Yes, diabetes can be life-threatening when not managed properly, but it also has a wide range of less-serious-looking symptoms that can impact pretty much any part of the body. For instance, did you know that diabetes can cause your skin significant problems?

When you have diabetes, your high blood sugar can cause your body to lose a lot of water. This, in turn, can lead to your skin drying out. Your feet are at particular risk, but it can also impact your legs, elbows and various other parts of the body. Dry skin cracks and lets in germs, which can create a risk of infection.

This means it’s very important to monitor the health and appearance of your skin. You need to catch any problems early. Unfortunately, diabetes can also make it harder to detect these kinds of issues. Poor circulation and damaged nerves (diabetes neuropathy) from diabetes mean you may be less sensitive to subtle changes in your skin. It also means the skin heals slower.

There are specific skin conditions particularly associated with diabetes. One is diabetic dermopathy. It leaves raised lesions on your shins (sometimes known as shin spots) which, in more severe cases, can become ulcers. Ulcers are a big worry for people with diabetes. Foot ulcers from damaged skin on the feet have been known to lead to amputation.

Another potential cause of ulcers is necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum (NLD). Areas of your shins may change color in a range of hues from yellow to purple. The skin in these areas becomes thinner and easier to damage, increasing the ulcer risk. If the patches heal, you may be left with a noticeable scar in a brown color.

You may also end up with lesions just under your skin. Acanthosis Nigricans tends to show more in people with darker skin, so you are more likely to experience it if you are Black, Latino or Native American. These plaques may be gray, brown or black. Bullosis diabeticorum creates under-skin nodules that look a bit like blisters.

In summary, if you’re diabetic, skincare is extra important.

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These other types of diabetes are particularly rare. As a proportion of overall diabetes cases, they make up 2%, or maybe even less. It’s no wonder they’re not particularly well-known, but it could still be useful for you to be aware they exist.

Maturity onset diabetes of the young is often just shortened to MODY. You may also hear it called monogenic diabetes because it’s caused by a mutated gene. As a genetic condition, it can quite often be shared between close family members. MODY doesn’t always have noticeable symptoms, and when it does, it may be diagnosed as type 1 or type 2 depending on factors like age and lifestyle.

Neonatal diabetes, as you may guess from the name, affects only the very young. Generally, it shows up in babies who are younger than six months. Sometimes, it will be mistaken for type 1, although that usually shows in older children.

The symptoms of Wolfram Syndrome can be remembered because of an acronym: DIDMOAD (diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness). It’s a genetic disorder that tends to show up in childhood. Alström syndrome is another genetic disorder with childhood symptoms including diabetes.

There are actually several conditions with which diabetes can be associated, including pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. These all damage the pancreas, which is the organ that produces insulin. Diabetes from pancreatic disease is known as type 3c. Diabetes can also occur in relation to cystic fibrosis.

Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is a bit of a funny one because it shares traits of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It’s not always recognized as a subtype, and as one of the newer discoveries, there’s still lots of research to be done into how it all works.

Even this isn’t a comprehensive guide to every type of diabetes we know. For example, sometimes you can develop a temporary form of diabetes because of steroid use. What you need to know is that diabetes is more complex than it’s generally represented.

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Every day, there are a series of checks that a person with diabetes has to carry out to ensure their diabetes is still under control. Most obviously, this involves monitoring their blood glucose levels. It also includes things like checking feet for signs of infection. Other checkups can take place on a regular schedule of weeks or months apart.

Diabetes also means paying even more attention to the things everyone has to think about, like diet. We all have to plan our meals, but for diabetics, it’s extra important. They need to know what’s likely to increase their blood sugar and how to schedule their food in relation to their medication.

Exercise is another thing that impacts your blood sugar. It tends to get lower after a workout, partly because you’ve been using glucose to fuel your movement and partly because it can make insulin work more efficiently. If you’re exercising every day (as is generally recommended), you’re going to need to work it around your diabetes management.

All of these daily aspects of living with diabetes can be discussed with your doctor. They’ll be best placed to help you calculate what’s best for you. Your daily routine can be tailored to ensure you receive all the nutrients and exercise you need without risking a diabetic incident. You also need to keep monitoring your blood sugar around meals and exercise sessions.

