Losing weight may be as simple as taking a dietary supplement according to Skinny Body Care. Their product, Skinny Fiber Pills, are advertised as an all-natural weight loss solution. Dieters are told to take two of the pills 30 minutes before lunch and dinner with a glass of water. Once the pills are taken, the water-soluble fiber they contain expands, creating a feeling of fullness which causes less food to be consumed at those meals.

Research has shown that the water-soluble fiber in Skinny Fiber Pills, glucomannan, does create a feeling of fullness when it expands. The expansion happens because the gelling agent absorbs water as it passes through the GI tract. Registered Dietitian Mary Hartley points out that this is not an exclusive trait. “Glucomannan is not the only water-soluble fiber. Other sources include oatmeal, apples, oranges, pears, berries, potatoes, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, celery, carrots, flax seeds, beans, and dried peas,” she said. “Psyllium seeds (Metamucil) are rich in water-soluble fiber and will produce the same results for a fraction of the cost.”
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Invokana is the newest diabetes drug to hit the market and uses an innovative mechanism to help control blood sugar for type 2 diabetes. Invokana, produced by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, will make a splash in the market as this is the first drug of its kind.

The statistic for this drug that I’m most interested in is the reduction in A1C percentage. Hemoglobin A1C is the percent of glucose that is bound to red blood cells. It also gives a three-month big picture of the patient’s control of their blood sugar. The higher the number the higher the person’s daily blood sugars will be; the goal is to be under seven percent. Trials have shown that Invokana has lowered A1C percent by approximately 1 percent over 26 weeks with a 300 mg dose and a 0.77 percent decrease with a 100 mg dosage. A one-percent reduction is approximately a decrease of 14 points on an average daily blood glucose reading. Lower blood sugars overall will prevent complications which can include blindness, renal failure and amputations.
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While many of us will probably get plenty of vitamin D in the summer sunshine, there’s some potentially welcoming news for those who prefer to get theirs from dietary sources (which is always a wise idea anyway). According to new research, mushrooms produce enough vitamin D without the need for supplementation.

There are many reasons vitamin D is important to our health. For instance, adequate vitamin D levels are necessary for promoting healthy bone development, muscle strength, and reducing the risk of bone fractures. Vitamin D is also essential in helping strengthen your immune system and reduces the risk of certain types of cancer, depression and diabetes.

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine examined 30 healthy adults who were randomly given capsules of 2,000 International Units (IU) of vitamin D2, 2,000 IU of vitamin D3, or 2,000 IU of mushroom powder (with vitamin D2). They took these daily for 12 weeks in the winter months.
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• Dr. Mehmet Oz appeared on the Today Show this morning to discuss a new campaign he’s launching to address an issue that’s caused some confusion amongst his fans as to which products he endorses.

• The campaign is called “It’s Not Me” and is seeking to fight against brands illegally using his name to endorse their products. “I don’t sell any products,” said Dr. Oz. “If you see my name next to a product being sold to you, they’re lying to you.” Dr. Oz reports that he has teamed up with Google, Facebook and other large “internet vendors” to address this issue.

• Dr. Oz considers supplement ads to be most concerning because they’re potentially dangerous when mixed with medications, something the average consumer is not educated on. “Someone, I believe, will die this year because of some of these fraudulent ads,” he said.
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Octavia Spencer, the Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress in The Help, is the new spokesperson for Sensa. Since assuming her newest starring role, she’s lost 20 pounds in five months; weight loss featured in this newest Sensa television commercial. The actress was noticeably heavier when she played the role of Minny Jackson flawlessly; but in these recent images of Octavia it’s clear that she’s either avoiding the chocolate pies altogether or using Sensa to allow her to still indulge.
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