You keep hearing about the epidemic of diabetes because it has been going on for the past 30 years. The rate of diabetes continues to climb in the United States and throughout the world. Once considered an unusual diagnosis, diabetes has become one of the most common forms of chronic illness in the world today.

Let's say you're sitting in front of a plate of brownies at work, but you resist because you're on a diet. Hedgcock's research shows the next time you're faced with sweets--whether it's later tonight or two days from now--you'll be more likely to cave. Why? Hedgcock believes it's because your self-control is like a muscle: If you use it extensively in the short term, it will wear out and become exhausted. And time is really the only thing that helps it recover.

Proponents of the candida theory blame antibiotics, birth control pills and high sugar diets for yeast overgrowth. There’s even something they call leaky gut syndrome where they claim that Candida migrates from the bowels into body.

New research has found that a relatively common genetic mutation can result in impaired ability of the body to convert inactive T4 to active T3. This mutation of the type 2 deiodinase gene known as Thr92Ala predicts decreased responsiveness of symptoms of hypothyroidism to levothyroxine treatment, even if blood tests are normal.

Based on the results of this study, one might conclude that replacing harmful bacteria in the gut to a healthier gut flora might result in a reduction in the components of metabolic syndrome. The hope is that probiotics would result in weight loss, decreased waist circumference, lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar and improved cholesterol profile.