What is the Average Glucose Level for a Human?

Photo Credit blood testing image by John Keith from Fotolia.com

By Claudia Collins

Overview

Blood glucose is often referred to as blood sugar and is the amount of glucose circulating in the blood at any given time. Blood glucose levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter or mg/dl. The endocrine system regulates blood glucose levels in a healthy individual. Normally, insulin -- a hormone produced by the pancreas -- controls blood glucose levels. Digested carbohydrates convert into smaller units called glucose -- the main energy source for the body, and vital for proper brain function.

Normal Blood Glucose Levels

There are several ways in which blood glucose levels may be tested. A fasting level is obtained via blood draw after the individual has refrained from eating for at least eight hours. The normal fasting blood glucose is 70 to 99 mg/dl. A level of 100 to 125 mg/dl is categorized as impaired fasting glucose or pre-diabetes, and a level above 126 mg/dl obtained on two separate occasions is usually indicative of diabetes. A level of less than 140 mg/dl is normal for the oral glucose tolerance test.

Tests for Blood Glucose

The American Diabetic Association recommends diagnosis only be made from a fasting blood sugar or an oral glucose tolerance test; however, postprandial and random blood glucose tests are occasionally obtained. The postprandial test is performed two hours following a meal and the normal range is 70 to 145 mg/dl. A random blood sugar test may be performed anytime and the normal range is 70 to 125mg/dl.

Blood Glucose and Exercise

Glucose levels swing dramatically during exercise. If you are diabetic, check your blood glucose before and after exercising. Physical activity can cause a decrease in your blood glucose level either during or after exercise or even up to one day later. If your blood glucose level is less than 100 mg/dl before exercise have a snack. Stop exercising if you develop signs and symptoms of low blood glucose, which include feeling shaky, weak, confused, irritable, anxious, tired and sweaty. If your blood glucose is higher than 300mg/dl don't exercise.

Prevention/Solution

Blood glucose levels that remain high over a period of time can damage your heart, eyes, kidneys, nerves and blood vessels. If you are diabetic, controlling your blood sugar by careful monitoring and diet. If you are not diabetic or have been diagnosed as pre-diabetes, studies have shown that you can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes through healthy lifestyle choices.

Considerations

Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia may be caused by other diseases and conditions than diabetes. Too high blood sugar or hyperglycemia may be caused by acute stress which may be in response to trauma, heart attack or stroke, chronic renal failure, Cushings syndrome, excessive food intake, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, hyperthyroidism and certain drugs such as corticosteroids. Low blood sugar or hypoglycemia may be caused from adrenal insufficiency, drinking alcohol, drugs such as anabolic steroids or acetaminophen, extensive liver disease, hypothyroidism, insulin overdose and starvation.

Reference

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Be Active
• Lab Tests Online: Glucose
• Endocrine Web: Diagnosing Diabetes
• American Diabetes Association: Prevention
• American Diabetes Association

Article reviewed by Tina Boyle Last updated on: Oct 3, 2010

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/268976-what-is-the-average-glucose-level-for-a-human/#ixzz1boGglfxH

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Nutrition: Fruit and Vegetable Colors

Photo Credit Vegetables and Fruits image by Piter Pkruger from Fotolia.com

By Claudia Collins

Overview

According to the Produce for Better Health, PBH, it is no longer enough to eat your "greens." Nutrition and health researchers are learning that eating your blues, reds, yellows, oranges, purples, and even whites are also important for your health. An easy and fun way to remember to eat your fruits and vegetables is by thinking of eating the different colors of the rainbow. This ensures giving your body a wide range of valuable nutrients like fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C. In addition to these nutrients, fruits and vegetables are filled with disease-fighting chemicals known as phytochemicals.

Phytochemicals

Phytochemicals are healthful chemicals found in fruits and vegetables. Phytochemicals may be referred to as antioxidants, flavonoids, isoflavones, carotenoids, allyl sulfides, and polyphenols. Phytochemicals are responsible for giving fruits and vegetables their color. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, research has shown that eating these powerful nutrients may strengthen the immune system and decrease the risk of certain cancers, type II diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Phytochemicals often work together, so it is important to choose fruits and vegetables from all the color groups.

Red Fruit and Vegetables

Examples of red fruits and vegetables are red grapes, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon, pink or red grapefruit, tomatoes, beets, radishes, red peppers, rhubarb, cherries, cranberries and red apples. Lycopen and anthocyanins are both powerful antioxidants that give the red group their color. These phytochemicals are thought to reduce the risk of certain cancers, especially prostate cancer. They are also linked to heart health and prevention of lung disease. Lycopene and anthocyanins also help to maintain memory function and urinary tract health and fight off infections as well.

