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The Effect of Diet on Mental Health

AHA Publisher — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 07:00:04 +0000

Dr. Liji Thomas, MD via News Medical – The brain controls and regulates most of the body’s vital functions, conscious or not. For this reason, it is essential that the brain receives a steady supply of fuel and oxygen. The fuel is obtained by metabolizing nutrients made available in the bloodstream, originating in the digested food. The brain consumes 20% of the daily intake of calories, that is, about 400 (out of 2000) calories a day. Structurally, about 60% of the brain is fat, comprising of high cholesterol and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Thus, the food one eats is directly linked to brain structure and function, and thus affects the working of the mind. Many studies have found that diets that are too rich in refined sugars are toxic to brain functioning because the high content of simple sugars stresses the pancreas and induces insulin resistance. The high sugar levels with compensatory insulin responses stimulate the counter-reactive surge of autonomic neurotransmitters like cortisol and glucagon. These are known to produce increased anxiety, hunger and irritability. Moreover, they induce inflammatory and oxidative stress. This has been linked to an exacerbation of symptoms of depression and other mood disorders. These findings have led to the emerging field of nutritional psychiatry that traces relationships between food, feelings, gut microbiota, and human behavior. Deficiency Disorders and Mood The deficiency of nutrients like cobalamine, folate and zinc is known to be associated with symptoms of depression and dementia, cognitive decline and irritability. Both overeating and food insecurity are associated with mood and anxiety disorders. Mental illness is ranked among the largest contributors to the global health burden, especially depression, which accounts for the major chunk of disability in the more developed countries, especially in the age group of 15-44 years. Therefore, it is crucial to explore nutritional strategies to ameliorate these conditions. Not only do people eat differently when anxious or depressed, but these changes may occur in either direction. Conversely, depression may be the result, at least partly, of poor eating habits, or may become worsened by the inability of the patient to stop eating comfort foods and choose a healthy diet. Such inability may be financial, psychological, or iatrogenic. Serotonin and the Gut Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter that helps to control sleep and appetite, inhibit pain, and to regulate mood. About 95% of the serotonin is produced in the gut, which is rich in neurons – the enteric plexus contains a hundred million nerve cells. Thus, the gut is intimately involved in emotional regulation, pain perception, and vital physiological functions. Interestingly, the function of these neurons and their secretion of serotonin, and other neurotransmitters, is closely regulated by the metabolic byproducts of the trillion or so bacteria that comprise the gut microbiome. These bacteria ensure epithelial barrier integrity for the intestine, preventing the entry of bacterial toxins and pathogens into the systemic circulation. They also prevent the spread of inflammation beyond the gut lumen, enhance nutrient absorption, and activate gut-brain neural pathways – the gut-brain axis. Monoamine neurotransmitters are synthesized from amino acids in a process that is mediated by mineral-dependent cofactors. Both folate and vitamin B12 are essential for the methylation that occurs during these synthetic processes, also regulating the formation of homocysteine – a metabolite that is strongly linked to cardiovascular risk and depression. Dietary Fats and Brain Functioning Anti-inflammatory fats such as omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) are known to be essential components of neuronal cell membranes, and also play a role in many vital neural processes such as neurotransmission, gene expression, neurogenesis and neuronal survival. They are also known to have antioxidant properties. Omega-3 FAs are used to treat a number of psychological disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, bipolar depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A high omega-6 proportion is linked to a higher incidence of these