Say 'NO' To Gastric Bypass Surgery

This is the medical establishments latest response to diabetes: an unhealthy diet or surgery!!!!


The diet is somewhat excessive and I cant' imagine many willing to endure its strict and punishing 2-month schedule. A healthy balanced diet should give the recommended daily calorie intake of 2000 calories for women and 2500 for men. According to a small UK study, a diet of 600 calories per day for 2 months will reverse type-2 diabetes. That's right - 600 calories per day! That's less than what you'd get from your average meal...


Of course not many in their right minds would take this option, so the next option offered is surgery. A gastric bypass, in fact. Researchers tested 3 types of surgery to reduce the size and shape of the stomach. According to their results, all 3 surgery types were successful in getting diabetics into remission. That sounds like good news, doesn't it?


Here's the catch - about 4 out of 10 gastric bypass patients experience complications. This can be from abdominal hernias to infections and digestive problems, like acid reflux, vomiting and diarrhoea. Furthermore, A study by the University of Arkansas, USA, has linked some neurological problems to gastric bypass. They are memory loss, cognitive decline, restricted movement and progressive vision loss. But worst of all is the death rate due to gastric bypass. According to the Journal of American Medical Association, out of 16,000 gastric bypass patients aged 35-44, 5% of men and 3% of women died within 1 year. Death rates were even higher in the older age groups!


So weigh up the option: acid reflux, memory loss or premature death. 


It would appear that the cause of these problems associated with gastric bypass surgery would be due to poor nutrient absorption as a direct result of the surgery. Poor nutrient absorption can cause many health problems - and death!




So should your doctor suggest this I hope you bypass the bypass! You'd might be better off on the 600 calorie per day diet...


Of course, the best course of action is a healthy diet and lifestyle. Organic vegetarian diet is best, also the palaeolithic diet (aka caveman or Stone Age diet) with lots of raw fruit and veg. Avoid alcohol and tobacco, cut down on coffee, and live a stress-free life...:-)


The Golden Rule:
Avoid the 3 white menaces

• White Sugar
• White Flour
• Salt

May you be well and happy

May you be free from suffering

Eat Yourself Healthy

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO)  85% of adult cancers are avoidable. Of these 85%, around 1/2 in the West are due to nutritional deficiencies. A UK government report has shown how nearly 70,000 premature deaths could be prevented each year just by improving diet.

A study by professor Steven Aldana at Brigham Young University found that a combination of 30 minutes of cardio exercise a day along with a switch to a healthier diet dropped the participants’ health risks for diabetes, cancer, and heart disease dramatically in just 6 weeks (published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, March, 2005).

So here's a few healthy alternatives to add to your diet which you can combine with 5 minutes a day of intense cardio workout: 

• Avocados, are well known for their cholesterol-lowering properties and ability to maintain cardiovascular health. Phytochemicals extracted from the popular Haas avocado are able to destroy oral cancer cells as well as prevent pre-cancerous cells from developing into cancer. 
• Two tablespoons of Salba seeds contain more fibre than a serving of the constipation remedy Metamucil and delivers 3,050mg of omega-3s – that’s the equivalent of more than five flax oil capsules, or ten fish oil capsules. With its high content of chlorogenic and caffeic acid as well, Salba seeds also aids glucose metabolism and weight control among its huge list of other super health-boosting benefits.
• Bananas are an excellent source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C, dietary fibre, manganese and potassium. Potassium, for example, is necessary for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function so a banana a day can help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis. The potassium found in bananas may do wonders for our bone strength by counteracting the increased urinary calcium loss caused by a high-salt diet. Bananas have also long been recognized for their antacid effects that protect against stomach ulcers and ulcer damage. Also the Tryptophan found in bananas has the additional benefit of being a natural mood enhancer so can help if you suffer from PMT or depression.
• Studies have shown that ashitaba (a green leafy vegetable from Japan with a rapid growth time) “can help improve overall health as well as help treat a number of medical complaints.These include weakened immunity, bacterial or viral infections, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint or muscular pain, and Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. It also promotes detoxification of the blood, liver and kidneys.
• The apple could be the greatest Super Food of them all. A compound it contains called procyanidin B-2 has been found to play a key role in inhibiting age-related problems,preventing wrinkles and promoting hair growth. Researchers have found that a flavanoid called phloridzin, which is found only in apples, may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density. Numerous studies have also shown that eating apples can help prevent many different kinds of cancer, asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure and weight gain!
• A daily intake of celery  can have a powerful effect on reducing stress hormones. It also acts as a useful diuretic (helping to rid your body of excess fluid), as well as helping to reduce the inflammation associated with conditions like arthritis. 
• Tart cherries have been found to be beneficial for helping to alleviate gout and other forms of arthritis, including both osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis. Also, adding tart cherries to the diet may lower cholesterol, lead to less fat storage and improve antioxidant defences
• Eating oily fish as little as once a week could lower your risk of Alzheimer’s by a staggering 60 per cent. Fish oils have also been found to lower blood pressure, prevent blood platelets from clumping and dramatically lower blood fat levels. Fish oils and flaxseed oil have also been linked with a significantly lower incidence of breast cancer among many other benefits.
• If you are type 1 diabetic then adding pumpkin to your diet could help regulate your blood sugar levels, promote the regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells and boost levels of insulin-producing beta cells and insulin in the blood. 

