Very-High-Fat and Low-Fat Isocaloric Diets Exert Similar Metabolic Benefits but Different Temporal Effects on Cardiometabolic Risk Markers

Abstract

Objectives: Low-carbohydrate diets very high in total and saturated fat may, despite possible weight-loss advantages, increase cardiometabolic risk. In this randomized controlled trial, we sought to determine macronutrient-specific effects on ectopic fat deposition and circulating risk markers, with particular attention to possible differences in short-term responses.

Methods: Forty-six abdominally obese men were randomized to either a very-high-fat low-carbohydrate (VHFLC) or low-fat high-carbohydrate (LFHC) diet for 12 wk. The diets were isocaloric, provided equal protein and PUFAs, and emphasized low-processed foods without added sugar. Dietary intake based on food weighing was recorded each month for 5 consecutive d. Blood samples were collected at baseline and after 4, 8, and 12 wk. Changes in body composition were quantified by bioelectrical impedance and CT.

Results: Recorded intakes of carbohydrate, total and saturated fat in the VHFLC/LFHC groups were 11/51, 71/29, and 34/12 energy percent, respectively. Both diets similarly reduced body weight, visceral fat mass, hepatic lipid content and circulating concentrations of TAG, insulin and HbA1c, and HOMA-IR (all p < 0.01). Diet-dependent responses were observed for total and LDL cholesterol (decreased only on LFHC) and HDL cholesterol (increased only on VHFLC). Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) increased on both diets from baseline to 4 and 8 wk, and returned to baseline levels after 12 wk. All biochemical variables improved significantly from 8 to 12 wk on the VHFLC diet, in contrast to a more gradual response in the LFHC group.

Conclusions: Both diets led to significant improvements in body composition and circulating risk factors, but with different temporal changes. Our data do not support that dietary fat per se promotes ectopic adiposity and cardiometabolic syndrome in humans.

http://advances.nutrition.org/

Graham

Dust If You Must ...

The weather of late has been rather chilly ... well perhaps freezing may be a better description with some parts of the UK having had temperatures as low as -14C. Andrew McCaren took this photo, and it shows the snow-covered hills reflected in the mirror-like surface of Ullswater Lake in Cumbria.

In my part of the UK it was -3C and we finally enjoyed some blue skies and sunshine. I don't know about you, but there is something good about cooler temperatures with blue sky and sunshine! It really does make you want to get your walking shoes on, not forgetting your thicker winter coat, over a layer of jumpers ... and head out and enjoy a brisk walk! I kept my eyes open to see if I could see one of these birds ... but alas I didn't!

but I did see some of these, which in January is quite ridiculous

... getting back indoors the kettle went on and it was nice to sit down in the warm, enjoy a cuppa ... and also the aroma of a casserole cooking. Aren't casseroles just great at this time of year - well this one certainly is!

Pork Casserole with Sunshine Peppers, do try it, you can see the recipe here

All in all a great afternoon, and yes I could have spent time dusting, ironing or vacuuming, but as this rather sweet poem details, getting out and about is so worthwhile ...

‘Dust if you Must’ written by Mrs Rose Milligan from Lancaster. I have seen it around several of the blogs I visit, and it really struck a chord. I have tried to find out a little more about it, and it appears it was first published on September 15th 1998 in the 21st edition of 'The Lady' magazine which is generally respected as England's longest running weekly magazine for women, it has been in continuous publication since 1885... that's a long time!

So 'Dust if you Must' - but a walk in the winter sun can be so enjoyable.
Have you enjoyed a walk recently?

Thanks for reading ...

All the best Jan

Too Cautious About Food? That's Dangerous

Last year, eggs were declared safe. After demonizing the cholesterol in them for a generation, nutritionists finally acknowledged that there was overwhelming scientific evidence that eggs were not artery-clogging killers after all.

But wait. What’s this? The government’s latest nutrition guidelinescame out this month and they’re not egg-friendly. They say people should consume as little cholesterol as possible. That’s even stricter than the 2010 standard allowing 300 milligrams a day, about the amount in one egg.

Scientists are supposed to change their minds when confronted with new evidence -- whether it’s reclassifying Pluto as not quite a planetor admitting that Neanderthals contributed to the modern humangene pool.

When it comes to diet, though, even scientists sometimes get stuck in a rut. Then they drive the rest of us into a baffling morass of nutrition advice, in which the cholesterol paradox is a world-class stumper. Why would the same nutrition scientists who said last year that “cholesterol is not considered a nutrient of concern for overconsumption” keep warning people not to eat it?

The answer lies in some of the less than scientific beliefs held by nutritionists. Underlying their endeavor is the faith that there are good foods and bad foods -- and that by strictly avoiding the bad foods we can conquer heart disease, cancer, and perhaps put off death itself.

That faith has led them to warn people away from anything that presents even the remotest possibility of causing harm. It’s a misuse of the precautionary principle: the idea that substances should be treated as dangerous until scientifically proven to be safe.

Reasonable precaution makes sense -- most people expect extensive safety testing on new artificial sweeteners or drugs given to pregnant women for morning sickness, for example. Food choices can certainly influence health. There’s a strong consensus that too much sugar is a risk factor for obesity and diabetes, for example. But too much caution can do more harm than good.

