Warning: the following blog deserves a strong caveat. I am utterly disgusted by the event leading to the story but nonetheless, I will convey the gist of it as tactfully as possible. A drunken diabetic who brutally raped a woman while in a hypoglycaemic state has been jailed indefinitely.

Steven Graham, a 20 year old from the UK, met his victim as she walked home one evening. Graham admitted to drinking 15 beers and skipping his evening injection. He reportedly suffers from a "Jekyll and Hyde" personality disorder. He had the audacity to pleas his behavior was due to the fact he was suffering a hypoglycaemic attack.

Prosecutors obtained a report which described hypoglycemia as causing mild mannered people to behave violent and abusive. They also may seem to have superhuman strength. Graham's attorney told the court: "Hypoglycaemia is one of those conditions capable of transforming honest and decent people into violent and aggressive people." Excuse me, but hypoglycemia can transform honest and decent people into disoriented honest and decent people. It does not transform them into superhuman strength rapists. Call me stupid -- but wouldn't those conditions to which he referred be psychological?

The Judge ruled the facts of this case clearly demonstrate Graham is capable of extreme violence and he is a danger to women. Justice is served.

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!

Chromium picolinate is one of the most widely debated supplements in diabetes health. A study has shown that it improves glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes not adequately controlled while taking sulfonylurea, a drug that increases insulin release from the beta cells in the pancreas.

A 40-week study was designed to examine the effect of adding daily chromium picolinate supplementation to an antidiabetic medication, sulfonylurea. A commonly prescribed treatment for type 2 diabetes was given to 29 subjects for 24 weeks, in conjunction with either chromium picolinate or a placebo. Blood sugar levels of study participants taking chromium picolinate dropped significantly compared to the placebo group. In addition, insulin sensitivity for participants taking the chromium picolinate was increased when compared to those in the placebo group. Study participants taking chromium picolinate also experienced significantly lower abdominal body fat accumulation than the placebo group, and experienced less overall weight gain.

This study demonstrates that chromium picolinate supplementation for type 2 diabetes who are taking sulfonylurea agents significantly improves insulin sensitivity and glucose control. In addition, chromium picolinate was shown to reduce weight gain and fat accumulation compared with the placebo group. The results of this study were first published in August 2006 - but knowing about chromium picolinate today leaves you with ample time to adjust for greater insulin sensitivity and less fattening days to come!