But there’s another significant reason to manage it, better yet, help it go into remission…

And that’s cancer.

Men with diabetes are 19 percent more likely to develop cancer. For women, the risk is 27 percent. If that weren’t bad enough, research has shown a link between diabetes and metastatic cancer. High concentrations of sugar in the blood encourages cancer cells to spread.

Researchers looking into the diabetes-cancer connection know how you can take both of these dangerous conditions down…

Can losing weight control diabetes AND cancer?

The Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT), a structured weight management program for people with diabetes, produced some amazing results…

Under the supervision of a dietitian, participants replaced their habitual diets with a prescribed diet. Foods not on the prescribed diet were slowly reintroduced.

After two years of this trial, 68 men and 53 women saw their type 2 diabetes go into remission, compared with only six men and five women in the control group.

When Emma Hazelwood of Bristol Medical School in England read these results, a bell went off…

She knew that people with type 2 diabetes also had an increased risk of developing certain cancers — including pancreatic cancer.

Had the trial participants who successfully lost weight and controlled their diabetes also reduced their cancer risk?

Nine cancer-related proteins reduced with weight loss

Previous studies have found that having increased body weight changed the level of certain proteins with a known link to cancer.

So, along with a team of researchers from Bristol Medical School, Hazelwood used data from 261 people with diabetes who were enrolled in the DiRECT trial.

The team analyzed blood samples from before and after weight loss and found that nine cancer-related proteins were reduced, compared with none in the control group, who had received standard diabetes care but not the prescribed diet.

“Results from this study help us gain insight into potential mechanisms linking type 2 diabetes and body fatness with cancer development.

“These findings offer encouraging evidence that the increased cancer risk seen in people with diabetes might be reduced with weight loss interventions. This has important implications for both diabetes treatment and cancer prevention.”

Do-it-yourself weight loss and disease prevention

Of course, not all of us can enroll in a trial that supervises our weight loss.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t proven ways to do it yourself.

The Mediterranean diet is favored among people who are trying to lose weight and eat more healthfully. In fact, one study showed that people lost more weight and stuck to this diet more easily than either the Paleo or intermittent fasting diets.

Then there’s something known as mindful eating. It may sound like a New-age fad, but on the contrary, eating mindfully is a powerful way to control blood sugar.

But if you need a little guidance on your weight loss journey, consider Weight Watchers. The organization has been a leader in the weight loss industry for more than 50 years — and recognizing that weight loss is key for preventing type 2 diabetes, they’ve become a pioneer in helping people stop the disease progression in its tracks.

They’ve also got a reputation for helping people keep the weight off.

Sources:

Weight loss intervention in people with type 2 diabetes influences cancer-associated proteins — Eureka Alert

Impact of weight loss on cancer-related proteins in serum: results from a cluster randomised controlled trial of individuals with type 2 diabetes — eBioMedicine

Direct Clinical Outcomes at 24 Months — Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial

The post The diabetes-cancer connection and how to take both down appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

If you haven’t, let me share a little about its appeal…

First off, it’s not just a drink. Some call it an experience — one that should probably be kept to a minimum, as it involves sugar, a variety of flavors and toppings.

But what really defines this drink sensation is the boba — chewy tapioca pearls swimming in your drink.

That means you can simultaneously sip your tasty tea and enjoy the “mastication pleasure” of smooth, soft beads bouncing around your mouth until you “pop” them, taking this sensory experience to the next level: chewy sweetness.

But as I mentioned, it’s not the healthiest of drinks, as most fad foods aren’t. But what if you could add beads or pearls to your drink that did more than give your mouth something tasty to chew on?

Like tiny green tea beads that trap fat and melt away pounds …

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Fat-absorbing microbeads without the nasty side effects

The quest for a magic weight loss pill is still alive and well.

However, today’s popular GLP-1 agonists, gastric bypass, and the gut-wrenching Olestra chips of the 90s, prove the journey to prevent dietary fat absorption is fraught with adverse side effects.

But there’s an interesting idea on the horizon…

A team of researchers led by Yue Wu, a graduate student at Sichuan University, was inspired to target the same sort of fat absorption without the negative side effects. “We want to develop something that works with how people normally eat and live,” Wu says.

They started by creating tiny plant-based spheres spontaneously formed through a series of chemical bonds between green tea polyphenols and vitamin E. These structures can form chemical tethers to fat droplets, serving as the “fat-binding core” of the microbeads.

The researchers then coated the spheres in a natural polymer derived from seaweed to protect them from the stomach’s acidic environment. Once ingested, the protective coating expands in response to the acidic pH as the beads travel towards the intestine. There, the green tea polyphenols and vitamin E compounds bind to and trap partially digested fats, which are ultimately eliminated.

Next, they tested the weight-loss treatment in rats…

The researchers divided the rats into three groups: those fed a diet of 60 percent fat with microbeads, those fed the same high-fat diet without microbeads, and those fed a normal diet of 10 percent fat. All the rats were fed these diets for 30 days.

The results were astounding. Rats fed the high-fat diet with microbeads lost 17 percent of their total body weight, while rats in the other groups didn’t lose weight at all.

Additionally, rats on the high-fat microbead diet exhibited reduced adipose tissue and less liver damage compared to those on the other two diets. They also excreted more fat in their feces compared to rats not given microbeads, and the extra fat had no apparent ill effects on their health.

Then, when comparing rats on the high-fat microbead diet with rats treated with orlistat, the researchers observed that the high-fat microbead rats showed similar intestinal fat excretion without the gastrointestinal side effects observed in the orlistat-treated rats.

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Safe weight loss inspired by boba tea

These preliminary results look promising…

The researchers say this microbead approach to weight loss may be safer and more accessible than surgery or pharmaceuticals.

“Losing weight can help some people prevent long-term health issues like diabetes and heart disease,” Wu says. “Our microbeads work directly in the gut to block fat absorption in a noninvasive and gentle way.”

The microbeads are nearly flavorless, and the researchers believe they can easily be integrated into people’s diets: for example, as small tapioca- or boba-sized balls added to desserts and bubble teas.

Wu and her team are collaborating with a biotechnology company to produce the plant-based beads using food-grade, FDA-approved ingredients.

The researchers have also initiated a human clinical trial in collaboration with the West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

“This represents a major step toward clinical translation of our polyphenol-based microbeads, following our foundational results,” Wu says. “We have officially enrolled 26 participants in our investigator-initiated trial, and we anticipate that preliminary data may become available within the next year.”

So if you’ve been waiting to jump on the bubble tea trend, you may be in luck, especially if the next generation can boast safe weight loss along with that “mastication pleasure!”

Source:

1. Tiny green tea beads trap fat and melt away pounds without side effects — ScienceDaily

The post Green tea beads: The next big thing in weight loss appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Unfortunately, in addition to a possibly slimmer body, those who take them have been confronted with unexpected (and “out there”) side effects.

From rebound weight loss that can only be avoided by staying on the drugs indefinitely — to pancreatitis, gastroparesis and intestinal blockage, it seems these medications might do more harm than good.

And that’s before you consider the reports that GLP-1 drugs also cause a loss of skeletal muscle mass, which makes it harder to keep the weight off, shrink cardiac cells and the heart itself and may cause vision loss.

However, as if that weren’t enough, it’s now being reported that there’s one more warning for anyone considering taking one of these drugs…

And this time, the danger is in your mouth…

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Oral health problems abound

These weight loss drugs are now being linked to cases of what’s being called “Ozempic mouth” or “Ozempic teeth.”

The most common oral problems people who take them are noticing include inflammation affecting the gums, tooth decay and even bad breath.

And doctors point out that all of these complaints can stem from one thing: dehydration, leading to a dry mouth.

“All of the GLP-1 agonists that we use now cause changes in how everything is secreted in your GI tract,” explains Ann Marie Defnet, MD, an obesity medicine physician and bariatric surgeon.

According to Dr. Defnet, this “definitely has an impact on saliva.” Although it might not be immediately apparent why these drugs would cause saliva to decrease, the process is actually pretty simple…

Basically, because GLP-1 agonists dramatically decrease hunger and often cause nausea, people taking them may also drink far less than usual, without even realizing it.

“I have patients all the time that [say], ‘Oh yeah, I can tell I’m dehydrated,'” Defnet says.

This can lead to complaints of a dry mouth and, over time, can result in periodontal disease and gingivitis.

Check your breath

Dehydration and dry mouth can also cause bad breath — an issue that can be made worse by the fact that people taking these drugs may eat little if any fat, putting their body into ketosis.

This can cause the breath to have a “fruity smell.”

To top it off, the nausea that comes with GLP-1 agonists can cause vomiting, which exposes the teeth to acid, which can wear down tooth enamel. It’s a downhill slide from there — which makes diligent oral care especially important.

“I think all of these sorts of symptoms, especially those in the mouth, are signs that you just need to take a little bit better care of yourself while taking these drugs,” Defnet said. “They’re definitely not completely benign. They have side effects.”

Her recommendation?

Anyone taking the drugs should do two things religiously: drink water even if you don’t think you’re thirsty, and pay close attention to your oral hygiene routine — which includes seeing a dentist regularly.

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Weight loss without the Ozempic teeth

For me, that list of side effects tied to these medications goes far beyond anything I would be comfortable risking.

Especially when there are many healthier weight loss practices shown to work, without nasty side effects, such as…

• Eating more oats – Oats contain a type of fiber that mimics how Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro work. Where do you think the drug manufacturers got their ideas? Oats are Mother Nature’s way of slowing digestion and helping you feel fuller longer.
• Ditching ultra-processed foods to lose twice as much without eating less – It’s easy! You can still eat moderately processed foods and experience decreased cravings and weight loss.
• An alkaline diet – Researchers led by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine analyzed a study in which adults lost 13 pounds in 16 weeks on one such diet.

There’s also been a lot of discussion about “Nature’s Ozempic” and the combination of omega-3 fatty acids and black seed oil. You can read up on them before you decide if they’re right for you.

Sources:‘Ozempic Teeth’: Another Effect of GLP-1 Agonists? – MEDPAGE TODAY

The post ‘Ozempic teeth’: Another weight loss wonder drug side effect appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It includes recommended amounts of fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrates, salt, and fiber, as well as recommendations on the intake of fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein sources.

In the United Kingdom, My Plate’s counterpart is known as The Eatwell Guide.

But there’s a catch with guides like these: they leave it up to us to decide where we get these dietary building blocks from. And the choices run the gamut, from processed, ultra-processed or minimally processed foods to whole foods.

This choice is significant if you’re trying to lose weight.

A British study has proven that one option is twice as effective as the other when it comes to meeting that goal. I’ll give you one guess…

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The foods that won’t help with weight loss

A clinical trial led by researchers at University College London and UCL Hospital found that people eating minimally processed foods lost twice as much weight as those on diets eating ultra-processed foods.

This real-world study is the longest experimental study of an ultra-processed diet to date.

In it, 55 adults were split into two groups. One group started with an eight-week diet of MPF, such as overnight oats or homemade spaghetti Bolognese. After a four-week ‘washout’ period during which participants went back to their regular diet, they switched to a diet of UPF, such as breakfast oat bars or a lasagna ready meal. The other group completed the diets in the opposite order. 

Both diets adhered to the Eatwell Guide in terms of intake of fat, protein, salt, fiber, etc., and both groups could eat as much as they wanted of fruits and vegetables.

At the end of the eight weeks, the MPF group lost twice as much body weight (2.06%) as the UPF group (1.05%).

And in case you’re thinking, “Oh, they probably lost muscle, not fat,” think again. The greater weight loss experienced on the MPF diet came from reductions in fat mass and total body water, with no changes in muscle mass.

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Minimally processed foods for the win

Before I get into how to help you determine the differences between UPF and MPF, I want to share some other interesting findings from this study…

If you’ve ever dieted to lose weight, you know cravings alone can sabotage your best efforts. But MPF actually squashed cravings.

The participants completed several questionnaires during the study. When all the results were tallied, there were significantly greater improvements in the number of cravings and ability to resist them (craving control) on the MPF diet than on the UPF diet.

Specifically, on the MPF diet, participants reported:

• A two-fold greater improvement in overall craving control;
• A four-fold greater improvement in craving control for savory food;
• And an almost two-fold greater improvement in resisting whichever food they most craved.

If you read my recent article on The Food That Won’t Let You Outrun Obesity, you may already know that UPF has the opposite effect. Researchers surmise that the energy density, nutrient composition and appearance of UPF disrupt hunger hormone signals and actually encourage over-eating.

But that’s not all…

UPF calories are absorbed into the body quickly, where they can be stored as fat. These foods lack fiber and contain additives that may disrupt the normal digestive processes. They also have an obesogenic effect: obesogens are chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system and lead to weight gain.

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Identifying MPF and UPF: Which is which

Food experts are still trying to classify the level of processing in foods so we can have an easier time understanding what we’re eating.

I have seen MPF described as foods that are cut, washed, peeled, shredded and packaged. That would describe a bag of salad, apple slices or chopped nuts.

I’ve also read that frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are considered minimally processed — as long as when you open the package, you recognize the food. Canned fruit should be packaged in natural juices, though, not syrup. And no breading on those vegetables.

The easiest way to recognize a UPF is to simply read the label. If you see ingredients listed that are hard to pronounce or require a Google search to know what they are, that’s a UPF. They also bear very little resemblance to real food.

The best rule of thumb? Include as many whole foods as possible. That means consuming foods that look like the real thing, versus a stick of fish. Following an eating plan like the Mediterranean diet is a great way to ensure your diet consists mainly of whole, unprocessed or minimally processed foods.

Sources:

This diet helped people lose twice as much weight, without eating less — Science Daily

Ultraprocessed or minimally processed diets following healthy dietary guidelines on weight and cardiometabolic health: a randomized, crossover trial — Nature Medicine

Effect of a high-fat Mediterranean diet on bodyweight and waist circumference: a prespecified secondary outcomes analysis of the PREDIMED randomised controlled trial — The Lancet

The post How to lose twice as much without eating less appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Most people know that when they’ve been eating poorly, there’s a good chance they’ll put on some weight.

No big deal. To outrun the effects of a bad diet and lose those extra pounds, just ramp up the exercise.

Burn those extra calories, and you can avoid gaining or take off any extra weight that may have come from your “cheat days,” as we used to call them.

But in reality, that turns out to be almost impossible. Here’s the reason for that..

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Lack of exercise is not the cause of obesity

Over the last century, obesity has become as common as the common cold and lots of research has looked in potential causes. For decades it’s centered around taking calories in and the expenditure of energy to burn those calories.

So it makes sense that physicians and fitness experts alike blame weight gain and obesity on our increasingly sedentary lifestyles. But that’s just not the case…

An international team of researchers compared the daily amount of calories burned by people from 34 different countries and cultures worldwide, including hunter-gatherers and farming populations with low obesity rates, as well as people in sedentary jobs in places like Europe and the U.S., where obesity is widespread.

Dr. Herman Pontzer, a professor of evolutionary biology and global health at Duke University, led the research. And he and his team have debunked the idea that living a sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity.

Participants in the worldwide study included more than 4,200 adult men and women who drank a special water containing isotopes. These isotopes, tracked in participants’ urine, allowed the scientists to get an exact read on how much energy the subjects used.

They measured energy expenditures not just from movement and exercise but from vital processes and functions the body performs — including the energy it takes to keep the heart beating or the nervous system functioning — just to stay alive.

Surprisingly, they found that people from populations with high obesity rates burned only slightly less energy than those from populations without an obesity problem.

Dr. Pontzer says that this fits with what we already know about how the body burns calories.

“Surprisingly, what we find is that actually, the total calories burned per day is really similar across these populations, even though the lifestyle and the activity levels are really different,” he says.

In other words, someone foraging for berries all day may burn the same amount of calories as someone at a desk all day. But why?

“So if we burn more of our energy every day on physical activity, on exercise, after a while our bodies will adjust and spend less energy on the other tasks that we sort of don’t notice going on in the background.”

This finding is strong evidence that obesity doesn’t occur from lack of physical activity. It’s because of food… one kind in particular.

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Ultra-processed foods are the culprit

“It’s 100% diet,” says Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, director of the Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. “And I think then the question is, what is it about the diet?”

Dr. Mozaffarian was not involved in the research, but has shared insights pointing out that the modern diet has become dominated by ultra-processed foods (UPF), and that these are the drivers of weight gain.

“For decades, we’ve been telling Americans that you’re lazy, it’s your fault, you’re not moving enough, you’re eating too much,” he says. “And I think what this study shows is that there’s a really complicated biology happening and that our food is driving this.”

The researchers of the study listed several ways, in addition to long shelf lives and increased availability, that UPF contributes to obesity, including:

• The hyperpalatability, energy density, nutrient composition and appearance of UPF might disrupt satiety signaling and encourage overconsumption. (Remember the adage, “you can eat just one”? UPF, from snacks to quick breakfast foods, to frozen pizzas and more, are designed to hook you and make you crave more.)
• Processing has also been shown to increase the percentage of calories consumed that are absorbed into the body rather than excreted. (UPF has low fiber content, is absorbed by the body quickly and has additives that potentially disrupt normal digestive processes.)
• They also found data that supports the obesogenic effects of UPF. (Obesogens are chemicals, often involved in ultra-processing and packaging, that can disrupt the endocrine system and lead to weight gain and obesity.)

