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Study On Time Restricted Eating Reveals Limiting Food Intake to Daytime Shows Promising Beneficial Metabolic Effects in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

AHA Publisher — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 07:00:49 +0000

Diabetologia via Newswise – A new study published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD]) finds that following a time-restricted eating (TRE) protocol which limits food intake to a max 10-hour time window shows promising beneficial metabolic effects in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The research was conducted by Prof Patrick Schrauwen, Charlotte Andriessen and colleagues at NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Center, the Netherlands. Our modern 24-hour society is characterised by endless food availability and disrupted day-night rhythm brought on by irregular sleep-activity patterns and frequent exposure to artificial light sources. In Western nations, people also tend to spread their daily food intake over a minimum of 14 hours, which is likely to result in the absence of a true, nocturnal fasted state. These factors all contribute to the development of T2D which has become one of the most common metabolic diseases globally, estimated by the World Health Organization to cause more than 1.5 million deaths per year. TRE is a novel strategy for improving metabolic health and is intended to counteract the detrimental effects of eating throughout the day by limiting the duration of food intake (typically 12 h or less) and restore the cycle of daytime eating and prolonged fasting during the evening and night. Previous studies show that TRE leads to promising metabolic changes in people with overweight or obesity, including increased fat burning, decreased blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity; but these effects have not been studied in detail. Moreover, while these results are promising, these studies used extremely short eating time windows (6-8 h) and highly controlled study settings, making such protocols difficult to implement in daily life. TRE is sometimes accompanied by unintended weight loss which would be expected to increase metabolic health, but such improvements have also been reported in the absence of weight loss, indicating that additional mechanisms are involved in how restricted eating influences metabolism. Individuals with impaired metabolic health experience alterations in the rhythms of metabolic processes compared to healthy, lean individuals and the authors hypothesise that a disturbed fed-fasting cycle contributes to these impairments in metabolic rhythms. They suggest that by restricting food intake to daytime only and extending the length of the nocturnal fast may have beneficial effects on metabolic health. The researchers recruited 14 individuals with T2D for the study, aged between 50 and 75 years (7 male, 7 female, average age 67.5 years) and body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2. The study consisted of two 3-week intervention periods: TRE and control (CON), separated by a wash-out period of at least 4 weeks. At the start of each intervention, participants had their body weight measured and were fitted with a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device which measured their blood sugar level every 15 minutes. They were instructed to keep to their normal sleep patterns and physical activity, and to maintain a stable weight. A food and sleep diary completed during the first intervention was used to ensure that diet during the second period was similar in both quantity and quality. During TRE participants were instructed to consume their normal diet within a 10-hour window during the daytime, and to complete their food intake no later than 1800H. Outside this time window they were permitted to drink water, plain tea, or black coffee, and zero-calorie soft drinks were also allowed during the evening if consumed in moderation. During CON volunteers were only required to spread their normal food intake over at least 14 hours, with no other restrictions. The eating window for TRE averaged 9.1 h compared to 13.4 h in CON, while sleep-wake patterns were similar in each case with mean sleep durations of 8.1 h and 8.0 h, respectively. Mean body mass was comparable at the start of both TRE and CON and although volunteers were instructed to remain weight stable, a small but statistically significant weight loss occurred in response to TRE but not CON. TRE was found to decrease 24-hour glucose levels, primarily as a result of lower nocturnal blood sugar, and the average time spent with blood glucose in the normal range increased to 15.1 hours versus 12.2 hours during the CON phase. Morning fasting glucose was consistently lower among the TRE group than those on the control diet, which may be the result of lasting changes in nocturnal glucose control. Time spent in hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) was not significantly increased by TRE and no serious adverse effects were reported resulting from the protocol, demonstrating that an eating window of approximately 10 h is a safe and effective lifestyle intervention for adults with T2D. Approximately half-way through each intervention, liver glycogen levels were assessed in the morning following the 10 h or 14 h night-time fast period, and were measured again at the end of each study period after an 11 h fast for both TRE and CON. In both cases, liver glycogen did not differ significantly between TRE and CON and an analysis of liver fats showed no difference in their quantity or composition between interventions. Unlike a previous study into TRE, this one did not show that the protocol had any effect on insulin sensitivity, however the earlier research had used a much shorter 6 h food intake window with the last meal being consumed at 15:00 h. This resulted in a longer fasting period which may have been more effective but was felt to be unrealistic to incorporate into the lifestyle of most adults with T2D. The team advise: “Future studies will be needed to reveal whether the duration of the fasting period is indeed crucial in determining positive effects on insulin sensitivity.” The authors say: “Mechanisms underlying the improvement in glucose regulation upon TRE remain unclear. Our results show that TRE did not improve peripheral and liver insulin sensitivity, skeletal muscle mitochondrial function, energy metabolism or liver fat content, all of which are known to be affected in T2D.” They propose that the mechanisms involved in the effects and their implications should be investigated further, with particular focus on studying nocturnal glucose metabolism in more detail. Limitations of this research include its relatively short duration and that some but not all participants were on glucose-lowering medication which may have caused TRE to have less effect. Despite this, a 3-week intervention period has been found to be long enough to affect the variables being analysed, and the authors highlight that only recruiting volunteers who were not on medication would reduce the study’s relevance to the general T2D population. The authors conclude: “A daytime 10 h TRE regimen for 3 weeks decreases glucose levels and prolongs the time spent in the normal blood sugar range in adults with T2D as compared with spreading daily food intake over at least 14 h. These data highlight the potential benefit of TRE in T2D” They also suggest: “Since our TRE protocol was feasible and safe, and resulted in improved 24 h glucose levels, it would be interesting to examine the impact of 10 h TRE on glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes in the long term to address the clinical relevance of TRE.” To read the original article click here.

