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Intermittent Fasting Reduces Hunger?
A new study shows intermittent fasting may help reduce hunger and promote weight loss. The typical American mealtimes occur during a 12-hour window, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Intermittent fasting is a strategy of limiting down the amount of hours spent eating, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This small study compared two groups who ate the same amount of calories but one group stayed on the typical American eating schedule (from 8am to 8pm), and the other group ate within the intermittent fasting schedule (from 8am to 2pm).
Those who fasted 18 hours (from 2 p.m. to 8 a.m.) had lower levels of ghrelin and higher levels of peptide (they were more satiated and less hungry) and lost weight.
Those practicing intermittent fasting, even though they ate the same amount of calories as the non fasters, also had better metabolic flexibility. You can read more details on the study here.
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[yikes-mailchimp form=”1″]Good News – Dark Chocolate Reduces Depression Risk and Stress
A study from the University College London, published in Depression & Anxiety showed an association between eating dark chocolate, and lessening symptoms of depression.
This study isolated the effects of dark chocolate only, avoiding variables such as socioeconomic status, which they believed could “confound the association between chocolate and depression.”
The study showed significantly lower odds of symptoms of clinical depression in study participants who ate dark chocolate as compared to other chocolate types.
The findings indicate a positive relationship between dark chocolate and lessened depression. However, they need to be confirmed in duplicate studies that carefully consider confounding variables.
In another study, researchers highlighted that highly stressed people who ate the equivalent of one average-sized dark chocolate candy bar (1.4 ounces) each day for two weeks experienced reduced levels of cortisol and catecholamine levels compared to highly stressed people who did not eat dark chocolate for 2 weeks.
Researchers also say dark chocolate appeared to have beneficial effects on the participants’ metabolism and microbial activity in the gut.
Bottom line – looks like we all need to eat more dark chocolate!
Read University College London Study on Chocolate Reduces Depression Risk
Read Dark Chocolate Lowers Stress Hormones from Web MD
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[yikes-mailchimp form=”1″]One in five deaths worldwide linked to unhealthy diet
In 2017, a study found that 11 million deaths worldwide were linked to poor diet. The research demonstrated that too much sugar, salt, and processed meats can contribute to diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Although there is still debate on the “ideal diet” a recent study recommended people double their intake of fruits, vegetables, and legumes and halve their intake of meat and sugar.
The study reviewed the diets of over 195 countries. “Consumption of healthier foods such as nuts and seeds, milk and whole grains was on average too low, and people consumed too many sugary drinks and too much processed meat and salt. This led to one in five deaths in 2017 being linked to unhealthy diets. “
A study from The Global Burden of Disease, from 1990 to 2017 found that an unhealthy diet was responsible for more deaths than any other health factor worldwide.
“The study found people ate only 12 percent of the recommended amount of nuts and seeds – an average intake of 3 grams a day, compared with the recommended 21 g – and drank more than 10 times the recommended amount of sugary drinks. Diets high in sugar, salt and bad fats are known risk factors for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many types of cancer.”
The global diet also lacked in consumption of whole grains and doubled the recommended intake of processed meats.
As health care professionals we want to promote a healthy lifestyle and help encourage our community whenever we can. We have created a Plant-Based Eating Resource page and the “Joy of Six” sugar campaign to provide resources for healthy eating. We also invite you to join our Diabetes Education Course September 4-6, 2019, where nutrition expert Dana Armstrong discusses the importance of improving global and individual through diet.
The Joy of Six Campaign Materials
Diabetes Education Course September 4-6, 2019,
To learn more: One in five deaths worldwide linked to unhealthy diet – Reuters
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[yikes-mailchimp form=”1″]High-fat diet linked to negative changes in gut microbiome
A study published in Gut, an international journal in gastroenterology and hepatology, revealed that a diet low in carbohydrates and high in fat can lead to a detrimental shift in a person’s gut microbiome. Duo Li, PhD of the Institute of Nutrition and Health at Qingdao University in China, believes this study is particularly important to countries becoming more westernized.
“Evidence has shown that humans gut microbiota diversity and richness are reduced with consumption of high-fat diets compared with more traditional diets with a higher proportions of carbohydrates. Such diet-induced ‘dysbiosis’ in gut-associated microbial communities has been postulated as a major trigger of metabolic impairments associated with obesity.”
During the study, 217 healthy young adults were assigned to one of three isocaloric diets, low-fat, moderate-fat, and high-fat. Then changes in the participant’s gut bacteria and inflammatory triggers were observed.
