From obesity to diabetes, meditation to recipes, this roundup has it all!
Obesity Myth #4: Readiness for change
It is not a typo. It is four. It is the fourth post out of seven written by Dr. Arya Sharma on his blog, Dr. Sharma’s Obesity Notes discussing seven myths about obesity as addressed in a report published earlier in the New England Journal of Medicine. The report identified seven myths, six presumptions and nine facts about obesity. It debunked many myths but was critiqued by some for encouraging prescription weight-loss drugs and bariatric surgery. (I also disapprove unless the patient is morbidly obese and surgery will save his/her life). You can check all of Dr. Sharma’s different posts but I particularly loved this one with the lottery analogy.
Photo credit: http://www.drsharma.ca
“Were you to liken success in losing weight to winning a lottery, the person in the action phase at least bought a ticket (the others are still only thinking about buying one). I know of no lottery that you can win if your don’t buy a ticket.” Dr. Sharma
Green Tea and Red Wine Extracts Interrupt Alzheimer’s Disease Pathway in Cells
In a new study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, researchers were able to disrupt a key pathway in Alzheimer’s disease by using natural chemicals found in green tea and red wine. Should we be drinking more? This is very promising research but until we get more insight, I’m sticking to my two cups of tea a day and the occasional glass of wine.
Photo credit: www.livescience.com
”It’s a misconception that Alzheimer’s is a natural part of aging; it’s a disease that we believe can ultimately be cured through finding new opportunities for drug targets like this.” Professor Nigel Hooper in ScienceDaily
Exposure to Pesticides in Food, Air and Water Increases Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
A study from the University of Granada revealed a direct relationship between exposure to pesticides and an increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes. The chemicals tend to deposit in fat cells and the researchers speculated this might be one reason obese people are more likely to develop diabetes. More reason to eat organic produce!
Photo courtesy: http://www.hangthebankers.com
“Human adipose tissue acts as an energy reservoir and has an important metabolic function. However, adipose tissue can store potentially harmful substances, such as persistent organic pollutants (COPs).” J P Arrebolla in ScienceDaily
Gluten-Free, Whether You Need It or Not
An article published in the New York Times’ Well blog tackled the gluten-free craze and whether it is justified or not. For people with celiac disease it is imperative to exclude gluten, but what about the rest of the population? All agree that there is a condition known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity but what is still unknown is how to identify it. The only thing one can do in such condition is to avoid foods containing gluten and observe if their symptoms disappear. But, please don’t go on a gluten-free diet just to lose weight.
Photo courtesy: http://www.charlotteglutenfreebakery.com
“It is not a healthier diet for those who don’t need it,” Dr. Guandalini – NYT Well
Love Yourself
I have written Love Yourself a year ago but it is still one of the most viewed posts and one of my favorites. I decided to include it in this roundup as we are coming closer to Valentine’s day and I have come across a similar post by Megan Bruneau on My Yoga Online, What Love Yourself means and 3 ways to get closer to it . So this Valentine’s day don’t get too carried away, focus on yourself and those who matter the most.
Photo credit: http://www.michaelmutgallery.com
”As Oscar Wilde says, “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” You cannot change the person you inhabit, but you can change your relationship to them.” – Megan Bruneau, My Yoga Online
Valentine’s Day Recipe Roundup
We are approaching Valentine’s day and if you are staying home, Jennifer from Savory Simple put together a great collection of recipes to choose from. Do I need to say more?
Photo credit: Savory Simple
I wanted to finish up this post with the recipes but I had to mention a few more studies. These included one showing that kids having breakfast scored higher on IQ tests and another one showing that a father’s obesity may influence his children’s health and increase their risk of diseases including cancer.
Hope you are enjoying the roundups! Have a wonderful week ahead 
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