https://youtu.be/4JNbyJfliLY ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZKW5weMZjo

Diabetes is a life-threatening condition that is being treated as a pharmaceutical cash cow.

With more than SEVENTY drugs regularly prescribed for diabetes in the US alone, guess how many address the root cause (or even stop the progression) of diabetes?

Zip. Zilch. Zero.

• Billions of dollars are spent on pharmaceutical research.
• Some studies indicate that nearly half of the US is either diabetic or pre-diabetic.
• Not one single medication on the market is addressing the cause.

That’s a lot of money spent on band-aids.

Researchers have found evidence that insulin resistance may be the result of immune system cells attacking the body’s tissues. Yes, that means autoimmune disease.

Diabetes leads to Diabesity [ Diabetes + Obesity] and Dementia or Alzheimer’s [Type 3 Diabetes]. Blindness & Amputation as well as Cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death.

It is estimated that 50% of Canada, USA & Europe population have Pre diabetes or type 2 diabetes which make this disease the next Epidemic[Globesity].

Losing Weight the Mistake-Free Way, contributed by Jane Sandwood.

As many as one in four Canadian adults and one in ten children suffer from obesity, equating to approximately 6 million Canadians living with the condition. As the leading cause of Type II diabetes, cardiac disease, strokes, cancer and arthritis, obesity impacts not only individuals but their families, friends, employees and even the government as well. Obesity has skyrocketed so much in recent years that many organizations including the Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Obesity Network now considers the condition to be a chronic disease.

Combating obesity largely relies on following a healthy diet and engaging in regular exercise. It is unfortunate though that many people do not know how to go about losing weight in a healthy manner. The internet especially is inundated with contradicting weight-loss solutions, often leaving those desperate to make healthy lifestyle changes feeling overwhelmed and falling off the wagon even more. It is normal to make mistakes when trying to lose weight but by following sound advice from reputable sources your weight loss journey will become a lot easier and enjoyable.

Rev your routine if you are constantly active

After spending a couple of hours running errands it may feel like you have done enough exercise for one day and have even lost some weight. Unfortunately, despite hauling around shopping bags or even spring-cleaning the house, you probably have only burned approximately 400 calories. Short bursts of intense activity are known to burn a lot more calories, and 36% more fat. While strolling around the mall try to pick up the pace for every one minute out of 5 to increase your calorie burn-rate by up to a third. If you enjoy swimming, then switch from the easier strokes like freestyle and breaststroke to the more challenging butterfly or backstroke every couple of reps.

Do your dining-out research in advance

Looks are often deceiving when we dine out. The chicken sandwich may seem an obviously healthier choice than the triple-cheese pizza but once you have a closer look at the bread, cheese and mayo of the aforementioned, you will realize that your sandwich probably contains around 970 calories. In comparison, two slices of pepperoni pan pizza only contains about 520 calories. It is important to look up nutritional facts before eating out. Most renowned eateries have nutritional information available online or instore you may be very shocked by what your research uncovers.

Be careful what you snack on

While you may be watchful about what you eat, research shows that unplanned bites and tastes can rack up as much as a few hundred calories in a single day. Eating while distracted or tasting while cooking can see you pack on the pounds fast. Avoid eating when your mind is preoccupied, whether it is with watching TV, reading, talking to friends on working on the computer. Eliminate any unnecessary distractions and focus on eating mindfully.

As hard as being obese may be, it doesn’t have to be a death sentence. If you simply put your mind to it and follow a balanced lifestyle you can and will lose your excess weight and boost your health significantly.

What is HB A1C [Hemoglobin A1C?

Your HB A1C number

Consider your HB A1C number (also known as HbA1c or glycated hemoglobin) as a snapshot of your blood glucose levels over two to three months. Over time, glucose naturally attaches itself to your blood cells. When this happens, the cell is considered glycated. The more glucose in your blood, the more glycated A1C cells you have.

Whats an optimal A1C number?

The recommended A1C target for a person with diabetes is 7% or lowersome people remember this figure as lucky number 7. However, while your A1C number gives you and your doctor an idea of how your diabetes is being managed over time, it does not tell you about drastic drops and elevations in your day-to-day blood glucose levels during that period.