The problem with applying the precautionary principle to food is that is that it fails to take account of alternatives. When told not to eat one thing, we reach for something else.

Provisional evidence that butter and cream caused heart attacks led to increased consumption of margarine and non-dairy creamer instead. Many heart attacks and bypass operations later, research determined that the trans fats in these substances were much worse.

Trans fats -- aka hydrogenated vegetable oils - are manufactured through a process that renders them chemically distinct from the fats coming from plants and animals. For much of the 20th century, they were a major component of margarine as well as commercial pastries, processed foods and snacks. The stuff not only raises bad cholesterol, it lowers good cholesterol and boosts triglycerides.

The health strictures against eggs went along with a general demonization of fats. So for years people ate more carbohydrates - a prescription that many experts now admit played a role in the current epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Scientists painted such a fearsome picture of fat and cholesterol, said one heart specialist, that gummy bears and other candies were being promoted because they were fat free.

Meanwhile there was never good evidence that eggs had more than a minor effect on blood cholesterol or that eating them in moderation was harmful. Top heart specialists such as Dan Rader at the University of Pennsylvania say humans break down most of the cholesterol in food. Most of the cholesterol in the bloodstream is made in the liver. The body uses it to make everything from cell membranes to sex hormones.

Some people develop abnormally high blood cholesterol because the mechanism for cleaning up the excess gets broken. The biggest risk factors for inadequate clean-up are genes, trans fats, and, to a lesser extent, saturated fats. Not eggs.

Why can’t the guidelines reflect this? The USDA’s explanation is that foods high in cholesterol also have lots of saturated fat. But that’s misleading. Eggs have very little saturated fat. The same goes for shrimp and shellfish -- which, contrary to conventional wisdom, may not even be high in cholesterol.

Oh, and about those saturated fats found in meat, poultry, cheese and butter -- the kind the French eat while remaining quite healthy. Their deadly reputation may be exaggerated or undeserved.

The scientific literature is full of contradictory claims. A 2013 meta-analysis concluded that cutting back on saturated fat didn’t help prevent heart disease. Some nutritionists say that study was misleading because people were substituting carbohydrates for saturated fat. (Who could possibly have led them to do that?) The new guidelines tell people to replace the saturated fats with unsaturated fats -- the stuff found in vegetable oils.

Much of the science of saturated-fat risk does not come from experiments. Instead, it’s based on observational studies that rely on self-reporting, which is notoriously unreliable. Steve Nissen, head of cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic, said he doesn’t believe science knows yet whether saturated fats belong on the bad list and unsaturated fats on the good. Other experts agree.

The reaction of many nutritionists was to say that the USDA didn’t make its recommendations scary enough. They blamed the food industry (The egg lobby must have been out on a company picnic). But if the nutritionists had their precautionary way, we’d all be subsisting on kale salad. With no cheese -- and no assurance of living better or longer.

http://www.bloombergview.com/

Graham

Celeriac & Blue Cheese Soufflés

Looking back at my school days I have many good memories of both friends made and teachers met ... in fact I am fortunate to still be in contact with some of my school friends from 'back then'.

Teachers can play such an important and informative role can't they, and although some perhaps you'd rather forget, memories of many tend to stay with you through various stages of your life - well that has been my experience.

One such teacher was my 'Domestic Science' teacher, I always enjoyed her classes, and it was a combination of her, my dear mum and my wonderful Gran that made me aware of good home-cooked food.

One dish I always loved to cook was souffles ... and as many may know there is a knack with souffles ... they rise wonderfully well when cooking and can taste so light and fluffy, but just a moment later they can collapse! Have you ever experienced that? My favourite souffle was always a cheese one, but times have moved on since then and now we have such recipes as this one I share today...

It's celeriac and blue cheese souffle, which is a winning combination, because we just love celeriac (it's a low carbers favourite) and we love blue cheese (Roquefort). Read on and see what you think ... perhaps you may make it soon, it makes a lovely lunch or supper dish ... but then you may prefer to eat it at a time to suit you!

Here is what you will need ...

Preparation time:15 minutes

Cooking time:30 minutes

Ingredients:Serves: 4

5.9g carbs per serving

Small knob of butter, for greasing
500g celeriac, peeled and cubed
3 tbsp half-fat crème fraîche
150g blue cheese such as Stilton, Roquefort or Gorgonzola
4 large (Free Range) Eggs, separated
Green salad, to serve

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Lightly grease 4 x 250ml individual ramekin dishes.

2. Place the celeriac in a steamer set over a pan of gently simmering water. Cover and steam for about 8 minutes until very tender when pierced with a knife.

3. Place the cooked celeriac in a food processor with the crème fraîche and blue cheese and blitz until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites using an electric hand whisk until soft peaks form. Using a large metal spoon, lightly fold the egg whites into the celeriac mixture until well combined.

5. Spoon into the prepared dishes and cook for 20 minutes until risen and golden. Serve swiftly with salad on the side.

FREEZING TIP
These freeze well once cooked. Leave to cool completely, turn out of the ramekins, pack into bags then label and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw completely and bake for 10–12 minutes at 180°C, gas mark 4 until piping hot.

