by Tori Hudson, ND Bitter melon has many historical and theoretical uses, ranging from an abortifacient to a hemorrhoid treatment. It also has a long history of use as a hypoglycemic agent. Its hypoglycemic effects have been explored to the greatest extent and have aided in our understanding of its pharmacology and mechanism of action, leading to several studies looking at bitter melon as a hypoglycemic agent in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
by Gregory A. Plotnikoff, MD, MTS, FACP In a prospective cohort study, researchers tracked vitamin D levels in 1,801 white people in southwest Germany with metabolic syndrome who underwent elective coronary angiography between 1997 and 2000.
by Lena Suhaila, ND A systemic review and meta analysis of 10 cohort studies reveals that a diet high in fructose is associated with an increase in the risk of pancreatic cancer. However, no statistically significant association was found between intakes of total carbohydrates, sucrose glycemic index, or glycemic load and pancreatic cancer.
by Jacob Schor, ND, FABNO Previous studies have linked chocolate consumption with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, but patients are still hesitant to increase consumption for fear of weight gain. This study will put those fears to rest.
by Carolyn Dean, MD, ND This cross-sectional study observed 210 type 2 diabetes patients aged 65 years and above. Patients were interviewed on lifestyle and 24-hour dietary recall. Assessment of depression was based on DSM-IV criteria.
by Setareh Tais, ND In a study that included 149 healthy adults over 50 years of age, researchers compared the effects of mindfulness meditation and moderate-intensity exercise on incidence, duration, and severity of acute respiratory infections.
by Alan R. Gaby, MD 247,574 individuals of all ages from Copenhagen, Denmark, whose serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level had been measured by their general practitioner between April 2004 and January 2010 participated in a retrospective observational study to find out if there is an association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and all-cause mortality.