vegetables which provide helpful fibre. But plain British fare, such as steak and chips, bacon and eggs and roast meats without much in the way of vegetables, could be more problematic.'

Yet another blow to all the carnivores among us, myself included!- YY

Diet Soda Paradox

'People who drink diet soft drinks don't lose weight. In fact, they gain weight, a new study shows.

The findings come from eight years of data collected by Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, and colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. Fowler reported the data at this week's annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego.'

THE RESULT: "There was a 41 percent increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day," Fowler says.

THE HYPOTHESIS: '"If you offer your body something that tastes like a lot of calories, but it isn't there, your body is alerted to the possibility that there is something there and it will search for the calories promised but not delivered," Fowler says.

Perhaps, Bonci says, our bodies are smarter than we think.

"People think they can just fool the body. But maybe the body isn't fooled," she says. "If you are not giving your body those calories you promised it, maybe your body will retaliate by wanting more calories. Some soft drink studies do suggest that diet drinks stimulate appetite."'

There are ways to help prevent Alzheimer’s

By Ivanhoe Newswire, NEWS14 CAROLINA

'More than four million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, a number that's more than doubled since 1980 and continues to climb as the U.S. population ages.

By 2050, more than 13 million could be living with it. But what you do today could keep you from becoming a statistic.

"I’m just a true believer you make time for nutrition and exercise now, or you make time for disease later," nutrition expert Tavis Piattolly said.

Piattolly said one step to preserve brain power is exercise.

"The brain basically works just like, you know, the rest of the body or the heart,” Piattolly said. “You know, we exercise the brain. We can preserve how well it functions."'

Is Glycemic Index The Next Wave in Nutrition?

from MEDICAL NEWS TODAY

'Sales figures show US consumers are learning that avoidance of an entire food group is not healthy. Products and messages that consumers may now be primed to accept in order to improve their nutrition is at the heart of scientific presentations scheduled next month at the Institute of Food Technologists' Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPO®.

Under scrutiny here Monday, July 18, will be the glycemic concept as a possible next wave in nutrition. A panel of experts will explore food companies' capabilities of modifying carbohydrate ingredients, the physiology and science behind eating and its effect on glycemic levels, and the changing landscape that manufacturers and consumers now navigate.

While the low-carb message is still heard, it is being restructured in applicable and useful directions. This sets the stage for a new understanding of carbs. For example, certain types extend satiety, lower insulin response and reduce cholesterol.'

The nutrition world seems to be in a great huff over the low-carb/high-carb debate. The recent few articles reviewed seems to reinforce some conventional wisdom: 1) Carbs are necessary for you, 2)It's the high glycemic index (a measure of how fast sugar is released from a carb) of carb that makes it harmful, 3) A largely low-glycemic index carb intake strikes the best balance of nutritional need, and physiological benefits. - YY

Diet Fallacy - Carbs are your enemy

'We are currently scapegoating carbs as the culprit for the ongoing obesity epidemic - and for the diseases we associate with obesity.

Fashionable diet gurus have us believing that carbs are not essential nutrients and therefore should be severely restricted or even spared.

Low-carb diet advocates argue that the hormone insulin promotes fat gain and should therefore be tightly controlled by chronically restricting carbs. Given the current popularity of low carb diets, it seems as if carbs are indeed the enemy. But are they?

Nothing could be further from the truth...'

Bottom line: 'Dietary carbs biological functions go far beyond just sheer energy production. Chronic carb restrictions may lead in the long run to total metabolic decline with severe consequences for survival (i.e. capacity to regenerate tissues and procreate.) Ignorance, not Carbs, is our true enemy.'

Nutrition is More Than Calories

from REDNOVA

'Most people looking at nutrition labels focus on how much fat or how many calories a food contains.

They should be looking further, according to two registered dietitians who will be featured today on the Deseret Morning News/ Intermountain Health Care Hotline. Deon Gines and Tracy Herrmann, both of LDS Hospital, will answer questions from 10 a.m. to noon about food, nutrition labels and more.

