Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Sugary drinks linked to diabetes risk - UPI.com
Sugary drinks linked to diabetes risk - UPI.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Economy hurts diabetes glucose management - UPI.com
Economy hurts diabetes glucose management - UPI.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Circulator Boot Prevents Diabetes Related Amputation
Doctors at Mayo Clinic are using a special boot to help prevent amputations and save limbs . . .
Many people with diabetes are at risk of developing wounds on their feet that just won't heal. They're also at risk of getting hardened arteries in their legs, a condition that can be very painful. These issues are what cause some diabetics and some people with peripheral arterial disease to need amputations.
Source: EmaxHealth
http://www.emaxhealth.com/23/22982.html
Many people with diabetes are at risk of developing wounds on their feet that just won't heal. They're also at risk of getting hardened arteries in their legs, a condition that can be very painful. These issues are what cause some diabetics and some people with peripheral arterial disease to need amputations.
Source: EmaxHealth
http://www.emaxhealth.com/23/22982.html
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Pre-Diabetes Can Be Turned Around by Exercise
Another good article at About.com - Charles
People diagnosed with pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance) can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by losing just 5 to 7% of their body weight and exercising regularly, according to a clinical study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Go to About.com to read entire article - and find more great links
Diet and Exercise Can Turn Pre-Diabetes Around
People diagnosed with pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance) can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by losing just 5 to 7% of their body weight and exercising regularly, according to a clinical study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Go to About.com to read entire article - and find more great links
Diet and Exercise Can Turn Pre-Diabetes Around
Fruits and Vegetables on a Budget
Anyone who's been to a grocery store lately knows about soaring prices.
Can we eat healthy when good food costs so much?
Eating 3 to 5 cups a day has long been recommended to reduce the risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, and development of type 2 diabetes. The health benefits are well documented, and so you may not need to be sold on why you should eat more produce.
Read full article Fruits and Vegetables on a Budget - Cutting the Cost of Heart-Healthy Produce - By Debra Manzella, R.N., About.com
Diabetes On Rise Says CDC
Diabetes Cases Increase 15% in 2 Years . . .
Federal health officials sounded an alarm Tuesday about the staggering rise of diabetes in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control said a record 24-million Americans – eight percent of the population - now have diabetes.
That's an increase of three million over the course of three years; 25% of people over the age of 60 are affected.
The study also shows that 57 million more people are pre-diabetic, which means they are at risk of the disease.
“We've been busy right along,” says Dr. Steven Zygmot with Joslin Diabetes Center. The center sees only about 10 percent to 15 percent of Central New York diabetics.
Read full story at 9-WSYR.com
Federal health officials sounded an alarm Tuesday about the staggering rise of diabetes in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control said a record 24-million Americans – eight percent of the population - now have diabetes.
That's an increase of three million over the course of three years; 25% of people over the age of 60 are affected.
The study also shows that 57 million more people are pre-diabetic, which means they are at risk of the disease.
“We've been busy right along,” says Dr. Steven Zygmot with Joslin Diabetes Center. The center sees only about 10 percent to 15 percent of Central New York diabetics.
Read full story at 9-WSYR.com
Monday, June 23, 2008
Wide Disparities in Health Care by Race and Region
Race and place of residence can have a staggering impact on the course and quality of the medical treatment a patient receives.
According to new research showing that blacks with diabetes or vascular disease are nearly five times more likely than whites to have a leg amputated, and that women in Mississippi are far less likely to have mammograms than those in Maine.
The study, by researchers at Dartmouth, examined Medicare claims for evidence of racial and geographic disparities, and found that on a variety of quality indices, blacks typically were less likely to receive recommended care than whites within a given region.
But the most striking disparities were found from place to place.
For instance, the widest racial gaps in mammogram rates within a state were with a difference of 12% points between the white rate and the black rate. The statistics were for women ages 65 to 69 who received screening in 2004 or 2005 in Massachusetts, California, Illinois, and California.
In all but two states, black diabetics were less likely than whites to receive annual hemoglobin testing. But blacks - 66% were far less likely to be screened than those in Massachusetts and Colorado.
Disparities in the rate of leg amputations were particularly stark. The rate for blacks was about 6 per 1,000. The rates for whites in three Southern states were much lower, about 1.3 per 1,000.
Such variations may be partly explained by regional differences in education and poverty levels, but researchers increasingly believe that variations in medical practice and spending also are factors.
In health care, it’s not only who you are that matters - it’s also where you live.
The study was commissioned by the nation’s largest health-related philanthropy, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which recently announced a three-year, $300 million initiative intended to narrow health care disparities across lines of race and geography. Officials said it would be the largest effort to improve health care quality ever undertaken by a charity in the United States
Dr. John R. Lumpkin, senior vice president of the foundation, said that more than a third of the $300 million would be spent to hire national experts to help regional coalitions tailor their quality improvement plans. The remainder of the money will be devoted to research, evaluation and the promotion of quality standards.
The areas selected for the grants are Cincinnati; Cleveland; Detroit; Humboldt County, Calif.; Kansas City, Mo.; Maine; Memphis; Minnesota; Seattle; south central Pennsylvania; western Michigan; western New York; Willamette Valley in Oregon; and Wisconsin.
