Dr Bernstein passed on to his reward last April. He was a major influence on my own approach to diabetes treatment. We see very few “great men” in our times: He was one.
Dr Bernstein practiced what he preached, which explains how he lived to the age of 90. That is exceedingly rare for a type 1 diabetic.
Thanks to Jan at The Low Carb Diabetic for bringing this to my attention. She published an account of what it was like to be one of Dr Bernstein’s patients.
Steve Parker, M.D.
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Not quite what you were expecting, was it?
Wishing a glorious Father’s Day to all you dads.
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From the Holy Bible (NIV), Matthew 22:36-40:
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Or if you prefer, click for a written account of The Christmas Truce of 1914.
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Therapeutic exercise helps a little. But don’t expect a dramatic improvement, according to this 2023 study published at The Lancet Rheumatology. The benefits tend to accrue to patients who are in most pain and most physically impaired at baseline.
If you’re carrying a lot of excess weight, it only stands to reason that weight loss would take some stress off those worn-out joints. Let me help.
Steve Parker, M.D.
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Posted in Knee Pain, Uncategorized
Fruits and veggies are good for us, right. We should eat more more of them, right?
UK’s Daily Mail published a worrisome article about pesticide residues (PFAS) on many fruits and veggies: strawberries, grapes, cherries, spinach, tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, etc. The tested foods were from UK supermarkets but I bet the numbers are just as bad or worse in Los Estados Unidos.
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These man-made and long-lasting chemicals are implicated in causation of cancer, immunity impairment, infertility, impaired kidney function, thyroid disease, and low birth weight.
Thrice in the last six months I’ve heard that compared to the European Union, U.S. regulators allow many more added chemicals in food. That sounds like a deep and circuitous rabbit hole that I’m not ready to explore. Please mention in the comments an authoritative book or website on the subject.
I’ve been trying to grow food here in the Sonoran Desert for the last three years. I’m about ready to give up. My primary pests have been mealy bugs, caterpillars, mice, pack rats, and squirrels.
Oh, well. I guess it won’t matter when nuclear WWW3 kicks off.
Steve Parker, M.D.
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I’m increasingly distrustful of the mainstream (aka legacy) media. Ownership of it is in the hands of surprisingly few people. This makes reported news susceptible to manipulation by folks that have an agenda that may be at odds with your desire for “just the facts.”
In 1976, when the U.S had only three or four national over-the-air TV stations and no Internet, 72% of Americans trusted mass media. A Gallup poll found that in 2023, only 32% of Americans had a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of trust in the mass media. A larger percentage—39%—had “none at all.” In view of AI or CGI-generated imaging, it’s getting hard to believe anything you don’t see with your own eyes.
Most of the mainstream media (aka legacy media) consumed in the U.S. originates from a handful of companies. From a 2021 essay by Helen Johnson:
In 1983 there were 50 dominant media corporations. Today there are five. These five conglomerates own about 90 percent of the media in the United States, including newspapers, magazines, book publishers, motion picture studios and radio and television stations. As of 2020, the five media giants are AT&T (Time Warner, CNN, HBO), Comcast (NBC Universal, Telemundo, Universal Pictures), Disney (ABC, ESPN, Pixar, Marvel Studios), News Corp (Fox News, Wall Street Journal, New York Post) and ViacomCBS (CBS, Paramount Pictures).
Alternative Media for Your Consideration (not for local news, sports, weather)
By no means do I endorse or agree with everything you see or hear at these sites.
I’d like to know if you agree or disagree with these choices, or if you’d add any.
Steve Parker, M.D.
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Diabetes Daily has in interesting article that addresses that question. A snippet:
In October 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a report examining low-carbohydrate diets like keto in children and adolescents. You probably won’t be surprised that the authors are concerned. Despite the increasing popularity of carbohydrate restriction, evidence to support the benefits of low-carb diets in young people under 18 with obesity or diabetes is very limited. And though diabetes authorities have acknowledged that carb restriction has “the most evidence” for improving blood sugar levels, the American Diabetes Association has only endorsed low-carb eating as one of multiple possible eating patterns.
And yet, there are many people in the diabetes community who believe in the effectiveness of low, even very-low, carbohydrate diets for their children. There’s at least one study that supports their advocacy
I’m not a pediatrician and never treat children in my hospital practice, not even 17-year-olds. Nor have I reviewed the pertinent pediatric scientific literature. So I’ve never been comfortable writing about keto diets for children. The linked DD article was reviewed by Anna Goldman, M.D.
Steve Parker, M.D.
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Melvin Konner and S. Boyd Eaton are highly respected pioneers in the paleo diet movement. Their new article in Evolutionary Anthropology is titled “Hunter-gatherer diets and activity as a model for health promotion: Challenges, responses, and confirmations.” For the low, low price of $15 USD you can read it here.
Beginning in 1985, we and others presented estimates of hunter-gatherer (and ultimately ancestral) diet and physical activity, hoping to provide a model for health promotion. The Hunter-Gatherer Model was designed to offset the apparent mismatch between our genes and the current Western-type lifestyle, a mismatch that arguably affects prevalence of many chronic degenerative diseases. The effort has always been controversial and subject to both scientific and popular critiques. The present article (1) addresses eight such challenges, presenting for each how the model has been modified in response, or how the criticism can be rebutted; (2) reviews new epidemiological and experimental evidence (including especially randomized controlled clinical trials); and (3) shows how official recommendations put forth by governments and health authorities have converged toward the model. Such convergence suggests that evolutionary anthropology can make significant contributions to human health.
Steve Parker, M.D.
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Steve Parker, M.D.
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Tagged diet, fitness, health, nutrition, Weight Loss
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Diabetic Mediterranean Diet Advanced Mediterranean Life
Paleo Diabetic 