Showing posts with label Diabetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diabetes. Show all posts

Importance Of Lifestyle Preventative Medicine

importance lifestyle preventative medicine preventing disease

Traditional medications might not always work on your condition, and you would need an evidence-based therapeutic approach to healing. Not all doctors would propose an approach to health, and you should find experts in lifestyle preventative medicine in Katy, TX, who can guide you through the treatment. These preventive approaches prevent, treat, and reverse chronic lifestyle-related conditions. Read on to learn more about the lifestyle preventative medications which might work for your condition. 

What Are The Preventive Services? 

Lifestyle medicines are therapeutic measures that prevent infections and can work complementary to regular medications. Unhealthy lifestyle choices might account for more than 80% of infections. Services available under preventative medications treat conditions such as blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol levels. The treatments might also work for cancer screening and sexually transmitted infections. 

Who Is A Lifestyle Medicine Doctor? 

Lifestyle medicine physicians are trained experts who deal with medical issues such as nutrition, sleep management, substance abuse, physical exercise, and building healthy relationships. They can educate and empower you on healthy lifestyle choices and behaviors that can help you take control of your life. 

Benefits Of Lifestyle Medicine 

Lifestyle medications might work well for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes as it guides you on effective diets which reduce the symptoms of the diseases. The physician might develop physical exercises that help burn the fat reducing the cholesterol level leading to effective insulin control. 

It may also work well on autoimmune diseases, as doctors can develop treatment therapies that improve the body's response to specific triggers. The triggers might worsen the autoimmune diseases, and effective control of the body's reaction reduces the autoimmune condition. Moreover, your doctor can reduce the prevalence of heart disease as they help formulate diets with the right amounts of sodium and potassium as they are key factors for heart health. Additionally, the doctors would recommend food that reduces cholesterol plaque on the blood vessels as they impact your heart health. They would also develop cardio exercises which promote better heart health. 

Other conditions such as irritable bowel movement, obesity, and ulcerative colitis might be associated with lifestyle choices. You may need to communicate well with your doctor on these diseases; symptoms and help formulate life choices that prevent the diseases. 

What To Expect From Lifestyle Medicine 

A lifestyle doctor would review your current health status and formulate lifestyle choices you need to make to improve your condition. Chronic health and health concerns might improve with lifestyle medicine. You should choose nutrition supplements and healthy diets that promote better health, engage in exercises, and mental health routines that improve your health. 

Final Thoughts On Lifestyle Preventative Medicine

Lifestyle medications are effective when dealing with different conditions that are associated with lifestyle choices. Your lifestyle medicine doctor might evaluate your current health and formulate the choices you should make to improve your health. First, you would consider your diet as it dramatically impacts your health, leading to irritable bowel movements, heart disease, and other diseases such as diabetes. Secondly, you would engage in physical therapy, which helps improve your joints, increase blood flow, and improve your health outcome without spending too much money. Good luck finding the appropriate preventive lifestyle medicine suitable for your medical condition.

The Different Types, Causes, And Symptoms Of Heart Disease

different types heart disease symptoms stroke causes heart attack risks

Every 36 seconds, one person succumbs to cardiovascular disease in the United States, making Deerfield Beach heart disease one of the leading causes of death for both men and women in America. There are various types of heart disease that affect the heart in different ways and present varying symptoms. Therefore, early detection of heart disease may help prevent serious complications, including stroke, aneurysm, and sudden cardiac arrest. Below are the different types and symptoms of heart disease. 

Congenital Heart Defects 

This heart condition develops before a baby is born and may involve structural problems such as the absence of a ventricle. Congenital heart defect may present no symptoms and may only be established during a routine check-up. Adults may also develop this heart defect due to aging, which causes structural changes in the heart. 

Cardiomyopathy 

Cardiomyopathy occurs when your heart becomes weak and fails to transport blood to the rest of the body. If you have this condition, you may fail to experience any symptoms during the onset stages. As the disease advances, you may experience: 

· Breathlessness 
· Fatigue 
· Dizziness 
· Swollen legs 
· Bloated stomach 

Types Of Cardiomyopathy 

· Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy 

This is caused by abnormal genes which cause the thickening of the heart muscles. You may also develop this condition as you advance in age or due to high blood pressure. 

· Dilated Cardiomyopathy 

This is the most common type of cardiomyopathy, which causes the left ventricle to dilate and may be caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart due to infections and certain medications such as drugs used in cancer treatment. 

· Restrictive Cardiomyopathy

This condition may occur for no established reason and causes the heart chamber muscles to become stiff. It is an uncommon type of cardiomyopathy that may occur in people of different ages. 

