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Posts with tag diabetics
Posted Aug 14th 2007 5:54PM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Research
According to a
RAND Corporation study, fewer and
fewer diabetics are going undiagnosed these days. Specifically, the gap has closed dramatically over the last twenty-five years. So much so that Hispanics and African Americans are now no more likely than whites to be undiagnosed. Good news, to be sure.
And the news is especially good for men. James P. Smith, who authored the study, says that twenty-five years ago about fifty percent of men with diabetes did not even know they had the disease. Jump forward to 1999-2002, however, and the number drops to about twenty percent.
Smith concludes that even though ethnic and gender disparities remain, we are certainly doing a lot better at getting people diagnosed and into treatment. Diabetes programs that target minorities can take a lot of the credit for this shift, Smith believes.
On the down side, the less-educated people among us are much more likely to go undiagnosed and, when diagnosed, are less likely to successfully incorporate lifestyle changes required to manage the disease. Also of concern, Smith says, is the fact that even though obese people are at a high risk for diabetes, they nevertheless are more likely to have undiagnosed diabetes than are slimmer people.
Posted Aug 11th 2007 2:24PM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Type 2, Research, Care
Far from being inert and unchanging, a mere scaffolding to which the body's muscles and organs attach themselves, bones change constantly. Old bone cells die. New ones are born. But that's not all. According to an exciting new discovery, bones play a role in
regulating blood sugar levels and fat deposits.
How is this possible? Bones act like a kind of endocrine organ, releasing osteocalcin, a hormone that influences bone formation. This hormone also increases both insulin production and the body's insulin sensitivity. It also reduces fat stores. Basically, osteocalcin levels in the bones are linked to blood sugar and body fat levels, and there is some sort of interaction back and forth.
It's a surprising finding for the uninitiated. However, some scientists are saying it makes sense when you think about it. Says Ronald Kahn, director of Harvard's Joslin Diabetes Center, "Obviously there does need to be some coordination between skeletal growth and body mass. If you carry around extra weight, your bones need to hold up under the extra pressure, so it's not surprising that your bones have a sense of body fat."
Continue reading Discovery: bones help regulate insulin production
Posted Jul 31st 2007 8:04AM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Type 1, Drugs, Research
Yes, the title conjures up images of a futuristic world in which diabetics puff their way back to health. "New! Insulin Cigarettes!" In fact, it's rather more innocuous than that: scientists have engineered a type of
insulin-containing tobacco plant that could - in theory, at least - be used as a diabetes treatment.
A study has just been completed of its use. Once freeze-dried and broken down into powder, the insulin-containing tobacco leaves were administered to mice. The scientists who came up with the plant (and who are based at the University of Central Florida), found the powder successfully prevented diabetes symptoms in the mice after eight weeks. It seems pretty safe to assume, they speculate, that humans with type 1 diabetes could get similar results from ingesting plant-based insulin.
The only snag so far is the image problem associated with tobacco. As a result, lead researcher Henry Daniell, is proposing a switch to lettuce, which is cheap, easy to grow and - oh, yeah! - is not associated with cancer. Good move.
The results of this study appear in the
Plant Biotechnology Journal (July 2007).
Posted Jul 30th 2007 4:59PM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Type 2, Diet, Lifestyle, Products, Care
What happens when you do "Supersize Me" in reverse? Why, you get a documentary like "Raw for 30 Days." The film-makers of "Raw" got six type 2 diabetics with less than stellar lifestyle habits and persuaded them to switch out hamburgers and fried chicken for a raw, whole foods diet consisting of all-organic, all-vegan foods. Mmm mmm.
You can't see the movie quite yet. But you
can see the preview. Just click on over to the
"Raw for 30 Days" website.
My source says the preview can also be viewed on YouTube or Google Video. The finished product is now in post-production and should be released in time for Spring 2008 film festivals.
The documentary was directed by Sundance Film Festival-winner Aiyana Elliott, but the concept was created by the executive producer, Mark Perlmutter. The idea is to demonstrate that type 2 diabetes can be reversed "naturally" - that is, without the aid of a battery of prescription drugs. Says Perlmutter, "The release of our nine-minute preview may be the first exposure some have to a greater understanding of controlling, if not conquering the disease."
