The healing continues. From laughter, that is.

As we wait with great hope for a cure for diabetes, we do so with a smile thanks to humor to be found on the new website LOL Diabetes (www.loldiabetes.com). I've posted before about this site, which itself is part of the popular diabetes website Six Until Me (www.sixuntilme.com). Nevertheless, things have become waaaaaay to funny over there for me to not highlight some of my favorites.

These would be my Top 5:

5 - The Insulin Monkey. This picture features a stuffed animal, a monkey to be exact, with dozens of syringes sticking out of it, much like a pin cushion. The words "You're Doing it Wrong" that are printed on the picture sum it up perfectly.

4 - iPump. A play on the now famous iPod silhouette ads, this mock version of this campaign features people wearing insulin pumps in place of iPods.

3 - Thumbtacks. A photo of a child's Spider Man poster fastened to the wall with -- Thumb Tacks? No, no, no. Look again...those are lancets! As someone aptly commented on the entry, what a great use for all those extras!

2 - Wanted! In this Old West style Wanted poster, there's a bounty for bringing in Twinkie the Kid. Turns out "The Kid" is wanted for Shootin' Up High Blood Sugars.

1 - The Enemy. By far my favorite, Short, simple, and hilarious. The photo features no other than Willy Wonka himself, with the words "The Enemy" written below. Very true. And very funny.

There are a whole bunch more that could have made a Top 10 list (namely: Soundtrack to a Low, Is This the Remix?, My Pump Makes Me Look Like a Cross-Dresser, Ah! Needle Landslide, and What's Better Than a Cookie).

Be sure to check out LOL Diabetes. Think you have something funny to add? I say go for it!!

There's a workout, and then there's a Work Out. And THEN, there's a BOXING WORK OUT. Trust me, there's a reason why boxers are able to spend over a half an hour in a ring exchanging punches and not go into cardiac arrest. It's because these guys and gals have trained their butts off for months before ever stepping foot in that arena, let alone that ring. But, you don't have to be Rocky Balboa to get the benefit of a boxing workout, which is why I am this week highlighting some of the basic boxing moves that you too can add to your fitness routine.

First of all, be sure to always maintain a proper stance. This means keeping your feet a little more than shoulder width apart, with your dominant foot in the back (in other words, if you're right handed/footed, than you want your right foot in the back and for your left foot to lead). Try your best to stay on the balls on your feet, which will allow you to do all your fancy stutter-stepping footwork (or for now, just keep you balanced). Your hands should be made into fists and kept close to your face. Your elbows need to be tucked closely to your body. From here, you're ready to start dotting some imaginary bad guy's eyes.

There are four basic punches in boxing: the Jab, the Cross, the Hook, and the Uppercut. To keep things easy, we're going to only focus on the Jab and the Cross. To throw the Jab, you need to flick out your lead hand (which should be the hand that is not dominant -- again, if you are right handed/footed, that hand/foot is kept toward the rear, whereas the weaker hand/foot leads...which, in this case, is your left). As you extend your arm to throw your Jab, your hand should twist like a corkscrew at the end of the punch. Once you have extended your arm, be sure to immediately bring your arm back, tuck your elbow back into your side and return your fist to the side of your face. To throw a Cross, you take your dominant hand and throw a straight punch with it, twisting at the waist as you do. Again, you want to twist your wrist at the end of the punch, adding more 'snap' to the motion. Once the punch is thrown, bring your arm back right away, tuck your elbow back in, and bring your fist back next to your face.

By combining these two punches, you are doing a 1-2 combination. A lot of times people will throw a few jabs before throwing a cross, which of course is fine (and very much the case in an actual boxing match). Use this punch combination on a large heavy punching bag (the cylindrical kind that hangs from the ceiling or stand) while wearing what are known as bag gloves (lightweight boxing gloves that can be purchased at most any sporting goods store or even Wal-Mart).

Boxing is broken into three-minute rounds with one-minute rests in between each round. In accordance with this design, that is how you will also train. Three minutes of, say, shadowboxing -- using the 1-2 combination I just taught you, followed by a round or two of jumping rope, followed by three or four rounds of hitting the heavy bag, and then finishing off with a few rounds of abdominal work.

