Diabetes: A 21st Century Scourge - The Facts and Figures

The causes of diabetes and how it ravages the body is sobering. The shocking reality of diabetes is that despite all of the medical advances and its worldwide prevalence it continues on a skyward rise into the stratosphere. As if that is not sobering enough the facts listed below will help bring the point home.

• Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States (nearly 8.5 % of the population) have diabetes
• 79 million Americans are thought to be prediabetic
• 1.9 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year
• Nearly 10% of the entire U.S. population has diabetes, including over 25% of seniors
• As many as 1 in 3 American adults will have diabetes in 2050 if present trends continue
• The economic cost of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. is $245 billion per year
• 1.9 million Americans aged 20 years or older are newly diagnosed with diabetes                each year (5,205/day)
• Compared to non-Hispanic whites the risk of diagnosed is 1.2 times higher among Asian Americans, 1.7 times higher among Hispanic Americans, and 1.8 times higher among African Americans
• Diabetes is the primary cause of death  for 71,382 Americans each year
• Diabetes contributes to the death of 231,404 Americans annually (combining death certificates that list diabetes as the primary and a contributing cause of death)
• $245 billion annually attributable to diagnosed diabetes, including $176  billion in direct costs and $69 billion in indirect costs (disability, work loss, premature mortality)
• People with diagnosed diabetes have health care costs 2.3 times higher than what expenditures would be in the absence of diabetes
• About 60% to 70% of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of neuropathy
• More than 60% of nontraumatic lower-limb amputations occur in people with diabetes
• About 65,700 nontraumatic lower-limb  amputations are performed in people with diabetes annually (180/day)
• Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, accounting for 44% of all new cases of kidney failure
• Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about 2 to 4 times higher than adults without diabetes, and the risk for stroke is 2 to 4 times higher among people with diabetes
• Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20–74 years
• The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. increased by 128% from 1988 to 2008
• Diabetes kills more Americans every year than AIDS and breast cancer combined

 In the next few articles in this series we will strike a happier tone by covering some of the ways diabetes can be mitigated or reversed. There is plenty of hope and good news so there is no need to despair despite the statistics. We will also discuss the psychology of diabetes and its effect on the lives of those that have it and the people who help care for them.

Diabetes: A 21st Century Scourge - The Ravages of Diabetes Continued

Uncontrolled blood sugar levels is the calling card of Type II diabetes that eventually leads to circulatory issues that are life changing. Foot ulcers, peripheral nerve damage and the accompanying pain, and blindness can result when blood vessels are weakened by the inflammatory action of unregulated blood sugar. Nightmarish as those conditions may be the complications of diabetes can worsen overtime leading to renal failure, heart attacks and stroke.

Diabetic Nephropathy

Silently and slowly high blood glucose levels damages the kidneys of diabetics and pre-diabetics which takes its toll. The kidneys help filter the blood and flush the body of unwanted toxins. Overtime high sugar levels cause the thickening and scarring of nephrons. The process eventually leads to renal (kidney) failure. To make matters worse it can take anywhere from 5 – 10 years before the symptoms of acute kidney damage are experienced. Some of the symptoms include nausea with vomiting, swelling of the legs, headaches, chronic fatigue, and poor appetite. Kidney damage is a leading cause of death in diabetics. As it is kidney function can be a direct correlation to the quality of a person’s life.

Strokes

High blood glucose levels create all sorts of negative domino effects in the body. One part of the domino effect is the scarring and deterioration of blood vessels that occur. The body attempts to repair these blood vessels that are constantly under attack. In doing so the material used to make the repairs “builds up” in the blood vessels creating blockages. Sometimes these blockages occur in arteries and blood vessels that supply blood to brain. When the blockages are severe enough a stroke soon follows. The result of the stroke could lead to paralysis, speech loss, inability to coordinate movement or even death. Smaller strokes could lead to dementia or senility.

Heart Attacks

Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases seem to go hand in hand. Primarily because of the circulatory issues created by having diabetes in the first place. From there it becomes much easier for cardiovascular disease to gain a foothold especially if poor lifestyle habits and predisposition to these diseases exist. Diabetics experience heart attacks more frequently than non-diabetics. Diabetics are also twice as likely to die following a heart attack as non-diabetics.