The foundation’s endowment, now about $10 billion, was financed originally from the wealth of its namesake, who died in 1968 after building Johnson & Johnson into one of the world’s largest sellers of health and medical products.
The group has been a major force in curbing tobacco use, and has more recently turned its attention to obesity, announcing a five-year, $500 million effort on that front last year.
Source: Latinos for National Health Insurance
According to new research showing that blacks with diabetes or vascular disease are nearly five times more likely than whites to have a leg amputated, and that women in Mississippi are far less likely to have mammograms than those in Maine.
The study, by researchers at Dartmouth, examined Medicare claims for evidence of racial and geographic disparities, and found that on a variety of quality indices, blacks typically were less likely to receive recommended care than whites within a given region.
But the most striking disparities were found from place to place.
For instance, the widest racial gaps in mammogram rates within a state were with a difference of 12% points between the white rate and the black rate. The statistics were for women ages 65 to 69 who received screening in 2004 or 2005 in Massachusetts, California, Illinois, and California.
In all but two states, black diabetics were less likely than whites to receive annual hemoglobin testing. But blacks - 66% were far less likely to be screened than those in Massachusetts and Colorado.
Disparities in the rate of leg amputations were particularly stark. The rate for blacks was about 6 per 1,000. The rates for whites in three Southern states were much lower, about 1.3 per 1,000.
Such variations may be partly explained by regional differences in education and poverty levels, but researchers increasingly believe that variations in medical practice and spending also are factors.
In health care, it’s not only who you are that matters - it’s also where you live.
The study was commissioned by the nation’s largest health-related philanthropy, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which recently announced a three-year, $300 million initiative intended to narrow health care disparities across lines of race and geography. Officials said it would be the largest effort to improve health care quality ever undertaken by a charity in the United States
Dr. John R. Lumpkin, senior vice president of the foundation, said that more than a third of the $300 million would be spent to hire national experts to help regional coalitions tailor their quality improvement plans. The remainder of the money will be devoted to research, evaluation and the promotion of quality standards.
The areas selected for the grants are Cincinnati; Cleveland; Detroit; Humboldt County, Calif.; Kansas City, Mo.; Maine; Memphis; Minnesota; Seattle; south central Pennsylvania; western Michigan; western New York; Willamette Valley in Oregon; and Wisconsin.
The foundation’s endowment, now about $10 billion, was financed originally from the wealth of its namesake, who died in 1968 after building Johnson & Johnson into one of the world’s largest sellers of health and medical products.
The group has been a major force in curbing tobacco use, and has more recently turned its attention to obesity, announcing a five-year, $500 million effort on that front last year.
Source: Latinos for National Health Insurance
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Diabetes Management Challenges For Seniors
Not only is the risk for Type 2 diabetes more common as people get older, but physical, financial and medical issues are often compounded as people age.
Not enough insurance coverage, co-existing medical problems, difficulties with transportation, lack of social support, being unable to be physically active, poor nutrition; all these can come into play when elderly patients are diagnosed with diabetes.
1. Diagnosis Can Be More Difficult
Diagnosing diabetes becomes more difficult when there are already underlying symptoms of other common conditions that frequently occur with aging. Older people may not pay attention to symptoms of chronic thirst and frequent urination, instead just chalking them up to old age.
Problems such as blurred vision may be masked if cataracts or other age-related eye diseases are also concurrent. Fatigue and weakness in the extremities may also be overlooked as just a natural process of aging. Not only is the risk for Type 2 diabetes more common as people get older, but physical, financial and medical issues are often compounded as people age.
2. Complications Are More Likely
If diabetes is not diagnosed for a long period of time, the incidence of complications is higher due to the longterm damage of high blood sugar. If other medical problems are also occuring at the same time, these complications may not even be noticed until they become serious and life threatening.
* blindness
* kidney failure with resultant dialysis
* peripheral vascular disease and impaired circulation with threat of amputation
* cardiovascular disease
3. Affordable Health Care
Seniors might not be able to afford the extra expense of doctor visits, nutritionists, extra medications and supplies needed to keep diabetes under control. Very often private insurance is too expensive. There are options available to seniors for medical coverage, including Medicare Plan D which can help pay for prescriptions if you qualify for Medicare, state programs such as EPIC (Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage) and State Health Insurance Counseling and Assistance Programs(SHIP).
4. Transportation To and From Appointments
No longer being able to drive can be a big concern. It's hard to get to doctor's appointments, pharmacies, nutritionists and other health related destinations when there's no available transportation. Sometimes physical limitations prevent seniors from taking advantage of public transportation. Community-sponsored senior transportation may be offered at small to no charge. Local government offices or senior community centers can direct you to these services.
5. Adequate Nutrition
Sometimes a fixed income means trying to cut costs and live as economically as possible. Eating healthy can be expensive and difficult to accomplish. Nutritionally balanced meals are sometimes offered in area senior centers or through senior services agencies in the community. The Meals on Wheels program will deliver a healthy meal right to the door. Ask your doctor or nutritionist about low-cost food programs that are available in the area.
