July 2009 Just a comment on health policy: There is no better time than now to write your congress persons about healthcare reform. The key word is healthcare, note; it does not say health insurance reform. Giving more money in the form of premiums to health insurance companies does not make … [Read more...]
The Vitamin D Season Begins with Spring Blossoms
Remember the type of suns rays that are necessary for vitamin D production (UVB) are only available between spring blossoms and fall colors. This season is long in the Southern United States but here in Michigan late April to May marks the beginning of the vitamin D season. Allergies come with … [Read more...]
Diet and the “Anthropologic Rule of Thumb”
Dietary recommendations seem to change year after year. The food industry sends us an endless stream of choices and provides reasons for why we should choose their products. They even invent new food categories and meal times. In an effort to simplify decision making and ignore the noise, we … [Read more...]
Bacteria: Friends or Foes?
Much of medicine, health, and the food industry focus on bacteria as a source of disease. The general message the public gets is more bugs are more problems. Kill the bugs, solve the problem. Unfortunately this message fails to inform us that without bugs we would not exist. Bacteria and viruses are … [Read more...]
Revisiting Insulin
Two very important diabetes research studies were published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, the ACCORD and ADVANCE studies. See this editorial reviewing this research or download both studies to read the complete articles. The message is clear. Higher insulin levels lead to … [Read more...]
Insulation from Insulin
Insulin is a member of the growth hormone family. Its primary purpose is to take up glucose, protein, and fat. Without insulin your glucose levels go up and we call this diabetes. However, the strongest stimulus for the release of insulin is NOT SUGAR or carbohydrates. PROTEIN is the most potent … [Read more...]