Avoiding obesity isn’t the only reason to avoid UPF…

The more UPF in your diet, the higher your risk of dementia, colorectal cancer, and at least 30 other health conditions, ranging from diabetes to Crohn’s disease to asthma.

Make every effort to stick to a healthy, whole foods diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and you’re well on your way to keeping control of your weight.

Of course, there are other good reasons to get regular exercise — but if losing weight is among your reasons, you’ve got to examine your diet and move away from UPF.

Sources:

You can’t outrun a bad diet. Food — not lack of exercise — fuels obesity, study finds — NPR

Energy expenditure and obesity across the economic spectrum — Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)

The post The food that won’t let you ‘outrun’ obesity appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

So what could explain this?

For some people, obesity isn’t just about willpower or lifestyle choices — it’s often tied to genetics. More research is uncovering how our genes can play a significant role in weight gain and loss.

While previous studies have pointed to genes like CRTC1 and MC4R in relation to obesity, a recent study has brought attention to another gene: SMIM1…

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The SMIM1 Gene and Weight Gain

Researchers first discovered the SMIM1 gene about ten years ago while searching for the gene responsible for a specific blood type known as Vel. About 1 in 5,000 people don’t have this gene, making them Vel-negative.

A team from the University of Exeter studied nearly 500,000 participants, finding 104 people with a variant of the SMIM1 gene that doesn’t work properly. By analyzing blood samples from both those who have the gene and those who don’t, they noticed an interesting trend.

Those with the SMIM1 gene variant tended to weigh more — on average, about 4.6 kilograms more for women and 2.4 kilograms for men. One reason for this might be that these individuals burn fewer calories when at rest.

They also exhibited other signs associated with obesity, such as higher fat levels in the blood and lower thyroid hormone levels.

The implications of these findings are pretty significant—this genetic variant might be playing a part in obesity for around 300,000 people worldwide and could lead to new treatment options.

Unlocking the Thyroid Connection

What’s particularly interesting is how this research connects to thyroid health. The researchers are now considering whether a common medication for thyroid issues, called levothyroxine, could aid in weight management for individuals who don’t have both copies of the SMIM1 gene.

As lead researcher Mattia Frontini explains, “Our findings highlight the need to investigate the genetic cause of obesity, to select the most appropriate and effective treatment, but also to reduce the social stigma associated to it.”

However, it may take some time for clinical trials to be completed. In the meantime, if you’re facing challenges with weight gain and suspect thyroid issues, there are steps you can take to support your thyroid.

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Taking Care of Your Thyroid

In a previous study, Penn Medicine professor Dr. Mitchell Lazar noted about the thyroid, “… thyroid hormone doesn’t just turn things on or off, as the canonical model suggests, but instead more subtly shifts the balance between the repression and enhancement of gene activity. Yet, as people with hypothyroidism know, the lack of thyroid hormone can have profound effects on the body.”

The thyroid relies on specific nutrients to function optimally. One of the most crucial elements for thyroid function and healthy metabolism is iodine. You can find iodine in foods like sea vegetables, cranberries, raw milk, eggs, yogurt, and beans. Other nutrients that support the thyroid include:

Copper: This mineral can help stimulate the thyroid and prevent excess thyroid hormone from building up in the body.

L-Tyrosine: This amino acid works alongside iodine to produce the hormones that your thyroid needs to function well.

Selenium: This mineral helps convert inactive thyroid hormone into its active form.

Zinc: This essential mineral supports the transformation of one key thyroid hormone to another and helps release stored vitamin A from the liver, which is beneficial for thyroid health.

Additionally, you might want to consider taking ashwagandha root. It’s a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your thyroid function, allowing it to produce more necessary hormones.

In summary, understanding the link between genetics, thyroid health, and weight gain can pave the way for better treatment options. By focusing on your thyroid health and nutrition, you may find a more balanced and effective approach to managing your weight.

Sources:

New genetic cause of obesity could help guide treatment — ScienceDaily

SMIM1 absence is associated with reduced energy expenditure and excess weight — Med

The post New gene link to obesity and a thyroid connection appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

An analysis of 21 years of data presented late last year at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2024 paints a grim picture…

The analysis found that there was a significant and consistent increase in deaths from obesity-related ischemic heart disease from 1999 to 2020 in the U.S.

Ischemic heart disease is a condition that occurs when the heart’s blood supply is reduced due to narrowed coronary arteries.

Specifically, the analysis revealed an increase of 243% annually in deaths among men and 131% in women.

The highest rates of deaths from ischemic heart disease related to obesity were among middle-aged men ages 55-64, Black adults and people who live in the Midwestern states and non-metropolitan areas in the U.S.

With numbers like that, and on the climb, let’s talk about why obesity drives heart problems, the type of fat that does the most harm and what to do about it…

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How obesity contributes to heart disease

Three factors make obesity a driving force behind heart disease:

Cholesterol levels. Being obese can cause your LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels to rise. It also elevates triglyceride levels. Not only that, it actually can lower HDL (“good” cholesterol) levels at the same time.

Blood pressure. A person who is obese requires more blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to their body, which can lead to increased blood pressure. And high blood pressure is a common cause of heart attacks.

Diabetes. Obesity puts you at high risk for developing diabetes. And according to the American Heart Association, at least 68 percent of people aged 65 and older with diabetes also have heart disease.

These conditions are also three of the five markers for Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) — and three is all you need for a diagnosis. Another marker is having a large waist circumference — in other words, visceral belly fat.

How visceral fat fuels heart disease

If you are obese and carry a lot of fat around your midsection, you are pretty much a heart attack waiting to happen.

So why is merely carrying fat around the mid-section so dangerous?

According to Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, cardiologist and EHO contributor, visceral fat is like an organ that is “biochemically active.” That means it’s not just “passive fat.”

It can disrupt the healthy function of various hormones, like insulin, impact metabolism, inflammation and organs… leading to an increased risk of heart disease.

Visceral fat also produces chemicals called cytokines that have negative effects on blood pressure and blood clotting. Visceral fat is directly linked with higher LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

All of this increases the risk for ischemic heart disease.

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How to lose the fat that contributes to heart disease

You won’t be surprised to hear that diet and exercise are necessary to lose visceral fat. However, I do have a simple tip to help you start chipping away at it…

According to researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, start by eating an avocado a day.

Their study followed 105 overweight or obese adults for a full 12 weeks.

Half were asked to eat an avocado at one meal a day, while the other half ate meals with the same number of calories and nearly identical ingredients, just without the avocado.

And the results showed:

• Women who consumed an avocado as part of a daily meal had a reduction in deeper visceral abdominal fat.
• They also experienced a reduction in the ratio of visceral fat to subcutaneous fat, indicating a redistribution of fat away from their organs.

The researchers say that together, these two findings demonstrate the power of avocados to not only reduce visceral fat but also to ward off the diseases it can cause.

However, fat distribution in males did not change. That doesn’t mean the guys are out of luck. Consider the Green Mediterranean diet…

It’s similar to the traditional Mediterranean diet, but ramps up the green factor by requiring three daily components: green tea, walnuts, and a shake made with duckweed (an aquatic green plant high in protein, iron, vitamin B12, and polyphenols).

In one study, this green diet version lowered blood pressure, insulin resistance, and inflammation, and improved the ratio of good to bad cholesterol.

Another found it doubles the belly fat loss of people following the traditional form of the diet. In this particular study 88% of the participants were men.

Don’t forget, exercise is an important part of weight loss but can be hard to jump into for someone who’s obese. Consider consulting a doctor or a weight loss trainer for additional support.

In addition to doing the right things to lose weight, be wary of these 12 habits that pack on dangerous belly fat.

Sources:

Obesity-related heart disease deaths increased in the U.S. over the past two decades — Eureka Alert

Three ways obesity contributes to heart disease — Penn Medicine

Significant gaps between the science of obesity and the care patients receive — heart.org

Avocados change belly fat distribution in women, controlled study finds — Science Daily

The post What makes obesity-related heart disease so deadly appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And inflammation can lead to a host of problems, including metabolic syndrome, a group of cardiometabolic factors that can raise the risk of type 2 diabetes and lead to plaque buildup inside arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

What’s more, inflammation makes it more challenging to lose weight — and that creates a viscous cycle most of us know all too well.

One contributing factor to inflammation is an excessive amount of acid in the body. So you might wonder if there’s anything we can do to counteract this acidity. According to one team of researchers, there’s a specific diet that can help…

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The role of acid load

Researchers led by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine conducted an analysis of a study involving 62 overweight adults who were assigned to either a Mediterranean diet or a low-fat vegan diet for 16 weeks. They then had a four-week wash-out period, followed by an additional 16 weeks on the alternate diet.

The researchers used the participants’ dietary records to calculate their dietary acid load. This is commonly estimated by Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) and Net Endogenous Acid Production (NEAP) scores, with a higher score indicating a higher dietary acid load.

Animal products such as meat, fish, eggs and cheese — plentiful in the standard American diet — cause the body to produce more acid, which increases dietary acid load.

This increase in acid is linked to chronic inflammation that disrupts metabolism and can lead to weight gain. Plant-based diets, by contrast, are more alkaline and are associated with weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, and lower blood pressure.

In the new analysis, both acid load and acid production scores declined significantly in the vegan group, but there were no significant change in the group on the Mediterranean diet.

The reduction in dietary acid load in the vegan group was associated with weight loss, and this association remained significant even after adjusting for changes in energy consumption.

That wasn’t the most dramatic part. The body weight in the vegan group decreased by about 13.2 pounds!

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Switching to a more alkalizing diet

The authors of the study say the alkalizing effect of a vegan diet increases the body’s pH level to make it less acidic and may help promote weight loss.

“Eating acid-producing foods like meat, eggs and dairy can increase the dietary acid load, or the amount of acid consumed, causing inflammation linked to weight gain,” says Dr. Hana Kahleova, director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and lead author of the study. “But replacing animal products with alkaline plant-based foods like leafy greens, berries and legumes can help promote weight loss and create a healthy gut microbiome.”

The original study fothat und a vegan diet also reduced insulin needs, improved insulin sensitivity and glycemic control and led to improved cholesterol levels and kidney function.

Some of the top alkalizing foinclude are vegetables, fruits, leg,umes and certain grains, all of which abundantance in a vegan diet. Examples of particularly alkalizing foods include:

• Asparagus
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Garlic
• Leafy greens
• Apples
• Apricots
• Berries
• Cantaloupe
• Cherries
• Beans
• Chickpeas
• Lentils
• Peas
• Soy
• Millet
• Quinoa

If a complete switch to a vegan diet seems daunting, at least cut down on acidic foods. You could start by enjoying a plant-based breakfast rich in alkalizing foods. For instance, substitute millet with berries or a green smoothie with soy protein for your usual eggs or yogurt,.

Or if you really need that yogurt on occasion, go low-fat and incorporate lots of berries and flaxseed. Flax seeds contain fiber, which can further promote alkalinity by absorbing excess acid in the digestive tract. 

You may also be interested in incorporating sparkling water into your routine. It helps reduce acid in the bloodstream, which may improve metabolism.

As you become accustomed to this routine, you can try incorporating more plant-based alkalizing foods into your lunches and dinners. Before you know it, you’ll see the benefits around your waist!

Sources:

Acid-busting diet triggers 13-pound weight loss in just 16 weeks — ScienceDaily

Dietary acid load on the Mediterranean and a vegan diet: a secondary analysis of a randomized, cross-over trial — Frontiers in Nutrition

Obesity and inflammation: the linking mechanism and the complications — Archives of Medical Science

Metabolic syndrome is an inflammatory disorder: A conspiracy between adipose tissue and phagocytes — Clinica Chimica Acta

Associations between dietary acid load and obesity among Iranian women — Journal of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Research

The post The alkaline secret to losing 13 pounds in 16 weeks appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But is it true?

Well, it’s not called the middle-age spread because there’s not some truth to it.

But the more we understand about how that fat gets there, the better our chances are of doing something about it…

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What’s really behind middle-age spread

City of Hope® is one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States. But few of us know it’s also a leading research center for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses.

Their researchers recently discovered exactly why we tend to lose muscle and gain body fat as we age — even when our body weight remains the same.

They began with a well-known fact: that fat cells grow larger with age. But they suspected white adipose tissue (WAT), commonly known as white body fat, also expanded by creating new fat cells.

If true, that means it could have an unlimited potential to grow, something none of us wants to hear.

To test their hypothesis, the team transferred adipocyte progenitor cells (APCs), a group of stem cells in WAT that evolve into fat cells, taken from young and older mice, into a group of young mice.

The result? The APCs from the older animals began generating massive amounts of new fat cells rapidly. But that’s not all…

Using RNA sequencing, they compared the activity of the APC gene in young and old mice. The APCs were barely active in the young mice, but in middle-aged mice, the APCs began pumping out new fat cells as if there was no tomorrow!

“While most adult stem cells’ capacity to grow wanes with age, the opposite holds true with APCs — aging unlocks these cells’ power to evolve and spread,” said Adolfo Garcia-Ocana, Ph.D., the Ruth B. & Robert K. Lanman Endowed Chair in Gene Regulation & Drug Discovery Research and chair of the Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology at City of Hope. “This is the first evidence that our bellies expand with age due to the APCs’ high output of new fat cells.”

It gets worse… the research also discovered that aging transforms APCs into a new type of stem cell called committed preadipocytes, age-specific (CP-As). Starting in middle age, CP-A cells begin churning out new fat cells that lead to weight gain.

The good news? The scientists plan future research in hopes of developing new strategies that could eliminate or block the cells to prevent age-related fat gain.

Until then, we’re all on our own to do something about that middle-aged spread.

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Going after WAT to beat middle-age spread

We already have a few tricks up our sleeves to fight the battle of the belly bulge. And that’s to shift the makeup of fat in our bodies from WAT (which is made to be stored) to a form of fat the body burns for energy — brown fat.

You know diet is important, and exercise can burn fat. But at middle age, we need a little extra help.

I’ll discuss what I think are the two best ways to get that…

The first is called BAT (brown adipose tissue) activation. Your body can activate white fat to turn into brown fat when it gets cold enough. One study showed that up to 30 percent of your white fat cells can switch to brown fat when exposed to cold.

BAT activation can happen with the help of cold water immersion, cold showers and keeping the temperature in your home cooler. However, for BAT activation to work, you also have to combat inflammation. My second recommendation does that and more…

Black seed oil (from the Nigella sativa plant) is a natural anti-inflammatory. But a study on mice found that when used in combination with omega-3 fatty acids, white fat cells were reprogrammed to beige cells, which turn brown much more easily than WAT. Obesity-related inflammation was also mitigated.

So who says that middle-age spread has to be inevitable?

Sources:

Why our waistlines expand in middle age: Stem cells — ScienceDaily

The effects of temperature and seasons on subcutaneous white adipose tissue in humans: evidence for thermogenic gene induction — The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism

The post The stem cell secret behind middle-age spread appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Take the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). It’s released when we eat in order to stimulate insulin.

But GLP-1 does more than regulate blood sugar. It also suppresses appetite by slowing the passage of food from the stomach.

Sure enough, the weight loss industry latched on to this and brought us the drug Ozempic, whose active ingredient is semaglutide.

Originally meant to treat type 2 diabetes, it’s also marketed in a higher dose (with a hefty price) as Wegovy to anyone willing to pay for the weight loss “miracle drug.”

And now, experts are sounding new alarm bells about harmful impacts…

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Semaglutide can rob you of muscle mass

According to a study presented at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco, women and older adults taking these anti-obesity drugs may be at higher risk for muscle loss.

For adults with obesity, losing muscle is already a common side effect of weight loss.

But according to Dr. Melanie Haines of Harvard Medical School, about 40% of the weight loss experienced by women and older adults taking semaglutide-based drugs is not fat loss, but rather the loss of lean muscle.

Since muscle helps control blood sugar (and support bone health), it’s not surprising that the researchers also saw less improvement in HbA1c levels among this group. Not only does muscle increase insulin sensitivity, but it also takes glucose from the bloodstream to fuel muscle cells.

In fact, sarcopenia — age-related loss of muscle mass — is tied to health complications including diabetes.

Additionally, Dr. Haines and her colleagues found that eating less protein is also linked to greater muscle loss while on these drugs — and cautions that more studies are needed to find the best way to lose fat but keep muscle when using GLP-1 medications.

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Consider the risks and the alternatives

Muscle loss is just the latest in a series of findings that should make you think twice before using semaglutide as a weight loss strategy.

A large study at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital, one of the country’s largest neuro-ophthalmology clinics, found an association between semaglutide and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), an irreversible and uncommon condition causing damage to the optic nerve and, ultimately, permanent loss of vision.

And both Wegovy and Ozempic have black box warnings. A black box warning is the most serious type of health warning mandated by the FDA.

Such a warning, usually prominently featured on a drug’s label, is reserved for serious adverse reactions or special problems associated with a drug.

