October 6, 2008
From PCOS Health E-News
PCOS Health & Nutrition Centre
October 2008
Lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise, can significantly improve all or most of the symptoms of PCOS. In fact research has shown that losing as little as 5% of your weight through diet and exercise can restore ovulation, improve fertility and reduce many of the symptoms of this condition. And if you have PCOS, eating well and exercising regularly also helps regulate your blood glucose levels, improve your energylevels and reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
PCOS Made Easy is an audio CD designed specifically for women with PCOS, to help them in making the lifestyle changes needed to manage their condition. It will provide you with:
- an explanation of PCOS and its symptoms
- information on the link between PCOS and insulin resistance and why this is important
- an understanding of the importance of lifestyle changes in managing PCOS
- everything you need to know about eating well with PCOS, including practical
- tips you can implement right now
- a 6-point exercise plan for managing insulin levels
- tips on getting started with exercise
- the truth about those common exercise myths
- a comprehensive range of fact sheets covering all the main points in the audio CD
For further information:
www.pcoshealth.com.au
October 2, 2008
By Dr. Nancy Dunne and Bill Slater
PCOS Health Review
Oct. 2008
www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com
In Chapter 3.4 of our book, we explain that the
water content of your food plays an important role
in weight loss and in having a feeling of satiety
after a meal.
We said that the water in the food itself is more
effective at controlling appetite and losing weight
than low-moisture food accompanied by a glass of
water.
This concept has now been verified by a study of
1,136 women conducted by the University of
Tokyo. The women consuming the most water in
their foods were the leanest. The women
consuming foods with the least water were the
most overweight.
The researchers also reported that drinking water
from beverages with meals had no impact on body
mass index or waist circumference. Only the
water within the foods was effective.
This is why we emphasize wholesome, high-
moisture foods in our recommended PCOS diet,
such as soups, salads, fresh vegetables and fresh
fruit.
Not only will you be able to better control weight,
you will also be a lot healthier!
Read the full article here.
www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/news66.html
Learn about our Healthy PCOS diet book:
www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/book
September 18, 2008
By Susan Mudd
dLife
http://www.dlife.com
We’ve all been told to eat our veggies — especially the dark green ones — since we were little babes in high chairs. But ask people exactly why these plants are so good for us, and you’ll get vague answers like “helps prevent cancer” or “fiber is good for you.” Here’s something you can sink your teeth into: Some vegetables may protect and even reverse the damaging effects of diabetes on the heart, according to a report in Diabetes News.
Researchers at the University of Warwick in England isolated a phytochemical called sulforaphane, which is found in cruciferous vegetables, and tested its effects on human cells. (Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and leafy greens.) When they tested sulforaphane on blood vessel cells that were damaged from diabetes, they found a 73 percent reduction in the activity of a free radical called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which at high levels is very damaging.
The researchers also found that sulforaphane activates a protein that protects cells and tissues by increasing antioxidant activity and supporting the liver’s ability to detoxify free radicals. When the liver is healthy and able to handle the detoxification and elimination of free radicals, the immune system can better do its work, including protecting us from the kind of cell mutations that can lead to cancer.
Researchers caution, of course, that experimenting with blood cells incubated in a laboratory environment can not necessarily be extrapolated to what would happen in the human body. But these are promising findings. The next step is to find a sample population in which to study the effects of increased dietary intake of sulforaphane-rich foods.
Free radicals such as ROS are one of the causes of damaged blood vessels in diabetes. As the body attempts to repair the blood vessels, plaques form and blood vessel walls begin to narrow, resulting in both high blood pressure and the condition known as atherosclerosis. The arteries to the brain and heart are also affected, setting the stage for heart attack or stroke. People with diabetes are five times more likely to die from a cardiovascular event than those without diabetes.
So stock up on cruciferous veggies — and consider expanding your usual repertoire. Broccoli sprouts, which are very young germinations of broccoli seeds (similar in appearance to bean sprouts) may be the best choice, as they are packed with enzymes that help to increase levels of sulforaphane in the body. Lightly steaming or quickly sautéing vegetables are the best ways to cook them to guarantee that they retain their nutrients, so those heart healthy benefits will be passed on to you.
SOURCES:
1 – Mayo Clinic. Nutrition-Wise: Fascinating connection between broccoli and reversal of diabetes complications. (Accessed August 28, 2008.)
2 – Xue, Mingzhan, Qingwen Qian, Adaikalakoteswari Antonysunil, Naila Rabbani, Roya Babaei-Jadidi, and Paul J. Thornalley. Activation of NF-E2-related factor-2 reverses biochemical dysfunction of endothelial cells induced by hyperglycemia linked to vascular disease. Diabetes News, August 2008. (Accessed August 25, 2008).
September 12, 2008
ABCNEWS.COM/Health
September 11, 2008
Researchers Say Diet Healthy, But Strict Adherence May Be Necessary
LONDON (Reuters) - Sticking strictly to a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits and vegetables offers substantial protection against cancer, heart disease and other major chronic illnesses, Italian researchers said on Friday.
People who did this had a 9 percent drop in death from heart disease, a 13 percent reduction in incidence of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease and a 6 percent reduction in cancer compared to those who were not as diligent, their study found.
“These results seem to be clinically relevant for public health, particularly for encouraging a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern for primary prevention of major chronic diseases,” wrote Francesco Sofi, a clinical nutrition researcher, and colleagues at the University of Florence.
The traditional Mediterranean diet is full of vegetables, fish and healthy fats such as olive oil, and low in red meat, dairy products and alcohol.
Sofi and his team reviewed 12 international studies which included more than 1.5 million people whose eating habits and health were tracked for follow-up periods of three to 18 years.
The researchers also developed an “adherence” score to rate how well people followed the Mediterranean diet, a tool they said doctors could use to help improve people’s health and encourage them to eat better.
“The adherence score…could be an effective preventative tool for reducing the risk of mortality and morbidity in the general population,” they wrote.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/wireStory?id=5784043