The Story of Cholesterol: Energy, CoQ10 and Statins

We have reached the point where the discussion turns to the practical side of things. Once the thinking is done we must put into practice what we have learned. Right off the top the need for a disclaimer is paramount: Nothing in this article should be construed as advice on dietary or supplemental modalities. You should consult your physician or a trusted health care provider for your specific needs. In the interest of stimulating a great conversation between you and your health care provider the words that follow should be your guide.

The miracle of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

One of the main issues surrounding statin drugs is how it inhibits the production of a key enzyme known as CoQ10. Devastating adverse health effects have been associated with CoQ10 deficiencies and has been recognized by some parts of the medical community in the U.S. and more widely in Europe and the Far East. Many people are familiar with the term “CoQ10” but do not have a firm grasp of what it is and how vital it is to our hearts so let’s discuss it.  

CoQ10 is a powerful vitamin-like substance produced by virtually every cell in the body. It has many functions that prove to be vitally important to the body. One of those functions is converting our food into fuel for our cells to use. When we eat good, wholesome foods and CoQ10 is present in the cells in adequate supplies our energy levels rise. The science of the process in which CoQ10 does its work is actually intriguing but we will skip the detailed lesson and just say without it we would have a hard time getting much of anything done. Because the heart is such a dense muscle that is always active it is one of the top CoQ10 producers in the body and rightfully so. Beating on average 2.5 billion times during a person’s life the heart requires a wealth of energy. Statins interfere with the production of some enzymes including CoQ10 robbing the heart of significant amounts of energy. To add insult to injury as we age we tend to produce less and less of this powerful enzyme naturally setting us up for exponential energy lose and poor cardiovascular production.

Another function of this miracle enzyme is blood pressure modification. It has proven itself to be an awesome way to reduce blood pressure without harmful side effects. A meta-analysis of clinical trials conducted in 2007 by F.L. Rosenfeldt et al (Coenzyme Q10 in the treatment of hypertension…) found overwhelming, across the board evidence that significant reductions in blood pressure took place among test subjects taking the supplement when compared to the control group (who did not take CoQ10 at all). Since 1974 doctors in Japan have prescribed CoQ10 to patients who experience congenital heart failure. Further studies in the U.S. showed a marked increase of heart function and vitality in people suffering from severe (class III and class IV) cardiomyopathy. These were people who were given just a year or two to live because they were that sick until CoQ10 supplementation began.

In addition, CoQ10 is a wonderful antioxidant. Oxidative stress, especially as it relates to LDL cholesterol, is a major cardiovascular concern. Remember that cholesterol in and of itself is not the boogey man but oxidized pattern B LDL cholesterol is. Coenzyme Q10 steps in and helps to prevent oxidation of patter B LDL helping to stop the type of cardiovascular stress that plague so many people. A healthy non-inflammation inducing eating plan along with CoQ10 supplementation can make all the difference in having excellent heart health especially if the person is experiencing poor cardiovascular health at the moment.

Where to find it

Typically CoQ10 tends to be found most prevalently in the organ meat of animals such as the kidneys, liver and heart. This is the most natural way to get it from outside your own body. The problem is enzymes tend to breakdown very readily when exposed to high heat even for short periods of time. The alternative to consuming organ meat (especially if you are vegetarian) has to be in the form of a supplement.

CoQ10 supplements are out there but it is imperative you can trust the source. There is no need to consume anything that is of low quality in the hopes that it will be beneficial. High quality CoQ10 that is readily bioavailable is a must. Seek advice from a knowledgeable source when determining what you might like to use.  

In Conclusion

There is a distinct correlation between CoQ10 deficiency and poor, sometimes fatal, heart function. So much so that the evidence of years of studies should be splattered across the headlines daily warning us about the deficiency and how to overcome it through supplementation. Medically speaking it is a very cheap and efficient way to reduce mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular issues especially in comparison to drugs and surgery that both carry ill side effects while draining personal and institutional coffers worldwide.

Originally this was supposed to be the last article in the series but there are other nutrients that should be discussed that would be of great benefit to cardiovascular health. With that thought in mind one or two additional articles may be necessary for the sake of thoroughness.