The aim of the study was to examine whether a low-fat diet or
“Li and colleagues found that the higher-fat diet was associated with changes to long-chain fatty acid metabolism, which resulted in higher levels of chemicals that could potentially trigger inflammation.”
Kelly Issokson, MS, RD, CNSC believes that the study is quite limited but shed light on an interesting observation for a younger population and fat intake.
“I will continue to recommend the Mediterranean-style eating pattern, which has been associated with favorable changes in the microbiota and metabolome as well as positive effects on health and wellness. A Mediterranean diet is rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, olive oil (high in omega 3 fatty acids), and encourages moderate to low intake of fish, dairy, and meat,” Issokson said.
To learn more: High-fat diet linked to unfavorable gut microbiota changes – Healio
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[yikes-mailchimp form=”1″]Eating more fiber-rich foods decreases depression| Happy Mindful Monday
A new meta-analysis of clinical trials has concluded that healthy eating can “significantly” reduce symptoms of depression. Many scientists have noted a strong correlation between poor diet and mental health. The origins of mental health issues are quite complex, however some scientists have suggested that “diet is as important to psychiatry as it is to cardiology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology.”
In order to study the link between improving health and easing mental health symptoms, scientists examined data from over 46,000 people. The conclusions were substantial, “the analysis revealed that every kind of dietary improvement “significantly reduced depressive symptoms.” However, the dietary changes did not affect anxiety.”
Another interesting take-away was that highly-specific or specialized diets may be unnecessary for the average individual, that just making simple changes can have a big impact. “In particular, eating more nutrient-dense meals which are high in fiber and vegetables, while cutting back on fast foods and refined sugars appears to be sufficient for avoiding the potentially negative psychological effects of a ‘junk food’ diet,” said Dr. Joseph Firth.
Another study found another strong factor to reducing symptoms of depression is to incorporate exercise. Research revealed that this impacted women more than men.
Eating healthy can help reduce the risk of obesity, inflammation and fatigue all of which are closely linked to poor mental health.
To learn more: A diet rich in fiber and vegetables can relieve depression – Medical News Today
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Healthier fast food side options hard to find on menu
In the past decade, healthier “side” options have made their way on to many fast-food children’s menus. Despite their presence, these options are very rarely promoted as the default option. For example, a burger is often automatically paired with fries while other healthier options, like salad or fruit, are difficult to locate on the menu.
Eating out at fast-food restaurants is part of a typical week for many families. Most restaurants focus on pleasing the consumer’s palate, not nutritional value, which generally means meals higher in fat and calories than a home-cooked meal.
Children consume 150 more calories when they eat fast-food over a home-cooked meal. Simple steps, like replacing a sugary beverage with water or opting for a salad instead of fries, can help to counteract the excess calorie intake.
A study led by author Megan Mueller, a researcher at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health in Los Angeles, analyzed 20 difference fast-food menus over an 11-year period. The study was conducted to help understand the introduction of healthier options over time and if they were “featured” on the menu.
Of the 20 fast-food chains that were studied, 30% offered a healthier side as their default option by 2015. “It was surprising to see how much progress these restaurants made in offering healthier sides and beverages as options in children’s meals, but how much more progress still needs to be made in offering these healthier items by default,” Mueller said.
Offering a healthier choice as the default is crucial because it helps us instinctively choose something, but also takes the title of “normal” away from an unhealthy option, like french fries or soda. By labeling calories and steering away from advertising the unhealthier options, we can help steer kids and adults in the right direction.
To learn more: “U.S. fast food chains offering more healthy options for kids” by Reuters
Our Diabetes Detective Team scans the diabetes news to discover the most relevant info that Diabetes Educators need in their daily practice. We post one daily Blog Byte from Monday to Friday. And of course, Tuesday is our Question of the Week. It’s Informative and FREE! Sign up below!
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Nutrition Recommendations in Bite Size Pieces
| Registered Dietitians are rock stars. MNT interventions provided by RDs, dramatically lower A1cs. The results say it all. Within 3-6 months of meeting with an RD, people with diabetes can expect an: A1c drop of up to 2.0% with Type 2 Diabetes A1c drop of up to 1.9% with Type 1 Diabetes |
Fiber is a BIG deal
Regular fiber intake decreases the risk of death in people with diabetes.
Yet most Americans don’t get enough roughage in their daily diet. Recommended daily intake of fiber is 14 grams per 1000 calories or about 28 grams per day.
