Bev did a great job covering the study of obese mice having protection from elevated blood sugar due to a plethora of adiponectin. Adiponectin was shown to enhance insulin signaling which transported the excess glucose to less harmful areas of the body, rather than the cells which would endure diabetes complications. The results of this study created a condition called ratones mórbidamente obesos - which sounds better in Spanish because in English this means morbidly obese mice.

You know what they say about hindsight, right? A study from a year ago revealed some good news and some bad news. Good news first - turns out Type 2 diabetes drugs using troglitazone increased adiponectin. Rezulin was one of these drugs, but it was removed from the US market March 21, 2000. Now the bad news, the Type 2 diabetes drugs made with metformin were shown to reduce adiponectin. A few of the drugs that use metformin are Fortamet, Glucophage, Glucophage XR, and Riomet.

So why must diabetics be led with imperfect vision? Because the bottom line is researchers and doctors believe they are saving lives every day. Yes, they do. But there is a lot to behold when you tinker with His design. Remember the movie Malice? These lines don't make it into movies for nothing. Producers know human nature and they stretch it to the extreme. Whether or not you want to admit it - you know a few people with a complex like Alec Baldwins. Alec Baldwin says, "You ask me if I have a God complex. Let me tell you something: I am God". Click for the entire 1:30 scene, courtesy of YouTube.

In light of Novo's Meet the Face of Change campaign, I figured I'd address an idea worthy of mention coming out of the Novo product pipeline. This treatment is for Type 2 diabetics but it is not insulin - it's called liraglutide. Liraglutide is a once-daily human analog of the natural hormone Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1). It causes neither excessive hypoglycemia nor weight gain.

Liraglutide works by stimulating the release of insulin only when glucose levels become too high. Unlike many other diabetes drugs - liraglutide also leads to weight loss instead of weight gain. Now we're getting somewhere, Novo!! Patients with Type 2 diabetes treated with liraglutide had a greater reduction in average blood sugar than those patients treated with placebo or insulin glargine (Lantus). As expected, the combination of a GLP-1 analog with a sulfonylurea caused some of the patients to experience hypoglycemia. Okay, point taken. So why impose a glucose lowering drug while mitigating the problem causing elevated sugar in the first place? One drug at a time, folks.

So this is a step in the right direction and I like where it is going. Treating Type 2 diabetes with insulin is counter-intuitive. Looking at another hormone that might interfere with the use of insulin might be the culprit. So here lies a very good idea and I like it. Gold star, Novo! Now when can we meet the face of liraglutide?

DiabeCell has successfully been transplanted into the first type I diabetes patient. This trial is testing its efficacy and safety in controlling the dangerous blood glucose levels to prevent long-term secondary complications of type I diabetes.

Living Cell Technologies has announced the successful transplant into the first of six type I (insulin dependent) diabetic patients in a world-first human clinical trial using DiabeCell. Patients in the trial will receive two low doses of the pig islet cells every six months over a 12 month period, followed by a further 12 month study, evaluating the benefits. Recipients in this first trial are given the lowest clinically effective dose to demonstrate safety. The dosing is repeated for additional clinical benefit. The company hopes to commercialize the product for general use by 2012.

DiabeCell is a pig pancreatic islet cell product that secretes insulin in response to the patient's blood glucose levels. People with type I diabetes are not able to produce their own insulin because their pancreas cells are not functioning. DiabeCell has been uniquely developed with a gel that forms a tiny capsule around the cells. This prevents the patient's immune system from destroying the transplant and does not require immunosuppressive drugs. Think of DiabeCell as bubble wrap for islets -- cool, right?

A Medco Health Solutions report found that spending on diabetes drugs could rise 70% by 2009, and was second only to cholesterol medications in 2006. Yet, myths about this condition abound. Life@work tells you what causes diabetes, and offers tips to help reduce the complications of the disease.

The following risk factors increase your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes: age, obesity, physical inactivity, and a high fat diet. Rarer causes of diabetes (including type 1 diabetes), include: certain medicines, as well as any illness that damages the pancreas and affects its ability to produce insulin. Eating sweets does not cause diabetes. However, it may cause obesity and this is associated with people developing Type 2 diabetes. Stress does not cause diabetes, although it may be a trigger for the body turning on itself as in the case of Type 1 diabetes. It does, however, make the symptoms worse for those who already have diabetes.