A safer alternative is to help your body do its job naturally by eating foods that balance and strengthen your hunger hormones, stabilize blood sugar and help you feel full.

Berries create a feeling of fullness, and their anthocyanin content makes the body more sensitive to insulin.

Oats contain beta-glucan, a form of fiber singled out in a study to mimic how GLP-1 agonists work, without the harmful side effects.

Protein has been shown to suppress ghrelin, the hormone that signals hunger.

The only side effect here is that it could take you a little longer to lose weight than if you took drugs, and it may require some exercise. But building your muscles is also going to help keep your blood sugar under control.

But using the right foods to achieve your weight loss goals will leave you with good eating habits you can use for the rest of your life and won’t leave you with side effects like diarrhea… or an empty bank account.

Sources:

Semaglutide melts fat—but may quietly strip away your strength — Science Daily

The post Semaglutide melts muscle: Why that’s bad news for blood sugar appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

However, the way those fats contribute to weight gain is more complex than we think…

The problem isn’t just the fat being added to your body as pounds. It’s what those fats do to your ability to lose weight in the first place and the metabolic dysfunction that leads to disease.

Here’s some research that has broken it all down for us — and a secret weapon to combat it…

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Dysregulation associated with weight gain

Dr. Tigist Tamir is an assistant professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and a former postdoctoral researcher at MIT.

Along with Dr. Forest White of MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Dr. Tamir is working on a new study that digs deep into how fatty foods disrupt our metabolism and cause weight gain that’s so hard to lose.

The doctors observed that many enzymes involved in the metabolism of fats and sugars are known to undergo phosphorylation, or the addition of a phosphate group.

This is all chemistry talk, I know, but stick with me here…

In mice that ate a high-fat diet, the phosphorylation of two specific enzymes, IDH1 and AKR1C1, rendered the enzymes dysfunctional, in a manner that impacts weight gain…

The two enzymes usually play a role in breaking down sugar and metabolizing fat, but the dysfunction interfered with their ability to do that. It caused an increase in insulin resistance and an accumulation of damaging molecules called reactive oxygen species (R.O.S., also known as free radicals). This caused the mice to gain weight and experience metabolic dysregulation, while mice on a healthier diet did not.

Antioxidants counter R.O.S. and fat

But here’s the good news: When the unhealthy mice were fed an antioxidant called BHA, the adverse effects were reversed, and the mice began to lose weight.

Mice who were treated with BHA showed a significant decrease in weight gain and did not become prediabetic, unlike the other mice fed a high-fat diet.

Dr. Tamir says, “They’re experiencing a lot of metabolic dysfunction, but if you co-administer something that counters that, then they have enough reserve to maintain some sort of normalcy.”

In other words, the damage done by a high-fat diet was undone by adding a powerful antioxidant to the mouse diet.

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A safer, natural antioxidant

The antioxidant used in this study was butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). BHA is a man-made, synthetic chemical often used as a food preservative in the U.S.

It’s been restricted or banned in some countries because of health concerns that it is carcinogenic and an endocrine disruptor. However, you can find supplements that contain low doses of it. Still, prolonged exposure carries those risks I mentioned.

But don’t get disappointed yet. Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant that has also been shown to have a significant impact on fat metabolism.

Researchers at Washington State University, who also studied mice, found that resveratrol stimulates white fat to turn “beige” for enhanced sugar and fat-burning power.

The researchers simply gave the mice resveratrol supplements (equal to eating 12 fruits per day) and found that they gained 40 percent less weight than control mice who didn’t receive the supplements.

Professor of animal sciences Min Du, lead author of that study said, “Polyphenols in fruit, including resveratrol, increase gene expression that enhances the oxidation of dietary fats so the body won’t be overloaded. They convert white fat into beige fat which burns lipids off as heat — helping to keep the body in balance and prevent obesity and metabolic dysfunction.”

As far as safety, supplementing resveratrol gets a thumbs up. It’s also available in more than 70 plant species, especially the skins and seeds of grapes. Berries are also polyphenols and antioxidant-rich. Acai berries contain antioxidant levels so high, they can only be estimated.

Sources:

A high-fat diet sets off metabolic dysfunction in cells, leading to weight gain — Eureka Alert

Structural and systems characterization of phosphorylation on metabolic enzymes identifies sex-specific metabolic reprogramming in obesity — Molecular Cell

The post How antioxidants reverse the damage of a high-fat diet appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Whether you’re tempted by sugary treats, salty snacks or indulgent fats, giving in can lead to unwanted calorie consumption, making it challenging to shed those extra pounds or, even worse, contribute to weight gain.

But here’s the exciting news! It turns out you can have your cake and eat it too, in a thoughtful and measured way, which could actually be a fabulous strategy for achieving your weight loss goals.

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Understanding Food Cravings and Weight Loss

Let’s explore some insights from Manabu T. Nakamura, a respected professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois. He shares a valuable perspective: “When you eat and snack without intention, it becomes incredibly difficult to maintain control.”

Many dietary programs suggest cutting certain foods out entirely, but Nakamura advocates for an “inclusion strategy.” This approach encourages you to incorporate small portions of your desired foods into well-balanced meals.

In a year-long clinical trial, Professor Nakamura monitored the changes in cravings among participants who were classified as obese. They successfully integrated their favorite foods into an overall healthy diet, while also participating in a dietary program designed to educate dieters about key nutrients, helping them make informed decisions about their food selections until sustainable dietary changes are achieved.

The results were quite remarkable! Participants who thoughtfully included their desired foods alongside nutritious meals experienced more significant weight loss over the year, and in the following months, their cravings diminished substantially.

Throughout the trial, the researchers assessed cravings in two meaningful ways…

First, participants completed a questionnaire every six months, sharing their cravings for specific foods. Additionally, they rated their cravings using a 15-statement survey that allowed them to express the frequency and intensity of these cravings, using responses ranging from 1 (never) to 6 (always). Phrases like, “Whenever I have food cravings, I find myself making plans to eat,” provided valuable insights into their experiences.

When all this data was analyzed, it suggested that an individual’s cravings were connected more to a decrease in body fat than to their actual diet choices.

According to Professor Nakamura, “This finding challenges the long-standing ‘hungry fat cell’ theory, which suggested that fat cells become starved for energy, triggering cravings that lead dieters to regain weight. However, this is not the case. Maintaining a healthy weight is key to keeping cravings at bay.”

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Mastering Cravings for Success

So, how can you manage those pesky cravings without letting them derail your weight loss efforts? It’s natural to desire what we perceive as off-limits. A fantastic tactic is to include small portions of those coveted foods within a wholesome, balanced meal.

According to Professor Nakamura, consistency plays an essential role in managing cravings and maintaining your weight. “There’s a common myth that requires an ironclad will to resist temptation, but this isn’t necessarily true,” he reveals. “Variations in eating patterns, meal times, and portion sizes can also incite cravings, so striving for consistency is vital.”

Some individuals have reported that flexible diets, such as the Paleo diet, which allows for generous consumption of approved foods, have helped them combat cravings effectively. However, if you’re not interested in adopting a specific diet, rest assured, there are other effective strategies you can implement:

1. Avoid purchasing trigger foods. If those tempting treats aren’t readily available in your kitchen, you’re less likely to indulge.

2. Consider spinach extract. A study found that taking 5 grams of spinach extract per day lowered cravings for chocolate as well as other high-sugar foods by up to 95 percent in women. It was shown to increase the release of GLP-1, which is how Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro work.

Remember, the most important takeaway is that your cravings don’t have to dictate your choices. Embrace this journey with a positive mindset, armed with the understanding that you have the ability to navigate your cravings with awareness and balance.

Sources:

Eating craved foods with meals lessens cravings, boosts weight loss — Science Daily

Reduced food cravings correlated with a 24-month period of weight loss and weight maintenance — Science Direct (Physiology and Behavior)

The post Embrace your cravings and still lose weight appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Most low-carb diets recommend limiting carbs to less than 100 grams per day. A ketogenic diet restricts carbs even more, at 20-50 grams per day, depending on how strict you want to be.

With these limitations, I always assumed that fruit’s natural sugar content made it an automatic no-go on a low-carb diet. Turns out I was wrong….

It’s true that fruit naturally contains carbohydrates. However, some fruits actually fall low enough on the carb scale to serve as a nutritious addition to a low-carb diet.

Here are 10 fruits that clock in at or below 15 grams of carbs per serving…

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Strawberries

If you’re looking to get your vitamin C from fruit, skip the citrus and go for strawberries. Eight medium strawberries, or one cup of slices, have just over 7 grams of carbohydrates and almost as much vitamin C as an orange.

They’re also packed with phytonutrients, which help fend off cancer and inflammation, protect your heart and balance your blood sugar. Just remember to buy only organic strawberries, as most commercially grown strawberries are rife with pesticides and other chemicals.

Watermelon

It turns out that fruits high in water or fiber have fewer carbs than other fruits. That’s why watermelon, which is 92% water, is one of the lowest-carb fruits, with 7.5 grams of carbs in every 100-gram serving (about one cup). Watermelon also contains plenty of vitamins A and C for a nice antioxidant boost, and studies show it can help protect your cardiometabolic health.

Plums

Plums are a great low-carb snack, with one medium plum (roughly 100 grams) containing only 7.6 grams of carbs. That same plum contains 100 milligrams of potassium to help manage blood pressure and ward against strokes. However, be cautious of dried plums or prunes, which can contain a substantial 64 grams of carbs per 100-gram serving.

Cantaloupe

This mainstay of fruit salads is a great low-carb fruit snack, with every 100-gram serving (roughly one cup or one large wedge) costing only about 8 grams of carbs. Cantaloupe is also high in vitamins A and C and folate.

Peaches

This sweet summer treat is also a low-carb one. One medium peach (roughly 100 grams) contains 8 grams of carbs, a gram of protein, a half-gram of fiber and 15% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.

Avocado

You may think of avocado as a vegetable, but it’s actually classified as a berry. Every 100-gram serving of avocado (a little less than a cup of cubes or slices) contains 8.5 grams of carbs and about 2 grams of protein. Avocados are also high in fiber and monounsaturated fats (the “good” kind), and they outweigh the banana in terms of potassium content.

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Honeydew

Every 100 grams of this sweet melon contains 9 grams of carbs—that’s about one cup or a small wedge and a half. Honeydew also comes in strong on the nutrient front, with tons of copper, potassium and vitamin C.

Blackberries

One cup of blackberries has less than 10 grams of carbs, a good amount of fiber and plenty of disease-fighting antioxidants. Their fiber content, as well as lower fructose level, means blackberries are less likely to cause gas and digestive problems.

Pineapple

A half-cup of pineapple (roughly 100 grams) has 11 grams of carbs. Eating pineapple is one of the best ways to get manganese, an essential mineral necessary for the nervous system, hormones, blood sugar and calcium absorption. Pineapple also naturally contains bromelain, a mix of enzymes that digest protein.

Raspberries

As mentioned earlier, high-fiber fruits have low carb counts. And raspberries, at 8 grams of fiber per cup, fit the bill nicely. They also contain a high amount of vitamin C. One cup of raspberries equals one serving of carbs (roughly 15 grams). You’ll want to eat fresh raspberries right away since they spoil within a day or two of purchase.

Smart fruit consumption

It’s important to note that these carb counts and benefits all apply to plain fresh or frozen fruits that are unsweetened.

If you want to add canned fruit to the mix, try to find versions that are packed in 100% water — not sugary syrup. It’s best to drain and rinse the excess juice off the canned fruit before eating it.

All carbs are not created equal, and giving them up completely could come back to haunt you. Carbs contribute to healthy aging and better sleep, so make these and other healthy carbs part of a well-rounded diet.

Sources:

Low-Carb Fruits — WebMD

What to Eat on a Low Carb Diet Plan — Obesity Medicine Association

The post 10 fruits to eat when watching your carbs appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Obesity is linked to an increased risk of more than a dozen types of cancer, and it’s also shown to worsen prognosis and survival rates. The metabolic changes and chronic inflammation associated with obesity help create a more cancer-friendly environment within the body, including one that allows cancer cells to win the battle for fuel against tumor-killing immune cells.

One study found that obesity increases the release of harmful molecules from fat tissue, which is a factor in increased breast cancer risk. Another showed that fat — particularly belly fat — releases a protein that can turn non-cancerous cells cancerous.

So, how can we lower this risk? The answer seems obvious: reverse the obesity. However, losing enough weight to no longer be considered obese can take months or even years. Isn’t there anything people with obesity can do in the meantime?

Yes, it turns out…

The anti-cancer diet that fights what fuels cancer

Researchers examined data from 450,111 participants in the 2017 European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, which enrolled participants ages 35 to 70 from across Europe. The average age of participants was 51 years, and 29% were men. They had an average body mass index (BMI) of 25.3 and a mean waist-to-hip ratio of 0.8.

The study measured everyone’s adherence to the Mediterranean diet on a nine-point scale. About one-quarter (26%) had high adherence of seven to nine points, 39% had medium adherence of four to six points, and 34% had low adherence of zero to three points.

On first glance, the results appeared relatively modest. Adjusted analyses showed that people with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean diet had a 6% lower risk for obesity-related cancers compared with those who had the lowest adherence.

However, when looking at site-specific obesity-related cancers such as colorectal, liver and kidney cancers, high adherence was linked with up to a whopping 48% lower risk.

Medium adherence to the Mediterranean diet was also associated with significantly lower risks for colorectal, kidney and liver cancers, along with a lower risk of esophageal cancer.

No associations were reported for hormone-related cancers in women, including postmenopausal breast cancer, endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer.

Those with the highest Mediterranean diet adherence tended to be younger. They also were more likely to have never smoked, were less physically active and had a higher energy (caloric) intake.

Interestingly, the reduction in risk of obesity-related cancer was greater in current and former smokers. Also, people who drank only a moderate amount of alcohol and had a lower meat intake tended to have a reduced risk of obesity-related cancer.

All the right foods to prevent disease

The researchers suggest that the cancer protection offered by the Mediterranean diet may be spurred by improvements in metabolic and inflammatory markers associated with the diet, such as fasting blood glucose and C-reactive protein. In addition, higher fiber intake may counteract carcinogenic compounds from processed meats and harmful foods.

“The potential benefits of the Mediterranean diet for cancer prevention may be from interactions and synergistic effects among its various components, collectively enhancing health benefits beyond those observed for individual foods alone,” the authors write in the study.

The fact that this is a large-scale study gives weight to the idea that adopting a Mediterranean diet may go a long way toward defending against obesity-related cancers, particularly those site-specific cancers mentioned in the study.

So, if you have obesity, where should you start? The Mediterranean diet emphasizes consumption of fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts and whole grains, as well as judicious intake of lean meats, low-fat dairy and olive oil. Survey your diet and see how closely it matches these parameters. If you’re using olive oil for cooking and consuming lots of fruits and vegetables, you’re already well on your way to a Mediterranean eating style.

If your diet trends more toward ultra-processed foods focus on changing one meal a day to something more in the Mediterranean realm. For instance, you could replace that lunchtime sandwich loaded with processed deli meat with an olive oil-dressed salad containing a healthy portion of tuna or salmon.

Sources:

Top Diet Linked to Lower Risk of Multiple Cancers — MedPage Today

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Obesity-Linked Cancer Risk in EPIC — JAMA Network Open

The post It’s time to rename it ‘the anti-cancer diet’ appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

While many individuals are preoccupied with protein intake, a significant number are neglecting a vital nutrient — fiber.

Despite its essential role in maintaining overall health, fiber doesn’t receive nearly the attention it deserves.

The Truth About Fiber Intake

According to a comprehensive study on fiber intake, less than 5% of Americans meet the recommended daily intake for dietary fiber. That’s a 95% deficiency rate for a nutrient proven time and time again to reduce the risk of chronic disease.

As a point of contrast, the statistics are almost exactly flipped for protein:  more than 92% of women consume enough protein to meet their estimated average requirements, resulting in an 8% deficiency rate. Many of us consume more than double the protein we need!

The minimum recommended daily intake for fiber is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men, but the average adult only gets about 15 to 16 grams per day. 

This shortfall, often referred to as the “fiber gap,” has significant health implications.

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Fiber Matters More Than You Think

Fiber is not just about keeping you regular. It’s a key regulator of metabolism, inflammation, appetite, and immune function, that facilitates superior  cardiometabolic outcomes, including:

• Lower all-cause mortality
• Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
• Improved lipid profiles (lower total and LDL cholesterol)
• Better  blood pressure regulation
• Reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes
• Lower weight 

All from getting more fiber. Oh, and if that’s not enough, you also get decreased risk of colorectal and breast cancer!

The GLP-1 Connection: Fiber and Appetite Regulation

One of the most fascinating insights from current research is fiber’s impact on GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), a hormone that helps regulate insulin secretion, blood sugar, and satiety.

When we eat fiber, particularly soluble and fermentable types found in foods like oats, flaxseeds, legumes, and berries, it feeds our gut bacteria. In return, these microbes produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that trigger the release of GLP-1. This hormonal cascade slows digestion, curbs appetite, and helps prevent overeating.

