First Aid Kit - My Silver Lining

Saturday night again and music night on this blog. This track a request by our friend Mrs. Vimes. 

Thought for the day !

Quick Braised Kale with Celeriac & Chestnuts

"Kale, often known as curly kale, is one of the tastiest vegetables grown by British farmers and it’s packed full of good-for-you nutrients. It is a brassica and part of the cabbage family.

Kale is produced in the UK from June until March and is at its most plentiful from October. It is loved by foodies for its versatility and nutritional profile. Most of the kale produced in the UK is grown by farmers in Lincolnshire.

Kale is an attractive vegetable with a deep green colour and curly leaves. Kale is really easy to use and because it’s so versatile it works well in a variety of dishes. It is usually sold in ready prepared packs and can be boiled, baked or stir fried, added to soups, casseroles and omelettes as well as sautéed. It is also great in a warm salad and is often used in Indian cuisine.

So add kale to your weekly shop and make the most of this great tasting nutritious home-grown vegetable."

Quick Braised Kale with Celeriac & Chestnuts

Serves 2

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients: 

200g pack kale
1 carrot, sliced (125g)
300g celeriac, coarsely grated
100g chestnuts, halved
1 sprig rosemary
400ml hot vegetable stock
1 tbsp cranberry sauce

Method

Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan, cover and bring to the boil, simmer for 8-10 minutes until tender, season.

Cooks tip

Try using parsnips instead of celeriac, or pan frying diced chicken before adding the vegetables for a non-vegetarian option.

Original recipe idea, and information on Kale, is here

Wishing you a happy and healthy weekend

All the best Jan

Dr Jason Fung: Wheat – How to Lose Weight VII

Wheat is one of the most vilified foods in the nutritional world. From gluten concerns to obesity, the poor fellow doesn’t have a friend to call his own. Yet wheat, along with rice and corn, is one of the most ancient domesticated foods in existence. The original Paleo – if you will. How can wheat possibly be so bad?

Somewhere around 3000 BC the people around the area of modern day Syria began to cultivate the ancestors of wheat – the emmer and einkorn varieties. Having a semi-stable source of food improved survival odds tremendously. Soon, the farmers had spread across the globe bringing wheat along with, later, domesticated animals.

The next major improvement in agriculture came with the application of fertilizers to increase yield. First, guano, the nitrogen and phosphorus rich droppings of penguins and seabirds were applied with great effect. With the advent of nitrogen processing, chemical fertilizers were soon making their mark. This kept agricultural production high enough to feed the world. For a time.

Nevertheless, by the 1950s there were Malthusian concerns of worldwide famine. In Mexico, Norman Borlaug, who would later win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970, began to experiment with higher yielding varieties of wheat. One of his accomplishments was to increase the seed head size. However, there was a problem. The large head would tend to flop over on the stalk.

The solution was to shorten the stalk of the wheat. This became known as dwarf and semi-dwarf wheat and had the advantage that it would not buckle as well as faster maturation. No time was wasted growing the stalk which was not edible anyway. Within years, 95% of wheat was of the Borlaug variety and the yield increased by 6 fold. India, facing mass starvation in 1965, ordered tonnes of the new seed and farmers began to plant dwarf wheat. Wheat harvests quickly tripled and India became self-sufficient in food. This was the Green Revolution and Norman Borlaug was the Father.

But where Dr. Borlaug bred naturally occurring strains, successors quickly turned to new technology to enhance mutations. This was the atomic age after all. Using X-rays and thermal neutrons, these new Genetically Modified (GMO) crops were born. Later, scientists would discover how to target specific genes for inclusion into new genomes. Wheat is a relative laggard, with corn, rice and soybeans taking the lead.

The wheat varieties of today are not the same as those 50 years ago. The new varieties of wheat were not tested in any safety lab. They were merely assumed to be safe. But the Broadbalk Wheat Experiment is clear evidence that the nutritional content has changed significantly as documented in the paper “Evidence of decreasing mineral density in wheat grain over the last 160 years“.

