Inflammation appears to be a key factor in the majority of chronic illnesses such as e.g. rheumatism, type-2 diabetes, and cancer. Science has primarily focused on EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), but new research points to supplementation with DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) as being even more effective in healthy patients with too much abdominal fat and subclinical systemic inflammation.

If you find it difficult to control your desire for chocolate, candy, cake, soft beverages, and stimulants in general, and if you struggle with tiredness, overweight, and other problems related to unstable blood sugar, you will be pleased to learn that Danish researchers have revealed that a hormone produced by the liver controls our desire for sweets and stimulants. The scientists therefore see a potential in developing a new type of medicine that can control the need for sugar. However, it is also possible to control your sugar cravings by means of simple dietary changes combined with supplements of chromium, a mineral that increases insulin sensitivity.

- and stable blood sugar helps to prevent it

Science has found a link between unstable blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (the leading cause of dementia). Type 2 diabetes is spreading like a bushfire, and people many are unware that they have early stages of the disease, typically characterized by fatigue, overweight, and cravings for fast carbohydrates or stimulants. People with Alzheimer’s disease have insulin resistance of the brain, which is why this disease is now referred to as type 3 diabetes. Because it takes many years for Alzheimer’s disease to develop, there is every reason in the world to start early prevention with exercise and a blood sugar-stabilizing diet. Also, a particular trace element may help increase insulin sensitivity, which is why it is vital to get enough of this nutrient.

Type 2 diabetes is spreading like a bushfire. An alarmingly many people have metabolic syndrome – or pre-diabetes – which is characterized by insulin resistance, hypertension, elevated cholesterol levels and abdominal obesity (apple-shaped body). Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome are associated with enormous human and socio-economic costs. In this article, we will look closer at chromium, vitamin D, magnesium, and coenzyme Q10 plus relevant diet changes to see how they can positively affect blood sugar levels, cholesterol balance, and weight control. We will also take a closer look at supplements that are able to prevent diabetic neuropathy, a disorder that can lead to amputations.

- but are all those dairy products really necessary?

Eating breakfast has a positive effect on cognitive skills such as memory and learning in children and teenagers, according to an article about Danes and their breakfast habits that is published in Nutrients. However, many children are delivered in their institutions early in the morning, in some cases without even having had a chance to eat breakfast. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration therefore recommends offering these children the chance of eating breakfast in their institutions. It seems that symptoms such as poor concentration, hyperactivity, and apathy, which tend to be viewed as psychological problems, are often the result of not eating breakfast, having low blood sugar levels, and lacking essential vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids. In the following, you can read more about the value of eating a healthy breakfast, while you can find out more about the low-fat dairy products that actually increase your risk of unstable blood sugar and overweight.

Researchers from Sweden and England have discovered a link between vitamin A and diabetes. According to their new study, vitamin A is essential for enabling pancreatic beta cells to produce insulin, the hormone that helps cells take up sugar. This discovery could open new doors to better diabetes therapies in the future. However, it is also important to focus on diet, weight management, and the intake of other nutrients like chromium for proper blood sugar control, which is necessary for preventing and treating diabetes.

Chromium is primarily known for its role in insulin utilization and blood sugar control. However, chromium is also important for macronutrient metabolism and the circulatory system. Chromium’s role in health has been debated and a group of scientists have looked closer at the link between low blood levels of chromium and global health burdens such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression. How do we get enough chromium from the diet and what supplements have the highest bioavailability?

Type 2 diabetes is spreading like a bushfire and even more people suffer from something called metabolic syndrome, a prediabetic stage characterized by insulin resistance, hypertension, elevated cholesterol, and apple-shaped figure caused by a blood sugar imbalance. Chromium supplementation helps improve insulin sensitivity and lowers weight and blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a placebo-controlled study that is published in the journal Biological Trace Element Research. It is advisable to lower your carbohydrate intake and to choose a chromium supplement with good bioavailability.

