Diabetes

If you’re like most Americans, you are struggling with at least a few extravpounds. And if you’re over 40, those extra pounds are probably accumulatingvwith an unwelcome preference for your mid-section. Spare-tire fat distribution is more than an unsightly annoyance. Fatvthat accumulates in your belly is extremely dangerous!

For years, consumers have been learning of the benefits of reducing cardiovascular disease by ingesting omega-3 fatty acids. This message has made its way into the mainstream as cardiologists now prescribe omega-3 supplements to their patients.

For decades, European doctors have prescribed diabetic patients a fat-soluble form of vitamin B1 called benfotiamine to treat neuropathies and help prevent complications such as blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, and limb amputation. Benfotiamine blocks destructive biochemical pathways that enable high blood sugar levels to damage nerves and small blood vessels.

Studies in animals powerfully support these encouraging findings with research from a number of quarters revealing the benefits of benfotiamine in preventing diabetic complications. German researchers working with diabetic rats studied the effects of benfotiamine and thiamine on nerve function and on the formation of AGEs in nerve tissue.

As men age, many become trapped in a vicious cycle that leads to life-threatening abdominal obesity. No matter how much they exercise or how little they eat, these men are unable to shed this excess weight that accumulates in their belly. Published studies have shown that low testosterone and obesity reinforce each other, trapping men in a spiral of weight gain and hormonal imbalance.

Scientists at the leading edge of osteology (bone research) are discovering that in addition to immune strength, blood cell production, and nervous system function, a healthy skeletal system is also essential to insulin sensitivity, energy metabolism, and weight management.

Given the rising epidemic of diabetes and its devastating complications, natural strategies that support healthy blood sugar (glucose) and protect against oxidative stress offer hope for many individuals. Metabolic syndrome—a combination of risk factors such as insulin resistance, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL)—increases one’s risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Mounting evidence documents the ability of carnosine to prevent many of the detrimental effects of aging. In our youth, carnosine shields us from the onslaught of oxidation, glycation, DNA damage, and other reactions that injure tissues and cripple organs.

If your vitamin E supplement contains only tocopherol forms, you may not be getting all of the benefits this nutrient has to offer. While tocopherols are very important, they lack many of the synergistic benefits offered by their cousins, the tocotrienols. Few people realize that vitamin E is composed of eight different compounds. Half of these are called tocopherols, which is the most common form of vitamin E. The other half are known as tocotrienols.

An exciting new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that coffee drinking may add years to your life span. Evidence is rapidly accumulating about the ability of coffee to reduce vascular disease, slash cancer risk, preserve cognition, and mitigate diabetes/obesity.

Even if you eat a healthy diet, you may not be absorbing vital fat-soluble nutrients and amino acids needed for optimal health. That's because with age, we experience a decline in the enzymes our bodies produce to break down foods into absorbable nutrients.

Do you ever wish you could just recharge your batteries? Most of us do, especially as we grow older. Fatigue is a major problem in American adults, accounting for millions of office visits each year. The complaints are similar: groggy for much of the morning, can’t sleep well or long enough at night, lack the energy for daily tasks and even enjoyable diversions.