How do fluctuations in my blood glucose levels affect my overall health?

While drops (hypoglycemia) and peaks (hyperglycemia) in your blood glucose levels outside of your target zone can have an immediate impact on your sense of well-being, research shows that the long-term consequences of such fluctuations can be dangerous. Studies show that hyperglycemia can increase your risk of developing heart, eye and kidney disease. Your A1C is an important part of your diabetes management, but it cannot replace daily self-monitoring, which highlights how your body and blood glucose respond to meals, physical activity, medications, illness and stress over short periods of time.

How often should I test my A1C?

Generally, you should test your A1C no fewer than twice a year, and most medical professionals suggest testing every three months, which is the approximate lifespan of blood cells. Speak with your healthcare professional to determine where and how frequently you should test your A1C level.

Reducing your A1C value to a healthier level can decrease your risk of many diabetes-related complications, so you can live a fuller, healthier life.

The Easiest Way to Lose Weight Without Dieting!

If you’ve been struggling to lose weight, you’re going to love this news…

Scientists have recently discovered the closest thing to a true-blue weight loss pill that they’ve ever seen.

According to a study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, this pill delivers the advantages of calorie restriction but without eating any less food!

These amazing benefits are delivered by resveratrol, the nutrient with a well-researched reputation as an “anti-aging” compound. Now, new research shows it has some pretty terrific weight-loss and metabolic benefits, as well. Let me explain…

The Anti-Aging Benefits of Extreme Dieting

So far, the only proven way to extend life is by extreme calorie restriction. How is this possible? Well, limiting calorie intake produces a number of positive effects on blood pressure … lipid levels (cholesterol and triglycerides) … blood sugar … lowering inflammation … and reducing body fat. All good stuff, right?

So, here’s a surprise. When researchers gave a specific dose of resveratrol to a group of obese men daily for 30 days, they observed these same benefits even though the men didn’t make any changes to their eating or exercise patterns!

What caused this minor miracle? The researchers found that resveratrol increased the metabolic rate in the men’s mitochondria (the microscopic “energy factories” in each cell where food is converted into energy). The effect was like turning up the idle rate on your car’s engine so more calories are burned 24/7. Wow!

Of course, taking resveratrol is no substitute for a healthful diet and regular physical activity. But it’s good to know that it can help to make losing weight easier and more healthful especially if you’re dealing with obesity.

Day guide to combat overeating

6 7 AM: Drink water, preferably warm water with lemon. This is not only hydrating, but will stimulate your bowels to help move the previous day’s overeating right along. After your first morning glass, continue to drink water throughout the day.

By 9 AM: Eat breakfast so it can kickstart your metabolism along with helping you eat better throughout your day. It’s been uncovered that those who skip breakfast are more likely to consume a greater number of calories along with unhealthier foods than those who eat breakfast. Make sure your breakfast includes protein, healthy fats, and whole grains so you stay satisfied and energized for longer.

Between 12 and 1 PM: Eat lunch to stabilize your blood sugars and to prevent binge eating later on. Once again, a meal with protein and vegetables is a good option. You will also want a small serving of carbohydrates to prevent cravings later on.

Between 3 and 4 PM: Have a snack, because you know by 3 you’re feeling low in energy and want something sweet. Combat this sugar craving and replace it with something more satisfying and better for you. This is a good time to have a fruit or some veggies with hummus. If you need a pick-me-up, green tea is a better choice than coffee.

Around 5 and 6 PM: Fit in a workout either at the gym or at home. You should also add in physical activity throughout your day, too, to burn more calories. Exercise has been shown to improve digestion, regardless of the amount.

Between 6 and 7 PM: Dinner time! You will want something hydrating and high in fiber. Soups, salads, vegetables, and grilled lean meat are all good options.

9 PM or after: Get some sleep, because this is when your body is able to reboot itself and is an important component of weight loss.

After your day of rebooting your body, you can get back on track and hopefully be wiser when making decisions at your next holiday get-together.