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Antacids May Improve Blood Sugar Control in People with Diabetes

AHA Publisher — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 07:00:36 +0000

Endocrine Society viaNewswise– WASHINGTON—Antacids improved blood sugar control in people with diabetes but had no effect on reducing the risk of diabetes in the general population, according to a new meta-analysis published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Type 2 diabetes is a global public health concern affecting almost 10 percent of people worldwide. Doctors may prescribe diet and lifestyle changes, diabetes medications, or insulin to help people with diabetes better manage their blood sugar, but recent data points to common over the counter antacid medicines as another way to improve glucose levels. “Our research demonstrated that prescribing antacids as an add-on to standard care was superior to standard therapy in decreasing hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels and fasting blood sugar in people with diabetes,” said study author Carol Chiung-Hui Peng, M.D., of the University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus in Baltimore, Md. “For people without diabetes, taking antacids did not significantly alter their risk of developing the disease,” said study author, Huei-Kai Huang, M.D., of the Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital in Hualien, Taiwan. The researchers performed a meta-analysis on the effects of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)—a commonly used type of antacid medication—on blood sugar levels in people with diabetes and whether these medications could prevent the new onset of diabetes in the general population. The analysis included seven studies (342 participants) for glycemic control and 5 studies (244, 439 participants) for risk of incident diabetes. The researchers found antacids can reduce HbA1c levels by 0.36% in people with diabetes and lower fasting blood sugar by 10 mg/dl based on the results from seven clinical trials. For those without diabetes, the results of the five studies showed that antacids had no effect on reducing the risk of developing diabetes. “People with diabetes should be aware that these commonly used antacid medications may improve their blood sugar control, and providers could consider this glucose-lowering effect when prescribing these medications to their patients,” said study author Kashif Munir, M.D., associate professor in the division of endocrinology, diabetes and nutrition at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md. To read the original article click here.

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New Device Can Measure Glucose in Sweat with the Touch of a Fingertip

AHA Publisher — Mon, 10 May 2021 07:00:20 +0000

American Chemical Society via News-Medical – Many people with diabetes endure multiple, painful finger pricks each day to measure their blood glucose. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Sensors have developed a device that can measure glucose in sweat with the touch of a fingertip, and then a personalized algorithm provides an accurate estimate of blood glucose levels. According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 34 million children and adults in the U.S. have diabetes. Although self-monitoring of blood glucose is a critical part of diabetes management, the pain and inconvenience caused by finger-stick blood sampling can keep people from testing as often as they should. Scientists have developed ways to measure glucose in sweat, but because levels of the sugar are much lower than in blood, they can vary with a person’s sweat rate and skin properties. As a result, the glucose level in sweat usually doesn’t accurately reflect the value in blood. To obtain a more reliable estimate of blood sugar from sweat, Joseph Wang and colleagues wanted to devise a system that could collect sweat from a fingertip, measure glucose and then correct for individual variability. The researchers made a touch-based sweat glucose sensor with a polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel on top of an electrochemical sensor, which was screen-printed onto a flexible plastic strip. When a volunteer placed their fingertip on the sensor surface for 1 minute, the hydrogel absorbed tiny amounts of sweat. Inside the sensor, glucose in the sweat underwent an enzymatic reaction that resulted in a small electrical current that was detected by a hand-held device. The researchers also measured the volunteers’ blood sugar with a standard finger-prick test, and they developed a personalized algorithm that could translate each person’s sweat glucose to their blood glucose levels. In tests, the algorithm was more than 95% accurate in predicting blood glucose levels before and after meals. To calibrate the device, a person with diabetes would need a finger prick only once or twice per month. But before the sweat diagnostic can be used to manage diabetes, a large-scale study must be conducted, the researchers say. To read the original article click here.

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6 Steps to Balance Hormones Naturally