Aortic Stenosis 

Aortic valve stenosis occurs when there is constriction of the heart’s aortic valve. This prevents the valve from fully opening and partially or completely blocks blood flow from the heart to other parts of the body. People with aortic stenosis may not experience symptoms until there is a vast amount of restricted blood flow. These symptoms include: 

· Rapid heartbeat 
· Dizziness 
· Swollen feet or ankles 
· Shortness of breath 
· Chest pain 

This condition majorly affects older people due to calcium build-up in the valve cusp – aortic valve calcification. 

Myocardial Infarction 

A heart attack or myocardial infarction occurs due to blockage of blood flow to the heart caused by the accumulation of fat deposits and cholesterol in the coronary arteries. 

Risk Factors For Heart Attack 

· Obesity 

People with excess body weight are at risk of having a heart attack as obesity is associated with high blood cholesterol levels. Reducing and maintaining a healthy body weight may help lower this risk. 

· Diabetes

Low insulin production or failing to respond to insulin results in high blood sugar levels, putting you at risk of a heart attack. 

· Physical Inactivity

You may gain excess weight and high blood cholesterol when you fail to engage in regular exercise. 

· Family History

Your chances of having a heart attack might be higher if your sibling or parent had a heart attack at an early age. 

While most of these heart diseases are life-threatening, the good news is there is a treatment for each, which is why you should schedule an appointment with your specialist at Life Imaging Fla for diagnosis and treatment to improve your overall well-being.

Diabetes Management Programs To Help You Live A Better Life

diabetes management programs help live better life stable blood sugar levels insulin

Careful management of diabetes can help you avoid the extremes of the disease. With the right tools, medication, and schedules, you can have your blood sugars in check. You can achieve all that with Humble diabetes and obesity specialist, Juan Carlos Zubieta, MD, and his team who use digital report cards for tracking purposes to ensure you have the best treatment. 

Why Should You Have Your Diabetes Checked? 

Diabetes is a chronic issue that affects the way your body deals with sugars. Your body has a unique way of dealing with accumulated sugars. It produces insulin which controls the sugar levels to the acceptable points. However, when you have diabetes, your sugar levels shoot up without your insulin's help to regulate it. In such scenarios, you only have the option of state-of-the-art medications to deal with your diabetes. 

The major types of diabetes that can affect you include: 

·         Type 1 Diabetes  -  This condition refers to your pancreases' inability to produce adequate insulin levels that can regulate your sugar levels. 

·         Type 2 Diabetes  -  This type of diabetes connects with your eating. Having a sedentary lifestyle can also affect you when you have this type of diabetes. When you have little to no exercise and consume a significant amount of sugars beyond the recommended levels. 

This type of diabetes also comes up when your body cannot utilize insulin, making you unable to function properly due to the buildup of sugars. 

What Techniques Can Help Track Diabetes? 

North Houston Diabetes Institute has the right tools and techniques to help identify and take action as soon as your blood sugars exceed the normal levels. The center has in place digital report cards that help give the true picture of your sugar situation, giving you have the ability to capture negative variations that can pose deadly consequences. 

Digital report cards take little time, with assessments offered significantly fast at North Houston Diabetes Institute. In some cases, your assessment could take less than an hour with instant results. 

The report cards have two sections - red-colored and green-colored. These sections have a purpose, as the green side highlights your good health while the red part signifies that you need close monitoring and help bring down your blood sugar levels. 

Anytime you reach North Houston Diabetes Institute for diabetes help, you get assessments in the following: 

·         Eye functions 
·         Blood pressure monitoring 
·         Hemoglobin levels 
·         Hypoglycemia levels 
·         Kidney function 
·         Foot function 
·         Body mass index 

How Can Diabetes Management Help Deal With Your Diabetes? 

Diabetes management requires a lot from you. An active role will mean that none of your organs take a toll from an accumulation of blood glucose. You will get an individual set of instructions that will ensure you deal with your situation uniquely with your doctor's help. 

Control your blood sugar for a healthier life today with North Houston Diabetes Institute as a partner. Start your journey to a better you today by calling or booking your appointment online.

Facts You Should Know About Diabetes

facts about diabetes types diabetic conditions

Altered blood sugar levels pose a high risk of developing nerve, eye, and kidney conditions. If you are battling diabetes, you require round-the-clock care and information to help manage your condition. Your leading Sanford family medicine experts at Lake Family Medicine & Imaging are board-certified to offer quality diagnosis and treatment services for patients who have diabetes. 