If you do have a diabetes-related emergency, you need to be prepared. That means taking snacks with you wherever you go in case you need a sugar boost, as well as properly storing and carrying any medication. Other basics, like staying hydrated, are essential. A medical alert bracelet can help make sure other people are aware of your diabetes even if you’re in no condition to tell them.

These are just some of the daily aspects of diabetes management. In the long term, you may need to consider how other illnesses or hormone changes can impact your condition. You may experience other complications. But here and now, it all begins with the basics, which you need to remember every single day.

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It may not sound like a big deal, but the symptoms of diabetes can be pretty wide-ranging. If you don’t manage the condition properly (there’s no cure), you could slip into a coma or even die. That’s why it’s important to know what to look out for, especially if you have a family history of diabetes or you have one of the other risk factors, such as not exercising enough.

Early symptoms of diabetes may include needing to urinate a lot. You could feel excessively thirsty, hungry or tired. Your vision may be blurry and you may even lose weight. This happens because you have too much glucose in your blood and it’s not being turned into energy like it should, so your body needs to get rid of it in other ways (like through urinating).

Your condition may depend on whether your diabetes is type 1, type 2, or gestational. These can show up at different times in your life and develop for different reasons. For example, type 1 is more likely to show up in childhood, while type 2 tends to develop later in life and gestational diabetes is associated with pregnancy. Type 1 can cause your condition to deteriorate quickly, while type 2 is often slower to show.

Acute, or immediate, problems from diabetes include diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS), both of which can be fatal. Diabetic ketoacidosis is more common with type 1 diabetes and can develop when insulin is too low, resulting in an increase in ketones and your blood becoming more acidic. In addition to thirstiness and shortness of breath, it can cause extreme abdominal pain and needs to be treated immediately.

Only type 2 diabetics can develop a hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state. Very high blood sugar leads to extreme dehydration. As it progresses, you may become disoriented, lethargic and eventually slip into a coma. It needs to be treated as quickly as possible, generally by trying to replenish fluid levels.

In the long term, untreated or poorly managed diabetes can cause a host of issues throughout the body, in part because of the damage to blood vessels and nerves, and the fact that cuts and other wounds are slower to heal. For example, nerve problems in the foot can prevent you from feeling pain and noticing any injuries. If these injuries fail to repair properly, you may develop infections or ulcers, and in the worst cases, you may even need to have the foot amputated.

Other chronic complications of diabetes include diabetic retinopathy, which can cause blindness, and diabetic nephropathy, or kidney disease. You may be at increased risk of heart attacks or strokes, or even some types of cancer. Both men and women can experience sexual problems. Gum disease is also more likely.

You can reduce your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes in particular by stopping smoking, reducing your alcohol intake, eating a more balanced diet and exercising more. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor.

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The first type of diabetes is type 1, which is the one that can be present from childhood and can be influenced by genetic as well as environmental factors. It’s considered an autoimmune disease because the immune system destroys beta cells in the pancreas, which prevents the body from producing enough insulin.

Insulin is something you’ll hear about a lot when talking about diabetes. It’s the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. If your body isn’t producing it properly or doesn’t respond how it should when you do produce insulin, your blood sugar will end up too high. In the short term, this can lead to symptoms like thirstiness and increased urination. In the long term, it can contribute to heart disease, strokes, blindness, kidney disease, nerve damage and cognitive impairment. When untreated, diabetes can be fatal.

There’s also type 2 diabetes, which is the kind that can develop later in life, often because of excess weight or not enough exercise. It’s caused when the body’s cells don’t respond to insulin properly, something known as insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1. Sometimes, if your blood sugar is high but not quite at diabetic levels, you may be considered to be experiencing pre-diabetes and need to take preventative steps.

Gestational diabetes is the third type, and it only affects people when they’re pregnant. Most cases will disappear once the baby is born. During pregnancy, the body sometimes starts producing abnormally high blood sugar levels, and it can’t create enough insulin to manage them. It can cause other complications in pregnancy and birth. People with gestational diabetes often have no history of other types of diabetes, but it can be more likely if you have a family history.

Managing diabetes starts with diet and exercise. For type 1 diabetics, it means regular insulin injections. Basal insulin is long-acting and can be taken once or twice a day. Alternatively, bolus insulin is fast-acting and taken with meals to balance the rise in blood sugar.

