A high-energy breakfast and modest dinner can control dangerous blood sugar spikes all day, says a study.
More than 382 million people in the world suffer from diabetes, predominantly type-2 diabetes.
For these people, blood sugar surges - glucose spikes after meals - can be life threatening, leading to cardiovascular complications.
A new Tel Aviv University study published in Diabetologia proposes a new way to suppress deadly glucose surges throughout the day - eating a high-caloric breakfast and a more modest dinner.
The combined consumption of a high-energy breakfast and a low-energy dinner decreases overall daily hyperglycaemia in type-2 diabetics, said the study.
"We found that by eating more calories at breakfast, when the glucose response to food is lowest, and consuming fewer calories at dinner, glucose peaks after meals and glucose levels throughout the day were significantly reduced," said professor Daniela Jakubowicz of Tel Aviv University.
The new study was conducted on eight men and 10 women aged 30-70 with type-2 diabetes.
Patients were randomized and assigned either a "B diet" or "D diet" for one week.
The B diet featured a 2,946 kilojoule (kj) breakfast, 2,523 kj lunch, and 858 kj dinner, and the D diet featured a 858 kj breakfast, 2,523 kj lunch, and 2,946 kj dinner.
The results of the study showed that post-meal glucose elevations were 20% lower and levels of insulin, C-peptide, and GLP-1 were 20% higher in participants on the B diet compared with those on the D diet.
Despite the fact that both diets contained the same calories, blood glucose levels rose 23% less after the lunch preceded by a large breakfast.
Health news Micron & Associates Hong Kong Blog: 12 Tips to Stay Healthy While Working
on Tuesday, March 24, 2015
12 Tips to
Stay Healthy While Working From Home
For many of us, going into the office doesn’t even require heading
out the door. More than 30 million Americans work from home, and Forrester
Research’s US Telecommuting Forecast predicts that number will rise to 63
million by next year -- meaning that 43 percent of the U.S. workforce will work
remotely.
But working from home can present a unique set of challenges,
especially when it comes to your health. The abundance of alluring snacks in
the kitchen, the lack of social stimulation and the temptation to work in an
ergonomically unsound position, like in bed, can all sabotage an otherwise
virtuous worker’s best health
intentions.
Here are my top 12 tips for staying fit, healthy and on task while
working from home:
Set up a
separate office space.
Use a space in your home that’s designated solely for work. Your
bed activities should be limited to sleep and sex only. Bringing in work
materials can interfere with your ability to relax later on. And working from your
couch can create mental associations that keep your mind occupied with
professional obligations, even during off-hours. Even if you live in a tiny
studio, set up a desk and chair and separate the professional from the
personal.
Choose a
good chair.
Invest in a comfortable, ergonomically sound chair that will keep
you properly aligned throughout the day.
Or ditch the
chair altogether.
Use a standing desk to give your back a break and reduce your
overall long-term mortality risk.
Get up every
hour and get out at least once a day.
It can be easy to get stuck in your seat, especially since you
feel comfortable in your space. Set a timer or use an app to remind you to get
up and stretch once every hour, and make sure to get outside, even just to walk
around the block and get some sunshine and fresh air.
Set a
schedule and stick to it.
It can be tempting to wake up late and work at odd hours, but you
will benefit your mental health and the quality of your work by setting a
schedule as if you were going into the office. Then: Stick to those hours.
Schedule
workouts.
When you create your schedule, use the flexibility to your
advantage. Schedule your workouts as you do meetings -- but pencil them in
before you begin working, during lunch or after hours.
Health news Micron & Associates Hong Kong Blog: 4 Tips for Healthy Weight Loss
on Sunday, March 22, 2015
- Coronary heart disease
- Stroke
- Type 2 diabetes
- Cancers (endometrial, breast and colon)
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Dyslipidemia (high blood cholesterol, high blood triglycerides)
- Fatty Liver Disease
- Gallbladder disease
- Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
- Osteoarthritis (degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
- Gynecological problems for women (abnormal menstrual periods and infertility)
Here is a handy BMI calculator to help calculate your BMI. For those who are overweight or obese, even a small weight loss of 10 percent of body weight over a period of 6 months can improve health and reduce risk factors for disease. Weight loss can also increase energy, and improve your sleep, mood, self-esteem and overall quality of life.
