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Todays Headlines:
- NHS ‘soup and shake’ diet puts almost a third of type 2 diabetes cases in remission Tuesday August 06th, 2024
- The ultimate anti-ageing diet, according to experts Tuesday July 30th, 2024
- Oats mimic the effects of Ozempic, new study finds Monday July 29th, 2024
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- NHS ‘soup and shake’ diet puts almost a third of type 2 diabetes cases in remission Tuesday August 06th, 2024Programme may soon be expanded in England after study finds ‘life-changing benefits’ of meal replacement scheme Tens of thousands more people in England living with type 2 diabetes could be offered an 800-calorie-a-day “soup and shake” diet after research found almost one in three on the groundbreaking NHS scheme permanently wiped out their disease. Patients are given low-calorie meal replacement products such as soups, milkshakes and snack bars for three months, triggering rapid weight loss, before getting support to reintroduce normal food into their diet. Currently, 10,000 people a year can access the scheme but “brilliant” results showing “life-changing benefits” among participants have prompted NHS leaders to consider expanding the programme. Some who took up the diet lost as much as 17.4kg (38lbs). Almost a third put their type 2 diabetes in remission, according to a paper published in the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal. The year-long programme helps people kickstart their weight loss journey with the low-calorie “meal replacement” diet for the first 12 weeks. Participants are then encouraged to reintroduce healthy food and receive tailored support to maintain their weight loss. NHS England said that the paper showed its type 2 diabetes path to remission programme could benefit thousands more people with the condition. The study examined data on 1,740 people who started the diet before January 2022. Of these, 945 completed a full year of the programme – defined as having their weight recorded after 12 months – and twice provided blood samples. Among this group, 32% had put their condition into remission – defined by average blood glucose levels over a period of time – with an average weight loss of 15.9kg (35lbs). Some achieved weight loss of up to 17.4kg (38lbs). Dr Clare Hambling, NHS England’s national clinical director for diabetes and obesity, said the health service’s type 2 diabetes path to remission programme was having a “huge impact” on the lives of participants. “It’s brilliant that these findings show a large number of those who completed it [the programme] have seen life-changing benefits including major weight loss and type 2 diabetes remission. “We know obesity is one of the biggest threats to health in the UK and will be one of the biggest and most costly challenges for health systems globally, so seeing such encouraging outcomes from our programme shows that obesity can be tackled head-on, and we’re looking forward to scoping any further expansion to this programme in due course.” Dr Elizabeth Robertson, the director of research at Diabetes UK, said the charity was proud to have funded research over more than a decade that had “forged new frontiers” for people with type 2 diabetes and “put remission on the map”. “These latest findings add to the real world evidence that the NHS England type 2 diabetes path to remission programme can help thousands of people living with type 2 diabetes on their weight loss and remission journey, which we know is tough and having support is critical. “We hope to see even more people benefiting in years to come and an increase in referrals to the programme especially for people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and in younger people where the impact of type 2 diabetes and remission from it is greatest.” More than 25,000 people have taken part in the scheme since it was launched in 2020. In May this year, NHS officials said the diet would be offered across England to 50,000 people across five years, doubling the capacity of the programme. Officials have put £13m into the scheme this year to ensure more people could benefit. Adults aged 18 to 65 can enrol if they have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the last six years and if they have a body mass index score of over 27 if they are white or over 25 if they are from black, Asian or other minority ethnic groups. Referrals are made by GP practices. Source: The GuardianContinue reading →
- The ultimate anti-ageing diet, according to experts Tuesday July 30th, 2024
A short-term vegan diet reduces people’s biological age, says a new study. So what is the best anti-ageing diet, according to experts?
A vegan diet may reduce your biological age, according to a new study in the medical journal BMC.Scientists studied 21 sets of adult identical twins, with one of each pair eating a vegan diet for eight weeks. The vegan twin was found to have reduced methylation in their DNA, which is a marker of biological ageing.
So what is the optimal diet for anti-ageing, according to science?
There are different interpretations of ageing.
“There’s lifespan, which is how long you live, and healthspan, which is how well you live – because who wants to live long and live poorly?” says Dr Linia Patel, a women’s health dietitian, performance nutritionist, and author of Food for the Menopause.
Breakfast – a chilled-out 10 minutes
Slowing down for breakfast in the morning, as difficult as that sounds, could help your body digest nutrients better, says registered dietitian Laura Clark.
“If you don’t feel you can stomach breakfast, can you at least sit down with your cup of coffee for 10 minutes?” she asks.
Multiple studies have linked stress, both short-term and long-term, with a reduction in absorption of nutrients and phytochemicals (like antioxidants), which are crucial for ensuring cells stay healthy.
By taking time to sit down and eat, you can reduce your stress levels.
“We have to start to think about food not just in the context of what we’re eating, but how we’re eating it. That’s where you get the biggest wins, I think, in terms of anti-ageing,” says Ms Clark.
Lunch – a rich rainbow of veggies
When it comes to what you actually eat, Dr Linia Patel says colour is the key to an anti-ageing diet.
“Those phytochemicals we find in the rainbow of plants have benefits that reduce oxidative stress.” Oxidative stress is damage caused to cells by chemicals called free radicals and it is known to have an impact on ageing.
The good news is those phytochemicals are easy to spot. The richer the colour of the fruit or vegetable, the more phytochemicals it contains – but that’s not all.
Getting enough fibre helps keep your gut healthy, which helps balance your body out. In fact, scientists have now linked gut health to mental health problems like anxiety and depression – poor gut health led to increased levels of the illnesses.
