Home
- Just Don't Do Nothing
You can view the current or previous issues of Diabetes Health online, in their entirety, anytime you want.
Click Here To View
See if you qualify for our free healthcare professional magazines. Click here to start your application for Pre-Diabetes Health, Diabetes Health Pharmacist and Diabetes Health Professional.
Latest Blood Sugar Articles
Blood Sugar Article Archives
May 2012
With tens of millions of American facing life with type 2 diabetes and many millions more at risk of the disease, scientists are scrambling to unravel novel treatments. The latest breakthrough could come from California's Salk Institute.
0 comments - Posted May 13, 2012
For people with diabetes, breakfast is more than just a morning meal. According to recent research, it may hold the key to good blood glucose numbers for the rest of the day.
0 comments - Posted May 11, 2012
It may be better for older people with type 2 diabetes to have less stringent A1C goals than younger type 2s, according to new guidelines from the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.
5 comments - Posted May 3, 2012
About 16 years ago, after some routine blood work, I was told by my doctor that he wanted me to see an endocrinologist because he suspected diabetes. I went to see the endo, and, sure enough, his suspicions were confirmed. I had type 2 diabetes, and I had some serious changes to make.
2 comments - Posted May 2, 2012
April 2012
As an orthopedic surgeon, I have many patients with diabetes who tell me, "I can't have surgery because I won't heal." That is certainly not the case, however. Diabetes does affect the small blood vessels and the function of immune cells when blood sugar is high, but with proper nutrition and blood sugar management, people with diabetes are very safe to undergo knee replacements, abdominal surgery, and many elective procedures.
1 comment - Posted Apr 28, 2012
The US Food and Drug Administration has okayed US sales of Bayer HealthCare's CONTOUR® Next EZ blood glucose monitoring system. The new BGM, currently available in other countries as the CONTOUR XT, will be available in the US market this summer.
1 comment - Posted Apr 25, 2012
As we approach the summer season, our thoughts turn to barbecues, picnics, amusement parks, and road trips to the beach. It is a season of fun, but it can be hard for people with diabetes to enjoy the festivities and still maintain healthy eating habits.
1 comment - Posted Apr 23, 2012
Research has shown that a few people with Type 1 diabetes are at an increased risk for having traffic accidents due to low blood sugars.
Possibly, we can help the diabetes community.
Researchers at the University of Virginia are conducting a study evaluating internet tools designed to:
• • Anonymously assess risk for ALL drivers with Type 1 diabetes of being in an accident and
• • Potentially help reduce the chance of high-risk drivers being in a future collision.
1 comment - Posted Apr 21, 2012
Some people are perfectly happy divulging their three-month blood sugar average, known as an A1C, but I'd rather walk barefoot across hot coals than share my A1C number. It's funny, because I'm actually kind of proud of it these days. It's by no means perfect and could definitely stand to be lower, but I've come a long way. There was a time in my life when my diabetes was out of control and my A1C results were shameful. I felt so embarrassed and disappointed in myself, and the worst part was, I felt hopeless. Thankfully, I have maintained a substantial A1C drop for years now.
12 comments - Posted Apr 14, 2012
The challenges of pregnancy are daunting on their own, but when you're diabetic, they can seem insurmountable. That's one of the reasons Cheryl Alkon wrote a book on the subject. Having type 1 diabetes herself, Alkon knew firsthand the challenges of controlling her disease during pregnancy, and of raising the kids who followed.
3 comments - Posted Apr 13, 2012
North Carolina-born chef Sam Talbot first came to national attention when he placed third in the Season 2 run of Bravo's Top Chef TV competition. Sam, who has type 1 diabetes and wears an insulin pump, held the executive chef position at several New York City restaurants, including Black Duck, Williamsburgh Cafe, and Punch, before opening his current restaurant, the acclaimed Surf Lodge, in Montauk on Long Island.
0 comments - Posted Apr 11, 2012
An examination of several studies that included a total of 350,000 people has linked high consumption of white rice with an increase in type 2 diabetes. A comparison of the studies that were conducted in China and Japan, where white rice is a staple, indicated that people there were 55 percent more likely to develop the disease than Asian people who ate the least rice.