Diabetics can reduce heart disease by consuming ½ c. soy nuts. Half a cup of soy nuts (dry-roasted soybeans) every day, may work as well as anti-hypertension medication to lower blood pressure, a new study conducted on women at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston found. A technique used in yoga to reduce stress and lower blood pressure is the Bhramari or Humming Bee. To perform this pose: Sit comfortably, eyes shut. Inhale and exhale deeply a few times. Inhale. While exhaling, hum gently, making an "mmm" sound. Lips must remain shut. You can also insert index fingers into each ear to feel the sound vibrating at your facial sinuses. This is one round. Do up to nine rounds. This exercise is used to create a meditative mind-set, for healing or controlling various ailments, from diabetes to digestive disorders. Pause for a moment today and enjoy some soy nuts and a humming bee pose.

Remember that movie with Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro, Analyze This? Well we all don't have super-risky mobster lifestyles to induce depression like Paul Vitti's, but according to a new study of depressed type 2 diabetics -- depression has a negative impact on blood sugar control.

Researchers treated 93 patients with type 2 diabetes and depression with the antidepressant bupropion (Wellbutrin). They chose the drug because it is capable of reducing depression and weight simultaneously. The hypothesis behind the treatment was mood enhancement and weight reduction would, in fact, improve blood sugar control. (Always a gold star day in my book!) The results were documented in the March issue of Diabetes Care, and showed that antidepressant treatment produced benefits beyond just mood improvement. Patients also lost weight, improved self-management of their diabetes, and improved their A1c levels.

In the 6 months following the conclusion of the study, depression improvement predicted maintenance of improved blood sugar control. This confirms the research hypothesis that depression improvement can produce better blood sugar control, independent of weight loss and overall diabetes management. The importance of weight-independent physiological factors like insulin sensitivity and inflammation improve during depression relief and contribute to better long-term control of diabetes.

The moral of this story? You tell me. I spotlight the research - I like it when you guys give me answers.

Please excuse the editorial nature of this piece. I often post about the scientific studies about diabetes. Today I'd like to discuss a bizarre thought I've had about the management of diabetes and how eerily similar I feel it is to a phenomenon known as cutting. I preface this blog with a sincere apology for anyone that is offended by the comparison. I know all too much about diabetes and very little about cutting, but my curiosity led me to read a little more about it and I remain stymied by the similarities.

Diabetes is controlled by repeated checks of blood glucose. The most effective way of measuring blood glucose is to prick your finger, draw blood, and drop it into a machine to read the results. This must be done anywhere between 2 and 12 or more times a day. Once the results are given - a diabetic should a) take insulin by injection or an insulin pump or an oral medication b) eat something or c) do nothing. The objective of drawing blood is to know your numbers. Ultimately this will ensure you are in range. That's right - test, treat and repeat. This routine, if followed religiously throughout your life, will best divert any long-term complications associated with diabetes. No guarantees.

A cutter is someone who practices self-injury (also known as self-harm and self-mutilation) by scratching or cutting his or her skin with a sharp object. Cutting is usually a symptom of mental illness and most often is used as a coping mechanism. By no means is this a symptom to ignore. It is serious and often implies a more serious underlying condition that warrants serious medical attention.

The necessary roughness of drawing blood serves a purpose for both diabetics and cutters. Of course one is medically supervised to care for the well-being of an individual and the other is self-inflicted and harmful for the individual. The end result of incessantly checking blood sugars will result in better control of a life-threatening disease. The end result of cutting is a scar reminding the cutter of a deeper pain. Both causes of the behavior are nonetheless tragic. As a type I diabetic, I do everything I can to avoid having to be reminded of diabetes - even if that requires me taking breaks from my life to test, treat, and repeat. I appreciate the perspective of anyone who wishes to share about the control regimen of their diabetes, or the psychology of a cutter.

Researchers are finding evidence that chiropractic adjustments could enhance diabetes control.

The study focused on the positive response chiropractic adjustments contributed in the care of a patient with adult onset diabetes. The chiropractic care was directed toward correcting misalignments in the spine, called vertebral subluxations. Vertebral subluxation is a chiropractic term to describe a myriad of symptoms thought to occur as a result of a misaligned spinal segment. However, specifically for this patient, it was the vertebral relationship governing his nervous system and endocrine organs. After one month of being on the program, the patient's glucose levels had normalized in both the blood and urine. His medical doctor, who monitored his progress, said the patient would not need insulin if the condition remained stable.

