The New World of Bones – Thyroid, Leptin, Blood Sugar, and Bone Strength

Thursday, August 27, 2009  -  Byron J Richards, CCN

In 1994, with the discovery of leptin, the view of white adipose tissue was transformed from a warehouse whose primary role was the storage of extra calories into one of the most important endocrine organs in the human body.  The explosion in leptin-related research, now involving over 16,000 studies, is a testament to the emerging reality that leptin regulates (as a top-level manager) almost everything in your body.  In the past few years the leptin science has transformed our understanding of bone health and bone function.

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Supplemental Carnitine Corrects Glucose Intolerance

Sunday, August 23, 2009  -  Byron J Richards, CCN

A new study shows that supplemental carnitine can correct defects in fatty acid metabolism and glucose utilization that are due to the stress or obesity on metabolism or the affects of aging.  This finding is of significant value in helping to correct and prevent diabetes and other problems associated with metabolic syndrome.

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Blueberries Reduce Insulin Resistance & Fat Cell Inflammation

Saturday, August 22, 2009  -  Byron J Richards, CCN

A new animal study shows that a blueberry extract can prevent insulin resistance and fat cell inflammation, even during the feeding of a high fat diet.  The study showed that blueberry could help turn down the primary inflammatory gene switch, NF-kappaB.

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Slow Down & Take Smaller Bites

Friday, August 21, 2009  -  Byron J Richards, CCN

One of the Five Rules of the Leptin Diet is Do Not Eat Large Meals.  The problem for many is that they will eat until they feel satisfied, which oftentimes means eating more than you actually need.  A new study confirms the obvious, but it is worth pointing out because it is important.

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Behavior Traits of the Overweight Personality Type

Wednesday, August 19, 2009  -  Byron J Richards, CCN

The brand new discovery that leptin is vital to the production of dopamine, directly linking leptin to pleasure, desire, drive, addiction, and human behavior, will begin to force researchers to look at obesity in another light.  For example, two new studies link obesity to obsessive video game playing by men in their mid 30s and to indebtedness.  Is obesity actually causing these problems?

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Leptin, Obesity, and Prostate Cancer

Tuesday, August 18, 2009  -  Byron J Richards, CCN

Duke University researchers have demonstrated that obesity in and of itself is a risk factor for aggressive prostate cancer.  The study involved 1415 men who had undergone radical prostatectomy as prostate cancer treatment (about 50/50 white and black men).  Race was not a factor in who was likely to continue disease progression based on the prostate cancer spreading aggressively, but obesity was.

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Leptin Now Directly Linked to the Pleasure of Food & Human Behavior

Monday, August 17, 2009  -  Byron J Richards, CCN

Researchers at the University of Michigan are the first to document a new leptin pathway in the brain – one related to the pleasure of eating.  They found leptin receptors in a part of the hypothalamus gland that directly influences the production of dopamine, in turn influencing basic mechanism of human behavior behind the desire to acquire, pleasure, and the sense of reward.  While this mechanism certainly applies to food – it is a key factor that drives all sorts of human behaviors (both good and bad).

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Adequate Fiber Reduces the Risk for Type II Diabetes

Wednesday, August 12, 2009  -  Byron J Richards, CCN

3,428 non-diabetic men (ages 60-79) were followed for seven years to examine the relationship between their fiber intake and the risk for developing type II diabetes.  Those with less than 20 grams per day of fiber in their diet had a significantly increased risk for developing type II diabetes, regardless of calorie intake and other variables.

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Digestive Hormone Helps Regulate Your Blood Sugar

Saturday, August 08, 2009  -  Byron J Richards, CCN

New research shows that a digestive hormone known as Cholecystokinin (CCK) actually signals to your brain in a way that your brain signals to your liver to stop releasing sugar into your blood – regardless of insulin levels.

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Low Vitamin D Linked to Obesity, Low HDL, and Increased Cardiovascular Risk

Tuesday, August 04, 2009  -  Byron J Richards, CCN

A brand new study shows that those low in vitamin D have a 31% likelihood of having full blown metabolic syndrome, whereas those adequate in vitamin D have only a 10% likelihood.  Vitamin D is one important nutrient required for healthy metabolism of calories.

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