Prevent Type 2 Diabetes By What You Love to Do Most: Sleep

June 19, 2013 / esfein / 1 Comment

It was found that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes has been linked to a lack of sleep. According to the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, including a few more hours of sleep every week may lower your risk of developing diabetes. Diabetes is currently the 7th leading cause of death and affects an estimated 26 million people in the United States, as well as many more in the developed world.

Type 2 diabetes patients become resistant to insulin and it becomes inefficient in clearing out glucose from the bloodstream. The study found that men who prolonged three nights of their sleep also improved their insulin sensitivity, which is responsible for regulating glucose in the blood stream.

Insulin sensitivity can be improved with longer sleeping hours. Most Americans these days work for a longer period of time during the work week and are engaged in more social activities than in the past. Such a lifestyle explains the current decrease in sleeping hours.

According to the article from labiomed.org, researchers from the University of Sydney, Australia did a study on 19 non-diabetic men who had reported an average of 5.1 years of having a lack of sleep during the workweek. They slept an average of 6.2 hours each night during the week, but slept 37.4 percent longer (or 2.3 hours) longer each night during the weekend. Length of sleep was reported by a device the subjects wore on their wrist which monitored the sleep-wake cycles.

The men spent three nights in a sleep lab on each of two separate weekends. The researchers randomly assigned the men to two of three sleep conditions: (1) 10 hours of sleep, (2) six hours of sleep or (3) 10 hours in bed, in which noises during deep sleep aroused them into shallow sleep without waking them. The six hours of sleep tested persistent sleep restriction.

During the whole study time, the men had the same food intake so that the diet would not influence the results. Researchers concluded that the men who slept 10 hours a night had improved insulin sensitivity and decreased insulin resistance by a significant factor.

Things to Consider About Type 2 Diabetes

Despite the news that longer sleep could provide improved insulin sensitivity and raise the possibility of preventing type 2 diabetes from developing, keep in mind that this study consisted of a sample of 19 people. Some may consider this to be an insufficient quantity for conclusive research, including myself. You certainly would not want to be prescribed a medication whose effectiveness was confirmed by a few studies that had a handful of sample cases each. More elaborate research should be done to find conclusive evidence for a link between improved sleep and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

In line with longer sleeping hours, one should also take personal responsibility for his or her own diet. One should be aware of how much sugar and carbohydrates are consumed. There is a higher risk for type 2 diabetes in people with obesity. As of June 18th, 2013, obesity is now officially recognized as a disease, according to the American Medical Association.

Sources:

http://www.labiomed.org/2013/06/18/getting-enough-sleep-could-help-prevent-type-2-diabetes/

http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/2435701

https://wondergressive.com/2013/05/08/red-wine-vinegar-aids-weight-loss-and-fights-diabetes/

https://wondergressive.com/2013/01/12/save-the-food-pyramid-by-cutting-it-by-the-limbs/

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/#fast

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/insulinresistance/

http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/2435701

Apple Cider Vinegar for Diabetes

June 10, 2013 / esfein / Leave a comment

Lately, bloggers, Pinterest and the internet in general have flocked towards apple cider vinegar—and why not? The list of its purported benefits goes on for a while! But how much of it is hype and how much if it is actually backed by science? First, let me begin by saying that in this article, “apple cider vinegar” will refer to the raw form only. It should have the “mother” of the vinegar, which appears as strand-like particles. The clear stuff you can get for under a dollar at Walmart has been processed and does not carry any of the benefits of raw apple cider vinegar.

My research on the topic has yielded both good and bad results. First, the good.

There seems to be a strong indication of apple cider vinegar’s effects on blood sugar levels. In a 2007 study of 11 people with Type 2 diabetes, taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed was shown to lower their glucose levels in the morning by about 4-6%.

Further to the above, WebMD goes on to tell us:

A 2006 study showed evidence that vinegar could lower cholesterol. However, the study was done in rats, so it’s too early to know how it might work in people.

NOTE: Apple cider vinegar is VERY POTENT! It must always be diluted before being ingested, whether with water or juice, doesn’t matter.

Now the bad. There are a lot of folk legends running amok online (as is the way of the interwebs), that ACV will cure everything from an upset stomach to cancer. However, I would strongly advice caution in this matter. For example:

A few laboratory studies have found that vinegar may be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. Observational studies of people have been confusing. One found that eating vinegar was associated with a decreased risk of esophageal cancer. Another associated it with an increased risk of bladder cancer.

That sounds like a bit of a gamble!

Additionally, a number of sources (WebMD among them) note that ACV, being an acid, can harm the enamel of your teeth. However, this Reader’s Digest article recommends it for whitening your teeth without any kind of warnings whatsoever. Not cool, Reader’s Digest. Not cool. You know folks are going to start following this advice blindly.

In that particular scenario, The Herbivore Hippi tells us the following:

Dentists recommend that if you use it as a mouth rinse you must be sure to rinse your mouth thoroughly! The acids, if used too often or not rinsed away will not only soften your teeth but also wear away at the tooth enamel even though it can strengthen brittle teeth. Apple cider vinegar is incredibly potent so always remember to dilute it!

I’d be interested to see how the cancer and cholesterol studies pan out down the road, but in the meantime, those of you with diabetes might consider talking to your doctors about including apple cider vinegar into your diets/daily routines. Please do not just jump into this without consulting your healthcare provider, as vinegar containes chromium and can alter your insulin levels. Your doctor will be in the best position to alter/adjust your current medication to account for the change in insulin levels.