conditions, especially the first two. The standard Western diet is rich in omega-6 but low in omega-3 FAs, primarily because of the consumption of refined flours and sugars, and highly processed foods, and low amounts of seafood (including fish) and grass-fed beef. Some studies have confirmed that diets that are richer in healthier carbohydrates and fats, and lower in refined and highly processed foods, such as the Japanese and Mediterranean diets, are linked to a reduction in the incidence of depression by anywhere between a quarter to over a third, compared to the standard American diet. Inflammation and the Diet Inflammation of the nervous system is also important in the pathogenesis of mental illness, and this is also linked to the diet. Many biomarkers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were associated with a dietary pattern that was linked to a higher risk of depression over the next decade or so. This pattern included high simple sugars (sweetened drinks and refined flours), red meat and margarine (saturated fats), and little green or yellow vegetables, coffee, wine, or olive oil, which are all features of the stereotypical Western diet. The high content of vegetables, fruits, grains, and seafood, with less dairy and meat content, and no refined foods, of the Mediterranean and Japanese diets, compares very favorably with the Western diet. The former uses small amounts of red wine and cheese or yogurt in the daily diet. The mechanism is thought to be via the brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF. This important molecule is implicated in the plasticity and survival of neurons, and neurogenesis. It is reduced in many mental health conditions including depression, PTSD and schizophrenia, and is affected by many antidepressants that are commonly prescribed. Not only so, but the former presents many of the fruits and vegetables in fermented form, which provides probiotics protecting the gut by enhancing the content of health-promoting gut microbes and reducing or preventing inflammation throughout the body. Thus, including more foods with omega-3 FAs in the diet when on inflammation-inducing medications, not only prevents inflammatory changes but also prevents the induction of depression in such individuals, according to recent, admittedly early, work. Again, the Mediterranean diet promotes gut microbes that produce anti-inflammatory metabolites. Of course, depressive tendencies or stressors may prevent the beneficial effects of healthy food from manifesting themselves as reduced inflammation or improved mood. Secondly, only some depressed individuals show this inflammatory tendency, which may mean that diet plays this role in only a proportion of people, perhaps with other inflammatory conditions or due to constitutional factors. Conclusion Many experts would recommend that people pay attention to the relationship between their diet and the foods they eat over a month or at least two weeks. If they could reduce or eliminate processed foods and sugars for this period of time, before bringing back these foods one by one, it would be instructive to notice how they feel. Better eating strategies are essential to promote mental health and recovery from mental illness. It was over 2,000 years ago that the famous Greek physician Hippocrates said, “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” Not only does the Mediterranean (and similar) diet affect the availability of the basic building blocks of the brain and neurotransmitters, including myelin, the neuronal membrane, and monoamine neurotransmitters, but it modulates key chemicals like BDNF to alter neuroplasticity, mutes system inflammation, and determines the health and state of the gut microbiome. Many such traditional diets are known to include mostly nutritious whole foods without much processing. The role of a dietary specialist in helping patients with mentally ill-health to choose approaches that promote the ability to take care of oneself and enhance one’s health is very important and should be encouraged. As one set of authors comment, “This message supports the idea that creating environments and developing measures that promote healthy, nutritious diets, while decreasing the consumption of highly processed and refined “junk” foods may provide benefits even beyond the well known effects on physical health, including improved psychological wellbeing.” To read the original article click here.