"A lot of people look at calories," said Gines. "That's healthy to a lot of people."

When people are done counting calories or fat grams, Gines said they should look closely at the row marked "serving size." The nutrition facts label shows how many servings are included in the package as well as how large each serving is.

Many people think a can of tuna has a low calorie count -- 50 to 70 calories -- but that is only for one serving, and there is more than one serving in each can, Gines said. Grape-Nuts cereal, she said, has a serving size of one-fourth cup. By that scale, people usually eat several servings at one time.'

Pizza and Diabetes

from Nutrition news, The Observer, Sunday June 12, 2005

'Diabetics are often recommended to eat a diet rich in starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, rice, pasta and breakfast cereals. However, the fact is that many of these foods liberate their sugar rapidly into the bloodstream, and are therefore far from ideal for diabetics. In a recent study published in the journal Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics, individuals with type 1 diabetes (the form of diabetes that generally develops early in life and necessitates the use of insulin) were fed with pizza and then administered one of three insulin treatments of different duration of action. The most effective blood-sugar control was found when individuals were given the longest-acting insulin therapy (designed to last eight hours).'

'This study suggests that pizza can exert its blood-sugar disrupting effects for a very long time indeed, and provides yet more evidence for the notion that starch-based foods can cause considerable blood-sugar instability. Better foods for diabetics include those that are less disruptive to blood-sugar levels such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, green vegetables, beans and lentils.'

Fitness 'takes 6 minutes a week'

from CNN Health, LONDON, England -- 'Six minutes of pure, hard exercise a week could be just as effective as an hour of daily moderate activity, according to a new study.

"Short bouts of very intense exercise improved muscle health and performance comparable to several weeks of traditional endurance training," said Martin Gibala, an associate professor at Canada's McMaster University.

The research, published in the June edition of the Journal of Applied Physiology, says that repeatedly doing very intense exercise such as sprinting resulted in unique changes in skeletal muscle and endurance capacity, similar to training that requires hours of exercise each week.'

Boy, do I love these kinds of studies! For the time-squeezed and exhausted city rat, this may be the best news revealed ever... The 1/2 hr gym quickie routine may not be so bad after all!

Low-glycemic may be better than low-fat diet

Article by Alison McCook, NEW YORK (Reuters Health)

'Foods with a low-glycemic index, which are digested relatively slowly and cause smaller increases in blood sugar, may protect the heart and blood vessels better than low-fat fare, according to the findings of a small study. Researchers in Boston found that when obese people consumed as many carbohydrates with a low-glycemic index as they wanted, they lost just as much weight in 12 months as people who stuck with a conventional, calorie-restricted low-fat diet.

"Reducing (glycemic index) may be more effective than cutting back on fat over the long-term, both for weight loss and also for reducing risk of heart disease," study author Dr. David S. Ludwig told Reuters Health.'

Well, well, look at the circle we've made with diets. Low carb, low prot, low fat, now it's low glycemic. This study does, however, support the view that a low-fat diet (<30% of caloric intake) is just as unnatural as the high-glycemic/refined-sugar diet of the late 20th century. We all know that some amount of fat does wonders to taste and mood - it's just how we are wired and listening to our bodies isn't necessarily harmful. So this is one study that relieves some of the paranoid eating habits that have been drummed into us the past 10 yrs. - YY

NUTRITION DATA

Found yet another amazing site for understanding and keeping track of your nutritional intake. After all, 'it's not what comes out of you but what goes in that makes you', and you are what you eat.

This website is, like other, equipped with a fully searchable nutritional database of western foods and groceries. What makes it amazing is, it tabulates the data in the familiar nutrition label, and also sets up a pyramid to point out where it stands in terms of nutritional composition. It also works backwards - i.e. you decide the sort of composition you'd like to have and it returns the foods that matches your requirement.

I've not found any other site that gives you data on 'Fullness Factor' and Glycemic Index along with it.

