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Combining a low dose of blood pressure medication with a higher intake of dietary-resistant starch might help stave off diabetic kidney disease, according to results from a new animal study. "Our study suggests that combining dietary interventions with a low dose of established medications for diabetic kidney disease management can provide a more feasible and lower side-effect alternative for patients to implement and improve their health outcomes by helping maintain their kidney integrity," said Claudia Carrillo. Dietary-resistant starch is found in unripe bananas, cooked and cooled potatoes, legumes and whole grains. This type of carbohydrate ferments in the large intestine,...

According to the government's new dietary guidelines, Americans need to cut sugar, salt and fat from their diets and eat more fruits and vegetables. To do this, people should choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods - things with lots of nutrients but comparatively few calories - in all food groups. ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Eating lots of whole grains could ward off high blood pressure, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In the study, men with the highest whole-grain consumption were 19 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure than men who ate the least amount of whole grains. While refining grains removes their outer coating, whole grains retain their bran and germ, so they are richer in many nutrients, Dr. Alan J. Flint of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and his colleagues note in their report. The most recent...

AP FOOD AND FARM WRITER WASHINGTON -- Multigrain, oat bran, cracked wheat, or seven-grain. Which has the heart-healthy whole grains recommended by the government? To answer that question, the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday came out with a new definition of whole grains. The agency wants to make it easier for people to choose foods made from whole grains. The choice is not easy, given the bewildering array of slogans and logos in the supermarket. For example, Cheerios and other General Mills cereals have their own "whole grain" emblem. Companies from Bruegger's Bagels to Snyder's of Hanover pretzels use...

Sugar and Grains Increase Depression   Depression may be the culprit behind both mental and physical health conditions. According to studies, more than normal rates of depression can be found in patients with clinically manifest type 2 diabetes. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes and can be characterized by insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency--either of which can be present at its onset.And, while the relationship between insulin resistance and depression is a vague and contradictory area, a more recent study may have made some headway.Treading New GroundResearchers discovered a positive connection between higher levels of...