Sometimes medications will be necessary for type 2 diabetes as well, depending how the condition progresses. One of the most common medications is metformin. You’re less likely to need insulin, especially in the early stages. You also need to be more careful with your diet. While no food is outright banned, you need a wide range of different foods without too much salt, sugar and fat. It’s also important not to skip meals. Both weight and blood sugar levels can also be reduced by exercising regularly.

Diabetes can cause lots of inconvenience in day-to-day activities, but with careful monitoring and management, you should be able to have a relatively normal life. Sometimes you can’t avoid developing diabetes, but there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood and severity, as long as you’re aware of the risk factors and how to control them.

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Don’t beat yourself up over it

Yes, unhealthy lifestyle habits can contribute to the development of diabetes. A poor diet, lack of exercise and too much alcohol can all lead to diabetes. Genetics plays a role, too.

Regardless of how you ended up with this condition, now is the time to look forward, not backward. You can’t undo the past, so it’s wise to get into a “today” mindset and understand that you can manage your disease effectively right from the start.

Start asking questions

Being diagnosed with diabetes is going to have a real impact on your life, so you need to know as much as possible. Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor all the questions you may have. Common concerns include how often you should test your blood sugar, what are the long-term risks, complications and impact of this disease, and what to do if your blood sugar reading is too high or too low. You can also ask for referrals to other medical professionals for assistance, such as a dietician to help you come up with a diabetic diet that you will be able to follow at home.

Make real changes

Your doctor has likely asked you to make lifestyle changes related to your current habits or diet. Whatever the doctor suggests, be ready to commit to those changes. The direction you receive from your doctor is aimed at preventing the more serious complications of diabetes, such as eye, kidney and circulatory issues. If you don’t make changes now, you could find yourself dealing with an even more serious condition down the road.

If you need help, ask for it. You may, for example, want to work with a diabetes coach for a while to learn more about your condition and its proper management. A nutritionist or dietician can help you work out a diet that will keep your blood sugar in check. Arrange to receive professional help with whatever area of disease management you are not sure about.

A diabetes diagnosis doesn’t mean your life is over–millions of people live with this condition everyday. Listen to your doctor and take your diagnosis seriously so you can manage your disease properly.

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While diabetes is more manageable and treatable today than ever before, you still may find yourself overwhelmed with all the information when you’re first diagnosed. That’s why I am taking some time today to talk to you about something you’ve probably been warned about: the dangerous development of ketones in your body and what it can mean for your health.

What, exactly, are ketones?

When you don’t have enough insulin in your body, you are not able to turn your glucose into energy. This leads your body to break down fat for energy, and that process creates ketones as a chemical byproduct. This can happen when a person isn’t getting enough insulin and doesn’t realize it, such as during a serious illness.

What makes ketones dangerous?

Ketones upset your blood’s natural chemical balance. When not treated, ketones can actually poison your body. Since your body can’t handle the large amount of ketones, it will try to get rid of them through your urine, but they will eventually build up in your blood. The very presence of ketones can mean you are developing or will develop diabetic ketoacidosis, a medical emergency which typically results in death if not treated as soon as possible.

How do I know if I have ketones?

You check for ketones using test strips that area available at your local pharmacy. There are some signs a ketone check is needed, including a blood sugar level that is over what your doctor has set as your top limit, feelings of stomach illness, extreme fatigue, extreme thirst, a fruity smell to the breath and breathing difficultly.

If you believe you have ketones or a test has confirmed their presence, contact your doctor immediately. Seek emergency medical help if you cannot speak to your doctor or you have serious or worsening signs of illness.

Keep in mind that although exercising is a great way to lower your blood sugar, it’s not a good idea at all when you have or think you have ketones present in your body. Exercising in this state can actually cause your blood sugar levels to increase, making the situation worse for your body.

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If you’ve just been diagnosed with this condition, you likely have a lot of concerns about your health now and in the future. While this is generally a chronic condition that you will have to live with for the rest of your life, there are treatments available and lifestyle modifications will help. As you begin to manage your diabetes, here are two things to keep in mind.