2 comments - Posted Apr 9, 2012
March 2012
After my recent heart attack, it got harder to keep my diabetes under control. No matter how hard I try, I'm always struggling with my sugar levels these days. Checking them at every meal and at bedtime is a job, but it keeps me healthy and alive. So many people I know have died from diabetes, in part because they failed to do the daily maintenance that came with controlling their condition.
When I was told that I have coronary artery disease, I was baffled. After all, I am only 36, and CAD is a condition of the elderly, or so I thought. The heart specialist, however, let me know that anyone may be susceptible to the condition. Coronary artery disease is caused by a buildup of plaque in the arteries of the heart. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels increase the risk of heart attack because the sugar in the blood damages blood vessels throughout the body, including the heart.
2 comments - Posted Mar 23, 2012
Sometimes I feel like an idiot. It usually happens when I read a blog by one of my favorite "D" parents telling about how their children are handling life with type 1 diabetes. These brave kids put up with the same things that adults with diabetes do, and some are literally too young to even understand what's going on. Reading about these little warriors makes me regret even more the fact that I wallowed in self pity all afternoon just because my blood sugar didn't cooperate flawlessly during my daily walk.
2 comments - Posted Mar 6, 2012
February 2012
A team of neurologists has issued a new set of recommendations for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy, including drugs and other treatments that have been found to be the most effective therapies for the condition.
13 comments - Posted Feb 25, 2012
A survey of type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany indicates that more than one in every five have arrived late at work or not shown up at all because of a hypoglycemic episode the night before.
18 comments - Posted Feb 21, 2012
Up to seven years before she becomes pregnant, a woman's risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy can be identified based on routinely assessed measures of blood sugar and body weight, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the online issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
2 comments - Posted Feb 19, 2012
My best friend from high school, Katherine, married a wonderful man who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes a little over two years ago. John Schaaf, now 60, lives with Katherine in Berkeley, Calif., and works for Chevron Corporation in nearby Richmond.
4 comments - Posted Feb 13, 2012
Cinnamon, chromium, and alpha-lipoic acid are dietary supplements that have been studied for diabetes management, but are not commonly found in daily multivitamins. Chromium* and cinnamon have the least supportive evidence of efficacy, while some studies have found alpha-lipoic acid to be promising, at least subjectively, in reducing the discomforts of peripheral neuropathy.
1 comment - Posted Feb 12, 2012
January 2012
CHICAGO, IL -- January 24, 2012 -- The news of celebrity chef Paula Deen having diabetes has triggered a national conversation about how diet affects people with diabetes or those who are at risk of getting it.
0 comments - Posted Jan 25, 2012
I wake in the morning with the taste of sour milk on my tongue. I'm sweating, extremely weak and disoriented. My muscles ache at the thought of moving. I have a sick feeling in my stomach, and it's threatening to come up my throat. I'm not sure what day it is. Nausea hits in a wave, sending chills down my spine.
28 comments - Posted Jan 17, 2012
Minneapolis-based Medtronic, Inc., has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has given it the go-ahead to market its mySentry monitor, which allows caregivers to check the blood sugar of a diabetic person sleeping in another room. The bedside monitor, which costs around $3,000, works in tandem with Medtronic's MiniMed Paradigm® REAL-Time RevelTM System, a combined insulin pump/continuous glucose monitor unit.
3 comments - Posted Jan 9, 2012
December 2011
Diagnosed with diabetes at age 15, Brandy Barnes went on to a successful career as a pharmaceuticals salesperson, but she deeply missed having other diabetic women in her life to whom she could relate. Finally, after a difficult pregnancy, long thought, and prayer, she founded DiabetesSisters (www.diabetes.sisters.org), a North Carolina-based nonprofit organization that provides education and support to women of all ages with all types of diabetes. DS offers conferences, websites, blogs, and a "sister match" program, all designed to lessen feelings of isolation and deepen bonds of connection among women with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Dec 28, 2011
An article in an Indiana newspaper documents an alarming rise in diabetes among Arizona's Hispanics, especially along the US border with Mexico. The Republic, published in Columbus, Indiana, reports that 13.5 percent of residents in Arizona's Yuma County had diabetes in 2010. Almost 60 percent of the border county's nearly 200,000 residents are Hispanic.
