Guest guest Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Mon, 28 Jul 2003 14:16:41 -0500 HSI - Jenny Thompson Take 2 Take 2 Health Sciences Institute e-Alert July 28, 2003 ************************************************************** Dear Reader, Here's something you don't hear everyday: a doctor with mainstream credentials speaking highly of a natural botanical. The doctor is Fran Kaufman, M.D.; president of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). At the ADA's 63rd Scientific Sessions last month, two different studies were presented, each demonstrating that ginseng may help stabilize blood sugar levels for those with type 2 diabetes. When asked to comment, Dr. Kaufman told WebMD Medical News that ginseng could eventually be an " important strategy " in managing diabetes. The two studies confirm what we told you in an HSI Members Alert more than a year ago: that research has already shown that ginseng has the potential to strengthen immunity against infections (including colds and flu), to stimulate a sense of well-being, and to help control diabetes. Although this is good news for those who are struggling with type 2 diabetes, more research will be necessary to develop specific recommendations for the optimum delivery and dosage of ginseng. In the meantime, there are other natural ways to help manage diabetes. And, according to research, two vitamins may play an important part in protecting type 2 diabetics from one of the most serious health problems associated with the disease. ----------------------------- Getting a jump ----------------------------- One out of three people with diabetes develop kidney disease in their lifetime. But if the warning signs are noted before kidney function is actually reduced, treatment may prevent further damage. One of the most valuable markers of a diabetic's kidney health is urinary albumin excretion rate (AER). Albumin is a protein synthesized in the liver that works to transport various substances in the blood stream. When too much albumin is excreted in the urine, it's a clear sign that the kidneys are in trouble. (It can also be a sign of complications from hypertension and other manifestations of cardiovascular disease, another common diabetic complication.) Unfortunately, mainstream medicine hasn't yet found a treatment that consistently reduces AER. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibiting drugs, which are used to lower blood pressure, have also been shown to lower the AER of some patients with type 2 diabetes. But, according to a study in the journal Diabetic Medicine, they don't work for the majority of patients. The authors of the study knew that vitamins C and E had shown kidney-protective effects in animal studies. So they recruited 29 participants (20 men and 9 women) and set out to track the vitamins' effects on human subjects. ----------------------------- Vitamin switch ----------------------------- In this Danish study, the subjects' average age was 58, most of them had been diabetic for more than a decade, and all had high AER levels. The participants were also required to stop taking ACE inhibitors and/or vitamin supplements eight weeks before the study began. The subjects were divided into two groups; one group took 1,250 mg of vitamin C and 680 IU of vitamin E (d-alpha- tocopherol) each morning, and the other group took placebo tablets. After four weeks, the participants began a three- week washout period (none of the subjects took either the vitamins or placebo). In the second phase of the study, subjects who had received placebo in the first phase took vitamins C and E, and subjects that first took the vitamins then took placebo. This continued for another four weeks. In both phases of the study, AER levels decreased significantly in the patients taking the vitamins (an average of 19%). And none of the participants reported any side effects from the treatment. If you have type 2 diabetes, chances are you're already keeping a close watch on your health. With the addition of these two basic nutrients to your regimen, your body may have the protection it requires to defend itself from one of the most critical degenerative effects of the disease. ----------------------------- 10 steps to health ----------------------------- With the current " epidemic " of obesity in America, type 2 diabetes is more of a concern than ever. Fortunately, this is a highly treatable condition. With weight loss, a healthy diet, and exercise, many people with type 2 diabetes are able to manage blood sugar levels without medication. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or a pre-diabetic condition, I highly recommend a special report by Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., titled " 10 Natural Ways to Stop Diabetes in its Tracks now. " While the medical mainstream typically focuses on treatment, Dr. Wright's report will tell you how to recognize the signs of risk so you can prevent type 2 diabetes before it begins, and how to manage blood sugar levels without the expense and side effects of prescription drugs. Use the link below to find out more about Dr. Wright's hidden diabetes warning signs and the most important steps that must be taken when the signs appear. http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/600SNHDR/W610D722/home.cfm ************************************************************** ... and another thing Last week, the major television networks and news outlets covered the dramatic congressional hearings in which Pat Bechler gave a moving testimony about the loss of her son, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler, who died of a heat stroke during spring training. Although a medical examiner determined that the ephedrine weight-loss supplement Xenadrine was not responsible for the young pitcher's death, the incident has become the focal point in the drive to do three things: 1) ban all ephedra products; 2) pass the Senate bill that would give the FDA unnecessary new authority; and 3) portray the supplement industry as devious and unscrupulous. During her testimony, Mrs. Bechler was distraught, and no wonder. Few things in this life are more difficult than losing a child, and our hearts go out to her. Unfortunately, Mrs. Bechler's tears were used by the TV reports to put an emotional spin on this situation that is already high on misconceptions and low on logic. The overriding question in the reports I saw over two days was this: Should ephedra be banned? The Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2003 wasn't even mentioned. And I'm sure the casual viewer thought they were watching a congressional hearing about ephedra, rather than what it really was: a hearing about a new law designed to broaden the authority of the FDA and restrict the dietary supplement market. This issue has become highly politicized. And in politics, issues live and die based on how they're perceived. Meanwhile, the television producers play right along, knowing that experts making valid points about an herbal product that's safe when used as directed just isn't good television. The result: the FDA now has the potent image of a mother in tears to help promote a new law that will expand its powers at the expense of our freedom of choice. To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute ************************************************************** ************************************************************** Sources: " Double-Blind, Randomised Study of the Effect of Combined Treatment with Vitamin C and E on Albuminuria in Type 2 Diabetic Patients " Diabetic Medicine 18:756-760, 2001, Blackwell-synergy.com " Safety and Efficacy of Korean Red Ginseng Intervention (SAEKI): Results of a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo- Controlled Crossover Trial in Type 2 Diabetes " American Diabetes Association 63rd Scientific Sessions, 6/13-17/03, diabetes.org " Reduction of HbA1c after Long Term Administration of American Ginseng and Konjac Mannan Fiber in Type 2 Diabetes " American Diabetes Association 63rd Scientific Sessions, 6/13- 17/03, diabetes.org " Ginseng May Help Treat Diabetes " Charlene Laino, WebMD Medical News, 6/16/03, content.health.msn.com Copyright ©1997-2003 by www.hsibaltimore.com, L.L.C. 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