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

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DMN, CNS – Hormones — such as estrogen, testosterone, adrenaline and insulin — are extremely important chemical messengers that affect many aspects of your overall health. Conventional treatments for hormonal imbalances typically include synthetic hormone replacement therapies, birth control pills, insulin injections, thyroid medications and more. Unfortunately, for the majority of people suffering from hormonal disorders, relying on these types of synthetic treatments often does three things: It makes people dependent on taking prescription drugs for the rest of their lives in order to keep symptoms under control. It simply masks the patient’s symptoms, but doesn’t solve them, which means that the patient can continue to develop abnormalities in other areas of the body while the disorder progresses. It potentially causes a higher risk for serious side effects, such as stroke, osteoporosis, anxiety, reproductive problems, cancer and more. Is it possible to balance hormones naturally? The good news is: yes, in many cases it is. Below you’ll learn about some root causes of hormonal problems, as well as about treatment options to help you balance your hormones naturally. What Is the Endocrine System? The endocrine system is in charge of coordinating the relationship between different organs and hormones, which are chemicals that are released into your bloodstream from cells within your endocrine glands. Hormones are secreted by various glands and organs, including your thyroid, adrenals, pituitary, ovaries, testicles and pancreas. The entire endocrine system works together to control the level of hormones circulating throughout your body, and if one or more is even slightly imbalanced, it can cause widespread health problems affecting growth, sexual development and function, sleep, metabolism and hunger. Once your hormones are in circulation, they target specific tissues or cells by binding to receptors that are located inside the cell or on its surface. These hormones work as chemical messengers and play a key role in your body’s daily functions. The endocrine system is made up of many glands, including the pituitary gland or “master gland” that’s responsible for sending information from your brain to other glands in your body. The pituitary gland also produces many hormones that travel throughout the body and have different important functions. The pituitary gland is made up of two different tissue types: the anterior pituitary that synthesizes and releases classic hormones, and the posterior pituitary gland that secretes neurohormones that are made in the hypothalamus. Two hormones that are secreted by the anterior pituitary gland are growth hormone, which is responsible for your proper growth and development, and prolactin, which is the hormone that stimulates milk production after childbirth. Tropic hormones are also produced and secreted by the anterior pituitary gland, which is an endocrine gland, and they also target other endocrine glands. These hormones include: thyroid-stimulating hormone (also called thyrotropin) follicle-stimulating hormone luteinizing hormone adrenocorticotropic hormone The posterior pituitary gland doesn’t produce hormones on its own, but stores and secretes two hormones made in the hypothalamic region, vasopressin and oxytocin, and then releases them into the bloodstream. Other important glands of the endocrine system include the pineal gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, thymus gland and adrenal glands. There are two major groups of hormones that circulate the human body — those that derive from amino acids (protein hormones, peptides and amines) and those that derive from lipids (steroids). Here’s a quick breakdown of these hormone subgroups: Amine hormones: Hormones that are synthesized from the amino acids tryptophan (such as melatonin) and tyrosine (such as thyroid hormones and dopamine). Peptide hormones: Hormones that consist of short chain amino acids and include antidiuretic hormone (called vasopressin) and oxytocin. Protein hormones: Hormones that consist of longer polypeptides and include growth hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. Steroid hormones: Hormones that are derived from cholesterol and include testosterone, estrogens and cortisol. When these hormones send messages, they are received by hormone receptors that process the message and signal specific event or cellular mechanisms that initiate the target cell’s response. Signs and Symptoms Before we talk about how to balance hormones naturally, it helps to know which signs and symptoms of hormone imbalances to look out for. These include: Infertility and irregular periods Weight gain or weight loss (that’s unexplained and not due to intentional changes in your diet) Depression and anxiety Fatigue Insomnia Low libido Changes in appetite Digestive issues Hair loss and hair thinning Symptoms of hormonal imbalances can range dramatically depending on what type of disorder or illness they are caused by. For example, high estrogen can contribute to problems that include endometriosis and reproductive issues, while symptoms of diabetes often include weight gain, changes in appetite, nerve damage and problems with eyesight. Some specific problems associated with some of the most common hormonal imbalances include: Estrogen dominance: changes in sleep patterns, changes in weight and appetite, higher perceived stress, slowed metabolism Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS): infertility, weight gain, higher risk for diabetes, acne, abnormal hair growth Low estrogen: low sex drive, reproductive problems, menstrual irregularity, changes in mood Hypothyroidism: slowed metabolism, weight gain, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, digestive issues, irregular periods Low testosterone: erectile dysfunction, muscle loss, weight gain, fatigue, mood-related problems Hyperthyroidism & Grave’s disease: anxiety, thinning hair, weight loss, IBS, trouble sleeping, irregular heartbeats Diabetes: weight gain, nerve damage (neuropathy), higher risk for vision loss, fatigue, trouble breathing, dry mouth, skin problems Adrenal fatigue: fatigue, muscle aches and pains, anxiety and depression, trouble sleeping, brain fog, reproductive problems Risk Factors and Causes Hormonal imbalances are multi-factorial disorders, meaning they are caused by a combination of factors — such as your diet, medical history, genetics, stress levels and exposure to toxins from your environment. Some of the major contributors to hormonal imbalances include: Food allergies and gut issues: An expanding field of new research shows that your gut health plays a significant role in hormone regulation. If you have leaky gut syndrome or a lack of beneficial probiotic bacteria