0 comments - Posted Dec 24, 2011
Jeff O'Connell is the author of "Sugar Nation: The Hidden Truth Behind America's Deadliest Habit and the Simple Way to Beat It." I discovered his book while browsing the shelves of my local library, and I could hardly put it down. Though I have type I diabetes and O'Connell's book focuses on type 2, I found many of his thoughts applicable to my own health. His book is no doubt controversial, so I wanted to delve deeper into his daring claims and share his responses with the diabetic community. After reading my interview with Jeff, please leave a comment below to let Diabetes Health know what you think.
10 comments - Posted Dec 2, 2011
November 2011
Earl "the Pearl" Monroe was one of the greatest guards in the history of the National Basketball Association, playing from 1967 through 1980 for the Baltimore Bullets and the New York Knicks. A member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, he was enshrined in the league's Hall of Fame in 1990. The Knicks retired his jersey number, 15, in 1986.
0 comments - Posted Nov 29, 2011
It's hard being the new person at work. It's even harder when you're the new person and you have diabetes. Whenever I start a new job, thoughts race through my mind: Will I go low while I'm training? Will I have quick access to snacks? Will I be able to check my blood sugar without an audience? How about taking an insulin injection at the lunch table? It isn't easy feeling forced to expose so many personal details to people you just met.
2 comments - Posted Nov 20, 2011
Heather Shields was thrilled when she got the opportunity to dance with the famous Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. At 11 years old, she dreamed of one day becoming a professional ballerina, and this trip would bring her dream a little closer. A long way from home for this California girl, Heather traveled with her family to the "Big Apple" for the month of July. During that month she remembers dancing six to seven hours a day in the heat of the summer. She began losing weight, but shrugged it off, assuming she'd caught her mom's stomach bug.
0 comments - Posted Nov 17, 2011
Final weeks of pregnancy! The third trimester brings about many more ultrasound scans and measurements taken to judge the growth and health of your child. You'll likely be visiting your OB/GYN or maternal fetal medicine office twice per week for non-stress tests to ensure that your baby is healthy and active.
3 comments - Posted Nov 9, 2011
October 2011
The one time I needed a glucagon injection, I didn't have any. I had never been given a prescription for it, had no idea how to use it, and was absolutely clueless about what it did.
1 comment - Posted Oct 29, 2011
Wrongly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when he was 30 years old, Chris Angell spent several frustrating weeks trying to make sense of his condition and not understanding why he wasn't getting any better. His diagnosis was eventually changed to type 1 diabetes, but Chris never received the necessary education to get his blood sugars in control. "I didn't know what I was supposed to be eating or how to count carbs, and I really felt isolated," he says.
1 comment - Posted Oct 25, 2011
Technology now under development would allow people with diabetes to monitor their blood sugar through their contact lenses. Researcher Babak Parviz of the University of Washington in Seattle invented the lenses, which monitor the amount of glucose in tear fluid. That fluid tracks blood glucose levels closely, and Parviz hopes to have the lenses communicate wirelessly with some sort of auxiliary meter.
0 comments - Posted Oct 23, 2011
The answer to the looming threat of obesity and cardiovascular disease could be as simple as putting one foot in front of the other. Indeed, according to a new campaign from managed-care giant Kaiser Permanente, walking has benefits in the short and long term.
0 comments - Posted Oct 7, 2011
September 2011
Being a rookie driver on the fast-paced IndyCar racing circuit is pressure enough for any 26-year-old. But for Charlie Kimball, one of four wheel men on businessman Chip Ganassi's IndyCar race team, there's the added need to manage type 1 diabetes while roaring around the track at speeds that often exceed 200 miles per hour.
0 comments - Posted Sep 25, 2011
It's that time of year again: flu season. I never thought much about getting a flu shot until fourteen years ago, when I ended up in the emergency room with the flu and a staggering blood sugar of over 800 mg/dL. I had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes a few years before and had never discussed a sick day plan with my doctor. But during this experience, I discovered that diabetes and the flu get along about as well as a house cat and a junkyard dog.
5 comments - Posted Sep 22, 2011
It may sound silly to say this, especially in this era of computing and high technology, but in our house, one of the most important tools in managing diabetes is a notebook, an ink pen, and three brightly colored magic markers. Of course, I'm talking about the logbook. That's not to say we don't also rely on complicated software to help track our daughter's blood sugars. But when it comes to understanding and using the data to our advantage, there is some truth to the age old belief in hands-on training.
