We hear always insulin and diabetes. Does insulin have other functions?

Insulin is a natural hormone of the body which controls the level of sugar in the blood. It is like a key to open the cells and send sugar there. Cells cannot utilize sugar without insulin.

Sugar is the body’s important and primary source of fuel. Excess sugar builds up in blood can lead to diabetes. Without insulin the cells cannot take sugar from the blood.

The other functions of insulin include:

• Stimulates growth
• DNA synthesis
• Cell replication
• Increases amino acid transport into cells
• Stimulates lipogenesis (conversion of sugar to fat, triglycerides)
• Decreases lipolysis (breakdown of triglycerides for energy production)
• Altering the cell content of numerous mRNAs (messengerRNAs carry coding information to the sites of protein synthesis)
• Modulates transcription (helps to transfer of genetic information from DNA to mRNA)

Insulin is thus important to our health.

What is the connection between cancer and food?

Cancer is uncontrolled growth of the cells in any part of the body.

There is a very good connection between cancer and food; if you eat the right food the risk of cancer would be minimized to 50%.

The right food is lot of coloured fruits and vegetables, whole grains and whole grain products, pulses, beans and peas, nuts and seeds.

Avoiding the risk factors like junk, fast and processed foods, less physical activity, smoking, excess alcohol, excess animal fat, obesity and taking right food, you can lead a healthy and better life.