lining your intestinal wall, you’re more susceptible to hormonal problems, including diabetes and obesity. That’s because inflammation usually stems from your gut and then impacts nearly every aspect of your health. Being overweight or obese High levels of inflammation caused by a poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle Genetic susceptibility Toxicity (which is related to exposure to chemicals like pesticides, or viruses, cigarettes, excessive alcohol and some medications) High amounts of stress, and a lack of enough sleep and rest Adrenal dysfunction is the largest cause of the hormonal imbalance with the sex hormones — especially because of something called the “cortisol steal.” This occurs when cholesterol, which usually helps to make the sex hormones, combines with too much stress and the enzyme 17/20 lyase blocks the conversion; the production of cortisol ensues. Cortisol then causes the imbalance of progesterone, estrogen and testosterone, which then decreases the sex drive. How to Balance Hormones Naturally 1. Swap Carbs for Healthy Fats Foods that balance hormones include a variety of fat-containing foods that provide short, medium and long-chain fatty acids. Your body needs various types of fats to create hormones, including saturated fat and cholesterol. Not only are these essential fats fundamental building blocks for hormone production, but they keep inflammation levels low, boost your metabolism and promote weight loss. Healthy fats have the opposite effect of refined carbohydrates, which lead to inflammation and can mess with the balance of your hormones. My four favorite sources of anti-inflammatory, healthy fats include: coconut oil, avocados, grass-fed butter and wild-caught salmon. Coconut oil uses are plentiful — for example, coconut oil (or cream/milk) has natural anti-bacterial and fat-burning effects. Avocado benefits include improving heart health, lowering inflammation, controlling your appetite and contributing to your daily intake of fiber and nutrients such as potassium. Salmon nutrition is also impressive: it’s one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to lower inflammation and help with cognitive functions. Omega-3 fatty acids are a large component of brain-cell membranes and are important for cell-to-cell communication in the brain. Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids help protect against hippocampal neuronal loss and reduce pro-inflammatory responses. What food causes hormonal imbalance? It’s best to limit or avoid added sugar, processed carbs and refined vegetable/seed oils. Here’s a rule of thumb: Steer clear from oils high in omega-6 fats (safflower oil, sunflower, corn, cottonseed, canola, soybean and peanut), and load up on rich sources of natural omega-3s instead (wild fish, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts and grass-fed animal products). There is a type of omega-6 fat that you want to get in your diet called GLA. GLA (gamma-linoleic acid) can be taken in supplement form by using evening primrose oil or borage oil, and it’s also found in hemp seeds. Studies show supplementing with GLA can support healthy progesterone levels. 2. Supplement to Fill Nutritional Voids While a healthy diet is key for all aspects of health, it’s sometimes necessary to supplement in order to fill nutritional voids that can be leading to a hormone imbalance. Here are the top supplements to focus on in order to balance hormones: Evening primrose oil: Evening primrose oil contains omega-6 fatty acids, such as LA and GLA, that support overall hormonal function. Supplementing with evening primrose oil can help to relieve premenstrual and PCOS symptoms. It also helps to create a healthy environment for conception. Vitamin D: What is the best vitamins to take for hormonal imbalance? Vitamin D is definitely one of them, since it almost acts like a hormone inside the body and has important implications for keeping inflammation levels low. This is why people who live in dark areas often suffer from seasonal depression and other health problems unless they supplement with vitamin D. Sunshine is really the best way to optimize vitamin D levels because your bare skin actually makes vitamin D on its own when exposed to even small amounts of direct sunlight. Most people should supplement with around 2,000–5,000 IU daily of vitamin D3 if they live in dark areas, during the winter, and on days when they’re not in the sun. Bone broth: Bone broth soothes the digestive system and supplies the body with nutrients that can be easily absorbed. Consuming bone broth or protein powder made from bone broth is especially beneficial to your health because it contains healing compounds like collagen, proline, glycine and glutamine, which have the powder to boost your overall health. Probiotics: Probiotics are healthy bacteria that can actually improve your production and regulation of key hormones like insulin, ghrelin and leptin. They can also aid in repairing your gut lining, which in turn can balance your hormones. When undigested food particles, like gluten for example, leak through your gut into your bloodstream, it causes disease-causing inflammation that impacts the entire body — especially glands like the thyroid that is very susceptible to heightened inflammation. Most people with leaky gut have an a deficiency of probiotics in their guts. To consume more probiotics, you can both add fermented foods to your diet (such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, etc.) and take probiotic capsule supplements. Adaptogen Herbs: Adaptogen herbs are a unique class of healing plants that promote hormone balance and protect the body from a wide variety of diseases, including those caused by excess stress. In addition to boosting immune function and combating stress, research shows that various adapotogens — such as ashwagandha, medicinal mushrooms, rhodiola and holy basil — can: Improve thyroid function Lower cholesterol naturally Reduce anxiety and depression Fight brain cell degeneration Stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels Support adrenal functions Ashwagandha, in particular, can be extremely effective at balancing hormones. It benefits thyroid function because it promotes the scavenging of free radicals that cause cellular damage. Ashwagandha can be used to support a sluggish or overactive thyroid, and it can also help to overcome adrenal fatigue. Your adrenals can become overtaxed when you experience too much emotional, physical or mental stress, leading to the disruption of hormones like adrenaline, cortisol and progesterone. Holy basil, which is also known as tulsi, helps to regulate cortisol levels, thereby working as a natural remedy for anxiety and emotional stress. Studies show that holy basil can also protect your organs and tissuesagainst chemical stress from pollutants and heavy metals,...

