Can Coffee Play a Role in Supporting People with Diabetes?

September 20, 2025September 20, 2025 Vera

For many people, coffee is an essential part of daily life, offering both comfort and a much-needed energy boost. Over the past two decades, research into coffee and health has become increasingly detailed, exploring its potential impact on a variety of conditions, including type 2 diabetes. As interest in diet and lifestyle choices grows, one question is often raised: is coffee good for diabetics?

The Link Between Coffee and Type 2 Diabetes

Scientific studies have suggested that regular coffee consumption may be linked with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers believe this could be due to the bioactive compounds found in coffee, which may influence how the body processes glucose and improves insulin sensitivity. Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee appear to play a part, suggesting the benefits may not simply be down to caffeine alone.

It is worth noting that while findings are promising, coffee should not be seen as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Instead, it can be considered as part of a balanced lifestyle that includes healthy eating, exercise, and regular health checks.

Coffee’s Potential Mechanisms of Action

So how might coffee help in relation to diabetes? Studies indicate that polyphenols, particularly chlorogenic acids, may slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream after meals. In addition, coffee has antioxidant properties that could support the body’s natural defence against inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which are linked with insulin resistance.

This area of research is still developing, and the scientific community continues to explore the exact mechanisms behind coffee’s potential protective role. However, what is clear is that coffee contains far more than just caffeine, and these compounds may have wide-ranging effects on health.

Practical Considerations for Coffee Drinkers with Diabetes

While coffee itself may offer potential benefits, what is added to it is equally important. Large amounts of sugar, flavoured syrups, or high-fat cream can quickly offset any positive effects by increasing calorie and sugar intake. For those living with diabetes, choosing black coffee or using a small amount of milk may be a healthier option.

Timing can also matter. Some people find that caffeine affects their blood sugar response or interferes with sleep if consumed late in the day. As with any dietary choice, personal tolerance and lifestyle should guide consumption.

Trusted Insights and Evidence

Given the complexity of diabetes management, it is vital that people seek accurate and …

Healthy Lifestyle During Pregnancy Can Compensate for Adverse Early-Life Environmental Exposures

October 17, 2023 Vera

Early-life exposures affect pediatric respiratory health, but healthy lifestyle behaviors during pregnancy can mitigate these risks.

A study explored the influence of different early-life exposure profiles on respiratory health. However, even exposure to high levels of risk factors can be offset by a healthy maternal lifestyle during pregnancy, reported a study at the 2023 ERS International Congress.

Previous studies have identified multiple environmental and lifestyle factors independently associated with respiratory health. In particular, the prenatal period and early childhood seem to be a critical window of exposure that may influence life-long risks for impaired lung function. Associations between many environmental factors and respiratory diseases were demonstrated in the literature. “Most of these studies focused on only one exposure while we know that all of these exposures could have a combined effect on health,” said Alicia Guillien, PhD. This was the rationale for comprehensively assessing the role of early-life environmental factors on pediatric respiratory health. Therefore, the researchers identified different profiles of exposure and associated the exposure profiles in the pre- and postnatal periods with respiratory health.

Data came from the HELIX cohort including 1,033 mother-child pairs exposed to eight different types of exposure (ie, water disinfection by-products, road traffic, climate, air pollutants, built environment, lifestyle, and road traffic noise). During pregnancy, there were 38 exposures; in childhood, there were 84 exposures. Respiratory outcomes were asthma (ever), wheezing (past 12 months), and rhinitis (past 12 months) assessed through questionnaires. In addition, respiratory outcomes were assessed through spirometry. Outcomes were associated with the different exposure profiles.

The children were from six European countries and had a mean age of 8.1±1.6 years. Two early-life exposure profiles were associated with lower levels of FEV₁, compared with the profile with globally low exposures. One exposure profile was characterized by globally low exposure to all factors except high exposure to UV and high temperature: This profile was also associated with a higher risk for ever-asthma (OR, 2.93; P<0.01). Another profile associated with adverse respiratory outcomes was high exposure to a built environment and road traffic, which was associated with lower levels of FEV₁.

A profile characterized by a high level of exposure to all risk factors, but a healthy lifestyle of the mother during pregnancy was associated with a decreased risk for wheezing and rhinitis (OR for wheezing, 0.38; P=0.01; OR for rhinitis, 0.64; P=0.08).

