The Gary Null Show - 02.24.22

Meta-analysis affirms benefit for ginseng in type 2 diabetics   Zheijian University (China)   The issue of the journal Medicine published the results of a meta-analysis conducted by researchers at China's Zhejiang University which add evidence to a beneficial effect for ginseng in men and women with impaired glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes. For their research, Yun-mei Yang and colleagues selected eight trials that included 195 participants treated with ginseng and an equal number of control subjects. The analysis revealed improvements in fasting glucose, post-meal insulin levels and insulin resistance, as well as a reduction in triglycerides, and total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol among ginseng-treated subjects. Our results demonstrate for the first time, an improved lipid profile (triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL) associated with ginseng-related therapy in patients with type 2diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance. Moreover, ginseng-related therapy was more effective in terms of hemoglobin A1c and fasting glucose levels, in drug naïve participants than those taking antidiabetic medications, probably due to the masking of the effect of ginseng by antidiabetic medications."   (NEXT)   Want to Lose Weight? Chew Your Food Longer   Waseda University (Japan)   A recent study published in Scientific Reports links chewing with increased energy expenditure and possible obesity prevention. The results out of Waseda University in Japan showed that tasting and chewing food for 30 seconds boosted heat generation after eating. This practice may help you on your weight loss journey. "Increased diet-induced thermogenesis induced by chewing and taste stimuli may help to prevent overweight and obesity," the authors stated. The study found significant energy changes after meals by testing a time of 30 seconds for tasting and chewing. At a rate of one chew per second, the study matched up with the widely-touted guideline of 32 chews per bite. In addition to helping limit your calorie intake, chewing helps start the digestive process, setting your stomach up for soothing success as your meal makes its way through your system. This recent study—admittedly a small one—shows that the act of tasting and active chewing significantly increased thermogenesis, regardless of the consistency of the food itself. It also found tasting and chewing increased the movement of food through the upper GI tract. Slow eating brings mindfulness into your meals, giving your brain time to realize you're full. The result? You eat less, which is key to any weight loss program.   (NEXT)   Children with higher exposure to air pollution and lower exposure to green space have 62% increased risk of ADHD   Barcelona Institute for Global Health   Children living in areas with higher air pollution due to PM2.5 particles and very low levels of green space might have up to 62% increased risk of developing ADHD. On the contrary, children living in greener and less polluted areas have a 50% lower risk of developing the disorder. These are the conclusions of a paper published in Environment International with data from 37,000 children from Vancouver (Canada). The green space analysis revealed that participants living in areas with a greater percentage of vegetation had a lower risk of ADHD. More specifically, the results show that a 12% increase in vegetation percentage was associated with a 10% reduction in the risk of ADHD. Regarding air pollution, the opposite association was observed with PM2.5: participants with a higher exposure to fine particles had higher risk of ADHD (every 2.1 µg increase in the levels of PM2.5 translated into an 11% increase in the risk of ADHD).   (NEXT)   Melatonin supplementation associated with improved heart failure outcomes   Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (Iran), February 23 2022.    A trial reported  in Clinical Cardiology found improvements in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-Pro BNP, a prohormone released by the heart that, when elevated, may be an indicator of heart failure) among heart failure patients who received supplements that contained melatonin. The trial also uncovered better quality of life and composite clinical outcomes in association with melatonin supplementation.