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Stress Hormones: How Diet Affects Hormonal Balance

AHA Publisher — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 07:52:37 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DMN, CNS – Stress is a major issue literally everyone deals with in way or another, and chronic stress is a problem like never before. That’s why it’s so vital to keep your stress hormones in check. In a podcast episode with Dr. Anna Cabeca, DO, FACOG, I talked with the board-certified gynecologist and obstetrician, hormonal health expert, and best-selling author of books like “The Hormone Fix” and “Keto Green 16” about some of the major stress hormones and how to eat to beat stress. What Are Stress Hormones? When we talk about stress hormones, cortisol typical tops the list, and for good reason. It is called the primary stress hormone, after all. It’s released when we’re under pressure and triggers the fight or flight survival response. However, cortisol isn’t the only stress hormone, and truthfully, it may not even be the most important of the stress hormones. That title could just as easily be reserved for insulin. While most people think of diabetes when discussing this hormone, insulin is related to weight gain, PCOS, low testosterone and, of course, blood sugar levels. In addition, insulin can affect almost every hormone in the body and certainly has a major impact on stress. “I always say oxytocin is the master hormone,” Dr. Cabeca says. “If you would consider oxytocin the dean of the university, the professors would be insulin and cortisol, and the student body is the rest of the hormones.” Other stress hormones besides cortisol and insulin include: Adrenaline Norepinephrine Catecholamines Vasopressin Corticotropin-releasing hormone ACTH Gonadotropins Thyroid Hormones Growth Hormone Prolactin How Diet Affects Hormones What are the biggest things in terms of diet that are really throwing our hormones out of whack today? “Definitely it’s sugar,” Dr. Cabeca says. “The brain fog, the memory loss, the … increased risk of dementia — all of that coming into a diet that is too high in sugar and creates insulin resistance so we have a harder time using the glucose that we do have. “The second thing is actually a practice that’s so hormonally disruptive to women and men, and that is snacking throughout the day. Three meals, three snacks — how did that ever come about?” The snacking habit can wreak havoc on stress because of the way it affects stress hormones. When we snack, it bumps up insulin, which affects the rest of our hormones, and insulin goes up every time we eat. Thus, the more we snack, the more insulin goes up, helping create insulin resistance. It also creates a roller coaster for hormonal balance, with large fluctuations affecting everything from our moods to gut health and, yes, stress levels. How to Eat to Beat Stress What’s the No. 1 thing you can do to get your hormones in balance and keep stress hormones in check? “I consider breaking up with sugar one of the most valuable gifts you can give yourself,” Dr. Cabeca says. Here are some other tips she shares: Practice Intermittent Fasting There are many benefits of intermittent fasting, and that includes helping manage stress. Going without food for an extended period of time puts the body in ketosis, switching from using glucose to fuel the brain to ketones as brain fuel. “Always try to keep at least four hours between meals because you need to get your body sensitized to glucose again and to insulin again and shift to using ketones for fuel,” says Dr. Cabeca. Follow a Green Keto Diet “There are many ways to do keto. What’s going to create the best metabolic stability, the best hormone balance? Through my own experience with keto that’s where I discovered how important the green aspect is,” Dr. Cabeca says. Monitor Urine pH Levels According to Dr. Cabeca, urine pH levels can show how well we’re managing stress. “It’s as important as our blood pressure, as important as our heart rate, as important as our weight,” she says. “… The more cortisol we secrete, the more acidic our urine pH is. Even vegan, plant-based eaters can be acidic if they’re stressed, if they’re worried, if they are inflamed, if they have too much carbs in their system.” Pinpoint Outside Stressors “It’s not just about what you eat. Maybe it’s about who you’re eating with — are they stressing you out? If that’s the case, it doesn’t matter how amazing your food is,” Dr. Cabeca shares. Avoid Toxins “We are what we eat ate,” Dr. Cabeca says. “It’s important to consider not just what they ate, but how they lived and how they died. That comes into play with additional stress hormones getting into our system and how that can really affect our physiology.” You want to avoid foods sprayed with herbicides or pesticides, along with animals that have eaten foods that contain harmful toxins. Why? They can act as endocrine disruptors that throw hormones out of balance. Don’t Eat Too Late “We know if we eat after 7 p.m., our body’s going to increase more of that insulin hormone as much as 30% to 70% compared to the same meal we ate before 7 p.m. That’s huge,” Dr. Cabeca says. Stress-Busting Foods/Supplements Here are some of the top foods Dr. Cabeca recommends to manage stress hormones: Dark leafy greens/cruciferous vegetables — kale, beet greens, Swiss chard, collard greens Healthy fats — olive oil, avocado, MCT oil, coconut oil, wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef, bison Omega-3 fish oil — make sure it’s high-quality and contains EPA, DHA and DHEA Adaptogens — maca root, ashwagandha, rhodiola, ginseng, astragalus, turmeric Melatonin Magnesium Vitamin D What does a typical day of eating look like for Dr. Cabeca? She shared an example of her daily eating routine: Wakeup time: Hydrate with alkaline water and a shot of maca. “The body has been detoxing and rejuvenating all night. We want to hydrate well in the morning and support our body’s natural detoxification process.” Breakfast: Fried egg served over spinach and arugula with a side of tomatoes and some organ meat on the side. “Our plates are 75% green or combined with additional alkalinizers, sprinkled with olive oil, lemon juice, some herbs and spices.” Lunch: Usually skip lunch as part of intermittent fasting. “We work to get a 16-hour fast.” Dinner: Salmon cakes, poaching salmon, add additional alkalinizers right there into protein and fats. Add in great mayo, eggs or additional fats and protein, instead of a binder such as bread crumbs or flour, use a little chickpea flour. It adds a nice spice and stays low-carb. You could use a nut flour just as easily. Add some celery, cilantro, onions, dill, Himalayan sea salt. Serve with aioli side and some asparagus. After dinner: Cup of tea before bed. Final Thoughts Dr. Cabeca signed off with a vital message to keep stress hormones in balance: “If our body’s not having to constantly produce insulin and cortisol to fight inflammation often caused by glucose as well as stress, if our body’s not fighting those hormones and we have more of our own natural progesterone and DHEA, these are hormones that build us back up, that give us healthy breasts, a healthy mind and strong bones as well as an empowered immune system. “When our body’s not constantly putting out fires with insulin and cortisol, then we can really build our body back up and create a really strong, resilient body. “It stars with an early morning ritual based on appreciation, gratitude and meditation, and then an evening ritual that sets us up to get a fabulous night’s sleep.” To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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54 Grams of Sugar in Your Favorite Holiday Drink? Try This Keto Recipe Instead