Even if you take it slow at first (which I really suggest you do), you'll find that the boxing workout is absolutely exhausting. This is exactly why so many health clubs now offer "cardio-boxing" as a group aerobics class. You'll burn far more calories doing this workout than you will on a stair-stepper or walking on a treadmill, and you'll do so during less time. Intensity is the key. Like I said, there's a workout, and then there's a Workout. And then there's a BOXING WORKOUT. Try this routine and, before long, you'll be wearing a grey track suit and running the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

For a great video demonstration I found online that features the basics of boxing, click HERE.

Note: The content presented in this post is for informational purposes only. Please consult your doctor or fitness professional before starting a physical fitness program.

If there's any one exercise that everyone seems to use as a show of pure strength and power, it is certainly the bench press. "How much ya' bench?" is a popular question thrown around weight rooms, and the answers are almost always inflated so as to match the ego of the responder. But, throwing around as much weight as possible may not exactly be the best way to see and feel results from this exercise. That's why I am highlighting the proper form, execution and target muscles of this gym workout staple.

The bench press targets the development of the pectoral muscles (aka the chest muscles), but also calls upon help from your triceps (located on the back of your arms) and deltoids (aka shoulders). To properly do this exercise, you first have to lie flat on your back on a bench (or sturdy alternative -- remember my makeshift bench idea with milk crates and a long, thick plank of wood?). You will then place an equidistant grip on the bar with your hands, lifting it off the support rack. Once you have the bar securely above your sternum and with your arms fully extended, you can now begin. Slowly lower the bar until it touches the chest or stops only an inch from the chest (this is up to you), but be sure to not let the weight "bounce" off of you. Once you've reached the bottom of the movement, hold for one second and then press the weight back up to the starting position. Tip: when you raise the bar, be sure to exhale the air you took in while you were lowering it. Also, when you press the weight upward, try to avoid completely locking your elbows to full extension. This will ensure that there is constant pressure and also help avoid elbow injury). Continue this motion for the desired number of repetitions and sets.

There are several variations to the bench press, including the incline bench press, the decline bench press, the dumbell bench press, etc. Also, you can try mixing up the amount of reps you do from one set to the other, or even the amount of weight you place on the bar. Bear in mind that if your goal is size and strength, fewer reps/longer rest in between sets/fewer sets/heavier weight is the combination you want to go with. If muscle tone and a bit of cardiovascular effect are your desired results, I would stick with a combination of more reps/shorter rest in between sets/more sets/lighter weight.

For a good video demonstration of the bench press, click HERE.

Note: The content presented in this post is for informational purposes only. Please consult your doctor or fitness professional before starting a physical fitness program.

Walking -- it's the first thing we learn to do after crawling. Factor in the amount of it we've done over the course of our lives since then, and it's clear that we're more than warranted in considering ourselves experts. Professional, even. We are the walking gurus, and we have the extensive track record to prove it. With this being the case, why is it when it comes to walking as an exercise, so few people do it? Probably because we do it all the time anyway, therefore it does little to stimulate our interest.

We are an easily bored species, one that needs almost constant change in some way, shape or form. This is likely the reason why so many people prefer elaborate workouts to something as simple as placing one foot in front of the other for an extended period of time. To help remedy the situation, you may want to try some of the following Boredom Busters:

Tune-Up. One of the best ways to liven-up a workout is to listen to music. Whether it's the Rocky IV soundtrack to get you all fired up, some body-moving hip-hop, or even Classical favorites, music will help keep your feet moving.

Intervals. Walking is a low-intensity cardio workout, but it doesn't always have to be. To burn extra calories, and to mix things up a bit over the course of your stroll, try picking up the pace for a minute or so every now and again. By doing so, you can burn an extra 100 calories or so over the course of a 30-minute workout.

VERY Short Term Goals. Of course it's important to have long-term goals (i.e. feel healthier, maintain healthy blood sugars, lose weight, etc.), a great way to keep you motivated through your daily walk is to have an almost immediate goal in sight. By this I mean having a goal, or even a reward, waiting for you at the end of your walk. It could be a landmark (such as a view from the top of a hill, or your arrival to a friend's house), but could also be something such as a tasty, low-fat, low-carb meal that is waiting for you.

Make it a Family Affair. With quality time becoming harder and harder for the modern family to find, a great solution is to use that daily walk to serve that purpose. Because you're only walking, you'll have plenty of wind left to have discussions about school, work, and any other topic that would before be part of typical dinner table discussion. Plus, with childhood obesity rates on the rise (as well as the increasing number of children being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes), bringing the kids along may benefit them, as well.