It’s not necessarily some sort of personal failing

The media tends to correlate type 2 diabetes with being overweight. While that is a risk factor, this disease develops through multiple factors that we are still learning about. Your lifestyle–sleep, stress levels, diet and exercise–does play a role, but so does genetics. There are people with type 2 diabetes who were never overweight and overweight people who will never develop it.

At the core, this conditions involves two factors: your body is resistant to insulin and is not producing enough of it. It’s not a condition that comes on quickly but usually develops, taking five to ten years to fully emerge. Treatment will include medication to lower your blood sugar, a healthy eating plan and regular exercise.

Taking care of it soon will pay off now and later

Type 2 diabetes is by no means a death sentence of any kind. However, it is a serious disease that you must pay attention to. While ignoring it may not seem like a big deal at first, over time, high blood sugar levels can damage your kidneys, blood vessels, eyes, heart and nervous system. One study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that just being in prediabetes–the stage right before you become fully diabetic–can damage your eyes (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa012512). This is why it’s so important to manage your condition and any risk factors–such as weight or blood pressure–that apply to you. Otherwise, you could end up dealing with complications that are far worse than the effects you may feel from elevated blood sugar. Work with your doctor so you can manage your condition from all the angles.

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But did you know that you can have low blood sugar, too? This condition causes its own sets of problems, and some people may not even realize that it’s happening to them.

What is hypoglycemia?

Generally, a fasting blood sugar of 70 mg/dL or less is considered hypoglycemia, when the blood sugar level in your body is simply too low. Your number may be different, however, so speak to your doctor. While this can be related to diabetes treatment, some medications and rare conditions can cause this to happen in people who don’t suffer from diabetes.

Taking medications for diabetes when you don’t have it, for example, can lead to this condition. If someone drinks too much alcohol and doesn’t eat, this can prevent the liver from releasing the glucose stored there, resulting in low blood sugar. Other liver diseases, including cirrhosis and severe hepatitis, can also result in hypoglycemia. A rare pancreas tumor can cause underproduction of insulin, leading to hypoglycemia. Some pituitary and adrenal gland disorders can also result in low blood sugar when they impact the hormones that regulate the production of glucose.

Low blood sugar symptoms

The initial signs of low blood sugar vary by person, but they include pale skin, a fast or irregular heartbeat, fatigue, anxiety, sweating, hunger, shakiness and irritability. People experiencing low blood sugar also have a numbing or tingling feeling in their cheek, tongue or lips. Feeling faint is probably one of the most well-known symptoms of having low blood sugar.

If left untreated, low blood sugar can create more severe symptoms, including visual disturbances like blurred vision, abnormal behavior or confusion, loss of consciousness and even seizures in some cases. People with seriously low blood sugar may struggle to do basic tasks.

If you have any symptoms of low blood sugar, it’s important to be seen by a medical professional as soon as possible. Low blood sugar can cause serious health problems and even lead to accidents and death. If you are diabetic and this is a frequent problem for you, it’s time to discuss your medications and your diet plan with your doctor to prevent recurrences in the future.

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However, moving does a lot of good things for your health, and it can even lower your blood sugar, that famous level that indicates your risk of diabetes.

A hallmark of diabetes is resistance to insulin and leptin. When this happens, your body becomes unable to “hear” the signals coming from these crucial energy-regulating hormones. Insulin resistance is also linked to a higher obesity risk, but keep in mind that being thin doesn’t guarantee health; around 12 percent of all people with diabetes are at a normal weight, according to Geisinger (https://www.geisinger.org/health-and-wellness/wellness-articles/2018/03/05/21/59/yes-thin-people-can-get-type-2-diabetes).

One of the primary risk factors for insulin resistance is actually inactivity, defined as been active for under 30 minutes a week. Many studies have highlighted that exercise is key for preventing type 2 diabetes and that sitting all the time is particularly risky for those with diabetes.

One study, published in the Diabetologia journal, discovered that diabetic people who took a ten-minute walk after every meal had greater blood sugar control than those who worked out 30 minutes once a day (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00125-016-4085-2). Participants who walked after eating saw their blood sugar levels post-meal drop by 22 percent. Another review of 28 studies published in the same journal found an inverse relationship between overall diabetes risk and exercise (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00125-016-4079-0). In general terms, this means the researchers found that the more you worked out, the lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They also found that one of the ways this worked was that exercise lets your muscles use the sugar in your body more effectively.

