| THE BEST MEDICINEf- LAUGH! FIRST DOSE There are always two ways to look at everything, I guess. My wife and I were sitting at a table at my high school reunion last October, and I kept staring at a drunken lady swigging her drink as she sat alone at a nearby table. My wife noticed me staring and asked me, "Do you know her?". "Yes", I sighed, "She's my old girlfriend. I understand she took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear she hasn't been sober since." "My God!" says my wife, "Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?" Got a Joke? E-mail it to us: frontpage@collectivewizdom .com |
| THE BEST MEDICINE- LAUGH! SECOND DOSE Last night, my friend and I were sitting in the living room and I said to her, "I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug." She got up, unplugged the TV, and threw out my wine |
DIET AND FITNESS:
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Foods That Keep Blood Sugar Steady
April 18, 2008, (last updated September 17, 2008)
By Susan M. Callahan, Associate Editor and Featured Columnist
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When you learn you are either diabetic or at risk for diabetes,
one of the first questions you may ask is "Are there any foods
which can help to lower my blood sugar levels?". Are there
"natural insulin" foods?
Most people now know that foods with low Glycemic index
values cause blood sugar levels to rise much lower than high
glycemic index (GI) values. But few people know that, even
among low- GI foods, there are a few superstars. These special
foods have the quality of not only causing very little or no
increase in blood sugar immediately after you eat them but they
help to keep blood sugar steady for many hours more. Here is
the list of the best low-glycemic "natural insulin" foods, the low
GI food superstars.
Oatmeal
Studies have shown that a compound called beta-glucan can
stabilize blood sugar in diabetics. Type 2 diabetics who ate
foods high in oat fiber or given oatmeal or oat bran rich foods
rich in beta-glucan experienced much lower increases and
spikes in blood sugar compared to those who were given white
rice or bread.
Starting your day with a blood sugar stabilizing food such as
oats or, as we discuss below, other special grains can help you
to keep blood sugar level throughout the day, especially when
combined with other low-glycemic foods.
Magnesium
Oats and other whole grains are a rich source of magnesium, a
mineral that acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes,
including enzymes involved in the body's use of glucose and
insulin secretion.
The FDA permits foods that contain at least 51% whole grains
by weight (and are also low in fat, saturated fat, and
cholesterol) to display a health claim stating consumption is
linked to lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Now,
research suggests regular consumption of whole grains also
reduces risk of type 2 diabetes. Article Continues Below
An 8-year trial,involving 41,186 participants of the Black
Women's Health Study, confirmed the following result. The
more magnesium and calcium in your diet, the lower your risk
of developing Type 2 diabetes. This inverse associations
between magnesium, calcium and major food sources of these
2 minerals in relation to Type 2 diabetes had already been
reported in predominantly white populations.
The risk of type 2 diabetes was 31% lower in black women
who frequently ate whole grains compared to those eating the
least of these magnesium-rich foods. That's 31%.
Foods containing magnesium seem to work a lot better than
pills. Women taking magnesium alone, as opposed to
magnesium in foods, they experienced a 19% reduction in the
ris of developing Type 2 diabetes. Still significant, bit far less
than the 31% drop for women who ate foods with magnesium.
The bottom line. Make whole grain, magnesium-rich foods a
part of your everyday diet. These grains offer special benefits
in promoting healthy blood sugar control.
Low -Fat Dairy
Daily consumption of low-fat dairy foods was also helpful,
lowering risk of type 2 diabetes by 13%.
Cinnamon
A breakthrough 2003 study in Pakistan showed that he
common spice cinnamon can reduce your fasting blood sugar
levels. What's remarkable is that consuming cinnamon for as
little as a six weeks can lower your blood sugar and keep
lowering it for 20 days after that.
The study of 60 Type 2 diabetics showed cinnamom caused
lower levels of fasting glucose, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol
and total cholesterol after 40 days with levels continuing to
drop for 20 days after that.
The study was made up of 60 people with Type 2 diabetes who
were divided into 6 groups of 10. Three groups received
cinnamon in the form of capsules totaling 1, 3 or 6 grams of
cinnamon a day. The other three groups received placebo
capsules. The capsules were taken three times a day, after
meals. All three levels of cinnamon showed results, leading
researchers to believe that as little as 1 gram a day of cinnamon
may benefit people who have Type 2.
In the US, some experts have debated whether "true"
cinnamon was used for the study. According to the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), there are two types of cinnamon
sold in the United States; cinnamomum zeylanicum nees or
cinnamomum cassia (L.) blume. Most of the cinnamon sold in
our grocery stores is cinnamomum cassia. And, in fact, the
Pakistani study does list cinnamomum cassia as the cinnamon
that was used. So, the cinnamon used in the study was in fact
the same cinnamon commonly found in every American and
European kitchen.
One of the orignal researchers in the Pakistan study was
Richard A. Anderson, Ph.D., CNS, of the the Beltsville Human
Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC) , a part of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA). Dr. Anderson summed up
the amazing results of the relation between cinnamon and
diabetes:
"We have also shown that the active components of cinnamon
are found in the water-soluble portion of cinnamon and are
not present in cinnamon oil, which is largely fat-soluble. In
addition to ground cinnamon consumed directly, one can also
make a cinnamon tea and let the solids settle to the bottom or
use cinnamon sticks, which make for a nice clear tea.
Cinnamon can also be added to orange juice, oatmeal, coffee
before brewing, salads, meats etc. The active components are
not destroyed by heat."
Drawing from these studies, you should consider cinnamon a
must for your everyday breakfast. We include oatmeal with
cinnamon as one of the Ideal Breakfasts for Diabetics.
Use the powdered spice or a cinnamon stick. Cinnamon pills are
also available, and can be found easily via an online search.
MHCP is water soluble and is not found in cinnamon oil.
Chamomile Tea
Research published September 10, 2008 has determined that
daily consumption of chamomile tea improves your body's
ability to process sugar, and reduces complications of diabetes.
Barley and Rye
A Swedish study has shown an intriguing connection between
consumption of barley and rye in particular and lower blood
sugar for up to 10 hours later. For this reason, these grains
should be considered as candidates for an ideal breakfast for
diabetics, along with egg whites and other low-fat protein.
Break Through Your Diet Plateau
How Many Calories Do I Burn
Quinoa-The New Superfood?
Break Through Your Diet Plateau
How Many Calories Do I Burn
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