The Probiotic Used To Combat Stubborn Fat, Diabetes, And Depression

The Probiotic Used to Combat Stubborn Fat, Diabetes, and Depression

If you’re familiar with probiotics, you may also be familiar with the fact that there are many different strains of beneficial bacteria. One strain,Lactobacillus rhamnosus, may not be one you’re as familiar with, but it still holds some very impressive health benefits. This strain, among all the others, exist in what is called our “mircobiome,” which basically consists of the microbial genes that reside in your system. Good bacteria and bad bacteria live here, but it’s the helpful kind that keeps the harmful variety in check.
The Benefits of Lactobacillus Rhamnosus
Studies involving the Lactobacillus strain of bacteria suggest supplementation could lessen feelings of anxiety or ease symptoms of depression. Combining these probiotics with prebiotics also show significant benefits in mood health. [1][2] One study suggests taking L. rhamnosus might counteract weight gain and diabetes, and there’s a lot of research examining the benefits as a treatment for gastrointestinal issues like irritable bowel syndrome. [3] Another study suggests a link between good bacteria and seasonal allergies, particularly with hay fever. [4]
Now, one cool thing about L. rhamnosus is that it can stay happy in rough conditions. Anyone who has ever had acid reflux knows how stomach acid can cause discomfort. Well, this probiotic strain actually thrives in anacidic stomach. [5] If you’re looking for something to strengthen your overall immune function, L. rhamnosus could help there. A promising study suggests this strain could be just as helpful as an antibiotic for treating urinary tract Continue reading

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Diabetes and De-stressing: Three Easy Yoga Poses

All illnesses, including diabetes, are exacerbated by stress and muscular tension, so we need simple ways to incorporate relaxation into our lives.
Here is a series of three calming yoga poses that can easily be sandwiched between tasks at home, or in the office.
Three Relaxing Yoga Poses
The first pose calms and balances the mind. The second gets our energy moving and releases tension in the shoulders, spine, and heart area. The third pose melts away anxiety and stress.
Naturally, you will check with your doctor before engaging in a new type of exercise if you are out of shape, have spine or joint difficulties, or chronic illnesses.
1. Equal Standing Pose (Tadasana)
Stand tall with toes pointing forward, and feet hip-distance apart - your weight distributed evenly.
Unlock your knees by bending them - very slightly; put the palms of your hands together in front of your heart area.
Close your eyes; take five slow, deep breaths.
2. Hands To Sky (Urdhva Hastasana)
From the Equal Standing pose, inhale and stretch your arms straight up from the shoulders, palms facing each other, and fingertips pointing to the sky.
Spread the fingers wide; look straight ahead, or slightly upward if it feels comfortable.
Hold the pose as you take five slow, deep breaths.
3. Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
From the Hands To Sky position, exhale as you bend forward from your hips, keeping a slight arch in your back as you fold to avoid lower back strain.
Rest your hands on the floor, or on your shins, or the backs of your thighs, or clasp opposite elbows with your hands. Let the tension drain from your h Continue reading

Treat Your Diabetes with Green Tea

If you are a human being and you’ve been awake at any point for the last decade, you probably know all about the health benefits of green tea.
This stuff is touted as the omnipotent cure for just about everything – probably because, due primarily to its high levels of antioxidants, it nearly is. Studies have found that green tea holds the potential to fight cancer, heart disease, and dementia, burn fat, and help with diabetes management and prevention.
But just how can green tea help, you ask? Well, here are two major ways that green tea can work with your body to help manage your diabetes, and they will have you clamoring for your next cup:
An Insulin Boost – No Needle Needed
As we all know, diabetes is characterized by improper functioning of insulin in the body. It’s because of this that diabetics need insulin pumps, regular blood tests, and to monitor the amount of sugar they take in. But green tea could help to set a diabetic mind at ease; the polysaccharides in tea can regulate blood sugar in the same way insulin does. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, green tea can boost insulin activity in the body by more than 15-fold!
Drink Your Glucose Levels Down
Blood sugar levels are almost always being monitored when you have diabetes, which contributes to a restrictive diet (which usually involves limiting your starch intake). However, studies have indicated that green tea extract reduces the normal elevation of glucose and insulin, even when 50 grams of starch are ingested. A single cup of green tea inhibits amylase activity by up to eighty-s Continue reading

Important Health Tests for People with Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that can affect many areas of the body, but most of the potential problems can be treated effectively when detected early.
To assure early detection of diabetes related health issues, there are several tests diabetics should have either annually or a few times each year. Regular testing facilitates better long-term health and peace of mind.
Annual Tests
Your doctor may recommend you have these tests more or less than once a year, depending on your health status.
Dilated Eye Exam. An eye doctor will determine if you have any retinal damage caused by high blood sugar. Eye drops are used to dilate (widen) the pupils, so the doctor can better examine the back of your eye. Diabetic eye complications can often be controlled, and possibly reversed, with good glucose management. Some individuals require surgery to preserve their vision.
General Health Exam. A yearly general health checkup is a good idea for everyone. Although you may see your diabetes care professionals regularly, they are focused on helping you manage your blood sugar. Your overall well-being is equally important.
Kidney Tests. Kidney health is typically measured using two tests: micro-albumin and creatinine. Micro-albumin tests detect the presence of protein in urine. This can occur if high blood sugar damages small blood vessels in the kidneys. Untreated, it may lead to kidney failure. Measuring creatinine levels lets your doctor know how effective your kidneys are a filtering waste.
Lipid Panel. Abnormal lipid readings are associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, a seriou Continue reading

A Call to Action for the CDC: Don’t Treat Diabetes as One Disease

Earlier this month, the CDC published a statement that had a lot of people talking. The data reported the number of new cases of diabetes decreased from 2009 to 2014. What many of us have found so frustrating is that the CDC doesn’t distinguish between type 1 and type 2, and in fact, type 1 is on the rise. The Glu team worked with our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Henry Anhalt, and Executive Director/Founder Dana Ball to respond in a statement of their own:
T1D Exchange, a nonprofit focused on driving better, faster research to improve care and speed development of new therapies for people and families living with type 1 diabetes, calls upon the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to clarify its recent statement about a significant decrease in the incidence of new cases of diabetes from 2009-2014.
Strikingly absent from the CDC statement was the statistical breakdown by diabetes types. In particular, the report comingled data collected from people living with type 2 diabetes and people living with type 1 diabetes.
Comingling of the data, particularly from the leading national public health institute of the United States, perpetuates the myth that diabetes is one disease sharing a name, while the reality is that type 1 and type 2 diabetes are actually two different diseases in the diabetes family. Among key differences is that unlike type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes is not lifestyle-dependent; it is the result of relentless autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. Once insulin cells are destroyed, individuals spend their lifetime closely monitoring Continue reading