Diabetes 101 

Diabetes, commonly known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of diseases that alters glucose conversion (blood sugar) in your body into energy, causing high blood sugar. The different types of diabetes There are different types of diabetes, including; 

1. Prediabetes 

Prediabetes is the condition that occurs when you suffer from increased blood sugar levels but are not diagnostically classified as a Type 2 diabetes patient. 

2. Type 1 Diabetes 

Type 1 diabetes is a condition where your body does not produce insulin. Research medical experts believe an autoimmune disorder causes type 1 Diabetes. The disease attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in your pancreas, decreasing the production of insulin. Type 1 diabetes usually starts in childhood and is also known as juvenile diabetes. 

3. Type 2 Diabetes 

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. The condition occurs when your body becomes insulin-resistant. Even though your body produces insulin, it is not used correctly to break down glucose into energy. The primary cause of Type 2 diabetes is unhealthy lifestyle habits and obesity. Having a family history also increases your risk of developing the condition. Type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent form of the disease. 

4. Gestational Diabetes 

Gestation diabetes occurs in women, usually during the second trimester of pregnancy. The condition occurs when the placenta produces a hormone that interferes with insulin use. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after childbirth. However, this type of diabetes increases a woman’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the future. 

Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetes 

In the early stages of prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes, signs and symptoms are not obvious. However, as your condition progresses or in case you have Type 1 diabetes, symptoms might include; 

·         Fatigue 
·         Blurry vision 
·         Increased thirst and hunger 
·         Frequent urination 
·         Numbness in your feet or hands 
·         Irritability 
·         Mood swings 
·         Unintentional weight loss, especially in Type 1 diabetes 
·         Non-healing cuts and sores 

Treatment Of Diabetes 

At Lake Family Medicine & Imaging, Dr. Kandavanam starts by conducting a thorough physical diagnostic examination and reviewing your medical and family history to evaluate your symptoms and determine the type of diabetes you have. Depending on your condition, Dr. Kandavanam will develop an individualized treatment plan to tackle the disease. 

Prediabetes and early-stage Type 2 diabetes can be managed with healthy lifestyle changes, including dieting, exercising, and being active. 

For Type 1 diabetes, gestational diabetes, and advanced Type 2 diabetes, you might be prescribed medication such as regular insulin injections into soft tissue like the arm, stomach, or buttocks to help manage your blood sugar levels. The use of drugs is an essential part of diabetes management. If you have diabetes, you must regularly visit your care provider to monitor how your condition progresses. 

Contact Lake Family Medicine & Imaging to learn more about diabetes or get an expert diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.

Apple Cider Vinegar - How Is It Beneficial For Your Health?

apple cider vinegar health benefits weightloss immune system diabetes

An apple is mashed at first to squeeze it the pulps, and then it is made fermented to make the vinegar that is be produced form it. Doctors opine that as one of the best supplements of the food the vinegar of apple cider is wonderful and has to be taken in a very small amount by any individual. The ingredient acetic acid is there to fortify the food value of the product, but it is not all in all. Some other compounds are there for the presence of which the vinegar made from apple is always very good for our health. Doctors prescribe to take one or two teaspoons of vinegar every day for its users as the proper dosage, but the dosing may vary for different people. 

Apple Cider Vinegar And Curing Of Health Issues 

For a long time, the vinegar compounds have been employed in different spheres of life as a curative agent that has the ability to heal our chronic pain. From the ancient age, the vinegar has been used to develop our strength and vigor. But as a medicinal property stuffed with an antibiotic, this is fabulous. One can even use the vinegar to detoxify his body. You will be astonished knowing that scurvy is better treated with the vinegar of apple cider. 

A recent publication on vinegar of apple cider says that the product is able to lose our body weight and it is evident on several research works where it is shown that some rat who were obese the application of acetic acid made their fat burning within a short time making noticeable improvement of their metabolism. Studies of Native Nutrition have also proven the fact that the people who consumed the acid of acetic in the modest amount lost their weight instantly. The triglyceride level of their body was decreased by the use of such medically proven vinegar made of apple. 

Consumption Of Apple Cider Vinegar 

Overall, the evidence of science has shown the consumption of any type of vinegar is healthy for our body but the consumption of vinegar for a number of days does not mean that loss of bodyweight is evitable, but it is true that the intake of such vinegar instigates our body metabolism rate and we start reducing our weight. 

The myths of the vinegar and the truth 

•  For several remedies of nature has a little threat so the question is should we avoid the use of vinegar made of apple? 

•  Experts say that always we have to be taken such properties in a modest amount. 

