Mar 14th, 2008
by yuming.
A joint research team from New Zealand and the US has found that rats fed blueberry extracts gained less weight than the rats that were not. The blueberry nibbling group decreased their food consumption by eight per cent, which also showed they felt full at that level of food intake.
What’s exciting if these findings could be translated to humans — could blueberry extracts find a significant role in weight-loss products? With half of Europeans and 60 per cent of Americans categorized as overweight, the diet industry is certainly paying attention to the potential of the blueberry.
The other conclusion of the study made was that the rats’ antioxidant levels in their blood measured higher than the control group.
Two varieties of the fruit were used — Maru and Centurion. It was found that the Maru type decreased food intake by 8.6 per cent, while the Centurion type produced a 6.2 per cent reduction. Therefore, the effect of the Maru strain had a more significant impact. Continue reading →
Posted in: Anti-oxidants, Weight Loss.
Mar 14th, 2008
by yuming.
The “sunshine vitamin”, Vitamin D, was voted one of the top 10 medical breakthroughs by Time magazine. Continuing this trend, researchers found that it can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 1 diabetes. This study was conducted by Manchester hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital for Women and Children, which was published in Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system destroys pancreatic cells that produce the hormone insulin. This condition is also found to be more common among people of European heritage. Continue reading →
Posted in: Diabetes.
Mar 12th, 2008
by yuming.
Yes, say experts. If you take the herbal supplement, ginkgo biloba, it could delay the onset of memory loss in aging adults, according to a recent study.
Ginkgo biloba is widely marketed as an inexpensive memory booster and to help improve mental functions in those who suffer from dementia. Continue reading →
Posted in: Memory.
