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
Endocrine System
Bariatric Surgery Reveals Complexities of Our Hunger Systems
Bariatric surgery affects a variety of physiological processes in the human body, including brain signaling, hormones, blood composition and the microbiome.
Are You Thirsty? Here’s Why.
Credit: iStock Water makes up about 70% of body weight in a typical adult. Humans can’t easily adapt to a lack of water, and you may begin to experience the effects of dehydration with as little water loss as 1% of your body weight. Humans are unique because, unlike other animals, we respond not only … Continue reading Are You Thirsty? Here’s Why.
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
It’s Not Your Imagination: Women Have a Harder Time Losing Weight
Credit: iStock Obesity is a major health concern in the U.S. It is predicted that more than half of all adults living in the U.S. will be obese by the year 2030. A major problem with weight loss is that most people regain lost weight over the next year. Exercise has been shown to be … Continue reading It’s Not Your Imagination: Women Have a Harder Time Losing Weight
Spotlight On: The Reproductive System
Credit: iStock There are many organ systems within our body that ensure we stay alive. Arguably, however, one of the most important systems for guaranteeing our survival for generations is the reproductive system, as it allows us to produce children. To be able to have children, we first go through puberty—changes in the body that … Continue reading Spotlight On: The Reproductive System
The Surprising Health Benefits of ‘Yo-yo’ Dieting
Credit: iStock It’s not really news that obesity and the trend of increasing waistlines seems to only be heading upward—and outward. Despite efforts to fight the fat, many people end up regaining the weight they lose when they diet in a phenomenon known as “weight cycling” or “yo-yo dieting.” Weight cycling can be frustrating, and … Continue reading The Surprising Health Benefits of ‘Yo-yo’ Dieting
Ketogenic Diets: Passing Fad or Nutritional Hack?
Read recent headlines or scroll through your social media feeds and you’ll likely see people talking about “keto” diets and keto-friendly recipes. This popular diet has gained attention for a variety of reasons ranging from weight loss success stories to the unexpected body odors some people on the diet experience. If the term “keto” is … Continue reading Ketogenic Diets: Passing Fad or Nutritional Hack?
Spotlight On: The Endocrine System
On any given day, you may feel stressed, moody, happy, tired or thirsty. All of these feelings seem to move and change seamlessly—and they are all a result of your endocrine system. Your endocrine system is made up of glands—for example, islets of Langerhans (within the pancreas)—that produce and secrete hormones and of organs—such as … Continue reading Spotlight On: The Endocrine System
Why Being an ‘Active Couch Potato’ Is Bad for Your Health
Did you know that even if you exercise regularly, you may be what researchers call an “active couch potato?” Consider this: If you exercise 30 to 45 minutes a day—completing your daily workout all at one time—it is easy to still spend 80 to 90 percent of your waking hours sitting. A study in England … Continue reading Why Being an ‘Active Couch Potato’ Is Bad for Your Health