•  Vinegar has to be taken in diluted form as its content of acidity can injure our enamel of tooth when we are sipping it directly — so the approach of taking the vinegar as the dressing of salad is a safe mode. 

•  It has been accounted to degenerate the level of potassium levels. But the doctors opine that if you are taking the dosage of vinegar or apple cider, then you have to take it with a variety of salad that can boost your potassium the levels of insulin. 

So, for diabetic people, it is safe to consume vinegar cautiously. But for those who do not have diabetes can easily take the diet enriched with vinegar.

Apple Cider Vinegar Health Benefits

Apple cider vinegar is beneficial in many areas of your health and nutrition. It's also a frugal option to boost your wellness on a daily or weekly basis. Try some apple cider vinegar today to enjoy the health benefits.

Calculating Macros on a Keto Diet: What to Know

calculating macros keto diet

The ketogenic (keto) diet focuses mostly on macronutrient intake. More specifically, the diet involves eating macros in a carefully determined ratio to help you reach a metabolic state called ketosis. 

While you can simply follow standardized macro ratios, it is best to make things more personal. Why? Because you will experience greater success when you make the diet match your gender, age, weight, activity levels, and health. With that being said, here is what to keep in mind when calculating your macros. 

About Keto Macros 

Macronutrients are a special class of nutrients that you need to eat in relatively large amounts. They include fats, carbs, and proteins but some consider water and fiber also to be macros. Macros give your body energy and serve as building blocks for tissue, hormones, and enzymes. 

When talking about keto macros, however, what most people are referring to are ratios based on calorie intake most of which look like this: 

· 5-10% Carbs 
· 20-25% Protein 
· 70-80% Fat 

If you follow this ratio for at least 4 days, you will reach ketosis. Continue this regimen for several weeks and you'll become keto-adapted, which means your body will be burning fat with ease. 

While the above macros ratio example works well for most dieters, it may not work as well for athletes and highly-active people. The formula also doesn't include daily calorie recommendations or what food sources of these macros work best on keto. 

Pay Attention To Net Carbs 

Besides sticking to the above ratios, you also need to be careful with your net carb intake. 

Net carbs are what you get when you subtract fiber measured in grams from a food's total carb weight (Total carbs – fiber = net carbs). Net carbs impact blood glucose levels and inhibit ketosis. Fiber, on the other hand, has no effect on blood glucose whatsoever. But it does feed beneficial gut bacteria, supports gut motility, and provides many health benefits, which is why you need more fiber even on keto. That's not the case with net carbs. 

As a general rule, keeping your net carb intake to below 50 grams per day should be enough to put you into ketosis. This seems to work for most people. However, if you are sedentary or have metabolic problems, you may need to lower your carb intake even more to around 20 grams per day. 

Calculating Your Macros 

To get your personalized keto macros, you can either use a keto calculator or do your own tweaking after you've thoroughly researched the diet. Many keto websites now feature a keto calculator to help dieters determine their exact macronutrient ratios and calorie intake based on their data and goals. However, most of these calculators are based on the standard ketogenic diet (SKD). 

For highly-active dieters, a cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD) is one of the best options. It involves carbing-up once or twice a week and alternating with standard keto eating. On the CKD, you should eat more carbs (up to 150 grams) before or immediately after your workouts. Carbs are essential for optimizing testosterone levels, for growth hormone production, and for IGF-1 (Insulin-like growth factor 1) – a hormone that's central to muscle growth. 

What About Macros Quality? 

As long as you're eating lots of fat and little carbs, you'll definitely enter ketosis. If you lower your calorie intake (by reducing the amount of fat you're eating), you'll also lose weight along the way. However, if you want to maintain good health and make this diet easier, macros/food quality is paramount. 

The usual advice is to stick to butter, olive oil, fatty fish, and fatty cuts of organic meat. On the other hand, avoid partially-hydrogenated oils and trans fats. You also want to limit processed foods and choose low-carb vegetables for best results. This way, you'll get most out of your macros without having to worry about health. 

Ketosis Conclusion 

While you can follow standard keto macros recommendations, it's best to tweak them to meet your specific goals, needs, and limits. People come in all shapes and sizes, and one size fits all won't work as well as personalized eating plans. 

For the most part, you'll have to calculate your keto macros using a keto calculator or adjusting your macros based on your results. If you are not in ketosis – lower your carbs further. If you are achy after workouts – boost your carb intake. Keto macros aren't written in stone, so make changes if necessary.