The red line depicts the introduction of dwarf wheat. Even as grain yields skyrocket, the micronutrients contained in the wheat grain plummet. Does this matter? I don’t actually know, but it sure can’t be good.

Has the wheat changed over the last 50 years? Hard to say but there has certainly been an increase in celiac disease. Gluten causes damage to the small intestine in susceptible patients. Dr. Murray of the Mayo Clinic compared blood samples from Air Force men 50 years and found that the prevalence of celiac disease has quadrupled. Could this be a result of the changes in wheat itself? Hard to say, but interesting to think about.

The other major change in wheat is the method of processing. Wheat berries were traditionally ground by large millstones powered by animals or humans. This has been replaced by the modern flour mill which is better at removing everything. The bran, middlings, germ and oils are removed leaving the pure white starch. Most of the vitamins, proteins and fats are removed. This is modern white flour in all its evil beauty. Modern milling is able to grind flour to such a fine dust that absorption into the body is extremely rapid.

Starches are composed of hundred of units of sugars all linked together. 75% of the starch is organized in occasionally branched chains called amylopectin. The rest comes as unbranched chains called amylose. There are several classes of amylopectin. Legumes are particularly rich in amylopectin C. This is very poorly digested. As the undigested carbohydrate moves towards the colon, gut flora produces gas causing the familiar ‘tooting’ of the bean eater. While beans and legumes are very high in carbohydrates, much of it is not absorbed, Beano notwithstanding.

Amylopectin B is found in bananas and potatoes. This is intermediate in absorption. The most easily digested is Amylopectin A found in – you guessed it – wheat. The upshot is that wheat is converted to glucose more efficiently than virtually any other food. This is recognized in the Glycemic Index where the effects of the different amylopectins is evident.

There are also persistent concerns that the gluten in wheat produces exorphins. While other foods may have gluten, wheat is the the major source in our diets by a factor of 100. Digestion of this gluten may yield morphine like substances that can cross the blood brain barrier that many are concerned are addictive. While evidence in the medical literature is sparse, anecdotal evidence is not. Many people admit to being ‘addicted’ to bread and pasta. Comfort foods are also typically flour based – cookies, cakes, macaroni and cheese. While this does not prove anything, it is certainly worth noting.

China provides an interesting insight into a traditional rice based diet that has introduced wheat. Exhaustive data were compiled by T. Colin Campbell in The China Study. Wheat is the strongest positive predictor of body weight. As wheat intake increases, so does Body Mass Index. There was also a strong association with coronary disease and wheat intake.

So let’s see. Modern wheat is a problem because
Lower nutritional value
Processing removes most of fibre and vitamins
Modern milling speeds digestion therefore increasing glycemic effect
High in amylopectin A
May be addictive.

Please, sir, can I have some more?

Not all carbohydrates lead to obesity. However, refined grains such as flour clearly do. This has been known since the time of William Banting.

The next step in weight loss?

Reduce refined grains, particularly wheat.

http://intensivedietarymanagement.com/

Graham

Courgette / Zucchini Fries - Paleo Style

With thanks to Luke at 'Food Matters' for this recipe idea. The link to the original article is given below. I'm sure you will find "These are the perfect replacement for the standard oily potato chips you'll be offered at most cafes. In other words, they're absolutely awesome! Why don't you whip up a batch today and see how delicious they are for yourself? "

INGREDIENTS
2 medium zucchinis/courgettes
1 egg white (reserve the yolk and try to use elsewhere to avoid wastage)
¼ cup almond milk
½ cup almond meal
1 tablespoon mixed seasoning, whatever you like, I like mixed herbs
Avocado Oil

METHOD
Start by preheating the oven to 220°.
Cut the zucchini/courgettes into 3-inch sticks.
Whisk the egg white in a small bowl, and add the almond milk.
Combine the almond meal and seasoning in a separate bowl.
Dip zucchini/courgette sticks into egg mixture, and then roll in almond meal mixture.
Lightly coat a baking sheet with avocado or coconut oil, and place zucchini/courgette fries on sheet.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. .....