Apart from this core service, lots of articles on weight management, glycemic load and other such things are available for reading.

Healthy Living: What You Can Do to Keep Your Health

'Does what I do really affect my health?

Very much so. All of the major causes of death--cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease and injury--can be prevented by things you do.'

from FAMILYDOCTOR.ORG

Middle-age tuneup

'It's not too late. The tricks for a long, healthy life — don't smoke, eat right and exercise — are well-known. But putting that into practice often seems so daunting that people don't even try, and by their 50s, many baby boomers figure that the damage has been done anyway. Researchers and doctors increasingly agree, however, that even modest changes in middle age and later can have a dramatic impact on health and longevity — that people over 50 can benefit from what effectively amounts to a tuneup. A recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health, for example, showed that participants, who had a mean age of 51 and were at high risk of developing diabetes, were able to slash their risk by half through modest weight loss and exercise.

Advice here highlights risk factors that often arise in middle age — such as vitamin deficiencies, marital tension, even gum disease — and can have a surprising impact on health. Others are efforts to simplify complex health guidelines — on diet or exercise, for example — into tasks that can be done reflexively, from the two vitamins that nearly every boomer should take to three key weight-bearing exercises that can be done anywhere.'

from DESERTENEWS.COM

Local Food Guide

There's a dearth of tools for Malaysians to reliably plan or assess their dietary intake. Thankfully, Singapore's Health Ministry has a database available for most local dishes and delicacies. Foods are categorised into:
· Rice dishes
· Noodle dishes
· Chicken dishes
· Duck dishes
· Egg dishes
· Beef dishes
· Mutton dishes
· Pork dishes
· Seafood dishes
· Vegetable dishes
· Bean dishes
· Soup dishes
· Breads & buns
· Local Cakes
· Desserts
· Snacks
· Beverages

A good place to start when planning your meals and dietary budget.

Nation's Leading Food and Nutrition Science Organizations Embrace Concepts behind 'MyPyramid'

CHICAGO, April 20 /U.S. Newswire

The Food and Nutrition Science Alliance, consisting of seven of the nation's leading food and nutrition science organizations, commends the collaborative effort of the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to provide solid guidance to Americans on how they can balance food intake and physical activity.

These federal agencies recently released "MyPyramid," a new set of tools for consumers to help them implement the key concepts in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The addition of a physical activity icon to the food guidance system symbol emphasizes the importance of energy balance, or the balance between calories in and calories out. The new guidance system provides tools that Americans can use to help choose within food groups as well as among the groups. The "MyPyramid" Web site at www.mypyramid.gov provides additional information about how to create a pyramid and a food plan that is personalized to the individual.

Fantastic! There's simply no way one can achieve healthy weight loss/fitness without the output component. - YY

Blame typhoid on dirty habits, says MB

KOTA BARU: The dirty habits of people in Kelantan have contributed to the outbreak of typhoid in the state – that is the view of the Mentri Besar.

Expressing disappointment with the people's attitude, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said these habits were the main cause of the outbreak, which had claimed two lives so far.

“I recall my statement recently saying that the people of Kelantan are not doing enough in maintaining cleanliness,'' he said yesterday after opening the new office for the Secretariat for Women, Youth and Sports Development here.

Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said on Wednesday that 68 of the 171 cases detected in Kota Baru, Machang and Tumpat had been confirmed as typhoid.

The two who died were Universiti Tun Abdul Razak student Siti Mardiah Nik Yahya, 23, from Kampung Sireh and Hasmawati Mohamad, 20, from Kampung Chepa, Sering, who was a student of Politeknik Kota Baru . – Bernama

Gee.. I wonder what the government is doing about it? Talk about not taking responsibility - this is the worst possible attitude.

