Photo: Sam Catchsides, Flickr

Most of us don't want to take prescription drugs unless we have to, and a recent study found that when it comes to diabetes, we might not have to rely on medication to control our blood sugar -- maintaining a healthy diet could be enough. The four-year study from Italy found that participants who were able to stick to the Mediterranean diet were able to lower their blood sugar levels and keep them down over time, suggesting that a healthy diet could reduce the need for diabetes medication. What's more, the study also found that the Mediterranean diet was more effective at controlling blood sugar levels than a traditional American Heart Association-style low-fat diet.

Participants in the study who followed the Mediterranean diet were encouraged to eat lots of fruits, veggies and lean protein, as well as moderate amounts of whole grains and healthy fats, like olive oil. Additionally, they were instructed that carbohydrate intake should be no more than 50 percent of their daily calories, and they reduced their overall calorie intake -- from an average of 1,800 to 1,500 for women, and 2,600 to 1,800 for men.

So, basically, then, healthy food and eating less improves your health? Uh, this isn't exactly news, but experts are still fairly excited about the findings because this is the longest study of it's kind thus far. Still, it's not completely clear whether diet alone is enough to eliminate the need for blood sugar medication, but one thing is obvious: Your are still what you eat.

Find more about the Mediterranean Diet here.

Photo: e-magic, Flickr

Have the pharmaceutical companies finally found the magic pill for weight loss? While it's not magic, Orexigen Therapeutics Inc. has had positive results in their recent trials for Contrave, a new obesity drug.

In one trial, 48 percent of obese participants who took a higher dose of Contrave lost at least 5 percent of their body weight; only 16.4 percent of control participants (who were taking a placebo) lost comparable weight. In a second trial, 56.3 percent of those taking Contrave lost weight compared to 17.1 percent taking a placebo.

With a more than 7 percent difference between Contrave takers and placebo takers, the trials were above the FDA guidelines for weight loss drugs. (FDA guidelines state that there must be at least a 5 percentage point difference.) A lower dose of Contrave also showed positive results in trials.

Instead of blocking fat absorption like Orlistat (found in the over-the-counter drug Alli) or controlling appetite like Meridia, Contrave tackles weight loss from another direction. Contrave is a combination of Wellbutrin, a common antidepressant, and naltrexone, a medication used to treat addictions.

Existing weight loss drugs have some nasty side effects. Fat blockers, for example, can cause diarrhea and/or anal leakage. Orexigen states that Contrave was generally well tolerated by trial participants. However, possible side effects include gall bladder inflammation and seizures.

Orexigen plans to seek FDA approval for Contrave next year.

Jillian Michaels doesn't try to hide the fact that she's pushy -- as a trainer on "The Biggest Loser," she consistently pushes the contestants to their limits, and she certainly gets results. However, when a contestant accused her of pushing drugs, Michaels didn't hesitate for a moment before standing up for herself and the contestants on her team.

Michaels told TV Guide Magazine that Filipe Fa accused her of giving the contestants on her team drugs -- an accusation that resulted in an internal drug investigation. If you watch the show, you likely saw the resulting fight between Michaels and Fa as well as Michaels' refusal to do a one-on-one workout session with Fa, but you didn't hear what started it.

In week eight, contestants on the show were forced to switch trainers, which Fa didn't want to do. Michaels' told TV Guide Magazine, "Filipe said, 'I think Jillian is giving people drugs.' We had an entire 'Kenneth Starr' investigation. Because the minute someone makes that claim, you have to. They didn't shut down production, but it took a week. I was so furious, so disgusted. I felt so betrayed."

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Alli's been on the market in North America for a while now, but it started to gain quite a bit more press once Wynona Judd announced she was jumping on the bandwagon and using the weight-loss drug to lose a few. However, just because a celeb uses Alli, doesn't mean you should, as Fitsugar has reminded us. Because, have you taken time to read the side effects? They are:

• Oily spotting. From your, um, rear end, if you needed clarification.
  
• Loose stools
• More frequent stools that may be hard to control.
  

Ick. What's more, they advise that "you may feel an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Until you have a sense of any treatment effects, it's probably a smart idea to wear dark pants, and bring a change of clothes with you to work." Lovely.

I think I will stick to regular dieting rather than risk unfortunate accidents like these. What about you?