I hope you enjoyed this article about how to calculate your macronutrients on a keto diet while on a small budget

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- Five Ways To Make Health Food Shopping & Prep Easier

- Keto Dieting Guide For Beginners

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Celiac Disease & Type I Diabetes

Celiac Disease Type 1 Diabetes Frugal Fitness Health Wellness Research

A Study Examining Celiac Disease 
& Subsequent Risk of Type I Diabetes


Nutritional Science Research: Celiac Disease & Risk of Subsequent Type I Diabetes

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Frugal Fitness Free Exercise & Diet Tips
Affordable Workouts & Nutrition For Any Budget

Get Active & Stay Active! Keep It Simple Fitness Basics


Start Moving


The World Health Organization says that 31 percent of people worldwide are physically inactive and that physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor of deaths in the world. The WHO recommends that individuals ages 18-64 should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week along with healthy nutrition. This can include any type of physical activity, whether you’re hitting the gym, going on a nature walk, or riding your bike to work. As long as you’re moving, you can strengthen your body and reduce your risk of stroke, diabetes, cancer, depression, and other chronic conditions.

Step Up Your Exercise Routine


While performing any type of physical activity is a great place to start with your health, studies have shown that adding more exercise to your lifestyle can help reduce your risk of gaining weight, ultimately helping you avoid chronic conditions. In a 16-year follow-up of the Nurse’s Health Study II, researchers found that women who bicycled and walked briskly, compared to slow walking, gained less weight than those who didn’t bike. You may also want to incorporate strength training into your exercise routine as this has been shown to strengthen bone and muscle and to reduce chronic conditions like arthritis.

Limit Your Sedentary Time


Simply limiting your sedentary time could have positive impacts on your health. In fact, one study found that simply reducing sedentary activity may have a more beneficial impact on weight loss than targeting increased exercise since subjects in the reduced sedentary group viewed physical activity in a better light and ate less calories or ate a vegan diet. Another study by the Harvard School of Public Health found a significant correlation between sedentary lifestyles and type 2 diabetes. They suggest that you not only look toward increasing exercise activity but focus on decreasing sedentary activities. 


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5 Food Swaps For Improved Nutrition


Written for a very specific client's needs but is a good case study and example for many on how to easily yet significantly improve your nutrition via substitution. Get On My Nets!

1) Switch Splenda at home for Truvia (brand name) or another stevia (sweetener) powder. Can be bought in packets or in jars, at pretty much every grocery store now. See how you like it though before you buy too much. Also try to reduce the Splenda in your coffee a little bit when you are out at Panera etc.

2) Switch your Jiffy peanut butter for Tedi all natural unsalted peanut butter. Also an option is any almond butter but it is at least twice as expensive. Almond butter is slightly healthier for cholesterol and bodyfat reduction. You want to switch this in, a teaspoon of natural peanut butter or almond butter or a handful of almonds instead of a rice cake or two.

3) Switch out your Ritz and other crackers for a handful of Kashi Heart to Heart Warm Cinnamon dry cereal, Total Bran Flakes, Cheerios, or Kashi whole grain crackers.

4) Switch out your salad dressing to either make your own, or buy Newman's Own or another all natural / organic dressing to avoid some of the filler, sugars, and preservative junk. 

5) Switch out your Market Basket wheat bread for Arnold brand 100% Whole Wheat to reduce filler, corn syrup, and preservatives. This may also increase your fiber and protein a bit, which is always good.

* Stock up your desk drawer in your office with almonds, Kashi cereal, and/or Kashi or other whole wheat / whole grain crackers.

Overall making these switches, and not eating fruit after 4 or 5pm, will translate to better blood sugar/insulin levels, improved cholesterol, improved energy levels, increased natural fiber consumption, and better muscle recovery. Lots of good stuff!



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A Case For Supporting Nutritional Supplements In Your Daily Diet

         You may have heard from your doctor or read in a magazine that you don't need any supplements in your diet to be healthy and at peak performance. These people always make the claim that "you should be getting all of your nutrients from a healthy and balanced diet" and that supplements are a waste of money. They are right, ideally we should be getting all of the nutrients from a healthy and balanced diet. Does that ever actually happen? Almost never. Here are just a few reasons why we need healthy nutritional supplements in our diet.