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12 Easy Daily Healthy Immune Habits

AHA Publisher — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 08:00:52 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Each day you wake up to new experiences, challenges and opportunities. You likely think about the tasks ahead at the beginning of the day. Within that time, do you think about ways you can support your immune system? Or, healthy immune function habits that promote whole body health? If not, we have a cheat sheet for you. Here are 12 Daily Healthy Immune Habits that are easy to implement starting today. Moreover, here’s how simple habits affect immune function both positively and negatively. How Can Habits Support Immune Function? There are a few different ways lifestyle habits can affect immune function. First, they can reduce inflammatory actions and oxidative stress in the body. Next, they can activate immune cells directly. Third, they can indirectly affect your immunity. For example, high blood sugars are associated with increased infection risk (1), while controlled ones are not. Lastly, and on the other side, they can negatively impact immune function by diminishing the health of immune cells or degrading the body’s overall health. Your daily habits matter. Throughout each day, you can choose to support your immune function. Make your habit choices wisely. 12 Daily Healthy Immune Function Habits 1. GRATITUDE WHEN YOU WAKE How can you prioritize your health and immune function right when you wake up? You can be purposeful to start the day with gratitude. Whatever lies ahead in your day, you can be grateful for something or someone to start. How does this support immune health? Gratitude is one of our daily immune support habits because it can reduce stress and cortisol. Cortisol increases inflammation in the body. What’s more, gratitude can improve sleep while reducing stress. A study of 400 individuals found that writing gratitudes during the day and/or before sleep improves both the quality and duration of sleep (1). Another study found that gratitude was linked to a 10% improvement in sleep and a 19% decrease in sadness levels in patients with health issues and insomnia (2). For an extra boost, combine your time of gratitude with meditation. Focus on the moment, the day, and those things for which you are grateful. Be present in these thoughts, not thinking ahead or behind. Incredibly, this sort of mindful meditation can stimulate the immune system. Its benefits include improvements in specific markers of inflammation, cell-mediated immunity, and biological aging (3). 2. ICE-COLD SHOWER FOR BETTER IMMUNE FUNCTION Not everyone enjoys an ice-cold shower or burst of cold water in the morning. But for those who can stand it, it will support immune health! How? First, cold showers are linked to an improved immune system. A recent study from the Netherlands found that cold showers significantly reduced sick days in workers. In fact, 30 seconds or more of cold showering per day reduced sick days by 29% in the study. Additionally, more than half the participants decided to continue the cold-shower practice after the study since they were convinced by the results (4). Why would cold water improve immunity? It’s thought that cold-water-stress induces the production of catecholamines, which may play a critical role in supporting the immune system. 3. TAKE YOUR VITAMINS Specific vitamins, minerals and compounds support your immune function. While you can certainly eat foods that do so as well, supplements can bolster immunity with larger amounts of isolated nutrients. Specific immune-supporting nutrients include vitamin C, B-vitamins, elderberry, zinc, and vitamin D3 (5, 6). If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for all of these compounds, try this supplement. Dr. Colbert’s Immune Support contains each one in amounts designed to support your immune system best. 4. GET OUTSIDE INTO THE SUNSHINE EARLY There are many benefits to getting outside. And, the earlier you do it, the better. Sunshine and time outdoors both support immune health, for free! They: Increase vitamin D production: Optimal vitamin D levels are associated with fewer seasonal illnesses. What’s more, optimal vitamin D levels support health throughout the body, from bones to skin to organs Improve melatonin levels, especially if you’re out in the early hours after waking. Why does this matter for immune function? Optimal melatonin improves sleep, and sleep is directly beneficial to the immune system Improve mood, which decreases cortisol to support healthy immune function Get outside whenever you can, and aim for early hours if possible. 5. DAILY HYDRATION FOR HEALTH AND REDUCED CORTISOL Did you know that fluid restriction and dehydration may increase cortisol in your body? This becomes especially true if you are participating in an outdoor activity (7). To reduce cortisol and therefore inflammation, hydrate your body regularly. As a bonus, you’ll promote overall cell health and skin. One recent study has shown that increasing water consumption by 2 liters per day improved skin condition and physiology, even in those who already consumed high amounts of water. The researchers concluded that this increase and improvement in skin health would likely have the most positive effect on those with lower daily water consumption (8). If you want to take the immune and health benefits even further, drink green tea for part of your daily hydration. 