Get Creative. This could mean anything from taking a different route each day, to holding a set of very light dumbells in your hands while you walk. Not only will changes of this kind prevent you from becoming bored, they will also ensure that your fitness results do not plateau over time.

Just because the summer season has reached its end, it doesn't mean that it's time to let our exercise programs go. People tend to put on more weight during the colder months for a few reasons: 1) Because they probably won't be donning their bathing suits at the beach for quite some time, and 2) Because our bodies are designed to slow our metabolism down -- a carry-over from our more primitive days when food sources became more scarce during the cold season. For these reasons, and probably about eight thousand others, it's a smart idea to keep stoking the flames of your metabolism right through the upcoming frost. So, to help you do just that, I'm showing you an exercise this week that will help you burn some serious calories while toning up your legs.

Called the Step-Up, this cardiovascular movement will help you speed up your metabolism as you strengthen and tone your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and even your calves. To perform this exercise, start by standing in front of a weight bench or any safe substitute for one (tip: take two milk crates, spread them apart, and place a firm, wooden board over them -- a great, makeshift bench). Next, take your right foot and place it on the surface of the bench. From there, step-up onto the bench, using your right leg to power the rest of your body up. Once you are standing firmly on top of the bench with both feet, step back down with one leg and follow with the other. Then, step up onto the bench with your left leg, following with your right. Repeat this movement for several repetitions, increasing speed and perhaps even adding small weights (dumbells in hand work well, as does holding a medicine ball) as you get stronger and more familiar with the movement.

I found a very good video demonstration for the Step-Up on ShapeFit.com. To view it, click HERE.

Note: The content presented in this post is for informational purposes only. Please consult your doctor or fitness professional before starting a physical fitness program.

For a few months now, I've been offering fitness tips in what I'm calling the Exercise of the Week (very creative, I know) on TheCardioBlog. But, what occurred to me today is that you folks reading TheDiabetesBlog may be just as interested in learning some of these tips. Sure, I suppose you could very easily drop on by TheCardioBlog and read them over there, but that would be too easy. And, if your serious about losing weight and getting into better shape, let me be the first to tell you that nothing ever comes easy!!. So, on a going forward basis, I think I will also start posting these tips here on TheDiabetesBlog. With that, I offer the first installment of the Exercise of the Week.

Some of the best fat-burning and muscle-building exercises are those that combine several movements into one. The squat-press is probably one of the well known of said movements. And while you may very well want to add that exercise to your routine, I'm instead going to focus on a different multi-muscle movement: A Side Lunge with Upright Row. Although it doesn't have a fancy combo name like squat-press, the results can be just as impressive.

To perform this exercise, start by holding a dumbell in each hand with your palms facing in. Next, take a big step to the right side with your right foot. As you do, bend your right knee approximately 90 degrees and keep it in line with your toes. As you do this, try to keep your left leg as straight as you can. Now, this is where it really gets good and difficult -- as you lower your body to the side by bending your knee, lift your elbows until the dumbells are just below your chin. As you then press off from your foot and return your leg to the original position, slowly lower the dumbells. Continue by next going to the left leg, then back to the right, and so on and so forth. For a very good demonstration, click Here.

Compound movements of this kind are a great way to ignite your metabolism and jump-start your muscles. I'll be sure to show you a few more like it in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, feel the burn, baby!!

Note: The content presented in this post is for informational purposes only. Please consult your doctor or fitness professional before starting a physical fitness program.

Participants are being sought for a new study on the possible benefits of an aspirin-like medication for people with type 2 diabetes. The research, which is being funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, is aimed at determining if Salsalate, a drug that has been used for more than 40 years to treat pain associated with arthritis, can also be used to help manage diabetes.

Recent studies have linked chronic inflammation to the development of insulin resistance type 2 diabetes. To that end, researchers are looking for adults ages 18 to 75 whose glucose levels are not well controlled and who do not take insulin. Participants will be randomly assigned to either receive Salsalate or a placebo and will receive all medication related to the study at no expense to them. They will also be compensated for time and travel.

If you'd like more information, call 312-355-4442 and ask for Felecia Gilet.

Here's something that's bound to end up on LOL Diabetes (www.loldiabetes.com):

If you're having a low, they'll be there. If you're a child that wants to learn the difference between type1 and type 2 diabetes, they'll show you. And if you ever questioned whether the fight against Evil Blood Sugars was being fought, have no fear -- because Captain Glucose and Meter Boy are here!!!

