Health capsules

Eat whey to control blood sugar

Eating whey protein, a powder to be made into a smoothie, before breakfast can help in preventing Type-2 diabetes by keeping blood sugars under control, suggests a study. The study also found that the whey proteins also made people feel full, curbing their desire to snack before lunch. Whey protein provides numerous benefits for muscle mass, strength, fat loss and overall health and is found naturally in milk and cheese, reports the Mail Online. “High blood glucose levels after eating can contribute to poor blood glucose management and can also be detrimental to cardiovascular health,” said study experts. The study team conducted two studies. First involved 12 obese men in which they did a 30-minute rest or a light treadmill session and then either they were given 20g of the supplement or a placebo before consuming a carbohydrate-filled breakfast. The researchers found that blood sugar levels, which normally spike after eating, were found to be controlled as a result of the whey protein. In the second study, 11 men suffering from Type-2 diabetes were given 15g of the supplement. They found their blood sugars were kept under control. They were also found to be more full, helping to curb their desire to have a snack before lunch. Researchers also found that whey protein lowers blood pressure and cholesterol as well as making blood vessels healthier by. Those taking the supplement were found to have an eight per cent less chance of developing a deadly heart condition. 

Aerobics may reverse aging 

A study finds high-intensity aerobic exercise can reverse some cellular aspects of aging in adults that contributes to synthese protein, thus reversing a major adverse effect of aging. The findings, appeared in Cell Metabolism, indicated all training types improved lean body mass and insulin sensitivity, but only high-intensity and combined training improved aerobic capacity and mitochondrial function for skeletal muscle. High-intensity intervals also improved muscle protein content that not only enhanced energetic functions, but also caused muscle enlargement, especially in older adults. Mayo clinic researchers compared high-intensity interval training, resistance training and combined training. “We found that for aging adults supervised high-intensity training is probably best, because, both metabolically and at the molecular level, it confers the most benefits,” said an expert. He explained the high-intensity training reversed some manifestations of aging in the body’s protein function.  Researchers emphasised  that exercise training significantly enhanced the cellular machinery responsible for making new proteins. That contributes to protein synthesis, thus reversing a major adverse effect of aging. However, adding resistance training is important to achieve significant muscle strength.

Gluten-free is not trouble free

A word of advice for those who are on gluten free diet. Eating less of wheat, rye and barley may increase the risk of developing diabetes. Findings of a study indicated that 20 per cent of individuals consumed gluten and had 13 per cent lower risk of developing Type-2 diabetes in comparison to those with the lowest daily gluten consumption. The research would be presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention/Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health 2017 Scientific Sessions. “Gluten-free foods often have less dietary fiber and other micronutrients, making these less nutritious and these also tend to cost more. People without Celiac disease may reconsider limiting their gluten intake for chronic disease prevention, especially for diabetes,” said a researcher. The researchers estimated daily gluten intake for 199,794 participants in three long-term health studies. The researchers found that most of the participants had gluten intake below 12 grams/day and within this range, those who ate the most gluten had lower Type 2 diabetes risk during thirty years of follow-up.

Help for elderly to sleep better 

Help your grandparents sleep better and improve memory, with gentle sound stimulation — such as rush of a waterfall — synchronised to the rhythm of brain waves, as it may significantly deepen sleep and triple memory scores to recall words in older adults, suggests a study. Researchers found pink noise synced to brain waves deepens sleep and triples memory scores in older adults aged 60 and above. The study appeared in journal of Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. The degree of slow-wave sleep enhancement was related to the degree of memory improvement, suggesting slow-wave sleep remains important for memory, even in old age. — Agencies