As Dr. Guillien pointed

Are Canned Sardines Healthy? Here’s What Dietitians Say

August 25, 2023 Vera

There are a lot of good reasons to eat more canned fish, beyond that it’s been trending on TikTok for years. Canned fish, like canned sardines, are a quick and convenient way to get seafood in your diet that requires little to no prep work. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines s Americans recommend consuming 8 to 12 ounces of seafood (or about two to three 4-ounce servings) per week to help you reap the health benefits it provides. To meet these recommendations, consumers have a variety of options to choose from, canned sardines included. Whether canned sardines are already a part of your diet or something you’re considering trying, you may be wondering if they’re a healthy option and how their nutrition compares.

In this article, we’ll cover what registered dietitians want you to know about canned sardines and how to nutritiously add them to your diet.

Getty Images

Canned Sardine Nutrition

Here is the nutrition information for one 5-ounce can (75 grams) of sardines:

Calories: 160
Carbohydrates: 0g
Dietary fiber: 0g
Total sugar: 0g
Added sugar: 0g
Protein: 18g
Total fat: 8.5g
Saturated fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 106mg
Sodium: 230mg
Vitamin B12: 6.7mcg
Vitamin D: 3.6mcg
Calcium: 286mg
Iron: 2.19mg
Omega-3 DHA: 382mg
Omega-3 EPA: 355mg

Canned sardines are a nutritional powerhouse. Not only are they an excellent source of protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D and calcium (containing more than 20% of the Daily Value), but they’re also a good source of iron (containing more than 10% DV). Plus, canned sardines contain close to 100% of the recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Keep in mind, though, the National Institutes of Health’s recommended daily intake for omega-3s hasn’t been updated in over 20 years and does not give specific guidance about the amount of the different types of omega-3s (ALA, DHA and EPA) that should be consumed. Current recommendations from the American Heart Association suggest consuming 250 milligrams of EPA and DHA per day (or more if you have high cholesterol or triglyceride levels) to reap their benefits. Canned sardines provide more of both EPA and DHA than these recommendations.

Health Benefits of Canned Sardines

From cardiovascular to cognitive health, the benefits canned sardines can offer are bountiful.

May Offer Heart-Health Benefits

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for adults in the United

How to achieve a healthful way of life, get well from damage at any age (Healthy You)

August 19, 2023 Vera

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Getting physically fit isn’t just for large faculty and college or university athletes. In fact, any human being at any age can try for a nutritious life style.

Two United Regional athletic trainers discussed how to develop up your power without the need of breaking down your human body.

The world’s biggest athletes had to start someplace and when it arrives to having in condition, age is really just a selection.

“A whole lot people consider that currently being active and being athletic is sort of exceptional to currently being youthful, you can have a healthier, active life-style genuinely at any age,” licensed and licensed athletic trainer Jeremy Woodward mentioned.

When starting up from zero even though, Woodward and accredited athletic trainer Keith Gates said it is a marathon, not a sprint.

“Don’t try out to go 100 miles for each hour off the bat, choose your time, learn the movements, accessibility where you are power-clever and sort of what your system can do and adapt to it that way,” Gates reported.

“Making guaranteed you really don’t want to do also substantially way too rapidly, a good deal of repetitive, identical motion stresses the joint, creating absolutely sure you don’t just go from remaining a couch potato to getting a superstar,” Woodward added.

These sentiments are specially genuine after an damage.

Gates said it’s a psychological obstacle as effectively as a physical one at initially, but more than time the worries turn out to be considerably less and less.

“You see their self-confidence build around time and they’re like oh I can do that, I can do this and they just type of get back again into where by they had been ahead of they obtained harm,” Gates claimed.

Relaxation is additionally in the recovery equation.

“We stick to a R.I.C.E. basic principle, we rest, we ice, we compress and elevate so that is what we’re going to do in an first variety of acute section,” Woodward said. “After they’ve witnessed a doctor they may prescribe bodily therapy or have approved physical exercises that they’ll finish with an athletic trainer if it’s off-campus or at a neighborhood school.”

It’s a provided athletes might deal with damage irrespective of whether it be on the soccer area, basketball or volleyball court, but Woodward stated rehabilitation does not discriminate.