In a series of soon-to-be-released educational DVDs, two well-known actors play the superhero duo who, by their own admission, don't really have any superpowers. Their self-proclaimed mission is to "Educate, Enlighten and Entertain people with diabetes of all ages." In addition to their forthcoming DVDs (which feature actor Alan Thicke as the Commissioner of Diabetes, no less), they also have a comic book in the works.

Man, this is such a cool idea (one that I'm definitely sorry I didn't think of!!). And, best of all, its a great way to give the public an accurate, realistic, and engaging look at diabetes. To check out their website -- which contains a short video segment -- go to: www.captainglucoseandmeterboy.com

Just like I know you have, I too have heard all the buzz surrounding chromium and its supposed ability to help manage type 2 diabetes. I've come across evidence that supports this claim, just as I've found research that debunks the chromium benefit in one fell swoop. So, I decided to dig a little deeper -- staring with how chromium is supposed to work.

Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes occurs when your body stops using insulin effectively. Insulin itself is used by the body for transporting glucose into cells, where it's then used for energy. When insulin regulation breaks down, glucose gets backed-up in the blood, thus starving the body of energy. Chromium reportedly assists in making this transportation easier by making cells respond better to insulin.

Insofar as the evidence to support this claim goes, the research I came across actually showed inconclusive results in terms of chromium's effect on glucose or insulin concentration in humans. But, in animals, tests led researchers to determine that chromium may make insulin receptors more efficient, thereby making type 2 animals need less insulin to metabolize glucose.

Good news for animals with diabetes, but not so much for humans. But wait, don't count chromium out just yet. In a different study (like I said, there are several of them), published last year in Diabetes Care, it was discovered that combining 1,000 micrograms of chromium per day with the standard diabetes medication Glucotrol XL significantly improved the body's response to insulin in people with type 2.

Drug companies are very good at making it seem like taking a certain medication or supplement will be a panacea for just about everything that ails you. Even at the end of their commercials, when they're rattling off a whole host of possible unwanted side effects, the person on-screen is still smiling, riding or a horse, swinging on a swing in slow-motion, or something just as cheery. And while there are many amazing drugs out there that do help people a great deal, there are also many out there that are no more than snake oils.

Case in point, I just came across this supposed interview (it looks kind of staged to me) on YouTube, featuring a doctor who claims that type 2 and type 1 diabetes can be miraculously cured by drinking alkaline water. A bunch of B.S.? Honestly, I hope it's not! But, it probably is. So, instead of relying on miracle drugs and supplements, here are two very easy ways to address issues commonly faced by many people living with diabetes:

1 - Weight Loss. Very often, doctors will recommend that their patients with type 2 lose weight, hoping that this may lead to a lower A1C and improved overall health. So, instead of trying out Alli or any other popular weight loss drug on the market, try this little weight loss tip. Whenever you go out to dinner, eat a cup of broth-based soup (i.e. chicken, tomato) as an appetizer. New research into people's restaurant eating habits shows that people who consume a cup of soup as an appetizer tend to eat 20-percent less of their entree. The key is to stay away from cream soups of any kind, and to opt for a cup rather than a bowl. You may also want to add a little chili powder, especially since capsaicin, the compound found in chili pepper, has been shown in lab tests to actually kill fat cells.

2 - Lower Blood Pressure. People with diabetes must stay on top of their blood pressure, as an elevated level is rather common among those with both type 1 and type 2. While there are many trusted medications available to treat high blood pressure, you may also want to consider eating pistachio nuts. Penn State nutritionists discovered that eating one and a half ounces of pistachios daily for one month helped keep test subjects' blood pressure down. What's more, eating three ounces per day also showed signs of arterial relaxation, allowing better blood flow and making the heart's job that much easier.

Things can get a bit stuffy sometimes in the medical world. This is probably for good reason, because in many cases the topic of conversation is someone's health. To help create a less "buttoned-up" medical environment, many people have taken up writing their own personal blogs. Such sites offer a look at what it's really like to live with a particular condition, rather than pouring through page after page of text or internet site that focuses almost entirely on the science behind it all. This, of course, is not to say that there isn't great value in the latter -- especially since that's primarily the type of blog we run here at TheDiabetesBlog. But, let's face it, sometimes you just need to take a step back from it all and laugh.