6. MEALS WITH IMMUNE SUPPORTING FOODS Throughout the day, choose foods that are anti-inflammatory and full of antioxidants. Vibrant fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, nuts, spices, and protein often fit the bill. Specific foods include: Fish and seafood Healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil, avocados, MCT oil powder, and more Vibrant vegetables and small amounts of fruits Cacao, spices, and herbs such as ginger, garlic, basil, and more Potent greens and herbs like spirulina, wheatgrass, milk thistle, and more Great foods can be delicious and promote healthy immune function! 7. MOVE YOUR BODY Exercise provides a powerful 3-punch combination of immune function, health, and healthy aging. It: Modulates antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the body by supporting neuroprotective action, increasing circulating of anti-inflammatory markers, and improving antioxidant defenses (9). Promotes overall body composition and healthy weights. Unhealthy weights are associated with a decline in immune function. Decreases blood glucose. High blood sugars are linked to worsened infections (1). 8. LAUGH AND ENJOY HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS What do healthy relationships and laughter have to do with immune function and overall health? Incredibly, the Harvard Study of Adult Development has shown that good social relationships promote physical and mental health, provide a buffer against loneliness, increase longevity, and foster happiness. The Harvard Nurses’ Health Study found similar results. This means less anxiety and cortisol, and better health outcomes. Next, laughter further reduces cortisol, increases dopamine, and increases endorphins. These chemicals decrease discomfort, cortisol (10), and depressed moods (11) while elevating cellular health. 9. STARTING MID-EVENING, EMPLOY INTERMITTENT FASTING Around 7 pm in the evening, consider starting a daily intermittent fast to support your health and immune function. Amazingly, there are many documented benefits to intermittent fasting including: Immune function support (12) Improve cholesterol markers* Reduced triglyceride levels* Improved aging* Healthy weight changes without negative cellular adaptations* Reduced blood sugar abnormalities* In fact, many studies have shown that intermittent fasting supports healthy aging, brain health, heart health, and blood sugars (13). To add intermittent fasting to support immune health, aim to fast 15-16 out of the 24 hours per day. Simply finish eating dinner at 7 pm each night, and fast with only non-carbohydrate liquids (like coffee) until 10 am or so. 10. SLEEP: 7 OR MORE HOURS PER NIGHT Good quality sleep has many health and aging benefits. These include: Reduced daily cortisol* Healthy immune function* Better melatonin levels* Less depressed moods* Less inflammatory reactions* Healthy body weight* Healthy heart function* It’s a cycle. Good sleep begets good sleep, and lack of sleep increases cortisol for up to 24 hours which negatively affects sleep again (14). Lack of sleep has also been shown to reduce mental performance and alertness while increasing inflammation and cortisol (15). 11. DE-STRESS BEFORE BED Amazingly, stress and high cortisol levels can negatively affect immune function and response (22). You can fight back with an amazing all-natural stress-reducing oil. Hemp oil, specifically nano-particle oils like those in Dr. Colbert’s Nano-Science Hemp Oil, promotes health across the body’s systems while combatting stress. In fact, it’s nature’s best stress relief. It is a broad-spectrum hemp oil that is organically grown, vegan, and GMO-free. In terms of health, it have been shown to: Support healthy, stable moods (16) Promote stress relief and normalized cortisol levels Support comfortable, healthy joints (17) Encourage healthy sleep habits (18) Promote healthy skin with fewer irregularities and blemishes (19) Support healthy brain and nervous system functions (20) Encourage healthy cardiovascular functions and normalized inflammatory actions (21) 12. FAST FROM FROM DETRIMENTAL FOODS AND DETOX THE BODY REGULARLY Here’s another healthy habit with a big punch! Get rid and detox from the foods that have a negative effect on health and immune function. It’s time to reduce sweets, sugars, and refined carbohydrates, omit processed food fats like soybean oil, and help your body detox from the build-up of toxins and chemicals. How? The easiest and most effective way is to follow the Keto Zone Diet. In fact, Dr. Colbert’s Gut Zone Bookprovides a complete road map to reducing these foods, achieving a healthy weight, and supporting healthy immune function. Bottom Line Ready to support immune health every day? You can do it! These easy healthy immune function habits can be implemented together, or one at a time. Focus each day on your immune system and promote health throughout your body! To read the original article click here.