Okay, so the premise is a little shaky. For one thing: how much can be achieved in only thirty days? For another: it's changing lifestyle habits
and maintaining them over time that's key in reversing symptoms of t2 diabetes or pre-diabetes. But why be a party-pooper? After all, raising awareness about diabetes is a good thing. I would definitely like to see this film.
Posted Jul 29th 2007 2:12PM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Diet, Lifestyle, Research
I was intrigued by
a recent Swedish study reporting that people on a so-called "Stone Age" diet had more stable blood sugar levels than those on a Mediterranean diet. An intriguing claim, because it's so often said that Mediterranean-style eating is super-healthful. Let's also admit it is a delicious way to eat: yes, pasta and bread is there, but it's balanced out by tons of fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and olive oil. The Stone Age way is a bit more spare: we're talkin' meat, fish, and lots of whole grains, berries and nuts. Nary a sliver of Parmesan in sight.
However, the results of yet another study, this time from Australia, indicates
Mediterranean-style eating is a good choice, especially for diabetics. Researchers from the University of Melbourne say Mediterranean-born immigrants in Australia are less likely to die from
heart disease than other Australians. The researchers have concluded it's all down to dietary patterns. More than forty thousand people participated in the study over a period of ten years. The numbers revealed those who ate the most Mediterranean-style foods had a thirty percent lower risk of dying from heart disease. For diabetics, the researchers speculate, the benefits could be even higher, reducing the risk of death due to ischemic heart disease.
Results have been published in
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Visit Reuters for a discussion of the study.
Posted Jul 28th 2007 1:49PM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Type 2, Diet, Lifestyle, Exercise, Support
It's often said that grass-roots level initiatives are what will turn the tide on the spread of type 2 diabetes. Here's an example of a grass-roots success story:
Catholic News reports that Australian Aborigines from the Mowanjum community of Western Australia are benefiting from the introduction of a type 2 prevention and management program.
Titled "Indigenous communities beat diabetes," (that could be a bit of an overstatement), the article describes the impact of the program in Mowanjum community in Western Australia. Successes include the introduction of a comprehensive diabetes education program aimed at young people with diabetes. The program, which is organized by Aboriginal development group Unity of First Peoples Australia, also reported improved quality of care for diabetics. Next task on the list is trying to get all adolescents in the community to achieve normal or near-normal blood sugar levels.
Says a member of the review panel responsible for assessing the program, it's success "is testament to the fact that Indigenous communities have the capabilities and are able to implement life changing programs in a manner that is sustainable and community owned."
Posted Jul 26th 2007 12:23PM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Drugs, Opinion, Products
Remember back in 2006
all the buzz surrounding Exubera, Pfizer's inhalable insulin product? It was much-hyped by Pfizer and, let's face, the media happily joined in too, spreading the word that (as Pfizer would have it) Exubera would be wildly successful and make squillions of dollars for investors.
It didn't work out that way at all. Sales so far have topped out at around four million dollars per quarter, far short of the two billion projected before the product was released. Now, in a bid to lift
lackluster sales, Pfizer is launching
a major ad campaign for Exubera. Yes, the inhaler device is
extremely indiscreet. Yes, long-term use of the drug itself could cause lung damage. Oh, and health insurers may not cover prescriptions for Exubera for those diabetics who want to try it. But I guess where there's a slick selling strategy there's a way...into the pockets of consumers, that is.
Which is not to say I blame Pfizer. The company has poured so much money into this product, does it really have a choice at this point? No. Also, it's entirely possible Pfizer could turn things around.
This article by Arlene Weintraub for
Business Week reminds readers that the drug giant had enormous success with its clever ad campaigns for
Viagra and for the incontinence drug
Detrol. Writes Weintraub, this new campaign will probably cost Pfizer big-time: we're talking tens of millions of dollars, but it will be worth it for Pfizer if it can reproduce that kind of success.
Posted Jul 9th 2007 4:13PM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Fundraisers
"1 day, 1 cause, 1 goal," is the slogan assigned to the
American Diabetes Association's (ADA)
new fundraiser: "Step Out to Fight Diabetes." The big annual event is basically a retooled version of what the ADA used to call "America's Walk for Diabetes." The plan is to hold walks in two hundred American cities on various days over the course of a couple of weeks this coming fall.
