Good news for diabetics: Rice has been found to have varying glycemic indices. How Does Diabetes Affect Blood Sugar? For persons with type 2 diabetes, managing their blood sugar is an important daily task. Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin, or ignores it. When food is digested, insulin is what carries sugar from the blood to be processed as energy. If blood sugar builds up and gets too high, diabetic complications may result. (more…)
Peppermint, mentha piperita, is a versatile plant that has been cultivated and used for centuries in a variety of natural capacities ranging from indigestion, motion sickness, gas relief and more. Because it inhibits the growth of bacteria, mouthwash and toothpaste may be among peppermint’s best-known applications. However, peppermint’s soothing and relaxing properties have placed it at the forefront of herbs found to be especially beneficial when used to support respiratory disorders such as cold, cough, throat irritation, and sinus redness. (more…)
Lactase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes milk sugar (lactose) into its component parts, glucose and galactose, and assists in the digestion of dairy products such as, ice cream, milk and cheese. Nutritionists estimate that 10-20% of the U.S. population is lactose intolerant, meaning they have an inability to break down lactose in many of the dairy products they eat. (more…)
Lactose intolerance is one of the most common food allergies; symptoms range from mild discomfort to extreme intestinal pain. Complete avoidance of dairy is perhaps the easiest way to avoid these concerns, especially for young children. However, it might not be the only option. According to a recent study, infants with lactose intolerance, when given a specific probiotic strain, were able to tolerate lactose and even reverse their cow’s milk allergy. (more…)
If you’ve been practicing a healthy lifestyle, you’re probably familiar with the health dangers of BPA. Many plastic product manufacturers are now coming out with BPA-free alternatives to appease health-conscious consumers, but this may not be enough as the chemicals used to replace BPA, namely BPS and BPF, may be just as bad. Fortunately, safer alternatives exist. (more…)
