I contacted Novo Nordisk back in March to tell them about the remarkable effects C-peptide had on reversing complications of Type 1 diabetes. I asked if they would bring the drug to market. A mass of excitement overwhelmed me when I learned about C-peptide missing from insulin all these years. The response from Novo? No thanks, it's not one of our targets. Targets, eh?

C-peptide is a byproduct of the production of insulin. In Type 1 diabetics, the level of C-peptide eventually becomes undetectable due to the body not making any insulin of its own. Long-term complications of diabetes frequently develop despite insulin therapy and optimal blood glucose control. C-peptide could quite possibly be the missing link in perfect diabetes control. I sent the following document to Novo Nordisk and asked them to make C-peptide available to reverse and ameliorate renal and nerve dysfunction for Type 1 diabetics. Read the document and see for yourself the eye-popping beneficial results C-peptide offers Type 1 diabetics. I received it directly from Dr. Wahren, lead researcher for C-peptide.

After 5 months consideration, Novo called me back. They said C-peptide is not a target for their company. I understand and now Levemir is not a target in my diabetes control, either. For all the Type 1 diabetics out there controlling your sugars with insulin not really made with you in mind -- do you understand why Novo does not wish to develop this critically important treatment? I guess insulin is good enough, right? Wrong. It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it. Just not Novo. When you are in the business of diabusiness -- no thank you says so much about what could potentially hurt your business.

For those of you who do not know her yet - consider today your lucky day!! She is Amy Tenderich and her site, Diabetes Mine, is a force to be reckoned with in the diabetes online community. What do I mean? When Amy speaks - anybody who's anybody in the diabetes online community listens.

A few months ago she posted an open letter to Steve Jobs, which was wildly discussed in the blogosphere and media. She invited gadget designers to rise to the challenge of creating sleeker, cooler, consumer-oriented medical devices for people with diabetes. Not only did she get the diabetes blogosphere stirring - but the minds of entrepreneurs storming, as well.

Amy motivated a San Francisco-based company to react in a universal remote control sort of way. Adaptive Path has designed The Charmr, a prototype of a continuous glucose monitor combined with an insulin pump, universally controlled by a device that looks to be no bigger than a USB stick! I strongly encourage everybody to checkout Amy's blog with all the details (including reader feedback) and the YouTube video on the Charmr. Bravo Amy!!

If you're a daytime tv addict- the upcoming JDRF event might be worth your time and money. And don't worry about missing an episode of Days of our Lives. The event is being held on Saturday, August 25t!

Several stars of NBC's hit daytime drama series, Days of our Lives, are heading to Massachusetts on August 25 to support a charity event for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). From 11am to 4pm, fans will get the opportunity to "meet and greet" their favorite Days of our Lives actors and actresses. There will also be photo opportunities and autograph sessions, as well as show novelties up for sale. However, food and beverages will not be served during the daytime reception, which has been priced at $80 per person.

Among the Days of our Lives stars that are slated to appear that night are James Scott (EJ Wells), Stephen Nichols (Steve "Patch" Johnson), Rachel Melvin (Chelsea Brady), Judi Evans (Adrienne Josephine Johnson Kiriakis) and Blake Berris (Nick Fallon). The JDRF charity event will be held at the Burlington Marriot. Fans who wish to attend the event can order tickets online. For those who will be coming from outside the Burlington area, a block of rooms have been set aside by the hotel specifically for the event. For room reservations, call 1-781-229-6565. Like sands through the hourglass... attend the fundraising event to enjoy the stars from Days of our Lives!

There has been some very exciting news lately about the benefits of a type of pumpkin. The pumpkin is shown to slow the destruction of beta cells and reduces the need for Type 1 diabetics to inject as much insulin.

The exciting thing is that this experiment found the benefits of the pumpkin were through oral consumption, not injection. The protective effect of pumpkin is thought to be due to both antioxidants and D-chiro-inositol, a molecule that mediates insulin activity. Boosting insulin levels has the effect of lowering blood sugar levels, which reduces levels of oxidative oxygen species that damage beta-cell membranes, preventing further damage and allowing for some regeneration. Beta cells levels in the diabetic rats are, however, unlikely ever to reach that of controls, because some of the cells will have been damaged beyond repair.

An ingredient expert pointed out to me that the pumpkin used in the study is not your canned pumpkin but a special variety of Asian pumpkin. You can check at you local Asian market if they have the Shark Fin pumpkin or if they can get it for you. He also surmised that it may be possible to parlay this breed of pumpkin into a whole new world of Health Foods.

What is the purpose of body fat? We all have it, some of us a little more than others. As we grow older, some of our diets fall out of balance with our energy needs causing our white fat cells to become swollen.

White fat cells secrete leptin, adiponectin and resistin. Leptin and adiponectin work together in suppressing appetite. Resistin is the newest discovered - and has been found to participate in the inflammatory response and resistence to insulin. It also triggers an immune response to irritation, so it may be the fat cells attempt to shut your piehole because we're not gonna take it. As the white fat cells take on excessive calories they begin swelling, resulting in an inflammatory response.

Inflammation, by definition, is a protective attempt to remove the injurious stimuli (excess calories) and initiate the healing process. As the fat cells dispatch hormones signaling inflammation - one could hypothesize that Type 2 diabetes is a response to an imbalanced diet - calories in versus calories out. So what do our white fat cells do for us? They are designed to store energy for use in times of need. When your body is sending out DEFCON signals of inflammation - I'd say that is a time of need, indeed. Would inducing ketosis till the swelling goes down help?