Enjoy 

Original recipe here 

Some recipes are just made for sharing

All the best Jan

Are We Too Clean ?

Out shopping recently I stopped to buy some shower gel. A simple task you would have thought, but perhaps not. I had to decide, did I want to feel energised, relaxed, nourished, full of vitality etc after my shower, the different creations on offer was amazing - all this plus of course the amount of choice for perfume - and the difference in prices.

Looking back to my childhood, it seemed my mother had much simpler choices. I can remember these, although of course there were more, Pears Soap / Lux Beauty Soap / Wrights Coal Tar Soap / Fairy Soap. I often wonder how many of us today actually use a bar of soap, we are so used to the dispenser containing our handwash and shower gel.

Looking back, I'm talking 50's and 60's here, there was another thing. We never used to bath or shower every day - did you - I suspect not. Sunday Nights were traditionally bath night, hair wash etc so we were clean and fresh for the coming week at school. The other six days of the week we just used to have a wash using soap and a flannel. Even flannels these days seem to be not so popular.

Reading an article recently it went on to state:  

"If you love nothing more than having a shower - or five - on a daily basis then you could be putting your health at risk.

Dermatologists from New York have suggested that showering regularly - especially in hot water - could dry out skin. They added that it can also cause irritation and wash away any good bacteria that naturally exists on the skin resulting in a higher risk of infection.

While the act of showering is as etched into our daily routines as, say, brushing your teeth, specialists have said that we're "overbathing" due to "societal norms". In essence, everyone else is showering too much - and because of that you are too.

After all, nobody wants to be known as the "riffy one".

Dr. Joshua Zeichner, assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, told BuzzFeed that what we perceive as body odor is “really more of a cultural phenomenon.”

John Oxford, Professor of Virology at Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry told The Times: "A vigorous daily shower would disturb the natural bug flora of the skin as well as skin oils."

"As long as people wash their hands often enough and pay attention to the area of the body below the belt, showering or bathing every other day would do no harm," said Oxford.

"Even twice a week would not be a problem if people used a bidet daily as most infectious bugs hang around our lower halves. We pay too much attention to the body beautiful and smelling good - we should wash to stop cross-infection, not for grooming reasons."

And this theory applies to children too. Dermatologists suggest not to bathe babies and toddlers every day as early exposure to dirt and bacteria might help prevent allergies and eczema as they age."

Link to the article here

So there you have it. Modern living has changed our outlook, our patterns of life. Has it changed it for the better? Not too sure of that one, but we all have to live in the here and now.

But we can make our own decisions about our health and other related matters.

Mmmmm definitely think I'll take a relaxing shower before bed time.......

All the best Jan

Thought for the day.

             

Cameron bottles it, again !

Ten Rules Of Low Carb Healthy Fat (LCHF) Eating.

Grant Schofield is Professor of Public Health at Auckland University of Technology and director of the university’s Human Potential Centre (HPC) located at the Millennium Campus in Auckland, New Zealand. His research and teaching interests are in well-being and chronic disease prevention especially reducing the risk and eventual mortality and morbidity from obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. He lives by the motto “be the best you can be” 

He has recently written an article on his blog about the Ten Rules Of Low Carb Healthy Fat (LCHF) eating which I've copied below. It certainly makes for interesting and informed reading.

So now on with Prof Grants Schofields ten Rules:

"Rule 1: Go low “HI”
Replace processed foods with stuff that was recently alive – foods low in the Human Interference (HI) factor. Real, actual food is the foundation of the LCHF lifestyle.

Rule 2: Cut the carbs (down…not out)
Sugar and grains are not good for you (yes, that means bread, even if it is wholegrain). Just how low you go depends on your personal tolerance to carbs, or degree of insulin resistance.

