Control Blood Sugar Levels With Green Tea

Green tea is one of the best things you can sip on this winter for your health.  The leaves contain many different compounds found to promote health. Probably the most well-known benefit is from EGCG which is an anti-cancer substance.  Green tea is also packed with antioxidants, polyphenols, catechines and other phytonutrients. 

 

The good news is there is even more good news about green tea!

The rapid increase in blood sugar associated with high carbohydrate meals has been associated with many chronic diseases ranging from arthritis to heart disease.  Several substances have been found to slow blood sugar absorption and green tea is one of them.  The main benefit is derived from EGCG and it works to reduce the rate at which sugar is absorbed across the intestinal lining thus resulting in a lower blood sugar spike.  Just another good reason to enjoy a cup of green tea.  Personally, I love the green tea with ginger variety.

The Health Benefits of Red Wine (Just in time for the Holidays!)

Red wine has been a staple food of humans for centuries.  In ancient Greece it was commonly recommended to help fight off infections.  It shows up in the Bible.  Its health giving properties are well documented throughout human history and modern research has continued to give us more reasons that moderate (1-2 glasses of red wine a day) consumption is good for human health.  While this is certainly good news for those of us who choose to enjoy a glass of red wine it is important to note the word moderation.  Drinking more than 1-2 glasses a day of any alcoholic beverage is likely to cause damage over the long run.  So, what is so great about red wine?

                                                                                                                                    

Red wine has been shown too…

-increase good cholesterol and decrease bad cholesterol, thereby decreasing the rates of heart disease

-Inhibit the development of fat cells

-decrease the rate of colds by 44% in a Spanish study

-has a protective effect on the liver

-protect against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

-prevent muscle wasting and improve recovery from strenuous physical activity

 

It appears that most of the benefits of red wine consumption come from its high levels of antioxidants, flavonoids and resveratrol.  These compounds found in the skins of the grapes used to make the wines have a protective effect on the body and help reduce inflammation and limit free radical damage to cells.  This might explain the numerous benefits listed above as well as the exploding body of research showing the health benefits of red wine. 

 

Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon tend to have the highest nutrient levels.  This is because the thin skins of these grapes react quickly when the grapes experience environmental stress such as invading fungi or other organisms that trigger the grapes to produce resveratrol and other compounds that act as nutrients in the human body.  Don’t worry the fungi and other organisms are killed before the wine is made!  While no single food or drink can replace the health benefits of daily exercise, a balanced diet and a generally healthy life style moderate red wine consumption can certainly be a positive addition to you diet if you consume alcoholic beverages.

The US Has a Drug Problem

The United States has a drug problem.  No, I don’t mean the recent legalization of marijuana for recreational use in Colorado and Washington.  This one hits much close to home and is much more widespread.  The problem is prescription drug caused “accidental deaths.”  Taking medication has become so second nature here in the United States that most people just consider it normal to be on several different medications.  The problem is that Americans are dying off in record numbers because of the drugs they are taking.  This does not mean illegal prescriptions bought off some guy on the street either… these are legally prescribed and properly taken medications.  How bad is the problem? The CDC reported that in 2009 as many as 37,000 people died from legally taken drug overdoses.  That’s 1 person every 19 minutes all year long.  It is so bad in fact that deaths from properly taken medication is now the leading cause of accidental death in the US.

 

DIABETES

 It is no secret diabetes is exploding in this country.  Recent data suggests the problem is only getting worse too.  Think some companies don’t want to cash in on this?  GlaxoSmithKline, the giant drug producer just agreed to pay a $90 million dollar fine to resolve criminal allegations that its diabetes drug was known to the company to cause a significant increase in heart attack rates.  The charge was that they knew for years that their drug caused the increase in heart attack and did nothing to protect the public.  How much more did the risk of heart attack increase with use of this drug? A whopping 47% according to one study done in hospital and nationally the drug was linked to TENS OF THOUSANDS of heart attacks!

PAIN PILLS

 Of the thousands of deaths in the US annually from prescription medication about 50% involve pain medications.  When you consider that the number of pain pill prescriptions have increased 600% from 1997-2007 (I wonder what it is at now) and that 80% of the world’s pain pills are ingested in the US it’s really no surprise these numbers are growing.  In addition to the problem of people dying there is also the fact that many of these drugs are extremely addictive.  As is common with many recreational drugs, over time a tolerance to the effects of these drugs builds up and soon what was once able to take away chronic pain won’t even reduce it so the person takes more pills.  Sooner or later there is a limit to how much the body can take and it simply stops working, usually when the person is asleep. 

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

 More people are dying from prescription drugs than ever before.  If people are not aware of this problem it won’t change and it is clearly a health hazard for United States citizens.

Winter Health Supplements

The winter months can be a challenging time to stay healthy.  A number of factors contribute to this. First of all it’s cold out so we do not have as much access to fresh, local produce.  This can lead to nutrient deficiencies that are not common in the spring, summer or fall.  We tend not to exercise as much or as often when it’s cold out which some research suggests, slows down our immune system.  Lastly, Vitamin D, which is produced by our skin during the warmer months is not produced during the winter. This is important because Vitamin D plays a role in numerous body systems so a deficiency can contribute to a number of health problems. So with the winter months approaching what are the most efficient and cost effective way to safe guard your health? 

 

If you take only 3 things this winter take these…

 

Multivitamin-  A high quality multivitamin will supply an array of nutrients your body needs.  The best sources of vitamins are food based multivitamins which are typically available through health care professionals.  This should be taken year round, but is especially important during the winter.

 

Vitamin D- supplementation of  D3 helps the body maintain its vitamin D levels during the winter. During the spring, summer and early fall Vitamin D supplementation is typically unnecessary. 

 

Fish Oil- fish oils have been linked to numerous health benefits in recent months.  They have been shown to protect mental function, reduce the risk of numerous diseases and to help protect the heart and circulatory system. They also help reduce inflammation in the body which can be an underlying factor in chronic health conditions and illnesses.  These too should be taken year round but are especially important in the winter.

 

In addition certain “super foods” can be of great value in the winter time because of their extremely high nutrient density. 

 

My personal favorites are (in no particular order)

 

Camu Camu

Mangosteen

Acai Berry

Goji Berry

Cocoa (chocolate)