Recipe idea from here

All the best Jan

Low cholesterol levels are significantly associated with increased suicide risk

Serum lipid levels and suicidality: a meta-analysis of 65 epidemiological studies.

This study was a systematic review of the scientific literature and meta-analysis to determine the association between cholesterol levels and suicide. The analysis included 65 studies with a total of 510,392 participants. The participants were categorized as follows: 

(i) patients with various psychiatric diseases (e.g., depression, schizophrenia, personality disorder, drug and alcohol addictions) with suicidality, who were defined as suicidal patients; 

(ii) patients with various psychiatric diseases without suicidality, who were defined as nonsuicidal patients; 

(iii) healthy participants without any psychiatric disease and suicidality, who were defined as healthy controls.

The study found:

(a) Compared with the nonsuicidal patients, suicidal patients had significantly lower cholesterol levels, LDL cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels.  

(b) Compared with the healthy controls, suicidal patients had significantly lower cholesterol levels, HDL cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol levels. 

(c) Compared with those with the highest cholesterol levels, participants with lower cholesterol levels had a 112% higher risk of suicidality, including a 123% higher risk of suicide attempt and an 85% higher risk of suicide completion.

 http://healthydietsandscience.blogspot.co.uk/

Full study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Graham

Dr.Michael Mosley is he winding us up?

Last Saturday I wrote a post after reading in the Daily Mail about Dr. Michael Mosley's 5:2 diet to reverse type two diabetes and his new book. On Saturday the diet discussed was and I quote "So I went on what I called the 5:2 diet (eat normally five days a week, then cut calories to around 600 on the other two days), and found it surprisingly manageable. I lost 20lb in 12 weeks and my blood sugar and cholesterol levels returned to normal"

I said regarding the 5:2 diet "Trust me, that will not work for most. Eating 'normally' is what got most people into the diabetes club in the first place, so that will never work. If I had continued to eat 'normally' for five days and starved myself for two days, after my diabetes diagnosis, I know I would have run dangerously high blood glucose numbers for five days of the week and seen a slight improvement in BG on the two days I starved. This would still apply to this day, if I had used the 5:2 diet"

Roll on to Tuesday in the Mail, and Michael is talking a totally different ball game, he is talking a strict low carb diet and 800 calories per day, every day for eight weeks. It is my opinion the average person does not have to go that low on the calorie count. I used around 1200 calories a day for my first 12 weeks of low carbing, using 30 grams of carb per day. When I reached the required weight and non diabetic blood glucose numbers, I returned to approximately 2500 calories per day. My weight has remained stable and seven years on, blood glucose numbers still non diabetic. Diabetes medication unchanged a 2 x 500 Metformin per day.

So, eating "normally" for five days a week appears to have gone out of the window, we are now talking strict low carb, probably less than my 50 carbs per day. But as with the Newcastle diet, what happens at the end of eight weeks? It is my opinion the participants will have to stay on a low carb diet permanently to maintain the excellent improvements most will make.

The question I am asking myself now is, why didn't Michael say on Saturday a strict low carb diet is the way to go, and what was all the 5:2 malarkey all about. One other point, the meals look great, but I reckon many will struggle in today's economic climate to afford some of the ingredients.

The Dr.Michael Mosley's low carb diet plan from the Daily Mail.

Read more on this story here and here.

Eddie

Porcini and green lentil Bolognese with courgetti

Now, I enjoy eating meat, but I know there are readers who do not. In fact a friend of mine makes it a rule to go 'meatless' one evening each week! We each have to choose our eating choices, habits etc and which recipes we include in our meal plans.

This blog does offer a wide variety of recipe ideas, for your consideration, and by doing this it should be pointed out that not all may be suitable for YOU. If you may have any food likes / dislikes, allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account.

If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter ...  

Now, having said that, 'folks' say this is a very tasty dish, and I hope you may give it a try soon!

It's a veggie Bolognese and has heaps of flavour from the porcini mushrooms – it works out at 5.8grams of carbohydrate per serving. So if you are living the LCHF lifestyle this could fit nicely into your meal plans! What do you think ...

Ingredients:

Serves Four

2 medium courgettes
40 g porcini mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 x 400g tin chopped plum tomatoes
1 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce
1 tsp dried thyme
250 g chestnut mushrooms, chopped
250 g cooked green lentils, drained and rinsed
A big handful of parsley leaves, chopped

Method:

1. Make the courgetti with the courgettes. You can do this with a spiraliser or a vegetable peeler to make long ribbons, then roll up and slice cross-sectionally. Set aside.
2. Soak the porcini mushrooms in just enough hot water to cover, until soft. Drain and chop, but reserve the soaking liquid.
3. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat and saute the onions and leek for around 6-8 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic, tinned tomatoes, soy sauce, thyme, chestnut mushrooms and porcini mushrooms and mix through.
4. Add the lentils and cook on a medium-to-low heat for the next 15-20 minutes, adding splashes of porcini liqueur. The mixture should be softened and should thicken over time, without being watery. When ready, stir through the parsley and spoon over the courgetti. 