6. Getting Enough Exercise
Physical activity is beneficial for all seniors but especially for seniors with diabetes. Exercise can help keep blood sugar in control. Limited mobility can interfere with getting enough exercise. Local gyms and community centers can offer exercise programs specifically designed for older adults, such as the Silver Sneakers program. Local hospitals may also be able to recommend senior fitness programs in your area. Always check with your physician before starting any exercise program.
Source: About.com
http://diabetes.about.com/od/seniorswithdiabetes/tp/diabetesseniors.htm
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Juvenile Diabetes Club Aid's Kids
The founder of a diabetes club said children with the disease need someone to talk to about their concerns.
“The bad thing is I have low blood sugar and can’t eat much. The good thing is I have new friends,” said Eric Gutierrez, a third-grader at Taft Elementary School.
“I learned to be healthy with a lot of sleep and exercise and to take care of myself,” said Faith Nardone, a Taft fifth-grader.
The two were talking about their membership in the Taft Elementary Diabetes Club, an education and support group created this year by Annie Hunter, a fourth-grade teacher with 27 years of service in the district and a diabetic herself.
Hunter said the idea for creating a club for children came to her after she witnessed an elementary school girl having her blood sugar tested in the office of school nurse Jill Zinger.
Hunter recalled that she told Zinger that some sort of club or support group should be created to provide assistance to children with juvenile diabetes. It was Zinger, she said, who suggested that she take up the cause herself.
The more she thought about it, the better the idea sounded, Hunter said, adding that she wrote up a club proposal and presented it to Michael Schubert, Taft’s principal.
“I thought it was fantastic,” Schubert said, noting that much of the club’s focus is on nutrition and eating right to control the disease.
The school contacted the parents of children at Taft known to have been diagnosed with diabetes and asked for permission for their children to join the club.
The National Diabetes Education Program estimates there are 177,000 people under the age of 20 in the United States who have diabetes.
“I wanted to offer support to the children who have diabetes,” Hunter said. The club gives them someone to share their concerns with, she said, explaining that sometimes their classmates just don’t understand why they can’t eat a cookie or a cupcake.
“I’m a diabetic. I am learning more about taking care of myself from the children than they are learning from me,” Hunter said, explaining that the club members are very knowledgeable about the disease and what dietary limitations they must impose on themselves.
Their parents are on top of things in terms of keeping their children informed, she said.
The club, which meets every two weeks, has five pupil members. In addition to Eric and Faith, Skylar Barcley, a second-grader, and sisters Tanesha Bryant, a first-grader, and Ta’Andrea Bowers, a fourth-grader, are members.
Tanesha has diabetes but Ta’Andrea doesn’t. She joined the club out of support for her younger sister and her teachers say she keeps a careful watch over her sibling.
Read entire article at Vindy.com
“The bad thing is I have low blood sugar and can’t eat much. The good thing is I have new friends,” said Eric Gutierrez, a third-grader at Taft Elementary School.
“I learned to be healthy with a lot of sleep and exercise and to take care of myself,” said Faith Nardone, a Taft fifth-grader.
The two were talking about their membership in the Taft Elementary Diabetes Club, an education and support group created this year by Annie Hunter, a fourth-grade teacher with 27 years of service in the district and a diabetic herself.
Hunter said the idea for creating a club for children came to her after she witnessed an elementary school girl having her blood sugar tested in the office of school nurse Jill Zinger.
Hunter recalled that she told Zinger that some sort of club or support group should be created to provide assistance to children with juvenile diabetes. It was Zinger, she said, who suggested that she take up the cause herself.
The more she thought about it, the better the idea sounded, Hunter said, adding that she wrote up a club proposal and presented it to Michael Schubert, Taft’s principal.
“I thought it was fantastic,” Schubert said, noting that much of the club’s focus is on nutrition and eating right to control the disease.
The school contacted the parents of children at Taft known to have been diagnosed with diabetes and asked for permission for their children to join the club.
The National Diabetes Education Program estimates there are 177,000 people under the age of 20 in the United States who have diabetes.
“I wanted to offer support to the children who have diabetes,” Hunter said. The club gives them someone to share their concerns with, she said, explaining that sometimes their classmates just don’t understand why they can’t eat a cookie or a cupcake.
“I’m a diabetic. I am learning more about taking care of myself from the children than they are learning from me,” Hunter said, explaining that the club members are very knowledgeable about the disease and what dietary limitations they must impose on themselves.
Their parents are on top of things in terms of keeping their children informed, she said.
The club, which meets every two weeks, has five pupil members. In addition to Eric and Faith, Skylar Barcley, a second-grader, and sisters Tanesha Bryant, a first-grader, and Ta’Andrea Bowers, a fourth-grader, are members.
Tanesha has diabetes but Ta’Andrea doesn’t. She joined the club out of support for her younger sister and her teachers say she keeps a careful watch over her sibling.
Read entire article at Vindy.com
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Diabetic Celebrity Health: Halle Berry
One in 20 women, such as Oscar winner Halle Berry, have diabetes during pregnancy. But once diagnosed it can be managed.
A condition known -- not surprisingly -- as gestational diabetes.
As the baby grows in the womb, hormonal changes can result in higher blood-sugar levels in the mother. The hormones in question are produced by the placenta - via which the mother delivers nutrients to her growing child.