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A ‘Dented’ Internal Clock Provides Insight Into Shift Workers’ Weight Gain and Diabetes

AHA Publisher — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 07:00:27 +0000

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania via Newswise – PHILADELPHIA— A study of “dented” internal clocks seems to have provided evidence for a theory as to why people who work late or irregular hours are susceptible to weight gain and diabetes. High rates of shift workers gain weight and develop diabetes, which has been attributed to a mismatch between their internal clocks and their schedules, so researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania created a related mismatch by altering the function of a molecule within the brains of mice that shortened their circadian rhythms from 24 to 21 hours. These mice gained more weight, had higher blood sugar, and fattier livers, all of which were corrected by changing their environment to a 21-hour “day.” “When the external world doesn’t match the internal body’s cycles, metabolism pays the price,” said the study’s senior author, Mitchell A. Lazar, MD, PhD, the director of Penn Medicine’s Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, and the Ware Professor of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases. “We saw this in our study, and we believe that this happens similarly when people work odd hours that don’t align with how human bodies are wired.” Published today in Science Advances, the researchers led by Lazar and primary investigator Marine Adlanmerini, PhD, a post-doctoral researcher in Lazar’s lab, sought to explore circadian desynchrony, a theory in which a disruption or alteration to a person’s innate, internal clock leads to poor outcomes. Shift workers – those who may work long hours, overnight, or with irregular rest periods in between work – are subject to this, which could be why they appear to be at higher risk for obesity, diabetes, and metabolic diseases including having a liver that retains more fat. So to explore whether circadian desynchrony is a viable explanation for this, the researchers removed certain molecules called REV-ERB, which reside in the brain cells of mice, and seem to control the body’s internal clock, holding it around 24-hour cycles. When REV-ERB was deleted, it caused the mouse body clocks to run roughly three hours shorter, which the researchers determined by tracking their regular sleep/awake pattern. While their body clocks ran faster, some of these mice were kept in a typical day’s 24-hour cycle, with 12 hours of light and 12 of dark. Those mice, when on their regular diet, were able to keep their weight in check. But when given a diet with higher contents of fat and sugar – a diet not unfamiliar to the typical American – they gained more weight and had more adverse conditions, like diabetes and fatty liver. Moreover, the mice who still had REV-ERB but were given the high-fat and sugar diet did not have the same high amounts of poor outcomes. “One potential explanation is that the internal clock of the mice missing REV-ERB was running at odds with the 24-hour day, which led to metabolic stress on the body,” Lazar said. A way that was “fixed” was when the researchers adjusted the length of the mice’s “day” in the lab to match their malfunctioning internal clock: 21-hour days with 10.5-hour cycles of light and dark to match their 21-hour internal clock. When this happened, the mice with the altered clocks no longer were as susceptible to the ill-effects of the unhealthy diet. That correction seemed to fall in line with the circadian desynchrony theory: Once the internal clock and the day lined up again, metabolism appeared to operate at its normal, healthy rate. “This may be a lesson for how to prevent or reduce obesity and diabetes in shift workers,” Lazar explained. “For example, timing of meals to better match the shift worker’s own clock could be of benefit. That would also be consistent with a number of studies in mice and people that have suggested that eating at specific times of day may improve weight control and metabolism.” Moving forward, Lazar, Adlanmerini, and their team feel that potentially finding biomarkers which could be tested for and indicate how a person’s internal clock is running would be key. “Information like that could then be matched to decisions about when to eat, much as blood sugar monitoring can help a diabetic understand when they should be taking more insulin,” said Lazar. To read the original article click here.

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Metabolic Syndrome Linked to Increased Risk of Second Stroke, Death

AHA Publisher — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 07:11:25 +0000

