How does Insulin Work in our Body? - Diabetes 14

Insulin is a kind of key to open cells (credit to Quora)

We consume foods which contain carbohydrate every day. In the stomach, enzyme breaks down the carbohydrate into glucose.

The glucose then carried into organs through bloodstream for energy sources or store its for future purposes. The organs may include:

- muscles

- liver

- adipose tissues (fat)

- brain

- other tissue cells

To enter these above organs, we need the insulin as “a key” to open a “door” of an organ cell. Thus, all people, both diabetes patients and normal people need insulin.

It is because without insulin, glucose can’t be used as (converted into) energy and stored in the organs (such as a liver, muscles and the fat tissues).

Glucose is stored in the liver

(credit to Biology Notes for IGCSE 2014)

Since glucose can’t be used, it remains in the blood, then will contribute to higher blood sugar level.

We know that higher blood sugar level causes organs malfunction in the long term. It happen to many diabetes patients who did not control their blood glucose level with manners.

Hope, we understand Why does our Body Need Insulin, and know little bit about how it works in the body.

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What Cities are Easy to Get Mortgage?

Minneapolis, Minnesota for illustration

For who does not have a house yet, the good news that there are many cities provide easy way to get a mortgage.

Term of “easy” refers to application rate. Rejection to loan application below 10% is categorized as “not difficult” to be approved.

Based on article written by Esther Trattner, 2019: “The US Cities Where It's Easiest to Get a Mortgage,” there are 25 cities considered easy to have a house loan.

Here the rank (top 10) of cities across America with more than 90% of approval loan application:

- Minneapolis, Minnesota: approval application 95.4%

- Salt Lake City, Utah: approval application 95.1%

- Kansas City, Missouri: approval application 95.1%

- Virginia Beach, Virginia: approval application 94.8%

- Portland, Oregon: approval application 94.5%

- Washington, D.C.: approval application 94.3%

- St. Louis, Mississippi: approval application 94.3%

- Boston, Massachusetts: approval application 94.2%

- Richmond, Virginia: approval application 94.2%

- Raleigh, North Carolina: approval application 94.2%

A corner of Salt Lake City, Utah

Approval mainly based on debt ratio, how much debt compared to monthly or yearly income.

As my previous posted, it is important to have good credit scores to get approval of mortgage (How Important Credit Score to Mortgage Rate?).

Then, followed by “loose” regulations and other factors such as property “booming” and population growth in each states or cities.

This is a kind of “good news” for who moves in to those cities and need a house.

What is the Irregular Heartbeats? - Heart 1

Illustration for heartbeat

(credit to cayuga medical associates)

Normal heartbeat is from 60 to 100 beats per minute for adults between 18 to 40 years old.

Medical term for “Irregular Heartbeat” also called as “atrial fibrillation” (A Fib) is developed to people in the age 40 or over.

It is because heart of older people reduces pumping efficiency up to 30%. In longer time, this condition could cause some diseases or abnormality:

- angina (pain in chest)

- heart failure

- stroke

- blood clots

- heart palpitations

In addition to less efficiency of heart pumping, other factors could affect on “A Fib” are:

- coronary artery disease

- high blood pressure

- thickening of the heart wall

- too much alcohol consumption

- intense emotional turmoil.

Normal and irregular heartbeats

(credit to mature living)

There are around 4.4 million people affected by “atrial fibrillation” in the America. It is estimated to increase year by year due to increasing of life expectancy.

The best way to manage “irregular heartbeats” is visit medical doctors or cardiologists. They may design the best therapy case by case or just give prescription drugs.

However, there are simple ways to control “A FB.” Based on several sources, People do the following methods:

- reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure

- healthy diets (no smoke and less alcohol)

- doing daily exercises

Hope, we could manage our heartbeats in the normal range.

What Cities Have the Highest Dog Parks Per Capita?

Dogs are playing in a park

Tel Aviv, Israel is the city with the highest both dogs and dog parks per capita in the world.

The capital city of Israel has 430,000 population with 30,000 dogs. In addition to 70 dog parks, the city has 4 dog beaches as well.