This is why so many Step One customers report feeling fuller longer and experiencing fewer cravings. It’s all that whole-food fiber at work, activating a powerful metabolic feedback loop.

By the way, if “GLP-1” seems familiar, it’s because this is the hormone that is delivered by drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound.  And in case you’re wondering why we are injecting artificial GLP-1 into people in the setting of near universal fiber deficiency — instead of first making sure that fiber gap is closed so that GLP-1 levels can go up naturally — welcome to my indignation.

The Fiber Gap and Chronic Disease

Low fiber intake is a public health crisis. It’s directly linked to:

• Obesity and weight gain
• Elevated cholesterol levels
• Hypertension
• Insulin resistance
• Inflammation and oxidative stress

Is it any wonder our society is awash in heart disease, pre-diabetes and diabetes, obesity, and chronic pain? And why are we seeing more colorectal cancer in younger and younger people? While medications can address some of these issues, fiber works upstream, ultimately helping prevent these problems from occurring in the first place.

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Bridging the Gap with Step One Foods

This is exactly why I created Step One Foods. 

Two daily servings of our products deliver at least 10 grams of fiber, using only whole food ingredients like chia seeds, oats, and walnuts. These foods naturally provide the types of fiber (soluble, insoluble, and fermentable) that your body and microbiome need to function optimally.

If the average person is missing about 10 grams of fiber per day, two servings of Step One get you there, closing the fiber gap. All without supplements or drastic diet changes.

Our foods are also backed by clinical data. In a Mayo Clinic-led randomized controlled trial, participants who consumed Step One Foods twice daily saw rapid, significant reductions in LDL cholesterol, providing yet another proof point regarding the health-building properties of our foods.  

It’s Time to Focus on Fiber

We’ve spent decades worrying about fat, carbs, and most recently, protein. But if I could get every patient to focus on one nutrient starting today, it would be fiber.

The science is clear. The benefits are vast. And the solution is simple: eat more real, whole, plant-based foods.

And let Step One help. We’ve done the heavy lifting by creating delicious, clinically supported options that make meeting your fiber goals easy and enjoyable.

Your body will thank you. So will your heart.

The post Focus on protein? The fiber gap matters most appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

While she was always successful at losing weight, it always came back a few months later, along with a couple of extra pounds. Talk about frustrating!

Given how good she was at sticking to whatever diet she was following, we could never figure out why she struggled with weight cycling.

Now, a team of researchers at ETH Zurich may have hit upon the reason behind this “yo-yo effect” — and it has nothing at all to do with willpower…

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Fat cells remember how to put the weight back on

Unlike genetic markers, epigenetic markers are more dynamic; they can be changed throughout a person’s lifetime by factors such as environment, eating habits and body conditions like obesity.

ETH Zurich researchers decided to look for the molecular causes of the weight-loss “yo-yo effect” — also known as weight cycling — by analyzing fat cells from overweight mice and those that had shed their excess weight through diet.

They found that obesity leads to characteristic epigenetic changes in the nucleus of fat cells and that these changes persist even after a diet.

“The fat cells remember the overweight state and can return to this state more easily,” says research lead Ferdinand von Meyenn, a professor at ETH Zurich.

The researchers showed that mice with these epigenetic markers regained weight more quickly when they once again had access to a high-fat diet.

The team also found evidence for this mechanism in humans by analyzing fat tissue biopsies from formerly overweight people who had undergone stomach reduction or gastric bypass surgery. In these samples, the researchers analyzed gene expression rather than epigenetic markers. However, the results were consistent with those of the mice.

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How long do fat cells remember

The researchers have not investigated how long fat cells can “remember” obesity. But they typically live for ten years before the body replaces them with new cells. That’s potentially ten years of epigenetic “memory” that makes weight cycling easier.

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to change the relevant epigenetic markers that could erase those memories from fat cells.

“Maybe that’s something we’ll be able to do in the future,” says Laura Hinte, a doctoral student in the research group. “But for the time being, we have to live with this memory effect.”

Von Meyenn adds that this memory effect is precisely why it’s so important to avoid being overweight in the first place. “… That’s the simplest way to combat the yo-yo phenomenon,” he says.

It’s easy to take these findings to mean that losing weight and keeping it off is a hopeless battle. But that’s far from their intention.

They hope that children and young people can focus harder on preventing obesity to avoid the difficulty we’ve learned about fat cell memory.

But for adults already dealing with weight problems, the only answer is avoiding the yo-yo train that just reinforces fat cell memories over and over again.

If whatever you’re doing to lose weight is working, that’s great — but once it’s off, it’s time to shift gears. Here is where you need to change what you’ve done in the past. Keeping the weight off requires a different approach that focuses more on exercise and less on calories.

Sources:

Cause of the yo-yo effect deciphered — EurekAlert!

Adipose tissue retains an epigenetic memory of obesity after weight loss — Nature

The post Losing it just to gain it back? Blame fat cell memories appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

You can read about eight benefits you can only get from extra virgin-olive oil, right here — but there’s just one in the list I want to focus on right now…

According to a study published in the Journal Foods, Greek men and women over 70 who exclusively used olive oil in food prep and cooking had higher scores on a scale of successful aging attributes, including particularly good body mass index (BMI) scores.

In other words, less body fat and a healthier weight.

I feel this is important to talk about because I’m constantly reading about the wave of semaglutide weight loss drugs that people are clamoring for. I guess they’re not reading the same reports I’m seeing about the many adverse and dangerous side effects these drugs pose.

Could some people swap a dangerous drug for olive oil and enjoy the weight loss they’re looking for?

I believe the answer is yes….

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5 reasons to choose olive oil over weight loss drugs

You hear many stories about the health of people living in the Mediterranean. Books have been written about the longevity of people living in this Blue Zone and others. There’s even a Blue Zone diet and a popular Netflix series based on the book, which chronicles the travels and experiences of author David Buettner.

I’ve never been to Greece, but I’m a fan of one of its most well-known daughters, Chef Maria Loi, who is considered the official Ambassador of Greek Gastronomy.

I read in an interview that she grew up in a family that took daily doses of olive oil, much like most people take vitamins. But what really interested me is what she shared about the one time in her life when she stopped the olive oil ritual: “When I stopped, I gained 40 pounds. But I went back to my roots, and the weight just fell off.”

So I began digging… just what are the super slimming secrets of olive oil? Actually, the more apt question may be: Where should I start?

1. A key compound of the Mediterranean diet. Not only is olive oil a staple of the Mediterranean diet — a diet linked to better health and weight loss — its role is well-established as one of the most essential components of the diet. It is the primary fat source and exceptionally rich in nutrients.
2. Boosts metabolism. Thermogenesis is the body’s process of generating heat, primarily through the burning of calories. Diet-induced thermogenesis happens when you eat certain foods that help your body burn more calories during digestion and throughout the day. A 2-month study found that daily consumption of extra-virgin olive oil reduces body weight and waist circumference in people with metabolic syndrome. Research by Brown University found that women on an olive oil-rich diet can actually consume hundreds more calories a day and still lose significantly more weight than their counterparts on a traditional low-fat diet.
3. Suppresses appetite. Both Wegovy and Ozempic are synthetic versions of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a hormone made in the gut that influences the satiety centers in the brain. Well, the monounsaturated fats in olive oil regulate appetite through the natural release of GLP-1 and PYY to communicate to the brain that you’re full. The benefit without the drawbacks.
4. Supports insulin levels. European researchers found that two tablespoons of olive oil daily alters cell membranes in a way that can significantly improve blood sugar control. Better blood sugar control reduces fat storage, particularly in the belly. 
5. Slows the digestive process. Slowing the digestive process is one way semaglutide drugs work to help people feel fuller longer. But you may have read how they’ve led to pancreatitis, gastroparesis and bowel obstruction. Olive oil slows the digestive process and triggers the release of natural serotonin — a neurotransmitter associated with fullness — with none of those uncomfortable side effects. Nature’s way is always gentler and better.

Olive oil for a healthy weight and a healthy body

Dietary fat used to be the scapegoat for heart disease, obesity, diabetes, premature aging — you name it. All the bad things got blamed on fat.

But we were just eating the wrong fat. Eating the right fat is one of the best things you can do to stay fit and healthy, lose and maintain weight and avoid disease.

If you’ve been eating the standard American diet, which is substantially higher in fat (and not the good ones), you might wonder if olive oil can help you drop the weight and the ill effects of a high-fat diet. Yes, it’s not too late.

A sluggish liver is the result of a high-fat diet. But incorporating olive oil can even turn that around. Hydroxytyrosol, a polyphenol found in extra-virgin olive oil, reversed the effects of poor eating, prevented insulin resistance, reduced the signs of fatty liver disease, as well as adverse effects seen in other organs, like the heart and brain.

If you’ve tried olive oil and didn’t like the taste, don’t be discouraged. I found most of them bitter until I made the switch to extra virgin olive oil. Below, there’s an editor’s note where you can learn about my favorite kinds and even receive a special offer to try a bottle.

It could be the beginning of positive changes you’ll see not only on the bathroom scale, but in the health of your entire body.

Editor’s Note: You’re invited to join a tiny handful of Americans who enjoy rare, fresh-pressed olive oil all year long. Please take my word for it, there’s a difference in taste, quality and benefit! Try it for $1! Click here to learn more…

Sources:

Olive Oil for Weight Loss: One Chef’s Happy Experience — Yahoo!life

Daily Use of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with High Oleocanthal Concentration Reduced Body Weight, Waist Circumference, Alanine Transaminase, Inflammatory Cytokines and Hepatic Steatosis in Subjects with the Metabolic Syndrome: A 2-Month Intervention Study — Journal Metabolites

The Effects of Diets Enriched in Monounsaturated Oleic Acid on the Management and Prevention of Obesity: a Systematic Review of Human Intervention Studies — Advances in Nutrition

The post The super slimming secrets of olive oil appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And if you’re in the over-50 crowd, you may feel even more discouraged.

I’m here to tell you there IS a way to start climbing that mountain. No drugs involved. It’s research-based, and it CAN help you control that seemingly ever-present hunger…

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Study proves that moderate exercise suppresses appetite

“People understand that exercise helps ‘burn energy.’ A lot of people assume that exercise also increases hunger and energy intake afterwards,” says Professor Timothy Fairchild of Murdoch University’s School of Allied Health in Australia.

But a study authored by Professor Fairchild and a group of experts in exercise physiology disproves this notion.

The study shows that, rather than increasing appetite, moderate-intensity exercise helps to control appetite.

Professor Fairchild notes that this study proves that “even moderate-intensity exercise can have immediate and beneficial effects on appetite control in males with obesity.”

And if you’re intent on avoiding weight-loss drugs, this study has even more good news for you.

“Despite a strong focus on weight loss drugs in society at present, this study shows that lifestyle factors still have a strong and relevant role in helping people to live their healthiest life,” Associate Professor Fairchild said.

“In fact, the hormones which have been shown to increase after exercise are the same hormones which the most successful weight loss drugs are mimicking.”

What is moderate-intensity exercise and how much do you need?

So what exactly qualifies as moderate-intensity exercise?

In short, if your heart rate goes up to 50% or 60% higher than your resting heart rate, you’re doing moderate-intensity exercise.

That means you’re doing an activity that makes your heart beat a little faster and your breathing a bit harder. It’s a level of exercise that feels somewhat challenging but doesn’t make you completely exhausted.

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For people with obesity, the CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. This can be broken down into 30-minute sessions, five days a week.

Walking, water aerobics, and riding a stationary bike are examples of moderate-intensity exercise.

All of the following fit the definition of moderate-intensity exercise:

• Walking two miles in 30 minutes
• Biking five miles in 30 minutes
• Swimming laps for 20 minutes
• Running one and a half miles in 15 minutes
• Doing water aerobics for 30 minutes
• Playing volleyball for 45 minutes
• Playing basketball for 20 minutes
• Jumping rope for 15 minutes
• Walking stairs for 15 minutes

If none of these seem appealing, don’t forget that regular household activities can also qualify as moderate-intensity exercise:

• Washing your car for 45 minutes to an hour.
• Gardening for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Raking leaves for 30 minutes.
• Dancing for 30 minutes.

Mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming can also give you a moderate-intensity workout!

Sources:

Moderate exercise keeps appetite at bay — Science Daily

Acute effect of exercise on appetite-related factors in males with obesity: A pilot study — Physiological Reports

How sedentary people with obesity can ease into regular exercise — Healthline

What Does ‘Moderate-Intensity Exercise’ Mean Anyway? — Cleveland Clinic

The post How to naturally suppress your appetite like those weight loss drugs   appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Not so fast.

You’ll want to think twice before putting artificial anything into your body. Those fake sweetener packets you see on restaurant tables have been linked to poor gut health that contributes to heart disease, autoimmune disorders and colon cancer — among other things.

Now, believe it or not, research is finding that a popular artificial sweetener actually increases your craving for sweets!

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Low-calorie sweeteners disrupt brain signals linked to hunger

According to a study from the University of California, controlling your weight isn’t as simple as reducing calories by substituting artificial sweeteners for sugar.

They’ve found that sucralose (known commercially as Splenda®) increases activity in the hypothalamus, the brain region that regulates appetite and body weight.

The study builds on existing research that linked calorie-free sweeteners and obesity, but didn’t tease out how these substances affected hunger.

The UC study provides that missing link…

Dr. Kathleen Page is the study’s corresponding author and the director of USC’s Diabetes and Obesity Research Institute.

“If your body is expecting a calorie because of the sweetness, but doesn’t get the calorie it’s expecting, that could change the way the brain is primed to crave those substances over time,” she says.    

Compared to drinking sugar, drinking sucralose increased brain activity in the hypothalamus of study participants and increased feelings of hunger.

These effects were strongest in people with obesity.

This means that when obese people use this sweetener in lieu of sugar in an effort to cut calories and lose weight, they are actually stimulating their brains to make them hungrier.

In addition, MRI scans showed that consuming sucralose increased connectivity between the hypothalamus and the anterior cingulate cortex, which plays a role in decision-making.

That means sucralose could have a negative impact on cravings and eating behavior.

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Losing weight without artificial sweeteners

It’s clear that artificial sweeteners are not your friend if you’re trying to lose weight.

So, how can you start cutting sucralose out of your life? Start by ditching diet sodas.

About 40% of Americans regularly consume sugar substitutes, mostly in diet sodas, followed by other low-calorie drinks, including flavored water and teas.

Of course, you’ll find it in low-calorie foods made to appeal to dieters, such as foods and snacks labeled “sugar-free,” including breads, cereals, grain products, bars, condiments, yogurt and other dairy products.

It’s hard to kick the diet soda habit, but knowing they are working against you may make it easier. But don’t swap them for regular sodas that typically contain at least 10 teaspoons of sugar. Instead, try filtered water with fruit added, especially citrus, to give it a naturally tasty but mild flavor.

Next, stop reaching for diet foods made with artificial sweeteners and switch to a whole-food diet. Once you’ve made that change, you should consider leaning towards a diet that primarily includes plants to experience real and lasting weight loss.

In a study a colleague wrote about, one group of people eating a plant-based diet lost an average of 14 pounds in 16 weeks. They found that plant-based meals increased their metabolic rate, causing them to burn an extra 18.7% in calories after finishing. The group also experienced significant drops in overall fat and a substantial drop in visceral fat levels (the fat surrounding the organs).

Sources:

Calorie-free sweeteners can disrupt the brain’s appetite signals — Eureka Alert

Non-caloric sweetener effects on brain appetite regulation in individuals across varying body weights — Nature Metabolism

A Mediterranean Diet and Low-Fat Vegan Diet to Improve Body Weight and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Randomized, Cross-over Trial — Journal of the American Nutrition Association

The post When low-calorie sweeteners backfire: Increasing cravings & weight appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But today, you’re going to hear a slightly different story. You’ll want to pay close attention if you’re trying to lose weight.

You’ll hear about how certain processed foods can play an important role in helping you achieve that goal — with some added health benefits.

So, if you find it hard to follow a healthy whole foods diet, abhor frequent trips to the grocery store or market for fresh produce and enjoy the convenience of processed food — go for these and watch the weight fall off…

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Plant-based processed foods boost metabolism and weight loss

Dr. Hana Kahleova is the director of clinical research for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

She and an international group of medical researchers have determined that plant-based foods, regardless of their level of processing, are effective for significant weight loss.

“Our research shows that choosing a bagel instead of bacon for breakfast or a veggie burger instead of a hamburger for dinner is the best option if you are looking to lose weight,” says Dr. Kahleova.

“Filling your plate with plant-based foods — even if they are considered ultra-processed like soy milk and vegan meat and yogurt alternatives — instead of animal products can have a positive impact on your weight and overall health.”

Dr. Kahleova and her team looked at the results of a study where participants who were overweight were randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group for 16 weeks.

During that time, the intervention group followed a low-fat, plant-based diet with no limit on calories, while the control group did not change their diets.

The group following a vegan diet lost an average of 13 pounds compared with an insignificant weight loss in the control group. They also showed greater improvement in their postprandial (after-meal) metabolism.

