Diabetics should think before they drink If you wait around long enough it seems everything that has been classified as "bad for you" comes full circle and eventually becomes "good for you." Alcohol is one of these born-again "nutrients." A study of nearly 1,000 diabetic people revealed that those who indulged in one or more alcoholic beverages a day significantly cut their risk of developing coronary heart disease and having a fatal heart attack, compared with non-drinkers. (Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of diabetics.) While this might sound like permission to catch up with your old friend Jack Daniels, it's important to note that there are some significant risks involved with alcohol and diabetes. Even small amounts of alcohol can result in dramatic swings in blood sugar levels. Peripheral neuropathy, an unpleasant inflammation of the nerve endings common in diabetics, can be exacerbated by alcohol. Even worse, alcohol may increase "insulin resistance," meaning it takes larger and larger doses to be effective. Since insulin itself is atherogenic (i.e., causes hardening of the arteries) you could be setting off on a vicious cycle that just isn't worth the short-lived satisfaction those couple of drinks might bring. It usually takes a good 10 to 20 years (sometimes more) for a new idea to be accepted, even if it is a good one. Take color therapy, for instance. I started writing about it years ago, and most of mainstream medicine thought I was crazy. Now it's becoming mainstream. It turns out after all these years (now that they can't just shrug off the proof) that color therapy does have a definite, useful place in self-treatment. "HappySkin Acne Light" is now being touted as an acne remedy. The manufacturer, Verilux, says HappySkin uses two different colors of light: blue and red. Blue produces a photodynamic reaction that kills bacteria, which multiply when oil glands are clogged. Red, they claim, appears to have an anti-inflammatory effect. Clearly, the HappySkin promoters haven't a clue about color therapy. Red light is actually contraindicated for inflammatory conditions. In fact, red is rarely used in color therapy (except over the kidneys in renal failure and liver failure). But aside from that, their references rely on a study that looked at the various effects of red and blue light on the skin. But the study looked at the two colors separately, and HappySkin uses them together, mixing them, so to speak. So, in essence, they're no longer using red and blue! If you mix red and blue, you get purple. There is no evidence that purple, the color they're actually using, does anything for acne. This contraption is nothing but two fluorescent tubes in a box and, at 200 bucks, way overpriced. I'm not overly impressed with this product, but if you are interested in learning more for yourself you can find them on the Internet at www.bestvacuum.com/verliux.html or you can contact them by phone at 888-205-3228. | 