Most Of Us Eat Horribly:

         We (hopefully) know that a healthy and balanced diet should consist of whole grains, lots of fruits and veggies, legumes, low-fat dairy, and lean meats. What does the average diet actually include? It ends up being more like a coffee and sugary cereal for breakfast, a fatty sandwich with a soda for lunch, and pizza for dinner. This leaves massive holes in the diet for proper protein, carbohydrate, and fat intake as well as vitamin and mineral deficiencies. What does that mean to you? It means that without the right amounts of these nutrients you will have reduced mental focus, increased fat storage, reduced recovery rates from exercise, poor physical performance, and less immunity to sickness. Even vegetarians (who claim they're healthier than the average omnivore) need to supplement with extra protein and a multivitamin/multimineral because they aren't taking enough in from their normal diet. Healthy supplements such as Whey Protein, Multivitamin/Multiminerals, Tea, Health Bars, and Omega-3 capsules can help fill in these inevitable nutritional gaps.


Optimal Nutrient Intake for Optimal Performance:

        Not all of us have the same nutritional needs. Our requirements are based largely on our genetics and activity levels, not everyone is going to fit in with the Recommended Daily Allowance's minimal range of nutrient intakes. An athlete or very active person is going to require larger amounts of nutrients than a couch potato. It is common sense that somebody trying to put on muscle needs to increase their protein and calorie intake to provide the raw materials for building that muscle. What is the easiest way to boost up that protein intake? A Whey Protein shake, of course. It is a lot easier and cheaper to take 10 seconds and mix up a shake than to cook up some eggs or chicken breasts and then clean up. Distance runners need much larger amounts of carbohydrates than the typical person because they use up huge amounts during a run for energy. Before, during, and after a race they can supplement their carbohydrate levels with quick and effective supplements such as sports drinks, or Gel packs. I'm pretty sure runners aren't going to carry around rice cakes and pasta during a marathon for mid-race carbohydrate replenishment, so once again supplements are convenient, practical, and effective.


Stay Healthy Under High Stress:

       Think about all of the stress we put our bodies through on a daily basis. We burn the midnight oil and don't get enough sleep at night, altering our hormonal balance and making our bodies more susceptible to sickness. We stress ourselves out with busy schedules, last minute cramming for class, and massive amounts of caffeine. Many people put large amounts of toxins into their body and damage their cells by constantly drinking, smoking, and going tanning. Even the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe is all polluted to an extent! Nutritional supplements can help fight back against all these stresses and free radicals to keep your body healthy. Supplemental protein can help minimize muscle loss caused by lack of sleep, hormonal imbalances, and chronic toxins. Whey protein is also an excellent source of glutathione, an antioxidant that plays a key role in the immune system. Green tea contains a chemical called ECGC that is one of the most powerful immune system boosters to be discovered and can help minimize damage from toxins. Multivitamins/Multiminerals will provide you with many of the basics you need to fight off many diseases and poisons we put into our body on a daily basis. I'm not saying these antioxidant nutrients make us impervious to sickness, but they sure can help.


            Skeptics will be quick to point to mixed scientific study results and bogus supplements that promise the impossible, but they are missing the big picture. Some healthy supplements do have strong scientific evidence for effectiveness and most of them don't cost an arm and a leg. They are convenient and potent ways to help ensure your overall health despite a less than perfect diet and a stressful lifestyle. Everyone can benefit from the addition of healthy supplements.


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Research: Celiac Disease and Risk of Subsequent Type I Diabetes



Article Critiqued By Frugal Fitness From "The Journal of Diabetes Care"
About Celiac Disease

          Definition: Gluten Intolerance
          Not to be confused with a wheat allergy, body reacts to wheat protein only
          Autoimmune Disease of small bowel
          Reaction to gliadin, a gluten protein found in wheat and hybrid wheat/rye Triticeae proteins, some also react to oats due to cross-contamination with gluten containing products
          Occurs in about 1% of North American and European populations but increasing reports due to screening asymptomatic individuals

Cell-Mediated Immune Response
          Upon exposure to gliadin, the enzyme tissue transglutaminase modifies the protein and immune system cross-reacts with bowel tissue, creating inflammation
          leads to flattening of the lining of the small intestine, significantly reducing nutrient absorption.