Tip: If you prefer, blanch the courgetti in boiling water for 1-2 minutes to soften slightly.

See original recipe idea here

All the best Jan

Have you Diabetes - Have you been newly diagnosed with Diabetes ? Read more about Healthy Low-Carb Eating

"Diabetes is a chronic disease that has reached epidemic proportions, and it currently affects over 400 million people worldwide.

Although diabetes is a complicated disease, maintaining good blood sugar control can greatly reduce the risk of complications.

One of the ways to achieve better blood sugar levels is to follow a low-carb diet, and this article provides a detailed overview of low-carb diets for managing diabetes."

It was written by Franziska Spritzler who has a BSc in nutrition and dietetics. She is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with expertise in carbohydrate-restricted diets for diabetes and weight management.

You can read more here on the Authority Nutrition site and Franziska's own blog Low Carb Dietitian can be found here 

You may also find this helpful, the Low Carb Diabetic site, please use this link here

All the best Jan

Rack Of Lamb with a Grain Free Crust : Great Tasting Real Food

Lamb does tend to be a more expensive meat, but just tastes superb! Stores and supermarkets do sometimes have 'special offers' - which if you are watching your budget can be an opportune moment to purchase! This lovely recipe I'm sharing serves four ... you may wish to give it a try!

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):
2 large racks of lamb, 8 ribs (1.5 kg / 3.3 lb) - will yield about 50% meat
2 tbsp ghee or lard
1 tbsp Dijon mustard - you can make your own
1 cup ground pork rinds (50 g/ 1.7 oz) - you can make your own to avoid unhealthy additives
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1-2 tsp fried rosemary
½ tsp salt or to taste (pink Himalayan is good)
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
1. Bring the lamb racks to room temperature before cooking. Preheat the oven to 400 F / 200 C. Season the racks with salt and pepper. Heat a large pan greased with 1 tablespoon of ghee over a high heat and place in the lamb racks with the fatty side down (ideally one rack at a time to avoid overcooking).
2. Cook for just 2-3 minutes until browned. Turn on the other side and cook for about 30 seconds. Using tongs, cook the rack standing up for another 30 seconds and on the sides for 30 seconds to seal the meat from all sides.
3. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and let it cool down slightly. Meanwhile, prepare the crust. Place the pork rinds, minced garlic, rosemary, more salt and pepper (if using unsalted pork rinds) and the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee into a food processor.
4. Pulse until crumbly (a Kenwood mixer or similar with a food processor attachment works well). Wrap a piece of aluminium foil tightly around the exposed rib bones to prevent them from burning. Spread the mustard over the top fatty parts.
5. Add the pork rind & herb crust and press it in using your fingers so it won't fall of during baking. Place in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes (medium-rare) or 20-23 minutes (medium). Remove from the oven and cover with aluminium foil and let it rest for about 10 minutes. The meat will keep cooking from the residual heat resulting in evenly cooked and juicy meat.
6. When ready to be served, remove the aluminium foil and discard. Use a sharp knife to gently slice the racks to prevent the crust from falling off.

Enjoy!

The above recipe idea is from Martina - pictured above. She lives in the UK and holds a degree in Economics, she worked in auditing, but has always been passionate about nutrition and healthy living. She loves food, science, photography and creating new recipes and is a firm believer of low-carb living and regular exercise. As a science geek, she bases her views on valid research and has first-hand experience of what it is to be on a low-carb diet. She started eating low-carb in 2011, shortly after being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism. Since then, she has been trying to figure out what works best for her and discovered some of the great benefits of low-carb eating. Following a low-carb, paleo-friendly diet plan helps her to maintain a healthy weight while eating real food ...

Have a great 'real food' day

All the best Jan

Beyond confusion and controversy, can we evaluate the real efficacy and safety of cholesterol-lowering with statins?

A strong controversy has emerged about the reality of safety and efficacy of statins as stated by company-sponsored reports. However, physicians need credible data to make medical decisions, in particular about the benefit/harm balance of any prescription.

This study aimed to test the validity of data on the company-sponsored statin trial by comparing them over time and then comparing statins with each other. Around the years 2005/2006, new stricter Regulations were introduced in the conduct and publication of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

This would imply that RCTs were less reliable before 2006 than they were later on.

To evaluate this, we first reviewed RCTs testing the efficacy of statins versus placebo in preventing cardiovascular complications and published after 2006. Our systematic review thereby identified four major RCTs, all testing rosuvastatin. They unambiguously showed that rosuvastatin is not effective in secondary prevention, while the results are highly debatable in primary prevention. Because of the striking clinical heterogeneity and the inconsistency of the published data in certain RCTs, meta-analysis was not feasible.

We then examined the most recent RCTs comparing statins to each other: all showed that no statin is more effective than any other, including rosuvastatin. Furthermore, recent RCTs clearly indicate that intense cholesterol-lowering (including those with statins) does not protect high-risk patients any better than less-intense statin regimens.

