Diabetes News

Note from Connie: Treasure your eyes by scaling back bigtime on those culprit carbs. That's right! SUGAR SHOCK! Blog researcher/writer Jennifer Moore will bring you up to date on one more study, which points to one harmful result we don't hear about much -- your eyesight.

Here's yet another reason to cut back or completely avoid sugary foods and quickie carbs: Too many of them may increase a person's risk of losing his or her sight, according to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers, led by Allen Taylor, Ph.D., of Tufts University, found that people whose diets were highest in simple carbs with high glycemic indexes -- that is, foods that cause dramatic spikes in blood sugar levels -- were a startling 40% more likely to develop the condition macular degeneration than their counterparts that don't eat a lot of high GI foods.

It's important to note that this study group was large -- the researchers looked at the diet habits of 4,099 people aged 55 to 80. They also took into account such factors as age, education and BMI.

In case you don't know, macular degeneration is a disease in which cells in the retina break down, and it's the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in people over 65.

Thanks to Nicholas Bakalar of the New York Times for alerting us to this important research.

By Jennifer Moore for the SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

Today, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by the friendly, cutting edge chiropractor William Thornton, D.C., who interviewed me for "Dr. Thornton's Natural Health Report."

We had a really nice chat for his show, which airs Tuesdays at 9 am PST on KTYM Radio in Los Angeles.

The show is being described like this: "What do acne, cancer, and PMS have in common? Interview with special guest: Connie Bennett, author of the new book SUGAR SHOCK!" (July 24, 2007)

No problem if you missed the show. You can listen here now.

I posted this a couple of days ago, but I wanted to update this entry, because Dr. Bill just sent me this fabulous testimonial:

"Connie has the scoop on sugar. My radio audience got a new perspective on sugar's deleterious effects on their health. Not only is sugar implicated in obesity and diabetes, but also in cancer and other degenerative diseases."

"The unique thing about Connie's presentation is that the listeners have access to her for follow up via her blog and website, featuring lots of support and resources. Connie's journalism background makes her book an easy and enjoyable read, while still being authoritative and informative. She speaks from experience, in a straight-forward, engaging manner. We had fun! Laughing and learning."

- William Thornton, DC - The Natural Health Report, KTYM 1460AM, Los Angeles

Wow, thank you!

I just got off the phone with Stu Bryer, who interviewed me for his popular "Potpourri" talk show, which airs from 10 am to 2 pm on WICH 1310 AM in Norwich, Connecticut. (This is the second time I've chatted with Stu. Last year, around Valentine's Day, I also had the pleasure of being interviewed by him.)

Anyhow, it was a blast chatting with Stu, who's a Connecticut icon. For 30 years, he's been entertaining listeners and hosts the "Potpourri" talk show which airs during the mid-day. (You can see Stu here, with Atty. General Richard Blumenthal.)

Of course, on Stu's show, I talked all about sugar's dangers and my book SUGAR SHOCK!

I also had fun challenging listeners to go one day without sugar.

By the way, I love Norwich. In fact, a couple of years ago, I once vacationed there at beautiful, restful Spa at Norwich Inn for a couple of days.

Gee, I'm now in the mood to go back to Norwich soon to visit! Just look at all these fun events you can find in that part of Connecticut.

I just got wind of a very special free teleconference sponsored by Better School Food next Thursday, Aug. 2 at 1 pm EST.

The telephone program, as children's health advocate Susan Rubin, DMD, HHC informs members of her mailing list, is designed for parents and anyone else who's concerned with healthy food.

Parents in particular, you should participate if you want your kids to eat better food this year.

This will be a wonderful opportunity to connect with other parents, who care about the foods that their kids put into their bodies when they're in school.

During the call, you'll also receive pointers on how to make better school food happen in your community.

To join the call, email Susan at info@betterschoolfood.org.

Diet and exercise might be just what you need to keep young, because they reduce the action of insulin in the brain, researchers reported recently, a study I learned about, thanks to the American Diabetes Association.

Perhaps the strongest take-away point is this comment: "This study provides a new explanation of why it's good to exercise and not eat too much," Dr. Morris White, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Children's Hospital in Boston.

"Diet, exercise and lower weight keep your peripheral tissues sensitive to insulin," said Dr. White, who led the study. "That means the body needs to make less insulin."

Learn more here about this study, which involved creating mutant mice that over-ate, became obese and even developed symptoms of diabetes, but lived 18 percent longer than normal lab mice, becausethey lacked a certain gene that affects insulin. (Insulin, as you probably know is the hormone that regulates glucose.)

Do you regularly say thanks? Do you express gratitude for all the wonderful things you have in your life? If so -- or if not -- you'll enjoy this interesting essay, which Alternet.com posted.

It's a link to an intriguing, self-reflective piece from writer Catherine Price, which she wrote for the publication with the fabulous name, Greater Good.

She was responding to new research, which suggests that gratitude is the key to health and happiness.

This is a very powerful practice that I contend could help you kick the sugar habit. (And accomplish a lot of other things, too.)

Thank about it: When you're grateful that you have food to eat, you'll be more inclined to curb your sugar intake.

And when you're saying thanks for the wonderful people in your life, the nice things you have and the joyous events of your day, you'll be less inclined to focus so much on sugar.

I do hope you'll experiment and do this gratitude exercise suggested.

Note from Connie: Why are so many people so resistant to waking up to the dangers of obesity? SUGAR SHOCK Blog researcher/writer Karen James will inform you about yet another study, which shows that unconcerned kids and their parents just aren't doing enough to peel off those unhealthy extra pounds.

Attempts to counsel obese children and their parents about losing weight and living healthier lifestyles are failing, according to interviews with pediatricians in the St. Louis area, Science Daily reported recently.

The small study, which appeared in the journal Child: Care, Health, Development, was led by Sarah Barlow, M.D., MPH, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and pediatric obesity specialist.

Dr. Barlow discovered that the eight doctors interviewed felt that families either lacked motivation to lose weight and lead healthier lifestyles, or felt too overwhelmed by daily life stressors to try.

The doctors, who were from diverse backgrounds and practice settings, said that successful patients were already motivated to make changes before they entered the office.

The study also found that doctors might miss early opportunities to encourage families in making smaller, more easily incorporated lifestyle changes by failing to recognize children’s developing weight problems earlier.

In case you missed it, in early July the SUGAR SHOCK! Blog told you about the Associated Press review of 57 federally funded nutrition programs that found all but four had more or less failed to change kids’ eating habits.

A few weeks before that, we also alerted you to another study, which learned that mothers who regularly consumed junk food were unconcerned about their children’s weight.

Normally we’d raise our eyebrows at a study with only eight participants, but we’re calling this to your attention because we’re saddened at the growing rate of childhood obesity in this country.

By Karen James for the SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

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It's an early morning for me today.

850 KOA's Rick Barber interviews me between 6 and 7 am this morning EST.

By the way, the 50,000-watt Denver-based station has a huge listenership around the country.

In fact, the station has a whopping 1.25 million listeners in 38 states.

To catch me on the air, listen live here.

Missed the show? No problem. Catch it here later.