Resources
Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
Reader’s Digest: 8 Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar for Healthy Teeth

Red Wine Vinegar Aids Weight Loss and Fights Diabetes

May 8, 2013 / esfein / 1 Comment

Red Wine Vinegar goes well with salads and is a staple of the Mediterranean cuisine. But did you know that it can also help you lose weight and curb your appetite? It even allows you to eat the high-carb foods that usually give you a feeling of regret after the last bite.

When red wine is fermented for a long period, it transforms into red wine vinegar. Besides containing the same antioxidant called resveratrol, the main component of red wine vinegar, and the one that gives it the sour taste, is acetic acid.

Acetic acid is also a main component of other vinegars like white vinegar and apple cider vinegar. Acetic acid helps to slow down the digestion of foods that you eat. This action helps to regulate blood sugar and prevent spikes. Blood sugar spikes are what make your pancreas secrete insulin, which tells your body to start to store fat.

According to Doctor Oz, two tablespoons of red wine vinegar will give you optimal results if you want to maintain steady blood glucose and insulin levels. The main reason why it does so is because it prevents some of the carbohydrates that you consume from passing through the blood stream. Carbohydrates are what raise your blood sugar level, insulin level, and ultimately bring your body to store more fat. It is the carbohydrates, not the fat that you eat, that is making you fat.

Here is an excerpt from a research article summary on WebMD concerning mice and red wine vinegar:

Researchers found that the mice developed a lot less body fat (up to 10% less) than mice who didn’t receive the vinegar compound. The amount of food eaten by the mice was not affected.

It’s believed that acetic acid turns on genes that produce proteins that help the body break down fats. Such an action helps prevent fat buildup in body, and thwarts weight gain.

Diabetes is a condition in which the body cannot regulate blood sugar (blood glucose) properly. Those diagnosed with diabetes, are often told by doctors to stay away from sugary foods. This includes grains, especially bread. Carbohydrates are complex sugars, that can be broken down into simple sugars and processed by the body. As mentioned above, carbohydrates make your blood sugar and insulin sky rocket. Consuming a tablespoon or two of red wine vinegar could help some individuals with diabetes have a sugary meal without having their blood sugar levels spike abnormally. Of course, if you are diabetic, make sure you talk to your doctor before you make bagels your new food staple.

If you like your bread, pasta, bagels, and cereals, then incorporating red wine vinegar into your diet could aid in the slowing of digestion and subsequent weight loss. As a spritzer or as a salad dressing, red wine vinegar can be quite delicious.

Get your own bottle of our favorite red wine vinegar over at Amazon.

Sources:

Crush Your Cravings With 5 Appetite-Suppressing Foods

NewsMedical.net- What is Resveratrol

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23265476

WebMD- Causes of Type 2 Diabetes

WebMD- Vinegar May Aid in Fat Loss

Mayo Clinic- Definition of Diabetes

Extra Reading:

DailyMail.co.uk- The Healing Powers of Vinegar

LiveStrong.com- The Health Benefits of Red Wine Vinegar

Coconut Oil Reverses the Effects of Alzheimer’s, Among Many Other Benefits

September 23, 2012 / esfein / 2 Comments

Dr. Newport has discovered that ketones in coconut oil reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

Because Alzheimer’s is like a diabetes for the brain, brain cells cannot accept glucose for those afflicted with the disease. Ketone, a chemical identical to glucose, is easily accepted by the brain. Ketones are found in heaping amounts in coconut oil.

Dr. Newport gave it to her husband who had very serious Alzheimer’s. Within just a couple weeks his entire life was altered dramatically. For example, after not reading for a year and half, he was able to read again. After not being able to exercise, he began exercising. He began making jokes again, becoming involved socially, and generally having a second chance at life.

Researchers have actually created a remedy even more powerful than coconut oil, 10x more powerful in fact. It’s known as a ketone ester. This ester would undoubtedly treat and reverse Alzheimer’s disease in millions of people around the world within weeks. Unfortunately, they can’t get any funding. As the lead researcher states, it’s because there’s no profit in manufacturing the ester, which is proven to be reversing the effects of Alzheimer’s.

Interestingly, many years ago, people steered clear of coconut oil because it was said to raise your cholesterol. This was before doctors knew there were two types of cholesterol, good and bad cholesterol, or LDL/HDL. Coconut oil, we now realize, raises good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol dramatically. This information has never been revised by the mainstream medical industry, and doctors still tell many patients not to take coconut oil due to the effect on cholesterol.

Coconut oil has many other extremely positive benefits outside of Alzheimer’s as well. Coconut oil improves or treats:

Parkinson’s
ALS
Autism
Dementia
Schizophrenia
Dental care
Bones
Diabetes
Liver diseases
Kidney diseases
Heart disease
Weight loss
Digestion
Immunity
Infection
Pancreatitis
Stress relief
And helps kill viruses like HIV and Herpes due to its natural antibiotic properties

In my personal experience, coconut oil isn’t just great for your body, it’s great for your taste buds too. I use it to cook everything, from fish, to eggs. I even put it on my salad as a dressing. It adds a subtle, completely natural and life improving sweetness to whatever it is added to. Sometimes I just snack on it, scooping it right out of the container!

My favorite brand is the cold pressed, totally unprocessed extra virgin coconut oil made by Nutiva.