Welcome to the latest installment of Integrative Nutrition Reviews, where we consider books, movies, and other media related to health, food, and personal wellness. Want to suggest something for us to review? Post it in the comments!

As you probably know, obesity and type 2 diabetes—two diseases that go hand in hand—have become major global epidemics. Recent estimates predict that by the year 2030, over half of American adults will be obese and 552 million people will struggle with diabetes.

The statistics look grim, but is there anything we can do? As it turns out, there’s hope after all. In his new book, The Blood Sugar Solution, renowned physician and IIN visiting teacher Dr. Mark Hyman offers an encouraging answer for the dual-pronged problem of obesity and insulin resistant diabetes, which Hyman refers to as “diabesity.”

Diabesity may have a tight grip on the world’s population, but Hyman offers some good news: the condition is highly preventable, treatable, and often reversible. The Blood Sugar Solution provides a personal plan that breaks through myths and misconceptions about diabesity, and lays out seven key steps to preventing, treating and reversing both diseases by dealing with the underlying causes.

The eight-week plan is designed to reboot the metabolism, foster weight loss, and essentially reverse type 2 diabetes. According to Hyman, additional benefits may include reduced blood pressure, increased energy, the elimination of joint and muscle pain, improved sleep, and an overall better mood and outlook.

New Yorkers can be pretty hardened, but some of the latest ads to come out of Mayor Bloomberg's no-holds-barred anti-obesity campaign are leaving some people in shock.

Specifically addressing the extreme augmentation of portion sizes, the New York Department of Health is swapping their gross-out fat soda ads for even more distressing depictions of obese individuals afflicted by limited mobility.

In the ad to the left, an obese, one-legged man is a startling warning of the repercussions of obesity – specifically, amputation due to diabetes. Another ad shows an obese woman struggling up steep stairs. Both contain warnings about the dangers of growing portions.

Despite the laudable intent to discourage becoming obese, these grim subway posters are being rebuked as scare tactics instead of credible risk reminders.

Photo Credit: PaulaDeen.com

After much speculation and murmuring in the gossip mills, Paula Deen finally confirmed yesterday on the Today show that she does in fact suffer from Type 2 diabetes. This news is not exactly surprising; the TV chef and self-proclaimed “queen of Southern cuisine” is famous for her decadent deep-fried cooking laden with butter, sugar, and lard.

What is shocking, however, is the fact that she waited three years to reveal her diagnosis – and is apparently only speaking publicly about it now that she’s a paid spokesperson for a diabetes drug. Aside from giving up sweet tea, she says she doesn’t plan to drastically change her diet and cooking habits. At best, her blasé approach to tackling diabetes is one-sided; at worst, it’s calculated and cynical.

The rising rate of diabetes is a far cry from new news. As the Western diet of fast food spreads worldwide at a rapid pace, increased diabetes and obesity rates have been quick to follow.

However, a recent report from the International Diabetes Federation has shed new light on the increasing urgency of the issue:

“The number of people living with the disease is expected to soar to 552 million by 2030 -- equating to three new cases every 10 seconds -- up from 366 million in 2011, unless urgent action is taken.” the International Diabetes Federation told Reuters.

This is part of our new Integrative Nutrition Reviews series, where we will consider books, movies, and other media related to health, food, and personal wellness. If you'd like to suggest a particular book or movie for Integrative Nutrition to review in the future, please comment!

"Let food be thy medicine." - Hippocrates, Father of Western Medicine

Hippocrates' message is intimately familiar to the Integrative Nutrition community, but what was once obvious to the ancient Father of Western Medicine is increasingly forgotten amongst modern eaters.

The 2011 documentary Forks Over Knives hopes to remind us.

The 90-minute film relates the medical findings of two doctors, T. Colin Campbell and Caldwell Esselstyn, both over-seventy years old but still vibrant and active. After years of research in health and nutrition, the MDs (who incidentally both grew up on dairy farms) found themselves on the fringes of their medical communities when they determined that their most effective treatment for the world's most common diseases was no pill or surgery, but the vegan diet.

Study after study, and patient after patient, the doctors found that not only could they treat the symptoms of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer with a vegan diet, but even reverse high-cholesterol and blood pressure, cure diabetes, and in some cases, send cancer into remission.

As the world continues to battle rising obesity and diabetes rates, it seems that health coaches are more important than ever. We recently spoke with IIN grad, Kris Barrett who told us about her experience at IIN and the need for health coaches in her native country of Australia. Check out what Kris has to say here:

What were you doing before Integrative Nutrition?

Running my own business importing and supplying specialty foods for people with multiple allergies.

What led you to explore Integrative Nutrition's program?

Every day I'd have new customers on the phone asking me all sorts of questions about what to feed their child, and how to get them to try new foods. I really wanted to be able to offer more advice but felt I wasn't "qualified" enough to do it, even though I had been doing a special diet with my son for 7 years after his autism diagnosis and knew the power of food in healing. When I finally learned about Integrative Nutrition, I was so excited, as this was exactly what I was looking for!