Rule 3: Virtuous vegetables
Vegetables are good for you. Eat lots of them, at each meal if possible. The good news is you can add fats such as olive oil or butter to make them taste even better.

Rule 4: Make fat your friend
Sugar is out, total carbs are low, protein is moderate, and, because you have to get your energy from somewhere, fat is in. We will show you how to overcome “fat phobia”.

Rule 5: Put protein in its place
You need protein for life, but once you have more than your body needs, it gets converted into sugars by the liver. LCHF is not a high-protein diet. Many people stall in their progress because they are overdoing the protein.

Rule 6: Eat on cue
The whole point of LCHF is that your body will now be able to send and receive the messages it needs to stay in shape, to tell you when you are full, and to energise you. So listen to your body!

Rule 7: Sort your support
Other people matter. Surround yourself with helpers, ask for support, and don’t be afraid to request exactly what you want when you are out and about. Yes, it feels odd to order a burger without the bun the first time, but you will be amazed at how much people will help someone on a life mission.

Rule 8: Diligence, not effort
Relying on your “won’t power” (effort) – like avoiding the chocolate cookies in your pantry – is futile. Instead, rely on being organised and having a ready supply of the right foods around you (diligence) in the first place.

Rule 9: Adopt the “3-meal” rule
You, like us, are human. Humans make mistakes. We do, and we expect you will fall off the wagon. That’s OK as long as we can help you jump back on again. We run the 3-meal rule: there are 3 meals a day, 21 meals in a week. Let’s get most of them right, knowing that three meals off the wagon a week is OK.

Rule 10: It’s not JUST about the food
News flash from Dr Obvious: other things also affect your health – exercise, booze and cigarettes, drugs, stress, sleep, and much more." 

You can read more on this article here

And there is still more information about the LCHF lifestyle  here , including success stories here

Happy LCHF reading and please feel free to share any thoughts / questions.

All the best Jan

Asian Salmon Fillets - A Meal Full of Flavour

How about trying this tasty recipe for a great tasting meal, it works out at approx 9 carbs per serving. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare, 10 minutes to marinade and 10 minutes to cook, a meal ready in 30 minutes that can't be bad.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

480g salmon fillets
1½tbsp soya sauce
1tsp caster sugar
juice of 1 lime
1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and very finely chopped
1½ tbsp sesame oil
2 red peppers, de-seeded and thinly sliced
200g fresh beansprouts
10g sesame seed

Method

Put the salmon in a non-metallic shallow dish and add 1 tbsp of the soya sauce and all the lime juice. Deseed the chilli, peel the ginger and garlic and chop all the spices very finely - add to the dish. Stir well to combine, cover and leave to marinate for ten minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan with half the oil and stir fry the red peppers for 2 minutes on high heat. Stir in the beansprouts for a further minute. Take off the heat and stir in the remaining soya sauce and the sesame seeds, set aside and keep warm.

Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the salmon fillets and cook over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Turn over, add any marinading juices to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes or until the salmon is just cooked through. Serve with the beansprout and pepper mixture.

You may also like to serve each portion with some steamed sugar snap peas, or whole fine beans.

Original recipe idea here 

All the best Jan

Statins increase risk of diabetes by almost 50 per cent, study finds !

Research on 9,000 men has found those taking statins are 47 per cent more likely to develop diabetes - but critics say the study fails to take proper account of the reasons why.

Statins prescribed to guard against heart attacks and strokes could increase the risk of diabetes by almost 50 per cent, a major trial suggests.

A six-year study from Finland on almost 9,000 men found that those prescribed the cholesterol-lowering drugs were far more likely to suffer from poor blood sugar control, and signs of diabetes.

Researchers found that after results were adjusted for age, body mass index, family history of diabetes, and smoking, alcohol and exercise habits, those on statins were 46 per cent more likely to develop diabetes.

However, some experts criticised the research, as it was not a randomised controlled trial.