Athletic training keeps the doctor away

By JEANNINE STEIN, LOS ANGELES TIMES, Tuesday, April 19, 2005

The fear of serious injury is why many pro athletes are often looked after like prizewinning thoroughbreds, and why the average person can benefit from aspects of their meticulous training. Pro athletes' conditioning has been modified over the years by trainers and doctors, some basing their programs on research showing how sports-specific training can greatly reduce the risk of injury. Some sports medicine specialists have worked with college and pro teams and can pass along their knowledge of injury prevention to their patients, from proper ways to warm up to sports-specific strength training.

The big mistake most people make is not progressing slowly in their exercise routine, says Dr. William O. Roberts, president of the American College of Sports Medicine. When couch potatoes hit the gym or softball field, they often do too much too fast, he says.

Which is why I'm here reading on the Internet rather than working out... I got a stress fracture of my metacarpals from running too hard too long. - YY

Weight Drops on Low Carbs with More Fat or Protein

By Amy Norton, Thu Apr 21, 2005

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who cut carbohydrates in order to lose weight do equally well whether they compensate with increased amounts of animal protein or plant-based fats, a new study suggests.

Australian researchers found that a low-fat, high-protein diet and a high-fat, moderate-protein diet were equally successful in helping 57 overweight and obese volunteers shed pounds over three months.

However...
Some experts worry about the eventual effects on the heart and blood vessels, particularly when people follow diets that are heavy in saturated fats from meat and dairy products. In addition, the metabolic effects of high-protein, high-fat diets may deplete minerals in the bones or stress the kidneys.

Meat-rich diet raises pancreatic cancer risk

By FoodConsumer.org, Apr 21, 2005, 10:50
Eating a lot of processed meats such as hot dogs, sausages and luncheon meats may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a study presented on April 19 at the 96th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. It was found that those who consumed the highest amounts of processed meats including all types are 67 percent more likely to acquire pancreatic cancer compared with those who used the lowest amounts. Those who consumed the highest amounts of pork and red meat increased the risk by 50 percent.

No wait for weights

By Howard Cohen, Knight Ridder Newspapers, April 8, 2005

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, strength training does not hamper growth development and could even help prevent sports-related injuries.

"It's safe as young as age 8," says Dr. Eric Small, chairman of the committee on sports medicine and fitness for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

"There's no evidence of loss in flexibility. That's an old wives' tale," says Dr. Erol Yoldas, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., sports medicine physician. "The studies don't show any risk if an 8-year-old wants to do some basic weight training . . . but basic supervision is an issue."

Weight training can help children learn to control their muscles and can aid bone growth and development, the AAP says.

How does my blood sugar level affect my weight?

from www.caloriesperhour.com FAQs

When we eat, our bodies convert digestible carbohydrates into blood sugar (glucose), our main source of energy. Our blood sugar level can affect both how hungry and how energetic we feel, important factors when we are watching how we eat and exercise. It also determines whether we burn fat or store it.

Our pancreas creates a hormone called insulin that transports blood sugar into our body's cells where it is used for energy. When we eat sugar and other carbohydrate-rich foods that are quickly processed into blood sugar (e.g., most refined foods including white flour and white rice), the pancreas goes into overtime to produce the insulin necessary for all this blood sugar to be used for energy.

This surge of insulin causes our blood sugar level to drop below normal which makes us feel tired and hungry. The unfortunate result of this scenario is that it makes us want to eat something else with a high sugar content. When we do, we start the cycle all over again.

This is, IMHO, the most important thing to know in gaining control of your eating habits. It was taking out the sugar in my diet that put me back in the driver's seat in terms of eating - I decide when and what to eat, not my hunger pangs. -- YY

Oh Mama! Finally, a Nutrition Bar for Pregnant Women

Beth Vincent – Public Health Expert, Mother of Three and Co-Founder of Vincent Foods Introduces Oh Mama! -- Delicious Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy

Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) March 31, 2005 -- Addressing a void in the market for healthy and convenient foods aimed at pregnant women, Beth Vincent, CEO and Co-founder of Vincent Foods has created the Oh Mama! nutrition bar. Oh Mama! is the first nutrition bar formulated specifically to meet the needs of women who are trying to conceive, who are pregnant, or who are breastfeeding.

