Affecting more than 20 million Americans, diabetes is characterized by the inability to regulate the body’s blood sugar. Of the different types of diabetes, the most common is type 1 diabetes mellitus. Formerly referred to as noninsulin-dependent diabetes, type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 percent of all cases. Although type 2 diabetes is considered an inherited condition, its development is principally a consequence of lifestyle. That is, in most cases, it can be prevented and treated with diet, exercise, and weight control. People who are unable to control their blood sugar with lifestyle changes are treated with oral blood-sugar-lowering medications. In turn, those who are unable to adequately control their blood sugar with oral medications are treated with insulin.

Dire Consequences
Serious health complications are associated with uncontrolled blood sugar: namely, kidney failure, heart disease, and blindness. Faced with these grave risks, the medical community has focused its efforts on measures to prevent the onset of diabetes in at-risk populations and to prevent the complications associated with diagnosed individuals.

Though a variety of medications are available to treat diabetes, scientists are looking to alternative ways to treat this widespread disease. A nutritional supplement marketed toward the diabetic patient, NutraLab Cinnergen is used to enhance the effects of the body’s natural insulin and to decrease the effect of elevated blood sugar. Cinnergen contains a variety of natural substances (16 active ingredients in all); however, the most widely studied of these are cinnamon bark, blueberry leaf extract, and cranberry extract.

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Sugar: It is perhaps the most overlooked and dangerous component of Westernized diets. It has been linked to a myriad of diseases, including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and stroke. However, Americans seem oblivious to these risks. The average U.S. adult consumes 1 pound of refined sugar in as little as a week. Sugar is everywhere and, in prepared foods, is perhaps the hardest ingredient to avoid. Controlling sugar intake is no easy task. It’s a delicate balance between proportion and self-discipline.

Regulating sugar intake is critical for controlling blood-sugar levels. Many adults fail to realize that when we control our blood sugar, we ultimately minimize the stress placed on our internal organs. Eat too much sugar, and your body works twice as hard as it needs to. Each food you eat is eventually broken down into sugar, or glucose—your body’s primary energy source. This glucose will circulate through your body until your pancreas releases insulin to shuttle it into your body’s many cells.

Insulin Resistance
Problems arise when your blood-sugar levels are constantly elevated. Your cells can, in fact, become resistant to insulin, and you may not be able to get the energy you need from the food you consume. This is known as insulin resistance. If the condition isn’t corrected by diet, exercise, or some external factor (such as dietary supplements), the pancreas will eventually quit releasing insulin altogether. Your cells can become starved for energy. If elevated blood sugar is left untreated for significant periods of time, damage to the eyes, nerves, blood vessels, and kidneys can result, and so can diabetes.

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Americans are caught up in a torrid love affair with sweets. And while a cookie now and then may be fine, too many will eventually lead to major health problems. Hypoglycemia, obesity, and adult-onset diabetes are just a few of the possible effects of a sugar-laden diet.

Get Back on Track

Cinnergen is a natural, whole-food supplement. It contains all-natural ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and choice antioxidants. NutraLab Cinnergen provides you with the nutrients your body needs to help you better metabolize sugar.

Who Needs It?

Cinnergen is recommended for anyone whose diet is out of balance. Faced with an overabundance of simple sugars, your body reacts in a number of ways:

Diabetes

Although it’s not clear exactly what causes diabetes, it is certain that diabetes occurs when your body cannot process insulin. Insulin is important because it helps you process sugar into the nutrients you need to remain healthy. A poor diet not only loads you up with empty calories, but also causes a deficiency in the nutrients needed to properly transform sugars into energy.

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If you love sweets but realize that consuming too much sugar can harm your body, you can easily find replacements that won’t cause as much damage. However, most people are only aware of those two common sugar substitutes, saccharin and aspartame. These may offer a modicum of protection against the health risks associated with sugar, but they’re not the only (or the most desirable) option.

