The Not-so-Sweet Truth about Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease

Credit: iStock The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1 in 10 people in the U.S. have diabetes. About 90 to 95% of people with diabetes have Type 2, meaning their body can’t process and break down food properly. This leads to higher blood sugar, increased circulating fatty acids and insulin resistance. Type … Continue reading The Not-so-Sweet Truth about Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease

Can Intermittent Fasting Prevent Kidney Damage in Obesity?

Claudia Edell presents her research at the American Physiology Summit. Credit: Claudia Edell Obesity is extremely prevalent in the U.S. population and can lead to a variety of health complications, such as high blood pressure, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and even chronic kidney disease. Intermittent fasting—referred to as “time-restricted feeding” in research—is a popular diet in … Continue reading Can Intermittent Fasting Prevent Kidney Damage in Obesity?

Physiology Helps You Protect Your Health

American Physiology Summit attendees listen to research findings presented at the meeting. Scientists who study physiology gathered in Long Beach, California, last week for the inaugural American Physiology Summit—a brand-new conference dedicated to sharing discoveries on the cutting edge of bioscience. Studies highlighted at the Summit span from the effect of cannabis extracts on blood … Continue reading Physiology Helps You Protect Your Health

Spotlight On: Diabetes

Credit: iStock We hear a lot about diabetes, but you may wonder what exactly it is. Diabetes mellitus (its full name) is a chronic disease caused by dysregulation of the endocrine system. Diabetes affects how our bodies turn food into energy. There are three main types of the condition: type 1, type 2 and gestational. … Continue reading Spotlight On: Diabetes

Can Exercise Combat Your Sweet Tooth?

Credit: iStock Having a sweet tooth is nothing to be ashamed of. But 39% of people in the U.S. are obese, and 10% have diabetes. That means public health efforts to reduce sugar consumption could benefit millions of people. Eating too much processed sugar isn’t just bad for our teeth. Sugar can cause insulin resistance, … Continue reading Can Exercise Combat Your Sweet Tooth?

Try Fidgeting to Control Blood Sugar

Credit: iStock We usually associate autumn with several sensations that delight the senses, including crisp air, warm colors and the smell of woodsmoke. Many of us will spend time surrounded by loved ones, which may include benevolent grandmothers and aunts indulging us with food and sweets. Pecan pie, pumpkin pie and cobblers may be delicious, … Continue reading Try Fidgeting to Control Blood Sugar

Insulin: 100 Years of Saving Lives

Credit: iStock Elizabeth Hughes weighed a mere 45 pounds when she walked into the clinic of Frederick Banting, MD, on August 16, 1922. It was three days before her 15th birthday. Since her diagnosis with what today we call type 1 diabetes, Elizabeth had been strictly adhering to a starvation diet, the only available treatment … Continue reading Insulin: 100 Years of Saving Lives

This Halloween, Celebrate the Creepy-crawlies that Keep Us Safe

Credit: iStock Each Halloween season, we celebrate all those spooky critters that give us the heebie-jeebies. But there might be more to cheer for than you realize. Scientists who study these creepy-crawlies are learning ways they may improve human health. Gila Monster In 1992, John Eng, MD, an endocrinologist working at the Veterans Affairs Medical … Continue reading This Halloween, Celebrate the Creepy-crawlies that Keep Us Safe

Can Intermittent Fasting Help People with Diabetes?

Credit: iStock In November, we celebrate Thanksgiving—arguably the biggest food holiday of the year—and recognize National Diabetes Month in the U.S. More than 30 million people living in the U.S. have diabetes—about 29 million of them have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes makes it harder for you to use insulin (insulin … Continue reading Can Intermittent Fasting Help People with Diabetes?

The Triple Threat: Diet, Diabetes and Fatty Liver Disease

Credit: iStock Fatty liver disease is a group of disorders that occur when too much fat builds up in the liver. Many people may have heard of alcohol-related fatty liver disease, a condition in which moderate to heavy consumption of alcohol leads to fat buildup and scarring in the liver. However, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease … Continue reading The Triple Threat: Diet, Diabetes and Fatty Liver Disease