1 comment - Posted Sep 16, 2011
When you live with diabetes, there's a lot to do. Checking blood sugars. Counting carbs. Exercising. Not to mention all those fun-filled doctors' appointments. So the last time your physician or diabetes educator suggested ketone testing, it's completely understandable that your head was nodding but your mind was thinking "No way, Jack." But before abandoning the idea completely, there are a few things you should know.
5 comments - Posted Sep 8, 2011
An estimated 34 million Americans will be on the road during Labor Day weekend, many of them with type 2 diabetes. Road travel can interfere with blood sugar management and lead to low blood sugar, which can cause serious complications, such as loss of consciousness, if not treated quickly.
1 comment - Posted Sep 6, 2011
Carbohydrates can increase blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, as well as contribute to weight gain. A recent study shows that eating two ounces of raw, dry, or roasted nuts daily as a replacement for two ounces of other carbohydrates may control blood sugar levels and cholesterol in type 2 diabetes without packing on the pounds.
0 comments - Posted Sep 5, 2011
When diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, I was eighteen years old, scared, and confused. Although bone thin, I was older than the usual juvenile diabetic, so the doctor didn't know if I had type 1 or type 2 diabetes. At first, the doctor gave me pills to lower my blood sugar. I avoided carbohydrates and threw myself into exercise, then watched helplessly as the numbers on my blood sugar meter continued to rise.
10 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2011
August 2011
Utah-based Essential Preparedness Products (EPP) offers an emergency storage case for people with diabetes, called Diabetic med-EcaseTM. The yellow cases, made of high-impact material, are waterproof, airtight, and can float. Buyers of the $69.99 product receive foam inserts for both type 1 and type 2 needs and can outfit the case accordingly.
5 comments - Posted Aug 30, 2011
Carbohydrates have become the ugly stepsister in the family photo album of healthy eating. Standing in the grocery aisle, consumers study ingredients and food labels, counting and analyzing the carb content of their foods. In the last decade, the popularity of low carb diets rose to dramatic heights as Americans gravitated toward the South Beach, Atkins, and Zone diets. Fruits were forsaken for plates piled high with steak and eggs.
7 comments - Posted Aug 25, 2011
Walking down the aisle of our church, I held onto my Dad's arm and tried to breathe deeply, but the flutters in my stomach and beads of sweat sliding down the back of my legs made me wonder if my blood sugar was dropping. When I reached the front of the church, I took my future husband's hands and saw that he was shaking too. I breathed a sigh of relief and realized it was just nerves.
1 comment - Posted Aug 23, 2011
I recently finished reading Amy Stockwell Mercer's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes. In Chapter 1, the author discusses a topic that I find critical to the well-being of people with diabetes: Developing a personal diabetes philosophy.
3 comments - Posted Aug 22, 2011
For people with type 1 diabetes, having the "bad" variety of the disease comes with some issues. You're constantly managing your blood sugars, warding off complications, and explaining your situation to others. But how about some good news for a change? Researchers now say that people with type 1 live nearly as long as people without diabetes!
14 comments - Posted Aug 21, 2011
Scientific studies -- and our own common sense -- tell us that staying motivated and engaged helps control our diabetes. We know what we should resist temptation at the dinner table, monitor our blood sugars avidly, and get regular check-ups. But knowing all of these things, and knowing that self-motivation is the way to achieve them, isn't quite enough.
1 comment - Posted Aug 19, 2011
A Boston-based study has found that vitamin D supplements can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes by improving their beta cell functioning.
2 comments - Posted Aug 3, 2011
July 2011
How many times has this happened to you? You're driving somewhere and something feels off. You suspect that your blood sugar level may be dropping, but you plow ahead. Now, imagine your car sounding the alarm: "Attention: This is your car speaking. Your blood sugar is low. Pull over and eat a snack."
3 comments - Posted Jul 30, 2011
I am excited to have this opportunity to write a diabetes-focused blog for Diabetes Health about living and thriving with type 1 diabetes. First of all, I am extremely passionate about racing road and mountain bicycles, running 5K runs and sprint triathlons, and doing other activities that I find to compete in for Team Type 1. But before I start blogging, I would like to tell a little about myself.
