Better Health 4 Bloggers

Gretchen Zaitzeff, co-founder of BetterHealth4Living.com and Family Wellness Coach, was named 2008 Illinois Young Mother of the Year by the Illinois Association of American Mothers, Inc.

Gretchen and her family have lived in Illinois since 1995; most recently residing in Normal. Married almost twenty years, Gretchen and her husband Todd have six children: five boys and a girl, ranging in age from five to seventeen. She describes herself as a band, chess, debate, math team, wrestling, football, track, boy scout, 4-H, orchestra, team quest, church youth, cub scout, piano lesson, preschool mom-loving known as the family chauffer.

In 2003, she co-chaired “Spirituality and Special Needs,” a conference for religious leaders and parents of children with special needs. Gretchen has been active in her children’s elementary school PTA on both a local and district level, serving as the Gombert Elementary PTA President from 2001-2003. She currently serves as the Chess Club Administrator for the Grove Elementary School Chess Team and as a board member of the Bloomington Normal Scholastic Chess Association. She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where she serves as in the children’s ministry. She is the current past president of the Illinois Association of American Mothers, Inc.

A sought after and gifted speaker, she enjoys teaching and presenting on a variety of topics including Better Health for Children, Investing in Your Health, First Hand Parenting and Emergency Preparedness for Families. Combining her passion for nurturing children with a reporter’s eye, she works as a private family wellness coach and is the co-founder of www.BetterHealth4Living.com, an online effort to help families improve their health and wellbeing.

Her motto is: “Everything I have ever learned and almost every experience I have ever had reflects in my parenting. Motherhood is the culmination of all that I am.”

Congratulations to Gretchen. We are so proud of her.

While traveling in New York City, we ate lunch at Zaitzeff Burger on John St in the financial district. We had both the Kobe burger and the veggie burger. They were amazing. It was by far the freshest, most delicious food we ate during our stay. We highly recommend either the John Street location or the newer venue on Ave B.

From MayoClinic.com:

How to curb your caffeine consumption

Caffeine can be habit-forming, so any attempts to stop or lessen the amount you normally consume can be challenging. An abrupt decrease in caffeine can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, irritability and nervousness. These symptoms usually resolve after several days.

To adopt new caffeine habits, try these tips:

• Know how much caffeine is in the foods and beverages you consume. You may be consuming more than you think.
• Gradually reduce the amount of caffeine you consume. For example, drink one less can of soda or drink a smaller cup of coffee each day. This will help your body get used to the lower levels of caffeine and thereby lessen the withdrawal effects.
• Replace caffeinated coffee, tea and soda with their decaffeinated counterparts. Most decaffeinated beverages look and taste the same.
• When preparing tea, brew for less time. This cuts down on its caffeine content. Or choose herbal teas, which don’t contain this stimulant.
• Check the caffeine content in over-the-counter medications that you take. Pain relief or headache medications, such as Excedrin or Anacin, can contain from 65 mg to 130 mg of caffeine in one dose. Switch to caffeine-free versions, if possible.

If you’re like most adults, caffeine is a part of your daily routine. And most often it doesn’t pose a health problem. But be mindful of those situations in which you need to curtail your caffeine consumption.

For more on non-addicting energy supplements, visit us at www.betterhealth4living.com.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The use of antidepressant medication is strongly associated with the risk of developing diabetes, according to findings published in the March issue of Diabetes Care.

Dr. Richard R. Rubin, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, and colleagues point out that among diabetics, the risk of depression is 50 to 100% greater than in the general population. Furthermore, depression in diabetic patients is associated with higher complication and mortality rates and higher health care costs.

In 3187 participants in the randomized Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) study, Dr. Rubin’s team sought to determine whether depression symptoms or antidepressant use were associated with progression to type 2 diabetes, and whether the associations varied depending on the treatment arm: standard lifestyle recommendations plus 850 mg metformin twice daily (MET arm), standard lifestyle recommendations plus placebo (PLB arm), or an intensive lifestyle modification program (ILS arm).

The mean follow-up was 3.2 years.

At baseline, 10.3% of subjects had Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores indicating at least mild depression (11 or higher), and 5.7% were taking antidepressants. Intermittent antidepressant use was reported for 7.2% of total person-years during the DPP, and continuous antidepressant use was reported for 3.2% of total person-years.

