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The entrance to the Maszycka Cave in southern Poland (Credit: Darek Bobak) In a nutshell * Scientists found evidence of cannibalism in an 18,000-year-old Polish cave, where at least ten people — including children — were systematically butchered and eaten, likely due to territorial conflicts rather than survival needs * The Magdalenian people who created famous cave art like Lascaux were capable of both sophisticated cultural achievements and extreme violence, challenging our understanding of prehistoric societies * As populations grew after the last Ice Age, competition for resources likely led to violent conflicts between groups, with evidence of similar cannibalism...

For tonight's meal, make one of these cozy, low-carb dinner recipes. Each dish is full of tasty seasonal produce like butternut squash, mushrooms and Brussels sprouts while having no more than 15 grams of carbohydrates per serving. Plus, you only need one pot or pan to make these delicious dinners. Recipes like Vegan Butternut Squash Soup and Creamy Lemon-Basil Chicken are seasonal, healthy and perfect for weeknight dinners.

Adults with type 2 diabetes on a low-carbohydrate diet may see benefits to their beta-cell function, allowing them to better manage their disease and possibly discontinue medication, according to new research. Beta-cells are endocrine cells in the pancreas that produce and release insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. People with type 2 diabetes have a compromised beta-cell response to blood sugar, possibly due in part to eating too many carbohydrates. Beta-cell failure or insufficiency on top of insulin resistance is responsible for the development and progression of type 2 diabetes. "This study shows people with type 2 diabetes...

Patients improved their insulin responses after being taken off medications and adjusting lifestyle. Type 2 diabetes patients who went on a low-carbohydrate diet saw their insulin production double, potentially eliminating their need for medication, according to a new study published Tuesday in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Type 2 diabetes occurs when insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells become less effective. Insulin is needed to regulate blood sugar levels, and when there is not enough being produced, blood sugar levels rise, causing various diseases linked to Type 2 diabetes. No conventional drug for Type 2 diabetes has been shown to...

Researchers at Aarhus University have synthesized a molecule called LaKe that replicates the metabolic effects of exercise and fasting. This advancement allows the body to mimic the beneficial states of high lactate and ketone levels, which could transform into an innovative nutritional supplement aiding those unable to maintain rigorous exercise and diet routines, and potentially assist in treating brain-related conditions like Parkinson’s and dementia. Exercise and Fasting Benefits Mimicked by New Molecule Regular exercise and periodic fasting are widely recognized for their numerous health benefits. These activities strengthen the heart and lower blood fat levels due to the body’s natural...

The ketogenic (keto) diet may lower testosterone levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), according to a paper. PCOS is the most common hormone disorder in women, affecting 7–10% of women of childbearing age. It can cause infertility and raises the risk of developing diabetes, obesity and other metabolic health problems. Women with PCOS have at least two of these signs: Elevated levels of testosterone and other androgen hormones associated with male reproduction, irregular periods, and large ovaries with many small follicles. The keto diet is a high fat, low carbohydrate diet that has shown promising effects in women...

Keto, carnivore, low-carb. These are all just “fad diets,” right? Not so fast. Scientists at UC San Francisco recently published a study in Nature that showed a high-fat ketogenic diet combined with fasting restricted the growth of pancreatic tumors in mice.The study took a look at how certain tumors use ketone bodies as an energy source and that fasting and a ketogenic diet change the way messenger RNA “feeds” those tumors. Let’s take a step back for a moment and talk at a basic level about how this all works. Disclaimer: I am a mere journalist and not a doctor...

New Harvard research has found that not all trendy low-carb diets are equal when it comes to maintaining weight — some may even make you gain a few pounds. People who consume low-carb diets that emphasize plant-based proteins and healthy fats have a better chance of keeping excess weight gain at bay than those who eat low-carb diets comprised mostly of meat and unhealthy fats, according to results of a decades-long study published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open. “Our study goes beyond the simple question of, ‘To carb or not to carb?’ ” lead study author Binkai Liu, a research...

When Sweet Tomato, a Chihuahua, arrived at Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco, California, her excessive weight astonished her new friends. Weighing a staggering 30 pounds when she should have only weighed 10, Sweet Tomato's previous owner had fed her a diet primarily consisting of sausage and eggs. The consequences were severe, as she could barely move and required a stroller even for short distances. This excessive weight was detrimental to her overall health, prompting her rescuers to embark on a weight loss journey to ensure her well-being.

A new study found a pro-inflammatory diet is associated with an increased risk of relapse in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The researchers found a more pro-inflammatory diet is associated with a higher risk of relapses and more inflammatory brain lesions for MS patients in the years following their first disease attack. MS is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation that can damage nerve cells. A pro-inflammatory diet as per the study includes foods containing high amounts of fats and proteins. These foods are thought to drive chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation that could affect the course of MS. The...