American Academy of Neurology (AAN) via Newswise – People with larger waistlines, high blood pressure and other risk factors that make up metabolic syndrome may be at higher risk for having a second stroke and even dying than people who do not have metabolic syndrome, according to a meta-analysis published in the July 28, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Metabolic syndrome was defined as having excess belly fat plus two or more of the following risk factors: high blood pressure, higher than normal triglycerides (a type of fat found in the blood), high blood sugar and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, or “good” cholesterol. “Studies have shown conflicting results on whether metabolic syndrome, which has been tied to an increased risk of a first stroke, also increases the risk of a second stroke and death, so we wanted to analyze all of the research available,” said study author Tian Li, MD, of Fourth Military Medical University in Xi’an, China. “These findings will help people with metabolic syndrome and their health care providers know that they should be screened for risk of recurrent stroke and given preventative treatments.” For the risk of stroke recurrence, the meta-analysis combined results from six studies with 11,000 participants who were followed for up to five years. During that time, 1,250 people had a second stroke. The analysis found that people with metabolic syndrome were 46% more likely to have a second stroke than people who did not have the syndrome. Looking at each component of metabolic syndrome, researchers found that having a low level of good cholesterol and having two or more components of the syndrome were associated independently with an increased risk of a second stroke. Having excess belly fat, high blood sugar and high blood pressure were not associated with increased risk of second stroke on their own. For the risk of death from any cause, the meta-analysis combined eight studies with 51,613 people who were followed for up to five years. During that time, 4,210 people died. People with metabolic syndrome were 27% more likely to die during the study than people without the syndrome. None of the individual components of the syndrome were independently associated with an increased risk of death. “These results add to the evidence that people with metabolic syndrome should take steps to modify their risk of second stroke and even death where possible, through medication, diet, exercise and other recommended lifestyle changes such as stopping smoking,” Li said. Li noted that the studies were observational, so they do not prove that metabolic syndrome is a cause of recurrent stroke or death. They only show an association. The meta-analysis was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Siming Scholars of Shuguang Hospital, Third Batch of Suzhou High-tech District Health Talents Project and Suzhou Science and Technology Plan Project. Learn more about stroke at BrainandLife.org, home of the American Academy of Neurology’s free patient and caregiver magazine focused on the intersection of neurologic disease and brain health. Follow Brain & Life®on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. When posting to social media channels about this research, we encourage you to use the hashtags #Neurology and #AANscience. The American Academy of Neurology is the world’s largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, with over 36,000 members. The AAN is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, concussion, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. To read the original article click here.

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Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Fare Worse When They Have High Blood Sugar

AHA Publisher — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 07:00:16 +0000

Endocrine Society via Newswise – Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have worse outcomes if they have high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, regardless of whether they have diabetes, a new study finds. The researchers will present their results, of the first known study of the impact of hyperglycemia on a largely Black patient population with the novel coronavirus, at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting. The investigators found that patients with COVID-19 who had hyperglycemia on admission to the hospital were more likely than those with normal glucose (sugar) to require a breathing machine or admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). These patients also were reportedly likelier to have kidney injury and to die in the hospital. “COVID-19 patients presenting to the hospital with hyperglycemia require closer observation, as they are likely to require more aggressive therapies,” said the study’s lead investigator, Samara Skwiersky, M.D., M.P.H., an internal medicine resident physician at the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Although a few prior studies have identified hyperglycemia or diabetes as an independent risk factor for worse COVID-19 outcomes, Skwiersky said they did not take place in a predominantly Black population. The virus has disproportionately affected Black people, including higher rates of hospitalization and death than in white people, she noted. Their study included 708 adults with COVID-19 admitted to SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 89 percent of whom were Black. About half were men, and 54 percent of patients had a history of either type 1 or type 2 diabetes on admission. The researchers studied patient outcomes by the presence or absence of diabetes and by their blood glucose values on admission. Because guidelines recommend that hospitalized patients with diabetes maintain blood glucose levels between 140 and 180 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), the investigators divided patients into groups by glucose levels less than 140 and less than 180 mg/dL. Patients with diabetes whose blood glucose values on admission exceeded 140 mg/dL had a 2.4-fold increased odds of ICU admission and intubation—needing a breathing machine—versus those whose glucose levels were lower, the researchers reported. Furthermore, patients with diabetes whose admission glucose levels were higher than 180 mg/dL had an approximately twofold increased odds of in-hospital death, their data showed. However, Skwiersky said the odds of death also were increased twofold for patients who did not have diabetes and whose glucose values exceeded 140 mg/dL. Additionally, these patients had a 3.5-fold raised odds of ICU admission and a 2.3-fold higher odds of intubation and of experiencing acute kidney injury. According to Skwiersky, patients without diabetes whose blood glucose levels topped 180 mg/dL had a fourfold greater death risk, a nearly threefold increased odds of ICU admission, and a 2.7-fold higher odds of intubation. “The results from our study,” she said, “reiterate the importance of regularly monitoring blood glucose in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, even without a prior diagnosis of diabetes.” It is unclear whether hyperglycemia is the result of or a cause of more severe COVID-19 illness, Skwiersky stated. Still, she said their results suggest the need for intensive glucose control in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with high blood sugar. This is consistent with the current Endocrine Society guidelines, which recommend that all patients with blood glucose above 140 mg/dL be monitored with point–of–care glucose testing and treated with appropriate therapies. “More frequent glucose monitoring and treatment with insulin therapy to a target glucose value less than 140 mg/dL could improve outcomes in these patients,” Skwiersky said. To read the original article click here.