There are basically 3 macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. They are called “macronutrients”, because we need them in “macro” quantities (grams per day). Then there are micronutrients. They are called “micro”, because we need them in small quantities (milligrams or micrograms). These are things like vitamins and minerals.

Since the macronutrients are the ones that have the really big effects on blood sugar, thats what well focus on.

Different macronutrients raise blood sugar to different levels.

For the most part, high-fat foods dont raise blood sugar at all. What are high-fat foods? These are things like olives, olive oil, nuts, seeds, butter, cheese, and others. This doesnt make them good or bad, its just a characteristic of these foods.

High-protein foods raise blood sugar a little bit. These foods include things like meat, fish and seafood. If youre going to start going down the “what about” route (“what about beans?”, “what about eggs?”, “what about dairy?”), read my article on the best sources of protein here.

However, in some people, high-protein foods can actually raise blood sugar a lot. Almost as much as sugar itself. If youre one of those people, you have to be careful. To find out if youre one of those people, measure your blood sugar after high-protein meals.

Lastly, there are carbohydrates. Within the entire group called “carbohydrates”, there are 3 different types:

Fibrous carbohydrates. These are things like vegetables (with the exception of vegetables like potatoes, beets, squash, pumpkins, etc.).
Starchy carbohydrates. These include things like pasta, potatoes, rice, bread, etc.
Simple carbohydrates. These include fruit, candy, etc.

Of these, fibrous carbohydrates increase blood sugar very little. Its the simple and starchy carbohydrates that raise blood sugar very quickly. Again, this isnt good or bad. Its just a characteristic of these foods.

Beyond the Basics

So now you know the basics of nutrition, and how different macronutrients affect blood sugar levels. Now, lets get into the deep details.

Fibre Content

The fibre content of a meal will have a very significant impact on how any given meal will affect your blood sugar levels. The higher the carbohydrates in the meal, the more the blood sugar will rise. BUT, if the fibre content of the meal is also high, it will attenuate the rise in blood sugar caused by the carbohydrates.
There is in fact a concept called “net carbohydrates.” That means that you subtract the fibre from the carbohydrate content to figure out what the net effect is on your blood sugar levels. So for example, if you eat a meal that contains 30 grams of carbohydrates, and 6 grams of fibre, the net effect on your blood sugar levels would be as if you ate 24 grams of carbohydrates. Cool, eh?

Thats why with our diabetic, pre-diabetic and insulin resistant clients, we recommend adding 2 teaspoons per meal of flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, etc.

Thats one strategy we use to help our diabetic and overweight clients get amazing results. Although its not directly what were working towards, frequently, their doctors are able to reduce their dosage of medications, or take them off the medications entirely. If youd like help with that, you can see if you qualify for our help here.

Composition of the Meal

Very rarely do people eat a meal that is one macronutrient by itself. So what you eat along with your meals will affect your blood sugar levels. For example, if you eat protein and fat along with your starches, it will slow down the rise in blood sugar levels. So if your meal consists of a salad (that has olive oil as dressing), chicken, and rice, it will not raise your blood sugar nearly as much as if it was just rice and chicken.

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load

Different carbohydrates raise blood sugar at different speeds. The speed at which a food raises your blood sugar is called the “glycemic index.” Pure glucose will raise your blood sugar pretty quickly. But dont confuse “pure glucose” with table sugar. Table sugar is actually a combination of glucose and fructose, so it raises blood sugar slower than pure glucose. Whereas peanuts will raise your blood sugar very slowly.
But there is just one problem with the glycemic index: its standardized to 50 grams of carbohydrates. It means that youd need to eat 50 grams of carbohydrates from a certain food for the glycemic index to mean anything. So for example, you would need to eat about 250 grams of a potato to get 50 grams of carbohydrates (because a potato is made of more than just carbohydrates). But you would need to eat about 530 grams of raw carrots to get 50 grams of carbohydrates.

So low carbohydrate punks used to say “dont eat carrots, theyre high on the glycemic index.” Sure, theyre high on the glycemic index. Thats true. But they dont raise blood sugar that much because I dont know of anyone who eats half a kilo of raw carrots in one sitting.

