Colgate Total Partners With Gospel Artist Promoting Oral Health

Grammy award winning Gospel artist Yolanda Adams is also a health advocate. 

With her syndicated radio show, "Wellness Wednesday" she has partnered with Colgate to educate  African Americans on the connection between diabetes and gum disease - and also to empower them to help take charge of their diabetes.

Colgate Total® is the only toothpaste FDA-approved and American Dental Association -accepted to help prevent gingivitis, the most common form of gum disease. 

Over half of African Americans (55%) surveyed said it is very important for them to have family support in helping them manage their diabetes and almost two-thirds (63%) agreed that it is very important that their family was aware of the health issues related to diabetes.

Family support and awareness of health issues is significantly more important for African Americans than Caucasians.

• 30% of African Americans reported a decline in their oral health since being diagnosed with diabetes, which is almost double the decline reported by Caucasians (16%)

• 66% of respondents were unaware that people with diabetes are twice as likely to develop serious gum disease compared with those who do not have diabetes. Upon hearing this information, the majority (56%) said they plan to pay more attention to their oral healthcare.

• More than half (59%) of all respondents and 44% of African Americans respondents reported that they were not personally concerned about gum disease, and only 38% of people with diabetes, but 53% of African Americans, said that they pay "a great deal" of attention to their oral health and dental care.

• African Americans and Hispanics were more likely than Caucasians to say they pay "a great deal" of attention to their oral health and dental care (53% of African-Americans and 46% of Hispanics vs. 34% of Caucasians).

• African Americans (19%) are much more likely to rely on friends/family for information about oral health than are Caucasians (11%) or Hispanics (15%). They are also more likely to rely on magazines or newspapers (20%) and TV shows (17%) for oral care information than Caucasians (9% and 2%).

• African Americans and Hispanics are eager for more information compared to Caucasians; 23% of Caucasians, compared to 40% of African Americans and 43% of Hispanics, said they "have some information about the possible link between oral health/dental care and diabetes but would like more.

Source: Herald Online

More about Diabetes and Oral Health from the American Diabetes Assoc.

World Diabetes Day

World Diabetes Day - November 14, 2013

Each year World Diabetes Day is centered on a theme related to diabetes. The theme for the years 2009 through 2013 is Diabetes Education and Prevention. 

World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization in response to the escalating health threat that diabetes now poses. 

World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2007, and is celebrated worldwide by the over 200 member associations in more than 160 countries and territories, all Member States of the United Nations, as well as by other associations and organizations, companies, healthcare professionals and people living with diabetes and their families.

The World Diabetes Day logo is the blue circle - the global symbol for diabetes which was developed as part of the Unite for Diabetes awareness campaign. The logo was adopted in 2007 to mark the passage of the United Nations World Diabetes Day Resolution. 

The significance of the blue circle symbol is overwhelmingly positive. Across cultures, the circle symbolizes life and health. The color blue reflects the sky that unites all nations and is the color of the United Nations flag. The blue circle signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes pandemic.

Learn more - http://www.idf.org/worlddiabetesday/

Is Type 1 Diabetes Being Ignored?

Some people believe the type 2 diabetes epidemic is taking attention away from type 1 and needed research. Find out what's behind the controversy.

What do you know about diabetes? If you've read an online news source or watched the nightly report lately, you probably know that this health condition is on the rise. 


Diabetes currently affects almost 26 million people in the United States, or over 8 percent of the population. However, many may not realize that there are two kinds of diabetes — type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes — and that there are significant differences between them. For this reason, some people active in the field of diabetes are calling for a name change for type 1 diabetes.


Read article
Is Type 1 Diabetes Being Ignored? - Diabetes Center - Everyday Health

Mood Swings Related To Diabetes

People with diabetes often experience dramatic mood swings as a result of an imbalance in blood sugar levels. 

Watch this video to learn what Eliot LeBow, a psychotherapist who specializes in diabetes, suggests to prevent being blindsided by a sudden spell of anxiety or a fit of depression.