These findings suggest that replacing animal products with low-fat plant-based foods — even those that are considered processed, such as beans and cereal — may be an effective weight loss strategy.

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An easier way to switch to plant-based eating

There are other benefits to eating a plant-based diet, and it doesn’t take long for them to show up, either.

In a study where pairs of twins were assigned either a vegan diet or a diet that included both plant and animal foods, it took only 4 weeks for the vegan dieters to lower their LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels.

In that same time period, they lowered their insulin levels and lost weight, which improved their heart health. But this twin study emphasized vegetables and fruits, legumes and whole grains free of sugars and refined starches.

Maybe if following a plant-based diet is new to you, but you’d like to try it to lose weight and improve blood sugar, reaching for plant-based processed food could be an easy way to ease into it.

But don’t cheat yourself by not adding in some fresh fruit and vegetables eventually. Take mangoes, for instance, which have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and lower inflammation and glucose levels.

If you need to wean off of eating meat, you could try a green Mediterranean diet where fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains make up the bulk of your meals.

And you won’t feel a bit deprived! You can enjoy smoothies with healthy ingredients like blueberries, leafy greens, bananas, yogurt and avocados on this diet. Or try some veggie chili with beans, chickpeas and other vegetables — no meat needed!

Enjoy experimenting with Mediterranean spices that have special anti-diabetic benefits, and you’ll find yourself enjoying plant-based eating in no time!

Sources:

Swapping animal products for plant-based foods—no matter how processed—leads to weight loss, finds new study — Eureka Alert

Effect of a Low-Fat Vegan Diet on Body Weight, Insulin Sensitivity, Postprandial Metabolism, and Intramyocellular and Hepatocellular Lipid Levels in Overweight AdultsA Randomized Clinical Trial — JAMA Network Open

Vegan diet, processed foods, and body weight: a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial — Nutrition and Metabolism

The post The best processed foods for weight loss appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, not only can yo-yo dieting damage your heart, but it also comes with additional health warnings to be wary of, including:

• Increased risk of diabetes
• Higher risk of gallstones
• Poor gut health
• Depression

Now, research is linking one more health danger to body-weight cycling. It’s one that anyone living with type 1 diabetes needs to be aware of…

Weight cycling and kidney disease

The study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism examined six years of body-weight data for more than 1,400 people who participated in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) or the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC) study.

Type 1 diabetes has long been considered a disease of lean individuals, but, as the authors noted, the prevalence of obesity is rising among those with type 1 diabetes, mirroring the increase in the general population.

The researchers specifically delved into the effect of weight fluctuation on six different criteria for kidney function decline and progression toward chronic kidney disease in this group.

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Here’s what they found…

The scientists determined that people who experienced more significant weight fluctuations suffered from a 40% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), which measures how well the kidneys filter toxins from the blood.

Results also showed that those with greater weight fluctuations were more likely to experience moderately to severely increased albuminuria. This occurs when there are abnormally high levels of a protein known as albumin in the urine. Larger amounts occur in the urine of people with kidney disease.

Additionally, according to the researchers, in all of the indices they examined, similar findings of kidney disease were confirmed.

“We showed that high body-weight variability is associated with increased risk of different outcomes of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) progressions in people with type 1 diabetes, independently of traditional DKD risk factors,” said lead author Marion Camoin, M.D.

People with Type 1 should focus on the long-term

This is the first study to show a link between yo-yo dieting and kidney events in people with type 1 diabetes, according to the authors.

However, the mechanisms linking body-weight cycling to increased renal risks are still not fully understood.

The researchers hypothesize that insulin therapy, which is necessary to treat type 1 diabetes, is a contributing factor to body-weight cycling. Others have theorized that body-weight cycling leads to added strain on the heart and contributes to kidney and vascular damage.

It may be safest to work on weight loss with an expert in type 1 diabetes. That’s because first and foremost, managing insulin levels is a priority.

According to experts on type 1 diabetes, weight gain can be a common result of managing T1D due to:

• taking too much insulin and eating to match your insulin
• treating multiple hypos daily/weekly
• inactivity due to fear of highs and lows
• over-consumption of calories when trying to eat low carb (these foods are often higher in fat and therefore higher in calories).

To lower the risks of yo-yo dieting and the occurrence of kidney disease, the study authors suggest that “Strategies aimed at weight reduction in people with type 1 diabetes should focus on promoting long-term weight maintenance, as weight stability may have a positive impact on health outcomes.”

Sources:

Yo-yo dieting may significantly increase kidney disease risk in people with type 1 diabetes — EurekAlert!

What Happens to Your Body When You Yo-Yo Diet — WebMD

Consequences of Weight Cycling: An Increase in Disease Risk? — NIH

The Long-Term Effects Of Yo-Yo Dieting — Forbes

The post Type 1 diabetes: weight loss and kidney disease risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But what the marketers of these drugs aren’t telling you is that weight loss comes with a lot of drawbacks: weight loss plateaus, scary gastrointestinal side effects, a sobering black box warning and a hefty price tag.

Luckily, there are a couple of simple and inexpensive steps you can take to mimic the effects of these drugs.

For instance, berberine is a phytochemical found in several plants that lowers insulin and fasting glucose levels and reduces triglycerides, which can lead to lower cholesterol. These are similar to the effects triggered by GLP-1 agonists.

Or here’s one that’s even easier….

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Beta-glucan the fiber that mimics GLP-1 agonists

Previous research has touted the ability of fiber to nourish our gut microbiome in ways that help with weight loss.

One such fiber is inulin. It packs a powerful metabolic punch that’s reported to suppress appetite, lower blood sugar and promote healthy weight.

But a recent study has taken that a step further by identifying a specific type of fiber that mimics the effects of GLP-1 agonists.

Beta-glucan, a form of fiber found in oats and barley, was singled out in the study as being able to control blood sugar and assist in weight loss in mice fed a high-fat diet.

The researchers say beta-glucan is the only fiber supplement they tested that lowered a mouse’s fat content and body weight within 18 weeks. Other fibers considered, including wheat dextrin, pectin, resistant starch and cellulose, had no such impact, though they did shift the makeup of the microbiome compared to the mice fed no fiber supplements.

“We know that fiber is important and beneficial; the problem is that there are so many different types of fiber,” says University of Arizona biomedical scientist Frank Duca.

“We wanted to know what kind of fiber would be most beneficial for weight loss and improvements in glucose homeostasis so that we can inform the community, the consumer and then also inform the agricultural industry,” Duca adds.

Oats for weight loss, reduced fat, gut health and insulin sensitivity

Dietary fiber is the main energy source for gut bacteria, yet less than 5 percent of Americans consume the recommended 25 to 30 grams of fiber (between 0.9 and 1 ounce) of fiber per day.

Even when we do choose to consume fiber, it’s tough to know which type to pick. There are water-soluble fibers like oat beta-glucans and wheat dextrin that are easily fermentable by gut bacteria.

Then there are others that are less soluble or insoluble, meaning they pass through the gut and help form stool. Both are important from a health perspective.

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But if you’re looking to lose weight, beta-glucan may be the way to go…

The study found that only beta-glucan increased the number of Ileibacterium found in the mouse intestine. This bacterium has been linked to weight loss in other mouse studies.

Long before the 10-week mark, mice fed beta-glucan demonstrated reduced body weight and body fat content compared to mice fed other types of fiber.

The beta-glucan mice also showed increased concentrations of butyrate in their guts, a metabolite made when microbes break down fiber. Butyrate triggers the release of GLP-1, the same protein mimicked by drugs like Ozempic to stimulate insulin release.

And that’s not the only effect, Duca says. “We think that there are other beneficial things that butyrate could be doing that are not gut peptide related, such as improving gut barrier health and targeting peripheral organs like the liver,” he notes.

The researchers caution more study is needed before these results can be extended to humans. However, the findings do suggest some fiber may be better suited to weight loss and insulin control than others.

So if you’re looking to lose weight, boosting your intake of beta-glucan could benefit those efforts. Try eating a bowl of oatmeal (which contains both inulin and beta-glucans) for breakfast, or adding a helping of barley to your soup or salad. Not only will it support your weight loss efforts, but it will give you better gut health to boot.

Sources:

How your morning oats could help you manage your weight — The University of Arizona News

Impact of Plant-Based Dietary Fibers on Metabolic Homeostasis in High-Fat Diet Mice via Alterations in the Gut Microbiota and Metabolites — The Journal of Nutrition

The post The breakfast food that mimics how Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro work appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The chatter is that drinking sparkling water, AKA fizzy water and, technically, carbonated water, can help level up a fat-burning metabolism

Sound too good to be true?

Could a bubbly beverage really possess weight loss powers? And if so, how?

A recent study published in the BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health journal has the answers…

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Four ways sparkling water impacts weight loss

Researchers set out to build on the results of previous studies on what happens when carbon dioxide (CO2) — the gas used to create the bubbly sensation in drinks like sparkling or carbonated water — is consumed and enters the blood.

Overall, the experts say that the effects of sparkling water could impact weight loss help in four distinct ways:

#1 – Improves feelings of satiety

The first impactful way sparkling water could help anyone on a weight loss journey is by simply promoting satiety. This doesn’t seem like rocket science at all. After all, when you sip a carbonated drink, and those fizzy bubbles reach your stomach, there’s a feeling of fullness. It’s easy to see how that would make you less hungry.

#2 – Supports gut motility

According to Dr. Tara Narula, those same bubbles that make us feel full might also “increase or change your gut motility or movement.” This is important since lack of gut motility (dysmotility) can lead to bloating and has been independently associated with weight gain.

#3 – Promotes healthier choices

Drinking sparkling water could be a great way to support healthy choices that reduce the amount of sugar and calories we consume each day.

Dr. Narula points out that “You may not be reaching for a sugary beverage or soda if you’re drinking carbonated water.”

Previous research saw people who swapped out one eight-ounce sugar-sweetened beverage for an eight-ounce glass of water per day could drop their daily calorie intake significantly.

#3 – Lowers blood sugar levels

And the final benefit of carbonated water is easily the most important…

When asked about how action could support weight loss, Dr. Narula explains, “When carbon dioxide gets into your bloodstream, your red blood cells, it changes the pH and makes the blood a little more alkaline  — and in that setting, the blood cells are able to absorb more sugar, or glucose, dropping your blood sugar level. In that respect, it might help your metabolism.”

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In other words, by alkalizing your body, carbonated water helps keep blood sugar on an even keel, so your metabolism works more effectively to burn fat between meals for energy.

Raise a glass of sparkling water to weight loss

Despite these benefits, the scientists say that the clinical results of the study were small.

However, if you’re like me, you’ve probably found that when it comes to weight loss, taking all of the help you can get is key— as long there are no side effects.

I don’t see any downsides to drinking sparkling water. The only thing you have to lose is those unwanted pounds.

And as an added benefit, by increasing your body’s alkalinity, you could also improve your overall health. Check out these four evidence-based benefits of an alkaline diet.

Sources:

Can carbonated water support weight loss? — BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health

What to know about sparkling water and weight loss, according to new study — ABC NEWS

What you should know about carbonated water and weight loss — CNN

Dysmotility Symptoms Are Independently Associated With Weight Change: A Population-based Study of Australian Adults — NIH

The post 4 ways sparkling water supports weight loss appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And that’s not even mentioning the number of diets out there. Mediterranean, green Mediterranean, keto, vegan, paleo, DASH… each has benefits and downsides. How am I supposed to choose?

I guess it all depends on what health impact I’m looking for. My goal is to choose a style of eating that minimizes my risk of chronic disease, so any diet that can help with that is one I’m interested in.

That’s why a recent study exploring a new eating style caught my attention. Yes, it’s yet another diet to add to the pile — but this one has some exciting benefits that can happen fast….

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The benefits of the NiMe diet

One thing most healthy diets have in common is their emphasis on avoiding “industrialized” or processed foods that are associated with bad health and early death.

Industrialized diets have contributed to a significant rise in chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes and heart disease in Westernized countries.

An international team of researchers decided to develop a diet based on the eating habits of non-industrialized societies. They focused on members of rural Papua New Guinea communities because they have a specific gut bacteria, L. reuteri, that people from industrialized societies lack.

In the study, participants followed the NiMe (Non-industrialised Microbiome Restore) diet and supplemented L. reuteri.

NiMe has a plant-based focus, primarily comprised of vegetables, legumes and other whole-plant foods. However, it is not vegetarian, as it includes one small serving of animal protein daily: salmon, chicken or pork. NiMe excludes dairy, beef and wheat because they aren’t part of the traditional foods consumed by rural Papua New Guineans.

NiMe was also very low in processed foods, which are high in sugar and saturated fat, and very high in fiber. In fact, fiber content was 22 grams per 1,000 calories, which exceeds current dietary recommendations.

The findings were impressive. In just three weeks, the diet slashed conditions you may recognize as symptoms of metabolic syndrome:

• Promoted weight loss;
• Lowered bad cholesterol by 17 percent;
• Reduced blood sugar by 6 percent;
• Slashed C-reactive protein by 14 percent (a marker of inflammation and heart disease).

These improvements were linked to beneficial changes in the gut microbiome. Specifically, the NiMe diet enhanced the short-term persistence of L. reuteri in the gut and reduced pro-inflammatory bacteria and bacterial genes that degrade the gut’s mucus layer.

Even though participants did not consume fewer calories on the NiMe diet, they still lost weight, and the diet alone led to considerable cardiometabolic benefits.

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“Industrialization has drastically impacted our gut microbiome, likely increasing the risk of chronic diseases,” says Jens Walter, a professor and leading scientist at University College Cork in Ireland. “To counter this, we developed a diet that mimics traditional, non-industrialized dietary habits and is compatible with our understanding on diet-microbiome interactions.”

In previous research, Walter’s team found that people in rural Papua New Guinea have a much more diverse microbiome rich in bacteria that thrive from dietary fiber and low in levels of pro-inflammatory bacteria linked to a Western diet. The researchers used this information to design the NiMe diet.

Recipes for a better gut microbiome

According to Paul Ross, a professor and director of APC Microbiome Ireland, the study illustrates how the gut microbiome can be targeted through specific diets to improve health and reduce disease risk. “These findings could shape future dietary guidelines and inspire the development of new food products and ingredients, as well as therapeutics, which target the microbiome,” Ross says.

The NiMe diet, with its plant-based focus, is surprisingly simple, and researchers have made recipes available on their Instagram (@nimediet) and Facebook pages. They also plan to make an online cookbook available as well. Most of the recipes use ingredients that are readily found in Western grocery stores.

If you’re looking to boost your gut levels of L. reuteri, consider adding probiotic supplements containing the bacterium to your diet. Combining that with the NiMe diet could be a powerful step towards protecting your body from chronic disease.

The post NiMe: The good gut diet that improves health fast appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It can help you lose weight and belly fat. It’s linked to slower aging and lower disease risks for diabetes, heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s. And a lot of experts say it’s a sure way to lengthen lifespan.

How exactly can the simple act of timing your meals so you may go hours without eating, or even skipping a few meals, have so many benefits?

Well, not to diminish any of the benefits associated with intermittent fastings, there’s one thing that might be a deal breaker for you…

If you’re worried about thinning hair, time-restricted eating might not be the right choice.

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Super slow hair regrowth

A warning that impacts hair growth comes from researchers at Westlake University in Zhejiang, China who, knowing how fasting improved the stress resistance of stem cells associated with blood, intestinal and muscle tissue, hoped to see the same remarkable effects in skin and hair tissue.

To check it out, the scientists started their study in mice that were shaved and then subjected to different intermittent fasting regimes. While some mice ate during an 8-hour period and fasted 16 hours a day, others underwent alternate-day fasting (ADF).

But instead of seeing improvements in hair stem cells, the results brought up concerns…

The scientists discovered that instead of improving hair regeneration, fasting inhibited it. While the control mice with unlimited access to food had regrown most of their hair in just 30 days, mice on both intermittent fasting regimens experienced only partial hair regrowth after 96 days.

And mice weren’t the only ones adversely affected…

The team studied the effects of fasting in 49 healthy young adults and found that 18 hours of fasting per day for 10 days reduced the average speed of hair growth by a full 18%.

“We don’t want to scare people away from practicing intermittent fasting because it is associated with a lot of beneficial effects — it’s just important to be aware that it might have some unintended effects,” said senior author, Bing Zhang.

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Follicle cells on fasting

So why would fasting cause hair thinning?

According to the scientists, it’s all because when you’re fasting, your body has to switch from burning glucose to burning fat — something that’s great for your waistline but not so much for your scalp.

That’s because hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) aren’t able to cope with the oxidative stress associated with this change, which keeps them dormant instead of actively growing hair.

In fact, the research showed that while the control mice’s follicles began to become active around day 20 post-shaving and remained active until their hair had regrown, the hair follicles of fasting mice underwent apoptosis (programmed cell death) due to a build-up for free radicals.

The same thing happened in human in vitro testing.

“During fasting, adipose tissue starts to release free fatty acids, and these fatty acids enter the HFSCs that were recently activated, but these stem cells don’t have the right machinery to use them,” explained Zhang.

