We've long known about Type 1 diabetes. Most people know about Type 2 diabetes, too. But would you believe it's possible that a discovery may warrant a Type 3 diabetes? Researchers have discovered that the suppression of insulin signaling in the brain raises the possibility of a Type 3 diabetes.

Researchers have known for some time that insulin is not just produced in the pancreas, but also in the thymus. It is also known that insulin resistance, a characteristic of Type 2 diabetes, is tied to neurodegeneration. While scientists have suspected a link between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, this is the first study to provide evidence of that connection. The study identified a gene abnormality that blocks insulin signaling in the brain. A drop in insulin production in the thymus contributes to the degeneration of specific regions of the brain. These abnormalities do not correspond to Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, but reflect a different and more complex disease process that originates in the CNS (central nervous system). This raises the possibility of a Type 3 diabetes.

Those who suffered from Alzheimer's disease had a deficiency of growth factor in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the part of the brain responsible for memory. The absence of these growth factors causes cells in other parts of the brain to die. Reserachers found that insulin was significantly reduced in the areas of the brain responsible for reasoning, planning, speech, movement, emotions, and problem solving. Researchers conclude that there is a genuine need for comprehensive study of the neuropathological changes associated with diabetes treatment and the affects of specific medications on insulin signaling. I agree with the researchers!

Diabetes Care reports consuming red meat and other foods high in "heme" iron, such as chicken liver, clams and oysters, appears to increase the risk of heart disease in diabetics.

Researchers followed 6,161 women with type 2 diabetes. During follow-up visits, from 1980 through 2000, the team documented 550 new cases of heart disease. After accounting for age and body weight, high intake of both heme iron and red meat appeared to increase the risk of heart disease. Specifically, women who consumed the highest amount of heme iron were 50% more likely to develop heart disease than those with the lowest intake. The risks were greatest in women who were postmenopausal.

The researchers point out that because of the study's design, the findings can't prove that high heme iron intake "causes" heart disease, only that it is "associated" with the disease. The results of this study support the suggestion that cutting back on consumption of heme iron-rich foods might be prudent for diabetics. Those of you in the market for a heart healthy diet - consider curtailing the chicken livers and aphrodisiacs of the sea.

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!

The main difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes is perhaps a little murky to the average American. However, when it comes to sports - it is safe to say that most of us have one or two we know like the back of our hand. So in an effort to enlighten myself in the technicalities of different sports, and to share my understanding of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, let's see if we can parallel sports to the distinctions in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

First off, let's establish the basic differences in each type. A type 1 diabetic cannot adequately deliver insulin to the targeted cells. That is not to say type 1s cannot or do not still produce insulin but type 1 diabetics have a faulty killer T cell in their immune system that mistakes an insulin producing cell as a foreign body. A type 2 diabetic experiences insulin resistance at the targeted cell. This is a condition in which fat, muscle, and liver cells do not use insulin properly. Both conditions result in persistent high blood sugar levels, thus defining diabetes.

Now for the nitty gritty of my comparison... Remember, this is my attempt to learn something about your interests since you allow me to share mine with you. Please, don't hesitate to correct me. I'm sure I'll miss the mark on a few, but nevertheless it has been a fun exercise (yes, pun intended). Football: (type 1) Defensive holding or illegal use of hands, (type 2) Delay of game. Baseball: (type 1) Triple play (type 2) Ground Rule Double. Hockey: (type 1) Freezing the puck (type 2) Clearing the puck. Soccer: (type 1) Red Card (type 2) Obstruction.