Restricted calorie diet improves heart function in obese patients with diabetes – A low-calorie diet eliminates insulin dependence and leads to improved heart function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes. It is striking to see how a relatively simple intervention of a very low calorie diet effectively cures type 2 diabetes mellitus. Moreover, these effects are long term.
Sugar-sweetened beverages may increase cardiovascular risk in women – Drinking two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day may expand a woman’s waistline and increase her risk of heart disease and diabetes. In a new study, researchers compared middle-aged and older women who drank two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day, such as carbonated sodas or flavored waters with added sugar, to women who drank one or less daily.
High fiber diet linked to reduced risk of colorectal cancer – Dietary fiber, whole grains, and risk of colorectal cancer – Eating a diet high in fibre, particularly from cereal and whole grains, is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Intake of dietary fibre and whole grains is known to help protect against cardiovascular disease, but its association with colorectal cancer risk is less clear. And, although the idea that dietary fibre reduces the risk of colorectal cancer has been around for nearly 40 years.
Red meat linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes — Processed red meats especially boost risk – A recently published study by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) finds a strong association between the consumption of red meat-particularly when the meat is processed-and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Weight loss improves sexual health of overweight men with diabetes – Modest weight loss and diet of high nutritional quality improves erectile function, sexual desire and lowers urinary tract symptoms in obese men with type 2 diabetes. This is evidenced in a new study.
Increased muscle mass may lower risk of pre-diabetes — Study shows building muscle can lower person’s risk of insulin resistance – The greater an individual’s total muscle mass, the lower the person’s risk of having insulin resistance, the major precursor of type 2 diabetes, revealed by researchers in a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
Genetic study shows that low body fat may not lower risk for heart disease and diabetes – Researchers revealed that some people with a specific form of the gene are more likely to have lower percent body fat, but also more likely to develop heart disease and type 2 diabetes, because the gene lowers only the “subcutaneous” fat under the skin, but not the more harmful “visceral” fat that surrounds organs. People with this gene variant are less able to store fat safely under the skin and may, therefore, store fat elsewhere in the body, where it may interfere with normal organ function.
Super-sticky ‘ultra-bad’ cholesterol revealed in people at high risk of heart disease – Scientists from the University of Warwick have discovered why a newly found form of cholesterol seems to be ‘ultra-bad’, leading to increased risk of heart disease. The discovery could lead to new treatments to prevent heart disease particularly in people with type 2 diabetes and the elderly.
T’ai chi helps prevent falls and improve mental health in the elderly — Systematic reviews of t’ai chi: An overview – T’ai chi has particular health benefits for older people, including helping to prevent falls and improving mental wellbeing, reveals a review published ahead of print in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Coffee may reduce risk of lethal prostate cancer in men – It is a good news for men who regularly drink coffee. They appear to have a lower risk of developing a lethal form of prostate cancer, revealed by researchers from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) US.
‘Master switch’ gene for obesity and diabetes discovered — Researchers have found that a gene linked to type 2 diabetes and cholesterol levels is in fact a ‘master regulator’ gene, which controls the behavior of other genes found within fat in the body – A team of researchers, led by King’s College London and the University of Oxford, have found that a gene linked to type 2 diabetes and cholesterol levels is in fact a ‘master regulator’ gene, which controls the behaviour of other genes found within fat in the body.
Structured Exercise Training Associated With Improved Glycemic Control for Patients With Diabetes – Implementing structured exercise training, including aerobic, resistance or both, was associated with a greater reduction in hemoglobin A1c levels (a marker of glucose control) for patients with diabetes compared to patients in the control group, and longer weekly exercise duration was also associated with a greater decrease in these levels.
