Irene Christodoulou's Corner

The sweet-tasting herb stevia is quickly gaining popularity as a naturopathic treatment for type II diabetes and related conditions. The World Health Organization has advised consumers that, while evidence of stevia's effectiveness is limited, several small-scale animal studies have apparently confirmed its ability to enhance insulin production and insulin sensitivity. Because major governing bodies identify stevia as safe and nontoxic, it may become an important component of natural diabetes management. History Because of stevia's impact on insulin production and response, it has been a key component of traditional medicine for several South American cultures. "Metabolism-Clinical and Experimental" notes that stevia has been used for centuries as a traditional diabetes management option. In recent history, scientists have investigated the insulin reactions associated with stevia. The majority of stevia studies have involved rodents and have taken place at Aarhu...

Surrogate Markers of Insulin Resistance Are Associated with Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Drinks and Fruit Juice in Middle and Older-Aged Adults 1 Makiko Yoshida3, Nicola M. McKeown3,*, Gail Rogers3, James B. Meigs4, Edward Saltzman5, Ralph D'Agostino6, and Paul F. Jacques3 In this study, we examined the association between sugar-sweetened drink, diet soda, and fruit juice consumption and surrogate measures of insulin resistance. Sugar-sweetened drink, diet soda, and fruit juice consumption was estimated using a semiquantitative FFQ in 2500 subjects at the fifth examination (1991–1995) of the Framingham Offspring Study. Surrogate markers of insulin resistance measured in this study included fasting insulin, fasting glucose, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and the insulin sensitivity index (ISI0,120). Sugar-sweetened drink consumption was positively associated with fasting insulin (none vs. ≥2 servings/d, 188 vs. 206 pmol/L, P-trend <0.001) after adjust...

One staple in natural, sugar free baking pantries is stevia, an herb native to South America and used as an alternative, healthy sweetener. Stevia does not raise blood sugar levels, as it has no carbohydrates (or calories, unless fillers are added, like dextrose or maltodextrin). Stevia does, however, raise insulin levels, which can be good, or bad.   A reason why I stay away from sugar is because it raises both blood sugar and insulin, which, overtime, causes chronic inflammation (which can lead to cancer or other inflammatory diseases) as well as insulin insensitivity. This is where our cells do not respond to insulin well. Our cells need glucose for an energy source, and if cell receptors are not, well, receptive, to insulin, the glucose just floats around and causes damage.   It seems that our bodies have a knack for responding to any sweet taste, whether it be sugar, artificial sweeteners or natural sweeteners like stevia, by secreting insulin. This happens when o...

By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, WebMD Expert Review What Is the Biggest Loser Diet? You, too, can be The Biggest Loser by following a diet and fitness program similar to that used by contestants on the NBC TV show of the same name. There are no televised temptations of cheesy pasta or gooey brownies for home dieters, no diet pills or personal trainers -- just a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. This is a low-calorie diet based on TheBiggest Loser pyramid of 4-3-2-1 (four servings of fruits and veggies; three of lean protein; two of whole grains; and one "extra"), along with good old-fashioned exercise. Eat a diet based largely on fruits, vegetables and lean protein, add a heavy dose of physical activity and you will lose weight, lower cholesterol, decrease blood pressure, and become stronger and more energized. Tufts University obesity clinician and researcher Michael Dansinger, MD, developed the weight loss program accompanied by dietitian and chef Cheryl ...

Her answer about the six-pack was : I concentrate on squats, deadlifts, bench presses, shoulder presses and rows/chins. These exercises stimulate overall muscle growth and in turn develop your abs!

Salvia sclarea, commonly referred to as clary sage, is an herb with a long history of medicinal uses. Relied on as far back as the Roman era, it has been used in applications ranging from eye washes to gastrointestinal remedies to numerous tonics and salves. While its modern uses are not as diverse, it is still used as a to help quell many common ailments and is thought to have some weight loss and metabolism boosting properties. Weight Loss The main weight loss application for Salvia sclarea revolves around its cyclic adenosine monophosphate boosting properties. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate, or cAMP, is a chemical involved in many metabolic processes. cAMP helps burn calories, secrete insulin, increase metabolism through the thyroid hormone and break down fat. Clary sage is used as a supplement with forskolin, an extract of the herb Coleus forskohlii. Sclarea extracts are obtained from fermented clary sage and when added with Forskolin are believed to increase cAMP levels and p...