It is said that Tel Aviv is dog friendly city in which dogs are welcome everywhere:

- in the most restaurants

- most hotels

- cafes

- stores

Passengers are allowed to bring their dogs or other pets into buses, trains and taxis.

In the USA, dog parks are growing in many cities, even faster compared to any kinds of parks.

Two nice dogs in the park

In term of per capita (per 100,000 residents), the cities with highest dog parks ranking in the USA are following:

- Las Vegas, Nevada, 3.9 dog parks per 100,000 people

- Madison, Wisconsin, 3.9 dog parks per 100,000 people

- Oakland, California, 3.7 dog parks per 100,000 people

- Arlington, Virginia, 3.5 dog parks per 100,000 people.

In respect to quantity, the city of Las Vegas is recorded as city with the most number of parks with 25 dog parks.

Are there dog parks in your city? How many dog parks in your city?

Is Cyber Monday better Deal than Black Friday?

Sales in one of retailers

The fact is quite surprising me that Cyber Monday was started long time ago, 2005. I just know about it this week. Poor me.

I remembered, my first online ordered was in 2007. I bought several used books from Amazon if I am not mistaken.

I think I just ordered online deal (Cyber Monday) few times during my staying in the USA. I ordered laptop and few gadgets.

So, what is different between “black Friday” and “Cyber Monday?”

I think the typical black Friday are:

- get in touch with items in the real stores

- discount items are new

- bigger items such as TV set, Furniture or gifts

Illustration for black Friday in Walmart

What we call as “Cyber Monday” is online shop for items such as:

- technology relate items

- smaller gifts

Have you shopped on black Friday and Cyber Monday? What items did you buy?

Are Micro plastics in the Tea Bags Dangerous for Our Health?

Tea bags in the box

Tea in the tea bags have been long time around in the market, more than two decades may be. It is a reasonable question that what made of tea bags?

It is generally believed, the tea bags made from:

- hemp (fibers from specific plants)

- bio plastics made from corn (it is biodegradable plastics)

- nylon

- Polyethylene Terephthalate

Some sources said that tea bags are mainly made of natural fibers, friendly materials, but using plastic as seal.

Other sources reported about using of plastic is more common than biodegradable fibers to make tea bags sold in the groceries.

Then, Are Micro plastics in the Teabag Dangerous for our Health?

Floating tea in the mug

Scientists mentioned that the tea bags could release “tiny” plastics into hot waters. Number of plastics per bag:

- 11.6 billion micro plastics

- 3.1 billion nanoplastics (smaller than micro plastics)

No prove that there is health risk to drink tea from tea bags as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO).

To confirm the WHO reported, then researchers observed whether micro plastic came out from tea bags is toxic or not.

The researchers found that water fleas have survived from exposing of contaminated micro plastics. Thus, tea bags plastic is safe for human health.

However, I myself did not drink tea from tea bags recently for my own convenient. How about you? Do you drink tea from tea bags? 

# You may like to read:

- Why Many Big Cities are Sinking? | Tanza Erlambang Update

Can Blood Sugar Hold at Normal Level Without Medication? - Diabetes 12

Blood control of Diabetes patient, just for illustration

(credit to Diet Doctor).

Some may have a question: can we cure diabetes? The answer is no, but patients may manage or maintain blood sugar to normal level.

Normal or near normal level of blood sugar may be hold without medication by such as:

- healthy or low caloric diet

- weight loss

It is reported that low calorie diets, less than 850 calories per day affects on blood sugar level.

The level could be normal in certain period. If diet is done for 5 months, the normal range would be for 1 year.

In addition to normal or near normal blood sugar level, low calorie diet could control blood pressure as well.

Weight loss is important too. Few pounds loss able to manage blood sugar level, and even diabetes free in some cases.

Weight loss (credit to Medical Xpress)

Possible diabetes free if diagnosed early, and taken action to loss weight as soon as possible.

Lost about 30 pounds (14 kg) for type 2 diabetes patients have positive effects in terms of:

- cells to control blood sugar will work well

- lower fat in liver and pancreas help beta cells to release insulin to manage blood sugar.

It is believed that to control blood glucose by lower calorie diets consumption and weight loss program is better than by medications (insulin injection or drugs) at early stage of diabetes type 2 patients.