May 2009

Whilst I have been unable to blogg over recent weeks I have certainly kept up with my reading of scientific journals and it was interesting to read last night a piece from the journal Cancer Prevention Research which was looking at the prevention of prostate cancer. It would appear that a diet light in carbohydrate could slow down a tumor growth. Up till recently there was a presumption that this outcome was due to the subjects losing weight and therefore energy restriction was restricting the growth of the tumor. However new research has shown that in fact the reduction in energy was not all the story and that insulin had a role to play. Insulin not only regulates blood glucose levels but may also be affecting the growth and prolication of cells …including cancer cells.

As said by one of the researchers …” We found that carbohydrate restiction without energy restriction – or weight loss- does indeed result in tumor growth delay”.

This is really exciting news and again points the finger at insulin …..

So another week goes by in the world of science and nutrition and yet again another piece of clinical research is published showing that reducing carbohydrate intake will improve insulin resistance. In this particular trial the replacement was dietary fats.

Satoru Kodama, MD, PHD¹, Kazumi Saito, MD, PHD¹, Shiro Tanaka, PHD², Miho Maki, MS¹, Yoko Yachi, RD¹, Mutsumi Sato, RD¹, Ayumi Sugawara, RD¹, Kumiko Totsuka, RD¹, Hitoshi Shimano, MD, PHD³, Yasuo Ohashi, PHD², Nobuhiro Yamada, MD, PHD³ and Hirohito Sone, MD, PHD, FACP¹

It is actually beyond belief that our experts seem unable to draw any connection between the increase of carbohydrate in our diet and the increase in diabetes and insulin resistance even though my 13 year old son knows that the key food group that stimulates the requirement for insulin is carbohydrate and that within that food group the key stimulators are sugar and starch.

In fact if you look at the studies which indicate that protein stimulates insulin the results are different when the protein is eaten with or without starch and sugar

So at what point will someone with authority dare to point out the enormous similarities between sugar and starch and when will they then dare to point out to the Government and Diabetes UK that the basis of their recommended diet is actually causing the problem that they are trying to solve. Emperor – no clothes and so on

 

So May has arrived as has swine flu. Being married to a GP I am more than aware of the intensive government action being put into place to ensure that should a mass outbreak occur we will be ready to contain the disease as much as possible.

I am comforted to know this because we actually don’t live a million miles away from Falkirk where the first cases in the UK appeared. Not a great way to end a paradise honeymoon. So I know that the medics in this country are ready willing and able to deal with and control a major health risk, should it arise.

If only someone somewhere would have the energy and commitment to do the same about the less exciting but none the less important epidemic of obesity. Just last week I went to speak to a small group of nurses, medics and support staff.  A great deal of finger wagging has been done by our Nanny State telling us that the only way to slim is to eat less and do more, so it is not surprising to find that most of the people in the room had no idea about the connection between insulin and weight gain nor did some of the key personnel know that insulin will actively encourage cancer and weight gain.

This was disappointing but not surprising.  What we need for our own home grown problem is an open and enquiring mind and the honesty to accept that the last 30 years of preaching low calorie low fat has simply not worked.

Have a great bank holiday and enjoy the good weather if you are having it.