Glucose Disposal

Glucose Disposal — Cinnamon and Brewer's Yeast:

"I have a question concerning low-carb diets. In Dan Duchaine's BodyOpus book, he mentions the use of brewer's yeast and cinnamon as potent glucose disposal agents. Do you have any idea of the amount of these items that should be taken to help with glucose disposal? Thanks.

S. Morgan

Both cinnamon and brewer's yeast substantially potentiate insulin. There is one caveat, however — albumin levels. At baseline albumin levels in blood, cinnamon is more effective than brewer's yeast, showing an insulin-potentiating effect of about 12-fold. But as albumin levels increase, cinnamon's effects are inhibited, making it ineffective.

In contrast, brewer's yeast actually becomes more effective as albumin levels increase, maxing out with an insulin-potentiating effect of about sixfold. So, to cover both situations, it makes sense to take cinnamon and brewer's yeast together.

Regarding dosages — this is a guess — try taking 250 mg of cinnamon and two tablespoons of brewer's yeast, three times a day. Be careful with cinnamon, though. Some people are allergic to it. So test a small amount before you start taking larger dosages.

But I have to tell you that my favorite, over-the-counter insulin potentiator is alpha-lipoic acid (ALA). I don't take cinnamon or brewer's yeast, but I do take ALA. And, it's a super-powerful antioxidant, too. Take 200 mg three times a day."

A Paleolithic diet confers higher insulin sensitivity, lower C-reactive protein and lower blood pressure than a cereal-based diet in domestic pigs

A Paleolithic diet confers higher insulin sensitivity, lower C-reactive protein and lower blood pressure than a cereal-based diet in domestic pigs:

"A Paleolithic diet has been suggested to be more in concordance with human evolutionary legacy than a cereal based diet. This might explain the lower incidence among hunter-gatherers of diseases of affluence such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to experimentally study the long-term effect of a Paleolithic diet on risk factors for these diseases in domestic pigs. We examined glucose tolerance, post-challenge insulin response, plasma C-reactive protein and blood pressure after 15 months on Paleolithic diet in comparison with a cereal based swine feed.

This study in domestic pigs suggests that a Paleolithic diet conferred higher insulin sensitivity, lower C-reactive protein and lower blood pressure when compared to a cereal based diet."

Effects of curcumin on retinal oxidative stress and inflammation in diabetes

Effects of curcumin on retinal oxidative stress and inflammation in diabetes:

"Thus, the beneficial effects of curcumin on the metabolic abnormalities postulated to be important in the development of diabetic retinopathy suggest that curcumin could have potential benefits in inhibiting the development of retinopathy in diabetic patients."

Eggs modulate the inflammatory response to carbohydrate restricted diets

Eggs modulate the inflammatory response to carbohydrate restricted diets in overweight men:

"A CRD with daily intake of eggs decreased plasma CRP and increased plasma adiponectin compared to a CRD without eggs. These findings indicate that eggs make a significant contribution to the anti-inflammatory effects of CRD, possibly due to the presence of cholesterol, which increases HDL-C and to the antioxidant lutein which modulates certain inflammatory responses."

A cure for the common cold?

A cure for the common cold? | Health & Nutrition by Michael R. Eades, M.D.: "there is a product on the shelves of most health food stores and natural food groceries that really does work. However, most people don’t know about it, and when they do see it mixed in with all the other cold medicines, they don’t know how different it really is.

The product is umckaloabo, an extract from the African plant Pelargonium sidoides."

Pumpkin seeds

WHFoods: "Pumpkin Seeds May Promote Prostate Health"

Benign prostatic hypertrophy, or BPH, is a condition that commonly affects men 50 years and older in the United States. BPH involves enlargement of the prostate gland. One of the factors that contributes to BPH is overstimulation of the prostate cells by testosterone and its conversion product, DHT (dihydrotestosterone). Components in pumpkin seed oil appear able to interrupt this triggering of prostate cell multiplication by testosterone and DHT, although the exact mechanism for this effect is still a matter of discussion. Equally open for discussion is the relationship between pumpkin seed oil extracts (which could be purchased in the form of a dietary supplement) and pumpkin seeds themselves. The prostate-helpful components found in the oil extracts are definitely found in the seeds; the only question is whether the amount of seeds eaten for a normal snack would contain enough of these prostate-supportive components. The carotenoids found in pumpkin seeds, and the omega-3 fats found in pumpkin seeds are also being studied for their potential prostate benefits. Men with higher amounts of carotenoids in their diet have less risk for BPH; this is the connection that has led to an interest in pumpkin seed carotenoids.

Zinc is one further nutrient found in pumpkin seeds that might impact prostate function. The fact that pumpkin seeds serve as a good source of zinc may contribute to the role of pumpkin seeds in support of the prostate. However, studies about the relationship between zinc and BPH show mixed results, and more research is needed to determine the circumstances under which zinc might be helpful versus harmful.

Pomegranates Linked to Enhanced Sperm Quality in Animal Study

Pomegranates Linked to Enhanced Sperm Quality in Animal Study:

A animal study indicates that the antioxidants in pomegranates may enhance sperm quality, adding to past evidence that other antioxidants—such as resveratrol—also may play a role in sperm health.