The bigger the placenta grows over the course of the pregnancy, the more hormones it releases - and the greater the chances of diabetes.
Normally, the upsurge in hormones is countered by the pancreas, the organ that supplies the body with insulin.
Gestational diabetes occurs when the organ struggles to produce the required amount of insulin.
There are also indications that it is more prevalent among the overweight -- though given her regulation Hollywood figure, Berry hardly had cause to worry on that front.
However, in up to 50% of cases, there is no discernible cause of the condition. In the unborn child, gestational diabetes can lead to birth defects.
The most common complication is called macrosomnia, by which babies are born oversized. This happens because the foetus produces excess insulin to absorb the large levels of glucose it is receiving from the mother.
That, in turn, serves as a growth trigger resulting in newborns with larger than normal heads and shoulders, which increase the chance of an injury during childbirth.
No less worrying is evidence that pre-existing diabetes among mothers - most commonly linked to obesity -is on the rise. A US survey found recently that the number of woman with diabetes during pregnancy doubled in the past seven years.
Pre-existing diabetes poses a threat to both mother and child: the risk of miscarriage and still-birth climbs sharply and there is a possibility the infant will be born with birth defects.
However, once it has been diagnosed, gestational diabetes can be managed during pregnancy.
The mother will probably be advised to limit the amount of glucose in her system by adopting a low-sugar diet. Exercise has also been shown to help.
Should neither of these produce the desired result, doctors will recommend insulin injections, to bring down blood-sugar levels.
Should the pregnancy otherwise go smoothly, the long- term effects of gestational diabetes are minimal. The mother's blood-sugar levels will, in most cases, revert to their pre-existing levels shortly after childbirth.
Souece:
Independent - IE
New Type-2 Diabetic Treatment Being Tested
SUFFERERS from type-2 diabetes soon may be treating their ailment by chewing gum.
A Toronto company says it is testing a chewing gum containing the glucose-controlling drug metformin which is presently prescribed in tablets for many type-2 diabetes patients, but is unpopular because of gastrointestinal side-effects, bitter taste and the size of the pills.
The side-effects were especially off-putting to the increasing number of children diagnosed with type-2, according to the Generex Biotechnology Corporation of Toronto, Canada.
The chewing-gum product, called MetControl, would be given to 36 volunteer patients to test its speed and efficacy compared with that of immediate-release metformin pills.
It believed that delivery of metformin in good-tasting chewing gum would make it more acceptable to these patients and thereby increase adherence with diabetes therapy.
Generex Biotechnology's flagship product is an oral insulin taken through the inner lining of the mouth instead of by injection.
Oral-lyn, had been accepted in Ecuador and India and was being trialled in other countries including the United States, Canada and Russia.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23717864-1702,00.html
A Toronto company says it is testing a chewing gum containing the glucose-controlling drug metformin which is presently prescribed in tablets for many type-2 diabetes patients, but is unpopular because of gastrointestinal side-effects, bitter taste and the size of the pills.
The side-effects were especially off-putting to the increasing number of children diagnosed with type-2, according to the Generex Biotechnology Corporation of Toronto, Canada.
The chewing-gum product, called MetControl, would be given to 36 volunteer patients to test its speed and efficacy compared with that of immediate-release metformin pills.
It believed that delivery of metformin in good-tasting chewing gum would make it more acceptable to these patients and thereby increase adherence with diabetes therapy.
Generex Biotechnology's flagship product is an oral insulin taken through the inner lining of the mouth instead of by injection.
Oral-lyn, had been accepted in Ecuador and India and was being trialled in other countries including the United States, Canada and Russia.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23717864-1702,00.html
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
African American and Diabetes Facts
Compared to the general population, African Americans are disproportionately affected by diabetes:
* 3.2 million or 13.3% of all African Americans aged 20 years or older have diabetes.
* African Americans are 1.8 times more likely to have diabetes as non Hispanic whites.
* Twenty-five percent of African Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 have diabetes.
* One in four African American women over 55 years of age has diabetes.
Diabetes Complications:
Diabetes is associated with an increased risk for a number of serious, sometimes life-threatening complications and certain populations experience an even greater threat.
Good diabetes management can help reduce your risk. However many people are not even aware that they have diabetes until they develop one of its complications.
Blindness: African Americans are almost 50% as likely to develop diabetic retinopathy as non-Hispanic whites.
Kidney Disease: African Americans are 2.6 to 5.6 times as likely to suffer from kidney disease with more than 4,000 new cases of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) each year.
Amputations: African Americans are 2.7 times as likely to suffer from lower-limb amputations. Amputation rates are 1.4 to 2.7 times higher in men than women with diabetes.
Heart Disease and Stroke: Heart disease and stroke account for about 65% of deaths in people with diabetes. Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about 2 to 4 times higher than adults without diabetes.
The risk for stroke is 2 to 4 times higher and the risk of death from stroke is 2.8 times higher among people with diabetes.
Deaths from heart disease in men with diabetes have decreased by only 13 percent compared to a 36 percent decrease in men without diabetes.
Women with diabetes, deaths from heart disease have increased 23 percent over the past 30 years compared to a 27 percent decrease in women without diabetes.