Sources: The Great Cholesterol Myth (Bowden and Sinatra)

The Story of Cholesterol: Our Immune Systems

On a daily basis our immune systems are constantly under pressure to perform a symphony of life saving duties. Multiple levels of specialized cells and chemicals orchestrate tasks like carry messages, serve as lookouts and summon killer cells. Pathogens, inflammation, even poorly digested food make demands for the attention of our often overburdened immune systems but the indignity does not stop there for some of us. Cholesterol lowering has been the "go to" treatment for many people with the unfortunate side effect of a suppressed immune system for many.

How suppression happens

It was mentioned in a previous article that one of the few benefits of statin drugs is that it reduces inflammation in the body and indeed it does. The problem is how it goes about achieving this "accomplishment". Your immune systems is a complex work of art. A significant part of the artwork involves being able to point out infection causing pathogens to the rest of the immune system. This is accomplished by creating inflammation with a chemical known as NF-kB. We must remember that inflammation, in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing. Without it our bodies would suffer greatly from a lack of an alarm system (inflammation) when burglarized by infection causing materials. Problems with inflammation arises when it becomes rampant and chronic due to what we do to ourselves through certain foods, drugs or environmental exposures.

Statin drugs inhibits our bodies from making NF-kB, the chief burglar alarm of the body, by the same process in which it inhibits production of CoQ10. At first thought it would seem like a good idea to lower inflammation and by most natural standards it is. It becomes problematic when it is done with a drug that ultimately makes the immune system weaker and less responsive.

Why is NF-kB suppression a big deal?

Would it surprise you to know that some pathogens like E. Coli and Salmonella actually proliferate by suppressing the body's ability to produce NF-kB? With no alarm they can terrorize the body. There are viruses that can do the same thing or can even increase the alarm rate which causes an over response and overwhelms the system. The point is that manipulating the process to produce NF-kB generally leads to adverse or undesired results.

It is also important to point out that low cholesterol levels put people at increased risk of acquiring and dying from infections. Cholesterol itself (specifically LDL the so-called "bad cholesterol") is noted for being able to disarm 90% of toxic bacterial pathogens. Infections can take hold of the body whether cholesterol levels fall too low or through suppression of NF-kB production. In 1992 a review of 19 studies of more than 68,000 deaths found that those with low cholesterol died from respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in higher numbers than those with what is generally considered normal to high cholesterol. In addition, a study that began in 1977 called MRFIT found that men with cholesterol levels at or below 160 were four times as likely to die from AIDS as men whose levels were above 260.

The bottom line

Manipulating the immune system to prevent it from doing all or part of it's job usually leads to disastrous outcomes. Medical science has done it for years whether it be intentionally (think organ transplants) or unintentionally you can never be sure of the results. One thing is sure and that is wherever a compromised immune system exist there will be a pathogen waiting to exploit it. At that point the question becomes one of survival.

Sources include:

The Great Cholesterol Myth (Bowden and Sinatra)

The Story of Cholesterol: The Statin Drug Nightmare Part I

We have steadily climbed to the point of discussing a class of drugs known as statins. These very powerful and costly medications has reached the height of pharmaceutical popularity. Essentially a sub-industry within an industry statin drugs account for $31 billion of annual sales alone. It is estimated from sales that a staggering 15 million Americans are currently on these cholesterol lowering drugs. All the while the majority of them are suffering from side effects that range from slightly annoying to absolutely debilitating. These side effects include impaired cognitive function, sexual dysfunction, increased risk of diabetes and heart disease, lethargy and low vitamin D levels (with its associated adverse health effects when vitamin D deficiencies occur).

The history of mankind has been filled with many medical oddities that now look completely absurd to us. As far back as 1500 BC mercury was used for whatever ailed you. During the 19^th century the chief ingredient in cough syrup was heroin. And who can forget bloodletting used by the Greeks and the rest of the world right up to the 19^th century. While all of this might elicit a chuckle or two as we think of how silly “those people” were for believing in that stuff history will chuckle at us when statin drug use is reviewed for the amusement of our more enlightened descendants.

One of the many issues that surrounds the use of statin drugs is the yet unproven hypothesis that blood cholesterol is a key contributor to heart disease. You read that correctly: Cholesterol being the chief contributor to heart disease is a yet unproven hypothesis. In fact almost all studies concerning the relationship between heart disease and cholesterol either points to another culprit (e.g. inflammation), exonerates cholesterol or both. During the late ‘80’s a Dr. Russell Smith wrote a two volume review of literature associated with heart disease and diet called Diet, Blood Cholesterol and Coronary Heart Disease: A Critical Review of the Literature. It took over 600 pages of research for him to state that in the vast majority of studies reviewed there was no difference in the number of deaths between people who reduced their cholesterol and those that did not. This point will become more important as we move along.