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Sweet Potatoes Increase Vitamin A, Fiber in Bread

AHA Publisher — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 07:00:18 +0000

South Dakota State University via Newswise – Incorporating sweet potato puree into bread not only adds vitamin A, but also changes the starch composition by increasing the fiber content. Altering the starch composition means a greater portion of the carbohydrates will take longer to digest, so consuming a serving of bread is less likely to cause an increase in blood sugar—that can be beneficial for diabetics, according to assistant professor Srinivas Janaswamy of South Dakota State University’s Department of Dairy and Food Science. In addition, the increased amount of fiber, known as resistant starch, can help improve gut health. Approximately 463 million adults worldwide are living with diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation. That number is expected to reach 700 million by 2045. Results from lab-scale analyses on how the starch is absorbed and the amount of vitamin A, or beta carotene, available from bread in which 10 to 50% of the wheat flour is replaced with orange-fleshed sweet potato puree were recently published in the Institute of Food Technology’s Journal of Food Science. In summer 2018, Daniel Mbogo, then a research associate at the International Potato Center, worked with Janaswamy to formulate sweet potato-enriched breads through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Borlaug Fellowship Program and CGIAR, a global agricultural research partnership. Mbogo is now a doctoral student at Greenwich University in the United Kingdom. IPC senior food scientist Tawanda Muzhingi, also an adjunct professor at North Carolina State University at Raleigh, contributed to the research. “We hope through the U.S. Agency for International Development to create a laboratory to promote sweet potato research among land grant institutions in the United States and in developing countries,” Muzhingi said. Janaswamy’s research was also supported by U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture funding through the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Bread containing sweet potatoes puree is already being marketed in Kenya and sweet potato-based products are also being developed in the United States, Janaswamy noted. Starch Digestibility The researchers used an established laboratory technique to understand how starch digests, determining the percentages of rapidly digestible starch, slowly digestible starch and resistant starch absorbed over time. Differences in starch absorption between traditional and sweet potato-enriched bread occurred between one and two hours of digestion. In traditional bread, 75% of the starch is rapidly digested, while only 50% is rapidly digested starch when sweet potato puree replaces 50% of the wheat flour. Slowly digested starch decreases from 16.3% in traditional to 9.4% in the sweet potato bread and resistant starch increases significantly from 9% in traditional bread to 41% in sweet potato bread. The amount of starch in sweet potato bread that digests rapidly is significantly lower than that of traditional bread, Janaswamy said. This shift in starch content makes sweet potato bread a good option for diabetics, because the glucose is released more slowly. Furthermore, the sweet potato bread contains more resistant starch, which is fermented in the large intestine where it feeds the good gut bacteria. Vitamin A Availability By simulating digestion in the lab, the researchers evaluated how much beta-carotene is released from the bread matrix and is, therefore, available for the body to absorb from a 100-gram serving of sweet potato-fortified bread. When sweet potato puree replaces 50% of the flour, the bread can provide 82% of a 1- to 3-year old’s daily beta carotene requirement and 62% of a 4- to 8-year-old’s daily requirement. About 30% of children under the age of 5 in developing countries do not consume enough vitamin A, according to the World Health Organization. Furthermore, a serving of 50% sweet potato bread can provide 33% of a pregnant or lactating woman’s daily beta carotene requirement. “By consuming three servings of bread, a woman can get 100% of her vitamin A requirement,” Janaswamy said. Vitamin A helps develop the baby’s heart, eyes and immune system. Urbanization has changed eating habits in Kenya, Mbogo explained. Families once grew the sweet potatoes they consumed. Now, processed foods account for a larger share of their diet. Incorporating the nutrients into the bread they purchase from the store can help prevent vitamin A deficiency. The Kenya Bureau of Standards recently published standards for sweet potato puree and breads, which acknowledges their commercial value and health benefits. In future work, Janaswamy hopes to look at varying the sweet potato bread’s fat content. “Adding fat not only helps the taste profile, but solubilizes the beta-carotene which should result in improved absorption.” To read the original article click here.