- and pre-diabetes and overweight caused by unstable blood sugar

Type 2 diabetes is a global health problem, which is associated with cardiovascular disease, eye disorders, kidney disease, and amputations. Many people unwittingly have an early stage of diabetes called metabolic syndrome. This condition is characterized by insulin resistance, where the cellular uptake of glucose is impaired. This causes insatiety, and you risk eating too many sweets and other quick carbohydrates, which the body is unable to burn and therefore stores ad fat, instead. Many people who struggle with their weight also have insulin resistance and unstable blood sugar that affect their strength of will in terms of food choices and increase their risk of type 2 diabetes. A new meta-analysis has shown that chromium supplements may be useful as add-on therapy for type 2 diabetics. Chromium yeast has the best bioavailability, and specific dietary changes can positively influence your blood sugar levels, waist circumference, and weight.

Do you feel an insatiable desire for sweets all the time? Do you find yourself snacking in between meals? A simple think like a daily chromium supplement may resolve your problem and even help you lose weight.

Stop blaming yourself for having a weak character. Put an end to all the self-hatred. That overpowering desire for sweets and sugary foods could very well be a sign that you are not getting enough chromium, and if that is the case you can easily correct the problem by taking chromium yeast in supplement form. We’ll get back to that later. People with a chromium deficiency are known to develop cravings so don’t be too hard on yourself.

If you are type-2 diabetic, you may find that taking a daily supplement of organic chromium yeast can help you cope with your condition.

Do you have type-2 diabetes? Then you probably know all about the problems that follow in the wake of this condition – the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, elevated cholesterol levels and all that. What you may not know, however, is that you can cope with your condition a lot easier by taking daily supplements of organic chromium yeast.

Stable blood sugar

The reason why chromium is so important when you have diabetes is that this particular nutrient works in close collaboration with insulin by accentuating the effect of this vital hormone. Chromium literally “unlocks” cells from the inside and helps insulin push more sugar (glucose) from the bloodstream into the cells where the sugar is converted into energy. By ensuring that the sugar reaches the cells instead of piling up in the blood, it becomes easier to avoid maintain relatively stable blood sugar levels in the body.

Yet another scientific study confirms that CLA is effective. A new Spanish double-blind randomized study has shown that 3 g of CLA daily given to a group of healthy, overweight persons, reduced their amount of fat and their weight over a period of 24 weeks.

In the study, the researchers wanted to investigate the efficacy and safety of a daily supplement of 200 ml skimmed milk fortified with 3 grams of CLA. The CLA consisted of the isomers C9-T11 and T10-C 12 in equal amounts.
A total of 42 overweight persons aged from 30-55 years attended the study. Their BMI was between 27 and 30, where 30 is the limit for obesity. Out of 42 participants 22 got CLA while 20 participants in the control group received placebo in the form of oleic acid, which is a non-essential fatty acid known as omega-9. The participants were informed that they should keep their habitual diet and not change their exercise habits during the investigation period.

Each Dane consumes 12.3 kilos of candy on average every single year, which makes Denmark the single largest candy eaters worldwide, according to Euromonitor that has studied candy consumption in 100 different countries. This rather unhealthy champion status has a number of grave health consequences, as it affects our blood sugar levels, energy levels, and ability to concentrate. In the long run, it may lead to dependence on these quick “energy fixes” and contribute to problems with the immune system, insulin resistance, overweight, diabetes, digestive disorders and other lifestyle diseases. To make things worse, there is all the concealed sugar that we get from our diet. A new science project aims at developing methods for helping families improve their daily health. In the following, you can read more about the dangers of consuming too much sugar and what you can do to stabilize your blood sugar by distributing your energy intake and taking a supplement of the trace element chromium.

