Liz Bonis is a registered dietitian, a certified nutritionist, a certified personal trainer, and a diabetes educator with a master's degree in public communication.

Plastics Compound Linked To Heart Disease
6/11/09

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have discovered that the compound bisphenol A, or BPA, which is found in some hard plastics, including baby bottles, sippy cups, and food containers, may put women at greater risk for heart disease.

A recent study, the results of which were presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, showed that BPA caused abnormal heart activity in female rats and mice. BPA, which mimics estrogen, has the potential to damage the heart muscle and throw off heart rhythms.

Previous studies have linked this compound to potential increased risk for diabetes and breast cancer.

If you have concerns about the effect of BPA, don’t use plastic containers or plastic wrap when reheating food in a microwave, and use water bottles and other containers that are made of glass or stainless steel, or plastic containers that carry a label that says “BPA free.”

Diabetes Study Looking For Volunteers
6/5/09

Could it be possible to find a cure for type 1 diabetes? Researchers are conducting a study to find out if the bodies of diabetes sufferers can heal themselves—and they’re looking for volunteers.

Type 1 diabetes (also known as juvenile diabetes and insulin-dependent diabetes) is the kind that requires diabetics to inject themselves with insulin, as their bodies are unable to produce insulin.

In the study, conducted by the Lindner Research Center, researchers are investigating whether an injection of adult stem cells, harvested from nondiabetic donors, can get the pancreas to start producing insulin again on its own. The stem cells, produced as an agent called Prochymal®, go where there is active inflammation or an injury. They not only have the potential to find the injured cells, they also initiate a repair process to heal the pancreas, so the pancreas can produce insulin and ultimately cure the patient of type 1 diabetes.

The breakthrough trial, being conducted at several sites across the country, is accepting volunteers between the ages of 18 and 30 who have recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. If you would like to participate in the study, you need to sign up within 16 weeks of diagnosis. If you qualify, all your testing and treatment, as well as the procedure, will be paid for. To join the study, call the Lindner Research Center at 513-585-1777. To read more about the study, visit the Lindner Research Center at Christ Hospital site and click on the article “Adult Stem Cell Therapy Used to Treat Type 1 Diabetes” (3/9/09) (PDF) or the Adult Stem Cell Research Network.

Got Gut?
5/22/09

Did you know that certain habits make you more likely to develop a “gut” (extra weight around the waist)? Experts at the Center for Science in the Public Interest—otherwise known as the food police—have put together a list of the lifestyle choices that add inches to your waistline. So if you want a gut, be sure to do the following:

Veggie Up
4/23/09

New research suggests that drinking vegetable juice very day might help people with metabolic syndrome get healthier.

Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors including excess fat in the midsection, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, is a growing epidemic affecting more than 47 million Americans. People with metabolic syndrome are more likely to have heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

But a study conducted at the Baylor College of Medicine has shown that drinking at least one glass of low-sodium vegetable juice daily may help people with metabolic syndrome lose weight and subsequently lower their risk of illness.

The participants in the 12-week study—primarily African American and Hispanic adults, who typically have a higher incidence of metabolic syndrome—who drank at least 8 oz. of low-sodium V8® 100% vegetable juice each day as part of a calorie-controlled diet lost an average of 4 lbs.; participants who drank no juice lost an average of 1 lb.

The vegetable juice drinkers also were more likely to meet the daily recommendations of three to five servings of vegetables and increase their intake of vitamin C and potassium.

You can learn more about the study at www.v8juice.com.

The ‘Skin’-ny On A Good Diet
Journal of Clinical Nutrition
4/20/09

Want to have younger-looking skin? Skip the expensive creams and supplements and change your diet instead.

A new study’s results have shown that you can have better-looking skin by eating less of some foods and eating more of others. Researchers found that people who eat a lot of carbohydrates (like sugary sweets) and fat (like frequent burger meals) are prone to older-looking skin and more wrinkles. But cutting those vices out of your diet and replacing them with certain healthier foods can make a big difference in reducing wrinkles and preventing dryness and aging. The secret? Eating foods high in two nutrients: vitamin C, and an omega-6 fatty acid called linoleic acid.

To get more vitamin C in your diet, eat more fruits, especially oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, guava, and papaya, and more vegetables, like red bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, and potatoes. To get more linoleic acid, eat more nuts, whole grains, many types of vegetable oil, eggs, and poultry.

Let’s Do Lunch!
Appetite
4/10/09

We’ve heard for years that breakfast is the most important meal of the day—and it is good to eat something about 90 minutes after you get up, to get your metabolism moving. But a new study has found that eating lunch is just as important. You’d think that skipping a meal would cut down on calorie intake and therefore help you lose weight, but in fact, people who don’t eat lunch gain far more weight than those who do.

Researchers compared the eating habits of people whose weight was in the normal, healthy range and people who were overweight or obese. They found that obese adults are 31 percent more likely to pass up a meal in the middle of the day than those who are a healthy weight.

It appears that going too long between meals leads to bingeing at dinner or later in the day. Experts say you don’t have to have a big lunch—a quick sandwich is fine—but eating lunch and healthy snacks every few hours throughout the day is the best way to keep your metabolism moving and blood sugar levels steady, and maintain a healthy weight.

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