Easy Mango Parfait Desert

The Liver's Role in Diabetes

By now, most of us know that there’s some relationship between eating sugar and type II diabetes. 

But do you know exactly how that happens? It turns out that the liver is highly involved in the entire process!

Photo courtesy of http://naijamayor.com/

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Big Fighters, Big Cause Brings Out Stars to Support Diabetes and Kidney Disease

Sugar Ray Leonard’s 4th annual “Big Fighters, Big Cause” event brings awareness to Diabetes and Kidney Disease Research

This was a great affair folks, as the stars of screen and sound all came out to support this worthy cause. Pop/R&B singer Usher, world champion boxer Andre Berto, attorney Robert Shapiro, NFL linebacker Shawn Merriman, singer Johnny Gill, comedian Tommy Davidson, and boxing promoter Lou Dibella  were just a few of the stars who all came to support Sugar Ray in his effort to raise funds, and awareness. 

Ray was quoted as saying that some of his own family members suffered from the disease, and that he will continue his fight out of the ring, to bring  more attention to this problem that faces many people worldwide, particularly African Americans.

Read full article at Eurweb  

Sherri Shepherd Co-Host on ABC’s Writes Book on Diabetes

Kale and cauliflower don't exactly inspire big laughs – unless you're talking to Sherri Shepherd.

"If you had told me a few years ago that I'd be liking kale, I'd have laughed you out of the room," she said during a recent phone interview, her voice rising with vigor. "Freaking kale? Let's face it, when you break up with someone, you do not want a bowl of asparagus. I've never heard anybody say, 'I'm so depressed, can you give me a plate of asparagus and broccoli?'"

But as she describes in her new book, "Plan D: How to Lose Weight and Beat Diabetes (Even if You Don't Have It)," getting acquainted with those veggies became necessary. Shepherd, a comedian and co-host of ABC's "The View," was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2007. 

The formal diagnosis came after years of ignoring doctors' warnings that she was prediabetic – a wakeup call that led to her current pro-veggie mindset: "The other night, my husband sautéed the kale in olive oil with green, red and yellow peppers," she said. "And it was good! So now I'm a kale addict. I always challenge people to do things that are a little bit different with their veggies."

Shepherd, 46, who's 5 foot 1 and weighs 157 pounds – down from 197 several years ago – originally needed three medications to control her diabetes. Now, she's learned to control her blood sugar with a healthy diet and regular exercise. She spoke with U.S. News about how she reached that point, as well as her advice to others.

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Diabetic Friendly Cheeseburgers

Inside Out Cheeseburgers

Why put the cheese on top of the burger when half of it just melts off? 

Instead, form the burger around the cheese so you can char the meat and safeguard the more delicate flavors. 

Use any mixture of hard or semihard cheeses—Emmentaler and Gouda or Asiago and Parmigiano-Reggiano also pair well.

Time: 35 minutes (20 minutes prep)

Ingredients

1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

1 pound 90%-lean ground beef

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high or preheat the broiler.

Combine Cheddar and Gruyere in a small bowl.

Gently mix beef, Worcestershire, paprika and pepper in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Shape into 8 thin, 4-inch-wide patties. Mound 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture on each of 4 patties, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Cover each with one of the remaining patties. Crimp and seal the edges closed.

To grill: Lightly oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the stuffed patties over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. (Be sure not to press the burgers as they cook or they’ll split open and the cheese will ooze out.) 

To broil: Cover a broiler pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Broil the stuffed patties in the upper third of the oven, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. In either case, let the burgers stand for 5 minutes before serving.

To oil a grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)


Recipe Credit - http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetic-recipes/general/4381-inside-out-cheeseburgers

Popular Tests and Diagnostic Methods for Diabetes

Photo Credit - Hands on Health 

Some popular tests and diagnostic methods associated with diabetes:

• Glycated hemoglobin test (AIC Test): This specific test basically helps in determining the average value of past two to three months. It mainly tells about the blood sugar amount that is attached to the hemoglobin which is a protein located in the red blood cells. The higher number of such sugar attached hemoglobin component in your blood directly indicates the high blood sugar level in your body. The value equal to 6.5 percent or above confirms the presence of diabetes in the individual.

• Oral glucose tolerance test: This test is mainly performed to determine the presence of diabetes in pregnant ladies which is commonly known as gestational diabetes. The prediabetic symptoms can also be monitored with the help of this test.

• Random blood sugar test: During such tests, readings of the blood sugar level are randomly taken by the doctors. Further, if the random blood sugar level comes out to be 200 mg/ dL or more then it shows the clear sign of diabetes.

• Fasting plasma glucose test: This kind of test includes the measurement of blood sugar level only if the patient keeps an overnight fast. Further, if the blood sugar level ranges between 125 mg/ dL or more then it reflects the clear signs or symptoms of diabetes in an individual’s life.

• Casual plasma glucose test: The casual plasma glucose test includes the testing of blood sugar level at any time without considering the last meal time of the individual or any specific condition. The individual does not require being particular or restricting himself/herself from eating before undergoing such test. Later, if the blood sugar level comes out to be higher than 200 mg/ dL then it shows the presence of diabetes in the patient’s body.

