ROUNCHY

Low-carb diets work for overweight diabetics

NEW YORK - Overweight people with type 2 diabetes can keep their weight and blood sugar under control over the long term by following a low-carbohydrate diet, Swedish researchers report.
"It is indeed possible to have a lasting success in the treatment of some of these patients," Dr. Jorgen Vesti Nielsen told Reuters Health.
The participants in the study limited their carbohydrate intake to 20 percent of total calories. The most significant effect of this low-carb diet is the absence of hunger, Nielsen added.
The consequent reduction in food intake allows the body to use its own stores of fat for fuel, which results in weight reduction, explained Nielsen, from the Blekingesjukhuset diabetes clinic, in Karlshamn, Sweden.
Moreover, avoiding starch-rich bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, and breakfast cereals, and limiting carbohydrate intake to 80 to 90 grams a day primarily from vegetables, salad, and crisp bread, also minimizes the glucose spikes that make it necessary for people with diabetes to take insulin, Nielsen said.
Nielsen and colleagues had previously reported superior weight loss and glucose control over a 22-month period among 16 obese patients with diabetes who followed a low-carbohydrate diet compared with 15 similar patients following a diet containing 55 to 60 percent of energy from carbohydrates.
In their current study, in the BioMed Central journal Nutrition and Metabolism, Nielsen's group reports 44 months of follow up data.
"Of the 16 patients, five have retained or reduced bodyweight since the 22 month point and all but one have lower weight at 44 months than at start," the investigators report. Furthermore, glucose levels dropped soon after starting the diet and have stayed down over the 44 month period.
"Advice to obese patients with type 2 diabetes to follow a 20% carbohydrate diet with some caloric restriction has a lasting effect on bodyweight and glycemic control," the investigators conclude.

Cops to release sketches of GenSan broadcasters gunmen

The Philippine National Police on Tuesday said it has already produced composite sketches of two of the suspected gunmen in the shooting August 4 of a Mindanao radio broadcaster.

The PNP said copies of the composite sketches of the two suspected assailants of Dennis Cuesta, broadcaster of Radio Mindanao Network, would be handed to its units in General Santos City and other areas in Mindanao.

Director General Avelino Razon Jr., PNP chief, said he had ordered the police regional office in Soccsksargen to focus on Cuesta's case.

Razon said the ambush on Cuesta may be work related, but added that police investigators are looking at all angles of the attack.

Cuesta was still in critical condition and confined at Saint Elizabeth Hospital in General Santos City.

The RMN broadcaster was shot by three motorcycle-riding gunmen while walking near the Gaisano Mall on Monday afternoon. He suffered four gunshot wounds to different parts of his body.

RMN said Cuesta and a co-anchor had just finished airing a raffle draw for the network's promo program and was walking home when ambushed. With a report from dzMM

