Healthy blood requires a balance of iron, oxygen, and regulated sugar levels. Learn how diet, stress, and exercise influence your white blood cell count, platelet levels, and overall circulatory health.
Diabetes causes elevated blood sugar, or glucose, and is very sensitive to diet. Although no food has been proved to lower blood sugar fast, certain foods can lower blood sugar over time. Foods high in fiber, such as beans and nonstarchy vegetables, may improve glucose control for those with diabetes.
Read more →
Hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, carries oxygen from your lungs through your bloodstream to all of your cells. Red blood cells are red because of hemoglobin.The amount of hemoglobin you need is based on age and gender. Men need between 14 and 18 gm/dL and women need 12 to 16 gm/dL.
Read more →
Milk and apples have earned their status as health food because together they provide many essential nutrients, such as high-quality protein, dietary fiber, potassium and calcium. A good diet can help prevent chronic diseases, and a nutritious diet is even more important if you have high blood sugar.
Read more →
While running a marathon or long-distance event, your body first will burn through your stored carbohydrates and then burn stored body fat to maintain the energy you'll need.
Read more →
Taking care of your body through exercise and giving back to the community by donating blood are two ways to promote personal health and wellness. Combining the two tasks, however, leaves many people wondering what the safety guidelines are for exercising in relation to giving blood.
Read more →
Carbohydrates provide your body with essential energy, but an overload of carbohydrates can have negative side effects in your body and for overall health. Some of the common symptoms associated with a carbohydrate overload include high blood sugar levels, adrenal fatigue, bloating and weight gain.
Read more →
Your red blood cells carry oxygenated blood throughout the entire body. In apparently healthy adults, the red blood cells that pass through the lungs are between 95 and 100 percent saturated with oxygen. Each red blood cell is able to carry four molecules of oxygen.
Read more →
The human body contains many thousands of different types of proteins. Each protein has its own job to do, such as clotting blood, regulating metabolism, and fighting off bacterial and viral infections. The total protein blood test measures the amount of all proteins found in the liquid part of the blood.
Read more →
Sodium is an electrolyte that helps regulate blood pressure and fluid levels in your body; it also plays a role in the normal function of nerves and muscles. A blood sodium level below 135 mmol/L is considered low.
Read more →
If your doctor says you have high enzymes, he is referring to an elevated liver enzyme level. High enzymes in your liver indicate damage to the cells or inflammation in your liver. Inflamed liver cells leak higher-than-normal amounts of liver enzymes into the bloodstream.
Read more →
Red blood cells are the most abundant type of blood cell. They carry oxygen through the body from the lungs to the tissues. A low red blood cell count is called anemia. There are several ways to classify anemia. One way is by the size of individual red blood cells.
Read more →
Understand that post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is the result of the inflammation of the skin. It is most commonly a result of the healing process in the skin. As skin tissue heals, cells secrete chemicals called cytokines that help cause new skin to form in the healing area.
Read more →
Oxygen saturation is a clinical measurement that determines what percentage of a patient's red blood cells are saturated with oxygen after passing through the lungs. It is a result that reflects not only how well a patient's lungs are working but also how effectively oxygen is being delivered to all parts of the body.
Read more →
Multivitamins can be great additions to your diet, but if you are on Coumadin or other blood thinning medications, avoid multivitamins that contain vitamin K and high doses of vitamin E. These vitamins can interfere with how Coumadin works.
Read more →
White blood cells, or leukocytes, are an essential component of the immune system, fighting infection and disease and helping the body heal from such damage when it arises.
Read more →
Insulin and glucagon are hormones that help your body regulate blood sugar level. The level increases with the secretion of glucagon and decreases with the release of insulin, advises the “Journal of Clinical Investigation.” The amount of sleep you get affects your body’s release of glucagon and insulin.
Read more →
In many cases, when you feel ill, you also don’t feel like eating. However, certain symptoms can actually improve when you eat something. Nausea, dizziness and other ill feelings might get better if you eat something.
Read more →
Learn how blueberries, a nutritious fruit rich in antioxidants and fiber, can impact your blood glucose levels. Understand the carbohydrate content, protein, and vitamin K in blueberries and discover ways to incorporate them into your diet while managing blood sugar.
Read more →
Your blood contains several types of proteins that serve different functions. Albumin is the most prevalent protein in your blood, and without it, you can experience a number of symptoms.
Read more →
A healthy diet provides the electrolytes that your body needs to function properly. These electrically charged minerals help your muscles contract and your nerves transmit impulses. Electrolytes help your body maintain the proper fluid balance, and your kidneys work hard to keep electrolytes at the right level.
Read more →