Big Show- American wrestler, born on February 1972, Billed height 2.13 m, Billed weight 200kg. Mark Henry -American powerlifter.Olympic powerlifter and wrester. He is a 1992 Olympianand winner of the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic. Since joining the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) in 1996, he has become a one-time WWF European Champion and a two-time world champion, having held the ECW Championship in 2008,and the World Heavyweight Championship in 2011 . B orn on June 1971, Billed height 1.93 m, Billed weight 187 Kg

1. High Fiber Breakfast  2.  Snacks smaller than fist 3. No food within 3 hours of bedtime 4. Move 30 minutes per day

A raw food diet can be a healthy choice because raw foods maintain their fiber and vitamin levels much better than cooked food, so they offer higher food volume in addition to more nutrients. Consider transitioning into a raw food diet with advice from a licensed dietitian and nutritionist in this free video on healthy eating. Expert: Heidi Kaufman Bio: Heidi Kaufman is a licensed dietitian and nutritionist, and she is a certified diabetes educator for Partners in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition in Wilmington, North Carolina. Filmmaker: Rendered Communications

In this video, you'll see HOW BODYBUILDERS EAT BACK THEN, there has been many new researches and advances about nutrition sense then. My picks from this video  1. To eat 5-6 times per day, preferably at the same time of the day 2. To eat protein with each meal 3. Do not exceed 50-60 grms of protein per meal 4. Do not stop eating carbohydrates , this would be catastrophic. 5. Reduce carbohydrates. 6. Egg protein is better absorbed than fish protein , and fish protein is better absorbed than chicken protein, so eat various sources of protein. 7. Eat various sources of vitamins and nutrients ( fruits and vegetables) 8. Eat 1 grm of protein per kilo in light training days and 2 grams of protein per kilo in hard training days. 9. Be careful in cooking of vegetables - boiling leaves nutrients into the water - microwaves is a good solution to preserve nutrients into your plate. 10. Muscle growth is a prerequisite  for maximum fat loss procedure. If you want to lose f...

THIS WAS FILMED ON LEROY'S 78 BIRTHDAY 5/09/11. Leroy Colbert is the first man to develop 21 inch arms and is in the Bodybuilding Hall of Fame for doing so. He is now a consultant at Total Nutrition, a supplement and health food store located in Los Angeles, California. He is very knowledgeable in health and the philosophies of life. He loves to discuss both with people who want to learn.

In fitness circles, the concept of intermittent fasting (IF) is catching like wildfire, and it’s no surprise as to why. There is some intriguing new published research showing that IF may offer a host of health and body composition benefits. Additionally, a small but growing group of IF experimenters are swearing by these relatively new fat-loss techniques, techniques that include skipping meals and sometimes going entire days without eating! I know, I know…the idea of fasting for a few extra hours every day seems to fly in the face of conventional nutrition wisdom, and many of you probably think that going entire days without eating is sheer lunacy–I get it. As a long-time proponent of grazing (eating smaller meals more frequently), I was a little skeptical of the concept too. Would I get moody? Experience blood sugar drop? Have muscle proteins dissolve and burned for energy? It’s enough to make any weightlifter run screaming from the room. But here’s the funny thing. If you d...

Στίχοι: Νίκος "Nivo" Βουρλιώτης, Ισορροπιστής. Μουσική Παραγωγή: Dj Rico

Dosing in a weight loss study in Pubmed ( see below) was 300mg. Hydroxycut tablets include 427mg/tabl and they recommend 1-2 doses 30-60 min before meals ( appetite control, fat and carbohydrate binding). However the Cissus extract caps from SparkHealth.co.UK.  include 550mg per cap, and they recommend to take 2 caps before bed at night, for anticatabolic effects and lean mass gaining. The general recommendation is not to use the products with cissus for more than 10 consequent weeks ( increase of creatinine). My opinion; it is good to use the product taking in mind your age and size ( eg. a young big man might be able to receive double dosing which would be mega dosing for a woman of 50-60 kilos weight). The combination of cissus extract with the african mango product solves the problem of mega dosing because the results of the combination of both products are better without risking for mega dosing of cissus extract. Cortisol supporting prope...

In laboratory studies, Cissus quadrangularis demonstrated lipase inhibition thereby blocking the absorption of unwanted dietary fats. In vitro, Cissus quadrangularis demonstrated a-amylase inhibition thereby blocking the absorption of unwanted carbohydrates.

By Mary Garrett Mary Garrett began writing in 2009, with articles on LIVESTRONG.COM. She is a certified health education specialist, American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer and lifestyle/weight management coach. Garrett holds a Bachelor of Science in health promotion from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and is pursuing a Master of Arts in counseling psychology. Photo Credit rhoicissus rhomboida,cissus rhombifolia,königswein,klimme image by gerhard krumpl from Fotolia.com Cissus quadrangularis is a vine belonging to the grape family that originates from Africa and tropical Asia. It has been used in Ayurvedic and African medicine for over 100 years for conditions such as fracture healing, digestive parasites, pain, asthma and irregular periods. Three studies show positive weight-loss effects using CQ, especially in combination with other natural products, but doses vary depending on the combination. Talk to your physician before using herbal remedies to...

BCAA's also known as branched chained amino acids are known to enhance muscle growth and strength by directly stimulating muscle protein synthesis.