When your body digests a meal, it converts carbohydrates into glucose and proteins into amino acids. Glucose and amino acids are absorbed directly into your bloodstream, causing blood glucose to rise sharply. This sharp rise signals cells in your...
Insulin is a pancreatic hormone that helps transport glucose from the blood to various tissues in your body. Reduced sensitivity of the cells and tissues to the hormone is termed as "insulin resistance," and it can lead to increased...
Insulin is the hormone that helps move both glucose and triglyceride fats from your bloodstream into your cells. Insulin resistance occurs when your pancreas produces insulin, but your body doesn't use it properly. Certain lifestyle factors and a...
Your body relies on insulin to help control blood sugar. The release of insulin allows your cells to take up glucose in your blood, lowering your blood sugar and allowing your cells to access chemical fuel to carry out day-to-day functions....
Diabetes is a growing epidemic in the United States, as an estimated 23.6 million children and adults have the disease. Type II diabetes, sometimes called adult onset diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes. It occurs when your body either...
Diabetes is a complicated disease that requires the patient to perform daily glucose testing and maintain control of blood glucose levels. Because of its role in insulin sensitivity, exercise is considered vital to the treatment of diabetes, but...
Bitter melon, a vegetable that grows in subtropical and tropical locations, has a long history of use as food, as well as medicine, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. It has attracted the attention of researchers because it...
The term "insulin sensitivity" is used to describe how well the body uses available insulin, whether the insulin is produced by the body or it is derived from an external source because the body does not produce enough. Insulin sensitivity is an...
Insulin resistance, or prediabetes, occurs when your pancreas produces insulin but your body doesn't use it effectively, resulting in elevated glucose levels. Chronic high blood sugar can cause a number of serious health complications, leading to...
Lower your blood sugar levels by making your muscle cells more receptive to the absorption of insulin. A bout of exercise improves your insulin sensitivity for up to 16 hours, according to Maastricht University, in the Netherlands. These improved...
Millions of diabetics require the use of prescription medications to treat elevated blood sugars. Some of these medications work by increasing the insulin sensitivity of muscle and tissue cells. Drugs that increase insulin sensitivity may help to...
Metabolism-boosting spices such as cinnamon, curry, cayenne pepper, ginger and cumin can aid in losing body fat. Cinnamon is perhaps the most widely recognized spice for boosting metabolism. Cinnamon can transform the body's metabolic activity...
Diabetes is a medical condition that involves decreased insulin sensitivity or an inability of your body to produce the hormone insulin. This leads to elevated blood sugar levels, which can have serious complications, including organ damage and...
Arginine is considered a semi-essential amino acid because adults normally produce enough of it naturally, but supplementation is sometimes needed. It plays a role in a number of functions including nitric oxide production, immune support and...
Insulin resistance is a metabolic disorder in which cells do not use the hormone insulin efficiently. This causes a buildup of excess glucose in the blood, which can increase the risk for diabetes and heart disease. One way to improve insulin...
Insulin is a hormone that removes glucose from the blood and delivers it to cells for energy. If you are insulin-resistant, your body's cells become resistant to insulin's effects, which in turn leads to chronically high blood sugar levels,...
All carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which stimulates the release of the hormone insulin in the body. Insulin removes glucose from the blood and helps cells use it for energy. However, in some cases cells become resistant to insulin and...
Magnesium is a mineral responsible for a number of functions in the body, including enzyme activation, calcium regulation and the building of bones. In addition, it also plays a role in synthesizing and secreting the hormone insulin. Magnesium...
People run for many reasons. Some to relieve stress, some to keep their hearts healthy and some simply to feel the wind in their hair. The most popular motivation for running however, is the desire to burn calories. The opportunity to burn...
Foods and nutrients that boost metabolism can be used as components of diets that speed up metabolism. Boosting metabolism is often necessary for preventing excess body fat and promoting good health. A wide variety of foods and nutrients can...
Insulin is a hormone whose main job is to regulate blood sugar levels in your body. After eating carbs or protein, blood sugar levels increase and insulin is released to transport glucose to cells where it's used for energy metabolism. However,...
There are different types of diabetes, known as Type 1 and Type 2. Exercise has a direct influence on both types of diabetes because it increases insulin sensitivity. According to the American Diabetes Association, the government's "Physical...
The dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet was designed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a way to reduce blood pressure by increasing the consumption of important nutrients and lowering the consumption of sodium and fat....
Dietary fiber comes from the part of plants in whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables that humans cannot normally digest. Fiber does not provide any nutritional content on its own. Rather, most of its value derives from the benefits that it...
If you are like many people, you are probably concerned with maintaining a healthy body weight. Rapid weight gain is particularly dangerous, not only for illnesses it can directly cause, but because it may be an indication of a more serious...
The potent antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid and the B vitamin niacin play a crucial role in overall health since they protect the body against disease and illness. Alpha-lipoic acid not only helps destroy free radicals, which are responsible for...
Glucose is a simple sugar that forms more complex carbohydrates such as starch. It's also an important source of energy for the cells. After each meal, the digestive system breaks down carbohydrates and absorbs the glucose into the blood. This is...
Cinnamon is a spice that has been used in traditional medicine systems in various cultures for centuries. Scientific evidence shows that cinnamon may help improve blood sugar levels. However, consult with your doctor before trying to prevent,...
Cinnamon is a spice that contains a wide range of nutrients, from manganese to dietary fiber. Its antioxidant properties are responsible for several benefits, including boosting brain function and improving colon health. Moreover, cinnamon...
Type two diabetes usually arises after adulthood and is typically associated with being over weight. Learn how to manage your carbohydrates and stay healthy in this video.