In 1991 Dr. Smith teamed up with Dr. Edward Pinckney, the editor of four medical journals, to publish a book called The Cholesterol Conspiracy. In the book they summarized studies conducted with cholesterol lowering drugs and concluded that these drug were effective at lowering cholesterol but not deaths. Of the eight randomized and blinded trials that met their standard for study six had participants where the rate of death among the group being treated with cholesterol lowering drugs was the same or higher than the control group. That’s not very promising but it gets worse. They also looked at sixteen studies looking at reducing cholesterol using a drug and diet approach. What they found was that the death rate from all-causes in the treatment group and control was the same. In addition, the rate of death from coronary heart disease was the same or greater among the treatment group in fifteen of the sixteen trials. Yes, you read that correctly. What the good doctors demonstrated, essentially, is that there was zero benefit to lowering cholesterol when it comes to preventing adverse coronary events including death. Outside of a very narrow group of people (white males at least 48 years old who have already had one heart attack) statins have proven to have no benefit but they have proven to be extremely toxic. Part II of the statin nightmare will address specific issues that statins cause in the body.

Sources include:

The Great Cholesterol Myth

The Cholesterol Conspiracy

The Story of Cholesterol: Inflammation is the villain that got away

Let us, for the sake of illustration, imagine a crime scene. At this crime scene is a victim who is alive but unconscious and thus unable to speak. The paramedics are working tirelessly to tend to the fallen soul as a crowd of witnesses and on -lookers gather. When the police finally arrive they begin arresting the paramedics, witnesses and the on-lookers just for being at the scene. In the meantime the true culprit goes unnoticed and is allowed to continue to victimize others. If you are anything like me a sense of injustice swept over you as you pondered this scenario as it should but this is how we treat cholesterol. Cholesterol is often (but not always...we'll get to that) the unwitting witness or even the paramedic that gets blamed for doing something it had no part in while the true villain, inflammation, gets away Scot-free to continue its reign of terror. By the way, in the illustration the silent victim is our cardiovascular system.

Inflammation our friend, Inflammation our foe

Let's be fair about inflammation before we go much further. Inflammation is a natural and necessary bodily function. It serves as a marker so the immune system can know where the bad guys are. Without inflammation pathogens in the body could wonder freely and do massive damage. While acute inflammation is a natural and necessary process chronic inflammation is a killer. What causes chronic inflammation? A whole host of things actually like highly processed foods, simple carbs, too much protein (especially from animal sources), environmental toxins, medications, alcohol, etc., etc. Chronic inflammation is extremely damaging to the cardiovascular system and cholesterol has shouldered most of the blame for the last 40-50 years. And why not? If you were responsible for generating $31 billion a year in sales you would be the fall guy forever! In addition, chronic inflammation is a silent, painless killer much like hypertension and no amount of cholesterol lowering drugs can save you from it (this point will be further illustrated when the true nature of statin drugs are discussed).

Oxidative Stress and Free Radicals

Free radical is probably a term you are now familiar with but just in case you're not a brief description follows. When it comes to free radicals it helps to think of them as a pack of teenage boys at the mall roaming around just waiting to hit on receptive looking female that approaches. The whole while they are generally annoying not only the girls but anyone in the vicinity who may be watching. This pack of boys begin to upset the whole mall experience with anyone they come into contact with. That is a nuts and bolts metaphor for free radicals. They create massive amounts of inflammation and just mess up everything.

In the end chronic inflammation is of much more concern than cholesterol ever was generally. There is one scenario where cholesterol can be a bad actor but that occasion is almost exclusively dependent on free radicals and oxidative stress (imagine that). We will continue to move forward through the true story of cholesterol and cover statin drugs in particular and what they do us!

Slow and Steady Wins the Weight Race!

Generally I do not write articles about myself. Generally. However, I do have a story to tell that I hope will be of inspiration to someone and that is why I’m making an exception. I don’t merely right articles or have an interest in health arbitrarily. There are many reasons for why I write, like a sincere desire to help others, with my own personal struggles not being the least of them. Weight gain, inflammation and severe sinus issues plagued me. If nothing else it proves that I am not immune to the pitfalls of life and more specifically a western diet and lifestyle. If you find yourself in a struggle don’t despair but take comfort in the fact that with knowledge, time and effort most any issue can be mastered and overcome.

