In his December newsletter, Dr. McDougall urges all of the New Years Resolutions people to use a plan built on three decades of success: his, of course.

McDougall also provides resources for diabetic patients, urging them to get off all diabetes drugs ASAP, though lifestyle management: “By great good fortune, this same low-fat, no-cholesterol diet successfully used for diet-therapy for diabetes has been shown to prevent and treat heart and kidney disease, and prevent many common forms of cancer.”

And since the McDougall Program is all about eating good food, and not limiting yourself or starving, there are a lot of good recipes, including Beans and Greens Soup, Mika’s Rice & Beans, Gingered Baby Bok Choy, Perfect No-Oil Balsamic Dressing, and Rich Chocolate Mousse.

Diabetes risk increases with higher intake of total protein and animal protein, according to a new study in this month’s issue of Diabetes Care. Researchers analyzed the diets of 38,094 Dutch participants from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study and found that for every 5 percent of calories consumed from protein instead of carbohydrate or fat, the risk of developing diabetes increased 30 percent. Increased animal protein intake coincided with increased intakes of saturated fat, cholesterol, and heme iron, and with increased body mass index, waist circumference, and blood pressure. Vegetable protein intake was not associated with diabetes risk.

Sluijs I, Beulens JWJ, Van Der A DL, Spijkerman AMW, Grobbee DE, Van Der Shouw YT. Dietary intake of total, animal, and vegetable protein and risk of type 2 diabetes in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-NL study. Diabetes Care. 2010; 33:43-48.

Bacteria from chicken products may be a major cause of urinary tract infections, according to a new study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers examined urine samples from women who had urinary tract infections and matched E. coli in the samples to E. coli from contaminated foods. They found that most of the E. coli was ingested through retail meat products (61 percent of which were chicken products) and ready-to-eat products (73 percent of which were meat products). The authors concluded that chicken was the main source of urinary tract infection-causing E. coli. Researchers also warned that animal product sources of E. coli might be drug-resistant which can require more costly and complicated treatments.

Vincent C, Boerlin P, Daignault D, et al. Food reservoir for Escherichia coli causing urinary tract infections. Emerg Infect Dis. 2010;16:88-95.