AHA Publisher — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 08:00:04 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Back away from the drive-through. Turn your car around and head home. The Peppermint Mocha on the other side of that drive-up window may cost you much more than the $7 price tag. It may cost you over 1/4 cup of straight, liquid, killer sugar. Instead, break out your blender and try our delicious keto recipe instead! Most consumers have little idea of the amount of sugar packed into lattes and gourmet coffee drinks. Unfortunately, the mixture of quick, liquid sugar and caffeine can have destructive consequences on health. Here’s a much better option, and why you should avoid the sugar-caffeine trap. Delish Keto Peppermint Mocha Ingredients 1 tablespoon organic/free-range butter 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar-free (stevia-based) chocolate chips 1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (very warm but not boiling) 1/3 cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee (or ~2 shots of espresso) 1 tablespoon Keto Zone Chocolate Collagen 1 teaspoon Keto Zone Vanilla MCT Oil Powder 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract (approximately 4-5 drops) dash salt Optional: keto-friendly sweetener, to taste Optional: whipped cream or coconut cream Optional: shaved sugar-free chocolate or sugar-free candy cane pieces Instructions Place butter and chocolate chips in a blender. Add hot coffee and milk. Add collagen, MCT Oil Powder, extract, and salt. Carefully blend on medium speed until fully combined and frothy. Take care to hold the lid in place and allow steam to escape as needed. Pour into a mug. Add sweetener if desired. Top with whipped cream and shaved sugar-free chocolate or sugar-free candy if desired. Enjoy! Nutrition Info: 214 calories, 20 grams fat, 3 grams net carbs (7 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber), 0 grams sugar, 2 grams protein Keto Peppermint Mocha vs. Starbucks Why go through the trouble of making your own Keto Peppermint Mocha instead of just grabbing Starbucks? First, there’s the sugar. One 16-ounce serving of Starbucks Peppermint Mocha packs in an astonishing 54 grams of sugar. What are the sources of these sugar grams? A look at the ingredients list tells us it’s sugar, peppermint syrup with sugar in it, vanilla syrup with sugar in it, and dark chocolate curls with sugar. Pretty much, it’s sugar. Then, there are flavorings and preservatives, and a lot of chemical ingredients you simply don’t need. In fact, Starbucks Peppermint Mocha is made of: Milk, Mocha Sauce [Water, Sugar, Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Natural Flavor], Brewed Espresso, Peppermint Syrup [Sugar, Water, Natural Flavor, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid], Whipped Cream [Cream (Cream, Mono And Diglycerides, Carageenan), Vanilla Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid)], Dark Chocolate Curls [Sugar, Chocolate Mass (Processed With Alkali), Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Extract] And, it has this nutrition info per 16 ounces: 440 calories, 15 grams fat, 63 grams carbs, 54 grams sugars, 4 grams fiber, 13 grams protein The Danger of Sugar and Caffeine What’s the harm? Of course, this much sugar is simply harmful to your body. It can spike blood glucose, increase resistance to insulin, promote fat storage and inflammation, and more. Specifically, the mixture of caffeine and sugar can be even worse. When you consume sugar, your body digests and absorbs it quickly. In the case of liquid sugar, this process is even faster. Once absorbed in the digestive tract, sugar makes its way to your liver, and then into your bloodstream. At this point, it’s crucial that your body sends out a bolus of insulin to deal with the sugar and store it. This is not a healthy process, but it is the lesser of 2 evils. Without insulin opening up the cells for glucose storage, the glucose would stay in your bloodstream, harden arteries, and deteriorate health. When insulin is sent out, it’s also vital that your cells respond by opening up. If they are not as sensitive to the insulin as they should be, and ignore it rather than opening and allowing the glucose to enter for storage, there will be problems. Caffeine, when mixed with sugar, can exacerbate these problems. The Lethal Caffeine and Sugar Combo Just how bad is the caffeine and sugar combo? Caffeine can disrupt the sensitivity of insulin in cells, even in otherwise healthy people, when consumed with sugar. This means the glucose has nowhere to go, and blood sugars may begin rising. In fact, studies have found that when caffeine and liquid sugar are consumed, the caffeine impairs sensitivity to insulin, which impairs the body’s ability to deal with the sugar (1). Meta-analysis has shown this is consistently an issue, for both healthy subjects and those with impaired blood sugars to start (2). Bottom Line If you’re fond of delicious holiday peppermint mochas, it’s time to get choosey. Don’t impair your sensitivity to insulin. Instead, choose a delicious homemade keto peppermint mocha! Skip the 54 grams of sugar and choose health this Holiday Season. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Colbert click here.

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Vitamin D Deficiency Has Lead to Weight Gain

AHA Publisher — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 07:00:15 +0000

Al Sears, MD, CNS – When Hippocrates told his overweight patients to walk outside naked, he was on to something important. Exposing as much skin as possible would have made a big difference in not only weight loss, but in preventing an epidemic that would strike his ancestors thousands of years later. More on this in a moment… Today, excessive weight gain is a symptom of what I’ve named Syndrome Zero. This condition is at the root of almost every chronic disease — like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, hypertension and diabetes. Mainstream medicine has no clue how to treat it because they can’t see the forest for the trees. You see, Western medicine focuses on treating individual symptoms instead of getting to the root causes of a disease. But the symptoms of Syndrome Zero share the same root — your body’s “metabolic” response to our modern, grain- and carb-heavy diet and the chronic insulin overload it causes. Your body wasn’t designed to handle all these carbs and sugars. Every time you eat carbs your pancreas releases the hormone insulin. The insulin is supposed to carry glucose into your cells to make energy. The more carbs you eat, the more insulin builds in your bloodstream. It overwhelms the receptors in your cells. It makes them insulin resistant. And insulin becomes less effective at pushing glucose into your cells. And too much insulin blocks fat from leaving your body. This triggers fat storage — causing oxidation, inflammation and eventually all the conditions associated with Syndrome Zero. But here’s what Hippocrates got right when he told his patients to get naked… Exposing your skin to sunlight triggers the synthesis of vitamin D in your skin. And the latest research proves that your body needs this critical vitamin both as a defense against Syndrome Zero and in order to fight it. You see, vitamin D is utterly essential for proper insulin function. Studies show that vitamin D improves your body’s ability to use insulin and that it’s also needed by your body to stimulate the beta cells in your pancreas to produce insulin in the first place.1 But the effects of vitamin D don’t only take place in the pancreas. Vitamin D receptors are triggered in all the target tissues for insulin, like muscle and fat tissue. A recent study by scientists involving nearly 500 patients found that 58% of those with a vitamin D deficiency also had insulin resistance.2 In fact, the lower their vitamin D, the greater their occurrence of this disorder. In another study of 10,000 Americans over the age of 45, researchers found that boosting vitamin D levels reduced the incidence of Syndrome Zero — thanks to its effect on insulin function. Vitamin D also repairs damage to the heart and blood vessels caused by high blood pressure.3 The problem is that almost everyone today is vitamin D deficient — thanks in a large part to the bad advice we’ve been given to stay out of the sun. But just 30 minutes of daily sun exposure during the summer months, your body is capable of producing 50,000 IUs of vitamin D over the following 24 hours. Naked and Protected Like Hippocrates, I recommend getting “naked” in the sun. Expose as much skin as you feel comfortable. Here’s a quick guide to help you figure out how long you should stay outside: If you have fair, freckled skin, you have a higher risk of sunburn, but you also make vitamin D3 much more quickly. Aim for 10 to 15 minutes of sun in the morning or in the late afternoon during summer. In winter, add 10 to 15 minutes. If you have light brown skin, aim for 30 minutes of sun each day in the summer and a little longer during the winter season. If your skin pigmentation is very dark you are walking around with the equivalent of SPF 8-15 sunscreen. Although you won’t burn easily, you have a much higher risk of being vitamin D deficient. Aim for 40 minutes to an hour in the sun during summer and longer during winter. To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS 1. Bornstedt ME, et al. “Vitamin D increases glucose stimulated insulin secretion from insulin producing beta cells (INS1E).” Int J Endocrinol Metab. 2019;17(1):e74255. 2. Schmitt EB, et al. “Vitamin D deficiency is associated with metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.” Maturitas. 2018;107:97-102. 3. Khan A, et al. “Nanomedical studies of the restoration of nitric oxide/peroxynitrite balance in dysfunctional endothelium by 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D 3 – clinical implications for cardiovascular diseases.” Int J Nanomedicine.2018;13:455-466. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Al Sears, MD click here.

