Creator of Diabetes Health Magazine, Scott King, has been a type 1 diabetic for over 34 years. Needless to say, he knows diabetes, and he is doing a remarkable job of introducing cutting-edge treatments for diabetics. In the first Diabetes Health TV broadcast, he shared interviews from the recent AADE Conference. A really exciting product he featured is called Neuragen - a topical treatment for diabetes neuropathy.

With diabetes neuropathy, people experience pain due to damage to the peripheral nerves. Neuropathic pain is often characterized by burning sensations or shooting pain, or may occur as numbness or chronic itching. Clinical trials have shown Neuragen to be effective in 70% of patients for the pain associated with diabetes. The ingredients are pretty kosher, too. Neuragen is made of a proprietary blend of essential oils from special species of geranium, lavender, bergamot, eucalyptus, and tea tree.

The Neuragen rep was blunt when he described the effective nature of this all natural product - using more does not make it any more effective! You have to admire his refreshing honesty. But like I said upfront - if Scott King is willing to spend the time getting the scoop on this product - it's probably worth your time using it. For more interviews, checkot the full coverage of the AADE Conference on Diabetes Health TV!

Dumb headline spotted in today's USA Weekend magazine: "Popcorn can help save your life." Oh, wow. I mean, we all enjoy a clever eye-catching headline, but this is ridiculous! Despite that misleading title, no, the salty snack preferred by movie-goers does not have super-human, life-saving powers. In fact, it's about the nutritional benefits of whole grains. And popcorn is actually a good source of whole grains: three cups popped equals one serving of whole grains.

The article mentions an Iowa Women's Health Study finding that women fifty-five and over who eat lots of whole grains are less likely to die from inflammatory diseases like asthma or infections. Whole grain consumption is also linked to a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

Unfortunately, there's a catch. It's safe to assume that smothering your popcorn with salt and that weirdo fake butter probably counteracts the health benefits of eating whole grains in the first place. And I'm willing to bet ninety-nine percent of us popcorn-munchers prefer it flavored, not dry. Which is precisely why "Popcorn can help save your life" is a really dumb headline!

Peter A. Banks, renowned past publisher of the American Diabetes Association's (ADA) Diabetes Forecast magazine died on July 21 at his home. Mr. Banks had colon cancer.

For years and years, my parents subscribed to Diabetes Forecast. My brother had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the mid-1970s, and in an effort to gather the latest news on type 1, my parents were avid readers.

Mr. Bank's career with the ADA spanned 20 years from 1986-2006. He was named publisher of Diabetes Forecast in 1999. Over the next seven years as publisher, Diabetes Forecast circulation rose nearly 20 percent. Before that time, he also served as editorial director. In his last year with the ADA, Mr. Banks was recognized one of the 40 most influential publishers in the magazine industry by Folio Magazine's The Folio: 40.

In receiving the honor, Folio recognized Mr. Bank's metamorphosis of Diabetes Forecast from an association magazine into a pass-along phenomenon. With 2006 members-only subscriptions standing at 460,000, actual readership of Diabetes Forecast was ten times that -- over 4 million. At the time, Banks explained people were desperate for knowledge of diabetes, and pass-along readers were poorer people without good medical care. They relied upon Diabetes Forecast to deliver up-to-date news on the disease. Banks stood by the magazine's philosophy of care for people with diabetes. In 2003, he turned down nearly $1 million in advertising revenue from junk food manufacturers in the interest of the health of readers. In the past year, he founded Banks Publishing, a consulting business.

Mr. Banks is survived by his wife of 27 years, Lucy Godfrey Banks, two children, Alison Banks and David Banks, his father John Banks, two sisters and a brother. Read more about Mr. Bank's many contributions to society in the Washington Post and at Banks Publishing. Photo from Banks Publishing.

That's Fit did a great piece featuring the benefits fiber adds to most of our diets. In fact, the FDA recommends we eat 25 to 30 grams a day when most of us are eating less than half that amount!

Even Oprah is praising the nutritious secrets of fiber. Her helping hand, Dr. Oz, has written it all down for you in his latest book, YOU on a Diet. Oprah has featured the YOU: On a Diet Basics in a slide show on her site.

