Blood Sugar Impact Of Whole Wheat vs. Refined Wheat

The Study

In a randomized crossover trial, 16 subjects consumed a breakfast cereal with either whole wheat flour or refined wheat flour. Postprandial blood sugar was measured with glucose monitors for up to 4 hours after consuming the cereal.

There was a very small difference in the glycemic response between the 2 test cereals.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2022 115:1013-26

Take Home Message

Maintaining a stable blood sugar is critical if you are trying to lose weight or reduce your risk of chronic disease. Whole grains are generally a much better choice than refined grain. For example, white rice is much harder on your blood sugar than brown rice.

However, with wheat, there does not seem to be much of a difference between refined wheat and whole wheat. They both hit your blood sugar pretty hard. I recommend to my clients to avoid all wheat and focus on other sources of whole grains such as oatmeal, brown rice and quinoa.

 

 

Vitamin D And Risk Of Covid-19

The Study

Vitamin D has been thought to have a role in our immune system response to viral infections. This study examined the association between vitamin D status and risk/severity of Covid 19 infection.

Over 39,000 women from the Nurses’ Health Study completed periodic lifestyle surveys between May 2020 and March 2021. During this time, 1,768 reported a positive test for Covid-19. Here are some of the results of this interesting study:

-Higher predicted vitamin D levels were associated with lower risk of Covid-19 infection. Those with the highest levels had a 24% lower risk than those with the lowest levels.

-Subjects who got the most UV-A and UV-B rays from the sun had a lower risk of Covid-19 infection.

-A high intake of Vitamin D from supplements (greater than 400 IU per day) was associated with a 50% lower risk of hospitalization from Covid-19. American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition 2022; 115:1123-1133.

Take Home Message

Although I am not much of a supplement guy, you can make a strong case for vitamin D supplementation. After all, it is almost impossible to get enough from your diet. You do make a ton of it from the sun. The problem here is that most of us wear sunblock, as we should. This blocks production of vitamin D from the sun. 

It looks like higher D levels may protect against the both the severity and odds of getting Covid-19. Talk to your doctor to find out if vitamin D supplementation is a good idea for you. 

  

Product Review: Weider XRS 20 Workout Bench

Working out at home is a great idea. Most of us lead busy lives, and not having to drive to a gym, park the car and get changed can save us some serious time. During Covid, exercising at home is also a good idea if you are looking to limit your risk of contracting the virus. Exercising at home can also save you tons of money. You can take one year's worth of gym dues and create an excellent home gym that will last you decades.

A good weight bench is an important addition to your home gym. I recently picked up the Weider XRS 20 workout bench. This is an inexpensive, versatile bench that has added an entirely new level to my home gym experience. Following are some of the pro’s and con’s of this workout bench.

Pro’s

1) This bench is sturdy and can hold up to 610 lbs.

2) It was easy to put together.

3) It adjusts to both incline and decline positions.  This gives you multiple options to work your chest.

4) There is a leg attachment, so you can do leg extensions and hamstring curls. These are two great exercises for the lower body.

5) There is a preacher curl attachment, which is a great option to isolate your biceps.

6) It is relatively inexpensive at $166.97.

7) It looks sharp.

8) It is easy to adjust the incline/decline settings.  It just pops in and out of the different settings.  You don’t need to pull out a pin.

Con's

1) The only negative I can find with this bench is that it is a little high off the ground.  This can make getting your dumbbells into position for a bench press a bit more challenging. Not a major issue, but I just thought I’d mention it.

Would I Recommend the Weider XRS 20 Weight Bench?

Absolutely! I have been able to add several exercises to my repertoire since acquiring this bench. It is holding up great and I am very happy with my purchase. If you have the space, consider this bench.

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with the company that makes the Weider XRS 20 Weight bench and make no money if you buy it.