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Metabolic Syndrome: The Best & Worst Foods to Eat

AHA Publisher — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 07:00:45 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Metabolic Syndrome now affects 1 in 3 people in the United States (1). That’s a staggering number. Unfortunately, it increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and death. If you’re at risk of metabolic syndrome, it’s imperative to take action with your diet and lifestyle. Here’s how you can use the ketogenic diet for metabolic syndrome, and what the worst types of foods are for metabolic syndrome. Metabolic Syndrome Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clustering of risk factors including high blood glucose, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity that lead to the increased risk of Type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which are among leading causes of death in the world. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes mellitus and CVDs by approximately five and three folds, respectively (2). The Ketogenic Diet for Metabolic Syndrome A ketogenic diet is a great option for metabolic syndrome. It supports whole-body health and improves the underlying cause of it: obesity, impaired blood sugars, and impaired cardiovascular numbers. Here’s how: The ketogenic diet has been shown to support a healthy weight. In fact, many people who use it lose weight within the first 2 weeks, and keep weight off over years similar to other diets. Next, the ketogenic diet promotes healthy blood sugars. Since blood sugars are often elevated due to insulin resistance (often due to being overweight or obese) and carbohydrates in the diet, weight loss and low-carb eating can help. Many people who use the ketogenic diet are able to normalize blood sugars. Lastly, the ketogenic diet is associated with healthy triglyceride levels. A Study: The Ketogenic Diet for Metabolic Syndrome One study conducted by researchers at Bethel University, Minnesota, compared the health of three groups of adults diagnosed with metabolic syndrome (3). The first group used the ketogenic diet without exercise. The second group followed the standard American diet and did not exercise. The third used the standard American diet plus 30 or more minutes of exercise 3-5 days per week. Whose risk factors improved the most? This study found that the ketogenic diet without exercise was most effective at achieving weight loss, lowering body fat percentage, and decreasing HbA1c. HbA1c is a measurement of averaged blood sugars 3-month periods and used as a long-term measure of blood glucose control. Improving and normalizing these factors in metabolic syndrome is a healthy step towards overall health and decreased mortality from the condition. There were some drawbacks to the study. It only had 30 participants who were split between the 3 groups. It was also only conducted for 10 weeks. Whether the outcomes would remain the same for more participants over a longer period isn’t yet certain. However, it is promising that the ketogenic diet can improve these markers. The Best Foods for Metabolic Syndrome From this study’s and other’s conclusions on the ketogenic diet and metabolic syndrome, we can surmise that healthy high-fat foods are some of the best foods to eat for metabolic syndrome. In fact, many healthy fats actively improve insulin resistance and cellular health. For example, avocados have been found to be lipid-lowering, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, antithrombotic, antiatherosclerotic, and cardioprotective for decades. Studies are being conducted to support their specific effects on metabolic syndrome (4). Fish and fish oil improve insulin sensitivity and support healthy blood sugars. Extra virgin olive oil supports heart health while reducing inflammation and cholesterol oxidation in artery walls (4). It also promotes lower blood pressure and the reduction of high blood pressure. In some studies, hypertension medications have been reduced by up to 48% (5). What’s more, studies have found that those who consume olive oil have a significantly lower risk of stroke than those who don’t (6). The best foods for metabolic syndrome include healthy fats that support heart health and normalized blood sugars. These include many ketogenic diet foods. What Foods Are the Worst for Metabolic Syndrome? On the other end of the spectrum, there are foods that worsen outcomes for metabolic syndrome and increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and even death. These foods are ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processed foods commercially made foods that have many added ingredients such as sugar, salt, fat, and artificial colors or preservatives. They are primarily made from substances extracted from foods, such as fats, starches, added sugars, and hydrogenated fats. They often contain additives like artificial colors and flavors or stabilizers. Examples include soft drinks, many fast-food items, many microwave meals, hot dogs and cold cuts, fast food, packaged cookies, cakes, and salty snacks. Unfortunately, a study published in The BMJ found that ultra-processed foods are the main source of calories (nearly 58%) eaten in the US. They found that they contribute to almost 90% of the energy derived from added sugars (7). How Are Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Metabolic Syndrome? In one study from Brazil, 210 adolescents were surveyed. Those having 3 or more metabolic syndrome conditions were classified as having metabolic syndrome. Over 6% of the teens had it. This study concluded that high consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with the prevalence of MetS in this adolescents group (8). Another meta-analysis found that many studies showed higher consumption of ultra-processed food was associated with overweight/obesity, higher fasting glucose, metabolic syndrome, increases in total and LDL cholesterol, and risk of hypertension (9). Yet another large observational prospective study concluded that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with higher risks of cardiovascular, coronary heart, and cerebrovascular diseases (10). And a new study published this month of more than 100,000 participants, researchers found that consumption of ultra-processed foods is significantly linked to an increase in the incidence of Type 2 Diabetes (11). The takeaway here is that ultra-processed foods are associated with the development of metabolic syndrome, and then the increased risk of metabolic syndrome leading to diabetes and heart disease. How to Avoid Ultra Processed Foods Avoiding ultra-processed foods is easy. First, make sure most of your foods are single-ingredient foods. This means it is it’s single, natural form. For example, kale only has kale as an ingredient. Meat, eggs, nuts, oils, vegetables, and more can be found as single ingredients. Then, if you do need to buy commercially prepared food, check out its ingredients and make sure it’s made from healthy single-ingredient foods. For example, butter should only have cream and salt as ingredients. These are both single-ingredient ingredients. If it has a whole bunch of other preservatives and additives, find another brand. Lastly, make as much food as you can from home. For help, you can start with the Keto Zone book, cookbook, and 21-day challenge: Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone book Quick & Healthy Keto Zone Cookbook FREE Keto Zone 21-Day-Challenge Bottom Line There are steps you can take to improve your health and reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease. Avoid ultra-processed foods like the plague. Instead, choose healthy keto-friendly low-sugar foods. You’ve got the power to improve your health! To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Colbert click here.