As for specific patient subgroups, statins appear ineffective in chronic heart failure and chronic kidney failure patients. We also conducted a MEDLINE search to identify all the RCTs testing a statin against a placebo in diabetic patients, and we found that once secondary analyses and subgroup analyses are excluded, statins do not appear to protect diabetics.

As for the safety of statin treatment – a major issue for medical doctors – it is quite worrisome to realize that it took 30 years to bring to light the triggering effect of statins on new-onset diabetes, manifestly reflecting a high level of bias in reporting harmful outcomes in commercial trials, as has been admitted by the recent confession of prominent experts in statin treatment.

In conclusion, this review strongly suggests that statins are not effective for cardiovascular prevention. The studies published before 2005/2006 were probably flawed, and this concerned in particular the safety issue. A complete reassessment is mandatory. Until then, physicians should be aware that the present claims about the efficacy and safety of statins are not evidence based.

http://jcbmr.com/

Graham

There's no such thing as junk food. There is junk and then there is food.

                                 JUNK                                             FOOD

Chicken Cacciatore : Rustic Hunters Stew

Yes, you may well be asking ... what does Cacciatore mean. Well it means 'hunter' in Italian and this rustic hunter's stew is flavoured with anchovies, celery and a whole head of garlic, it might just be on your menu plans soon!

Ingredients:

Serves Four
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp plain flour, to dust
4 chicken thighs and 4 drumsticks, skinned
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and halved
A few sprigs of rosemary
A few sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
5 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes, drained, rinsed and chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
250 ml warm chicken stock

Method:
1. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat. Season the flour generously with salt and pepper, then evenly dust the chicken pieces. Fry them in batches until golden brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and put to one side.
2. Turn the heat down a little, and add the remaining oil, garlic, herbs, carrot and celery, with a pinch of salt. Fry for at least 5 minutes, adding the anchovies after 3 minutes, until the veg is softened and slightly golden and the anchovies have melted in.
3. Pour in the tomatoes and vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck bits. Return the meat to the pan and pour over the stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 45 minutes, until the meat is falling off the bone.
4. Season to taste and serve with a green salad, spinach, or green beans.

Each serving provides:
2.8g carbohydrate 0.6g fibre 12.8g protein

Original idea can be seen here

Bring a touch of Italy to your dining table

and if you want to do it in food ... just use basil, mozzarella and tomatoes

as my grandson may say - how cool is that!

Buon Appetito

All the best Jan

David Bowie - Lazarus

A single from from his album Blackstar released a couple of days before his sad demise.
R.I.P
Graham

David Bowie - Heroes (live)

What a week, David Bowie was a guy we thought would go on for ever. But even 'Heroes' are not immortal. For me the term superstar is much over used, but David earned that title for a life time of great music. A friend of mine worked with him for a day many years ago, on some artwork for a charity book. He found him a complete gent with no big ego, he behaved just like an ordinary guy. Of course, there was nothing ordinary about his music and life. One thing cannot be denied, David Bowie was an exceptional talent and a true one off. One of our favourite tracks. RIP David. Eddie

Take the Long Way Home by Supertramp co-founder Roger Hodgson.

Saturday night again and music night on this blog. Supertramp for me was one of the best bands of my generation. Around 40 years ago I got a job as an Engineer with a firm who supplied me a brand new company car. It was the first new car I ever drove, and much better and faster than the old junk I had been driving. It was also the first car I ever drove with a good sound system. I went up to head office by train for a weeks induction course and to pick up the car. I took with me a cassette tape of super tramp, and took the long way home on fast roads playing Supertramp and this track. Happy days, the days when everything was simple, before I got on the rat race treadmill, and more wanted more, until I became seriously ill. Eddie

The Peter Sheehan Diabetes Care Foundation

Please check out this short video. The Peter Sheehan Diabetes Care Foundation is a not for profit organisation seeking to improve the health of diabetics and halt the ever upward epidemic of type two diabetes around the world. Well worth your time. Do not become a victim of poor dietary information. Eddie 

Help support the Peter Sheehan Diabetes Care Foundation here. 

Dr. Michael Mosley gets it right, almost.

First let me start by saying I have nothing against people who write books. For years at a very well known diabetes forum, the mention of people like Gary Taubes, Dr.Malcolm Kendrick, Dr.Richard Bernstein or Zoe Harcombe, would have teeth gnashing, and a high profile, low carb anti cabal bellowing "they're only in it for the money" For some reason, it always put me in mind of the Nazi book burning in Germany before WWII. Public book burning of books written by Jews was a regular occurrence. What escaped the vandals and misfit minds, was the fact many of the worlds leading Scientists and Doctors were Jews, and they had written books. The fact is, very few people get rich by writing books, but thank your God they do, or we would be back in the stone age living in a cave. OK, that's cleared that up and I will move on.