Diabetic neuropathy is a serious complication of diabetes that affects millions of people every day. Nerves damaged by diabetic neuropathy can cause stinging or burning sensations, tingling, pain, numbness or weakness in the hands and feet.
Diabetic neuropathy puts you at risk for foot injury, infection, even amputation.
http://www.diabetes.org/communityprograms-and-localevents/africanamerican/facts.jsp
* 3.2 million or 13.3% of all African Americans aged 20 years or older have diabetes.
* African Americans are 1.8 times more likely to have diabetes as non Hispanic whites.
* Twenty-five percent of African Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 have diabetes.
* One in four African American women over 55 years of age has diabetes.
Diabetes Complications:
Diabetes is associated with an increased risk for a number of serious, sometimes life-threatening complications and certain populations experience an even greater threat.
Good diabetes management can help reduce your risk. However many people are not even aware that they have diabetes until they develop one of its complications.
Blindness: African Americans are almost 50% as likely to develop diabetic retinopathy as non-Hispanic whites.
Kidney Disease: African Americans are 2.6 to 5.6 times as likely to suffer from kidney disease with more than 4,000 new cases of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) each year.
Amputations: African Americans are 2.7 times as likely to suffer from lower-limb amputations. Amputation rates are 1.4 to 2.7 times higher in men than women with diabetes.
Heart Disease and Stroke: Heart disease and stroke account for about 65% of deaths in people with diabetes. Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about 2 to 4 times higher than adults without diabetes.
The risk for stroke is 2 to 4 times higher and the risk of death from stroke is 2.8 times higher among people with diabetes.
Deaths from heart disease in men with diabetes have decreased by only 13 percent compared to a 36 percent decrease in men without diabetes.
Women with diabetes, deaths from heart disease have increased 23 percent over the past 30 years compared to a 27 percent decrease in women without diabetes.
Diabetic neuropathy is a serious complication of diabetes that affects millions of people every day. Nerves damaged by diabetic neuropathy can cause stinging or burning sensations, tingling, pain, numbness or weakness in the hands and feet.
Diabetic neuropathy puts you at risk for foot injury, infection, even amputation.
http://www.diabetes.org/communityprograms-and-localevents/africanamerican/facts.jsp
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Bitter Melon Produces Sweet Results for Diabetes
More studies into Type 2 diabetes. Many of my friends have Type 2, and we trade info back and forth - and we often confused and overwhelmed with all the info coming out on the subject of Diabetes in general - along with new treatments - Charles
Scientists have uncovered the therapeutic properties of bitter melon, a vegetable and traditional Chinese medicine, that make it a powerful treatment for Type 2 diabetes.
Teams from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica pulped roughly a tonne of fresh bitter melon and extracted four very promising bioactive components.
These four compounds all appear to activate the enzyme AMPK, a protein well known for regulating fuel metabolism and enabling glucose uptake. The results are published in the International Chemistry & Biology Journal.
People with Type 2 diabetes have an impaired ability to convert the sugar in their blood into energy in their muscles. This is partly because they don’t produce enough insulin, and partly because their fat and muscle cells don’t use insulin effectively, a phenomenon known as ‘insulin resistance’.
Exercise activates AMPK in muscle, which in turn mediates the movement of glucose transporters to the cell surface, a very important step in the uptake of glucose from the circulation into tissues in the body. This is a major reason that exercise is recommended as part of the normal treatment program for someone with Type 2 diabetes.
The four compounds isolated in bitter melon perform a very similar action to that of exercise, in that they activate AMPK.
Source:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/ra-ato032608.php
Angelina Jolie diagnosed with gestational diabetes
Actress Angelina Jolie has been suffering from a form of diabetes that hits pregnant women, according to reports.
Jolie, who is expecting twins, has reportedly contracted gestational diabetes.
She found out about a month ago. She has been seeing a nutritionist.
The actress has been nauseous and her legs are so swollen that she has to wear bigger shoes.
http://entertainment.oneindia.in/hollywood/top-stories/scoop/2008/angelina-jolie-pregnancy-diabetes-290308.html
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/angelina-jolie-diagnosed-with-gestational-diabetes_10032451.html
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Silent Disease Diabets Often Goes Undiagnosed For 5-10 Years
Diabetes Symptoms and Care
It is estimated that nearly one third of Type 2 diabetes cases are unaware that they have the disease, according to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH.) In 2006, more than 140,000 undiagnosed Marylanders joined the ranks of 334,000 others who knew they had the disease.
Many people will not notice anything wrong, but symptoms that may signal diabetes include unusual hunger, excessive thirst, constant urination and unintended weight loss.
Risk factors can include being overweight or obese, not being physically active, high blood pressure and a family history of the disease.
Women who are pregnant or those who have a baby that weighs more than nine pounds at birth are also at risk. The disease is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Often described as a silent disease, diabetes means your blood sugar is too high. When this happens, it can harm your eyes, nerves, kidneys and heart. It can lead to amputations. And, your risk of acquiring the disease goes up as you age, gain weight or fail to stay active.
Yet there are steps you can take to delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Measures include losing weight if you are overweight, staying active most days of the week and eating low fat meals that include vegetables, fruits and whole grain foods.