If your BMI is less than 18.5, it falls within the "underweight" range.
If your BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, it falls within the "normal" or Healthy Weight range.
If your BMI is 25.0 to 29.9, it falls within the "overweight" range.
If your BMI is 30.0 or higher, it falls within the "obese" range.
Experts agree that the key to successful weight loss with sustainable weight management is adopting a healthy lifestyle. For example, exercise has been shown to be a significant factor for weight loss and weight management, and when included as part of a balanced, integrated approach, the outcomes may be even more sustainable and comprehensive. This includes lower cholesterol and other quality of life improvements such as better sleep, enhanced energy and mood from feel-good brain chemicals released during exercise. The research conducted by Dr. Ornish and his colleagues in the Lifestyle Heart Trial showed an average weight loss of 24 pounds in the first year with sustained weight loss in most after 5 years.
Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
The pace for healthy weight loss is half a pound to 2 pounds a week. The first one to two weeks you may experience a more rapid weight loss due to loss of water weight in addition to fat loss and some muscle loss. For healthy and successful long term weight loss, however, the pace should slow to a steady and more moderate rate that supports a decrease in the percentage of fat without sacrificing lean (muscle) body mass.
This initial weight loss drop from water weight is the result of the body's initial need for extra energy when calorie intake drops, along with perhaps increased expenditure. The body responds to this extra need for energy by releasing stores from a type of carbohydrate found in the muscles and liver called glycogen. Glycogen is partly made of water so when burned for energy, it releases water, which results in the initial weight loss. This tends to taper off after the first week when the body adjusts to the lifestyle changes.
After the first couple of weeks, weight loss should taper to a moderate loss of half a pound to 2 pounds. Even though the goal is to achieve continued weight loss, a too rapid loss that exceeds 3 pounds a week can increase the risk of gallstones and gallbladder disease.
Rapid weight loss can also lead to unintended loss of lean body mass, which cause a slower metabolism that inhibits continued weight loss and often results in a rebound of weight gain. This rapid weight loss and gain can lead to yo-yo dieting, which results in an increasing rate of the percentage of body fat to lean muscle weight. Slower weight loss results in more effective weigh loss from fat and a preservation of lean body mass. In addition, one study showed that a slower and steady weight loss lead to improved triglyceride levels and blood pressure.
Five Tips for Healthy Weight Loss
1. Choose Plant-Based, Low-fat, Nutrient-Rich Foods Instead of Calorie Dense Foods. When following a plant based approach, weight loss is a natural outcome, often without even trying to lose weight. As the title of Dr. Dean Ornish's book, Eat more, Weigh Less, indicates, it is easy to eat more and weigh less when eating nutrient dense foods versus calorie dense foods. One can have a high volume of food and not feel deprived because of the difference in calorie density. For example: 1 teaspoon of olive oil (or any oil) has 120 calories. You can have almost 5 cups of vegetables for the same amount of calories, or a large salad with one-quarter cup of garbanzo beans.
Dr. Ornish has recommended:
An optimal diet for preventing disease and staying healthy is a whole foods, plant-based diet naturally low in animal protein, low in harmful fats, and low in refined carbohydrates.
An optimal diet for reversing disease and staying healthy is a whole foods, plant-based diet, low in harmful fats, and low in refined carbohydrates (no animal protein).
little or no red meat;
high in "good carbs" (including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and soy products in their natural forms);
low in "bad carbs" (simple and refined carbohydrates such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flour);
sufficient "good fats" (4 grams/day of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, flax oil, plankton-based oils);
low in "bad fats" (trans fats, saturated fats, hydrogenated fats);
more quality, less quantity (smaller portions of good foods are more satisfying than larger portions of junk foods, especially if you pay attention to what you're eating).
