New and Exciting!
June, 2014
Fasting occasionally can lower diabetes and cardiovascular risk
Ongoing research at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray showed a decrease risk for diabetes from fasting once a week. This study involving 12 Utah participants at risk for diabetes who were asked to fast 24 hours a week for six weeks. There were no complaints of any adverse effects, including headache or fatigue, and all of the participants experienced at least some health benefit. Periodic and regular fasting — for at least 12 hours and, ideally, 20 hours "sends the body foraging for other sources of energy, turning it from using blood sugar and glucose to digesting stores of fat." It increases production of human growth hormone that protects lean muscle mass, decreases insulin production and averts diabetes. (Benjamin Horne, Intermountain Medical Center director of cardiovascular and genetic epidemiology)
In an earlier study, a one-day fasting intervention acutely increased human growth hormone, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, hematocrit, total cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the good one), and decreased triglycerides, bicarbonate, and weight, compared to a day of usual eating.
If you have had the opportunity to attend my "IMAGINE a Healthier Slimmer You Class," I explain about leptin resistance and growth hormone and why occasional fasting would have these effects. Trying to increase lean muscle mass and release some fat? Fast for more than 20 hours at a time. Remember that eating even a small amount partway through a day of fasting actually stops the body's production of human growth hormone (which is stimulated by fasting). You can read about it in my "IMAGINE a Healthier Slimmer You Workbook."
Is fasting right for you? If you currently have diabetes, I recommend checking with a a health care provider prior to fasting to avoid dehydration, malnutrition, excessive weight loss and potential damages to the heart that are possible with fasting.
Source: Horne BD1, Muhlestein JB, Lappé DL, May HT, Carlquist JF, Galenko O, Brunisholz KD, Anderson JL. Randomized cross-over trial of short-term water-only fasting: metabolic and cardiovascular consequences. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2013 Nov;23(11):1050-7. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2012.09.007. Epub 2012 Dec 7.
What you eat while Pregnant Can Affect Your Child's Asthma Risk Approximately
1 in 11 Children has asthma….and the number is growing. The maternal intake of nutrients called methyl donors during the first trimester of pregnancy can change risk of developing childhood asthma at age seven. In reviewing the diets of more than a one thousand mother-child pairs, researchers found that the maternal intake of folate, choline, betaine, along with vitamins B2, B6, and B12 (all methyl donors) had protective effects on the risk of developing childhood asthma. Methyl donors are nutrients involved in biochemical process called methylation, which is involved in many important functions of the body. Dietary intake of methyl donors has been shown to affect the risk of developing a number of diseases, including heart disease and cancer.
I recommend using "active" B Vitamins in a multivitamin before and during pregnancy to help prevent birth defects and give the baby the best health possible. It is also important to use supplements naturally occurring folates, as opposed to synthetic folic acid. (You don't need a prenatal vitamin. You may use a multivitamin and take extra folate and iron. This way, you get the natural folate and an iron that isn't as likely to cause stomach upset and constipation)
Source: 2014. American Thoracic Society International Conference Abstracts, BEST OF PEDIATRICS. May 1, 2014, A5118-A5118.Intake of dietary prenatal folate and other methyl donors in first trimester of pregnancy affects asthma risk in children at age 7.
http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2014.189.1_MeetingAbstracts.A5118
May, 2014
Weight, fat intake, and calorie intake have increased in statin users in the past few years.
Many patients take a statin medication to lower their cholesterol. Zocor (simvastatin), Crestor, Lipitor (atorvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin) are all examples of this. On the whole, our calorie intake has plateaued in the last decade. However, the calorie intake, fat intake and weight of statin users has continued to climb. Statin patients, on average, used to eat less calories than non-statin users. That is no longer true. My friend has always laughed about her dad taking his simvastatin while he was eating his Doritos. According to this study, that is something that is happening more.
Take home? Remember that cholesterol and heart attack risk can be lowered by eating healthier and exercising. A medication alone is not the answer. Concentrate on changing to healthier oils (olive), avoiding fructose and refined sugar, and eating lots of vegetables and fruits. Make it a goal to get at least 5 servings of vegetables per day. Folate and vitamin B-12 are also helpful if you have high homocysteine.
Source: Sugiyami, T, et al Different Time Trends of Caloric and Fat Intake Between Statin Users and Nonusers Among US Adults: Gluttony in the Time of Statins?JAMA Intern Med. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.1927
April, 2014:
Multivitamin associated with survival in Invasive Breast Cancer.
Mortality was 30 % lower in Multi-vitamin/mineral users when compared to non-users in Postmenopausal women. The study involved 7,700 postmenopausal women.
Are you taking a good quality multivitamin? I believe with multivitamins, many times you get what you pay for. My favorites are ActivNutrients and ActivEssentials. 13 dollars per month for ActivNutrients is an awesome investment in your future.
Click here to see why I recommend a certain multivitamin:
Source: Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2013 Oct;141(3):495-505.Multivitamin and mineral use and breast cancer mortality in older women with invasive breast cancer in the women's health initiative.
2012:
It's not just Dogs that think bones are important.
Protect your Bones With Magnesium
A new study shows that low Magnesium stimulates osteoclasts (the little guys that break down bone). Another recent study suggested that magnesium was more critical for bone formation than calcium in children. Many medications actually cause depletion of magnesium, especially diuretics.
So, how do you get more magnesium? You can get magnesium from a diet rich in nuts, legume beans, spinach, and yes, ladies, chocolate. If you want to take a magnesium supplement, I suggest a chelated Magnesium. It will work more effectively and not cause diarrhea, like magnesium oxide. Chelation is a way the magnesium is surrounded by protein, so the body recognizes and utilizes it 2 times better.
For access to a great chelated magnesium, click here.
Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23517915
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