We’ve known for a while now that type 1 diabetes is caused by the immune system turning against the body’s insulin-producing cells. But exactly what causes this traitorous act has never been clear. A newly discovered ‘hybrid’ white cell could finally explain this, and possibly even help us understand the origins of a variety of other auto-immune disorders.
Clusters of pancreatic beta cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells in a lab dish. Insulin producing cells are labeled in green. Red indicates the presence of PDX1, a key protein involved in insulin production. Credit:Hebrok Lab / UCSF.
Researchers from Germany and Finland have shown that so-called “brown fat” interacts with the gut hormone secretin in mice to relay nutritional signals about fullness to the brain during a meal. The study, appearing November 15 in the journal Cell, bolsters our understanding of a long-suspected role of brown adipose tissue (BAT) — a type of body fat known to generate heat when an animal is cold — in the control of food intake.
There’s a ton of incredibly promising intermittent fasting (IF) research done on fat rats. They lose weight, their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugars improve… but they’re rats. Studies in humans, almost across the board, have shown that IF is safe and incredibly effective, but really no more effective than any other diet. In addition, many people find it difficult to fast.
Artificial sweeteners are one of diet soda’s main ingredients. But studies have shown that the artificial sweeteners within diet sodas can cause a series of health problems. We decided to take a look at what happens to the body when you only drink diet soda. Following is a transcript of the video.
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Fasting is a powerful tool nearly anyone can use to take control of their health. Animal research indicates a fasting-mimicking diet not only can help your pancreas regenerate itself, but it can also reverse diabetes symptoms. In another study, also involving lab mice, restricting daily calories to a six-hour window significantly reduced levels of a particular mutant protein known to play a role in Huntington’s disease.
Given the results, as well as other research, the tremendous benefits of fasting continue to emerge. If you haven’t yet considered how fasting can make a positive difference to your health, I encourage you to keep reading and also consider one of three methods: the fasting-mimicking diet, intermittent fasting or water-only fasting. Fasting is one of the best tools you can use in the fight against chronic disease.
You know your body’s brilliantly designed to digest food; every time a morsel or a sip passes your lips, you set off a complicated machine that eventually transforms that little bit of deliciousness into the energy and cellular activity you need to survive. Ever wondered what exactly goes on between the table and, well, the toilet? We teamed up with Bayer Consumer Health, makers of MiraLAX, an over-the-counter laxative that works with the water in your system to ease, hydrate and soften to unblock your system naturally, to bring you this top-to-bottom tour of your digestive tract in motion.
Restricting the amount you eat is said to fight disease, extend lifespan and improve wellbeing. As well as dieters, people with diabetes and MS could benefit