2. Eat Small, Frequent Balanced Meals and Snacks Throughout Day, But Remember that Total Calories Count the Most. The evidence is mixed about whether eating small, frequent healthy meals and snacks effects weight loss. This approach has many advantages, especially for those with diabetes. Planning for smaller, more frequent healthy and balanced meals can help ward off hunger because you will avoid overeating. This approach also keeps your blood sugar level stable throughout the day. A recent study at the University of Warwick showed that regardless of the size and frequency of one's meals, the total calories are what contributes most to weight loss.
3. Stay Hydrated with Water, Not Liquid Calories.
Staying well hydrated is important for health and supports weight loss. That's because our brains can miscommunicate thirst for hunger, leading us to consume extra calories when we really need hydration. Studies support the importance of staying well hydrated for weight management and health. Drinking a glass of water prior to eating can also curb our appetite, which helps to limit excess calories.
Liquid calories in beverages such as soda, sweet tea, lemonade, and even juice can be quickly consumed, but do not satisfy hunger and therefore easily add excess calories. Liquid calories can also have a negative impact on blood management. Eating a whole fruit such as an apple provides fiber that slows down the release of sugars and absorption into the bloodstream. This approach will level blood sugar versus the quick rush and blood sugar spike that can result from liquid calories such as juice. Studies show that limiting liquid calories supports weight loss and effective weight management.
4. Practice Mindful Eating
Being mindful and aware of what, how and when we are eating can make a significant impact on weight management, along with making healthy choices that affect our over health and well-being. A study published in the Journal of Academic Nutrition Diet demonstrated that by learning and applying mindful eating, participants eat less, lost more weight, and had better managed blood sugar levels..
Are you at a healthy BMI? If not, what's the first step you can take to move towards a healthier weight?
Micron Associates Health and Fitness: Youth at Risk of Hearing Loss
on Tuesday, March 3, 2015
World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an initiative called "Make Listening Safe" in celebration of International Ear Care Day. It also aims to raise awareness on young people regarding unsafe listening habits.
Today, around 360 million people worldwide are found to have moderate to bad hearing loss owing to a number of reasons: It could be caused by genetic conditions, noise exposure, infectious disease, birth complication, old age or drug usage. Ironically, it was determined that 50% of those cases could have been avoided.
To solve its potentially devastating effects to society as a whole, WHO has collected and analyzed data related to hearing loss, most especially to clearly show its prevalence and leading causes. This will also be of great help to governments in informing and implementing preventive measures for the benefit of the public.
Micron Associates Health and Fitness estimates that at least a billion young people could suffer from hearing loss because of the habitual use of handheld audio devices and being exposed to harmful noise levels at entertainment venues. WHO is partnering with a number of entities around the globe in order to alert the youth of risks of loss of hearing from such noise exposure.
According to WHO's research in developing countries, almost 50% of all young people surveyed appear to have unsafe noise exposures mainly from their personal devices, while 40% are exposed to loud noises in sporting venues, concerts or bars. (A dangerous noise level would be anything over 85 decibels.)
Unhealthy exposure to noise could lead to tinnitus or temporary hearing loss, characterized by a ringing sensation. What's more, a regular or prolonged exposure to loud sounds could damage the sensory cells in the ears -- an irreversible condition that will lead to permanent hearing loss.
"As they go about their daily lives doing what they enjoy, more and more young people are placing themselves at risk of hearing loss. They should be aware that once you lose your hearing, it won't come back. Taking simple preventive actions will allow people to continue to enjoy themselves without putting their hearing at risk," said WHO's Dr. Etienne Krug.
Loss of hearing also comes with a string of other damaging effects in the person's mental health and performance in work or school, as noted by Micron Associates Health and Fitness in their previous research.
To avoid the dangers of hearing loss while engaged in so-called recreational noise, the following should be considered: frequency, duration and intensity. For more detailed tips on how to prevent incurring hearing damage, tune in to our next post.
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