Those who ate least amount of whole grains had a 60% higher incidence of developing type 2 diabetes than those eating highest level of whole grains. But there’s even more evidence. And, this is a real shocker. Obese men who ate highest amount of whole grains, and were also physically active, developed 52% less type 2 diabetes, even though they were overweight.

Two other recent studies focusing on women and whole grains confirmed these same Harvard findings: whole grains can help protect from diabetes and possibly other degenerative diseases.

Why?

Whole grains are low glycemic carbohydrates. This means lower blood sugar and less insulin production. But refined grains are high glycemic carbohydrates that more than double blood sugar levels. This causes an insulin surge to clear sugar out of blood. After a while, body is no longer capable of handling this blood sugar onslaught. That’s when a person becomes a type 2 diabetic. Then high blood sugar can increase risk of diabetic related heart disease, kidney failure and blindness.

The Harvard research team’s conclusion to this study was to recommend that people eat more whole grains. They said, "Whole grain products” have “the potential to reduce substantially incidence of type 2 diabetes and possibly other chronic diseases when sustained over time.”

Makes a lot of sense to me. Whole grains are in their natural, nutritious form, just way they were meant to be. You see, “It’s not nice to try and fool Mother Nature.” And, in her never-to-be-humble opinion, she doesn’t mind telling us, “I told you so!”

Non-clinical programs may or may not be commercially operated, such as through a privately-owned weight loss chain. They often use books and pamphlets that are prepared by health-care providers. These programs use counselors (who usually are not health-care providers and may or may not have training) to provide services to you. Some programs require participants to use program's food or supplements.

Other weight loss methods used to treat severely overweight patients include low-calorie diets, prescription weight loss drugs and surgery. If you are considering a weight loss program and you have medical problems, or if you are severely overweight, programs run by trained health professionals may be best for you. These professionals are more likely to monitor you for possible side effects of weight loss and to talk to your doctor when necessary.

The key to successful weight loss is making changes in your eating and physical activity habits that you will be able to maintain for rest of your life. The first step is to look at your eating and physical activity habits, thus uncovering behaviors such as television watching, that lead you to overeat or be inactive. Next you'll need to learn how to change those behaviors.