What It Is:
The ripe seeds of the milk thistle plant (Silybum marianum) are used medicinally. One of the most important constituents of milk thistle is silymarin, which itself has of several chemical constituents, the most prominent of which is silybinin (silybin).
What It Does:
Diabetes
The silymarin component of milk thistle may decrease blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, and LDL cholesterol levels when used with conventional therapy in people with type 2 diabetes. It has also been shown to reduce insulin resistance in people with coexisting diabetes and alcoholic cirrhosis.

Diseases of the Liver
Silymarin is thought to act as a liver-protectant. However, evidence of benefit in liver disease has been mixed.
One preliminary study of a specific silybinin preparation improved liver function in people with chronic active hepatitis. However, most studies in patients with hepatitis B or C have generally not shown an improvement in mortality or liver function using milk thistle or preparations of milk thistle. Similarly, in alcoholic liver disease, some preliminary clinical studies suggested that milk thistle might improve liver function and mortality. However, an analysis of several studies did not show a significant effect.

Liver protection from chemotherapy and other drugs
Preliminary evidence suggests that milk thistle extract standardized to 70% - 80% silymarin may protect the liver against damage from certain toxins, including drugs such as acetaminophen and phenytoin (Dilantin).

A recently published study (Ladas, Cancer 2010) suggests that milk thistle extract may reduce  liver toxicity due associated with chemotherapy.  Liver toxicity is often a complication of chemotherapy and limits therapy.  The study was conducted on children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) receiving maintenance chemotherapy.  Milk thistle extract standardized to 33% silibinin was given at a daily dose of 80 mg to 320 mg of silybinin.  Milk thistle was associated with reductions in levels of liver enzymes that indicate toxicity.  Interestingly, a benefit was not seen during the short course of therapy (28 days) but one month later.
Administered intravenously (IV), silybinin may lessen liver damage due to poisoning by Amanita phalloides mushroom (death cap) — although this IV preparation is not readily available in the U.S.

Other:
Silybinin is under investigation for use in preventing or treating various forms of cancer, especially prostate cancer

We all know that DIABETES increases risks of heart disease, strokes, kidney failure and blindness......but have you heard of this one?
 
 
“Type 2 diabetes mellitus and colorectal cancer: Meta-analysis on sex-specific differences ?European Journal of Cancer, 09/25/2011  Evidence Based Medicine
Kramer HU et al. – In both men and women, risk estimates from case–control studies were slightly higher than those from cohort studies. Overall, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with a moderate increase in colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in both men and women“
 
At our office, we are more than just a place to get medicine when you are sick. We like to teach and practice wellness. The word “doctor” literally means teacher. We firmly believe in preventive medicine. That is why we employ nutritionists, life coaches, fitness trainers, physical therapist and massage therapists.

www.kaizentotalwellness.com  (941)556-7788
www.drmishner.com   (941)747-2090

For years now, we have been touting the benefits of eating nuts. At first, we noticed it’s benefits for hypertension. (low salt please!) This is because nuts are naturally high in magnesium and potassium which are known to help lower blood pressure. Now, let’s see what they can do for diabetes!
Sure, nuts are high in fat, but the GOOD FAT!
Just be careful of portion sizes. Too much of anything isn’t a good thing!
Please call Barbara or Annette for more information: 941-556-7788
Annette Schuchert is a Venice Nutrition Certified Nutritionist

Please read the following article. It examines the benefits of certain spices added to foods. Please note it studied the actual spices and not antioxidant pills. At Kaizen Total Wellness, we recommend healthy eating, not taking unproven pill supplements! Enjoying real spices and fruits and veggies are not only cheaper then pills but taste better.

Barbara Bingham, Director
Kaizen Total Wellness Center
Nutritionist,  Wellness Coach

Maybe the strict Lakewood Ranch, FL zoning laws aren't so bad after all! Please take a look at this article associating the number of fast food places in a neighborhood with obesity:

During an extended period of time focused on weight loss, there will be weeks when there are more pounds lost than expected, sometimes less than expected and sometimes there are 'plateaus' where the scale just seems stuck for a while.

In Monday's Kaizen Healthy Lifestyle class we discussed how to deal with plateaus so they aren't too discouraging nor lengthy.  Again, keeping a food log is one of the best tools anyone has used which helps us not only be more mindful during the day but can provide important clues when weight loss plateaus and we aren't sure why. Class members shared that looking at the food log helped them break a plateau period by making them more conscious of portion sizes, how much water they were drinking, how frequently they were eating out at restaurants, and how much fiber they ate each day.

In addition to a high-fiber diet reducing your risk of diabetes, digestive disorders, hemorrhoids, certain cancers and heart disease, getting plenty of fiber assists with weight loss and weight maintenance.  The USFDA recommends including 20-30 grams of fiber each day.  Eating fiber adds no calories yet helps to keep you feeling full and satisfied.  When class members paid attention to getting enough fiber they found they were eating more desirable foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and feeling satisfied. They decreased overeating and junk food snacking.

Healthy Substitutions was the nutrition topic discussed in Monday's Healthy Lifestyle class. The Kaizen approach is not about deprivation, it is about making choices that will help you get your optimum nutritional value out of each calorie.

Smart substitutions are ones that provide more 'good stuff' like fiber and vitamins and less 'bad stuff' like saturated fats and sugar. The smartest substitutions do this without making you feel you are missing out on anything, like flavor, texture, or sense of fullness.

Here are some of my favorite substitutions. Please share yours with me!   

A lack of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), which regulates testosterone and estrogen, plays a role in developing diabetes. It's interesting that drinking coffee actually increases levels of SHBG. So does drinking coffee prevent diabetes?

Maybe. But don't get on the bandwagon just yet. In the world of medicine, what was once good is now bad, and vice versa. It wasn't too long ago that we warned patients of the dangers of getting pancreatic cancer from coffee consumption. As it turns out, it wasn't the coffee, but rather the cigarette that was so often in the other hand.

An almond-enriched diet improves LDL-Cholesterol and Insulin Sensitivity which are major risk factors for heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

Also olive oil and leafy vegetables have been shown to decrease heart disease in women by 40% according to a recent study that lasted 8 years.