- and cause serious physical and psychological disease

Type 2 diabetes is spreading like a bushfire, and taking the diabetes drug metformin increases the risk of vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 deficiencies. Lacking these two important B vitamins is associated with fatigue and cognitive dysfunction that resembles dementia. This was shown in a study that is published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. An earlier study that was presented at an endocrinology conference in Glasgow suggested that type 2 diabetics that take metformin on a regular basis have their vitamin B12 status checked once a year to prevent irreparable damage to the nervous system. It is also important to focus on vitamin B6, which is also crucial for the brain and nervous system.

Diabetes is spreading like a bushfire across the globe, but even if governments, doctors, and health authorities have tried desperately to bend the curve, they have not succeeded so far. On the contrary. Today, diabetes is controlled with help from different medical drugs that do not address the underlying cause and actually affect or organ systems. Because of this, diabetics often have impaired quality of life and shorter lifespans than healthy individuals. What is more, diabetics have widespread vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiencies, which are associated with diabetic neuropathy, which is a serious complication. Cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) are also linked to reduced levels of Q10, a compound that is necessary for energy turnover, the heart, and the cardiovascular system.

Several studies show that nutritional supplements may help against aggressive behavior in children. Based on this knowledge, American researchers have tested the effect of combining supplements of fish oil, vitamins, and minerals with psychological treatment - and it appears to improve the outcome.

A new study shows that adding eggs to your mixed salad increases the uptake of vitamin E from the vegetables, so don’t let your fear of fat and cholesterol keep you from consuming eggs. Eggs (yoke and white) contain a multitude of nutrients that are beneficial for your cardiovascular system and blood sugar.

A British study has shown that elevated blood sugar levels cause blood vessels to constrict. This strains the heart, raises blood pressure, and reduces the blood supply to other organs. It is therefore sugar and not saturated fat that is the cause of cardiovascular disease. We should be far more focused on how to control our blood sugar levels. Proper diet means a lot, and so does adequate intake of a particular essential trace element that appears to have a special role.

PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) entails a long list of symptoms such as headaches, mood swings, fatigue, irritability, fluid retention, and a strong craving for sweets and stimulants - and even a desire for divorce.

Diabetes and its precursor, metabolic syndrome, are characterized by insulin resistance and overweight. According to a Chinese study that is published in Frontiers in Nutrition, increased intake of magnesium and potassium helps reduce the fat deposits. The authors mention that both nutrients help regulate unstable blood sugar and other metabolic disturbances that are seen with diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

There is widespread potassium deficiency, and it is common knowledge that an increased potassium intake lowers the risk of hypertension, which is the leading cause of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and early death. However, not many people know that potassium has a vital impact on blood sugar levels and the prevention of diabetes, just as it counteracts side effects of diuretics. The question is how much potassium do we need – and how does the balance between potassium and sodium (salt) affect our health?

Women from the age of 50 years and older have an increased risk of blood sugar problems, weight problems, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome, if they lack vitamin D, according to a new study from Sao Paulo in Brazil. If you want to control your blood sugar levels and lose weight, it is not sufficient to eat less and work out at the gym. You also need sun exposure (without getting burned), because the summer sun is our richest source of vitamin D. You may even want to take a vitamin D supplement during the winter period.

 – especially among those with metabolic syndrome, an early stage of type-2 diabetes

Millions of people who are overweight suffer from blood sugar imbalances and metabolic syndrome – often without being aware of it. A study shows that people with metabolic syndrome are severely vitamin E-deficient. This poses a serious threat to their health, as vitamin E is important for the liver, the cardiovascular system, the nervous system, and the body’s ability to protect its cells against oxidative stress and carcinogenic substances. The study, which is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reveals that normal measurements of a person’s vitamin E status are misleading.

Many people suffer from insulin resistance that impairs the cellular uptake of glucose from the bloodstream. Insulin resistance typically causes untimely hunger or a craving for stimulants accompanied by fatigue, mood swings, tension, overweight, and numerous other problems that arise as a result of the cells producing too little energy. The condition increases the risk of type-2 diabetes, even among children. But how does magnesium affect our blood sugar levels, and how do we make sure to get enough of this nutrient?