“Rehab and routines, most individuals feel of all those completely

Healthy meal kits for weight loss and fitness-friendly eating

July 24, 2023 Vera

Close up, high angle shot of woman enjoying salad with multi-colored fruit, vegetables, and grilled chicken, with a glass of water by the side — Salad with Multi-Colored Fruit, Vegetables, and Grilled Chicken

d3sign / Getty Images

If you’re trying to level up to a healthier lifestyle, you’ve likely heard the news: Just exercising doesn’t cut it. A good diet is just as important as cardio or daily workouts, and some research even says a bad diet can negate the positive effects of exercise.

But keeping a balanced diet and staying healthy can be a challenge. Sometimes you just want to steer clear of the kitchen and order takeout after a long day (we’ve all been there). One thing meal kit delivery services do is make it easy to stay consistent with your eating habits throughout the week.

If your doctor recommends weight loss for a certain condition, or you want to make the switch to fitness-friendly eating, then good news: There are plenty of meal kit companies that offer meals (and even entire plans) aimed at doctor-approved eating habits.

They also help you to avoid pitfalls like high levels of added sugars or high-sodium intake: two big drivers of unhealthy diets in 2023.

“Meal kits provide fresh ingredients that are usually locally sourced with healthier cooking methods and minimal environmental impact,” says Jennifer May, principle nutritionist and director of Sydney City Nutritionist Nutritionist and Food Intolerance of Australia.

You can typically find information on how different companies back up these claims in the “About Us” section on their website. Start here when looking for truly fitness-friendly meal kits, just like we did when putting together our list below.

Targeting weight loss through meal kits

Fitness-friendly eating is one thing, but what if you want to drill down and really commit? First off, your doctor is your best resource for planning lifestyle and dietary changes. Beyond that, we know that consistency is key when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off.

The average adult needs anywhere from 1,600 to 3,000 calories per day. Your personal limit is determined by a number of factors, from how old you are to how active your lifestyle is (the Mayo Clinic’s calorie counter can help you narrow it down).

“Meal kits give you more control over the seasoning and nutritional content of your food,” May says, “[which] is beneficial for those looking to tailor their diet to specific health needs.” Pre-measured seasoning packets, for example, can help you to avoid loading up on sugar

Can pornography be healthy? If it follows six rules, perhaps | Australian lifestyle

June 24, 2023 Vera

There’s porn and then there’s “healthy” porn, according to an interdisciplinary research panel, who have compiled a list of criteria to help young people spot the difference.

Prof Alan McKee, who led the project, argues that young adults should be taught “porn literacy” to help them “read porn well” and look for healthy and ethical depictions of sex.

Picture diverse bodies, with diverse ways of doing things from navigating erectile dysfunction to negotiating consent for kinks and fantasies, instead of “sexist, racist, ableist stereotypes”.

“Pornography is not homogenous,” says McKee, a pornography researcher and head of the University of Sydney’s school of art, communication and English.

The panel’s determinations have been published in the International Journal of Sexual Health, in a peer-reviewed article that sets out six criteria for healthy pornography, along with a lesson plan for adults aged 18 to 25.

The criteria are: a variety of sexual practices; a variety of body types, genders and races; a negotiation of consent on screen; ethical production; a focus on pleasure for all participants; and depictions of safe sex.

McKee says that, in the same way that the “war on drugs” has famously failed, prohibition-style approaches to porn fail too.

The current conversation in Australia is about “protecting” young people from the harms of pornography, as though “all pornography is the same and equally harmful”, he says.

“Looking at young adults, 18 to 25, if you do have a child in that age group it’s not very helpful to say all pornography is bad.

This is because it assumes “all pornography … works in the same way”, which isn’t true, McKee says.

Last year, he published the book, What Do We Know About The Effects of Pornography after Fifty Years of Academic Research?

The answer was ‘not very much’, because academic research has consistently taken a monolithic view; lumping violent porn – from the early cowboy days of the internet, heteronormative porn and porn produced by queer, feminist directors or solo sex workers on platforms like OnlyFans – all into one category.

To develop the criteria, McKee assembled a Delphi panel – an interdisciplinary group of experts on a topic where there is not a consensus – who worked on the project together.

While pornography can be made for hollow gratification, with no regard for wellbeing, McKee writes that healthy pornography