Read full article - Popular Tests and Diagnostic Methods for Diabetes from Diabetes Care

More African-Americans Have Kidney Transplants

More African-Americans have kidney transplants, but few are from live donors

While the percentage of kidney transplants involving live donors has remained stable for other minority populations, African Americans have seen a decline in live donors even as more of them receive kidney transplants, according to a study by Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. 

Photo credit - RollingOut

Those findings will be presented May 8 at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association in San Diego. "African American race has been associated with disparities in care at every step of the kidney transplant process," says Jesse D. Sammon, D.O., a researcher at Henry Ford's Vattikuti Urology Institute and lead author of the study. 
"This is particularly striking in the use of transplant kidneys from living donors." "Live-donor kidney transplant offers a patient the best chance for long term survival off dialysis and African Americans have been found to have barely half the odds of other racial groups of getting live-donor kidney transplant." 

So the Henry Ford research team set out to look at trends for donor nephrectomy - or the removal of a kidney to donate for transplant - as a percentage of kidney transplants within minority populations. 

Using data drawn from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, which includes discharge statistics from more than 1,000 U.S. hospitals in 44 states, the Henry Ford research team found an estimated 205,984 kidney transplants (KT) were performed between 1998 and 2010. At the same time, data showed 72,352 live-donor nephrectomies (LDN) for a comparative 35.12% overall remained consistent during the study period. 

Within the overall study population, the rate for Hispanics also was consistent and averaged 30.3%, and rates for other minority groups, too, remained stable and averaged 26.33%. "But African Americans averaged only 18.6% LDN to KT ratio, and that fell over the study period," Dr. Sammon says. 

Noting that abundant research has found much higher levels of certain serious diseases among African Americans, for a variety of reasons that remain at least partially unclear, Dr. Sammon says that may well explain the disparity in live-donor kidney transplants. "It likely reflects a lower number of potential donors in the social networks of African Americans due to higher prevalence of obesity, hypertension and diabetes, as well as social/cultural impediments to live donation," Dr. Sammon says.

Article Source: MedicalXpress 

Diabetic Eye Disease FAQ

Can diabetic retinopathy be treated?

Yes. Your eye care professional may suggest laser surgery in which a strong light beam is aimed onto the retina. 

Laser surgery and appropriate followup care can reduce the risk of blindness by 90%. 


However, laser surgery often cannot restore vision that has already been lost, which is why finding diabetic retinopathy early is the best way to prevent vision loss.

Can diabetic retinopathy be prevented?

Not totally, but your risk can be greatly reduced. The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) showed that better control of blood sugar level slows the onset and progression of retinopathy and lessens the need for laser surgery for severe retinopathy. 

The study found that the group that tried to keep their blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible also had much less kidney and nerve disease. This level of blood sugar control may not be best for everyone, including some older adults, children under 13, or people with heart disease. So ask your doctor if this program is right for you.

How common are the other diabetic eye diseases?

If you have diabetes, you are also at risk for other diabetic eye diseases, such as cataract and glaucoma. People with diabetes develop cataracts at an earlier age than people without diabetes. Cataract can usually be treated by surgery. 

A person with diabetes is nearly twice as likely to get glaucoma as other adults. And, as with diabetic retinopathy, the longer you have had diabetes, the greater your risk of getting glaucoma. Glaucoma may be treated with medications, laser surgery, or conventional surgery.

What research is being done?

Much research is being done to learn more about diabetic eye disease. For instance, the National Eye Institute is supporting a number of research studies in the laboratory and with patients to learn what causes diabetic retinopathy and how it can be better treated. This research should provide better ways to detect and treat diabetic eye disease and prevent blindness in more people with diabetes.

What can you do to protect your vision?

Finding and treating the disease early, before it causes vision loss or blindness, is the best way to control diabetic eye disease. So if you have diabetes, make sure you get a comprehensive dilated eye examination at least once a year. 

Remember... Diabetes is a disease that can cause very serious health problems.

If you have diabetes:

• Know your ABCs: A1C (blood glucose), blood pressure (BP), and cholesterol numbers.
• Take your medicines as prescribed by your doctor.
• Monitor your blood sugar daily.
• Reach and stay at a healthy weight.
• Get regular physical activity.
• Quit smoking.

Click for more Basics About DED - National Eye Institute

How Much Sugar Is In Fruit?

Master Carb Counting

Counting carbs in complicated recipes and restaurant dishes can be tricky. 

Learn how to get an accurate total, no matter what or where you eat. One of the best ways to keep a tight control on your blood sugar to manage type 2 diabetes is by counting carbs, and fortunately, you don’t have to be a math whiz to do it. 

Carbohydrates have a big impact on diabetes control because they are broken down into glucose, which in turn raises your blood sugar. And carbs don’t always come from obvious food sources. 

They're not only found in starches such as cereal, bread, and pasta, and in sweets such as cakes and cookies, but also in many “good for you” foods like fruit, starchy vegetables like potatoes, peas, and corn, and dairy products including milk and yogurt. 

Learning how to accurately identify and count carbohydrates will go a long way towards helping you hit your blood sugar targets. A registered dietitian or certified diabetes educator can help you to determine where to cap your total carbs at meals and snacks. Then it’s up to you to crunch the numbers. 


 

Find Out Tips for Counting Carbs Home or Away - Read full article at Everyday Health