Those being prescribed statins were already likely to have a higher risk of diabetes, they said, given that both conditions are linked to lifestyle.

Full story here.

Eddie

Seinfeld character actor Daniel von Bargen dies at age 64 after long battle with Diabetes

Daniel von Bargen has died at the age of 64.

The character actor is best known for playing George Costanza's boss Mr. Kruger in the final season of Seinfeld from 1997 to 1998.

The Cincinnati native passed away on Sunday, according to The Hollywood Reporter

.According to Cincinnati's NBC affiliate WLWT5, von Bargen had been suffering from an illness for a long time. The illness was not named.

But in 2012 he had tried to take his life with a gun.

The star told 911 dispatchers that he was upset over having to have part of his foot operated on because he was suffering from Diabetes.

The acting vet also starred as Commandant Edwin Spangler on Malcolm In The Middle. And he appeared on NYPD Blue, The West Wing, and Law & Order.

As far as movies, he was in Super Troopers, O Brother, Where Are Thou?, G.I. Jane and Basic Instinct.

Bob Colonna, an actor friend of the star, said, 'I feel a huge wave of sorrow and relief at the passing of this remarkable man, Dan von Bargen.

'I treasure the years when I worked with him at [Rhode Island-based theater company] Trinity Rep and in a couple of TV films.

'I admire his excellent body of work in the movies. And I mourn for the darkness and pain that were his final years. God bless him. He was a hell of a guy.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
 

More on this story here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/

Graham

YEP: We’re now making obese crash-test dummies !

A company called Humanetics is now making obese crash-test dummies to better reflect the average size of a human being. The current models were made in the 1980s, when the average human weighed only 170 pounds, Today, that figure has climbed to a startling 273 pounds, which the new crash-test dummy reflects.

Gourmet Beef Burger Anyone ?

Aldi Offers Luxury Wagyu Beef Burgers For Just £2.99 Each (As Opposed To £195 Per Kilo)

It's the world's priciest beef - and now Aldi are selling it for little more than three quid.

Wagyu meat is something of a delicacy, with major food-enthusiasts paying anything up to £195 per kg for a cut of the stuff.

But now, budget supermarket chain Aldi has revealed that it will be stocking a limited supply of burgers made from the flavoursome beef for just £2.99 each. Yes, really.

Originating in Japan, Wagyu meat is known for its high level of fat marbling - and not just any fat, we're talking soft fat (with a low melting point) that features high levels of omega 3 and 6. Making it actually pretty good for you.

Its taste is the real deal-maker, as the dissolving fat makes the meat incredibly tender, juicy and rich in flavour.

As far as meat's concerned, it's unparalleled.

Aldi's Wagyu beef burgers, which will be specially imported from New Zealand, will be available on a limited basis. But at a far more affordable cost, which means families that would usually be unable to afford the meat can give it a try.

Last year, the chain sold Wagyu sirloin and rib-eye steaks at £6.99, which practically flew off the shelves. And the supermarket is expecting its burgers (which featured on the menu at the Oscars ball, no less) to do the same.

The chain’s managing director of corporate buying, Tony Baines, revealed: "At Aldi our shoppers love to try out lots of specialist products, and Wagyu is no exception.

"Following the frenzy around the Wagyu steaks Aldi sold last summer, we wanted to offer something new that would excite our customers."

More on this story here 

All the best Jan

Merck, Has Some Explaining To Do Over Its MMR Vaccination Claims.

According to the court documents Merck’s misconduct is occurring in many different ways including:

Failed to disclose that its mumps vaccine was not as effective as Merck represented
Used improper testing techniques
Manipulated testing methodology
Abandoned undesirable test results
Falsified test data
Failed to adequately investigate and report the diminished efficacy of its mumps vaccine
Falsely verified that each manufacturing lot of mumps vaccine would be as effective as identified in the labeling
Falsely certified the accuracy of applications filed with the FDA
Falsely certified compliance with the terms of the (Centre for Disease Control) CDC purchase contract
Engaged in fraud and concealment described herein for the purpose of illegally monopolizing the U.S. market for mumps vaccine
Mislabeled, misbranded and falsely certified its mumps vaccine and
Engaged with other acts described herein to conceal the diminished efficacy of the vaccine the government was purchasing.