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Everyone's favorite train wreck celebrity Amy Winehouse seemed to be getting it all together. A short while ago, she jetted off to the Caribbean for some much-needed R and R and soon after touching down admitted that she was off drugs and loving life. Then, in one of the most shocking celebrity new stories this year, photos were snapped of her doing something fitness-y when she participated in a grueling gymnastics session. Could this be the beginning of a newer, fitter, healthier Winehouse?

Not so fast -- first, her boyfriend went back home to England, then -- not surprisingly -- her husband filed for divorce and next thing we knew, she was snapped crawling on the ground begging people to give her cocktails after getting cut off at the bar. Now, if that's not class with a capital 'C', I don't know what is.

Is there any hope for Amy? I don't know about you, but I certainly have my doubts.

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Wynonna Judd is singing the weight loss blues ... or rather the reds, blues, golds and greens of the alli© logo. She's signed on as spokesperson for the weight loss drug.

Judd is part of a long-list of celebs who have lent their names and faces to weight loss products. Jenny McCarthy once touted Weight Watchers, and Phylicia Rashad is the latest celeb speaking for Jenny Craig. Regarding alli, Judd said "I've considered every diet under the sun, but so many of them wanted me to be something I'm not and do things I knew were not healthy for me. Then I discovered alli. With the alli program, I'm learning how to make and maintain healthier lifestyle choices. It keeps me honest with myself and allows me to set realistic goals."

That's great, Wynonna. But I've got one question. Why do you need alli to do all that? You can make healthier choices and set realistic goals without a pill.

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Eight short years ago, Marion Jones was the pride of the US -- raking in medals at the Sydney Olympics. Then things fell apart when it was revealed that Jones took performance-enhancing drugs. She was stripped of her medals and was sentenced to time in prison for lying to federal prosecutors. In her first interview since her release, Jones spoke to Oprah about what really happened.

According to Jones, her former coach, Trevor Graham, gave her pills he described as flax seed oil. Jones, who took numerous substances such as vitamins and creatine, didn't question what he was giving her. Jones said she was instructed to put the tablet under her tongue for a while and then swallow it. Later, during the investigation, prosecutors showed Jones a vial of a designer steroid nicknamed "the clear." Jones now admits that she recognized it immediately as the substance her coach had given her. "I made the decision I was going to lie and try to cover it up," explained Jones. "I knew that all of my performances would be questioned."

There's a lesson for all athletes here. From the average Joe to the high school quarterback to elite athletes -- we're all responsible for what we put into our bodies. Supplements such as whey protein and creatine are frequently used by athletes. But even legal supplements shouldn't be used without knowledge and caution. Proper nutrition, consistent exercise, and appropriate training are your best bets for keeping your body in peak condition.

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She may be slim, but she sure isn't the picture of health. Amy Winehouse, the troubled singer with a penchant for drugs, booze, big hair and criminals reportedly lives on junk food, according to close friends. Says one close confidant, "Those who see her on a daily basis are at a complete loss as to what to do. She is lost and bewildered and all she lives off is fizzy drinks and sweets." Because, really, if you're going to become a drug addict, the least you could do is get your five to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Gosh.

All jokes aside, I hope the singer finds the help she needs -- which evidently should include a nutritionist to keep her eating habits in line. What do you think?

(via Calorie Lab)

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When it comes to healthy ways to stay hydrated, tea is near the top of the list. Not only is it fat, calorie, and sugar-free, it's also often loaded with antioxidants. So why does Viggo Mortensen keep getting in trouble for his tea habit, especially at the airport?

Probably because Viggo drinks his tea with a pipe. He prefers a tea called Argentinean mate. According to Wikipedia, mate is an infusion of stimulants and tea that are traditionally drunk out of a gourd. Modern drinkers like Viggo, however, may use something called a bomba. This small metal pipe allows the tea to reach the mouth, while filtering out the chunkier parts of the mixture.

The problem for Viggo is that he often takes his tea and bomba to the airport in ziploc bags, causing airport security to raise their eyebrows in curiousity and concern. Once Viggo explains that what he's carrying is tea and not an illegal drug, he says, it's usually not an issue.