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New Study Finds that Menopause Increases Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

AHA Publisher — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 07:00:18 +0000

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) via EurekAlert – Researchers suggest that lifestyle interventions can be effective in helping women with metabolic syndrome prevent diabetes and heart disease. Perimenopause is a time when women become more vulnerable to a number of health problems. A new study based on data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging identified menopause as a risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome or some of its components, including hypertension, central obesity, and high blood sugar. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). The incidence of metabolic syndrome increases with age and, in Canada, is as high as 38% in women aged 60 to 79 years. Understanding what causes metabolic syndrome is important because this condition increases the risk of heart disease and cancer, two of the leading causes of death in women. Some previous studies have suggested an association between the onset of menopause and the development of metabolic syndrome, independent of aging. This study analyzed data from more than 10,000 women aged 45 to 85 years who participated in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, and found a positive association between menopause and an increased risk of metabolic syndrome. The good news, however, is that lifestyle interventions targeted at women with metabolic syndrome have proven effective in preventing type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular risk. Age at menopause and hormone therapy use have also been identified as possible modifiers of this relationship, although additional studies are required to better quantify their effect. Study results appear in the article “The effect of menopause on metabolic syndrome: cross-sectional results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.” “These results reaffirm the previously identified link between menopause and metabolic syndrome. Given the increased cardiovascular risk associated with metabolic syndrome and that heart disease remains the number one killer of women, this study highlights the importance of cardiovascular risk assessment and risk reduction strategies in midlife women,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director. To read the original article click here.

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Eating Whole Grains Could Help Lower Diabetes Risk

AHA Publisher — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 07:00:04 +0000

American Society for Nutrition via EurekAlert – A new analysis of more than 200,000 people found that eating high-quality carbohydrates, such as whole grains, was associated with a lower risk for type 2 diabetes. “High intake of carbohydrates has been suggested to be associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes,” said research team leader Kim Braun, PhD, from Erasmus University Medical Center and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “We looked at whether this effect is different for high-quality carbohydrates and low-quality carbohydrates, which include refined grains, sugary foods and potatoes.” Braun will present the new findings as part of NUTRITION 2020 LIVE ONLINE, a virtual conference hosted by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). Braun and colleagues analyzed data from three studies that followed health professionals in the U.S. over time. These included 69,949 women from the Nurses’ Health Study, 90,239 women from the Nurses’ Health Study 2 and 40,539 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Collectively, the studies represented over 4 million years of follow-up, during which almost 12,000 cases of type 2 diabetes cases were documented. The researchers observed a lower risk of type 2 diabetes when high-quality carbohydrates replaced calories from saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, animal protein and vegetable protein. They also found that replacing low-quality carbohydrates with saturated fats, but not with other nutrients, was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. “These results highlight the importance of distinguishing between carbohydrates from high- and low- quality sources when examining diabetes risk,” said Braun. “Conducting similar studies in people with various socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities and age will provide insight into how applicable these findings are for other groups.” To read the original article click here.

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