It is important that a person with diabetes manage his or her own care every day with a team of professionals including a primary provider, dietitian, diabetes educator and in some cases, the pharmacist.
http://www.emaxhealth.com/23/21247.html
It is estimated that nearly one third of Type 2 diabetes cases are unaware that they have the disease, according to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH.) In 2006, more than 140,000 undiagnosed Marylanders joined the ranks of 334,000 others who knew they had the disease.
Many people will not notice anything wrong, but symptoms that may signal diabetes include unusual hunger, excessive thirst, constant urination and unintended weight loss.
Risk factors can include being overweight or obese, not being physically active, high blood pressure and a family history of the disease.
Women who are pregnant or those who have a baby that weighs more than nine pounds at birth are also at risk. The disease is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Often described as a silent disease, diabetes means your blood sugar is too high. When this happens, it can harm your eyes, nerves, kidneys and heart. It can lead to amputations. And, your risk of acquiring the disease goes up as you age, gain weight or fail to stay active.
Yet there are steps you can take to delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Measures include losing weight if you are overweight, staying active most days of the week and eating low fat meals that include vegetables, fruits and whole grain foods.
It is important that a person with diabetes manage his or her own care every day with a team of professionals including a primary provider, dietitian, diabetes educator and in some cases, the pharmacist.
http://www.emaxhealth.com/23/21247.html
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Risk Factors and Race in Alzheimer’s
There are several risk factors that we look for when we weigh an individual’s chances for getting Alzheimer’s.
There is that pesky gene (APOe-E4) that shows up in most Alzheimer’s, but not all, but we have come to believe that, while genes play a major role, there are several genes at play, not one, and other factors are equally important.
Head injury is one of those risk factors. You won’t like it but it is true: people who play a lot of soccer have a significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s due to heading the ball and other collisions on the field. Boxers develop a form of dementia that is named for their sport, dementia pugilistica. Any head injury increases the likelihood of future Alzheimer’s Disease.
One whole segment of our population is more likely to get Alzheimer’s: African-Americans. This isn’t as big a puzzle as you might think. There isn’t — as far as we know now — a gene carried in African-Americans that makes them more likely candidates for Alzheimer’s; at least, not directly. Then why are they much more likely to get the disease? Culture and politics rear their ugly heads at this point.
African-Americans have made great strides forward in recent decades; no question. However, as a group, they are still less likely to have access to good health care (especially preventative care) and as a whole they tend to have less income. Because their funds are limited, they are likely to eat more fat and starch in their diet and that leads to obesity.
Obesity is a huge risk factor for Alzheimer’s Disease. I have heard snide remarks made about African-Americans by white people who judged them by their size and then — always out of earshot of the individual, of course — wondering aloud how they could afford to eat that much food if they were poor. I’ve heard comments made about what they purchased with food stamps, etc. that didn’t just border on unChristian and slanderous, they leapt the border into sinfulness.
Say it with me: fat is cheap. Go look at the dollar menu at McDonald’s, Wendy’s, or Burger King. Rent "Super Size Me" by Morgan Spurlock. When funds are limited and preventative health care information is limited, people go to fat and starch. Compare the price of five pounds of potatoes versus five pounds of steak. Now, compare five pounds of hamburger with five pounds of steak. Now, compare five pounds of chitterlings with five pounds of hamburger. Have we made our point? There are cultural issues at stake here, too. Some African-American micro-cultures will not accept what they see as a white, yuppie diet rich in vegetables and fruits. Some of them consider obesity to be a sign of beauty and strength ("Baby Got Back" anyone?).
But even if they wanted to eat better, that takes money and it takes time. There are many, many areas in our country where a black woman would have to catch two buses and travel for an hour to get to a store that sold fresh fruit and vegetables but there are three McDonald’s within six blocks of her apartment. Stores want to locate where people have extra money; they don’t want to build in a poor section of town, especially if that area is high crime.
Primarily because of weight, there is far more diabetes among African-Americans than there is in the white population (by ratio, not raw numbers). There may be a genetic predisposition towards both obesity and diabetes but that link is unproven at present.
Diabetes, along with obesity, are two of the largest risk factors for Alzheimer’s Disease. Put those two together and you almost always get the third highest risk factor: lack of exercise. With weight comes pain on the joints and pressure on the heart and lungs making most exercise difficult and painful. So…rheumatoid arthritis shows up and we find the biggest bogey-man of all in Alzheimer’s — inflammation.
By the year 2030, we expect 6.9 million African-Americans to enter the highest risk years for Alzheimer’s (65-85). With their high rates of diabetes, obesity, poor diets, and lack of exercise, we expect a higher percentage of them to need long term care than whites or Asians There are no figures on Hispanic populations.
Churches should play a role in discussing how to be good stewards of our money, bodies, diet, and time. I think churches from outside African-American communities should make solid, meaningful relationships with leaders inside those communities and offer help, guidance, funds, education… all in Jesus’ name. It would prevent countless thousands of tragedies if we could help our brothers and sisters avoid Alzheimer’s.
http://patrickmead.net/?p=270
There is that pesky gene (APOe-E4) that shows up in most Alzheimer’s, but not all, but we have come to believe that, while genes play a major role, there are several genes at play, not one, and other factors are equally important.