So what's involved, you ask? It's a ten-mile walking course designed to be easy enough for about any fitness level. The twist: it requires some stair climbing. Philadelphia participants will climb ten staircases in landmark buildings, such as Philly's City Hall and the majestic front steps of the Philly Museum of Art (immortalized in the movie
Rocky). Trotting up and downstairs, you're supposed to contemplate and be inspired by the "peaks and valleys" encountered by diabetics the world over.
The ADA has launched a very professional campaign to publicize "Step Out" with press releases and
a snazzy website. You can register to participate on the website, and they'll send you a cute registration pack. You can also check out health stats, facts about the staircases involved in the event, and read true life diabetes stories on the site. By joining in, the ADA says you will be helping "find a cure" and also help raise awareness in your own community. To the former: maybe. To the latter: sure - awareness-raising is always a good thing.
Funding in support of the "Step Out" campaign comes courtesy of big-name, big-business donors like Kmart (Pharmacy), RiteAid, Wal-mart/Sam's Club, and Equal.
Posted Jun 30th 2007 9:16PM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Diet, Daily News
Just yesterday I posted
a blog about a guy kicked off a train in Arizona. Well, looks like this is the week of train-related news, because here's another one. Only this time, the passengers were stuck
on the train.
A number of diabetics were among the passengers who recently boarded a train for Silverton, Colorado. The group, consisting mainly of retirees, were anticipating a fun day trip with a little shopping and sightseeing in Silverton. Instead, they ended up stranded after gale force winds hit the region. The train was rocked around and the strong winds rolled boulders onto the tracks, making it impossible for the train to complete its journey.
Twelve hours is a long time to spend on a train when it's not moving, I imagine. That's how long the passengers sat and waited. As for the diabetic passengers, some were worried about their insulin levels. Fortunately, one of the lady passengers had come prepared. Says another passenger, "she had a backpack full of canned fruit and she had crackers, water and stuff like that. When we became concerned about the diabetics on the train, she opened that up and gave it to them, which was a sweet thing for her to do."
But never fear - this story ends well. After a twelve-hour wait, help arrived, the track was cleared and our sightseers were on their way again. And as the passenger-supplied snapshot at right proves, the experience overall was not so very harrowing. In fact...some of them almost look like they're enjoying their little adventure!
Posted Jun 15th 2007 3:00PM by Bev Sklar
Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Childhood, Adult Onset, Research
When my husband and I departed our new dentist office a year ago, we agreed it was 'cadillac dentistry' at its finest. Computerized records at the hygienists' fingertips, digital x-rays (those are nice!) and even a package of mints and a sparkle-sprayed carnation on the way out. A typical cleaning is around $25 more than insurance allows, so we're paying big bucks for a glittery flower and fresh breath. Is the dentistry honestly any better?
Fellow blogger, Brian White, over at That's Fit just highlighted a new study on the relationship between computer wizardry at the doctor's office and diabetes care. Guess what? Medical offices investing in electronic medical record-keeping actually delivered a lower quality of care for diabetics than offices tracking patient information the old-fashioned way -- on paper. Paper records may not make sense in case of fire, but I'm guessing the study's 927 diabetic patients from 50 different doctor offices may consider it a healthy risk.
Posted Sep 7th 2006 4:48PM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Drugs, Research
Turns out our old friend insulin, the drug of first-resort for millions of diabetics, could be used in another capacity. So reports news channel
ABC7 Chicago.
Heart attacks occur when blood flow to the heart is restricted or cut off, causing permanent damage to the heart muscle, or part of it. You may survive a heart attack, but the damaged tissue attracts the formation of scar tissue. Moreover, the heart itself is weakened because the pumping action is less effective than before the attack took place.
Researchers at the University at Buffalo in New York have been looking into the possibility of using insulin to help heart attack victims. They say insulin may protect the heart by reducing permanent damage to the heart tissues. How, you say? Well, insulin relaxes the blood vessels, causing them to dilate and improve blood flow, thereby reducing strain on the heart. A study conducted by the Buffalo team showed that insulin given to heart attack patients reduced heart damage by fifty percent! Because insulin lowers blood sugar, patients on insulin also had to take glucose to keep their blood sugar levels up. The researchers say, hey, why not use insulin for heart attack patients? Why waste time trying to devise fancy new drugs when plain old (and inexpensive) insulin can do the trick? Stay tuned.