How I gained the weight

I can sit on my butt with the best of them. Oh how easy it is to plop down on the couch and watch another mind numbing episode of (fill in the blank here). This is an insidious trap because inactivity feeds off of and breeds more inactivity. The more I sat the heavier I got and the more I didn't want to become active.

I was already about 20 lbs. heavier than normal when I returned to my hometown and then it happened. A combination of home cooking, fast food and the weekly stop at the “soul food” restaurant packed on an additional 20+ lbs. I gradually gained 42 lbs over a 16 year period of time. Sounds familiar? In addition, unbeknownst to me, I was suffering from severe allergic reactions to the inflammatory foods I was consuming. The result was a sinus issue so extreme that I was popping Sudafed twice a day. I blamed the usual suspects like dust, pollen and pet dander even though these never bothered me growing up and I didn’t have a pet to be exposed to pet dander so I don’t know why I considered that one. Grasping at straws I suppose. Add frequent nosebleeds and headaches to the mix and I was miserable and resigned to taking over-the-counter medications.

Stress is often a common denominator when it comes to weight gain among most people and I was no exception. My work in law enforcement was demanding and working many hours off duty left me fatigued which always compounds stress related issues. When you throw in the demands of family and everyday life chronic stress was a constant companion. An annoying, relentless, and pound producing companion! In short, the more cortisol, the more hunger increases and we know what happens next.

How I lost the weight

Although I don’t remember the exact date it happened I do remember the day I woke up startled, expecting to see someone in the room because I could hear them snoring. As I looked around frantically I slowly began to realize I was the only one in the room and it was me I heard snoring. I actually woke myself up and it was then I knew something had to change. At that time I realized I was approximately 40 lbs overweight and slowly falling apart at 32 years of age. Something had to go and I decided it was the weight instead of me. Intuitively I knew I was eating horribly. I confess an extreme weakness for Krystal burgers, soul food and Oreo cookies. Don’t even think about asking me to share! The amount inflammation in my body must have been astounding. Unfortunately, at that time in my life I had just began my journey to better health and sharing with others health related information and was not knowledgeable enough to really help myself. I did know enough to stop the fast food and slow down on the cookies but my food consumption evolution had only just begun. Thankfully I continued, little by little, and discovered the way I should go. Slow and steady does win the race. And when it comes to weight loss slow and steady is wonderful because it provides the stability you need to keep the weight off for good.

As I neared the end of my weight-loss journey I encountered an eating plan geared towards diabetics and those with pre-diabetes. After a few tweaks I reformulated the plan and began to use it and experienced great success. Most of us know how difficult it is to lose those last 5-10 lbs. and I wasn’t excluded. With the anti-inflammation food plan I eliminated or limited significantly sugar, dairy and non-healthy fats intake. Combined with moderate exercise my metabolism skyrocketed and I exceeded my weight goal by two pounds. Before anyone gets the wrong impression please realize that my consistent habits over a three to four year period lead me to my goal. There is no magic formula, no silver bullet. You must be consistent over the long term for sustained success.

Having spent many years in the military I knew exactly what I needed to do to get the weight off from an exercise point of view. Admittedly I hate running. I find it torturous, beneficial, but torturous nonetheless. As you can imagine the weight didn’t come off easily because I found it difficult to commit enough to running but I did it anyway. I have two points to make here. The first is that sometimes you have to do things that you really don’t want to do to achieve your goals. Just make sure they lead to positive results. The second point I want to make is that one should definitely look for activities that excite and connect with you. For me I have found cycling to be a great workout and it has done wonders. Search for what gets you moving and do it. Track your progress, keep raising goals and hold yourself accountable (or find a buddy to help hold you accountable).

I definitely  believe in supplementation. Any supplement that is truly natural and provides non-toxic nourishment for the body I’m all for. Be diligent about what you buy and understand that it is nourishment the body needs not gimmicks. If you’re supplements are chemically based and filled with synthetic materials and synthetic vitamins beware. These things tend to create inflammation and encourages weight gain over the long term.