No association was observed between elevated BDI scores at baseline or during the study and diabetes risk in any treatment arm when other factors associated with the risk of developing diabetes were controlled for.

“Baseline antidepressant use, on the other hand, was strongly associated with diabetes risk” in both the PLB and ILS arms (hazard ratios [HR] 2.25 and 3.48, respectively), according to the report.

Compared with no use, continuous antidepressant use during the study was also associated with diabetes risk in the PLB (HR 2.60) and ILS (HR 3.39) arms. Intermittent antidepressant use during the study was associated with diabetes risk in the ILS arm (HR 2.07). No association was found between antidepressant use and development of diabetes among participants in the MET arm.

“If antidepressants prove to be an independent diabetes risk factor, clinicians will need to consider this when prescribing depression treatment in patients at high risk for diabetes,” Dr. Rubin said in an interview with Reuters Health. “One possibility is to consider psychological treatment to avoid potential iatrogenic effects of antidepressants (although limited resources may often make this unfeasible),” he explained. “In one study of depressed patients with diabetes who had high A1c levels, cognitive behavioral therapy counseling was associated with improved glycemic control; this suggests a potential benefit for patients at high risk for developing diabetes.”

“This paper was based on data from the DPP, with average participant follow-up of 3.2 years,” Dr. Rubin notes. “We have continued to follow these participants and now have an additional 5 years of data,” he said. “We will soon analyze the longer term data to see if the associations we found during the DPP are sustained.”

When reserving a room at a major hotel, ask if your mini-fridge can be stocked for a diabetic. Most hotels will oblige by swapping out high-sugar junk foods for milk, cheese, vegetables, and fruit.

For more easy lifestyle changes, visit us at www.betterhealth4living.com 

Along with diet, exercise is the most important step diabetics can take toward blood sugar control. Today, there is more stress and less physical activity than even a generation ago. Exercise can decrease the risk for heart problems in diabetic patients. Regular exercise can improve heart and lung health, make insulin work better, and increase HDL cholesterol while decreasing LDL cholesterol. Exercise also helps to regulate blood sugar. At a minimum, diabetics should get 30 minutes of some form of exercise at least four days a week, but more would be beneficial. Anyone who is over 40, or a brittle diabetic, and has not been exercising, should check with their health care professional before starting any exercise program.

For more information about healthy lifestyle choices, visit us at www.betterhealth4living.com   

From Shaklee.com:

Nutritional Supplementation

Additional information (Precautions) is available by clicking on the underlined supplement.

Chromium
The way that chromium affects blood sugar was first discovered in animal studies in the 1950’s. In the 1970’s, it was discovered that chromium is important in special intravenous (IV) feeding solutions called total parenteral nutrition (TPN solutions). It was discovered that when chromium was missing from the TPN solution, after several months, blood sugar increased in patients. Chromium was added and blood sugar in TPN patients returned to normal. Various studies support that chromium has a positive effect on blood glucose.

It is thought that chromium helps insulin by moving glucose and other nutrients into the cells of the body. This helps to maintain muscle mass during times when the diet does not provide enough calories. Chromium also stabilizes the body’s metabolism. Chromium can lower cholesterol and triglycerides. Chromium may also decrease hunger and limit food cravings. Insulin is involved in the regulation of the center in the brain the makes one feel full and stop eating. Insulin is also important in the development of a brain chemical linked to the craving for carbohydrates.

Most Americans are at risk for low chromium because of a diet rich in refined sugars. Individuals who eat diets high in refined sugars tend to eliminate 300 percent more chromium in their urine than those whose diets are low in refined sugars. Individuals who live in countries with high levels of chromium that comes from diets rich in unrefined grains have a lower rate of diabetes and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). People who exercise regularly eliminate two to six times the normal amount of chromium in their urine on days of exercise. Many athletes make this problem worse by using high-carbohydrate supplements. The elderly also are at risk for low chromium due to not enough chromium in the diet and poor absorption. Women can have a drop in chromium levels during the third trimester (seventh, eighth, and ninth months) of pregnancy.

There is a disagreement among healthcare professionals over what is the best chromium to use. Chromium is only active in certain forms. The most important of these forms is glucose tolerance factor (GTF). Dr. Walter Mertz of the United States Department of Agriculture did research with GTF chromium. He found that chromium was a crucial part of the process where insulin attaches to cells. GTF chromium is safe and usually does not cause side effects.