Lost 33 pounds and had a little more to go. Have been working with a local health and wellness program and monitored dieting. Very happy and dropped two clothing sizes. Going to try to drop another size or two. I have decided to be a little too little than a little too big. Using low to moderate calorie high protein, moderate fate low carb diet. Your diet tips always welcome.

Quick and easy keto bread diet recipe. This keto bread recipe will take approximately 30 minutes to make from start to finish. Have you ever looked at the list of ingredients on regular store-bought bread? There are at least 15 different fat-gaining ingredients in each loaf of bread including artificial preservatives and other chemicals. “Wonder Bread” has 21 ingredients. No “wonder” we are in the middle of an obesity epidemic! This keto bread recipe is super easy to make and contains only 4 ingredients. I’d rather make my own bread because that way I am 100% sure of what I’m...

A new scientific study claims to have found little to no health risks related to eating red meat. The study says previous studies that claimed there was a link between red meat consumption and health issues are based on "weak evidence." Researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) released a study titled: "Health effects associated with consumption of unprocessed red meat: a Burden of Proof study." The paper was published in Nature journal in October. The scientists declared, "We found weak evidence of association between unprocessed red meat consumption and colorectal cancer, breast cancer,...

Prominent organizations including the World Health Organization and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have dismissed low-carbohydrate diets that prevent tooth decay in favor of recommending high-carbohydrate diets which rely on fluoride and food fortification to mitigate dental damage and nutritional shortcomings, a researcher says. Dr. Philippe Hujoel says that not only these organizations but other associations reversed earlier positions and began recommending high-carbohydrate diets. Specifically, he cites the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Dental Association (ADA). In the meantime, Dr. Hujoel says, some scientists provided compelling evidence that low-carbohydrate diets were at least as beneficial...

Pantothenate acid, also known as vitamin B5, stimulated the production of brown fat in both cell cultures and mice, a new study finds. "We identified [pantothenate acid] as an effective [brown fat] activator that can prevent obesity and may represent a promising strategy for the clinical treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases," the researchers wrote. Unlike the more common white fat, brown fat burns calories to produce heat. Under particular conditions, white fat can be converted to brown fat. Scientists have been investigating the behavior of brown fat and methods of converting white fat in hope of finding treatments...

A new shows remission from type 2 diabetes is possible for people with lower BMIs. Results show a staggering 70% of participants with lower bodyweights went into type 2 remission through diet-induced weight loss, despite not living with obesity or overweight. The Counterpoint study first showed that shedding fat from inside the pancreas and liver was key to remission from type 2 in people living with obesity or overweight. To find out if losing excess fat could also help people with BMIs in the healthy range go into remission from type 2 diabetes, Professor Roy Taylor put people with the...

The findings of a new study suggest that a ketogenic diet—which is low in carbohydrates and protein, but high in fat—helps to kill pancreatic cancer cells when combined with a triple-drug therapy. In laboratory experiments, the ketogenic diet decreased glucose (sugar) levels in the tumor, suggesting the diet helped starve the cancer. In addition, this diet elevated ketone bodies produced by the liver, which put additional stress on the cancer cells. By destabilizing the cancer cells, the ketogenic diet created a microenvironment in which the triple-drug therapy designed by TGen—a combination of gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel and cisplatin—was more effective at knocking...

Nearly 80 percent of deaths from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are associated with thrombosis, a condition that occurs when blood clots block a vein or artery. Traditionally, it's been thought that proteins released by damaged blood vessels may lead to inappropriate blood clotting, but a new study points to another trigger and a new mechanism that may underlie thrombosis. Beginning with samples from patients, investigators identified the new mechanism that activated PIEZO1, a major mechanosensory ion channel. In the lab, the team examined its effects and its potential as a therapeutic target for preventing thrombosis or identifying people at...

Disorders of the immune system are on the rise everywhere thanks to the global popularity of the so-called Western diet. Autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis have spiked in recent decades, according to scientists James Lee and Carola Vineusa at London’s Francis Crick Institute. Lee and Vineusa have devoted their study to investigating the cause of such illness, which they believe can be blamed on the recent pervasiveness of fast foods, which “lack certain important ingredients.” “Numbers of autoimmune cases began to increase about 40 years ago in the West,” Lee...

Prevailing theories posit plaques in the brain cause Alzheimer's disease. New UC Riverside research instead points to cells' slowing ability to clean themselves as the likely cause of unhealthy brain buildup. Along with signs of dementia, doctors make a definitive Alzheimer's diagnosis if they find a combination of two things in the brain: amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The plaques are a buildup of amyloid peptides, and the tangles are mostly made of a protein called tau. "Roughly 20% of people have the plaques, but no signs of dementia," said UCR Chemistry Professor Ryan Julian. "This makes it seem as...