Firing up my computer today and checking out the Daily Mail (please don't hold readership of the Mail against me) I see Doctor Michael Mosley is talking about the 5:2 diet and the reversal of type two diabetes. The Mail is promoting his book The Eight-Week Blood Sugar Diet. "The Eight-Week Blood Sugar Diet: Lose Weight Fast And Reprogramme Your Body by Michael Mosley (Short Books, £8.99). © Michael Mosley 2016. To order a copy at the special price of £7.19 (offer valid until January 23, 2016)

Firstly, don't bother with the "special price of £7.19" it's only special because you can buy the book from Amazon for half the price here, secondly, the 5:2 diet is not going to reverse your type two diabetes full stop. Michael states "So I went on what I called the 5:2 diet (eat normally five days a week, then cut calories to around 600 on the other two days), and found it surprisingly manageable. I lost 20lb in 12 weeks and my blood sugar and cholesterol levels returned to normal" 

Trust me, that will not work for most. Eating 'normally' is what got most people into the diabetes club in the first place, so that will never work. If I had continued to eat 'normally' for five days and starved myself for two days, after my diabetes diagnosis, I know I would have run dangerously high blood glucose numbers for five days of the week and seen a slight improvement in BG on the two days I starved. This would still apply to this day, if I had used the 5:2 diet. Over seven years on from adopting the low carb higher fat lifestyle, I hold non diabetic BG numbers. Also, the key to why this method will fail most, is the word diet. The term diet implies for most, a short term method to lose some weight. To reverse the main symptoms of type two diabetes long term, changes have to be made for life.

Michael also states "The thing about carbs — particularly easily digestible ones such as sugar, but also breakfast cereals, pasta, bread and potatoes — is that they are quickly broken down in the gut to release sugar" He is spot on there, and for most type two diabetics, these foods have to be dumped permanently, if you want to hold non diabetic BG numbers long term. Many believe type two medications can achieve the same, they can't, and many come with dangerous side effects. Also, I am no fan of the Newcastle diet he talks about. 

The Newcastle diet is becoming quite well known, it's obvious why it works. I do not find it surprising people on a starvation diet lose weight. By definition it is low calorie, low fat, low protein and low carb. So people lose weight, they lose fat from the liver, their BG numbers plummet. The same can be said for our low carb higher fat lifestyle. The big question for those on a Newcastle diet, is what happens at the end of the eight weeks of self inflicted torture? Can these people go back to eating 'normally'? No, just as a drug addict cannot go back to using drugs, or the alcoholic go back on the booze after eight weeks on the wagon. The abstinence must be maintained for life to stay healthy, it's the same for a diabetic. In short, diets never work long term, and long term control of blood glucose is what diabetics need to stay complication free.

Until there is a genuine cure for diabetes, there will never be any short term fixes that reverse the symptoms of diabetes. For many type two diabetics, this chronic disease was the result of the wrong diet. Many years of a high carb, high sugar, high starch, low fat diet, the diet pushed for decades by Doctors and Dietitians, the so called "healthy Balanced Diet" we now know was anything but. I recommend you do a Google search of the names I mentioned in my first paragraph. They all have sites that offer great free information, and yes, they also write books, but please don't hold that against them.

You could also check out our humble website here.  This gives a very clear and easily understood method, for the long term control and reversal of the main symptoms of type two diabetes. 

Have a great weekend

Eddie

Link to the DM article here.

Winter Scenes and a Winter Green Beef Casserole

what a fabulous landscape 

and I just loved this photo

With the weather turning chilly in the UK this weekend it was nice to see this 'fella' tucking into some hay ... now I will leave him his hay and concentrate on a nice low carb dinner, have you tried this?

Winter Green Casserole

Serves 2 / 3

Ingredients

.450kg casserole steak, diced

1 green pepper

1 leek, trimmed

2 (medium sized) courgettes / zucchini

mushrooms, a handful 4 - 6

salt and black pepper for seasoning

mixed herbs 

gravy / stock (of choice) about 3/4 pint (to cover meat etc)

White cabbage to accompany dish

Method

Wipe / wash meat and all vegetables with water before using

Put oven on to warm up. Gas 4, Electric 180

Dice up Meat into approx 1 inch 'chunks' and place in oven proof casserole dish

De-seed pepper and cut into square pieces (or slices if you'd prefer)

Top and Tail Courgettes, then slice and add to casserole dish

Slice leek and add to casserole dish

Slice or quarter mushrooms and add to casserole dish

season with salt and black pepper

add herbs of your choice - I used dried mixed herbs

Make up your stock and pour over meat and vegetables to cover

Put lid on casserole dish, place in warmed oven, cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until meat is tender.

Tip - I usually gently stir all ingredients at least twice during cooking 

Prepare your accompanying vegetables - white cabbage is nice

this recipe also featured here

Enjoy your weekend

All the best Jan

A Dietitian's nutrition tips for kids with type 2 diabetes (Best avoided )

Eating healthy is important for all kids, but for kids with type 2 diabetes, eating healthy can help keep blood sugars and weight in control. We often hear this message to eat healthy, but what does this mean? There are so many mixed messages about what to eat. Should I eat low carb, high fat, avoid sugar? Many of these messages are extreme, unrealistic, and unsafe to follow. Here are five key healthy eating tips for kids with type 2 diabetes, and kids of all ages.