BFAD bans import, sale of Chinas milk products

The Bureau of Food and Drugs has banned the import and sale of Chinese milk products due to the melamine contamination crisis. ...in the interest of protecting public health and welfare, directing all licensed importers and/or distributors of registered milk products sourced from China to immediately stop temporarily from further importing distributing, selling and offering for sale the aforesaid products, said BFAD in an advisory dated September 22. The BFAD advisory, which was signed by Director Leticia Barbara Gutierrez, said that the ban on importation and sale would be in effect until further notice from this bureau when data are presented assuring the products' safety and fitness for human consumption. BFAD reiterated that there is no infant formula produced in and imported from China that is registered with the agency. BFAD advised consumers not to purchase and use outright infant formula from China that might have been brought into the country through unauthorized means. Consumers were also warned not to purchase for the time being, milk products that are manufactured or sourced in China until further notice from this bureau when data are presented assuring the products' safety and fitness for human consumption. The BFAD advisory reiterated the agency's call to local officials to conduct investigation on the unauthorized import of infant formula and milk products manufactured in China. Inspecting all China milk products Gutierrez said Tuesday that they are inspecting all milk products in the market due to the melamine contamination crisis on Chinas milk products. Regional inspectors will be collecting samples of milk products present in the market. Still, were concentrating on the milk products coming from China, she told ABS-CBNs early morning show Umagang Kay Ganda. The BFAD on Monday has already ordered a stop to the distribution and sale of milk products from major Chinese dairy companies Mengniu Dairy Co. and Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group due to suspected melamine contamination. Well be doing this inspection for around two to three weeks as well be collecting from different regions in the country. Gutierrez stated that the BFAD has the inspection under control as they have the proper technology and manpower to examine the milk products and give proper instruction to its distributors, importers, and manufacturers. The Bureau of Food and Drugs is equipped with State of the Art equipment that will be used for testing the presence of melamine in all the products. Yesterday we came out with a public health advisory and its posted on our website and we are telling all the license importers and distributors of the bureau not to import, distribute, sell, or offer to sell any of the products until or unless we find that it is fit for human consumption. Gutierrez said that milk products will be given more priority, although attention will also be given to the inspection of candies, chocolates, and other products containing milk. We also receive reports that some candies and chocolates supposedly contain melamine so were collecting samples of those as well. Still, our main priority is the examination of actual milk samples because these are given to babies, to infants, she said. Gutierrez stressed that if the BFAD found some milk products to have no melamine, these can be purchased and consumed by the public. If there are no traces of melamine in a milk product, we could say that its safe for consumption since none of the chemical was added when it was manufactured, said Gutierrez DTI working with BFAD Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya of the Department of Trade and Industry said Tuesday that a task force was created in order to monitor other milk brands should they take advantage of the shortage of milk products as a result of the melamine crisis. We currently have a task force that monitors other milk products should they take advantage of this crisis. Were working with the BFAD, and Secretary Favila has already issued a directive so provincial offices as well can help us. Well make sure that no one would take advantage of the situation, thinking that were only examining products coming from China. Maglaya said that along with the BFAD, the Bureau of Customs also has a role in preventing the distribution of melamine-contaminated milk products. Yes the Bureau of Customs ought to check milk products entering the country. The BFAD as well plays an important role in inspecting these products so distribution can be prevented should these are found to contain melamine. Maglaya continued to remind the consumers not to buy repacked milk products, as well as products without labels. There is a possibility that repacked milk products actually come from China, thus the possibility for melamine content. We couldnt say for certain, but the important thing here is for consumers to not buy products that do not have labels. Consumers cannot determine the contents of the product if it doesnt have any label, and it could not be traced to its manufacturer. Milk products from China pulled out SM, Robinsons, and other big supermarkets have already pulled out Monday milk products that came from China even before a directive was released to remove them for possible melamine content. None of the liquid or powdered milk products made in China can be seen in over 60 supermarkets all over the country. However, there are still soya milk products present in the market which are made in Hong Kong and China since this isnt part of the scope of recall. Milk products from China now require a certification from BFAD before these can be returned to grocery shelves. Supermarkets and groceries also demand this BFAD certification as proof that these products have passed the departments inspection. For those who have already bought milk products made in China, supermarkets and groceries said that they could have them replaced for other brands. But since news came out regarding the melamine contamination, many consumers have stayed away from milk products coming from China.

Since January 2008, more than two million kilos of milk are imported by the country from China. Given this, the DTI is now working extra hard on monitoring these products, especially the repacking process.
Related Download • BFAD Advisory No 8, Sept. 22, 2008