The study was one of several projects exploring the impact of vertebral subluxations on human health and well-being. For more than 100 years, chiropractors have maintained that what they do affects organ system function and general health. Case studies like this demonstrate the urgency for more research on chiropractic and its effects beyond neck and back pain.

A new survey reveals that most people prefer to treat diabetes by changing their diets, rather than using medicines.

According to a survey of 1,022 adults (515 women and 507 men), 69% of Americans would prefer to try a dietary approach, whereas only 21% preferred treating diabetes with medicines. The survey reinforces results from clinical research on diabetes, which has consistently found that people with diabetes adapt well to low-fat vegetarian diets and gain important health benefits. A dietary approach to diabetes based on scientific research shows that a low-fat vegan diet can lower high blood sugar levels three times more effectively than oral medications.

Among the results: women are even more likely than men to prefer food changes over pills. People with more education and higher incomes were especially likely to favor a diet approach. For the financially savvy - this makes a lot of sense. You MUST buy food. You might as well buy healthier foods and curtail your Rx costs. Furthermore, Americans aged 45 to 64 were more enthusiastic about diet changes, compared with older Americans. I'll bet it's the convenience factor. A little less medication, a little more supper, please. The most pill-happy generation was the 18- to 24-year-olds. Don't look at me like that - I'm 28 and favor the flavor over medication, any day. Bon appetit!

Many of us fear what we do not know, which could be why the diagnosis of diabetes is so harrowing. Fear no more. Amy Tenderich has teamed up with Dr. Richard Jackson, MD of the Joslin Diabetes Center to shed some light on the heaps of material we must digest to control our diabetes. Amy and Dr. Jackson have simply explained it all in Know Your Numbers, Outlive Your Diabetes: 5 Essential Health Factors You Can Master to Enjoy a Long and Healthy Life (Marlowe Diabetes Library).

The book is a priceless addition to any diabetic library. It begins by explaining the five tests that are the cornerstones for monitoring your overall health with diabetes. These tests are: A1c, blood pressure, lipids, microalbumin, and an annual eye exam. You may think you know it all because you've been there, done that. But do you really know - what it tests, why it's done, and what your numbers should look like? After you learn what those tests mean to you and your health - Amy and Dr. Jackson help you develop a plan of action. They build a road, paved with easy to understand (and explained remarkably well) information about nutrition, medicine, organic treatments, support, and specialized shopping sites for diabetes.

I was impressed beyond my expectations. Knowing the award winning caliber of work Amy produces, and the integrity of Dr. Jackson's work with Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical - I was looking for a good guidebook on diabetes care. No ma'am. This book is AWESOME! I knew it would be good, Amy. You've outdone yourself, once again. I hope this book motivates everyone who reads it to know their numbers and outlive their diabetes. And when it does - remember us little people, ok? Thanks a million, Amy!

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved Byetta as an add-on therapy to improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes who have not achieved adequate control on a thiazolidinedione, or TZD.

Byetta is already approved for treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes who are unsuccessful at controlling their blood sugar levels despite using the commonly prescribed oral medications or insulin. Byetta helps control blood glucose in four different ways. First, it signals your pancreas to make the right amount of insulin after you eat. It also stops your liver from making too much glucose when your body does not need it. It may reduce your appetite and the amount of food you eat. And it helps slow down how quickly food and glucose leave the stomach. It's no surprise that back in May, AMYLIN had to increase their production of Byetta, after realizing demand was outpacing the supply.

Byetta has given type 2 diabetics the reassurance they need to take their diabetes control to the next level. Taking your meds no longer has to come with the dubious consequence of a ravenous appetite. And with this new feather in the Byetta cap-the FDA says it does the trick to improve blood sugar control. The jury's out!

Who would've thought the juicy nectar of a mango could aid in diabetes control? A study is analyzing how individual components of the mango can affect human cells. Early results suggest these components could be isolated to form alternative treatments for metabolic disorders like diabetes and high cholesterol.

This study aims to find unique ingredients in mangoes and other tropical fruit like paw paws. Sounds adorable, doesn't it? Typically studies involve vegetables and fruits like broccoli and grapes. The nutritional values of tropical fruits have been historically discounted. Recent interests in the fruits are opening new doors to further scientific discoveries. Early results suggest some compounds in mangoes work by activating or inhibiting groups of receptors known as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, or PPARs. PPARs play a role in cellular metabolism. The findings of this study could present positive nutritional health benefits for diabetes and high cholesterol. Furthermore, preliminary findings also suggest that mango skin, often a component of mango juice, is particularly rich in these compounds.