Green Fruits and Vegetables

Green fruits and vegetables include foods such as kiwi fruit, honeydew melon, avocado, broccoli, spinach, artichoke, zucchini, lettuce, celery, asparagus, edamame, okra, kale, turnip greens and peas. Phytochemicals found in green foods include lutein, zeaxanthin and indoles and are thought to help prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. They also assist to speed up the action of enzymes that break down carcinogens as well as strengthen bones and teeth.

Orange and Yellow Fruits and Vegetables

This color category contains fruits and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, grapefruit, mango, yellow peppers, corn, pineapple, carrots, butternut squash, peaches, pumpkin, apricots, tangerines and oranges. Phytochemicals found in this group include carotenoids and bioflavonoids, which help maintain the immune system, slow aging, prevent heart disease, protect against cancer and improve vision health.

White and Tan Fruits and Vegetables

This is often the forgotten color group, yet whites are important, too. Examples from this group are bananas, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, potatoes, cauliflower, garlic, jicama, ginger and turnips. Anthoxanthins, which are in the white/tan group, may help lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and prevent heart disease. Allicin, which has been found to have anti-tumor effects and may especially decrease risk of stomach cancer, is also found in this group.

Purple and Blue Fruits and Vegetables

This group includes foods such as purple cabbage, blueberries, blackberries, black grapes, raisins, eggplant, plums, prunes and figs. Anthocyanins, phenolics, resveratrol may reduce the risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease, as well as improve memory and promote healthy aging.

References

• American Cancer Society: Phytochemicals
• Your Mother Was Right! Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables
• Healthy Dining
• Produce for Better Health Foundation: Why Scientist Are So Excited
• CDC: Fruits and Veggies Matter

Article reviewed by Jason Dean Last updated on: Sep 28, 2010

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/262977-nutrition-fruit-and-vegetable-colors/#ixzz1boGBG6Xr

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Information on Hamstring Exercises

Overview
The hamstrings are the prominent tendons found at the back of the knee, and they attach the large muscles at the back of the thigh to the bone. Hamstring muscles are actually composed of three muscles: the bicep fermoris, semitendinosus and the semimembranosus. It is important to exercise hamstrings to help prevent hamstring injury, increase stamina in cardiovascular activities, improve endurance and athletic performance, prevent or improve lower back pain and sciatica pain and prevent knee injuries.

Significance
The original definition of “hamstringing” was to cut the hamstring of a person or animal, rendering the victim unable to walk or run. The hamstring muscles allow the knee to bend and allow the hip to straighten or extend. The hamstrings play a very important role in many daily activities, such as running, jumping, climbing and walking. Because of their frequent use, the hamstrings are one of the most likely muscle groups to become injured. Becoming familiar with hamstring exercises can help you keep your hamstring muscles strong and healthy.

Types
The American Council on Exercise suggests performing both equipment- and non-equipment-based exercises for the hamstring muscles. Hamstring curls with a stability ball are an effective way to strengthen the hamstrings. Several hamstring exercises can be performed with dumbbells or barbells, such as the dumbbell lunge, good-mornings and the stiff-legged dead lift. Body weight exercises, such as the jump squat and hamstring bridge, help strengthen the hamstrings. The hamstring curl machine may be used at the gym as well.

Benefits
Hamstring exercises and stretches are vital to prevent injury to the leg muscles. The hamstring muscles are often weaker than their counterparts, the quadriceps, and when an imbalance exists between these two muscles, the risk of injury to that muscle group increases. Hamstring exercises are also beneficial in that they may lengthen your stride, give you more power, improve your balance, decrease or prevent lower back pain, ease or prevent sciatica pain and stabilize or prevent injury of your knees.

Considerations
The hamstring muscles are very susceptible to tears and strains. Hamstring exercises for injury prevention should meet the following criteria: multiple joint, closed kinetic chain and eccentric in nature. The term “closed kinetic chain” refers to exercises that involve weight bearing and are performed where either the hand (for upper body exercises) or the foot (for lower body exercises) is fixed and cannot move. Active, dynamic stretching and warm-up of the hamstrings is a crucial element in the prevention of hamstring injuries.