Alternative Sweeteners vs. Refined White Sugar

You’ll gain many advantages by using other sugar alternatives to sweeten your food and beverages. You can reduce your chances of getting sugar-induced cavities, and also lessen your risk of many diseases to which regular sugar can contribute. Unregulated sugar intake can cause weight gain, as well as serious lifetime diseases such as diabetes or hypoglycemia. Simply cutting back on sugar, however, is not the answer, because you’ll still experience the rush of energy followed by hard crashes when you consume any amount of sugar. To avoid this, you can use alternative sweeteners.

Alternatives’ Advantages

Extensive research about artificial sweeteners has led to a barrage of scientific evidence that links them to many illnesses. In fact, Canada banned the use of saccharin in 1977 following studies that showed a link between its use and bladder cancer in animal tests. Aspartame was linked to brain tumors, which held up the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the substitute for many years. This is why the search for alternative sweeteners has been in full force for many years.

Choices

If you’re looking for an alternative to sugar but are apprehensive about using saccharin or aspartame, you’re in luck. There are many sweet alternatives that will give you the taste you’ve been looking for without all the health risks associated with both sugar and artificial sweeteners.

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If you seek a natural supplement that can work wonders, look seaward. The benefits of fish oil for coronary health have been widely documented. But fish oil isn’t just for heart health. It can treat or help prevent a variety of conditions, including depression, diabetes, osteoporosis, macular degeneration, attention deficit disorder, stroke, and auto-immune disorders. You can harness the power of fish oil by taking Nature’s Way Fisol or Super Fisol. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re in search of a natural way to boost to your energy level, increase your stamina, or enhance your general sense of well-being, ginseng may be able to help. Of all the natural substances used in traditional Chinese medicine, ginseng is the most highly prized. That’s because it can be used in many forms to treat a wide variety of conditions. In fact, the botanical name for ginseng, Panax quinquefolium, is derived from the Greek word for panacea, or cure-all. The word in Chinese means “wonder of the world.” Read the rest of this entry »

L-carnitine is one of the most essential nutrients to us. It’s necessary for healthy cell activity, repair, and growth. This amino acid derivative is found in almost all cells, and helps regulate fatty acids and the oxidation of cells. L-carnitine serves two main functions in the body: transporting fatty acids to cells to produce bioenergy; and removing the buildup of short- and medium-chain fatty acids that can be a result of poor cell metabolism. Read the rest of this entry »

You love your pets as family, and you try hard to keep them healthy: You walk the dog, you scrutinize the nutrition panel of your cat’s food, and you ignore their squalling when it’s bath time. What you may not have done is provide them with healthy supplements. In the same way you take a daily multivitamin or use herbs to keep your body in peak condition, you can take advantage of natural supplements for your animal friends. Read the rest of this entry »

In recent years, overweight and obesity have become a public health problem affecting adults and children at record rates. Of course, as more people become overweight, more develop weight-related health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease. While dieting alone can mitigate a weight problem, it really isn’t the best long-term solution. Successful weight management, so important to overall health, hinges on making positive dietary changes and increasing physical activity. Muscle Milk can be a valuable part of this process.

Protect Yourself
CytoSport created Muscle Milk to help the body burn fat while building muscle mass. Because this supplement offers nutrients targeted toward building and repairing muscle, including it as a component of your weight-management exercise plan will help support your increased physical activity. If you’re a physical-fitness neophyte, it’s important for you to understand that protecting yourself from muscle strain can be just as important as building muscle and burning fat.

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A few years ago, carb was considered a four-letter word. Today, diet gurus have eased up on their carb bashing and are actually encouraging us to eat the right carbs … in moderation, of course. But if only there were a way to have your cake and eat it, too—without all the guilt of excess carb consumption. Well, there may be, to a point.

First of all, you do need some carbohydrates in your diet, since they’re the preferred source of energy for your muscles and brain. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans are healthy sources of complex carbohydrates. If these types of foods were our only source of carbs, we probably wouldn’t have the obesity problem we do today. Unfortunately, most of us like to eat products made with refined sugar and flour that are loaded with empty calories, and it’s easy to overindulge in these types of carbohydrates. This can be especially dangerous if you have diabetes or glucose intolerance. Even if you’re trying to adhere to a traditional low-carb diet, there are times when you might slip up and have some bread with dinner. Could a “carb blocker” erase the consequences of your actions?

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