Editor’s Letter
Time for a Type 2 Diabetes Relook
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, a lifesaving breakthrough for the treatment of Type 1 Diabetes. Type 2 Diabetes is now 24 times more prevalent than Type 1 and coincides with the rise in obesity. According to University of Arizona researchers, the liver may hold the key to innovative new treatments for Type 2 Diabetes as the liver affects insulin sensitivity. We need to better understand the correlation between obesity, fatty liver disease and diabetes. As fat increases in the liver, the incidence of diabetes increases. Is fatty liver the cause of Type 2 Diabetes? How could fat in the liver result in insulin resistance or cause the pancreas to over-secrete insulin?
According to two newly published papers in Cell Reports, fat in the liver increased the release of GABA, the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. In its GABA production, fatty liver decreases nerve activity to the brain from the liver tissue. According to research professor Benjamin Renquist: ‘That decrease in firing is sensed by the central nervous system, which changes outgoing signals that affect glucose homeostasis.’
Could the cause of insulin resistance be due to the increase in liver GABA synthesis? A clinical trial is currently underway at Washington University School of Medicine to investigate the use of GABA inhibitors to improve insulin sensitivity in obese individuals.
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Yours in Healthy Living
You and the Pill
Table of Contents ↑|Birth control pills or oral contraceptives frequently lead to deficiencies of the following nutrients: folic acid, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, vitamin C, and minerals including magnesium, selenium, zinc and the amino acid tyrosine. Dr Arien van der Merwe looks at the effect of low levels of these nutrients and offers some advice.
Sports Recovery – Beyond Carbs and Protein
Table of Contents ↑|Still stuck on the same old recovery drinks? Ian Craig suggests that you try adding some colour and vibrancy to these all-so-important shakes.
Breastfeeding, Physiotherapy and Music
Table of Contents ↑|While Nature placed a mother’s breast near her heart, meaning that her milk is the food of love for the baby, breastfeeding can initially be painful. Music encourages relaxation and milk flow, and relieves anxiety, fear and tension.
Combat Colds & Flu Naturally
Table of Contents ↑|Winter is here and along with it the usual sniffles and sneezes caused by viruses that carry enough punch to lay us low for a while. Help your body, naturally, to prevent and fight colds and flu.
Spotlight on Ginkgo Biloba
Table of Contents ↑|The Ginkgo biloba tree species has been around unchanged for about 150 million years. That’s a long time, and the fact that it has survived unchanged perhaps suggests that it has powerful internal survival mechanisms which have been perfected very early on despite changing environmental factors over this time. Specimens more than a thousand years old have been reported in China, Korea and Japan.
Spice up your Sex Life
Table of Contents ↑|Herbs and spices have been used for centuries for their healing and health-booting properties. A number of herbs and spices are recognised as aphrodisiacs. An aphrodisiac is a food, drink or substance that increases sexual desire. This can be accomplished through a number of ways, such as reducing stress, increasing blood flow, or positively affecting neurotransmitters - all of which are able to improve your libido!