Warning
Although the hamstrings are often overlooked and weaker than the quadriceps, even in well-trained athletes, the opposite can also be true, especially in runners. Overtraining the hamstrings can make the quadriceps more susceptible to injury. When training and exercising your hamstrings, it is important to keep the quadriceps and the hamstrings balanced. Hamstring exercises can also become dangerous if the exercise is attempted with eights that are too heavy or for an excessive number of repetitions. Know your limits when performing any hamstring exercise, and immediately stop if you feel pain.

References
* Save Your Knees: Hamstring Muscle Injuries
* Project Swole: What Is Dynamic Stretching?
* American Council on Exercise: What Exercises Can I Do to Help Alleviate Tight Hamstrings?

Photo Credit
muscled runner legs image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
Article reviewed by Samantha Davidson

Originally posted on: http://www.livestrong.com/article/243955-information-on-hamstring-exercises

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Study: Weight-loss drug ups risk of heart attack, stroke in some

By Anne Harding, Health.com

September 1, 2010 5:40 p.m. EDT

(Health.com) -- Overweight people with a history of heart disease who take the prescription weight-loss drug Meridia may be at increased risk of heart attack or stroke, according to a study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study confirms longstanding concerns about the safety of Meridia in people with heart disease and other heart problems, who are already warned against taking the drug.

A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee is scheduled to meet later this month to discuss the possibility of increased regulation for Meridia. The meeting was prompted by the preliminary results from the study, known as SCOUT, which were released by the agency in November 2009.

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In the study -- which was sponsored by the drug's maker, Abbott Laboratories -- researchers followed 10,744 overweight and obese people who had heart disease or type 2 diabetes and a risk factor for heart disease (such as high blood pressure) for about 3.5 years.

During that time, 4.1 percent and 2.6 percent of the people taking Meridia had a nonfatal heart attack or stroke, respectively, compared with 3.2 percent and 1.9 percent of the people taking a placebo pill. That translates into a 28 percent increased risk of heart attack and a 36 percent increased risk of stroke, according to the study.

However, Meridia did not appear to increase the risk of heart attack or stroke in diabetics with no history of heart disease. Nor did the researchers find any differences in the death rates from heart attack, stroke, or other causes in people taking Meridia versus placebo.

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Lead researcher W. Philip T. James, M.D., an obesity expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, in the U.K., says that the study underscores that Meridia should not be prescribed to people with existing heart problems.

But, he adds, "it does not prove that you should extrapolate the data to the normal population for which the drug is intended."

The active ingredient in Meridia, sibutramine, suppresses appetite by affecting levels of the brain chemicals serotonin and norepinephrine. The drug is designed to be used by overweight and obese people, not by people who are a bit chubby and are trying to slim down.

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Meridia has been shown to slightly raise blood pressure and heart rate, and the cardiovascular risk associated with the drug has been known for years.

Since being approved by the FDA in 1997, Meridia has carried a warning on its label that says the drug should not be used in people with a history of heart disease, heart failure, heart-rhythm problems, or stroke.

In January 2010, after reviewing the preliminary data from the SCOUT study, the FDA asked Abbott to strengthen the warning. The European Medicines Agency -- the European equivalent of the FDA -- chose to suspend sales of the drug in the European Union.

In an editorial accompanying the study, three New England Journal of Medicine editors suggest that the heart risk associated with Meridia is not justified by the weight loss seen in the study -- about 9.5 pounds (or 4.5 percent of initial body weight) after one year, on average.

"[I]t is difficult to discern a credible rationale for keeping this medication on the market," the editors write.

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The FDA would be going too far if it pulled the drug from the market, says Donna H. Ryan, M.D., associate executive director for clinical research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She notes that the patients taking Meridia who were at greater risk for heart attack and stroke in the SCOUT study -- those with preexisting cardiovascular disease -- are already precluded from taking the drug.

The study should not be interpreted to mean that the drug shouldn't be used at all, says Ryan, who prior to 2008 served as a consultant for Abbott and other manufacturers of obesity drugs.

"The study doesn't really support that, and indeed, in the population where you didn't have preexisting cardiovascular disease...there is no increased risk," she says.

Sidney Wolfe, M.D., the director of the health research group at Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy organization that petitioned the FDA to ban Meridia for safety reasons in 2002, says that even people who haven't been diagnosed with heart disease should avoid Meridia. Some obese people have unrecognized heart problems that may be aggravated by the drug, he says.

Meridia "should never have been approved in the first place," Wolfe adds.

The FDA's advisory committee on endocrinologic and metabolic drugs will discuss Meridia on September 15. The agency is not required to follow the committee's recommendations, but it typically does.

Copyright Health Magazine 2010

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