Cape Cod Wellness

02/19/2025

Dark chocolate is sooooo good 😊

Eating more dark chocolate was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to an analysis of prospective cohort studies from Harvard University and published in the British Medical Journal.

Among participants across three studies of healthcare workers, those who consumed ≥5 servings per week of dark chocolate had a 21% lower risk of T2D compared with those who never or rarely consumed dark chocolate (P=0.006 for trend).

There was no significant association between consumption of milk chocolate and T2D, instead intake of milk chocolate was positively associated with weight gain, while this was not the case for dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate is high in polyphenols, including flavanols (part of the larger flavonoid group), and studies have shown an association between higher dietary flavonoid consumption and decreased T2D risk.

For this analysis, the authors used data from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII) (both all female), as well as the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS; all male). Total chocolate consumption baselines for the NHS and HPFS were in 1986, and in 1991 for the NHSII, when comprehensive food frequency questionnaires were first implemented. The second baseline, for chocolate subtype analyses, were in 2006 for the NHS and HPFS and 2007 for the NHSII, when the survey added questions about chocolate types.

Participants' diets were assessed every 4 years, with questions about average consumption of a standard portion size of chocolate in the past year. In total, 192,208 participants were included from the three trials in the total chocolate intake analysis, with 111,654 included in the analysis on chocolate types.
Standard dark chocolate is still very high in sugar and relatively low in flavanols compared to the modern 85% and 90% products. Hence if this connection is robust, the benefits of say 85% chocolate (my favourite) in protecting against diabetes are likely to be much greater.

For more information see:
https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/diabetes/113215
and
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39631943/

05/03/2023

You are one Adjustment away from a good mood......

Estas a tan sólo un ajuste del buen humor

04/22/2023

Sketchy internet in Luxor. I’m catching up!

04/22/2023

Luxor beautiful balloon ride!

04/19/2023

Flew to Luxor today!!! On the Nile!!!
The river in Egypt 🥰

04/18/2023

A camel ride from Giza to the Sphinx!!! What a wonderful day!

04/18/2023

3g ginseng can help bones grow!
Read article please

Panax ginseng is one of the most valued and expensive medicinal plants. The name Panax is derived from the Greek word for panacea, and according to Chinese sages, ginseng replenished the vital energy and promoted health and longevity. It has a wide range of therapeutic applications and has been extensively researched for a broad range of uses from stress adaption and cognitive performance, through to male fertility and type 2 diabetes. A recent study investigated the effect of ginseng extract for improving outcomes in women with osteopenia, which would represent a new insight into the therapeutic reach of this important medicinal plant.

The study was conducted as a randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial and involved 90 postmenopausal women with osteopenia who were randomly divided into three groups; a Korean ginseng extract (GE) low dose group, a GE high dose group, and a placebo group. The GE low group took 1 g of ginseng extract per day for 12 weeks. The GE high group took 3 g of ginseng extract per day for 12 weeks. According to the paper, the 3 g dose of Korean ginseng corresponded to about 33 g of fresh root and rhizome. However, the extract only contained ginsenoside Rg1 and Rb1 at 8.61 mg/g, suggesting that 3 to 4 g/day of good quality dried root and rhizome might achieve a similar result (still a relatively high dose).

In all groups the daily dose was split between breakfast and dinner. All the subjects were instructed to maintain their regular physical activity and food habits and asked not to consume any other functional foods or dietary supplements during the study period.

The results of the study showed that participants in the GE high dose group (3 g/day) showed a significant increase in bone formation indicators, serum OC (osteocalcin), and blood calcium levels compared to those who took a placebo. Similarly, the GE high dose group showed a significant decrease in the deoxypyridinoline (DPD)/OC ratio, which indicates improved bone formation versus bone resorption. There was a small improvement in the GE low group, but it was not significant compared to placebo. In addition, participants in the GE high dose group also experienced improved arthritis symptoms, such as joint pain and stiffness. No harmful effects or changes were observed during the study.

The author’s noted that although the study shows ginseng extract has a beneficial effect on bone metabolism, further long-term studies are needed to better understand the implications of these results.

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/10/3352

04/17/2023

Today we went to our first pyramids at Sakkara. This was timeless and I am speechless…almost 🥰.

04/16/2023

Coptic Easter Sunday in old Cairo

04/15/2023

Citadel and mosques and puppies

04/14/2023

Chiro doing Cairo day 1💕 the national museum of Egyptian civilization

04/13/2023

Heathrow today Cairo tomorrow!!!