May you be well and happy

May you be free from suffering

The Household Death Sentence - Bisphenol A (BPA)

I am always in shock at the stupidity of the human race. We view ourselves as the most intelligent species on this planet, yet we somehow manage to lack the necessary foresight that is required to live harmoniously with every living species on this planet - including ourselves!. For example, when you look at political decisions they are always made in hindsight – a reaction to an event. Our actions are a response to a previous mistake.

Now, I am a firm believer in correcting mistakes. However, some mistakes are more lethal than others. For example, we pollute and keep on polluting our environment until someone comes along and says “hey, you’re polluting the environment!”. Then, when only enough people say the same thing do we do anything about it.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is just such an example. It is most probably something you have never heard of, yet it is a part of our everyday lives. BPA is a chemical compound that can be found in cans, plastic containers, toys, and many other products that our scattered throughout our homes. It is mainly used in plastics and can be found in many baby bottles, plates, bowls, baby pacifiers, etc. It is also widely used as a lining in food and beverage cans. I think you get the picture that it is everywhere in our houses.

The danger of Bisphenol A has been well documented, but is vehemently denied by the industry (see www.bisphenol-a.org for their feeble attempt to dismiss the scientific studies that show the dangers of BPA). To highlight this bias, a study was conducted in 2007 that showed that among US government-funded BPA experiments on lab animals and tissues, 153 found adverse effects and only 14 did not. Furthermore, all 13 studies funded by chemical corporations using BPA reported no harm. I think that speaks for itself.

The Journal Of The American Medical Association (JAMA) have published a number of reports showing the toxicity of BPA. Their reports show that BPA concentrations are high in urine samples. Also, they showed that these high urinary concentrations of BPA are linked to increases in heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and abnormal concentrations of liver enzymes.

Researchers from Harvard University’s School of Public Health conducted research on two groups of healthy students. One group was fed freshly made soup daily for five days. The other group was fed soup from cans daily also fro five days. The results were alarming. Those in the fresh soup group had an average BPA level of 1.1 micrograms per litre in their urine. Those in the can soup groups had an incredible 20.8 micrograms per litre – after 5 days! This level would be expected from those whose occupation exposes them to high levels of BPA.

The Breast Cancer Fund conducted a study on six canned foods that were marketed to children. All six makes were positive for BPA. The highest levels were found in two of Campbells products.

Alternative Treatment For Diabetic Neuropathy

Neuropathy is nerve damage and is characterized by a numbness or painful tingling in the feet, legs, hands and arms. The symptoms of neuropathy depend on the type of nerves that are affected (i.e. motor, sensory, or autonomic) and where these nerves are located in the body. It may be one or sometimes two or more types of nerves that are affected. It can also contribute to dementia. Neuropathy is a common side effect of diabetes, but can sometimes be caused by other factors, such as thyroid problems and chemotherapy. Frequently the cause of a neuropathy cannot be identified and it is designated as idiopathic. In medicine idiopathic means to  arise spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause.

Common symptoms with motor nerve damage are muscle weakness, cramps, and spasms. Loss of balance and coordination may also occur. Sensory nerve damage can cause tingling, numbness, and pain. Sufferers describe this sensory nerve pain as: burning, freezing, a feeling of wearing an invisible "glove" or "sock",or electric-like, with extreme sensitivity to touch. Autonomic nerve damage causes problems with involuntary functions. This can lead to symptoms such as abnormal blood pressure and heart rate, a reduced ability to perspire, constipation, incontinence and sexual dysfunction.

Some doctors treat the symptoms of neuropathy with drugs such as oxycodone (an opioid pain reliever), anti-convulsants, and even ant-idepressants. Unfortunately, none of these drugs do anything to address the root cause of the nerve damage. For the patient, the most important step is for them to  manage their blood sugar levels. Once their blood sugar is under control, then they can start supplementing their diet with alpha-lipoic acid. 

Recent trials on high doses of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) at 600 mg per day, given intravenously, showed diabetic neuropathy syptoms were significantly reduced after three weeks.  Other trials on diabetics given oral supplements of 600 mg per day have shown that some diabetics do respond to this too. 

Order your Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA), 60 caps of 600 mg here

Neuropathy is a serious condition which no diabetic should take lightly. It can lead to serious health problems and even death. This is why you should keep a close eye on your blood sugar levels. The best advice is to go to your doctor and get them to monitor your progress without you having to take unnecessary drugs that only mask the symptoms of neuropathy. 

Sources:

HealthCommunities.com, "Neuropathy Signs and Symptoms"  http://www.healthcommunities.com/neuropathy/symptoms.shtml    

Health Sciences Institute e-Alert (UK edition), 5 Dec 2011 "Neuropathy"