Naturopathic Solutions

This article from the New Zealand Herald describes the health risk from diabetes 2 that its native Maori population is facing.  In fact, according to the article, an expert in diabetes, Professor Martin Silink, who heads the Brussels-based International Diabetes Foundation, has said that diabetes could wipe out the Maori and Polynesian Islanders by the end of the century.  Indigenous people have a much greater risk of contracting type 2 diabetes than do other peoples.

This increased risk of contracting diabetes when coupled with the overall worldwide trend towards obesity is having devastating results.  Apparently, diabetes was practically unknown in the Pacific prior to World War II, but now this region has some of the highest rates in the world.

Throughout the world, approximately 6% of adults have Type 2 Diabetes, or approximately 230 million.  However, among indigenous people, almost 50% are so affected.   Many cases go undiagnosed.

Maori females are ten times more likely to die of the disease than their Caucasian counterparts.

Type 2 diabetes is also wrecking devastating results on the US population but its impact on the native population of New Zealand is nothing short of horrific.  Let’s hope that the New Zealand government’s efforts at education and treatment help turn this situation around.

Type 2 diabetes is directly correlated with obesity.

Hi guys,

David from The Biggest Loser has started up his walking groups again and you can get all the information here: Camp David

These groups are a great way for beginners to get moving in a very supportive environment.

Ray

Hi guys,

Just wanted to let those of you from the Central Coast know about a friends business. His name is Michael Cross and he owns The Dent Wizard which as you can tell from the title fixes dents, especially those that occur due to hail damage. So if you're local and you need the service, check him out. He has workshops in Erina and Tuggerah!

Ray

This WAPO article recaps the results of a recent study which seem to indicate that low carb diets are not necessarily bad for the heart.  Many physicians have severely criticized the diets because participants tend to eat saturated fats in larger quantities to offset the lack of carbs.

WAPO: “Women who eat a diet moderately low in carbohydrates, but rich in vegetable fat and vegetable protein, can cut their risk of heart disease by as much as 30 percent compared with just following a low-fat approach, according to a new Harvard study.

The findings, drawn from a study of more than 80,000 nurses, reinforce a growing shift in nutritional advice toward moderate amounts of healthful fat found in such foods as nuts, avocados, liquid vegetable oils and seafood along with less-processed carbohydrates, including whole-grain bread and cereal and fruits and vegetables.”

These results comport with the standard guidance from getfitsource that the key to health is primarily found through lowering your overall caloric intake as opposed to trying to avoid fat in your diet.  Our rule number 5 from Getfitsource’s top ten diet rules has it thusly:

5.      Healthful eating is a plus, but calories consumed are more important.