If you’re not moving enough now, it’s time to start. If possible, take a short walk after meals. This can help lower blood sugar levels and also boosts digestion. Start up an exercise routine that you can stick to, and consult your doctor before you begin to ensure what you’re planning is safe and right for your current levels of fitness. As you work out more, you’ll be able to tweak your routine accordingly as your fitness levels improve.

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Naturally, we all want to keep our blood sugar low and ward off diabetes, and a healthy diet full of whole foods and light on bad fats and refined sugars is certainly a good place to start. However, there are also some supplements you can take to help keep those blood sugar levels low. Before you start any supplement, keep in mind that you should check with your doctor first, as some supplements can interfere with medications.

The cinnamon has it

Delightful and widely available, cinnamon has been shown in numerous studies to lower blood sugar. One study, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, saw study participants with prediabetes — a fasting blood sugar between 100 to 125 mg/dl — take 250 mg of a cinnamon extract before they ate breakfast or dinner for a period of three months (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18500972/). Those who took the cinnamon had an average decrease in their fasting blood sugars of 8.4 percent when compared to the people in the placebo group. Researchers believe that cinnamon may help the cells in your body respond more strongly to sugar. This, in turn, lowers your blood sugar levels.

Ginseng, but the American variety

There are many forms of ginseng, and the studies done on the variety largely grown in North America have shown some promise in lowering blood sugar. One such study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, found that people who consumed this variety of ginseng enjoyed a 20 percent drop in blood sugar after a meal, and this effect was seen in both healthy subjects and those with type 2 diabetes (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29478187/).

The proper probiotic

Damage to bacteria in your gut, which can occur from taking antibiotics, is associated with a higher risk of many diseases, including diabetes. Probiotic supplements, which have the beneficial bacteria your gut may be missing, have been shown to also potentially lower blood sugar. A review of seven other studies, which was published in the Medicina journal, found that when people with type 2 diabetes took probiotics for two months or longer, they experienced a decease in fasting blood sugar of 16 mg/dl on average when compared to people who received a placebo (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26987497/).

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Avoid foods that majorly spike your sugar

This is easy to do with a little effort. Unfortunately, pastas, white breads and white sugar all cause your blood sugar to spike, along with some other foods. If you’re not sure what to avoid, check out the The Glycemic Index (https://www.glycemicindex.com/).

This handy index scales foods by numbers to tell you how quickly and how much a specific food can raise your blood sugar. The lower the number, the less that food will impact your insulin and blood sugar levels. There are some great foods to enjoy with low GI numbers, including seeds, nuts, lentils, broccoli, grapefruit and apples. If you need some quick energy and don’t want to spike your blood sugar, look for foods with a medium GI score such as peas, sweet potatoes, oatmeal and brown rice.

Plan your meals out in advance

When you plan meals out ahead of time instead of trying to tackle it when you’re already hungry, you’ll be able to make better GI choices and avoid fast food, which is often filled with sugars and is bad for you in general. You’ll also save money by cooking at home in many cases.

Eat small meals throughout the day

When you eat bigger means infrequently, such as a big breakfast, lunch and dinner only, you’ll have bigger spikes in blood sugar. Instead, try to have smaller meals with simple snacks in between. This will help you maintain a more steady blood sugar level throughout the day. Of course, as with planning meals, you’ll need to prepare snacks in advance, too, so you don’t end up eating sugar or carb-filled snacks that will cause your blood sugar to jump.

Steady blood sugar levels are key to warding off diabetes and extra weight, and you’ll feel better once your levels are under control, too!

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You probably already know that exercising and watching what you eat are two solid ways to keep those blood sugar levels in check. However, to truly keep yourself on the right side of those glucose tests, there are other things to keep in mind beyond a good diet and regular workouts.

Your stress levels matter

When you are stressed, your body releases hormones that make your blood sugar levels go up. When you’re able to minimize and manage your stress, your blood sugar levels will stay lower more often and have an easier time lowering if they do happen to spike.

If you’re under chronic stress and it’s not managed, you could be experiencing blood sugar levels that are elevated regularly, and it becomes harder to your body to get out of that crisis mode. Try some stress-busting techniques to help keep your stress under control. The right approach for you will depend on a lot of factors, but you can try meditation, yoga and other mindfulness practices to help ease your stress and release tension.

