Study: To Control Weight- Diabetes Play By The Rules

New research shows that controlling weight and blood sugar may require nothing more than learning how to play by the rules . Here's what you need to know. By Colette Bouchez


Let’s face it …doctors are generally not the most engaging conversationalists. At least not when they’re behind that desk droning on and on about how you need to eat more broccoli, fewer donuts, do more push ups, watch less TV, an in general do and eat more of what you hate and less of what you love.

Which is one reason why so many people report they “zone out” when talking to their doctor – and don’t really take to heart, or even remember, much of what is said.

That, combined with the fact that most of us don’t really believe that one more custard filled donut or one more tub of fried chicken is really going to kill us, means many of us walk away from that doctor’s appointment barely changing a thing about our daily lives.

The end result: Our weight continues to climb, our blood sugars rage out of control, and our risk for even greater health problems – like heart disease and even cancer – continues to rise.

So what’s the answer? Well one new study shows it could be as simple as learning to play by the rules.

In short, actually pay attention to not only your doctor - but the organizations she is basing her recommendations on, like the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association. Indeed, as simple as it sounds, a new study shows that doing so can make a huge difference in not only controlling your weight and your blood sugar, but maybe even saving your life.

Playing By The Rules
The new research was conducted at North Carolina’s Structure House, the nation’s only in-patient facility for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. In this instance, some 70 patients, all of whom were overweight and on medication for type II diabetes, signed on for a 4 week residency program that is, well, a lot like having your doctor as a roommate 24/7.

More specifically, the 70 men and women spent the 4 weeks immersed in learning about – and practicing - good nutrition, daily exercise, and discovering how to deal with the impact of stress and emotion on blood sugar and weight. They also saw diabetes educators, nurses, and doctors for daily and weekly visits to help follow their progress and reinforce what they learned - and put into practice.

The end result: All 70 patients came away with significant improvements in their health – in just four weeks.

“On average, individuals lost nearly 16 pounds and reduced their blood glucose level by 11% and their hemoglobin A1c level from 7.5% down to 6.9%, below the American Diabetes Association’s recommended level,” said lead researcher Dr. Anna Stout.

Some of the patients, says Stout were even able to get off their type II diabetes medications, or reduce the amount they were taking. Indeed, 41 % of the individuals eliminated at least one diabetes medication and 29% reduced the dosage of one or more drugs. And remember, this didn't take a year, or even six months. It took just 4 weeks.

Experts say there is also no question that if the patients stay on track, they will continue to reduce their risks of other health concerns as well, including heart disease and even cancer.

The Take Home Message
While no one is saying that accomplishing any of this is easy - or even fun. But what matters is that it's tolerable and doable. Even without that pricey stay in a in-patient facility.

Where do you begin?

The next time your doctor hands over that sheet of paper with the foods you should and should not eat – pay attention, and change your diet. Ditto when she tells you to get more sleep, exercise 20 minutes a day, and take some serous steps to reduce stress in your life, or at least your reaction to that stress.

In short, live and play by the good health golden “rules” – and you too just might see a remarkable change in your health, and in your future - before your next hair-tearing mortgage payment is due. And you won’t have to bunk in with your doctor to do it!

You might also enjoy reading:
New Study: Weight Gain Shocker
Study: For Weight Loss Good Timing Means Everything
or vist RedDressDiary.com : The Destination for Health & Beauty for Women Over 40!

New Super-Foods Reduce Diabetes, Improve Memory & Weight Loss

Looking to lose more weight? How about reducing your risk of diabetes? And wouldn’t it be nice if you could not only remember where you put the car keys – but where you the parked the car?

This week we have super food news that can help you do all three!

Memory Lane Runs Through The Kitchen

Remembering to use some soy Tempe in your cooking could help you remember a lot more! That’s the finding of a new study out of Indonesia where researchers discovered the key to a memory that stays vivid and sharp through the years might lie in the fermented soy product known as “Tempe” ( or Tempeh).

Reporting in the journal Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, doctors from Great Britain and Indonesia say they used a food questionnaire to analyze the soy intake of 719 people between the ages of 52 and 98. This was followed by word learning tests used to diagnose dementia.