1. Control Portions. Eating the right amount or portion of food is important to control blood sugars and weight. But what is the right portion for kids? Kids are not little adults and should not be eating adult size portions. Depending on their age and activity level, every kid needs a different amount of food for growth and energy. A reliable and free resource to help choose the right portion from each food group is Choosemyplate.org. Check out Plate Method and My Daily Meal Plan sections, and their interactive tools, such as portion distortion and Smart Tracker. These sites individualize meal plans and show how portions have increased over the years.

2. Avoid Sugar Containing Beverages. Drinking beverages with added sugars, such as soda, ice tea, lemonade, sports drinks, and juice are considered empty calories. Just one 20-ounce regular soda has more than 10 teaspoons of sugar which has been shown to increase the risk of developing heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Drinking water and low fat milk is always best, but replacing sugary beverages with diet is a better choice than drinking the regular versions.

3. Eat Breakfast. How many times have you heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Well, it’s true. Not only does eating a healthy breakfast give you energy and improved school performance, it also helps to keep blood sugars within range and reduce insulin resistance. When you skip breakfast, you eat larger portions later in the day to make up for the calories you didn’t eat earlier. Spreading out the amount of food throughout the day, rather than just eating one or two large meals, can help maintain better blood sugar control and weight. Try eating a breakfast high in whole grains, lean protein and healthy fat . There are many great breakfast combinations – make sure you don’t skip them,

4. Increase Fruits & Vegetables. Did you know that you need to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day? What counts as a serving? Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and low in calories. Don’t avoid fruit just because it has carbohydrates and raises blood sugars. If you are carb counting, just incorporate the carbohydrate gram amount into your goal for that meal or snack. Try eating whole fruit than drinking fruit juice to provide more dietary fiber, vitamin and minerals, and to avoid blood sugar spikes.

5.Smart Snacking. Not all snacking is bad. Eating nutrient-rich snacks between meals helps to prevent hunger and blood sugar fluctuations. Unfortunately today, kids are getting more calories from grazing on snacks throughout the day leading to weight gain and high blood sugars. Processed snacks such as chips, crackers, and cookies are types of snacks kids are eating instead of fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and other whole foods. This Smart Snacking handout provides a list of snacks that are high in dietary fiber, low in unhealthy fat and limit carbs to prevent high blood sugars.

http://www.philly.com/

My bold to highlight the link to what is perceived to be healthy breakfast for a child with Type 2 diabetes

Power Up with Breakfast

Breakfast gives you energy to start the day. A healthy breakfast is important for everyone. Get the morning nutrition you need with these quick breakfast ideas.

Make instant oatmeal with fat-free or low-fat milk instead of water. Toss in raisins or dried cranberries and chopped walnuts.

Layer fat-free or low-fat plain yogurt with your favorite crunchy cereal and blueberries.

Blend a breakfast smoothie with low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana.

Make one packet of microwave oatmeal with fat-free or low-fat milk. Mix in ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce. Sprinkle with apple pie spice or cinnamon.

Top a toaster waffle with fat-free or low-fat yogurt and peach slices.

Stuff a whole-wheat pita with a sliced, hard-cooked egg and low-fat shredded cheese.

Spread a flour tortilla with peanut butter. Add a whole banana and roll it up.

Spread low-fat cream cheese on a whole-grain toasted bagel. Top with sliced strawberries.

Add lean ham and low-fat Swiss cheese to a toasted whole-grain English muffin.

If your taste buds just don't crave breakfast foods, try these:

Peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole-grain bread.

Leftover veggie pizza.

Deli turkey, a slice of low-fat cheese and lettuce wrapped in a tortilla.

Leftover rice mixed with low-fat yogurt, dried fruit and nuts. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Springtime Cereal

Ingredients

¾ cup wheat and barley nugget cereal
¼ cup 100-percent bran cereal
2 teaspoons toasted sunflower seeds
2 teaspoons toasted almonds, sliced
1 tablespoon raisins
½ cup bananas, sliced
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 cup raspberry or strawberry flavored low-fat yogurt
Directions
Mix the wheat and barley nugget cereal, bran cereal, sunflower seeds and almonds in a medium bowl. Add raisins, bananas and half of the strawberries.
Gently stir in the yogurt and divide between two bowls.
Scatter the remaining strawberries over the top and enjoy!
Nutrition Information

Serves 2

Calories: 352; Total fat: 6g; Saturated fat: 1g; Carbohydrate: 69g; Sodium: 272mg; Fiber: 8g

http://www.eatright.org/

Graham

Gammon Steaks Make A Great Meal

Now what does some lovely gammon steak ...

... some cleaned and quartered mushrooms

and sliced leeks ...

... have in common?

The answer is they make a delicious meal! I first discovered this recipe idea back in 2014, and have used it quite a lot since! If you'd like to give it a try, this is what you do ...

