Bedtime and Teen Diabetes Risk

Researchers interested in sleep and diabetes risk tracked the sleep patterns and blood glucose levels of 245 teens from low to middle income homes at an urban high school. They found the shortest sleepers had the highest levels of blood glucose, an indicator of insulin resistance and diabetes risk. The average sleep duration for the…

Fructose-sweetened Foods May Lead to Obesity

Researchers found that normal weight women who consumed fructose-sweetened beverages lowered their 24-hour insulin and leptin levels as well as increased the post-meal triglyceride levels as compared to glucose-sweetened beverages. The hormones insulin and leptin help control satiety levels, and the authors suggested that high fructose intakes might lead to obesity.PositiveTip: Most soft drinks and many…

Sleep Apnea Induced By Insulin Resistance

A growing body of evidence points to insulin resistance in humans as one cause of sleep apnea. When researchers fed nonobese rats a high-fat diet they developed insulin resistance and sleep apnea. A second group of rats fed the same diet but given metformin (which increases insulin receptor sensitivity), prevented the elevated insulin levels and the sleep apnea.PositiveTip: Choose…

Exercise Can Reverse Diet-Induced Insulin Resistance

High-fat diets raise enzyme levels, reducing insulin's normal physiologial function. A study on rats has shown exercise inhibits the diet-induced insulin resistance that normally occurs.PositiveTip: Exercise will help to normalize your insulin and other hormones. Daily walking is excellent, economical, and has a very low risk of injury.Source: https://jp.physoc.org/content/577/3/997.full.pdf

Exercise and Vegetarian Diet Improve Type 2 Diabetes

A 24-week trial showed that exercising and eating a calorie-restricted vegetarian diet decreases abdominal fat, plasma leptin and oxidative stress markers while improving insulin sensitivity and reducing insulin resistance, compared to a conventional diabetic diet. Weight loss produces better insulin and leptin function. Since both leptin and insulin help to control food intake, weight loss brings better…

Another Thumbs-up for Fruits and Vegetables

You know exercise promotes longevity and helps control type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance? Did you think exercise and the use of antioxidants might be even better? Time to think again! A brand new study suggests otherwise.An international team of researchers have discovered in a randomized trial, average insulin sensitivity was higher in those who were…