Click to watch Video

How crusty foods contribute to diabetic heart disease

Heart disease is a known risk for people living with diabetes. 

Just on the heels of a study showing weight loss isn’t much help for cutting cardiovascular risks for people living with the disease comes a new study suggesting avoiding ‘crusty’ foods might be some help for diabetic hearts.

The finding that comes from University of Illinois addresses the problem of AGEs in food that are also known to raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Full article - How crusty foods contribute to diabetic heart disease

Elliott Yamin Jammin' for Diabetes and Big Blue Test

Whether you have diabetes or not, this year you can join those who do and be part of the "Big Blue Test." In 14 minutes you can get life-saving diabetes medicine and supplies to people around the world - many of whom will die without them.

By doing any activity of your choice, for 14 minutes, and recording your activity, Roche Diabetes Care (makers of ACCU-CHECK® products and services) will make a $5 donation to the Diabetes Hands Foundation (DHF), who will then award the monies to seven global humanitarian diabetes organizations.

There's also a second benefit to doing the Big Blue Test: You actually see the amazing power of exercise to lower your blood sugar. I've done this test twice before and just 14 minutes of walking lowers my blood sugar on average 18 points!

This year the Big Blue Test's video call to action features one of the most popular talents from TV's American Idol, Elliott Yamin. Yamin was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 16 years old.




Source: HUFFINGTON POST

Diabetic Kidney Disease, New Prevention Target Found

Scientists work to prevent diabetic kidney disease

Diabetic kidney disease, also known as diabetic nephropathy, is a serious complication of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, affecting up to about 30 percent of individuals with the disease.

Preventing kidney damage is a challenge, which is why a new prevention target discovered by scientists could be good news.

The kidneys contain millions of tiny blood vessels with filters that process waste products. Diabetes can damage this process, as high levels of sugar in the blood, over time, can excessively stress the filtering system and cause leaks.

Read more

NBA’s Carlos Boozer Has a Message for You

Chicago Bulls power forward, NBA All-Star and gold medal Olympian Carlos Boozer has a message for you- take the test!

Diabetes risk assessment test available at Dribble to Stop Diabetes, a national multimedia campaign in collaboration with the NBA, WNBA, NBA Development League, American Diabetes Association and Sanofi US (you just have to click the link above!)

Here are some more stats on diabetes:

• Nearly 19% of all African-Americans over the age of 20 have diabetes
• In the Chicago area, the prevalence of diabetes is 8.7%
• Nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes, including an estimated 7 million who remain undiagnosed with type 2 diabetes
• More than 40% of all patients with diabetes are not in control of their blood glucose, leaving them at an increased risk of diabetes-related complications

Source: Full article available at Tonic - News That'll Make You Feel Good 

Beans Show Promise With Type 2 Diabetes

Downing a cup of beans or lentils every day may help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar and possibly reduce their risk of heart attacks and stroke, according to a small study out today.

Researchers found that compared with a diet rich in whole grains, getting a daily dose of legumes led to small drops in an important measure of blood sugar as well as in blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Continue reading this article at Reuters Health

New Drug Restores Diabetic Vision Loss

Diabetes affects 26 million people in the United States and is the leading cause of new blindness in adults. Now for the first time in a long time, the FDA has approved a drug to help save diabetics' vision.  

See Video and Read more about this New Drug

Diabetics Unaware of Connection Between Diabetes and Oral Health

Colgate Total® Joins Forces with American Diabetes Association and Celebrities to Empower People to Help Take Charge of Their Diabetes with Proper Oral Care

In support of American Diabetes Month®, Colgate Total® is working with the American Diabetes Association to educate patients about diabetes and gum disease and to empower them to help take charge of their diabetes.

A recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Colgate Total® about oral health reveals a lack of awareness about the various health issues associated with diabetes.

More than one third of all respondents (36%) are not aware of the link between diabetes and oral health and are less likely to associate oral health issues with diabetes than almost all other health conditions related to diabetes.

More than half (54%) report one or more symptoms of gum disease – yet 67% do not discuss their oral health with their doctor.

Read full article