More on this story here. 

Never a dull moment when it comes to big pharma.

Eddie

Rosemary and Thyme Loaf - Gluten Free

These next words are Elissa's at 'Food Matters' ....

"Living gluten free is pretty easy, but when it comes to the bread, that’s where I have a real issue. I miss soft, moist bread, that doesn't have a spongy consistency! I miss flavor and memories of warm bread coming out of the oven.
I have found one of the most flavor packed, most satisfying gluten free loafs of all time. It’s a BOLD statement, but whether you’re living gluten free or not, you will love this bread. In fact, I encourage you to make this, wrap it up, and take it into your office or next gathering just to prove how delicious unprocessed, gluten free “bread” can be! "

So how abut making one and enjoying the waft of wonderful flavours as that warm Rosemary and Thyme Loaf cooks. Here's how it's done.

Makes 1 5” x 9” loaf

INGREDIENTS

Dry:
2 1/4 cups almond meal
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine salt

Wet:
4 large eggs (or 5 small)
1.5 tbsp coconut nectar
1 ½ tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Herbs (fresh):
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, pulled of stem
2 tsp fresh rosemary, pulled off stem, finely chopped
Additional herbs are optional

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and blend with a whisk for one minute, until very well combined. Add the wet ingredients and mix until well combined, and smooth as can be, about 1 minute. Once base is mixed well, add the fresh herbs. Stir in herbs, mix by hand for another 20-30 seconds, until herb mix is evenly distributed.
2. The dough will be like a thick batter but should be thin enough that it wouldn't roll into a ball. Pour dough mix into a well-greased bread pan. It will come up to less than halfway, and that is normal.
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let cool in the pan before serving.

More on this original recipe idea here

All the best Jan

Pharmacist: Beware of side effects when taking statins

If you’re one of the millions of people diagnosed with high cholesterol, you will more than likely be given a prescription “statin” pill. These work well to reduce cholesterol: lovastatin for Mevacor, atorvastatin for Lipitor, pravastatin for Pravachol, fluvastatin for Lescol, simvastatin for Zocor, pitavastatin for Livalo and rosuvastatin for Crestor.

Statins affect many pathways in the body. They are strong anti-inflammatories and are being tested for use in cancer patients. As for cholesterol reduction, they work by crushing a natural enzyme that would otherwise produce cholesterol. Statins do not suck out gooey cholesterol from your arteries, nor does it negate eating cheese fries. These drugs merely suppress new production of cholesterol.

A study published this month in the Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology titled “Statins stimulate atherosclerosis and heart failure: pharmacological mechanisms” concluded, “The epidemic of heart failure and atherosclerosis that plagues the modern world may paradoxically be aggravated by the pervasive use of statin drugs.”

What an irony! The problem is that other studies have found similar disastrous effects on the heart. It has to do with mitochondrial dysfunction, which means that the little generators in your heart cells get sick.

Your heart requires thriving mitochondria in order to churn out ATP, your energy molecule. Statins are toxic to mitochondria because they deplete coenzyme Q10, which is needed for healthy mitochondria. Statins also deplete a special protein called Heme A that totes oxygen and iron to your heart.

The long-term depletion interrupts ATP production and leads to cellular fatigue among other major problems. You cannot survive long-term without adequate ATP production, so it needs to be restored. It can lead to fatigue, cramps, muscle weakness, memory loss, depression or cancer.

Statins inhibit the biosynthesis of vitamin K2, which we manufacture if we have healthy intestinal gut flora. K2 also comes from fermented veggies. It protects our arteries from calcium plaques or atherosclerosis. Without enough K2, statin-induced or not, we are compromised.