Getting the proper nutrition during pregnancy is critical. Doing so, however, is often a challenge for women who are busy, tired, or simply confused about what is best to eat. Oh Mama! nutrition bars are a convenient, healthy and delicious solution. The Oh Mama! nutrition bar delivers peace of mind to women as it contains DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid) as well as 14 vitamins and minerals recommended by the National Academy of Sciences for pregnant women in a tasty, low-fat snack.

Making It Happen: School Nutrition Success Stories - Helping Overweight Students in Public Schools

By Center for Diesease Control (CDC) Health Promotion
Apr 4, 2005, 06:58
AUSTIN, TX March 23, 2005—Making it Happen! School Nutrition Success Stories released today at George I. Sanchez Elementary School, describes successful approaches by schools to improve student nutrition. Making It Happen!, a joint publication of U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Food Nutrition and Consumer Services and Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with the support of the Department of Education celebrates the bold steps that many schools and school districts have taken to increase the availability of healthy foods outside of school meal programs.

Universal Nutrition Launches a New Whey Isolate Protein Product, Ultra Iso WheyTM

Universal Nutrition, a sports supplement and health nutrition manufacturer, launched Ultra Iso Whey, the ultimate, ultrafiltrated whey protein isolate with absolutely no carbs, sugar, lactose or fat. Ultra Iso Whey contains only premium 100% whey protein isolates and offers 21 grams of protein per scoop.

Not all whey proteins are created equal. The purest form, whey protein isolate, is a higher quality protein. These superior whey protein isolates have more protein, less fat and carbs, than their counterparts, whey protein concentrates. Isolates typically have 90-98% protein rather than 70-85% protein in whey concentrates. Whey isolates have less than 1% lactose compared to the 5-6% in concentrates making whey isolates easily tolerated. Isolates are also higher quality and purified with a higher biological value.

More Osteoporosis Seen With Raw Foods Diet

Raw-Food Vegetarians Thinner, Get Less Calcium

By Miranda Hitti, WebMD Medical News

March 28, 2005 -- Raw-food vegetarian diets are associated with osteoporosis, a new study shows. Osteoporosis occurs when aging bone is broken down faster than it can be replaced, a process known as bone turnover. Doctors diagnose the bone-weakening disease with a bone mineral density test. The study compared the bone health of 18 vegetarians who ate only raw foods with a similar group that ate a standard American diet. All participants were about 54 years old.

The vegetarians had a couple of strikes against them:
Thinner. Their average body mass index (BMI) was 20, compared with 25 for their peers. Both are within normal BMI range, but thinness is a risk factor for osteoporosis.
Lowered calcium and vitamin D in their diets. On average, the vegetarians ate about 580 milligrams of calcium per day, compared with 1,093 for their peers. Vitamin D from foods was also much lower in the vegetarians. Both nutrients are essential for building strong bone.

Vinegar May Lower Blood Glucose

Participants with normal, pre-diabetic and diabetic blood glucose levels were given a dose of apple-cider vinegar equal to 2 tablespoons prior to a high-carbohydrate bagel and juice breakfast. Amazingly, vinegar lowered both blood glucose and insulin levels significantly.

Waist Size Linked To Diabetes Risk In Adult Men

The circumference of a man’s waist is a better predictor of his risk of developing type 2 diabetes than his body mass index (BMI), which is a weight-to-height ratio, or waist-to-hip ratio alone. This finding, published in the March 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is based on data collected from 27,270 men tracked over 13 years who participated in the Harvard Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

March is Nutrition Month

I-Newswire.com (press release) - USA
The newly released Dietary Guidelines for Americans by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced science-based advice to promote health and to reduce risk for major chronic diseases through diet and physical activity1. In recognition of these guidelines and March National Nutrition Month, SPLENDA® ( sucralose ) No Calorie Sweetener shares tips on how to incorporate healthy lifestyle habits in time for Spring.