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By now, it's no secret that famous designer Marc Jacobs has been to rehab a couple of times for help with his addictions to alcohol and drugs. But while replacing one addiction with another is usually not considered healthy, Jacobs has found one new addiction that is: Exercise.

In the latest issue of Harper's Bazaar, Jacobs admits that he often goes to the gym for three hours at a time. And he complements his new routine by eating well, following an eating plan prescribed to him by nutritionist Lisa Duncan to rid him of digestive problems. On the menu these days? Nutrient powerhouses like mangosteen, goji, noni, and açaí berries.

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After collapsing in her London home last week, singer Amy Winehouse has been resting and undergoing tests in a London hospital. After a short-lived TB scare, doctors finally pinpointed her condition. She's been diagnosed with emphysema, in the very early stages. Emphysema is a lung condition that creates breathlessness and reduces a person's ability to be physically active.

Though there's no cure for emphysema, Winehouse's condition will likely be controlled by a smoking cessation program (smoking the main risk factor for emphysema), lung rehabilitation, and medications. The damage caused by emphysema is irreversible, but Winehouse's publicist insists she's in the earliest stage of the disease.

According to her father, Winehouse is eager to began rebuilding her health and has been following doctor's orders to the letter. Whether she's able to continue touring or not will depend on whether those doctors feel like she's up to the task.

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A recent report from the U.S. Army's fifth Mental Health Advisory Team revealed that many soldiers are turning to antidepressant drugs to help them cope through wartime deployments.

Time magazine recently covered this story, stating that this recent survey of troops led to the discovery that 17 percent of combat troops stationed in Afghanistan and 12 percent of those stationed in Iraq are taking prescription drugs to help deal with issues related to nerves, depression, and sleep deprivation.

According to Military.com, the Army estimates that authorized drug use splits about evenly into two groups: troops taking antidepressants -- such as Prozac and Zoloft -- and those taking prescription sleeping pills. The percentage soldiers on antidepressants is an equal representation of the percentage of the general civilian population who also use these drugs, says the report.

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Just pulled some prescription numbing cream out of my medicine cabinet. It expired in July 2006 -- way back when I was still receiving treatment for cancer and couldn't bear the thought of a needle piercing the skin on top of my implanted port without my Lidocaine cream generously coating the entire area. It was a lifesaver, that cream. But it's been almost two years since I've needed it, two years since it was apparently even effective. Do I really need to keep it around, then? Why, of course not. And that's why I'm about to trash it.

Do you have your own stash of old and outdated medication. If so, you should wade through it and ditch what you no longer need. Don't flush what you've got, though, unless the drug packaging specifically instructs you to do so. And don't just toss your meds in the trash can. These actions can harm the environment and your drinking water.

What should I do with my old cream then? And what should you do with your leftover stock of drugs? Here's what the Office of National Drug Control Policy says you should do. This article offers several options too. You might also look into services provided by your city or county. The City of Cleveland just hosted a medication round-up in May. And the City of San Francisco is urging its residents to safely store old drugs until drop-off sites for expired goods are established.

Tell us: What do you do?

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Many competitive athletes have to undergo drug tests. Is drug testing for scholars in our future, too? According to the UK's Academy of Medical Sciences, certain drugs have been used by healthy people to boost alertness and mental awareness.

Aricept (an Alzheimer's treatment), Ritalin (for ADHD), and modafinil (for day-time sleepiness) have been used by some people to get an edge up on tests and exams. Like steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs used by some athletes, this gives the student an unfair advantage. Also like steroids, using drugs in ways other than they are prescribed for can be seriously detrimental to health.

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Medication costs aren't set in stone. Recent findings published in the June issue of Consumer Reports show that the costs of medications can vary widely from store to store, even within the same chain of stores.

One hundred and sixty three pharmacies nationwide were contacted and asked the costs for three-month supplies of four common medications: Detrol, Plavix, Levoxyl, and a generic osteoporosis medication. The costs varied greatly -- Detrol ranged from $365-$551, Plavix from $382-$541, Levoxyl from $29-$85, and the osteoporosis medication from $124-$306. While some bigger chains, such as Costco, did prove to have the lowest prices overall, many small pharmacies were competitive.

As consumers, it's important to shop around. However, a good relationship with your pharmacist is also important. And, there are benefits to having one pharmacy that knows your prescriptions and can help detect potential problems.

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