You need good, regular sleep

Sleeping properly helps your body function at its best and reduces your level of stress. Not getting enough sleep can cause your blood sugar levels to rise in a similar way to insulin resistance, which is a hallmark of diabetes development. On top of that, too little sleep increases appetite–leading to weight gain, another thing that impacts your blood sugar in a negative way–and reduces your sensitivity to insulin.

When you are exhausted, your body will secrete a hormone known as cortisol, and this can lead to higher blood sugar levels and weight gain over time.

It’s tough for lot of people to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep a day most adults need, but it is possible. Adjust your daily schedule so you can get the amount of sleep you need every night.

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However, I recently learned that blood sugar elevation–even in people with pre-diabetes or those who are still in the “normal” range–can actually contribute to age-related memory decline. We already knew that people who have type 2 diabetes having are higher risk of developing a cognitive impairment such as dementia, but a newer study had some interesting results: the participants, in their 60s on average, who consistently scored lower on memory tests were the ones who had the higher blood sugar levels.

This study, published in the Neurology Journal, found that for every increase of 7 mmol/mol in a participant’s hemoglobin A1c test results, two fewer words were recalled on memory tests (https://n.neurology.org/content/81/20/1746). People who had higher blood sugar levels also had a lower hippocampus volume, and this is the region of the brain that is vital to memory. Overall, the study authors concluded that even if a person doesn’t have pre-diabetes or full-blown diabetes, they may experience negative cognitive effects if they have higher blood sugar levels.

To see where your blood sugar stands, you can do a simple and inexpensive test via your doctor to find out what your fasting insulin level is. Normal levels are below five, but many experts believe that under three is ideal. If you have levels above three, the most effective way to reduce it is by eliminating some sugar from your diet.

Keep in mind that sugar comes from many places, and it may not always be obvious that you are consuming a lot of it. Some coffee drinks, for example, are chock full of sugar but may not appear to at first glance. Sugar is also called many different things on food labels, so take the time to get familiar with its many monikers so you’re not consuming it unwittingly.

Of course, factors other than food can impact your blood sugar levels. Stress can raise it, for example, and exercise can lower it. Try working out and lowering your stress levels to help you in your quest to lower your blood sugar and keep your memory sharp!

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On top of the flavor enhancement, though, do you know that cinnamon might also help you control your blood sugar?

As reported by New Hope Health, researchers noticed that cinnamon appeared to help control blood sugar in an adult study (https://newhopehealth.com/you-dont-have-to-be-diabetic-to-have-blood-sugar-challenges-part-2/). The 12-week study involved 58 type 2 diabetics who have hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels that exceed 7 percent. It’s the HbA1c that is a marker for long-term blood sugar control in diabetics.

In the study, participants received 2 grams of cinnamon each day. At the end, they had lower lower HbA1c levels and a significant reduction in blood pressure. Researchers concluded that supplementation with cinnamon might be a potential dietary option to help regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure in those suffering from diabetes.

Research conducted over the years has looked into the “insulin-like” effect of cinnamon, and this London study is yet another one in the growing pile of evidence. Another study found that cinnamon could increase the metabolism of glucose by about 20 times, according to a review in the Nutrition Journal (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4609100/), and this can significantly improve a person’s ability to regulate their blood sugar. Cinnamon has even been viewed as a potential substitute for insulin for those who have type 2 diabetes because of the effects from one of its bioactive components.

Cinnamon may lower blood sugar by acting on more than one level. Since your blood sugar rises quickly after meals, cinnamon’s ability to delay the emptying of your stomach can improve insulin effectiveness. In addition, a compound known as proanthocyanidin in the spice, according to research, might alter the insulin signaling activity in your fat cells.

Since this spice might help control blood sugar and provides other benefits, such as easing congestion and improving digestion, it’s worth trying to add a little more into your diet on a daily basis. If you like cinnamon, just adding one-quarter to one teaspoon of this handy spice to your meals somewhere could provide benefits, according to the available research. This versatile spice isn’t just for sweet foods, either–some people enjoy it in their coffee, on their meats and in some stews or soups.

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