Listen to your mother and eat your fruits and vegetables!

As if we needed further reasons to eat our fruits and vegetables, here is a study by a group from Tulane University investigating the effects of fruits, vegetables, and fruit juices on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (h/t Futurepundit).

Here is a quote from the study author Dr. Lydia Bazzano,

“Based on the results of our study, people who have risk factors for diabetes may find it helpful to fill up on leafy greens like lettuces, kale and spinach and whole fruits, like apples, bananas, oranges and watermelon rather than drink fruit juices, which deliver a big sugar load in a liquid form that gets absorbed rapidly.”

So eat more whole fruits and vegetables and cut down or stop drinking sugar-loaded fruit juices. Better yet, combine your fruits and vegetables with a fiber source for a longer lasting healthy meal. Does anyone know of a good fiber supplement? Check the link.

First Podcast and its all about Heart Health

February is American Heart Health month. We spoke to Dana Theisen, a graduate from Duke University's Adult Cardiovascular Nurse Practitioner Programs with a Master of Science in Nursing degree. Dana has 14 years of experience working in cardiovascular clinics and is currently working in a Health and Wellness clinic in Florida. Here is a link to the audio file. We have performed a number of clinical studies on Bios Life Complete with regards to lipid panel management and glucose management and the results are very compelling. To view those studies go to www.unicityscience.org.

Adverse effects to statins and the Bios Life alternative

I'm back from a brief jaunt oversees. While I was traveling I checked out this review (h/t Futurepundit and to one of our Franchise Owners) on the adverse effects associated with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins). Here are a few money quotes from one the authors of the review.

"Muscle problems are the best known of statin drugs' adverse side effects," said Golomb. "But cognitive problems and peripheral neuropathy, or pain or numbness in the extremities like fingers and toes, are also widely reported." A spectrum of other problems, ranging from blood glucose elevations to tendon problems, can also occur as side effects from statins.

My thoughts: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors reduce the amount of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). CoQ10 is an essential part of mitochondrial energy metabolism. It's widely thought that this is probably the cause for the muscle related adverse effects.

Some more money quotes:

"Mitochondria produce most of the oxygen free radicals in the body, harmful compounds that "antioxidants" seek to protect against. When mitochondrial function is impaired, the body produces less energy and more "free radicals" are produced. Coenzyme Q10 ("Q10") is a compound central to the process of making energy within mitochondria and quenching free radicals. However, statins lower Q10 levels because they work by blocking the pathway involved in cholesterol production – the same pathway by which Q10 is produced. Statins also reduce the blood cholesterol that transports Q10 and other fat-soluble antioxidants.

"The loss of Q10 leads to loss of cell energy and increased free radicals which, in turn, can further damage mitochondrial DNA," said Golomb, who explained that loss of Q10 may lead to a greater likelihood of symptoms arising from statins in patients with existing mitochondrial damage – since these people especially rely on ample Q10 to help bypass this damage. Because statins may cause more mitochondrial problems over time – and as these energy powerhouses tend to weaken with age—new adverse effects can also develop the longer a patient takes statin drugs.

The are clear benefits to taking a statin medication to manage your cholesterol. There is also a growing population who would perfer alternatives to taking medications to manage their cholesterol. Unicity offers demonstrated alternatives to statin medication. They are Bios Life Slim and Bios Life Complete. These fiber-based supplements have been shown to lower total cholesterol levels, lower LDL-cholesterol levels and to moderate glucose levels. For more information go to www.unicityscience.org.

Update: This article was forwarded to me by our Franchise Owner Kathy Fielding RD. Thanks Kathy and keep them coming!