Encourage half of fiber intake to come from whole intact grains. Whole grains still have all three of these parts intact: the bran (the nutritious outer layer), the germ (the seed’s nutrient-rich embryo) and the endosperm (the germ’s food supply, which is high in starchy carbs). They’re typically high in iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, B vitamins and dietary fiber.
50 percent of fiber from whole grains. Examples per 100gm include:
- Barley (hulled) 17.3 grams /per 100gm
- Brown rice (medium grain) 3.4 gms
- Bulgur 12.5 gms
- Corn (yellow) 7.3 gms
- Oats 10.6 gms
- Rye 15.1 gms
- Sorghum (white) 6.7 gms
- Wheat (hard, white) 12.2 gms
- Wild rice 6.2 gms
50% of fiber from foods naturally high in fiber. Here are a few examples.
- 1 large pear with skin (7 grams)
- 1 cup fresh raspberries (8 grams)
- ½ medium avocado (5 grams)
- 1-ounce almonds (3.5 grams)
- ½ cup cooked black beans (7.5 grams)
- 3 cups air-popped popcorn (3.6 grams)
- 1 cup cooked pearled barley (6 grams)
When it comes to finding foods with fiber, the packaging can be misleading. Food labels provide the most accurate information. Foods that are a good source of fiber have 3 grams per serving and foods that are an excellent source of fiber contain 5 grams per serving.
More weight loss improves outcomes
Prediabetes – For overweight people with prediabetes, new evidence supports losing 7-10% of current weight to reduce diabetes incident by 79%. Adding regular physical activity, including both aerobic and resistance exercise, also contributes to the prevention of type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes – If a person is overweight or obese with diabetes, the most effective weight loss target is 15% or greater to improve outcomes. The previous recommendations of a weight loss of 5-7% are based on the threshold for therapeutic effects. When it comes to weight loss, the greater the weight loss, the greater the benefits.
Eating Patterns – What is best?
There is not enough evidence to support one best approach, but for people with diabetes the research supports the following strategies:
- Emphasize eating more non-starchy vegetables
- Minimize added sugars and refined grains
- Choose whole foods over processed foods
Read the Complete Nutrition Therapy for Adults with Diabetes or Prediabetes – A Consensus Report here.
“Why are so many Latino children developing fatty liver disease?”
Recent studies have shown that 1 in 4 people living within the United States has fatty liver disease. However, the rate among Latinos is considerably higher at around 45%. Scientists are examining the effects of fatty liver disease and why certain communities are at higher risk than others.
A person is diagnosed with fatty liver disease if more than 5% of their liver weight consists of fat. However, ” it can progress to a more severe condition called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, which is linked to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. This progressive form of fatty liver disease is the fastest-growing cause of liver transplants in young adults.”
A surprising new research finding, is that the sugar in sweetened beverages can be passed from mother to child via breast feeding. When a mother consumes a beverage sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, the fructose level increases in the breast milk and stays elevated for hours. This can contribute to infant obesity and the development of a fatty liver, according to Michael Goran, the director of the Diabetes and Obesity program at University of Southern California and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA).
Goran leads a program called HEROES or Healthy Eating Through Reduction of Excess Sugar. The program helps young people avoid unhealthy habits to help reduce obesity and prevent fatty liver disease.
Many lawmakers are now attempting to decrease the consumption of sugar laden drinks, whether it is through a soda tax or added warning labels. However, many believe this is not enough. Public health agencies need to be more involved in raising awareness and discouraging marketing of sugary drinks to children and adults alike.
A concerning aspect is the amount of Latinos affected by fatty liver disease. A study revealed that a gene called PNPLA3 increases the risk of fatty liver and about 1/2 of the Latino population studied had the gene and a quarter has two copies of the gene.
“Medical researchers consider fatty liver disease a manifestation of metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that include excess visceral adiposity, elevated blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.”
Low-income neighborhoods, often struggle with lack of resources combined with increased availability of unhealthy and cheaper fast food options, which can be a barrier to healthy eating. In an effort to improve health in these areas, HEROES has implemented farmers markets, community gardens and turned corner stores into markets with healthier options.
Providers and educators are urging people to decrease sugar intake and cut back on refined, low-fiber, carbohydrates to avoid health risks in the future. Let’s help get the word out eating less sugar and increasing fiber and whole food intake.
To learn more: Why are so many Latino children developing fatty liver disease? – PBS
Learn more about sugar intake, ways to avoid sugar and how to spot hidden high sugar offenders with our “The Joy of Six” resource page.
Download the Sugar Rush app from Fooducate to see how much sugar has been added to your food. Just scan the bar-code of any product and instantly see a breakdown of naturally occurring and added sugar.
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