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Supporting hair growth during fasting

So do you have to give up fasting if you want to keep your hair thick and full?

Not necessarily…

The research also resulted in some good news for those of us who want to get all of the benefits of time-restricted eating without hair loss worries.

Because free radicals in the follicles were the culprit behind hair regrowth issues, the team decided to see if antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals, could mitigate their effects.

And sure enough, they found that both topical application of vitamin E and increasing antioxidant capacity helped hair follicles survive fasting and become active again.

This means that if you do decide to use intermittent fasting to improve your overall health, you can support your hair health by rubbing vitamin E into your scalp and getting more antioxidants into your diet in the form of food and supplements.

Sources:

Intermittent fasting inhibits hair regeneration in mice — Science Daily

The post The ‘superhealthy’ diet that can halt hair growth appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

However, there’s a catch…

While the drugs are effective in weight loss, they come with significant side effects that should not be overlooked. These include pancreatitis, gastroparesis, and bowel obstruction, as well as nausea, vomiting, and extreme acid reflux. It’s important to note that the medications could cause a loss of skeletal muscle mass, along with fat mass loss, leading to frailty and a higher likelihood of future weight gain.

As it turns out, those issues may be just the tip of the iceberg.

That’s because, according to the University of Alberta in Canada, in addition to the problems they cause with skeletal muscle, these drugs may also affect the muscles of your heart, causing them to shrink.

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Reduction in cardiac size

Your cardiac muscles play a crucial role in pumping blood that carries oxygen and nutrients to every part of your body, including your brain. This means that anything that affects your heart muscles’ health could have a significant impact on your overall body health, making it a matter of serious concern.

That’s why the findings of this study are of utmost importance. They shed light on the potential risks associated with GLP-1 agonists, providing valuable information for those considering these medications for weight loss.

The researchers gave semaglutide (the ingredient that makes Ozempic effective) to both lean and obese mice with no previous heart problems for 21 days.

In those 21 days, the obese mice lost a whopping 30% of their body weight and an amazing 65% of their fat mass, which sounds incredible.

However, they found that lean mice treated with the drug lost approximately 8% of their skeletal mass over the same time period.

Even more concerning was the fact that both groups showed decreases in overall heart mass and reductions in the individual size of their heart muscle cells.

“Together,” said the researchers, “these data indicate that the reduction in cardiac size induced by semaglutide occurs independent of weight loss.”

Tests in human cells add more weight to the evidence

Of course, while trials in mice are important, we really want to know how these drugs affect our bodies.

To learn the answer, scientists decided to test the effects of semaglutide on human cells. And the results were once again worrisome.

The team discovered that treating human heart muscle cells with the drug significantly reduced their size.

However, the researchers say that it may not be time to panic if you’ve taken a GLP-1 agonist for weight loss because they can’t be certain semaglutide is causing the shrinkage of cardiac muscles or even if this muscle loss is bad.

They do still warn, though, that semaglutide “has the potential to be detrimental in the long term” to cardiac muscle.

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Supporting weight loss safety

The good news is that you don’t have to turn to drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy to drop those unwanted pounds.

In fact, scientific research has already provided two natural options that offer a safer, more natural way to lose weight by leveraging an “Ozempic-like effect.”

The first is beta-glucan, a form of fiber found in oats and barley, that was singled out in a study as being able to control blood sugar and assist in weight loss in mice fed a high-fat diet.

The mice fed beta-glucan also showed increased concentrations of butyrate in their guts, a metabolite made when microbes break down fiber. Butyrate triggers the release of GLP-1, the same protein mimicked by drugs like Ozempic to stimulate insulin release.

Additionally, some nutritional experts call one particular supplement, berberine, “Nature’s Ozempic.”

Of course safest of all is the diet researchers say is a viable option for people who want to control their body weight and improve the quality of their diet to prevent and treat metabolic diseases.

Sources:

Drugs Like Ozempic May Have a Shrinking Effect on The Heart – Science Alert

Semaglutide Reduces Cardiomyocyte Size and Cardiac Mass in Lean and Obese Mice – ScienceDirect

When wonder drugs lead to pancreatitis, gastroparesis and bowel obstruction – Easy Health Options

The post ‘Miracle weight loss drugs’ may be shrinking hearts appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That’s because dropping the extra pounds is one of the most effective ways to improve your blood sugar.

And now according to a new study, there’s one more big benefit to following a weight management program for your diabetes — being able to cut back on or even toss out both your diabetes and your blood pressure medication for good.

Lose weight and kiss diabetes and high blood pressure goodbye

The research specifically utilized a weight management program developed by researchers at the Universities of Glasgow and Newcastle for the Diabetes UK-funded Diabetes REmission Clinical Trial (DIRECT).

It involves multiple phases — the first of which is 12 weeks on a diet that involves consuming low-calorie soups and shakes. And it can lead to weight loss of over 15 kg or 33 pounds in just four months when followed fully.

For the second phase, you simply choose foods and eat wisely in order to maintain your weight.

For the study, researchers had participants stop all diabetes and blood pressure drugs at the start of the diet and then only had them restarted if their blood sugar or blood pressure went up.

And here’s what happened.

Not only did participants experience remission of their type 2 diabetes, but the diet also helped lower blood pressure — and reduce the need for antihypertensive medications.

The study showed that:

• Maintaining the 33-pound weight loss allowed 80 percent of people to become free from type 2 diabetes, without the need for diabetes medications for at least 2 years.
• Average blood pressure fell steadily as people lost weight.
• Blood pressure remained lower after the formula diet period finished, and then at 12 and 24 months.
• Just over a quarter (28 percent) of people needed to reintroduce a blood pressure tablet during the diet.
• Another 28 percent were able to remain off their blood pressure medications for at least two years following the diet.

“Our study shows that, in addition to possible remission from type 2 diabetes, there are other very important health benefits, as weight loss is a very effective treatment for hypertension and its associated serious health risks,” said Professor Mike Lean, from the University of Glasgow.

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Slimming down to ditch the drugs

The study showed that simply by losing weight, you have the power to not only improve your heart, blood vessel, and blood sugar health but also finally either decrease or eliminate the need for medication to treat those issues.

Of course, you don’t want to simply ditch the drugs without talking to your doctor, even if you are losing weight.

Instead, start a healthy weight loss plan and ask your doctor to monitor your blood pressure and blood sugar to help you get off the medications safely.

To follow the diet used in the study, check out the book Life Without Diabetes: The Definitive Guide to Understanding and Reversing Diabetes by Ron Taylor, MD.

Or simply follow a low-calorie, nutrient-dense diet with plenty of fruits and veggies, such as the Mediterranean diet. Weight loss might be slower. But when it comes to weight loss, getting to your destination is what matters.

Sources:

Reversing Type 2 Diabetes and Ongoing Remission — Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre

Diabetes remission diet also lowers blood pressure and reduces need for medication — EurekAlert!

The post Kiss diabetes and high blood pressure goodbye in one step appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

To win that battle, you need as many helpers in your corner as possible. But while many people are reaching for GLP-1 drugs, better known by brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy, you may want to think twice about reports of serious side effects that are stacking up.

Luckily, scientists have identified one more helper in the weight loss battle — an anti-obesity antioxidant that actually blocks fat accumulation and can keep even a high-fat, high-calorie diet from packing pounds onto your body.

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PQQ: an antioxidant powerhouse

The antioxidant is known as pyrroloquinoline quinone or PQQ for short.

It’s one that’s been found to lower heart failure risk and help rescue a fatty liver.

It’s also known as a “longevity” nutrient due to its ability to improve the function of the body’s cellular powerhouses — mitochondria.

And that effect on the mitochondria is just one of the ways scientists say PQQ can help you slim down.

Battling the bulge

The scientists pitted PQQ against a high-fat or high-calorie diet in a mouse model.

They found that PQQ:

• Significantly attenuated (reduced) both the total body fat and visceral fat volume in the abdominal region of the mice.
• Blocked body fat accumulation under both high-fat and high-calorie consumption conditions.
• Suppressed lipogenesis (the process by which fat forms) in adipocytes, the body’s fat cells.
• Promoted mitochondrial biogenesis (in other words stimulated the body to produce more mitochondria).

So what does that all mean?

PQQ actually kept fat from being formed (even during consumption of what amounts to a fast food diet).

It stopped pounds from being packed on around the middle and kept visceral fat low. That’s the kind of fat that is stored in your abdominal cavity, wraps around your organs and raises your risk of serious disease.

In fact, in a follow-up paper published in 2023, the same researchers stated that PQQ has the potential to treat numerous metabolic disorders including diabetes. PQQ influences insulin signaling via multiple pathways and increases glucose absorption.

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Boosting your PQQ

I don’t know about you, but my immediate thought was “Give me some PQQ.”

So where can you get the antioxidant? PQQ is found in a number of fruits and veggies, such as:

• Spinach
• Celery
• Green peppers
• Papaya
• Kiwi

And if you like liver, it’s also a good source of PQQ.

However, the truth is that PQQ is one of those nutrients that can be a challenge to get enough of through diet alone.

That’s why I mentioned supplementing earlier. Fortunately, it’s become popular in the supplement industry where its strong potential as a potent therapeutic nutraceutical has been recognized.

Supplementing PQQ is considered safe and, as an ingredient, it meets all the USA-FDA “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS) requirements.

Sources:

Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Attenuates Fat Accumulation in Obese Mice Fed with a High-Fat Diet, Daphnia magna Supplied with a High Amount of Food, and 3T3-L1 Adipocytes – ACS Publications

Pyrroloquinoline-quinone to reduce fat accumulation and ameliorate obesity progression – Frontiers Journal Molecular Biosciences

Pyrroloquinoline-Quinone Is More Than an Antioxidant: A Vitamin-like Accessory Factor Important in Health and Disease Prevention – Journal Biomolecules

The post PQQ: The antioxidant that fights the most dangerous fat appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

White fat isn’t one of them. It accounts for more than 90 percent of the body’s fat and amounts to stored calories.

If those calories don’t get burned up, that fat just keeps building up on our bellies, buttocks and thighs — and around our internal organs where it’s termed “visceral fat.”

Then there are brown and beige fats — the “good” types…

Brown fat converts calories into heat. It gets activated when we need that energy to get warm, like when we’re exposed to cold.

People with more brown fat have less visceral fat and are less likely to have conditions like fatty liver and diabetes.

But the thing we probably appreciate the most about brown fat is that it’s key to cutting down on white fat. In fact, the more brown fat you have, the healthier the distribution of white fat in your body.

Beige fat are white fat cells that are in the process of converting to brown fat, and they behave much as brown fat cells do.

Scientists previously thought that only newborn humans and small animals like mice had brown fat. But research has since shown that some adults have brown fat throughout their lives.

So wouldn’t it be nice if they could help us figure out how to use it to our benefit? That’s exactly what they hope to do…

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Brown fat’s ‘off switch’

A group of European researchers discovered a protein named AC3-AT that, when activated is responsible for switching brown fat “off” and stopping it from burning calories.

“As AC3-AT is found not only in mice but also in humans and other species, there are direct therapeutic implications for humans,” says co-author, Ronja Kardinal, a Ph.D. student at the University of Bonn.

“When we investigated mice that genetically didn’t have AC3-AT, we found that they were protected from becoming obese, partly because their bodies were simply better at burning off calories and were able to increase their metabolic rates through activating brown fat,” says Hande Topel, first author of the study and a senior postdoc at the University of Southern Denmark and the Novo Nordisk Center for Adipocyte Signaling.

“Looking ahead, we think that finding ways to block AC3-AT could be a promising strategy for safely activating brown fat and tackling obesity and related health problems,” Topel adds.

Interestingly, the study also identified other unknown protein/gene versions that respond to cold exposure in a way similar to AC3-AT.

“However, further research is needed to elucidate the therapeutic impact of these alternative gene products and their regulatory mechanisms during BAT [brown adipose tissue] activation”, says co-corresponding author Prof. Dagmar Wachten, Co-Director of the Institute of Innate Immunity at the UKB and member of the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 and the Transdisciplinary Research Areas “Modelling” and “Life & Health” at the University of Bonn.

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Enhancing your brown fat stores

As promising as this research is, it will be years before it results in any sort of therapeutic options. But if you feel left out in the cold, that’s not such a bad thing…

Although the prevalence of brown fat decreases with age, it can still be activated. And when it is, it can help to enhance the rate of metabolism and help stabilize weight loss.

I’ve written previously about ways to stoke your body’s fat-burning furnace. One is through cold exposure. This includes things like taking cold showers, turning down the thermostat in the winter and even sticking your feet in an ice bath.

Exercise is another fantastic way to get that brown fat working. One study shows that during exercise, brown fat signals the muscle to take up more fatty acids to use as fuel. Irisin, a hormone also released during exercise can help white fat cells turn beige.

Some foods and specific nutrients can also help stoke that brown fat furnace:

• A combination of black seed oil and omega-3 fatty acids
• Flavanols
• Coffee
• Vitamin A

One final caveat: you’ll want to control inflammation in your body since it can block brown fat activation. My colleague Virginia Tims-Lawson lays out some steps to combat that inflammation so that you can truly harness the power of turning your white fat brown.

Sources:

Breakthrough in brown fat research: Researchers from Denmark and Germany have found brown fat’s “off-switch” — EurekAlert!

Cold-induced expression of a truncated adenylyl cyclase 3 acts as rheostat to brown fat function — Nature Metabolism

The post Scientists find how to control body’s fat-burning switch appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It can cause a lot of damage to other areas of health, including increased risks for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and more than a dozen types of cancer.

The worst part is the older you get, the easier it is to gain weight and the harder it is to lose it. A friend of mine tried absolutely everything to lose weight to no avail. But the one thing that finally worked for her was metabolic-bariatric surgery.

This type of surgery makes changes to the digestive system that result in weight loss. And lose weight she did — to the tune of 100 pounds. But that’s not the only benefit she received…

Her blood pressure and cholesterol came down and her prediabetes resolved itself. In fact, studies have shown that weight-loss surgery can lower the risk of death and major heart complications more effectively than weight loss through more conventional means. It also can result in better blood sugar control.

Surgery may not be for everyone. But for those who opt for it, researchers have discovered another big benefit to weight-loss surgery — protection against one of the most lethal cancers…

Weight-loss surgery and pancreatic cancer

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are risk factors for various forms of cancer, including pancreatic cancer. Because pancreatic cancer is so hard to diagnose, it’s often not caught until it has advanced to the point where chances of survival are slim.

A team of international researchers examined 12 studies that explored the effects of metabolic-bariatric surgery on pancreatic cancer rates, with a total of 3,711,243 adults with obesity.

Their findings were astounding…

Surgery was linked with a 44 percent reduction in pancreatic cancer risk among obese individuals without type 2 diabetes. And in those with both obesity and type 2 diabetes, risk was reduced by a whopping 79 percent.

“Metabolic-bariatric surgery not only has beneficial effects on obesity and type 2 diabetes but also may play a crucial role in reducing the risk of pancreatic cancer in these individuals,” says corresponding author Dr. Angeliki M. Angelidi of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

“These findings underscore the need for further research to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and understand the full spectrum of health benefits of metabolic-bariatric surgery beyond weight loss.”

Types of weight-loss surgery and what’s involved

If you think you may want to undergo metabolic-bariatric surgery, you’ll want to talk with your doctor first. You’ll have to be evaluated to see if you qualify as a candidate for surgery.

There are several different types of weight-loss surgery, and the type you get will depend on a number of factors. The main types of surgery performed in the U.S. are:

• Gastric sleeve, in which a majority of the stomach is removed.
• Gastric bypass, in which the stomach is stapled, leaving a small pouch, and that pouch is attached directly to the lower part of the small intestine.
• Adjustable gastric band, in which a surgeon places a ring with an inflatable band around the top of the stomach to create a small pouch. This surgery has become less common because of its complication rate.

The main goal of all three surgeries is to make you feel full after eating only a small amount of food so that you don’t consume as many calories and thus lose weight.

Weight-loss surgery isn’t without risk. Initial side effects can include bleeding, infection, diarrhea, blood clots in the legs and leaking from the site where the sections of the stomach, small intestine or both are stapled or sewn together. Rarely, surgery-related problems can lead to death.

A previous study published in the journal Obesity Science & Practice found that several factors including vitamin D status have a definite impact on bariatric surgery outcomes.

There are other potential complications over the long term. You often have to take prescribed vitamins and minerals to ensure your body is getting enough nutrients, and sometimes these nutrients can be poorly absorbed. This can lead to health problems like anemia and osteoporosis. Also, gallstones can occur after rapid weight loss, so some doctors prescribe medication to prevent this.

Sources:

Can weight-loss surgery help prevent pancreatic cancer in people with obesity? — EurekAlert!

Metabolic–Bariatric Surgery Reduces Pancreatic Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis of Over 3.7 Million Adults, Independent of Type 2 Diabetes Status — Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews

Weight-loss (Metabolic & Bariatric) Surgery — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Weight-loss Surgery Side Effects — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Types of Weight-loss Surgery — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

The post How weight-loss surgery takes down pancreatic cancer risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

There’s the bone density berry that beats back bone loss…

There’s the one that works for a better brain and blood pressure…

And the berry that improves heart and blood vessel function — in 30 days!