- also in type 2 diabetes

Stable blood sugar levels are essential for our health, our energy levels, and our mood. However, millions of people across the globe suffer from insulin resistance and have impaired glucose uptake in their cells. Insulin resistance also occurs in people with type 2 diabetes. In a review article that is published in Advanced Biomedical Research, the authors look closer at magnesium’s role in connection with insulin resistance, blood sugar levels, and energy turnover. They conclude that magnesium supplementation may be relevant for people with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, and it is even important to get enough magnesium for preventing these conditions that come with an enormous human and socio-economic price tag.

- which may lead to serious physical and mental diseases

Recent studies reveal that around 20% of people who take metformin, a drug against type 2 diabetes, are vitamin B12 deficient (or borderline deficient). Lack of vitamin B12 may cause anemia, increased risk of osteoporosis, and symptoms of the nervous system that may be confused with ageing processes. It even looks as if lifestyle changes may have a more positive effect on blood sugar management.

Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia. Science has observed changes in the brain that show decades before the disease surfaces. According to a study carried out by the Italian neurologist Lisa Mosconi, eating a Mediterranean diet helps lower the risk of some of these changes that signal the onset of the disease. The study results suggest that one can help prevent this common neurological disorder by eating Mediterranean-style food. What is also important is to focus on having stable blood sugar levels and getting the right nutrients that strengthen and protect the brain.

Diabetes is spreading with epidemic proportions, and an alarmingly high number of people are affected by metabolic syndrome, an early stage of diabetes that causes insulin resistance, elevated cholesterol, hypertension, and enlarged waist circumference. Ever since the 1970s, diabetics have been advised to stick with a low-fat diet consisting of bread, potatoes, and other carbohydrate sources. However, a new Danish study reveals that it is best to cut back on your carbohydrate intake. The new message to diabetics supports research from other parts of the world. Diabetics and people with sensitive blood sugar should focus on eating a diet with fewer carbohydrates, more protein, and more healthy fats. They should also make sure to get enough chromium, vitamin D, and magnesium, all of which are nutrients that support the body’s blood sugar levels. Furthermore, vitamin B12 and Q10 are important for those, who take diabetes medication and cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins).

The cellular energy turnover takes place inside some small powerhouses called mitochondria. The condition of these tiny structures is determining for our energy levels and health. That is why it is vital that the mitochondria are adequately supplied with all the necessary nutrients. Q10 and magnesium play a particularly important role.

Overweight or obesity during pregnancy is linked to low vitamin D levels. This negatively affects the health of the expecting mother, and in the long run it increases the child's risk of weak bones, overweight, type-2 diabetes, and allergies.

Overweight people often suffer from prediabetes, also known as metabolic syndrome, which is a condition characterized by blood sugar disturbances and cravings that make it difficult to maintain stable body weight. In addition, many people with this condition have low levels of chromium in their blood, which can contribute to insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, and hypertension – all of which are emblematic of metabolic syndrome, according to a Chinese study published in Nutrition Journal. Earlier studies also suggest that supplementation with chromium yeast may help control blood sugar levels. Another thing that is useful when regulating blood sugar levels to obtain weight loss is to adjust your intake of carbohydrate, fat, and protein in order to optimize the energy utilization.

Hormonal imbalances have broad implications and increase the risk of chronic fatigue, overweight, impaired fertility, dry mucosa, hot flushes, slow metabolism, breast cancer, and many other problems. Lack of essential nutrients contributes to such disruptions of the sensitive hormone system. This is also the case with hormone-disrupting compounds.