Okay, as an aside-I would like to point out that the skin of the mango can inflict a reaction similar to that of poison ivy. I know this because I've had the misfortune of this happening to me. If you are predisposed to reacting to poison ivy, and you come in contact with the sap on the skin of a mango- it could possibly result in a terribly uncomfortable reaction for you, too. Take my word for it. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Gold's Gym International has made a corporate commitment to fight diabetes with fitness. It's the thought that counts and need I say this thought is not a moment too soon. In honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month, Gold's Gym intends to show Americans how to start an exercise program and incorporate fitness into their lifestyle. And by the way, the overall objective of Gold's Gym is not to build every body into a striation-wrapped sexy package like this Herculean Hunk. I just wanted so badly to have a justifiable cause to use him. Please, forgive me. On with the blog...

Gene LaMott, president and CEO of Gold's Gym International is encouraging people to take the type 2 diabetes epidemic by the horns. He concedes, "Even a moderate amount of exercise can control diabetes or prevent type 2 diabetes all together. We're offering our resources and more than 40 years of expertise to help people develop a simple, easy to follow plan that can save their life." Smart, sensitive and giving - who wouldn't take him up on the offer?

Gold's Gym is offering a plethora of incentives to get you moving in the right direction. To get you started, you can go to the American Diabetes Association online risk assessment to find out if you are at risk for type 2 diabetes. If you're still up for the challenge - find a Gold's Gym near you and take advantage of a free 1 day VIP Pass. If the cold, hard facts and the free VIP pass don't move you - keep reading the site for success stories and a wealth of fitness and health tips for inspiration. Don't wait for the New Year to start preventing or treating diabetes. With the incentive Gold's Gym is offering, this is the perfect reason to start today!

Stop the presses and check this headline out: doctors use acupressure technique instead of drugs to combat emotional eating. It gets better - the technique is 80% effective in reducing food cravings and does not require any supplement or medication. Here's the coolest part: it's already an acronym! It's called "EFT", Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), a do-it-yourself acupressure procedure.

Gary Craig, the Stanford-trained engineer who developed EFT has noticed a marked increase in the number of research studies that link negative emotions to physical issues. Craig reports, "I see repeatedly that emotional issues like fear, anger, boredom, shame, and resentment are the very centerpiece of someone's weight gain. But their emotional issues have remained unresolved despite willpower and conventional therapies. This is because the emotional issues have disrupted their energy meridian system (or Chi in Chinese Medicine). Until the energy system is balanced, the emotional eating will continue."

So herein lies the question: why do people eat when they are not hungry? According to the foundational theory of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), people overeat to tranquilize unresolved negative emotions and traumas. Just like a game of CLUE, the culprit of the crime is Mr. Emotions, located in the hippocampus, with the reaction of overating. For over 10 years, people have been addressing this crime of passion (overeating) through the practice of EFT. This involves fingertip tapping on select acupressure points while focusing on the craving in question. EFT claims an 80% success rate in calming the emotions that trigger food cravings. It can be learned without cost by downloading the free EFT Manual. With the holiday season nipping at our heels, I'm throwing every bone out there for a stress survival guide. This is one worthing tapping. What have you got to lose? It's free!

Good question. For as long as I can remember the frequented phrase has always been over weight. However, I would like to dispel the rumors and revamp the truth to reflect to a more suitable measure of beefcake (or not so much). The longstanding mantra has been that heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure are all linked to being over weight. Until recently...

Studies are now showing that the Body Mass Index (BMI) is a more accurate gauge of health risk. The BMI is a measure of your body composition based on your weight and height. A BMI greater than 27 indicates a risk for developing type 2 diabetes, and other health problems like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and premature death. Keeping your BMI in normal range will help stave off insulin resistance, helping to make diabetes more manageable. What's your BMI? Simply enter your height and weight to see.

One of the best selling instruments to help monitor your BMI and body fat percentage is the Omron HBF-306C Fat Loss Monitor. Omron is a company best known for product reliability, ease of use and overall customer satisfaction. This easy to use tool will help pre-diabetes candidates prevent the onset of diabetes. Those of us who already have diabetes can use the Fat Loss Monitor in controlling our BMI. It takes 7 seconds for an accurate body mass calculation - just hold on tight. This is not a lot to ask when you know the results are invaluable for your overall health and diabetes care. Nothing says I love you like a Fat Loss Monitor. Merry Christmas!