Posted Aug 23rd 2006 9:31AM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Diet
Scientists in India have developed a new variety of wheat that may end up benefiting diabetics - or anyone, in fact, needing to reign in their cholesterol levels. This is according to an announcement made by the Indian government on Monday. The new wheat variety is named "dicoccum" and was developed to withstand long, cold winters. However, dicoccum has another attribute: once eaten, it is digested slowly and releases energy a little at a time over the course of five or six hours. The result? No sugar surge in the blood stream - which is pretty darn important for diabetics. In addition, the Indian government also says that this particular type of wheat effectively restricts cholesterol.
Naturally, there is a downside to all this agricultural wonder: dicoccum does not grow as productively as normal varieties of wheat, meaning it sells for at least three times the price of regular wheat. Oh well.
Posted Aug 14th 2006 12:33PM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Drugs
There's an interesting
new article in the Philadelphia Inquirer about diabetes, specifically the recent expansion in treatment options available to diabetics. The opening paragraph illustrates the intense level of interest in these new drugs by describing how crowds of people were turned away from the recent American Diabetes Association convention in Washington. All of them were hoping to learn more about Byetta, the drug that controls blood sugar and also (as a side-effect) causes weight loss.
Anyway, the article describes how much the situation has changed from previous decades, when insulin was the absolute foundation of diabetes treatments. Now you have a slew of new drugs as well as a bunch of new delivery and monitoring devices. Obviously, the surge in treatment options has grown in response to simple consumer demand, as diabetes rates soar.
The catch, of course, is that many of these treatments are financially beyond the means of many people. The question is how many diabetics are going to continue to miss out on optimal medical care due to being uninsured or underinsured? Also, medical professionals don't want people to get the impression that the solution to their diabetes problem lies entirely in some magical combination of the new drugs. Says Kenneth J. Snow, of Boston's Joslin Diabetes Center, "Ideally, weight control and exercise is by far the best way to treat [Type 2] diabetes."
Posted Aug 12th 2006 12:43PM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Drugs
The US Department of Homeland Security reacted to revelations of a plot to blow up planes flying from Britain to US destinations with a new round of air travel restrictions. The new rules include the banning of all liquids, gels, lotions and creams in carry-on luggage. I'll admit, these restrictions are likely to cause a lot of frustration (in the form of long lines, etc.) for air travelers no matter how well prepared they may be. However, being prepared does give you an edge and makes it easier for you to get through security and onto your flight. Diabetics, in particular, would be smart to learn about the new requirements and how they impact people with diabetes.
The television show dLife has issued a helpful rundown of what you should know. First and foremost, know that essential medications, including insulin, are excluded from the ban. However, prescription meds must be clearly labeled as such and must clearly belong to the passenger who is carrying them. Second, allow plenty of time to get through security and understand that you will make everyone's lives easier if you announce upfront to airport security that you are diabetic and are carrying your meds with you. It would also be sensible to pack your meds all together, in a clear, zip-lock plastic bag, so that they can be easily handed to airport security personnel for examination. All in all, it's worth going to a little trouble before your flight so as to ensure you get through security as quickly as possible.
Posted Aug 9th 2006 4:43PM by Diane Rixon
Filed under: Type 2, Diet
Those delicious late night snackies may be bad for you. Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle say that diabetics who eat lots of food in the evening are upping their risk of health complications. These experts sat down and interviewed 714 diabetes patients about their eating habits. Ten percent said they ate more than one-quarter of their daily food intake not
at dinnertime, but
after dinnertime. That means snacking after dinner, and getting up at night (even multiple times in the night) to sneak some late-night food treats - and we're not talking apples and oranges here. No, we're talking about snacks of the fatty and highly processed variety - the kinds of foods that give nutrition experts the night frights.
Seems that this little habit catches up with these patients in their declining health - they were two to three times more likely than the other patients in the study to be obese, to have poor blood sugar control or to have multiple diabetes-related complications, including the "biggies" -
heart disease, and kidney and nerve problems. The cause? It seems that these patients are more likely than others to be suffering from depression. It appears that the late night eating is a coping mechanism. Researchers hope that access to therapy and antidepressants could help these people out.
The results of the study have been published in
Diabetes Care (August 2006).
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