In the past several years, honey and cinnamon have become stars in the realm of complementary medicine. Both are rumored to cure or at least help manage all sorts of ailments, including diabetes.

Living with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) involves limiting foods that could raise blood sugar to high levels. Juice can be a part of an overall healthy diet in limited amounts. Keeping serving sizes to 4 ounces or less -- about 1/2 cup -- limits the carbohydrate load.

Adiponectin is a protein made by fat cells that circulates in the bloodstream, acting as a messenger. It plays a role in how the body uses sugar, or glucose, and fat for energy.

Having diabetes means watching what you eat and drink in order to keep your blood sugar levels in check. In addition, part of managing diabetes involves maintaining a healthy weight.

Diabetics can eat all kinds of food, including many commercial cold cereals. According to the American Diabetes Association, or ADA, diabetics should eat cereals with 3g or more of dietary fiber and 5g or less of total sugar.

Glucose intolerance is a medical condition that predisposes you to developing diabetes in the future. But this does not mean that diabetes is definite. Simple dietary changes that maintain proper blood sugar control can help you avoid a lifetime of blood sugar monitoring and diabetic complications.

If you have diabetes, your body’s ability to produce or use insulin is impaired. Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas that clears the sugar you eat out of your blood and puts it into your cells so you can use it for energy.

Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) is a nonnutritive sweetener that is roughly 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is found in many reduced-calorie foods, including diet soft drinks, yogurt, chewing gum, ice cream, ice pops, jellies, jams and breakfast cereals.

Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection that commonly occurs on the lower extremities—including the feet, which are prone to edema (swelling) in people with poor foot circulation, like diabetics and those who are sedentary.

The glycemic index can be a useful tool for estimating the effect a food will have on your blood sugar, but it shouldn’t be the only way you plan your meals and snacks. Foods that cause moderate to high increases in your blood sugar, such as popcorn, may also be rich in nutrients your body needs.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder in which inadequate production of the hormone insulin or a resistance to its actions in the body can lead to high blood sugar levels. Insulin is needed to get sugar into cells of the body, where it is used for energy.

Ever feel shaky, sweaty, nauseous, or even anxious and unsure of why? You may feel one or more of these symptoms when you have low blood sugar. People with diabetes who are on certain types of medications or insulin are more likely to experience these symptoms. Low blood sugar is less than 70 milligrams per deciliter.