“Our gut bacteria love fibre and we find fibre in wholegrains but also in beans, lentils and plant-based foods that are different colours,” she says, before recommending we also take a look at our sugar intake.
Consistently eating lots of added sugar and refined carbohydrates may increase inflammation in your body, which has been linked to many diseases and may shorten your health and lifespan.
Dinner – less than you think
Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi, the Royal College of GP’s physical activity and lifestyle lead, says an anti-ageing diet is all about what you don’t eat.
“One key area that has the most evidence [for longevity] is caloric restriction,” he says.
“A small but significant reduction in calories each day makes the body […] go, ‘OK, we’ve got less energy coming in.
“We now need to do some mopping up, some cleaning. We need to correct any areas [with problems], we need to clean up any junk cells or dead cells’. And this process actually is really beneficial for longevity.”
This theory is backed up by multiple studies published in places like the journal Nature Ageing.
Dr Al-Zubaidi says the late Dr Michael Mosley’s 5-2 diet, which promotes intermittent fasting, is a good example of caloric restriction.
Dessert – ‘Don’t worry about the doughnuts’
The final thing each dietitian said independently was that moderation is key – including when you’re implementing ideas like these.
“We have limited resources and time and headspace,” says Ms Clarke. “Stop with the self-criticism all the time, don’t worry about the doughnuts.”
Instead, they all say to look at what small changes you can make in your diet that you can consistently keep doing.
Source: Sky News
Continue reading → - Oats mimic the effects of Ozempic, new study finds Monday July 29th, 2024
Fancy a water, oat and lime juice smoothie? No? Influencers across the internet have been raving about this concoction, claiming it mimics the effects of the weight loss drug Ozempic. They’ve even dubbed it ‘oat-zempic.’
But now it seems there could be some truth to the hack – emphasis on the ‘some’, though – after a new study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that a type of fibre contained in oats acts on the same biochemical pathway as Ozempic.
Unless you’ve been living under a digital rock, you’ve likely heard of the new wonder drug Ozempic. Originally developed to treat Type 2 diabetes, it has gained fame for its weight loss benefits. More recently, it has been touted to reduce the risk of heart problems, prevent cognitive decline and even help you to quit cigarettes.
Ozempic is a brand name for semaglutide, a drug classified as a ‘GLP-1 receptor agonist’. These drugs mimic a digestive hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (ergo, GLP-1), which helps lower blood sugar and suppress appetite.
Ozempic works; it’s prescribed worldwide for treating Type 2 diabetes and aiding in weight loss.
“Ozempic has become much more accessible lately to people looking for weight loss solutions,” Dr Emily Leeming, a microbiome scientist and registered dietitian who did not work on the study, told BBC Science Focus.
“It’s not something everyone should take just because they want a quick fix but for certain people when prescribed by a doctor it can be effective for losing weight.”
So, on one side, we have a glass of watery, sour oats, and on the other, a licensed drug prescribed by professionals. Can oat-zempic really match up?
When it comes to staying full for longer, oats are a proven dietary choice.
“When you eat high-fibre foods, of which we include oats, this can trigger the kind of natural release of GLP-1, which then helps to suppress your appetite,” Leeming said.
The new study examined a specific type of dietary fibre, beta-glucan, which is abundant in oats.
In the study, when mice were fed on high-fat, high-sugar diets, those supplemented with 10 per cent beta-glucan showed significantly less weight gain, reduced fat mass, higher retention of lean mass, improved insulin sensitivity and better blood sugar levels.
Further analysis revealed that beta-glucan altered the gut bacteria in the mice, producing beneficial metabolites, particularly one known as butyrate. Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid, stimulates the release of GLP-1, signalling fullness to the brain – much like Ozempic.
So, is that it? Can eating oats really replicate the effects of Ozempic? Does this restore our faith in TikTok trends?
Not quite. While this research shows that oats are excellent for promoting satiety and can aid in weight loss as part of a healthy diet, their GLP-1 agonistic effects are far less potent than semaglutide drugs like Ozempic.
As Leeming put it: “Of course, this is not as powerful as Ozempic because Ozempic is a drug that’s delivering GLP-1 agonists in a really concentrated dose”.
“So when it comes to oat-zempic, I do think that the claims are absolutely, wildly overblown,” she added.
Not to mention, dietitians are concerned about the oat-zempic trend, as numerous TikTokers are advocating for the drink to be used as a meal replacement, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies and other health issues.
“Oats blended with lime and water are going to be naturally lower in calories if you’re swapping it for a regular meal,” Leeming explained. “But even then I’m sceptical about the amount of weight some people are claiming to have lost. We need to take everything on TikTok with a pinch of salt.”
Moreover, blending the oats up into a drink is a much less effective way of staying full. Instead, Leeming recommends consuming your oats as porridge or muesli. “It will be far more satiating and keep you fuller for longer.”
Certainly though, incorporating high-fibre foods like oats into your diet will help if you are trying to lose weight. For those who aren’t oat fans, Leeming recommends eating lots of nuts, seeds, rye bread, pumpernickel bread, beans and avocado.
The real ‘hack’, though, is simply eating a healthy, well-balanced diet (sorry TikTok influencers). “There’s no magic silver bullet,” Leeming concludes. “Choosing foods that actually help you feel full rather than whizzing something up into a drink is the way forward; I don’t think this oat-zempic trend lives up to the hype.”
Source: BBC Science Focus
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