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Tag Archives: disease
Barley – The little grain with a big impact
Barley Begins… Barley is an ancient grain that originated in Ethiopia and Southeast Asia, and has been cultivated for more than 10,000 years to feed both animals and humans, as well as make alcoholic beverages. As far back as ancient Greek and Egyptian culture, barley served as a staple bread-making grain, and an important source of nutrition for Greek and Roman athletes, as well as Roman gladiators. In the 16th century, the Spanish introduced barley to South America, while the English and Dutch settlers of the 17th century brought it with them to the United States. Presently, barley is grown around the world, but its leading exporters are the European Union, Australia and Canada. In Canada, the major growing areas … Continue reading
Olive Oil
The research suggests virgin olive oil is known for its heart healthy properties including reducing cholesterol. A traditional Mediterranean diet has shown some protection against other chronic diseases by decreasing inflammation. It has been partially attributed to the high intake of virgin olive oil with this dietary regime. Virgin olive oil contains numerous phenolic compounds that exert potent anti-inflammatory actions in the body. I use virgin oil olive for salad dressing and it fits perfectly with bread dipping, sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese. And I use olive oil for sautéing my favourite veggies! How do you use olive oil and virgin olive oil?
Type 2 Diabetes – relationship to Diet and Exercise
More than 9 million Canadians live with diabetes or prediabetes (impaired glucose tolerance). Out of the 2.7 million Canadians with diagnosed diabetes, 90 per cent (2.4 million) are type 2. Type 1 vs. Type 2 Type 2 is distinguished from type 1 by the fact that the pancreas of a person with type 1 diabetes does not produce insulin, while a person with type 2 diabetes either produces inadequate amounts of insulin or suffers from insulin resistance, an inability to process insulin correctly. Insulin is primarily responsible for breaking down sugars, thereby providing the body with the essential energy necessary to perform normal functions. To date there is no proven way to prevent type 1 diabetes, in contrast, researchers suggest … Continue reading
Glycemic Index
It was 2004 and the ‘No Carb Craze’ still had momentum (more in the US than in Canada), when I was invited to a conference about Glycemic Index (GI) with experts from around the world. We were discussing topics such as the recognized scientific method to determine the GI of foods and how the Canadian Diabetes Association educates their patients on GI. The conference was held in Toronto, the perfect venue, where twenty-three years earlier in 1981 at University of Toronto, Dr. David Jenkins and his colleagues developed a standardized system of ranking foods based on their effect on blood glucose levels known as the GI. What is GI? The GI is ranked from 0 to 100 and the unit … Continue reading
Functional Foods
It all started in 1997, when I wrote an article titled ‘Lowly Limes’ detailing how deficiencies of certain nutrients cause diseases i.e. vitamin C and scurvy. Scurvy was at one time common among sailors, pirates and others aboard ships at sea longer than perishable fruits and vegetables could be stored (subsisting instead only on cured and salted meats and dried grains) and by soldiers similarly separated from these foods for extended periods. Up until 1932, when it was isolated that a lack of vitamin C was causing scurvy, treatment by fresh food, particularly citrus fruit, was implemented, hence taking limes on long sea journeys. Today, food scientists, dietitians and biochemists are working towards developing functional foods. These are foods that … Continue reading