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Chiropractic Terminology | G

Gatekeeper: This is a portal of entry healthcare provider for members of certain groups such as HMO’s. In this system, a gatekeeper is a clinician that is always the patients first contact for health problems. A gatekeeper then determines whether access to other expanded healthcare specialists and services is warranted.

Gestational Diabetes: A type of diabetes mellitus that can sometimes occur during pregnancy. A diagnosis of gestational diabetes doesn't mean that you had diabetes before you conceived, or that you will have diabetes after giving birth. It is just a simple fact that during pregnancy, usually around the twenty-forth week, many women develop gestational diabetes.

Ghrelin: This is known as the hunger hormone. It’s made in the stomach, and it tells the brain when it’s time to eat. Ghrelin doesn’t cause obesity, but scientists think taming it might help us get our scales back in balance.

Glucagon: A hormone secreted by the pancreas that raises blood glucose levels. Its effect is opposite that of insulin, which lowers blood glucose levels. Glucagon and insulin are part of a balanced feedback system that keeps blood glucose levels at a stable level.

Glucose: Our body's primary source of energy takes the form of glucose. This type of sugar comes from digesting carbohydrates into a chemical that we can easily convert to energy or store in the form of glucagon in the liver. When glucose levels in the bloodstream aren't properly regulated, one can develop a serious condition, such as diabetes.

Glycemic Index (a.k.a. GI): Not all carbohydrate foods are created equal; in fact they all can and do have different effects in the body. The glycemic index or GI describes the differences by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. Choosing low GI carbohydrates, the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels, is the secret to long-term health. Low GI carbohydrates are the key to reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes and can provide a path to sustainable weight loss.

Golfer's Elbow: A type of acute tendinitis and associated elbow pain that originates near the inside part of the elbow’s bony protrusion. Tendinitis of the elbow is the most common overuse injury of the elbow. Elbow injuries can be secondary to an injury elsewhere in the body. The elbow injury may be caused by the body compensating for an injury to the neck, shoulder or wrist.

Goniometer: An instrument that measures spinal and extremity ranges of motion.