Chromium picolinate is another popular form of chromium that is used to regulate blood sugar levels. Even though chromium picolinate is considered safe, a recent study in lab animals at Dartmouth College and The George Washington Medical Center reported that certain doses of chromium picolinate caused damage to chromosomes. More information is needed about this supplement because other studies have reported that it is safe and effective.

For diabetics, adding chromium or other blood sugar regulating agents to their diet should be done slowly, especially if they are on other medication to control their diabetes. With lifestyle and dietary changes, only a small dose of chromium may be needed.

Magnesium
Magnesium is involved in the breakdown of glucose in the body and release of insulin. Low magnesium may make diabetes worse in some people.  Hypomagnesemia (low magnesium in the blood) happens in about 25 percent of diabetic patients. Many Americans are below the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for magnesium. Many experts feel that the RDA for magnesium needs to be increased.

Magnesium is eliminated from the body by the kidneys. Individuals with kidney disease should consult a healthcare professional before using a magnesium supplement. Too much magnesium may cause diarrhea.

Vanadium
Vanadium is a trace mineral that is very important for plant nutrition, but what it does for human nutrition is not clear. It works with enzymes in the body. High amounts of vanadium are found in the kidneys, liver, and bone. Fat cells temporarily store vanadium for quick release into the body. Supplementing with vanadyl sulfate and other forms of vanadium has been reported to improve diabetes.

Animal studies have reported that when vanadium was given to diabetic rats, their increased blood glucose returned to normal. Other studies have reported that vanadyl sulfate not only lowers blood glucose in diabetic animals, but also decreases cholesterol and triglycerides. In one study in diabetic rats, researchers found that vanadium may protect the pancreatic beta cells.

Human studies are encouraging. Type 2 diabetics given oral vanadyl sulfate had a nearly 20 percent drop in fasting blood glucose in one study.  Minor gastrointestinal upset was the only reported side effect. In another study, supplementation with vanadyl sulfate daily for three weeks resulted in improved insulin action.

Vanadium pentoxide and vanadyl sulfate are active forms of vanadium that are easily absorbed by the body. Vanadium appears to be safe even at high doses. Doses should be increased gradually, especially if it is given with GTF chromium.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is an antioxidant made by the body. ALA is also known as alpha-lipoate or thiotic acid. Lipoates are small water and fat-soluble molecules that are easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. It is also used in heart disease and for AIDS patients. Alpha-lipoic acid affects insulin and blood sugar in type 2 diabetics.  ALA may be effective in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. In a recent study, about 97 percent of diabetic patients treated with ALA daily for three weeks reported an improvement in their neuropathy symptoms.There are no known toxicities with ALA. It is important to monitor blood glucose closely in diabetics supplementing their diet with ALA.

Zinc
Zinc deficiency is found in patients with problems in blood glucose control. In clinical studies, diabetic animals and humans with zinc deficiencies improved when supplemented with zinc. Zinc helps to regulate insulin production by the pancreas and glucose use by muscle and fat cells. Very high doses of zinc may cause diarrhea, dizziness, lethargy, vomiting, and loss of muscle coordination.

Cyclo (His-Pro)
Cyclo hispro may be a useful agent in improving blood sugar regulation in individuals with hypoglycemia, diabetes, and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). It has been reported that individuals with diabetes have problems with absorbing zinc from the intestines, causing low zinc levels in the blood. Both animal and human studies report that cyclo hispro may affect the absorption of zinc from the intestines. This extract also contains high levels of zinc. For the diabetic patient, zinc is important for wound healing, proper functioning of the immune system, and for the skin. There are no reported side effects with the use of cyclo hispro.

In a recent clinical study, cyclo hispro was given to 22 male subjects with type 2 diabetes. After three months, the treatment group reportedly decreased fasting blood glucose levels and fasting plasma insulin levels. In addition, the treatment group had slight decreases in cholesterol and LDL and increased plasma zinc concentrations. The results of the study demonstrated the benefit of the use of cyclo hispro extract with zinc in type 2 diabetics.

For more information on nutritional supplementation, visit us at www.betterhealth4living.com

What if you want to prevent diabetes?

Then order Mexican. The catch here is to order vegetarian tacos and burritos, because the beans are chock-full of fiber which helps balance your blood sugar levels.

For more healthy eating tips, see our basic nutrition guide at www.betterhealth4living.com