Forget about keeping track of calories if you want to shape up. Weight loss is about eating the right kinds of food, and ensuring an optimal blend of carbohydrates, fat, and protein that guarantees satiety for four to six hours so you are not tempted by quick energy fixes. Continue reading and find out more about why it is so important to get plenty of Q10, iodine, selenium, and chromium for permanent results. The question is, why is it difficult to get enough from a normal diet? And why are so many people suffering from weight problems caused by metabolic disorders and insulin resistance?

More vitamin D may contribute to better blood sugar regulation in type 2 diabetes. Eggs are a good source of vitamin D, but in the winter period it may be a good idea to take a high-dosed supplement.

– and many people are deficient of the nutrient

Overweight is a growing problem, bringing in its wake problems like type 2 diabetes that is spreading like a bushfire. Many people lead a hopeless battle against overweight, unaware that it is their insulin resistance that gets in the way. This is when cells have difficulty with absorbing sugar from the bloodstream. Now, a new Brazilian study has demonstrated that vitamin D increases insulin sensitivity, thereby lowering the risk of overweight and type 2 diabetes. Still, according to existing science, it is not possible to get enough vitamin D without sufficient exposure to sunlight. At our latitude, it is necessary to take a vitamin D supplement throughout the entire winter period.

The rate of prediabetes and diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions. Many people even have prediabetes without being aware of it. The condition is characterized by elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but according to a meta-analysis that is published in Frontiers in Nutrition, high-dosed vitamin D supplementation can lower levels of triglycerides in the blood. The meta-analysis supports earlier studies showing that vitamin D is important for the body’s metabolism of fat and carbohydrates. Around half the world’s population lacks this vitamin, and the need for vitamin D is increased in people with prediabetes and diabetes because they have difficulty with utilizing it.

Vitamin K occurs in various forms and has a number of different biological function. The most recent research focuses on vitamin K2, which is of vital importance to the body’s calcium distribution and therefore has a crucial role in bone building and in the prevention of atherosclerosis. Vitamin K2 is also important for various proteins that are involved in energy turnover, blood sugar regulation, and cancer prevention, according to a review article that is published in BioMed Research International. Actual vitamin K2 deficiencies are considered rare, yet there are studies to suggest that many people lack the nutrient due to altered diet habits and the use of cholesterol-lowering medicine. The question is how much vitamin K2 do we actually need?

WHO is worried about the global overconsumption of sugar and the organization recently issued a red flag warning. To some people cutting back on their sugar intake may not be that easy, however. In many cases, supplementing with organic chromium yeast may prove beneficial.

People all over the world consume far too much sugar. The enormous sugar intake has caused WHO to issue a red flag warning. According to Francesco Branco, Director of WHO's Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, less than 10 per cent of our total energy intake should ideally come from sugar. That would reduce the risk of overweight, obesity, and dental decay (see text box). Consuming large quantities of sugar is indeed known to increase rates for diabetes and obesity together with numerous obesity-related diseases and conditions. Consequently, there is every reason in the world to control and reduce our sugar consumption but that may not necessarily be easy in all cases.

Blood sugar issues

Many people have a "sweet tooth" because their blood sugar is out of control. One of the characteristic signs of unstable blood sugar is an insatiable desire for sweets and sugary foods. Under normal circumstances, the sugar we take up from our diet is conveyed from the bloodstream to our cells and converted to energy. This requires insulin, a hormone that we produce ourselves, but it also requires the presence of the trace element chromium. Insulin is active outside the cells, whereas chromium "unlocks" the cells from the inside, thereby letting insulin push more sugar (glucose) into the cell.

There is a link between low blood levels of trace elements like zinc and early stages of diabetes, according to Russian research published in Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology. A large number of people are believed to have diabetes without knowing it. One of these early stages of diabetes is insulin resistance, a condition where the cellular uptake of sugar is impaired. Another is metabolic syndrome that includes hypertension, elevated cholesterol levels, and a characteristic apple-shaped figure with too much abdominal fat. The question is, how do we get enough zinc, and why do so many people appear to be deficient in this essential trace element?