Glutathione is a substance found in plant and animal tissues that has many functions in a cell. These include activating certain enzymes and destroying toxic chemicals and compounds that contain oxygen. The health food industry promotes oral glutathione as a very efficient antioxidant to be used against a whole range of diseases. (more…)
Capsules of insulin produced in genetically modified plants could restore the body’s ability to produce insulin and help insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes patients, according to biomedical researchers from the University of Central Florida.
The research team initially used genetically engineered tobacco plants with the insulin gene and then administered freeze-dried plant cells to diabetic mice as a powder for eight weeks. Results showed that the diabetic mice had normal blood and urine sugar levels, and that their cells were producing normal levels of insulin at the end of the study.
Professor Henry Daniell, who led the research team, has since proposed using lettuce instead of tobacco for producing the insulin because lettuce can be produced cheaply and to avoid the negative stigma associated with tobacco. Daniell and his team say that results of their study indicate that insulin capsules could someday be used to prevent diabetes before symptoms appear and treat the disease in later stages.
Insulin is typically given through shots for the hormone to go straight into the bloodstream. In the researchers’ proposed method, plant cell walls made of cellulose initially prevent insulin from degrading.When the plant cells that contain insulin reach the intestine, cell walls will slowly be broken down by bacteria living in it, gradually releasing insulin into the bloodstream.
Insulin produced from lettuce would be delivered as powder in capsules to patients because the dosage must be controlled carefully. If successful in their trials with people, the impact of the research could affect millions of diabetics worldwide and would greatly reduce the cost of treatment.
The United States’ National Institutes of Health provided $2 million to fund the study. Findings of the study were reported in the journal Plant Biotechnology.
In search of a place to have a romantic but healthy dinner this Valentine’s? Florabel restaurant at the Podium in ortigas might just be the place for you – with its healthy dishes, South Beach Diet versions of flavorful mouthwatering dishes and cozy ambiance – you need not go far for that perfect romantic date. Florabel’s reputation for serving good healthy food precedes its name. Ask a savvy restaurant diner if he knows of a place that serves healthy fare, and chances are that Florabel will be mentioned. Having been around for only a year, the restaurant has already managed to create a niche of its own, especially among health-conscious diners. (more…)
I have diabetes and a heart condition. Is it I true that I should avoid coffee? (more…)
Part 2 of Aging Gracefully with Diabetes
For Dr. Fernando, there are four aspects in the treatment of elderly diabetics: medication, proper diet, exercise and stress. According to him, it is very important that patients comply with their medication and that physicians should closely monitor medication adjustments for their patients. On proper diet, he acknowledges the important role that family members play in ensuring that diabetes patients get the right nutrition everyday. He also recommends seeking the help of a dietitian or a diabetes educator for proper meal planning. Dr. Fernando likewise swears on the power of exercise or regular physical activity in diabetes management.And lastly, he gives value to removing stress in our system as it could increase blood sugar levels. (more…)
Diabetes Mellitus is just one of the myriad of diseases prone to formation of blood clots which makes a diabetic in rendezvous with events like heart attack, stroke and blood vessel diseases involving the legs and feet. Uncontrolled blood glucose levels lead to dysfunction of the lining of arteries and veins causing coagulation or blood clotting defects. Platelets play a vital role in this coagulation system thru thickening of the blood resulting in clot formation and consequent impaired blood flow. (more…)
Should Diabetics take Ginkgo to prevent memory loss?
There are no convincing studies, to date, that support the use of ginkgo in the diabetic population for the specific purpose of preventing memory loss. Ginkgo is a dietary supplement derived from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba, an ornamental tree. Ginkgo biloba is also known as gingko, gingkco, hill apricot, maiden hair tree, kew tree, oriental plum tree, silver apricot, silver fruit, and silver plume. (more…)