Today, we know statins block powerful selenium-containing proteins known as selenoproteins. The most famous is called glutathione peroxidase, which protects muscle tissue from free radical damage (oxidation).

What’s the busiest muscle in your body? It has to work 24/7. It’s your heart!

Your heart muscle cells are “burned” from all the oxidation (due to the impairment of selenoprotein biosynthesis) and this is a factor in congestive heart failure.

If you have to take statins, please use the lowest dose possible. Be diligent about putting back the nutrients that statins interfere with, such as the coenzyme Q10, selenium, and vitamin K2, along with other heart-healthy nutrients. There are exceptions to taking these nutrients, so ask your doctor (yes, the same one that gave you the statin). Talk to your physician about dosages of these vitamins, because this is a highly individual.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/

Graham

Kelloggs Tony the tiger says they're GR-R-ROSS !

"And Kellogg faces a more ominous trend at the table. As Americans become more health-conscious, they’re shying away from the kind of processed food baked in Kellogg’s four U.S. cereal factories. They tend to be averse to carbohydrates, which is a problem for a company selling cereal derived from corn, oats, and rice. “They basically have a carb-heavy portfolio,” says Robert Dickerson, senior packaged-food analyst at Consumer Edge. If such discerning shoppers still eat cereal, they prefer the gluten-free kind, sales of which are up 22 percent, according to Nielsen. There’s also growing suspicion of packaged-food companies that fill their products with genetically modified organisms (GMOs). For these breakfast eaters, Tony the Tiger and Toucan Sam may seem less like friendly childhood avatars and more like malevolent sugar traffickers."

Sales of 19 of Kellogg’s top 25 cereals eroded last year, the good news keeps getting better. Eat real whole fresh food.

Full story here.

Eddie

Insulin secretagogues: Associated with Beta-Cell Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes:

Factors Associated with Beta-Cell Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes: The BETADECLINE Study

Abstract

Aims

Beta-cell dysfunction is an early event in the natural history of type 2 diabetes. However, its progression is variable and potentially influenced by several clinical factors. We report the baseline data of the BetaDecline study, an Italian prospective multicenter study on clinical predictors of beta-cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods

Clinical, lifestyle, and laboratory data, including circulating levels of inflammatory markers and non-esterified fatty acids, were collected in 507 type 2 diabetic outpatients on stable treatment with oral hypoglycemic drugs or diet for more than 1 year. Beta-cell dysfunction was evaluated by calculating the proinsulin/insulin ratio (P/I).

Results

At baseline, the subjects in the upper PI/I ratio quartile were more likely to be men and receiving secretagogue drugs; they also showed a borderline longer diabetes duration (P = 0.06) and higher serum levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose, and triglycerides. An inverse trend across all PI/I quartiles was noted for BMI and serum levels of total cholesterol (T-C), LDL-C, HDL-C and C reactive protein (CRP), and with homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-B) and HOMA of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values (P<0.05 for all). At multivariate analysis, the risk of having a P/I ratio in the upper quartile was higher in the subjects on secretagogue drugs (odds ratio [OR] 4.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.6–6.9) and in the males (OR 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1–2.9).

Conclusions

In the BetaDecline study population, baseline higher PI/I values, a marker of beta-cell dysfunction, were more frequent in men and in patients on secretagogues drugs. Follow-up of this cohort will allow the identification of clinical predictors of beta-cell failure in type 2 diabetic outpatients.

Full study:  http://journals.plos.org/

Insulin secretagogues: glipizide, glimipramide,gliclazide,repaglinide and nateglinide

http://www.patient.co.uk/

Graham

It can be Summer Every Day !

It can be summer every day. Just take a look at these cheerful looking fried eggs..... a little bit of sunshine yellow on your plate. Why not satisfy your hunger with this fresh and easy breakfast, supper, or brunch if you prefer, at just seven carbs per serving ...... it's a winner.