Then there’s the elderberry — best known as a natural flu remedy.

The secret to the elderberry’s anti-viral power lies in its high concentration of anthocyanins, a group of deep red, purple, and blue pigments that give berries their rich colors.

They also contain quite a lot of vitamin C — just one cup accounts for 57% of the recommended daily value.

The anthocyanins in elderberries work to fight free radical damage and boost your immune system in two ways:

• They shield your immune cells so that they can protect you
• They promote white blood cell production to fight off infection

And now a Washington State University-led study says elderberries have powerful benefits for weight management and metabolic health — thanks to those very same anthocyanins…

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Elderberries improve metabolism and burn fat

“Elderberry is an underappreciated berry, commercially and nutritionally,” said corresponding author Patrick Solverson, an assistant professor in the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine’s Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. “We’re now starting to recognize its value for human health, and the results are very exciting.”

In a clinical trial published in the journal Nutrients, Prof. Solverson and team found that drinking 12 ounces of elderberry juice daily for a week causes positive changes in the gut microbiome and improves glucose tolerance and fat oxidation.

A group of 18 overweight participants consumed either elderberry juice or a placebo with similar coloring and taste, specially designed by North Carolina State University’s Food Innovation Lab, while maintaining a standardized diet.

Those who drank the elderberry juice saw the following health benefits:

• Improved gut microbiome. There was a significant increase in the amounts of beneficial gut bacteria, including firmicutes and actinobacteria, and decreased amounts of harmful bacteria, such as Bacteroidetes.
• Improved metabolism. There was a reduction in blood glucose levels by an average of 24%, indicating a significantly improved ability to process sugars following carbohydrate consumption. Insulin levels also decreased by 9%.
• Enhanced fat burning. There was a significant increase in fat oxidation, or the breakdown of fatty acids, after a high carbohydrate meal and during exercise.

“Food is medicine, and science is catching up to that popular wisdom,” Prof. Solverson says. “This study contributes to a growing body of evidence that elderberry, which has been used as a folk remedy for centuries, has numerous benefits for metabolic as well as prebiotic health.”

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How to get your elderberries

Elderberries are easily found in various forms: juice, powder (which can be added to tea, smoothies, or oatmeal), lozenges and elderberry tea.

It’s important to note that you shouldn’t eat elderberries whole when raw since they contain the toxic compounds, lectin and cyanide (primarily found in the seeds, stems, and leaves), which can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

You can cook them or buy products with cooked berries instead, including elderberry juice, tea, lozenges, syrup, or powder that can be added to foods like oatmeal.

Because elderberry may stimulate the immune system, it could interfere with medications taken to suppress the immune system. These medications include corticosteroids (prednisone) and medications used to treat autoimmune diseases. People with organ transplants should also avoid elderberry.

Sources:

Elderberry juice shows benefits for weight management, metabolic health — Eureka Alert

A one-week elderberry juice intervention augments the fecal microbiota and suggests improvement in glucose tolerance and fat oxidation in a randomized controlled trial — Nutrients

Elderberry — mtsinai.org

The post The berry that boosts metabolism, burns fat and fights flu appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Research suggests roughly 80 percent of people who lose significant body fat won’t maintain that degree of weight loss for a year. In fact, one meta-analysis of studies found dieters regain on average more than half of what they lose within two years.

But whether it’s for better health or lifestyle, when a new weight loss method is discovered, there’s no shortage of people willing to jump on the bandwagon — especially when the answer seems only a pill or an injection away…

The latest of these discoveries is the GLP-1 agonist class of medicines. Originally intended to treat diabetes, doctors eventually saw the patients using these drugs were also losing significant amounts of weight. Once this became apparent, a whole new class of weight-loss drugs was born.

Unfortunately, while these drugs have become hugely popular, there are some big drawbacks to them that even doctors admit. There’s also the black box warning, rebound weight and the outrageous cost—about $1,400 a month if insurance doesn’t cover it. And yes, these drugs hit a weight loss plateau too.

And now we’re learning these drugs may set users up for stomach issues that could lead to increased risk for diabetes, poor nutritional absorption and pancreatic cancer.

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GLP-1 agonists and stomach issues

The way GLP-1 agonists work— like Wegovy, Ozempic, Saxenda, and Victoza — is that they slow the speed at which food passes through the stomach, making people feel fuller for longer. Therein lies a problem…

Researchers in Canada analyzed data from 5,411 non-diabetic obese patients taking various GLP-1 agonists for weight loss. The results were sobering, with a number of these patients experiencing various digestive issues.

What the study found was an increased risk of problems including pancreatitis, gastroparesis and bowel obstruction in patients using GLP-1 drugs, compared with a medication that doesn’t activate the same chemical pathways as GLP-1.

It’s important to note that while the risk is increased for GLP-1 drugs, it’s still relatively small. For instance, 0.8 percent of people taking the GLP-1 medication Saxenda reported bowel obstructions, compared with 0.17 percent of people taking Contrave, a non-GLP-1 drug.

Still, that’s a fourfold increase in risk of bowel obstruction for patients taking Saxenda.

“When you have millions of people using these drugs, you know, a 1 percent risk still translates to many people who may experience these events,” epidemiologist Mahyar Etminan from the University of British Columbia tells CNN.

These are not minor digestive problems…

• Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas that, if it lasts long-term, could raise your risk of diabetes, poor nutritional absorption and pancreatic cancer.
• Gastroparesis is a paralysis of the stomach that can lead to acid reflux, malnutrition and dehydration, blood sugar imbalances and stomach obstruction.
• And bowel obstruction is a potentially deadly medical emergency that requires immediate intervention, often surgery, to repair.

This isn’t the first time this connection has been made. The companies that manufacture GLP-1 agonists have acknowledged the possibility of digestive complications, but say they are known side effects and only affect a small fraction of users.

Still, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already ruled that Ozempic should come with a warning indicating the variety of gastrointestinal disorders reported by users of the medication. It’s likely only a matter of time before they require the same of other GLP-1 agonists.

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More research is needed

The study didn’t cover all GLP-1-related treatments and didn’t go into why these drugs are increasing the associated health risks. Nor did it prove cause and effect. However, the results indicate further investigation is needed in this area.

“Given the wide use of these drugs, these adverse events, although rare, must be considered by patients who are contemplating using the drugs for weight loss because the risk-benefit calculus for this group might differ from that of those who use them for diabetes,” the researchers write in their published paper.

Luckily, if you’re truly committed to losing weight and keeping it off, there are a number of natural alternatives to these drugs that I wrote about in a past article. Any of these methods can help you be one of those who successfully beat the weight loss odds.

Sources:

Popular New Weight Loss Drugs Linked to Digestive Problems — ScienceAlert

Risk of Gastrointestinal Adverse Events Associated With Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists for Weight Loss — JAMA

Unexpected Clues Emerge About Why Diets Fail — Scientific American

Researchers link popular weight loss drugs to serious digestive problems for ‘hundreds of thousands’ worldwide — CNN

Pancreatitis — Johns Hopkins Medicine

Gastroparesis — Cleveland Clinic

Bowel Obstruction — Cleveland Clinic

Drug Safety-related Labeling Changes (SrLC): Ozempic — U.S. Food and Drug Administration

The post When wonder drugs lead to pancreatitis, gastroparesis and bowel obstruction appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

One reason is that research has uncovered a host of health benefits related to dark chocolate— like reducing heart disease and stroke risks.

It also lowers blood pressure, improves athletic endurance and boosts brain function. And a daily dose of dark chocolate may help prevent diabetes and insulin resistance.

That last benefit seems counterintuitive. After all, dark chocolate does contain some sugar, though not as much as milk chocolate. But a recent study has confirmed this sweet connection…

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Dark chocolate and type 2 diabetes risk

An international team of researchers analyzed three long-running studies of healthcare workers with a total of 192, 208 participants. Of those, 111,654 were included in the analysis on chocolate types.

The Information on the participants’ diets was assessed every four years, and questions about how much and how often they consumed dark and milk chocolate were added in 2006 and 2007.

There were 9 levels to track frequency, which ranged from “never, or less than once per month” to greater than or equal to 6 servings (based on one chocolate bar or 1 oz.) per day.

Researchers also assessed variables that included:

• Body weight, waist circumference, hypertension, high cholesterol and family history of diabetes.
• Physical activity and body mass index (BMI) were measured over time.
• Diabetes was self-reported in biennial questionnaires and confirmed by study doctors with a supplementary questionnaire collecting more details about diagnoses and treatment.

There was a definite effect and difference between dark and milk chocolate…

“We were surprised to see a stark contrast between dark and milk chocolate,” co-author Binkai Liu of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health told MedPage Today. “While dark chocolate was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, milk chocolate showed no such benefit and was even associated with weight gain. This difference underscores the importance of chocolate type and its nutrient composition.”

Their results showed those who consumed weekly servings of dark chocolate greater than or equal to 5, had a 21% lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared with those who never or rarely consumed dark chocolate.

Eating dark chocolate was also linked with a higher-quality diet and greater consumption of fruit and vegetables, epicatechin and total flavonoids. The opposite was true for those who consumed milk chocolate.

“Advising patients to enjoy dark chocolate occasionally as part of a balanced and nutrient-rich diet could be a way to integrate these insights into practical recommendations,” Liu adds.

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The ‘right’ type of dark chocolate

Chocolate contains high levels of polyphenols, including flavanols, which are part of the larger flavonoid group.

Previous research has found a link between higher dietary flavonoid consumption and decreased type 2 diabetes risk.

Though flavonoids may provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and vasodilatory benefits by stimulating the production of nitric oxide (NO), the relationship between chocolate and diabetes remains “controversial,” the authors write in the study.

This is because some of the observational studies had inconsistent findings and lacked inquiry into health effects by chocolate subtype.

Still, existing evidence appears to indicate that if you’re going to consume chocolate, dark chocolate is the healthier way to go. So feel free to indulge in the occasional dark chocolate treat — just make sure you choose the right kind.

Most nutritionists recommend a cocoa content of at least 60 percent. But the higher the percentage, the more flavanols and other health-boosting compounds the dark chocolate contains, so go as high as you can while still enjoying the taste.

One caveat: many dark chocolate bars on the market contain both lead and cadmium, heavy metals that pose potential health risks. Check this Consumer Reports analysis to choose the safest option.

Sources:

New Study Teases Out Chocolate and Diabetes Connection — MedPage Today

Chocolate intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: prospective cohort studies — The BMJ

11 Healthy (and Delicious) Chocolate Bars That Dietitians Eat — Everyday Health

The post The sweet truth about dark chocolate, diabetes and weight appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Some research has indicated it can help us lose weight, live longer and maintain good heart health.

But there hasn’t really been one study that’s looked specifically at the impact of water on health — until now.

Their findings have revealed that drinking water could be the easiest health hack ever — with added benefits if you drink at least one glass when you first wake up…

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Drinking water impacts several conditions

Researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) waded deep into analyzing 18 randomized controlled trials to determine the benefits of drinking plenty of water.

“For such a ubiquitous and simple intervention, the evidence hasn’t been clear and the benefits were not well-established, so we wanted to take a closer look,” says senior and corresponding author Dr. Benjamin Breyer, a professor at UCSF. “To our knowledge, this is the first study assessing the benefits of water consumption on clinical outcomes broadly.”

Here’s what they found:

• The researchers found ample evidence in favor of drinking water to prevent kidney stones and help people lose weight.
• Drinking eight cups of water a day significantly decreased the likelihood of getting another kidney stone.
• Several studies indicated drinking about six cups of water a day helped adults lose weight — and say encouraging people to drink water before meals is a simple, cheap intervention that could have huge benefits in combating weight gain.

There were other conditions that researchers found were improved by drinking more water…

• Adults with recurrent headaches had improvements in their quality of life after three months of improving their water consumption.
• When women with recurrent urinary tract infections drank an additional six cups of water a day, it reduced the number of infections and increased the amount of time between them. 
• Drinking about four additional cups of water a day helped diabetic patients with elevated blood glucose levels.
• And drinking more water helped raise blood pressure in young adults with low blood pressure.

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The most impactful time for drinking water

Another study sheds light on why drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning is an incredibly great way to start your day.

In that study, participants had not consumed water for 12 hours — they slept overnight and did not drink water for some time before bedtime.

• Drinking about 7 ounces of water upon waking — a single glass — not only helped them recover from nightly dehydration and reduce thirst but it also reduced anger, fatigue and poor mood.
• Even better, drinking two glasses was shown to improve working memory.
• Those who didn’t drink any water complained of being tired, grumpy and thirsty — not surprising!

The Heart Foundation, which warns that dehydration can thicken blood and impact circulation, also recommends getting in the habit of drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning.

And other experts have found drinking water in the morning can kickstart your metabolism by up to 30 percent for the next few hours.

So, after drinking that first glass first thing in the morning, simply add a glass of water before each meal and try for a total of between six and eight cups a day. But also follow Dr. Breyer’s advice…

“There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach for water consumption. We know that dehydration is detrimental, particularly in someone with a history of kidney stones or urinary infections. On the other hand, someone who suffers from frequent urination at times may benefit from drinking less.”

Remember soups and some fruits and vegetables, tea and coffee contribute to your water intake too.

One thing to keep in mind is that most water, whether from the tap or a bottle, contains forever chemicals. So invest in a good quality reverse osmosis water filter, if you can, which can reliably remove the most common forever chemicals like PFOAs.

Sources:

Drinking plenty of water may actually be good for you — EurekAlert!

Outcomes in Randomized Clinical Trials Testing Changes in Daily Water Intake — JAMA Network Open

The effect of hypohydration on endothelial function in young healthy adults — European Journal of Nutrition

Different Amounts of Water Supplementation Improved Cognitive Performance and Mood among Young Adults after 12 h Water Restriction in Baoding, China: A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) — International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

The post The one health hack you should do every morning appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That’s more than 40 percent of Americans afflicted with a condition that carries numerous health risks, including heart disease, “diabesity,” cognitive decline, chronic inflammation and more.

Of course, diet and exercise are the twin pillars of any anti-obesity strategy…

But when it comes to diet, some foods are more effective than others at “melting the fat off” — including one that is a staple in Korean culture…

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Kimchi could fight obesity

In response to the global epidemic of obesity, the World Institute of Kimchi in South Korea has been publishing a series of articles based on studies into the anti-obesity effects of the traditional fermented food, most often made with cabbage.

And its reputation for taking off weight is getting lots of momentum…

• Previous preclinical studies in animal models of obesity revealed a stunning 31.8 percent reduction in body fat among those fed a kimchi diet.
• An extensive analysis of data collected over 13 years from the Korea Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) found kimchi intake was associated with a 15 percent reduction in body mass index (BMI) and a 12 percent decrease in obesity among middle-aged males.

In the most recent study to come out of the World Institute of Kimchi, researchers gathered data on 55 overweight adults including blood biomarkers, gut microbiome makeup and body composition.

They had one group of participants consume three freeze-dried kimchi capsules per meal equivalent to 60 g of kimchi per day for three months, while the control group did not take the kimchi capsules.

After analyzing the changes in body fat composition and other markers, the researchers found:

• The group that consumed kimchi showed a 2.6 percent decrease in body fat — and a reduction in triglycerides.
• The control group exhibited a 4.7 percent increase in body fat — and an increase in triglycerides.

But those weren’t the only compelling improvements…

The participants’ gut microbiome analyses showed increased Akkermansia muciniphila, a species of beneficial gut bacterium known to reduce inflammation and improve markers of metabolic syndrome and obesity through the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

In addition, those taking kimchi showed a reduction in the number of Proteobacteria, which are associated with obesity.

In short, this clinical trial indicates that steady consumption of kimchi can alleviate obesity symptoms by positively modifying the gut microbiota.

“The results of a preclinical study and a clinical trial have systematically verified the anti-obesity effects of kimchi, and present scientific evidence that would help to make the excellent properties of kimchi widely known, thereby laying the foundation for the growth of kimchi as a health food well recognized around the world,” says Dr. Hae-Choon Chang, director of the World Institute of Kimchi. 

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Adding this pickled wonder to your diet

You can make kimchi at home — just be advised that the process can be a little time-consuming. There are dozens of recipes online, but here’s one to get you started.

If you’re short on time or simply don’t have the space to make and store it, you can buy prepackaged kimchi at Asian grocery stores or even in some supermarkets. For maximum health benefits, look for it freshly prepared in the refrigerated section.

You may wonder exactly what it tastes like — it’s sort of a spicy pickled flavor. You can eat it plain or make it a tasty addition to sandwiches (try a kimchi grilled cheese), burgers or burritos. You can even mix it into a salad to give it a tangy, spicy kick.

But if a spicey pickled cabbage dish just isn’t your thing, you can still support your microbiome and help it produce SCFAs by adding prebiotic inulin fiber from other food sources. Previous research has shown it can help suppress appetite and decrease body weight.

Sources:

New clinical study confirms the anti-obesity effects of kimchi — EurekAlert!

