Monthly Archives: November 2009

Thinking About a Weight Loss New Years’ Resolution?

Did you get enough to eat for Thanksgiving holiday?  Did you gain a pound or three, like me? Around this time of year, many people start thinking seriously about losing excess weight and getting healthier.  Choosing a weight-loss program is … Continue reading

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What About the Paleo Diet?

Paleo diets have been increasingly popular over the last few years.  The idea is that, for optimal health, we should be eating the things that we are evolutionarily adapted to eat.  Those foods pre-date the onset of large-scale agriculture 10-12,000 … Continue reading

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Modern Heart Disease Found in Ancient Egyptian Mummies

HeartWire on November 23, 2009, reported the discovery of atherosclerosis (hardening-of-the-arteries) in Egyptian mummies 3000 years old.  So it appears that atherosclerosis in not just a disease of modern civilization, as suggested by some. Steve Parker, M.D.

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Quote of the Day

The urge to simplify a complex scientific situation so that physicians can apply it to their patients and the public embrace it has taken precedence over the scientific obligation of presenting the evidence with relentless honesty.                                             —Gary Taubes, in … Continue reading

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Are Vegetarian Diets Any Good For Diabetes?

Plant-based diets may offer special benefits to people with diabetes, according to a recent review article by U.S. researchers who reviewed the pertinent English language literature published since 1966.  They found 116 potentially relevant articles, 10 of which were directly related to … Continue reading

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Filed under coronary heart disease, Diabetes Complications, Vegetarian Diet

Low-Carb Ketogenic Diet for Overweight Diabetic Men: A Pilot Study

A low-carb ketogenic diet in patients with type 2 diabetes was so effective that diabetes medications were reduced or discontinued in most patients, according to U.S. researchers.  The 2005 report recommends that similar dieters be under close medical supervision or capable … Continue reading

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Filed under Carbohydrate, ketogenic diet, Overweight and Obesity, Weight Loss

Fish With Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reduce Risk of Blindness

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in Americans over 65.  Impaired vision precedes blindness.  A recent study linked consumption of omega-3 fatty acids with 30% lower risk of developing macular degeneration.  Believe me, it’s a lot better to … Continue reading

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For Heart’s Sake, Should You Avoid Red Meat in a Low-Carb Diet?

Low carbohydrate diets tend to contain disproportionate amounts of fat from animal sources.  Red meat has long been vilified as a major source of saturated fat that some experts believe cause hardening-of-the-arteries (atherosclerosis) via elevations in LDL cholesterol.  Others disagree.  … Continue reading

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Filed under Carbohydrate, Fish, ketogenic diet, Overweight and Obesity

Book Review: 21 Life Lessons From Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb

Here’s my review of Jimmy Moore’s new book, 21 Life Lessons From Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb: How the Healthy Low-Carb Lifestyle Changed Everything I Thought I Knew.  I rate it five stars, Amazon.com’s highest rating. ♦   ♦   ♦ Thinking about quitting your … Continue reading

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Do Beans and Peas Affect Glucose Control in Diabetics?

Beans and peas improve control of blood sugar in diabetics and others, according to a recent report from Canadian researchers.  The effect is modest. Dietary pulses are dried leguminous seeds, including beans, chickpeas, lentils, and peas.  Pulses fed to healthy … Continue reading

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Filed under Carbohydrate, Fiber, Prevention of T2 Diabetes