Ingredients for two are:

1 tbsp olive oil
400g courgettes (about 2 large ones), chopped into small chunks
200g/7oz pack cherry tomatoes, halved
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 eggs
few basil leaves, to serve.

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, then add the courgettes. Fry for 5 mins, stirring every so often until they start to soften.

2. Add the tomatoes and garlic, then cook for a few mins more.

3. Stir in a little seasoning, then make two gaps in the mix and crack in the eggs. Cover the pan with a lid or a sheet of foil, then cook for 2-3 mins until the eggs are done to your liking.

4. Scatter over a few basil leaves and serve. 

Tip:

This also tastes great if you add a small red pepper and a red onion at the same time as the courgettes to make a more substantial evening meal.

Tastes good served with pork chops or fish.

Why not cook and enjoy some great tasting LCHF food. Original recipe idea here 

All the best Jan

Tax avoided by Boots over 6 years could have paid for 78,000 Nurses or 5 million ambulance call outs.

Thought for the day.

DCUK forum Mods more post edits and disappearing threads.

This is part of yet another edited and then removed thread, catherinecherub long time drama queen and now a power mad ego tripping mod was responsible.

This is the offending sentence that was edited out before the thread disappeared.

When asked why, I was told in a private message, "Thread  locked as pointless to leave on the on the boards.....We have to crack on here and move on to more important issues".

The thread referred to by poshtotty is here http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/

Looks like beardie has suffered the same fate as many other recently banned members.

Censorship is rife and debate stifled at DCUK, if the cherub and anna are doing their best to emulate cugila's reign as a bent mod it's looking like they've achieved it.  

Many thanks to the DCUK members who sent the latest screen shots, have kept some in reserve to use at a later date. 

Graham

'Chocolate Fat Bombs' - just delicious

I must thank Libby for her article and recipe, which I have linked to below.

"Are you over your fear of fat? If you are hungry do you reach for carbs, protein or a healthy fat? If you want to keep your carbs low, you must limit your carbs and protein, so fat bombs are the secret to keeping hunger at bay. Remember these 2 vital points – before you increase your healthy fat intake you MUST lower your carbs otherwise you are back on the standard American diet (SAD) which is high fat and high carbs AND the fat you eat must be a healthy fat, coconut oil, butter, extra virgin olive oil, etc.

Fat bombs are kept in the fridge until you want to eat them, otherwise the coconut oil will melt or soften. You can make them as a dessert or just to keep when hunger strikes.

INGREDIENTS
125g coconut oil
25g cocoa powder
1 tbs granulated stevia, or sweetener of choice to taste
25g walnut pieces
+/- 1 tbs tahini paste

INSTRUCTIONS
Serves 14
Warm the coconut oil until melted.
Add all the other ingredients and allow to cool slightly so the ingredients don't settle and sink to the bottom of the fat bomb..
Pour into ice cube trays and refrigerate until semi set.
Once almost set, place a half walnut on to of each fat bomb.

NOTES
The taste of fat bombs is incredibly personal. How sweet you like them depends on how your sweet tooth has adapted, and if you are a dark chocolate or dairy milk chocolate lover.

The carbs in the fat bomb come from the walnut so you can delete these if you want to.

1 Fat Bomb = 1.2 g carb "

Once again thanks to Libby at 'Ditch the Carbs' blog, which can be found here

All the best Jan

Can you Believe it - March Already.

I'm always pleased when the 1st of March is here .... it's a good thing to think Spring is just around the corner. The daffodils are springing up well and will soon be showing their lovely summery heads.

In case you can't wait here are some for you....... and by the way Happy St Davids Day too.  

I also couldn't resist posting the William Wordsworth 'Daffodils' poem. One of my all time favourites, it takes me back to my school days ..... 

I wander'd lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils,
Beside the lake, beneath the trees
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: -
A poet could not but be gay
In such a jocund company!
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought.

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills

And dances with the daffodils.

I hope March is a good month for you.

All the best Jan