Kimchi intake alleviates obesity-induced neuroinflammation by modulating the gut-brain axis — Food Research International

Fermented kimchi may help combat obesity by regulating gut microbiota — News Medical Life Sciences

The post The ‘pickled’ food that took down weight and triglycerides appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And obesity is really a form of premature aging.

Being overweight ages us from the inside out, affecting our telomeres, harming our energy-producing mitochondria, and weakening our immune system.

And as if that weren’t enough, it makes our brain get old a lot faster than it normally would, making us more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease.

But according to ongoing research, there’s a simple way to change your diet that will stop the obesity train in its tracks and keep your brain from aging prematurely.

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The brain power of the Green Mediterranean diet

The DIRECT PLUS study (Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial Polyphenols Unprocessed Study) conducted by Israeli scientists in 2017-18 was the first to introduce the concept of the green Mediterranean, high polyphenols diet and its potential for weight loss in older adults.

In this trial, 284 people were divided into three groups. The first ate a healthy diet. The second adhered to a traditional Mediterranean diet, including 28g of polyphenol-rich walnuts.

The third group ate a “green Mediterranean diet.” On top of walnuts, they added three to four cups of green tea daily, as well as a green shake made with Mankai duckweed as a substitute for dinner. They ate almost no red meat.

At the end of the 18-month trial, brain MRIs on all participants showed a significant slowing in brain atrophy (shrinking) in those who ate a Mediterranean diet.

The change was even more noticeable in participants over age 50 who went “green.”

Follow-up study shows even better benefits

Scientists at Ben Gurion University recently conducted a sub-study of the DIRECT PLUS trial to examine the effects of weight loss on brain age and other factors affecting brain health.

The researchers chose 102 individuals who met the criteria for obesity.

Each received a brain scan both before and after the study to examine how weight loss through diet affected their “brain age.”

They found that a one percent reduction in body weight led to brain age being almost nine months younger than expected for a person of that chronological age.

And, as a bonus, these “younger” brains were also associated with a decrease in liver fat and liver enzymes that have been shown to negatively affect the brain of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

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How to go green for a big brain (and slimmer waist and liver)

Now, you may remember we wrote last year about how the green Mediterranean diet doubles fat loss.

That means the green Mediterranean diet is the one diet we could all get on board with, from weight loss to brain health — not to mention the liver benefits.

If you’re not already following a Mediterranean diet, take a look at this guide to getting started.

Then, start to tweak things gradually. Eliminate one portion of meat and substitute fish or a plant-based protein like nuts, seeds or legumes. As you go along your goal should be a diet that includes very little if no meat at all.

Fruits and veggies should make up the bulk of your diet. Don’t forget, whenever possible, raw is better for you.

Pile on whole grains (rich in heart-protective betaines) like brown rice, barley and buckwheat.

Dairy is allowed but in moderation. And don’t forget those healthy fats: olive oil, avocados, walnuts and almonds.

Drink plenty of green tea (though black tea has some impressive benefits of its own!).

Last, but not least, if you must eat processed foods, keep them to a minimum—especially foods with added sugars and refined grains.

Sources:

Could a better diet make your brain younger? — Eureka Alert

The effect of weight loss following 18 months of lifestyle intervention on brain age assessed with resting-state functional connectivity — Epidemiology and Global Health

The effect of a high-polyphenol Mediterranean diet (Green-MED) combined with physical activity on age-related brain atrophy: the Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial Polyphenols Unprocessed Study (DIRECT PLUS) — The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

The effect of high-polyphenol Mediterranean diet on visceral adiposity: the DIRECT PLUS randomized controlled trial — BMC Medicine

The post The diet that sheds pounds and keeps your brain from shrinking appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Protein!

Yup, at this point after all of the news reports, articles, social media posts, celebrity endorsements and more, a person would have to be living under a rock not to have heard the advice that if you want to look and feel better you have to cut your carbs and up your protein intake.

But, is that good advice for everyone?

Or, could that blanket approach to better health be causing even more problems than it prevents for some of us?

A new paper by kidney experts based on two separate scientific studies has the frightening answer…

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Saving calories while risking kidney health

A study performed in the Netherlands found that there is a direct, linear association between daily protein intake and a decline in kidney function. In other words, the higher the protein intake, the faster the decline in kidney function.

And, guess what…

A second study conducted by a team of researchers in South Korea confirmed those results!

They found that people with the highest protein intake had 1.3 times higher risk of faster glomerular filtration rate (GFR) loss. If you haven’t heard the term before, GFR refers to how fast your kidneys can filter out the toxins in your body and is used both to measure kidney function and determine what stage of kidney disease you might be in.

Unfortunately, these findings aren’t all that surprising either…

Many past studies have shown that a high-protein diet may harm kidney function, which is why patients who have early-stage chronic kidney disease are generally put on a low-protein diet by kidney specialists.

But, an entire group of people who are at risk for poor kidney health have not only been ignored when it comes to these low-protein recommendation regimens but are actually more likely to be told to go high protein — a recommendation that could land them in dialysis…

Obesity and diabetes

According to the kidney experts who authored the new paper based on the Dutch and South Korean studies, people who suffer from either diabetes or obesity are often put on a high-protein diet as a way to save calories, slim down, and lower their blood sugar.

However, this risks the health of their kidneys since both obesity and diabetes come with an increased chance of pre-existing low-grade chronic kidney disease.

In fact, they say that at least 30 percent of people with type-2 diabetes suffer from an underlying kidney disease. That’s 30 percent of people who could end up with rapidly deteriorating kidney health, taking the fast lane to kidney failure, if they go on a high-protein diet recommended by their doctor.

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“To put it in a nutshell: To recommend a high-protein diet to an overweight diabetes patient may indeed result in loss of weight, but also in a severe loss of kidney function. We want one, but we also get the other,” says Professor Denis Fouque, past chair of the European Renal Nutrition Working Group.

“By advising people — especially those with a high risk for chronic kidney disease, namely patients with diabetes, obese people, people with a solitary kidney and probably even elderly people — to eat a protein-rich diet, we are ringing the death bell for their kidney health and bringing them a big step closer to needing renal replacement therapy”, he concludes.

So, before you try a high-protein diet in a bid to get healthy and lose weight, you need to think again, especially if you have diabetes.

Talk to your doctor about your risks and have your kidney function checked out. Only when you know that your kidneys can handle the rigors of a high-protein diet should you consider making the change.

And, don’t forget…

Despite the wave of media attention, a high-protein diet is definitely not the only way to lose weight and feel better. Other good options include going keto, embracing the Mediterranean diet, or simply decreasing your calorie intake while upping your physical activity.

Sources:

1. High-protein diets may harm your kidneys — EurekAlert!
2. Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) — National Kidney Foundation

The post The popular diet recommendation that could land you on dialysis appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Yet, while these GLP-1 drugs, better known by brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy, are having their moment in the sun, more and more reports of serious side effects are stacking up.

Luckily, recent research has proved that you don’t have to risk the dangers of these drugs to lose weight. In fact, the researchers say that embracing one specific dietary strategy can not only help you shed excess pounds — but also dramatically improve your health.

That’s a far cry from what we’re hearing about GLP-1 agonists…

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The dangers of weight loss drugs

But before we take a look at the diet trick that research shows really works, just how bad can those oh-so-popular weight loss drugs be?

It turns out pretty horrible.

Just ask Juanita Gantt, who was prescribed Ozempic and Wegovy and is now suing their manufacturer.

Gantt, who had always struggled with her weight, found herself at 62 weighing 242 pounds. After talking to her doctor about her weight and diabetes risk, she started the drugs.

According to CBS News, a few months later, her husband found her unconscious on the floor.

The problem?

Large portions of her large intestine had died inside of her and required surgery to be removed.

And her troubles weren’t over…

While still in the hospital, Gantt suffered a cardiac arrest. And though thankful, that she lived, Gantt now lives with a daily reminder of her ordeal in the form of an ileostomy bag to collect waste that’s attached to her abdomen.

A safer weight loss option

 Scary stuff, right?

That’s why it’s so important to consider natural options, like diet, for weight loss whenever possible.

And that’s where research from Qilu Hospital of Shandong University comes in.

Researchers there found that “A plant-based diet is a viable option for people who want to control their body weight and improve the quality of their diet to prevent and treat metabolic diseases.”

In fact, they didn’t just conduct a single study.

They reviewed 24 studies, combining data on more than 2,200 people on the effects of a plant-based diet on weight loss.

And they found that not only does going plant-based work, the positive impacts of plant-based diets increase over time.

The researchers found that while a strictly vegan diet leads to the most weight loss, it was not significantly more than diets that included dairy and eggs.

And they say that to grab the most benefits, what matters is eating more raw vegetables — a factor that had the strongest links to a lower risk of obesity and heart problems.

“Raw vegetables contain phytosterols and unsaturated fats that lower blood cholesterol concentrations,” explained the researchers. “They also contain various substances (e.g., tocopherols, ascorbate, carotenoids, saponins, and flavonoids) that can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.”

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An evidence-based strategy that works

The news about regaining weight after stopping GLP-1 agonists is surely disappointing. But reports are mounting that, other than staying on the drug, it offers no evidence-based strategy to maintain weight loss.

Nate Wood, MD, MHS, of Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, told MedPage Today “We generally do expect that when folks discontinue this medication, they’ll gain at least some weight back, if not all of it. And the reason for that is that we really think about obesity as a chronic disease. And chronic diseases require chronic treatment.”

That puts these drugs in the same basket as those people take for high blood pressure or high cholesterol, for example. As soon as the medication stops, the health threat returns. However, the dangers of GLP-1 agonists cast doubt on the safety of taking the drugs for life.

So if you want to lose weight, without facing the possibility of serious adverse effects due to weight loss drugs, adding more vegetables (especially raw veggies) to your diet seems to be the way to go.

Just remember that you can take a raw vegetable diet too far since going 100% vegetarian or vegan can lead to nutrient deficiencies.

Additionally, while eating a plant-based diet is a powerful and healthy weight loss strategy, eating certain foods can give you an even bigger advantage thanks to specific nutrients.

So be sure to check out this shortlist of foods that have been shown to help promote a fat-burning metabolism.

Sources:

Weight loss drugs allegedly landed this woman in the hospital, prompting lawsuit about drug label warnings — CBS News

New Study Backs Simple Weight Loss Strategy That Doesn’t Require Drugs — Sciencealert

The post The safe simple drug-free weight loss strategy that works appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Or maybe you work out at home, streaming fitness videos and hitting the pavement to get your steps in after lunch and supper.

Maybe you’ve been at it for a while but not seeing the results you were hoping for in the mirror — and you’ve started to question if it’s even worth it.

Well, I’ve got good news for you.

According to research from the University of Michigan that delved into the differences in belly fat between exercisers and non-exercisers, even if visible results have been hard to come by, staying active truly is doing your body good.

Here’s how…

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Fat storage and your health

The Michigan researchers specifically set out to determine what, if any effects, years of regular exercise have on fat tissue. To do so, they compared two groups of obese participants, half of whom had exercised at least four times a week for at least two years and the other half who would be considered a group of couch potatoes.

Each participant had a sample of belly fat taken from just beneath their skin to be analyzed.

And sure enough…

Exercise really is worth it — even if the scale doesn’t show it!

The researchers found that exercise actually alters fat tissue in distinct structural and biological ways by:

• Increasing the number of blood vessels, mitochondria and beneficial proteins
• Reducing a type of collagen that can interfere with metabolism
• And resulting in fewer cells that cause inflammation

Altogether, the scientists say this “healthier” fat can be stored more effectively in the subcutaneous tissue.

Now, hold on a minute. Fat can be stored more effectively? But I don’t want more fat!

If you just had the same thoughts I initially did when reading this research, don’t worry…

Increasing the capacity to store fat doesn’t mean gaining fat, which requires that you overeat.

“What it means is that if or when people experience weight gain, this excess fat will be stored more ‘healthfully’ in this area under the skin, rather than in the fat tissue around their organs (visceral fat) or an accumulation of fat in organs themselves, like the liver or heart,” explains the researchers.

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Avoid visceral fat to avoid chronic disease

In other words, exercising — even if it doesn’t help you lose weight — still keeps you from building the type of dangerous deep belly fat that can lead to serious health problems.

One of the most common of these is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which occurs when excess fat builds up in the liver and can lead to cirrhosis.

That deep belly fat has also been linked to:

• An increased risk of Alzheimer’s
• Prostate cancer development in men
• Heart disease and diabetes
• Higher chances of stroke
• And disease-causing inflammation

So don’t let your eyes deceive you.

No matter what the mirror shows, keep up the exercise to beat back the dangers of deep belly fat.

And for added help in winning the battle of the bulge, consider trying the antioxidant that research has shown can significantly reduce both total body fat and visceral fat volume and actually kept fat from being formed (even during consumption of what amounts to a fast food diet).

Sources:

Long-term exercisers have ‘healthier’ belly fat — EurekAlert!

Men should lose the ‘spare tire’ to lose risk for prostate cancer — Easy Health Options

The link between poor sleep, deep belly fat and your heart — Easy Health Options

The connection between deep belly fat and Alzheimer’s — Easy Health Options

The post How exercise improves belly fat even when you don’t see it appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

On the one hand, keto has been shown to help with body fat reduction — particularly the visceral fat in your belly that can raise your risk of heart disease. It also has been connected to lower blood pressure and reduced inflammation in the body and brain.

On the other, low carbohydrate diets like keto have been linked to atrial fibrillation and diabetic ketoacidosis. And while it can help with weight loss in the short term, its high fat and caloric content make it difficult to maintain that weight loss over the long term.

Now there’s even more evidence keto isn’t all it’s chalked up to be…

That’s because it can increase the risks of developing high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes — both risk factors for stroke — by disrupting your gut microbiome.

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The triple whammy that links keto and stroke

University of Bath researchers studied 53 healthy adults for up to 12 weeks. Participants followed one of three diets: a moderate sugar diet (the control group); a low-sugar diet where less than 5 percent of calories came from sugar; and a ketogenic low-carbohydrate diet where less than 8 percent of calories came from carbs.

After 12 weeks, the researchers found the keto diet raised cholesterol levels, particularly LDL (bad cholesterol), and increased apolipoprotein B (apoB), which causes plaque buildup in arteries. By contrast, the low-sugar diet significantly reduced LDL particle cholesterol.

Lead researcher Dr. Aaron Hengist noted that if this increase in cholesterol is sustained over years, it “could have long-term health implications such as increased risk of heart disease and stroke.”

The keto diet also altered the composition of the gut microbiome, including a decrease in Bifidobacteria. Often found in probiotics, Bifidobacteria produce B vitamins, inhibit pathogens and harmful bacteria and lower cholesterol. Sugar restriction, by contrast, did not significantly impact gut microbiome composition.

“Dietary fiber is essential for the survival of beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacteria,” says Dr. Russell Davies, who led the microbiome research. He noted the keto diet reduced fiber intake to around 15 grams which is half the recommended daily intake.

“This reduction in Bifidobacteria might contribute to significant long-term health consequences such as an increased risk of digestive disorders like irritable bowel disease, increased risk of intestinal infection and a weakened immune function,” Davies adds.

Finally, the keto diet reduced glucose tolerance. This means the participants’ bodies became less efficient at handling carbs.

Javier Gonzalez, who oversaw the research, notes while the keto diet lowered fasting glucose levels, it also reduced the body’s ability to handle carbs from a meal.

“By measuring proteins in muscle samples taken from participants’ legs, we think this is probably an adaptive response to eating less carbohydrates day to day and reflects insulin resistance to storing carbs in muscle,” Gonzales says. “This insulin resistance is not necessarily a bad thing if people are following a ketogenic diet, but if these changes persist when people switch back to a higher carbohydrate diet it could increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the long term.”

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Still good for weight loss

Now for the good news: both the low-sugar and keto diets resulted in fat loss. At 12 weeks, the keto diet resulted in an average of 2.9 kg in fat loss per person, while individuals on the sugar-restricted diet had an average fat loss of 2.1 kg. Both these diets achieved fat loss without changing physical activity levels.

Researchers also observed the keto diet shifted the body’s fuel preference from glucose to fat, which resulted in significant changes in lipid metabolism and muscle energy use.

Based on these results, the researchers conclude that if you’re looking to lose weight, a low-sugar diet will be better for most people than a keto diet, since it promotes fat loss without any apparent negative health impacts.

Whichever of these diets you choose, it couldn’t hurt to supplement it with probiotics to protect your gut health. While probiotic supplements in pill form are good for convenience (as long as the bacteria are live), it’s even better to get your probiotics from fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha. These foods come with additional nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fiber, which can further support good health.

Sources:

Ketogenic Diet reduces friendly gut bacteria and raises cholesterol levels – University of Bath study — EurekAlert!

Ketogenic diet but not free-sugar restriction alters glucose tolerance, lipid metabolism, peripheral tissue phenotype, and gut microbiome: RCT — Cell Reports Medicine

The effects of probiotics on cholesterol levels — Easy Health Options

Low-carb diet tied to common heart rhythm disorder — Science Daily

The post Keto’s gut changes that raise your stroke risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.