Enter the glycemic load. The glycemic load takes into account both the glycemic index, as well as the actual quantity of the food that you are eating. To figure out the glycemic load of a meal, use this formula:

Glycemic load = glycemic index /100 x net carbohydrates.

Ill bet you didnt think youd have to do math in an exercise/nutrition newsletter, did you?

So while the glycemic index does not matter too much, the glycemic load does. The lower the glycemic load, the lower the impact on your blood sugar. So pull out your calculator, and start crunching numbers.

For Decades We’ve Been Getting Fatter
Since the dawn of the industrial revolution and access to plentiful yet increasingly unhealthy fast food we’ve been getting fatter, aging more quickly and just becoming downright sicker.

In fact, studies show a dramatic increase in obesity from just the early 60s.

From 23% obesity in 1962, reaching 39.4% in 1997, 44.5% in 2004, 56.6% in 2007, and 63.8% (adults) and 17% (children) in 2008. In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported higher numbers once more, counting 65.7% of American adults as overweight, and 17% of American children, and according to the CDC, 63% of teenage girls become overweight by age 11.”

3 Foods To Avoid To Help Your Waistline Joints

It’s that time of the year again. With the holidays coming up, many look forward to gathering with family and friends and enjoying delicious food. However, for those concerned about joint issues or weight, a table heaped with festive treats can seem like a minefield.

The good news is that learning which foods to avoid can help you enjoy the holidays without suffering health consequences later. Inflammation is a leading cause of joint pain and also contributes to excess weight gain. Steering clear of foods that encourage the inflammatory process is an important step to feeling good during the holidays and beyond.

1. Processed Meats

In contrast to other types of meat, processed meat has a high level of advanced glycation end products. These products are formed when proteins or lipids become glycated due to being processed at high temperatures with certain types of sugars. Scientists have found that consuming AGEs provides a direct stimulus to the immune cells, leading to an inflammatory response. AGEs also affect circulation and metabolism.

Instead of processed meats, opt for holiday dishes featuring minimal processing. They do not have to be labor-intensive or even home-cooked. Using prepared foods can include healthier options such as rotisserie chicken or a basic roast.

2. Refined Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates occur in a wide variety of foods and contain important nutrients. Refined carbohydrates, however, are those with most of the fiber removed. Carbohydrates that have been processed this way are a major cause of inflammation. According to the Arthritis Foundation, refined carbs top the list of causes of obesity and inflammation-related conditions. This is because removing the fiber raises their glycemic index and encourages the production of AGEs and other inflammatory substances in the organism.

Many common food ingredients contain refined carbs. In particular, anything containing white flour or sugar has refined carbohydrates, such as

• White bread
• Pasta
• Candy
• Pastries
• Soda

For a healthier holiday spread, opt for whole-grain, sugar-free baked goods. Avoid adding sugar and flour to sauces, side dishes and mains. For many, it can be more realistic to reduce these foods than to aim for consuming none at all.

3. Saturated and Trans Fats

An article published by the Harvard Medical School outlines the negative health effects of saturated fats and trans fats. Experts link both types of fats to increased inflammation, as well as other issues. Trans fats are particularly harmful, with no known benefits. For this reason, margarine and vegetable shortening containing trans fats is no longer sold. Saturated fats, on the other hand, are often contained in foods that do offer nutritional benefits:

• Red meat
• Cheese
• Whole milk
• Coconut oil

Saturated fats are also used in many commercial baked goods. The general recommendation is to limit the consumption of these fats to under 10% of one’s daily caloric intake.

In addition to avoiding inflammation triggers, looking out for your health during the holidays can include actively seeking out anti-inflammatory foods. These include green vegetables, berries, nuts and olive oil. Turmeric is another plant packed with curcumin, which is known to have a strong anti-inflammatory effect. Daily turmeric supplements can help you boost your health and fight inflammation.

References
1 American Diabetes Association. A1C test. Available at: http://www.diabetesarchive.net/type-2-diabetes/a1c-test.jsp.

2 American Diabetes Association. A1C. Available at: http://www.diabetes.org/living-wi

How to Boost the Fat Burning Hormone FIAF

Written By Michael Greger M.D. FACLM on March 5th, 2020