Symptoms of Celiac Disease
          Often diagnosed as IBS before proper screening
          Diarrhoea or constipation
          Weight Loss
          Stunted Growth in Children
          Fatigue
          Primarily a bowel disease but these symptoms may be limited or absent
          Older children and adults have malabsorptive problems and anaemia due to reduced iron absorption
          Abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, abdominal distention due to gas production
          Mouth ulcers may be present
          Lactose intolerance can develop as symptoms worsen
          Longstanding disease may cause ulcering of the small bowels or stricturing (narrowing due to scarring)

Malabsorption-Related Problems
          Fatigue or lack of energy due to carbohydrate and fat malabsorption
          Reduced Vitamin D and Calcium absorption may lead to osteopenia or osteoporosis.
          10% of those with Celiac have coagulation problems due to decreased Vitamin K absorption
          Can potentially cause bacterial overgrowth of small intestine leading to further malabsorption even after treatment

Diagnosis
          All tests lose there usefullness if patient consuming a gluten-free diet
          Intestinal damage begins to heal within weeks of gluten being removed from the diet, and antibody levels decline over months, if no gluten consumed a 10g per day intake will elicit a proper diagnosis
          Serology by blood test is 98% effective, all positive blood tests must be followed by endoscopic examination and a biopsy of 4-8 sites in duodenum to be 100% sure
           Blood tests detect IgA against endomysium or tissue transglutaminase
          Some experts also require or encourage blood tests for electrolyte, calcium, liver enzymes, vitamin B12, and folic acid levels. Coagulation testing for Vitamin K deficiency, bone scan for checking Vitamin D or calcium deficiencies

Prophylaxis/Treatment
          One study suggested that exposure to wheat, barley, or rye before full GI development caused five times the risk over those exposed at 4 to 6 months
          Another study contradicts these results and shows early exposure can be protective to disease development
          Breastfeeding may also reduce risk significantly for the first 6 months before gluten exposure
          Only  real “cure” is the preventative measure of a lifelong diet avoiding gluten although some major symptoms may still occur even with strict dieting
          Now there is a much higher selection of gluten-free foods at supermarkets, restaurants, etc.

Introduction
          Looks at incidence of type 1 diabetes diagnosis prior to celiac diagnosis.
          Previous studies looked at prevalence of opposite scenario
          Focused on children diagnosed before the age of 20.
          Hypothesized that prior celiac diagnosis will result in significant increased risk for type 1 diabetes
          Majority of individuals with celiac disease exhibit HLA-DQ2, with a smaller group being positive for HLA-DQ8
          Studies have proven that children with diabetes are at increase risk for celiac disease (5 to 10 fold risk increased for celiac)
          It has also been suggested that early gluten introduction may be a common risk factor for both diseases.
          Cronin and Shanahan have demonstrated that some 15% of individuals with both diseases may first receive diagnosis of celiac disease.
          This study did not give incidence ratios
          It was unclear if individuals with type 1 diabetes and simultaneously diagnosed with celiac disease were included.
          The main objective was to estimate the association of celiac disease with subsequent type 1 diabetes (before 20yoa) p=9,243 with celiac disease compared with 45,680 age + sex matched individuals without celiac disease
          The second objective was to study the risk of type 1 diabetes stratified for age at diagnosis of celiac disease.
          Hypothesis: celiac disease diagnosed at early age and consequent early introduction of gluten-free diet would be associated with a lower risk of type 1 diabetes.

Research/Methods
          Approved by research ethics committee of Karolinska Institute.
          No participants contacted, information was made anonymous before analysis
          Used hospital inpatient diagnosis of celiac disease between 1964 and 2003 through Sweedish national inpatient register.
          Celiac diagnosed by various ICD codes.
          For each individual with celiac disease, Statistics Sweden indentified up to five reference individuals matched for age, sex, calendar, year, and area of residence at time of diagnosis
          Restricted measurements to individuals diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before age of 20.

Methods
          Follow up time began 1 year after study entry.
          Ended on the date of first discharge diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, emigration, death, or age 20 years
          Identified 9,733 individuals with celiac disease between 1964 and 2003
          Excluded 233 individuals with type 1 diabetes diagnosed before celiac disease.
          Study based upon 9,243 individuals with celiac disease diagnosed before 20yo and 45,680 age, period, and sex matched individuals without celiac disease

All participants were type 1 free at start of follow up
          Used cox regression to estimate association of celiac disease with type 1 diabetes.
          Estimated the risk of ketoacidosis before age 20 years.
          Individuals only compared with matched reference individuals
          Stratification for sex and age was chosen <2 or 3 years to maximize study power
          Individuals  diagnosed with celiac disease between 0-1yo were used as the reference category and compared with those between 1 and <2yo

At a significance level of 5% the study had an 80% power to detect an increased risk of subsequent type 1 diabetes.