Head injury is one of those risk factors. You won’t like it but it is true: people who play a lot of soccer have a significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s due to heading the ball and other collisions on the field. Boxers develop a form of dementia that is named for their sport, dementia pugilistica. Any head injury increases the likelihood of future Alzheimer’s Disease.
One whole segment of our population is more likely to get Alzheimer’s: African-Americans. This isn’t as big a puzzle as you might think. There isn’t — as far as we know now — a gene carried in African-Americans that makes them more likely candidates for Alzheimer’s; at least, not directly. Then why are they much more likely to get the disease? Culture and politics rear their ugly heads at this point.
African-Americans have made great strides forward in recent decades; no question. However, as a group, they are still less likely to have access to good health care (especially preventative care) and as a whole they tend to have less income. Because their funds are limited, they are likely to eat more fat and starch in their diet and that leads to obesity.
Obesity is a huge risk factor for Alzheimer’s Disease. I have heard snide remarks made about African-Americans by white people who judged them by their size and then — always out of earshot of the individual, of course — wondering aloud how they could afford to eat that much food if they were poor. I’ve heard comments made about what they purchased with food stamps, etc. that didn’t just border on unChristian and slanderous, they leapt the border into sinfulness.
Say it with me: fat is cheap. Go look at the dollar menu at McDonald’s, Wendy’s, or Burger King. Rent "Super Size Me" by Morgan Spurlock. When funds are limited and preventative health care information is limited, people go to fat and starch. Compare the price of five pounds of potatoes versus five pounds of steak. Now, compare five pounds of hamburger with five pounds of steak. Now, compare five pounds of chitterlings with five pounds of hamburger. Have we made our point? There are cultural issues at stake here, too. Some African-American micro-cultures will not accept what they see as a white, yuppie diet rich in vegetables and fruits. Some of them consider obesity to be a sign of beauty and strength ("Baby Got Back" anyone?).
But even if they wanted to eat better, that takes money and it takes time. There are many, many areas in our country where a black woman would have to catch two buses and travel for an hour to get to a store that sold fresh fruit and vegetables but there are three McDonald’s within six blocks of her apartment. Stores want to locate where people have extra money; they don’t want to build in a poor section of town, especially if that area is high crime.
Primarily because of weight, there is far more diabetes among African-Americans than there is in the white population (by ratio, not raw numbers). There may be a genetic predisposition towards both obesity and diabetes but that link is unproven at present.
Diabetes, along with obesity, are two of the largest risk factors for Alzheimer’s Disease. Put those two together and you almost always get the third highest risk factor: lack of exercise. With weight comes pain on the joints and pressure on the heart and lungs making most exercise difficult and painful. So…rheumatoid arthritis shows up and we find the biggest bogey-man of all in Alzheimer’s — inflammation.
By the year 2030, we expect 6.9 million African-Americans to enter the highest risk years for Alzheimer’s (65-85). With their high rates of diabetes, obesity, poor diets, and lack of exercise, we expect a higher percentage of them to need long term care than whites or Asians There are no figures on Hispanic populations.
Churches should play a role in discussing how to be good stewards of our money, bodies, diet, and time. I think churches from outside African-American communities should make solid, meaningful relationships with leaders inside those communities and offer help, guidance, funds, education… all in Jesus’ name. It would prevent countless thousands of tragedies if we could help our brothers and sisters avoid Alzheimer’s.
http://patrickmead.net/?p=270
Randy Jackson Promotes Diabetes Awareness
Randy Jackson, music industry veteran and TV personality, is holding a casting call for people living with type 2 diabetes.
Jackson has partnered with the American Heart Association to speak on behalf of The Heart of DiabetesTM, a national campaign to help those living with type 2 diabetes manage the disease and learn about its connection to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Approximately 21 million Americans have diabetes; and according to estimates, two-thirds of them will die of CVD, such as heart attack or stroke.
“When I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I thought, ‘Wow, I have a serious disease,’” Jackson said. “I’ve learned that people can live well, with proper management of this disease, and that hearing stories about how others manage type 2 diabetes helps me.
I am encouraging people to share their stories as part of The Heart of Diabetes campaign. I hope this campaign will help others who live with type 2 diabetes lead happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.”
Jackson shares more of his story about living with type 2 diabetes and provides information about how to successfully manage it.
The campaign calls upon those who either have, or know someone who has, type 2 diabetes to share their tips and inspirational stories on the campaign’s Web site, IKnowDiabetes.org. Three people with type 2 diabetes, whose stories are inspiring to others, will be selected and invited to appear in a public service announcement with Jackson.
Jackson stated that he has also worked closely with my doctor to stick to a treatment plan, including learning about healthy food choices and exercise routines - "I’ve learned things that have helped me manage the disease and worked with the American Heart Association to develop tips to help others lead a healthier life.”
Tips available on IKnowDiabetes.org include:
* Keep active and maintain a healthy body weight. Even 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five days a week can help prevent diabetes, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, maintain a healthy body weight and minimize risk of cardiovascular disease.
* Normalize your numbers. Schedule regular visits with your doctor to help monitor your blood sugar and manage your diabetes. It has been shown that you can reduce cardiovascular disease by improving your blood sugar control and controlling other risk factors. Learn to keep track of your critical health numbers, including blood pressure, cholesterol, body weight and blood sugar.