More than 350 million people worldwide now have diabetes. That's greater than the entire population of the United States (307 million), and more than double the number of diabetes cases in 1980.

These frightening statistics from The Guardian will only get worse if we do not make dramatic changes to the our accustomed lifestyles.

By 2020, the UnitedHealth Group anticipates that 50% of Americans could have diabetes or prediabetes. As much as 95% of these cases are predicted to be Type 2 adult-onset diabetes, a condition highly correlated to obesity, poor diet, and lack of physical activity. In some cases, the condition can lead to kidney failure, heart attack, or stroke.

To reverse this trend, we've got to start at the source: the Standard American Diet and lifestyle that is now proliferating through all the nations of the world

Non-smoking adults at a normal weight who eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise have been proven to be 89% less likely to develop diabetes. That's a very encouraging prevention statistic!

What about those already diagnosed with diabetes? Just earlier this month, researchers had a breakthrough in diabetes care. As reported by the BBC, eleven people who had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes underwent a drastic eight-week diet regimen of 600 calories a day. At the end of the study, 7 of the 11 participants no longer had diabetes.

What’s for dinner at your house tonight? How about a meat–free dish? Just by reducing animal protein in your diet, you could lessen your risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes. Many people have found that reducing animal protein consumption can help with low energy and sugar cravings. You can also improve the health of our environment by preserving natural resources like water and fossil fuels.

Join a growing number of people all over the country in the Meatless Monday movement and pledge to eat meat-free once a week.  What will you eat in place of your meat entrée? Try incorporating more vegetables into your meal, which are high in fiber and will make you feel full and satisfied. Beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds are also a great meat alternative. They are high in protein, iron and magnesium and contain little to no saturated fat.

You’ll also reduce your carbon footprint by cutting back on meat just once a week. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, the meat industry generates nearly 1/5 of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide. Our precious water resources are exhausted daily and the demand continues to grow. Approximately 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef. This total far surpasses the amount of water needed for vegetables and grains.

People are confused about how to start making improvements to their health, let alone make sizable changes to the environment. Start with what you put on your dinner plate. Start today. You don’t have to become a vegetarian to make a difference. Michael Pollan recently stated on the Oprah show: “Even one meatless day a week — a meatless Monday, which is what we do in my household — if everybody in America did that, that would be the equivalent of taking 20 million mid-size sedans off the road.”

Need recipe ideas? Check out Meatless Monday’s recipe page or our website. Just think about the health message you’re starting today and how you can extend it for the rest of the week. Go meatless and the possibilities are endless!

Jello, doughnuts, French fries, soda and candy bars are not the typical foods you think of when you envision healthy eating, right? The odd thing is that’s what most hospitals serve in their vending machines and cafeterias. Have you noticed that? These junk foods are rather the foods you might serve a patient if you want them to be a repeat customer.

Why do hospitals serve these foods? Is it because they are cheap, quick and easy? Instead of serving sick people processed foods that will send their blood sugar levels on a roller coaster ride and lead to weight gain and diabetes maybe hospitals should opt for whole grains like brown rice, vegetables and fruit like broccoli and apples. It’s a lot easier to give someone vegetarian lentil soup than a quadruple bypass surgery. Yes?

I’m curious to see what types of foods your local hospital serves. Share with us. Is there a Dunkin Dounuts or vending machines lining the walls of your hospital? What do you think it will take for hospitals to switch over their food to healthier options? Do you want to be a part of that change?

Last year, over 1 million adults were diagnosed with diabetes. That’s more than 4,000 people every day. That’s crazy! Recently, diabetes experts from around the world gathered in New York City to discuss different techniques to help patients lose weight and get their blood sugar under control. They talked about the extreme measures of gastric bypass surgery and other surgeries. But mostly, they realized we have a long way to go with education and prevention.

Type 2 diabetes is largely caused by lifestyle choices like diet and exercise. Most Americans consume too many foods with refined sweets and added sugars found in doughnuts, candy bars and sodas. This type of diet disrupts our normal blood glucose levels which provide energy to the cells. Think about how you feel after a piece of cake. You have a ton of energy, right? This energy spike only lasts for an hour or so and then you crash, causing a roller-coaster effect.

It may take years for diabetes to develop, but more doctors realize the importance of intervening before our health truly takes a toll.  You don’t need to make drastic changes. Start to include more vegetables, fruits and whole grains into your diet. If you crave sweets, trying eating more sweet vegetables such as sweet potatoes or squash.

As you make changes to your diet you can also look at the role of exercise in your life. Try incorporating more movement into your day whether that is going for a walk, run, bike ride or a yoga class. Experiment with what works for you.

By making these changes you will not only decrease your chance of getting diabetes, but you may inspire others to make healthier lifestyle changes.