My primary goal for sharing my story is to let people know that with forethought, perseverance, and consistent change you can begin to lay the groundwork for long term and sustained weight loss. Establishing a sound eating plan and consistent activity will lay a proper foundation in case other issues need to be addressed (e.g. poor thyroid function, adrenal fatigue, the need for cleansing, chronic stress, etc.). I cannot stress enough how important it is to avoid gimmicky diet plans and supplements that could cover up or even exacerbate the issues given as an example above. Gimmicks can mask the true nature of why you are gaining weight or are unable to lose it. If you are interested I will be more than happy to provide my phase one and phase two eating plan food charts. Just email me at thoughtfulhealth@gmail.com and I will forward them to you. Go in good health!

Are you familiar with your AGE?

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What's troubling you or a loved one these days? Is it a chronic condition like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, etc. Perhaps it's something like a lack of energy, sex drive or a zest for life. Our lives today involve so much chronic stress and inflammatory foods it is a wonder we survive at all. Our lives are not meant for us to be mere survivors and there is one thing that is for sure; surviving is not thriving. Thriving involves quality of life while surviving focuses on quantity. So what does this philosophical posturing have to do with your AGE? Well, it is your AGE that partly determines how fast you "age" and it is the speed of your aging that helps determine your quality of life.

 What are AGE's?

AGE stands for advanced glycated end-products. They form throughout our lives in varying degrees depending on our aptitude to live healthy. In a nut shell AGE's are molecular trash formed when glucose (blood sugar) molecules bond with free amino groups like proteins, lipids and nucleic acids that may be in the blood at the same time. These free amino groups come primarily from inflammatory foods and when they bond with glucose they change structurally and become nutritionally void and useless. Not only are they useless but they accumulate in the body where they begin to change a person from thriving to surviving (more on this in a bit).

AGE's also attach themselves to LDL cholesterol and once attached the cholesterol oxidizes making it sticky. At this point it is just a matter of time before atherosclerosis and other degenerative cardiovascular conditions begin to set in.

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Where do they accumulate? 

AGE's have the ability to disrupt the life of all people but it is especially true for those who suffer with diabetes. The reason for this is because of where AGE's tend to accumulate. Diabetics suffer from a wide range of "spin-off" ailments such as heart attacks, nephropathy (kidney disease), stroke, neuropathy, eye disease and erectile dysfunction. AGE's find their way into cardiovascular tissues, nerve endings (especially those in the extremities and penis), brain tissues, and eyes. Once there they lodge themselves into the tissues and begin producing free radicals at a rate that is 50 times higher than non-glycated proteins. These free radicals alter the natural state of healthy cells in the body rendering them non-functional or potentially malignant (cancerous). The retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and atherosclerosis are directly correlated to this free radical production free-for-all. You no longer need to wonder why these conditions affect diabetics so specifically anymore. Furthermore, the free radicals produced can cause aging related issues such as thinning and graying hair, deep wrinkles in the skin, bone mineral depletion (leading to osteoporosis), a weakened immune system due to chronic inflammation, and adrenal fatigue causing loss of energy, drive and libido. The aforementioned issues can occur in anyone just in case you were thinking this only applied to diabetics. It's one for the AGE's.

How to avoid them?

High blood sugar levels over an extended period of time leads to increased glycation (associated with AGE's). Blood sugar control through exercise and a healthy eating plan, which would include eating foods that are minimally processed and fresh with low glycemic loads, will go along way in the fight against AGE's. If you are diabetic right now do not rely solely on medication for glucose control. Your blood sugar levels may be within normal range but your AGE's may still be high do to poor eating habits.

A simple way to check your rate of AGE production is through a HbA1c blood test. Traditionally used to check blood glucose levels it is also a way to gauge you AGE.

Source: Reversing Diabetes by Don Colbert, M.D.

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USDA Guide to the Obvious

The USDA has issued new dietary guidelines for the American consumer. These guidelines are intended to improve the health and well being of concerned citizens who wish to lead healthier lives. With heart disease and obesity reaching unheard of levels the potential guidance is needed now more than ever. And what gems has the USDA come up with? How about eating less fats and sugar, exercising more, and consuming fewer calories. Great advice for the masses but it's hardly a revelation. Most people know to do these thing already. Check out my article at QW Magazine: http://qwmagazine.co.uk/science/8793
to get my full view on this subject and a little advice to boot!