Thai police take positions at besieged govt compound

BANGKOK - Riot police took up positions early Wednesday outside Thailand's main government compound, where thousands of protesters camped out through the night to demand the prime minister's resignation.
Deputy police spokesman Major General Surapol Tuanthong said a few officers and protesters sustained minor injuries in scuffles as police tried to break through the gates of Government House, but pledged there would be no violence.
Police have surrounded Government House and have taken up their positions. They are not going to disperse the crowd -- we are trying to negotiate, Surapol told AFP.
On Tuesday, up to 35,000 protesters seized a state-run television station, invaded the grounds of Government House and besieged at least three ministries in a stepped-up campaign to cripple Premier Samak Sundaravej's administration.
Surapol said about 8,000 protesters remained within the government compound, but declined to disclose how many police were deployed, saying only that it was enough to protect public property.
Police needed to reshuffle so that the officers who were on duty since yesterday can take a rest. I still insist that as of now police will not use force to disperse protesters, he told AFP.
An AFP correspondent at the scene said that hundreds of riot police, some armed with batons and shields, were waiting outside Government House.
At least 100 officers had managed to enter the compound, but remained separate from the protesters and appeared relaxed.
Army-run Thai television Channel Seven earlier reported that thousands of police were outside the seat of government, and said Interior Minister Kowit Wattana had entered the compound to negotiate with leaders.
The People's Alliance for Democracy , which has been protesting since May, claims Samak is running the country on behalf of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and is barred from holding office.
Most of the protesters remained calm early Wednesday, sitting on the manicured lawns of Government House, listening to speeches and singing songs.
This is the time that the authorities will storm into the Government House, Chamlong Srimuang, one of the protest leaders, told the crowds.
They know they cannot let protesters stay because we will make trouble for the government. There are a lot of people who want to join us but have been blocked by the police.
Samak said Tuesday that the government's approach would be soft and gentle, and said police would simply surround the seat of government until everyone had left and would not let the protests get out of hand.
They want bloodshed in the country, they want the military to come out and stage a coup again, Samak told a press conference.
I will not resign, I will stay to protect this country, he added.
PAD protests in early 2006 helped lead to the putsch that unseated Thaksin, and the entry to government of his ally Samak infuriated the old power elites in the military and palace, who resented Thaksin's hold on rural voters.

Police had kept a low profile on Tuesday as the protest mob made its noisy way through the streets of Bangkok, barely attempting to try to stop demonstrators as they broke down the gates of various state offices.

Annabelle Rama jittery during Monster Mom filming

By RAMIL DIGAL GULLE


It's easy to think that talent manager, actress and former sexy starlet Annabelle Rama is not afraid of anything, especially when she's defending her children.

As matriarch of the Gutierrez family of Philippine showbiz, she has challenged longtime friend and fellow talent manager Lolit Solis to a fist fight, helped daughter Ruffa get out of her marriage to a rich, powerful figure in Turkey; and put the Fear of Annabelle into Pokwang after the latter spoofed sons Raymond and Richard Gutierrez.

When she began filming her comeback film "Monster Mom" however, Annabelle admitted to The Buzz on Sunday that she was extremely nervous two days into the shoot.

According to Annabelle, her nervousness stemmed from two things: her concern over her looks and her concern over her acting.

She said that she even went to her dermatologist for last-minute procedures to firm up and tone her face. Annabelle said however that she made a mistake: she opted for the procedure two days before filming.

Since the procedure involved an injection of drugs into her face, some swelling occured before the desired effects were achieved. So Annabelle spend the first two days of her shoot with a swollen face.

"Para akong kumakain ng lolipop. Ang laki-laki ng mukha ko. Lahat ng klaseng blush on nilagay ko talagang hindi siya pwede," she said.

Annabelle was also nervous about how she would deliver her lines. Being bisaya she has difficulty speaking in Tagalog which was the language used in the film.

"Nag-memorize ako ng lines kailangan ako loud reading ako. Kung hindi ako mag-loud reading magbubulol-bulol ako," she said.

Annabelle also said that she got worried about her acting since she hasn't acted in film for the past 30 years. The warning from daughter Ruffa about the film's director Joey Reyes didn't help.

Annabelle said that Ruffa warned her that direk Joey doesn't like it when actresses take too long to do a scene.

"Mommy, wag kang mag-take five, ha? Alam mo naman si direk Joey ayaw ng take five," was the warning given by Ruffa to Annabelle.

Annabelle ended her interview with an appeal to all her fellow Bisaya to watch her movie.

"Mohangyo intaon ko ninyo tanaon intaon ninyo ang akong pelikulang "My Monster Mom". Akong kaoban si Ruffa, para man lang maging blockbuster akong first movie. At least maging proud kayo may isang Bisaya nag-blockbuster movie," she said.



The Buzz also talked to Annabelle husband, former matinee idol Eddie Gutierrez, who said that he considers her a "hot momma" more than a "monster mom."

Annebelle's reaction to her husband's comment?

"Siyempre naman, Boy , napakasarap, di ba?"