To that end, you may want to check out a new site called LOL Diabetes (www.loldiabetes.com). The site itself is an offshoot of the popular diabetes blog Six Until Me (www.sixuntilme.com). Following the design of the odd, but hugely popular, humor website that features cats and other small animals doing funny things, LOL Diabetes (LOL stands for Laugh(ing) Out Loud, by the way. Just in case you were new to...well, civilization) features photos, videos and stories that are two things: 1) Related in some way to diabetes, and 2) Funny!!

After viewing the site, don't be surprised if you feel compelled to submit a funny diabetes tidbit of your own. I'm even sort of tempted myself. If you choose to follow suit, you can go ahead and send your own humorous photo, video, or whatever to loldiabetes@yahoo.com Feel free to say that I referred you...it may get your stuff up on the site quicker ;)

With about a month or so left of summer, there's still plenty of time to get good use out of those convenient and funky flip-flops of yours. Have to go run an errand? Throw on the "flips." Bringing the trash outside? Throw on the "flips." Spending the entire day shopping downtown? Hmmm...this may be one of those instances where the "flips" may be more flop, and more sensible shoes are a better option.

Flip-flops offer almost no support to your feet and ankles. For people living with diabetes, foot care should be of great importance, so traipsing around town for an extended period of time in flip-flops isn't really the best idea. Constantly wearing them can potentially lead to tendinitis or even metarsalagia -- the inflammation of the joints located in the ball of the foot. Moreover, flip-flops offer very little protection against sharp objects such as rocks, glass, or metal; leaving your feet vulnerable for injury.

While it is important to let your feet "breathe," flip-flops are footwear best worn during times of relaxation, not when you plan to spend the day walking.

New York, New York -- it's a hell of a town. People from around the globe make their way to the Big Apple, just to get a look at the many extraordinary people, places and things that make NYC the great city it is. However, what they're probably not seeing is a citywide epidemic; one that continues to pervade at a staggering rate.

According to a new Health Department report, close to 500,000 New Yorkers -- which pretty much translates to one out of every eight adults -- have been diagnosed with with diabetes. In addition, there are an estimated 200,000 other people who have diabetes but are unaware of the fact that they do. The morbidity rate for diabetes-related deaths rose by 75 percent between 1990 and 2003.

The report also points out the disparities that exist between different racial, gender, and socio-economic groups. If you'd care to take a look at this report, you can find it at: www.nyc.gov/health

Help Wanted.

Needed: Researchers with several years of experience in a laboratory setting who are able to produce conclusive results from studies on patient-oriented outcomes. The perfect candidate will be familiar with the insufficient evidence that has been collected thus far to determine if the so-called antidiabetic drug rosiglitazone is effective enough to warrant its use in spite of potential side-effects. This candidate will also be aware that rosiglitzone has been shown to raise the risk of edema, increase body weight, and possibly increasing cardiovascular risk.

Research is currently being done on this drug, and a meta-analysis of data from 18 trials that involved close to 8,500 patients are being examined by the Chochrane Systematic Review. Those involved in this study are calling for additional studies to be held to support their analysis and assist them in making a determination of efficacy on this drug.

And just in case you thought I was serious with this, please know that I'm not. Although, the information involving the drug rosiglitazone and its potential side-effects is true. As for the whole job opening thing -- who knows, maybe it's worth looking into.

I apologize for covering a topic that may have very well been covered already a few weeks ago, but the way I see it, if the entries on this page change too quickly for the bloggers to keep up, it must be extra tough for the readers. That all being said, I wanted to point out the mixed results of a recent study on inhaled insulin (or the insulin bong, as I like to call it).

For people with type 2 diabetes, taking extra insulin during mealtimes is a necessary step in helping to regulated blood glucose levels. These doses are taken in addition to baseline insulin that is taken throughout the day and night. What researchers at the ECRI Institute have discovered is that inhaled insulin may improve blood sugar control for people with type 2 just as well as short-acting insulin taken by injection.

After a three-month period, the researchers found the inhaled insulin to produce equally as effective results in patients than insulin shots. The tricky part, however, is that the inhaled insulin seemed to be a bit problematic for users who experienced low blood sugar levels -- hypoglycemia.

Despite the mostly positive results, inhaled insulin still gets mixed reviews from researchers. Not only is its problem dealing with hypo a...well, a problem, but speculation also surrounds the long-term effect of inhaled insulin on the lungs.