The slide show compels me to brave Borders again (at least this time I might not have to navigate swarms of Harry Potter fanatics). YOU: On a Diet promises to invigorate me with equal parts information, motivation, and change-your-life action that will harmoniously direct my body into wellness. After all - this is the doctor who has helped Oprah look like a daytime supermodel. I'm sold!

The US weight-loss supplement industry made $3.9 billion in sales last year. With this information The Diet Channel took a good, hard look at the safety and efficacy of diet pills, both over the counter and prescription.

Prescription weight loss pills are heavily regulated and over the counter are not. Some of the prescriptions meds reviewed include: fen-phen, Meridia, and Orlistat. Prescription meds are qualified by their ability to induce 10-20% weight loss in a year. However, both prescription and over-the-counter provisions state you must follow a healthy diet and exercise. To expect a change in your body without changing your lifestyle is nearly irrational.

Over the counter products tend to evade heavy regulation. However this lack of regulation comes at the cost of potentially harmful side effects. The article continues to mention other over the counter weight loss supplements including: green tea, caffeine, hoodia and alli. The billion dollar question is: if any of these pills truly worked, why is the obesity epidemic getting worse? Stay tuned for an upcoming article on the newest supplement alli. No, it wasn't named after me.

Once again Diabetes Health gets to the bottom of a breaking point question: why does insulin cost more than ever?

When Fred Banting and Charles Best first discovered insulin in 1921, they sold the patent for a dollar ($1) so that insulin could quickly become available for life-saving use. Within 2 years, Eli Lilly had sold over 60 million units of its purified extract of pig and cow pancreas. Over the next 60 years, purification and duration improvements were applied to insulin. However, each new version of insulin came with a new patent and a higher price tag. By the 80s, yeasts were being used as tiny insulin-making factories. Once the gene for human insulin was inserted into one yeast DNA, the yeast multiplied ad infinitum, and each new yeast came with a little copy of human insulin. This breakthrough, naturally, carried with it a big, profit-making patent.

In 1996, the FDA approved the first insulin analog. Newer insulins are called analogs because they're similar to human insulin-- but not quite exactly. Before being put into the yeast, the human genetic material is slightly changed, to produce slower or quicker acting insulin, for instance. Each one of these improvements comes, of course, with a patent. And all these patented insulins cost - big time. For the entire story, comments from influential diabetes advocates and the evolution of insulin price gouging - see the full article at Diabetes Health!

A recent study compared the sperm of 27 men with type 1 diabetes to the sperm of 29 men of equal age without diabetes.

The researchers found that the sperm of the men with diabetes were healthy in many respects. The shape and abundance of the sperm from type 1 diabetic males were perfectly normal and apparently they were great swimmers. However, when the DNA was examined, there was more damage to the DNA of the diabetic men. Around 52% of the DNA in their sperm cells was fragmented, compared to only 32% in the men without diabetes. There was also a higher rate of deletions in the DNA inside their mitochondria, separate DNA found within each cell. The results of this study suggest type 1 diabetes may cause diabetic men to be less fertile.

However Diabetes Health recognizes that many type 1 dads have healthy children - so the study need not be a decision maker or breaker to pursue fatherhood. Thanks to Diabetes Health for reporting the ongoing pursuit of diabetes health.

Spring training is already underway, which means that opening day at your nearest ball field is right around the corner. Fittingly, Men's Health magazine features up-and-coming New York Mets slugger David Wright on its cover, and inside some of the game's best players are spotlighted. But, on page 122, you'll find an article on who are considered to be the best of the best -- not on the baseball field, but in the medical field.

Twenty different endocrinologists are listed as being among the best in this area of medicine. Taking top honors in the northeast is Dr. Martin J. Abrahamson, medial director at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. Quoting Dr. Abrahamson, "A 15-minute visit to a primary-care physician isn't enough to help someone self-manage his diabetes. You need a team of experts to help you as you implement a whole new lifestyle to treat the disease."

America's Top Docs from other medical fields are also mentioned: neurologists, psychiatrists, gastroenterologists, dermatologists, cardiologists/internists, urologists, etc. You can find this article in the issue of Men's Health on news stands now.

Based on what I read in the most recent JDRF newsletter, Mary Tyler Moore -- who has served in a leadership role at the JDRF for the past 20 years -- joined members of the National Institute of Health on Capitol Hill to raise awareness for the fight against diabetes.