The result: Those who had a high intake of the fermented soy compound known as Tempe ( it can be fried and served as a dish on it's own, or used as a protein-boosting ingredient in other dishes) had an increased memory score by over 12 points.

Interestingly however, those who had a high intake of tofu – a different type of soy product popular in the United States - showed a decrease in memory by almost 20 points! This was particularly true in folks over age 68.

Although no one is certain what the link between tofu and bad memory might be, some researchers theorize that the phytoestrogens found in soy – (a weak form of plant estrogens) may promote a type of oxidative stress in the brain associated with dementia.

Tempe also contains high levels of phytoestrogens, but experts say the fermentation process used in creating this food also results in high levels of folate, a B vitamin that has protective effects against oxidative stress.

While this study backs up findings from earlier research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers hesitate to issue a caution about eating tofu until more evidence is in.

Writing in the journal report they say: “It is unclear whether these negative associations could be attributed to potential toxins (in the soy products) or to the phyoestrogen levels.”

Lose More Weight With This Nutrient!

Struggling to drop those pounds? Frustrated because you’re always feeling hungry –and can’t stay on your diet? Your answer could lie in supplements or foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids – the “good fats” associated with a heart-healthy diet.

In research just published in the journal Appetite, a group of Icelandic doctors write that supplements containing long chain omega-3 fatty acids appear to control appetite even on a reduced calorie diet. Moreover, the higher the dose of omega 3 supplementation, the easier it was for folks to stick to their diet, simply because they weren’t as hungry.

The study involved 232 overweight and obese patients on a calorie restricted diet for 8 weeks. One group was randomly assigned to daily supplements containing 260mg of omega-3 fatty acids, while the other group consumed 1300 mg daily.

During the last two weeks of the program doctors measured appetite.

The result: Those folks who consumed the highest dose of omega 3 supplementation had fewer hunger pangs immediately after their test meal, and remained feeling full two hours later, then those who took the lower dose.

Moreover, follow-up blood tests showed a higher omega 3 concentration, plus a better ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids were both consistent with better appetite control and a lesser desire to snack.

Researchers theorize that long chain omega-3 fatty acids may play a role in modulating hunger signals – so our brain does not get the message we’re hungry, or send the message to eat, unless we really need the food.

Foods naturally high in omega 3 fatty acids include flax seed, walnuts, salmon, cooked soybeans, halibut, shrimp and winter squash.

Interestingly, another new study released this week from Wake Forest University School of Medicine warned that the trendy and popular farm raised tilapia fish could be as bad for your heart as a box of donuts. The problem: Too much omega 6 fatty acid in relation to a low level of omega 3. While omega 3 fatty acids are believed to reduce inflammation leading to coronary artery disease, omega 6 does the opposite.

Fruit & Salad Reduce Diabetes Risk -Juice Increases Risks

You all know the drill: Put down that cookie and pick up some fruits and vegetables and you’ll reduce the risk of heart disease, many even some cancers.

But now, an 18-year study of over 70,000 women offers new evidence that an increased intake of whole fruits and green leafy vegetables may also help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes - in some gals by up to 18%.

Conversely, a daily intake of fruit juice could increase your risk of diabetes by up to 18%.

The research, conducted at Tulane University in New Orleans and just published in the journal Diabetes Care looked at women aged 38 to 63. They all initially answered an extensive questionnaire to establish dietary habits – and then agreed to follow up questionnaires every 4 years for a total of 18 years. None of the women had diabetes, heart disease or cancer at the start of the study.

The result: Over the 18 years some 4,500 women developed type 2 diabetes. Correlating dietary habits with the risk of this disease the researchers discovered the following:

* An increase of one serving per day of leafy greens reduced diabetes risks by 9 percent – with some evidence showing that the more salad you eat, the lower your risks may go.

* 3 servings per day of whole fruit reduced diabetes risk by some 18 %

* 3 servings per day of fruit juice increased the risk of diabetes by about 18%.

Despite study limitations – including the use of memory-dependent food questionnaires- the research joins a growing body of evidence linking a reduction in diabetes risks to vegetables and now, whole fruits.

According to a newly released US government report, some 57 million Americans are now considered at risk for diabetes. Currently, some 20 million are already diagnosed with this disease.

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