* Opt for a healthy lifestyle. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and reduce intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sodium and added sugars. Also, if you smoke, opt to quit – smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
* Work with your doctor. People living with type 2 diabetes often need multiple approaches to treatment to control the disease and its associated risks. If you live with type 2 diabetes, it is important to talk with your doctor, describe your symptoms and be persistent until you find treatment options and lifestyle changes that work for you.
“If you have type 2 diabetes or are at risk of developing the disease, work with your doctor to create a game plan for monitoring your critical health numbers including blood sugar, cholesterol, body weight and blood pressure.
Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke. These diseases, America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, and all other cardiovascular diseases claim over 870,000 lives a year.
Source: My fox Orlando
_______________________________________
Monday, March 3, 2008
Cutting Caffeine May Help Control Diabetes
Daily consumption of caffeine in coffee, tea or soft drinks increases blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes and may undermine efforts to control their disease.
Researchers used new technology that measured participants' glucose (sugar) levels on a constant basis throughout the day.
Dr. James Lane, a psychologist at Duke and the lead author of the study, says it represents the first time researchers have been able to track the impact of caffeine consumption as patients go about their normal, everyday lives.
Eliminating caffeine from the diet might be a good way to manage blood sugar levels.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128084449.htm
Researchers used new technology that measured participants' glucose (sugar) levels on a constant basis throughout the day.
Dr. James Lane, a psychologist at Duke and the lead author of the study, says it represents the first time researchers have been able to track the impact of caffeine consumption as patients go about their normal, everyday lives.
Eliminating caffeine from the diet might be a good way to manage blood sugar levels.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128084449.htm
New Clue on Brain Problems and Diabetes
Stress Hormone May Affect Memory in People With Diabetes
Too much of a stress-related hormone may be at the root of memory and other common brain-related diabetes complications.
A new study shows the release of the stress hormone corticosterone is tied to the development of memory or learning problems in rats with diabetes. But normalizing the levels of this hormone may restore normal brain function.
Researchers say many organs are adversely affected by diabetes, including the brain, which undergoes changes that may increase the risk of cognitive decline, such as loss of memory and difficulty concentrating.
Until now the reasons behind this decline have been unclear, but these results suggest that diabetes may trigger the release of excessive levels of corticosterone.
Targeting Diabetes Complications
In the study, published in Nature Neuroscience, researchers evaluated the effects of altering the levels of corticosterone on cognitive function in rats with diabetes.
They found increases in the stress hormone caused a drop in brain cell regeneration and a decline in memory formation in the rats. But normalizing the levels of the stress hormone reversed many of these negative effects and restored relatively normal brain function, regardless of changes in insulin production.
Although these results are only preliminary, researchers say they could lead to new treatments to help ease this common diabetes complication.
Source:
http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/10101/new-clue-on-brain-problems-and-diabetes
Too much of a stress-related hormone may be at the root of memory and other common brain-related diabetes complications.
A new study shows the release of the stress hormone corticosterone is tied to the development of memory or learning problems in rats with diabetes. But normalizing the levels of this hormone may restore normal brain function.
Researchers say many organs are adversely affected by diabetes, including the brain, which undergoes changes that may increase the risk of cognitive decline, such as loss of memory and difficulty concentrating.
Until now the reasons behind this decline have been unclear, but these results suggest that diabetes may trigger the release of excessive levels of corticosterone.
Targeting Diabetes Complications
In the study, published in Nature Neuroscience, researchers evaluated the effects of altering the levels of corticosterone on cognitive function in rats with diabetes.
They found increases in the stress hormone caused a drop in brain cell regeneration and a decline in memory formation in the rats. But normalizing the levels of the stress hormone reversed many of these negative effects and restored relatively normal brain function, regardless of changes in insulin production.
Although these results are only preliminary, researchers say they could lead to new treatments to help ease this common diabetes complication.
Source:
http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/10101/new-clue-on-brain-problems-and-diabetes
Saturday, March 1, 2008
ANGIE STONE
ANGIE STONE - STONE URGES DIABETES SCREENINGS
Soul singer ANGIE STONE is urging African-Americans to get tested for diabetes - because it is one of the most serious health challenges facing the black community.
The 47-year-old, who was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes eight years ago, has teamed up with Eli Lilly + Co. on the F.A.C.E. (Fearless African-Americans Connected and Empowered) Diabetes Campaign to advocate screenings for the disease, which affects more than 3 million African-Americans in the U.S.
She insists it is vital people get the symptoms diagnosed early before it is too late. She says, "Eight years ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes after I started experiencing a few common symptoms associated with high blood sugar - including frequent urination and excessive thirst. I couldn't stop going to the bathroom, and no matter how much water I drank, I couldn't get enough.
Despite having a family history of the disease, my diagnosis came as a shock because I didn't think I was a candidate for diabetes. Even after I was diagnosed and my doctor prescribed medication, I didn't truly take the disease as seriously as I should have. I was in denial about my condition and the importance of taking my medication, changing my diet and getting more exercise."
Contactmusic.com - Ilkley,England,UK
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