Results
          Median age was 1 year (range 0-19).
          Majority was female.
          Median age at first diabetes diagnosis was 10 years (2-19)
          The median duration from diagnosis of celiac to diagnosis of diabetes was 8.1 years
          Children with celiac disease were at increased risk of type one diabetes (based upon 300 positive results)
          Age of first celiac diagnosis displayed no significance to subsequent diagnosis of diabetes (p=.211)
          Risk estimates after stratification for age at diagnosis and sex were similar to risk estimates for type 1 diabetes before age of 20.
          Individuals with celiac disease were at a significantly increased risk of subsequent ketoacidosis. (based upon 13 positive results)
          Results were only significant for females

Conclusion
          The study found a statistically significant positive association of celiac disease with subsequent type 1 diabetes and with ketoacidosis before the age of 20.
          There was no statistically significant difference in risk of subsequent type 1 diabetes between individuals with a diagnosis of celiac disease at 0-2 years and those diagnosed after 2 years of age.
          To knowledge of authors, there exists only one previous similar study though no incidence ratios were given.
          The significance of the studies results is only further enhanced by the use of several reference individuals for each of the studied individuals.
          The large population provided high statistical power and allowed for sub analysis.
          Increased risk of diabetes was seen (300 cases) 2-3 fold greater than reference individuals
          Could be attributed to various factors such as environmental or genetic susceptibility.
          Gluten is a necessary trigger for celiac disease so feeding pattern may have been a factor.
          Daisy and BABY DIAB studies found a four to fivefold increase risk in children exposed to gluten before age of 4 months.
          Risk estimates were substantially lower than prior findings of diabetes diagnosis followed by celiac disease
          An explanation could be that those with more severe autoimmune disease have an earlier symptomatic onset of type 1 diabetes.
          An alternative explanation is that the inflammation associated with celiac disease remained for a period after diagnosis.

No strong evidence suggested that early diagnosis of celiac disease could help protect against type 1 diabetes

          The association could be a result of shared HLA characteristics or an interaction between food introduction and genetic susceptibility.
          Approximately 1/3rd of celiac patients are positive for HLA-DQ2 and this is a positive risk factor for type 1 diabetes so the increased risk could be attributed entirely to HLA characteristics.
          False negative celiac disease is unlikely since <1% of reference population should be affected by celiac disease.
          All children in Sweden are hospitalized upon diagnosis of type 1 diabetes so sensitivity to diabetes should be high in this study.
          In conclusion, the cohort study found a 2-3fold risk increase of type 1 diabetes before age of 20. Shared nutritional factors and common HLA profiles may explain the significance.
          The risk increase for type 1 diabetes is low considering that 95% of individuals with celiac disease are HLA-DQ2 positive.

Experiment Critique
          Family history of subjects not taken into account
          Many subjects taken from decades ago and the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes may have been inconsistent with rates from the last few years
          Study isolated to a set of hospital records in Sweden, primarily Caucasian and middle class.
          Subjects were anonymous so there was no telling what these subjects diet consisted of.
          Also the prevalence of celiac disease within the subjects siblings and parents could not be noted.

Further Experimentation
          Use more current records to account for present day type 1 diabetes diagnosis, compare rate of increased susceptibility from this study to a current one
          Focus on other geographical or demographical areas
          Take more detailed records of subjects to determine secondary variables that could account for different results

Works Cited
          Bao F, Yu L, Babu S, Wang T, Hoffenberg EJ, Rewers M, Eisenbarth GS: One third of HLA DQ2 homozygous patients with type 1 diabetes express celiac disease-associated transglutaminase autoantibodies. ] Autoimmun 13:143-148, 1999.
          Dube C, Rostom A, Sy R, Cranney A, Saloojee N, Garritty C, Sampson M, Zhang L, Yazdi F, Mamaladze V, Pan I, Macneil J, Mack D, Patel D, Moher D: The prevalence of celiac disease in average-risk and at-risk Western European populations: a systematic review. Gastroenterology 128: S57-S67, 2005
          Ekbom, Anders; Jonas F Ludvigsson, Johnny Ludvigsson, Scott M Montgomery. Celiac Disease and Risk of Subsequent Type 1 Diabetes: A general population cohort study of children and adolescents. J. Diabetes Care. Alexandria: Nov 2006. Vol. 29, Iss. 11; pg. 2483.
          Green PHR, Stavropoulos SN, Panagi SG, Goldstein SL, McMahon DJ, Absan H, Neugut AI: Characteristics of adult celiac disease in the USA: results of a national survey. Am J Gastroenterol 96:126-131, 2001
          Murray JA: Celiac disease in patients with an affected member, type 1 diabetes, irondeficiency, or osteoporosis? Gastroenterology 128:552-556, 2005
          Rapoport MJ, BistritzerT, Vardi O, Broide E, Azizi A, Vardi P: Increased prevalence of diabetes-related autoantibodies in celiac disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 23:524-527,1996  


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