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SUMMER HAS ARRIVED IN THE MITT June 28, 2009

Posted by Mary Ellen Iafrate in : Exercise , comments closed

Michiganders wait with bated breath for our summer to arrive.  The warm, beautiful weather lasts for such a short time here in Michigan, every citizen should long to hit the streets, parks, playgrounds and swimming holes as soon as the temperature reaches 70 degrees (which we MI’ers know means it’s balmy outside).

How are you spending your sunshiny days and warm evenings?  Have you taken your bike out of storage yet or tried out the new walking path at one of the local parks?

NOW is the time to get your body busy doing something your body AND your mind enjoys. 

When is the last time you played golf?  Badminton?  Tennis?  Flash Light Tag?  Horse Shoes?  Frisbee? 

How long has it been since you went swimming?  Water skiing?  Played baseball?  Volleyball?  Or walked your best buddy, your dog? 

Each of us has only been given just so many summers to enjoy.  How you spend this summer is up to you but our suggestion is not to waste it.  Not one precious Michigan moment. 

Why?  Because we all know what will happen in approximately five short months.  We Michiganders will be dusting off the snow blower, buying ice melt and putting away the porch glider until next year.

DME’s philosophy is that we only get one chance to enjoy Summer 2009.  This is it.

GENETIC LINK BETWEEN DIABETES AND ALZHEIMER’S June 1, 2009

Posted by Mary Ellen Iafrate in : Health Issues , comments closed

In a few older posts, DME has mentioned diabetes becoming a great concern for our society due to dietary habits.

In the following article copied from Dr. Andrew Weil’s June 2009 Self Healing newsletter, he tells us that a link has been found between diabetes and Alzheimers.

The following is the article:

Prior evidence has shown that type-2 diabetics are twice as likely as others to develop Alzheimer’s disease, and now researchers have discovered a clear link between the two conditions.  The connection is a single gene known as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coativator l  (PGC-1).  This gene regulates glucose content in the body and its activity is reduced in type-2 diabetics.  The study found that PGC-1 is also less active in patients with Alzheimer’s-related dementia.

Dr. Weil’s take on this information:

“I find this study very intriguing.  Diabetes causes accelerated aging and diabetics tend to develop age-related diseases decades before those with normal metabolism.  These findings are in line with another study in the April 15 issued of JAMA, which found that diabetics with episodic low blood sugar are more prone to dementia.  Clinical applications, such as restoring PGC-1′s activity, are still in the future, but these findings are promising.”

DME’s take on this information… type-2 diabetes is almost always diet related.  Watch what you eat NOW!  Don’t let yourself become a victim of diabetes due to bad eating habits.