Healthy Trans Fats Slash Diabetes Risk

Is "healthy trans fat" an oxymoron? Maybe not. Although we've learned to opt for zero trans fats and search labels for deadly hydrogenated oils, there may be an exception to the no trans fats rule. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have identified a naturally occurring trans fat in dairy that may substantially reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
For many years, studies have shown an association between eating dairy products and lower diabetes risk. But how dairy protects against diabetes remained a mystery. The answer may lie in dairy's fat.
Trans-palmitoleic acid is a fatty acid found in milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter. It's not produced by the body. It only comes from your diet.
Palmitoleic acid, or trans-palmitoleate, is found almost exclusively in naturally-occurring dairy and meat trans fats. Unlike trans fat found in hydrogenated vegetable oils, it has not been linked to higher heart disease risk. In fact, palmitoleic acid is heart healthy. It also has anti-microbial properties and is a key compound in cell communication.
In a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Harvard researchers analyzed data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a prospective cohort study designed to investigate risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease in the U.S.
In 2000-2002, they recruited 6,814 adults aged 45–84 years from six regions of the country. They measured circulating blood levels of trans-palmitoleate.
At the end of 5 years participants with the highest levels of trans-palmitoleate had 6.4% higher LDL cholestero Continue reading

Rate this article

Total 1 ratings

Benefits of Camel Milk: Low Allergen Alternative to Dairy

Several weeks ago my husband, baby and I were at a conference, and during one of the breaks, I noticed they had camel milk as one of the refreshments on hand (along with water, coffee, kombucha, and paleo snacks).
I was slightly taken aback, as I can count on one hand the number of actual camels I’ve seen in my lifetime (only at the zoo), and the thought of drinking camel milk had never crossed my mind before seeing the bottles they had at the refreshment stand that day.
So of course, I had to research it to find out about any potential health benefits. And what I found out is VERY interesting!
Camel milk is unique in its potential ability to help with allergies and autism, to mitigate autoimmune disease and diabetes and for heart and immune health. It has even been used around the world as a supplement to breastmilk!
Sound crazy?
I thought so too, but it turns out that the milk from a camel is an entirely different animal (pun intended) than milk from a cow or a goat.
Here’s why:
Cows, goats and other similar animals are hoofed animals. Camels have toes (only two, made of a single bone) and both their foot structure and the proteins in their milk are dramatically different than milk from hoofed animals.
To make things slightly more confusing, camels ruminate but are not considered ruminants. As unique as camels are, their milk is even more so.
What Makes Camel Milk Different?
I started researching this and was absolutely fascinated by the research on camel milk and how it is different from other types of milk.
Protein Structure
For one thing, camel milk does not contai Continue reading

Nine essential oils for diabetes

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that affects many people in the United States, and many more around the globe. The disease is usually treated medically but as yet, there is no cure for it.
Some research suggests that there may be some essential oils that can be safely added to a diabetes care plan with great results.
Essential oils and diabetes
Essential oils are concentrated versions of certain compounds that are found in plant matter.
A simple example of essential oils can be found in the peel of citrus fruits. Peeling an orange releases the essential oil from the peel, causing the fresh orange scent to spread into the air.
Some of the oldest known civilizations used essential oils in one form or another. Compounds isolated from essential oils have been used to make many western medications. Many of the compounds in essential oils can be readily used by the body.
By pairing these effects with the symptoms people are looking to help treat, essential oils can be used to help with many diabetes symptoms.
Coriander seed
Coriander or cilantro seed is grown all over the world, and has been used by many cultures for treating digestive issues, such as indigestion, diarrhea, and flatulence.
A recent study on rats shows that coriander seed essential oil may help in the fight against diabetes as well. An extract from coriander seed was found to reduce the blood sugar levels in test subjects.
Researchers noted that the beta cells in the pancreas were more active. This helps to increase insulin levels while reducing blood sugar.
In many cases, coriander essential oil may help the bod Continue reading

Essential Oils for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes

Ivory A. Gordon, Pharm.D. Candidate
Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy
Essential oils are complex and contain many different chemical ingredients that are extracted from plants through distillation, a process of purifying liquids by boiling and condensing its vapors. Essential oils serve as an invaluable element of natural healing for mankind. Ancient Egyptian oils were used in religious practices and the preservation of the dead for the afterlife. The Greek and Roman cultures used oil of lavender for wounds which is still utilized today. While there is still limited understanding of the mechanisms through which most essential oils act, research continues to indicate their effectiveness as agents for both treatment and preventive measures for several chronic diseases such as; cancer, HIV, and even diabetes.
Diabetes is becoming a common condition with many people in the United States and elsewhere in the world. It has been recently discovered that diabetes can be tempered with the use of essential oils such as; dill, cinnamon, coriander, or ylang ylang. Although essential oils can never cure diabetes completely, they can help reduce some aggravation of the condition.
Coriander (Coriandrum Sativum) is native to the eastern Mediterranean region and western Asia. Traditionally, coriander has been used as an infusion to aid in the healing of digestive conditions, flatulence, anorexia, gripe pains and for children’s diarrhea. Coriander has dual blood glucose-lowering effects in diabetes. It works both by enhancing the secretion of insulin from the pancreas and exhibiti Continue reading

#51: Diabetes treatment in 2017: New meds, insulin, and cardiac risk reduction

Get cozy with these new drugs for diabetes treatment. Don’t be scared, they won’t bite. On this episode, we interview Endocrinologist and current president of AACE, Dr. Jonathan D. Leffert, MD, FACP, FACE, ECNU about how to utilize the myriad of new diabetes drugs on the marketplace including SGLT2 inhibitors, DPP4 inhibitors, GLP1 agonists, and new ultra long acting insulins. Plus, we’ll teach you how to choose between agents, common side effects, A1C goals, and the cardiovascular benefits of these newer agents. Help patients afford their meds with this resource from AACE http://prescriptionhelp.aace.com
Full show notes available at http://thecurbsiders.com/podcast
Join our newsletter mailing list. Rate us on iTunes, recommend a guest or topic and give feedback at [email protected]
Case: Case from Kashlak Memorial Hospital: 49 yo M with HTN, BMI 29, hyperlipidemia, family history of premature CAD (dad age 45yo), and type 2 diabetes with A1C increase from 6.4% to 9% while on metformin monotherapy.
Clinical Pearls:
Latent autoimmune diabetes of aging (LADA): Autoimmune disease similar to type 1 diabetes (DM1). Suspect if older adult presents w/new insulin dependence. Check glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies, which are most sensitive and specific. Often positive in LADA/DM1. Can also check islet cell Ab or insulin autoantibodies.
A1C and anemia: Based on red cell (RBC) survival. Falsely high a1c if RBC turnover is low → Older RBCs that accumulate more glucose e.g. Iron, vitamin B12, or folate deficiency anemia. Falsely low a1c if rapid RBC turnover e. Continue reading