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Monday, October 30, 2006
Health News
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Vitamin C supplements can reduce risk of catching a cold,
A daily 500-mg dose of vitamin C is effective in reducing the incidence of colds, according to the results of a study reported in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. A group of 244 subjects received a daily supplement of either 50 mg or 500 mg of vitamin C over a five-year period. There was no difference between the two groups in the duration or severity of infection; however, the group taking 500 mg daily caught far fewer colds - a 66% decreased risk of catching three or more colds over the course of the study. The significantly smaller number of infections is especially remarkable because, over the five-year period, the participants were repeatedly exposed to several cycles and seasons of cold viruses.
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National Diabetes Month- The Best Way to Treat Obesity, Part 1
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In a world of traditional Western medicine, the medical and pharmaceutical companies are constantly on a search to find drugs to treat chronic diseases. Type II diabetes is no exception, especially considering the prevalence of it. Interestingly, there are ways to reverse the effects of diabetes without popping a pill. Knowing that I am fitness professional, I’m sure you may think that I am going to say- “exercise and eat right.” Well, there is a little more to it than that and most importantly, you need to know why doing the right things has positive effects on diabetes.
Before I go any further, I feel compelled to tell you that if you have or think you have diabetes, you need to see a medical professional. Preferably, you would see an endocrinologist. Any way you look at it, you will most likely need medication (like glucophage, etc.). Also, I need to remind you of the role of insulin in the body, which is to allow blood sugar to be extracted into the muscle and other tissues. It is also responsible in breaking down fat.
Okay the best way to treat Type II diabetes is yes, to “exercise and eat right.” As always you need to incorporate the synergistic effect of resistance training (weight lifting), cardiovascular exercise, and supportive nutrition if you want to beat diabetes. Every endocrinologist I have known states that as well. Here are the reasons why:
The Insulin Effect of Exercise
When you exercise (with weights and with cardiovascular training), your muscles do a very unique thing. It starts to extract blood sugar without the use of insulin. More interestingly, the body will begin to release glucose (blood sugar) from the liver to balance things out. (That’s a really good thing isn’t it?)
Even better, when you lift weights and increase your muscle tone, your muscle will extract even more blood sugar even at rest. Studies show, that many Type II diabetics are able to decrease the amount of diabetic medication as a result of exercise. There are even some reports that when caught early, diabetes can solely be treated with exercise and eating right (under the care of a physician). This can prevent you from taking med’s and can possible create physical changes in the body that makes your insulin regulation normal again.
In part 2 (next week’s blog), I will tell you the importance and role of nutrition to fight this horrible disease.
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