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What Happens If You Have Red Wine or Avocados with a Meal?

AHA Publisher — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 07:00:23 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Whole plant sources of sugar and fat can ameliorate some of the postprandial (after meal) inflammation caused by the consumption of refined carbohydrates and meat. Studies have shown how adding even steamed skinless chicken breast can exacerbate the insulin spike from white rice, but fish may be worse. At 0:18 in my video The Effects of Avocados and Red Wine on Meal-Induced Inflammation, you can see how the insulin scores of a low-carbohydrate plant food, peanuts, is lower compared to common low-carb animal foods—eggs, cheese, and beef. Fish was even worse, with an insulin score closer to doughnut territory. At 0:36 in my video, you can see the insulin spike when people are fed mashed white potatoes. What do you think happens when they’re also given tuna fish? Twice the insulin spike. The same is seen with white flour spaghetti versus white flour spaghetti with meat. The addition of animal protein may make the pancreas work twice as hard. You can do it with straight sugar water, too. If you perform a glucose challenge to test for diabetes, drinking a certain amount of sugar, at 1:10 in my video, you can see the kind of spike in insulin you get. But, if you take in the exact same amount of sugar but with some meat added, you get a higher spike. And, as you can see at 1:25 in my video, the more meat you add, the worse it gets. Just adding a little meat to carbs doesn’t seem to do much, but once you get up to around a third of a chicken’s breast worth, you can elicit a significantly increased surge of insulin. So, a chicken sandwich may aggravate the metabolic harm of the refined carb white bread it’s on, but what about a PB&J? At 1:49 in my video, you can see that adding nuts to Wonder Bread actually calms the insulin and blood sugar response. What if, instead of nuts, you smeared on an all fruit strawberry jam? Berries, which have even more antioxidants than nuts, can squelch the oxidation of cholesterol in response to a typical American breakfast and even reduce the amount of fat in your blood after the meal. And, with less oxidation, there is less inflammation when berries are added to a meal. So, a whole plant food source of sugar can decrease inflammation in response to an “inflammatory stressor” meal, but what about a whole plant food source of fat? As you can see at 2:38 in my video, within hours of eating a burger topped with half an avocado, the level of an inflammatory biomarker goes up in your blood, but not as high as eating the burger without the avocado. This may be because all whole plant foods contain antioxidants, which decrease inflammation, and also contain fiber, which is one reason even high fat whole plant foods like nuts can lower cholesterol. And, the same could be said for avocados. At 3:12 in my video, you can see avocado causing a significant drop in cholesterol levels, especially in those with high cholesterol, with even a drop in triglycerides. If eating berries with a meal decreases inflammation, what about drinking berries? Sipping wine with your white bread significantly blunts the blood sugar spike from the bread, but the alcohol increases the fat in the blood by about the same amount. As you can see at 3:40 in my video, you’ll get a triglycerides bump when you eat some cheese and crackers, but if you sip some wine with the same snack, triglycerides shoot through the roof. How do we know it was the alcohol? Because if you use dealcoholized red wine, the same wine but with the alcohol removed, you don’t get the same reaction. This has been shownin about a half dozen other studies, along with an increase in inflammatory markers. So, the dealcoholized red wine helps in some ways but not others. A similar paradoxical effect was found with exercise. If people cycle at high intensity for about an hour a half-day before drinking a milkshake, the triglycerides response is less than without the prior exercise, yet the inflammatory response to the meal appeared worse, as you can see at 4:18 in my video. The bottom line is not to avoid exercise but to avoid milkshakes. The healthiest approach is a whole food, plant-based diet, but there are “promising pharmacologic approaches to the normalization” of high blood sugars and fat by taking medications. “However, resorting to drug therapy for an epidemic caused by a maladaptive diet is less rational than simply realigning our eating habits with our physiological needs.” Protein from meat can cause more of an insulin spike than pure table sugar. See the comparisons in my video Paleo Diets May Negate Benefits of Exercise. Interested in more information on the almond butter study I mentioned? I discuss it further in How to Prevent Blood Sugar and Triglyceride Spikes After Meals. Berries have their own sugar, so how can eating berries lower the blood sugar spike after a meal? Find out in If Fructose Is Bad, What About Fruit? To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Greger click here.

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