Also, as part of the launch of NIH's new MedicinePlus Magazine, she graced the cover of the first issue and was also featured in an extensive article/interview. She recounts her more than forty years of living with type 1 diabetes, and her ongoing quest for public awareness through the JDRF.

This magazine is available for free in libraries and doctors' offices around the country, and can also be downloaded for free at the magazine's website: www.medlineplus.gov

Just as many people did when they were young, I enjoyed comic books when I was a kid. Batman, the Hulk, X-Men, and Captain America were among some of my favorites. I occasionally gave a go at drawing and writing some of my own, too. But, never did I think that these scribblings would amount to anything more than a full waste basket. And now, years later, I can say without any regret that they never did. The same can't be said for Kamaal and Malcolm Washington, a 12 and 11 year old team of brothers who fathered in their father's comic book writing footsteps and created a diabetes conscious superhero.

Fighting alongside their father's creation, Omega Man - who himself typically deals with social and moral responsibility, the brothers' Omega Boy is a crime fighter who also raises awareness about diabetes. The older of the two young comic book artists, Kamaal, was diagnosed with type 1 when he was 9 years old. He admits to at first feel scared and confused by the disease. But, showing great poise at such a young age, as well as an enormous amount of creativity, he decided to channel his energies into something; and that something turned out to be Omega Boy. With two comic books now on shelves, and another soon on its way, Kamaal and his brother have clearly found an audience, and it is one that undoubtedly appreciates their positive message.

Show them some support by visiting: http://www.omega7.com/html/DiabetesBook.html

Established in 1991, Diabetes Health is the magazine the Wall Street Journal calls the information weapon against diabetes. Published continuously for 14 years, Diabetes Health magazine provides objective, sometimes controversial, but always balanced articles about living with diabetes. Consumers and medical professionals alike recognize the value of this niche magazine that treads where no other is willing to go. "Other magazines think people with diabetes can't handle the facts, so they leave them out or oversimplify," says editor-in-chief, Scott King. "I find that people with diabetes want all the information they can get."

Founders of Diabetes Health, Nadia Al-Samarrie and Scott King met 16 years ago when they opened a diabetes supply store in San Francisco. That is where the shortage of diabetes education became prevalent to Nadia and Scott. To answer this need, they began a radio talk show named Diabetes on the Dial. The show featured interviews with world renowned diabetes experts. The demand for transcripts of the broadcasts was so high that before long, Scott and Nadia were publishing a monthly magazine, originally named Diabetes Interview. The magazine has since graduated into Diabetes Health and can be found online at Diabeteshealth.com.

Scott and Nadia focused their careers on diabetes because of intrinsic connections to the disease. Scott has been a type 1 diabetic for 32 years. Nadia lost her mother and both grandmothers to type 2 complications. Statistics have shown that 60 to 80 percent of diabetic complications are preventable through education. Scott and Nadia have made it their driving force to educate both, consumers and healthcare professionals, about diabetes. For diabetics - knowledge isn't just power, it's a saving grace.

One in five Americans online feel that the Internet has greatly improved the way they get their information about health care. Now there is a site for those who want to become more proactive in managing the disease. It's easier than ever to get the latest news and comprehensive information about the factors that play a key role in proper diabetes management. Looking for tips on healthier eating and diabetic recipes? Check. How about diabetic fitness and exercise? It's in there! Need some guidance on coping skills? You bet. Want to fine tune your understanding of diabetic care and blood sugar monitoring? Grab a chair and make yourself comfortable. There's plenty for everybody. Furthermore, there are perks like coupons and free goodies. The site is particularly relevant today, due to the fact two-thirds of type 2 diabetics have blood sugar averages that are out of control. Ouch.

OneTouchGold.com offers a comprehensive lineup of features. Registration is free and takes just a few minutes. That is the only requisite for free reign of the site. The OneTouch® Gold program provides members with an online magazine of the latest diabetes information covering a range of categories including food, fitness, coping, complications, medicines, and blood glucose monitoring. In addition, the site offers health-related coupons, product samples, and a monthly sweepstakes. The site also features monthly articles written by researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and other experts in the field. In addition, members can elect to receive a monthly e-newsletter highlighting the latest diabetes news and health tips.

The OneTouch® Gold program is made possible by LifeScan, Inc. Kudos to the master minds behind OneTouchGold.com. They've opened a virtual schoolhouse for those in search of a diabetic higher learning.