Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
Previously in this blog I have covered some of the evidence linking vitamin D with positive health outcomes, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and several forms of cancer. Vitamin D has also been linked with diabetes, in that some studies have found those with higher levels of vitamin D to be a reduced […]
Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
Diabetes is a condition characterised by raised levels of sugar in the blood stream. It comes in two main forms: type 1 and type 2. Type 2 is by far the most common, and is generally related to ‘insulin resistance’ – a failure of the body to respond adequately to the blood sugar-lowering effects of […]
Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
Last week, one of my blogs explored the potential for the sugar fructose to provoke unwanted bowel symptoms including abdominal discomfort and bloating. I mentioned, albeit in passing, that there were likely other reasons to be somewhat wary of fructose. It has, for instance, been implicated as a potentially potent cause of weight gain and […]
Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
Back in December I wrote this post which explored the apparent ability of cinnamon to reduce blood sugar levels, particularly in diabetics. One of the studies mentioned in this post showed that cinnamon added to normal diabetic care led to improved outcomes compared to standard diabetic care alone. While this result was certainly promising, the […]
Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
Type 2 diabetes is a condition which appears to be very much on the rise in terms of prevalence. This, inevitably, has led some to seek to find what factors might cause and also help prevent this condition. Earlier this month one of my blogs focused on some research which linked consumption of foods that […]
Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
Last week one of my blogs focused on story regarding the spiralling costs of medication for diabetes. I suggested that one reason for this is that many diabetics are advised to eat a diet rich in starchy carbohydrate, yet these foods generally are very disruptive to blood sugar levels. Yes, that’s right – diabetics who […]
Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
I saw this story on the BBC website this morning. It concerns the costs of treating those with diabetes. Apparently, the cost of drugs for managing diabetes is rising (a lot), and now accounts for 7 per cent of the total amount spent on prescribing in the UK. Between 2000 and 2008 prescriptions for diabetic […]
Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a condition characterised by multiples cysts in the ovaries, but also other symptoms such as hirsutism (abnormal hairiness) and acne that may result from higher than normal levels of androgens (‘male’ hormones) in the female body. I wrote about this condition back in 2003 (see here), where I made the […]
Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
There are a myriad of ways to lose weight, but I lean generally towards diets relatively low in carbohydrate and rich in fat. This is on the basis that such diets consistently out-perform diets explicitly low in fat in terms of weight loss. Also, such diets tend to, generally speaking, bring about desirable changes in […]
Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
I was giving a presentation last night to a group of individuals of Indian sub-continent extraction. As a group, south Asians appear to be particularly prone to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. And judging by the expanded waistlines in the audience, this group were no difference. Part of my presentation focused on the potential […]