Fat in the Diet and Diabetes

Too much fat in your diet is a health risk for cardiovascular disease and for diabetes as well. Everyone thinks it is just the sugar in our diet that leads to diabetes, but fat can be a problem as well.

A recent study by scientists at the University of California, San Diego, found that overdoing it on fatty foods appears to suppress the action of GnT-4a, the single gene that controls the production of the hormone insulin. Insulin is the chemical the body uses to regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels in check. And consistently high glucose levels in the blood is the hallmark of diabetes.

"The results of the study, which was done on mice, have the potential to explain how diet influences the development of type II diabetes in people," says study author Jamey Marth, Ph.D. Scientists are now trying to find out what causes the gene to stop doing its work - and how to correct it.

While researchers continue to pursue this avenue, you can do something to prevent diabetes from developing. Trim the fat from your diet. A low fat diet containing healthy fats fights diabetes!

For more about natural ways to prevent and reverse diabetes check out: YourDiabetesCure.com.

Beta Carotene and Strokes

As one ages, the risk of a stroke happening increases. What can you do to help lower the risks? Studies at Harvard show that ensuring a good supply of beta carotene in your diet may be one way to lower those risks.

For example, carrots were found to be very valuable in preventing stroke. A recent Harvard study demonstrated that eating carrots five times a week or more can reduce the risk of stroke drastically by two-thirds, compared with eating carrots only once a month or less often. This conclusion was reached after observing nearly 90,000 women nurses over an eight year period.

Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant, protecting the cells of the body from damage caused by free radicals. It is also one of the carotenoids believed to enhance the function of the immune system. Beta carotene also appears to stimulate cell to cell communication.

Spinach is another vegetable found valuable in the prevention and treatment of stroke. The protection seems to come partly from beta carotene in carrots and spinach. A previous Harvard study found that eating the extra beta carotene in about one and a half carrots, which equals 200 g of mashed sweet potatoes or 170 g spinach (weighed raw and then cooked) every day saved 40 per cent off stroke rates. The drop was evident in those who ate 15-20 mg of beta carotene daily compared to those who ate only 6 mg. The anti stroke activity in carrots, spinach and other carotene-rich vegetables seems to emanate from their antioxidant properties.

So can what you eat make a difference in your health? Yes, start adding more fresh vegetables such as carrots, yams, spinach, romaine lettuce, cilantro and even cantaloupe.

Are you dealing with a stroke or with someone who has had a stroke. I recommend: Life after a Stroke, to help you cope and improve your situation.

Mind over Fibromyalgia

Recent studies of sufferers from Fibromyalgia have shown biofeedback techniques can bring relief from symptoms.

Biofeedback is a technique that measures bodily functions (like breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature, and muscle tension) and teaches one to alter these functions through relaxation or imagery.

Those who suffer the pain caused by Fibromyalgia know how difficult it is to treat this disease. Why? Because the condition varies widely from patient to patient and the causes are are often hard to pinpoint. Stress and fatigue often aggravate the symptoms. Anything that will help the patient to relax and cut down on stress should have a positive effect on symptoms.

Thus it is no surprise that patients who learn to visualize their pain centers and mentally ask those areas to "quiet down" can be helped.

Continued awareness of where you body is at, physically, emotionally and nutritionally can be keys to curing Fibromyalgia. Biofeedback techniques can be one component of learning to fight and win over this disease.

For more information about curing Fibromyalgia, go to: 
Diet Cures - Curing Fibromyalgia.