Ingredients - Serves Four
15g unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
250g closed cup chestnut mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1 large leek, washed, trimmed and sliced
50g of spring onions, trimmed and sliced
4 x un-smoked gammon steaks approx 150g each
2 teaspoons of French Dijon mustard
150ml chicken stock
125ml soured cream
Fresh flat leaf parsley about 10 - 15 grams - chopped
Ground black pepper to season

Method
1. Heat the butter and half of the oil in a frying pan.
2. Add the mushrooms and fry over a high heat for approx 2 - 3 minutes.
3. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Add the leek and spring onions to your pan with the rest of the oil.
5. Cook on a medium heat for about 8 - 10 minutes.
6. Preheat your grill, high setting, and then grill the gammon for approx four minutes each side until cooked through.
7. Add the mustard and chicken stock to the pan with the cooked onions. Stir in the soured cream and simmer for about 1 minute.
8. Return the mushrooms to the pan, add the chopped parsley, season to your liking with ground black pepper.

Meanwhile ... you would have prepared and cooked your choice of vegetables to accompany ... and so serve the gammon steak topped with the delicious mushroom and leek sauce, with your vegetables ... and maybe a glass of white wine ...

Now this could be just what you need for your Friday evening meal?

All the best Jan

Diabetics do you want to know your complication risk?

Researchers in the United Kingdom have developed a validated risk assessment equation to show the 10-year risk of blindness and lower limb amputation in diabetes patients. Such tools have already been developed for the general population to assess heart attack, stroke and diabetes risk, and now the QDiabetes tool is the first tool for diabetics that gives an accurate assessment of their risk of these most feared complications.

Data has been collected from English General Practitioners since 1998 from over 400,000 patients. The algorithms are based on variables that patients are likely to know or that can be found from asking your GP. Knowing your risk could be worthwhile so you would know to intensify your control and monitor your condition more stringently.

For clinicians, complication risk could enable screening programs to be tailored to an individual’s need for support and the more rational use of scarce resources. Retinopathy could be done more frequently than once a year for those who need it and less frequently than once a year for those who do not. Those at higher risk of amputation might benefit from a proactive targeted program to prevent lower extremity amputation (including more frequent checks, tailored patient education, specially designed protective footwear, and early reporting of foot injuries), as this has been shown to substantially reduce the risk of emergency admissions, use of antibiotics, foot operations, and lower limb amputation compared with usual practice.

My results click on screenshot to enlarge. 

I found this diabetes complication calculator at the excellent site co run by Dr. Katharine Morrison which can be found here. How accurate this tool is, is open to debate, but if it is a good indicator for future complications, as a type two diabetic I would be happy with the results it gave me. Let's face it, all diabetics have a higher risk of complications, but we can drastically improve our chances of not succumbing to serious complications by holding excellent blood glucose numbers.

One problem with the calculator is the fact the minimum HbA1c you can enter is 40, mine is lower than that, as is many other diabetics I know. As you would expect, all of these people are low carbers. Perhaps the people that designed this tool thought no diabetics ever hold numbers better than 40. Maybe by inserting my lower than 40 HbA1c my results would have been better, who knows.

The future risk of complications calculator can be found here.

Eddie

Lest we forget DCUK the forum of flog.

For the last few weeks I have been taking it easy on the blogging front, by my standards I have been positively comatose. Every now and again I suffer from blog/forum burnout and this usually occurs around Christmas time, this Yuletide time was no exception. One place I have kept away from is the diabetes.co.uk forum known as the forum of flog. Although great information can be found at the flog and many helped including me, I have been extremely critical of the place. In my opinion the flog is an exploitation outfit. The management has clearly stated on numerous occasions (often issuing retractions) it is a for profit company. As the owner has said to the Coventry Telegraph "One of the ways the website makes money is by charging to put organisations such as pharmaceutical companies doing medical trials in touch with forum members who have diabetes"

This was a Ratner moment if ever there was one. Not for the first time, the management had clearly stated its raison d'être. When the Coventry Telegraph article was posted up on the forum, a swift rebuttal was posted by the forum admin to the effect flog owner Mr. Arjun Panesar had been misquoted and the flog would be ordering a retraction from the newspaper. No retraction was ever made, the article still stands un-edited as of today (see link below).

So, had the Telegraph got it wrong? had Mr. Panesar been mis-quoted? checking the flog today it appears not. Posted by a member yesterday.

"I have just received an e.mail from Catherine about a survey for users of Bydureon, and again promising £30 for taking part in the 30-minute survey.

I took part in the survey about Victoza and I'm still waiting for my £30. I don't think anyone else here has received payment for participating. This seems to be a ruse for gathering personal information. The survey was quite intrusive, and I think the site owners here should not promulgate such surveys that don't seem to be quite legitimate."

Amazingly for the forum of flog the post still stands, usually any criticism or exposés of the flogs modus operandi is swiftly deleted and the member often banned. As regular and long time flog watchers know, countless low carbers have been banned over the years, and thousands of low carb posts have been deleted. One thing is for sure, the flog owners know the big money is with big pharma, and the low carb lifestyle for diabetics is the last thing big pharma wants to encourage. 

This is the reason the flogs latest low carb promotion and information gathering exercise, started a couple of months ago is seen as a scam by many. As I say so often, follow the money, and where diabetes is concerned, you will usually find big pharma and junk food is paying the money. If you believe these outfits have your health and well-being at heart, I recommend you seek psychiatric counselling swiftly.

Link to the Coventry Telegraph article here.

Link to the forum of flog here.

Eddie

The members post.

The admins reply