Diabetes Archive

In preliminary research, sucralose and acesulfame potassium increased insulin levels, although more studies are necessary to determine whether they—or other artificial sweeteners—increase the risk of insulin resistance.

Some experts feel there is evidence that probiotics may help prevent or treat several conditions, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, travelers’ diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and some allergies (particularly eczema).

A higher-than-normal blood sugar level puts you at risk for developing diabetes and heart disease.

If you're hoping to avoid heart disease, you probably pay close attention to your blood cholesterol levels. But you also should keep an eye on your blood sugar, because an elevated blood sugar level is an early warning sign of diabetes, one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

A fasting blood sugar level of 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) means you may have a common precursor to diabetes, called prediabetes. (Normal blood sugar values range from 70 to 99 mg/dL.) An estimated one in three American adults has prediabetes, although most of them don't know it.

Data from surveys of 200,000 people spanning two decades add support to the belief that eating a diet made up largely of plant-based foods is likely to lower a person’s risk of developing diabetes.

The view that calories are calories regardless of their source has been shown to be outdated. Foods with a low glycemic index are better because they tend to raise blood sugar more slowly, and they are also more likely to be healthier foods overall. By choosing the low-glycemic foods and thus the minimally processed foods, people can lose more weight, feel fuller longer, and remain healthier.

Learn the symptoms for and ways to treat low blood sugar

Image: dolgachov/ iStock

Hypoglycemia is a potentially dangerous condition in which blood sugar falls too low. Too much exercise, too little food or carbohydrates, a missed or delayed meal, or a combination of these factors can bring on hypoglycemia. Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the reaction, but commonly include

• nervousness
• sweating
• feeling cold and clammy
• trembling or shakiness
• rapid heartbeat
• lightheadedness
• hunger
• irritability.

If early symptoms aren't recognized and treated quickly, blood sugar levels may continue to fall, resulting in