3 comments - Posted Jul 26, 2011
Anne Findlay has been racing road bikes for three years and just joined Team Type 1 this year. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1988, at age 14. For more information about Anne and Team Type 1, go to www.teamtype1.org.
1 comment - Posted Jul 25, 2011
With severe weather predicted for Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Meredith Cummings thought carefully about where to park her car-eyeing the large trees in her historic neighborhood-when she arrived home on the afternoon of April 27. As she walked to her door, she reassured herself: Those trees had been there for more than 100 years. What were the odds of them coming down today?
0 comments - Posted Jul 22, 2011
A recent article in the New York Times says that such old prescription diabetes drugs as metformin and generics such as glimepiride are often as effective as or even more effective than newer, more expensive drugs.
9 comments - Posted Jul 20, 2011
Erin lay on a bed in the emergency room, finally serious about getting help. Her second episode of diabetic ketoacidosis in a single year had sent her to the hospital shaking and vomiting. For the past seven years, she had been driven by one desire: to lose forty pounds. She refused to give herself her full dose of insulin, fearing weight gain. She hadn't seen her endocrinologist or checked her blood sugar for a year or two.
5 comments - Posted Jul 18, 2011
Nobody thought for even a second that Crystal Bowersox's second-place finish on "American Idol 2010" meant that the 26-year-old was headed back to her native Elliston, Ohio, to resume a quiet life.
1 comment - Posted Jul 14, 2011
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on June 25, 2009. At the time, I was a few weeks shy of my nineteenth birthday and had just finished my first year of college at the State University of New York at New Paltz.
6 comments - Posted Jul 12, 2011
Victoza, a drug aimed at type 2 diabetes, may turn out to be a boon for type 1 diabetes patients as well. A small clinical study shows that patients with well-controlled type 1 who took Victoza daily for just one week experienced a 15 percent drop in their blood sugar levels. Patients who took the drug over a full 24-week test period needed less and less insulin, decreasing their average mealtime dose by seven units and their all-day insulin requirement by eight.
2 comments - Posted Jul 11, 2011
As I write this, my nineteen-year-old son is in the intensive care unit because of a heroin addiction. He is trying to stop, and the withdrawal is wreaking havoc. His body is bruised and battered beyond belief.
15 comments - Posted Jul 10, 2011
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in upstate New York is working on a new approach to blood sugar monitoring that could open the door to an artificial pancreas. The plan is to develop an automated monitoring system so sophisticated that it can take into account the often great differences in blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity among people with type 1 diabetes.
4 comments - Posted Jul 9, 2011
Recently, we published an article by Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE, titled "From Old Dogmas to New Realities. "In the article, Hope voiced the opinion that a low carb diet is not the only dietary option for people with diabetes, and that, in fact, such thinking is an "old dogma." In response, we received a number of strongly worded comments advocating the low carb diet as the only way to go.
48 comments - Posted Jul 6, 2011
If you have diabetes, you're more likely to be depressed than people without the disease.
5 comments - Posted Jul 5, 2011
"Good news," my diabetes nurse educator says to me. "Your new insurance covers continuous glucose monitoring supplies!" I give her a half-smile as my brain screams at me, "CGM? Really? Something else to deal with on top of this damn disease, an insulin pump, exercise, and nutrition?" But I comply, and a CGM is added to the rest of my paraphernalia.
26 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2011
June 2011
One of the classic effects of cannabis on people is raging hunger-the "marijuana munchies." The drug has been used to good effect on people with diseases that diminish appetite, helping them to regain a healthy interest in food. So it is a bit ironic that British drug maker GW Pharmaceuticals has created a cross-bred cannabis plant whose appetite-suppressing qualities could be used to treat type 2 diabetes.
2 comments - Posted Jun 30, 2011
With Father's Day just around the corner, I thought it would be nice to stop for a moment and reflect on what dads do for us, especially dads who have diabetic children. The pressure and emotional aspects of diabetes can be overwhelming, not to mention the stress it can put on a family. For every needle prick, shot, and counted carb my father (and mother) helped me with, I want to say thanks.
21 comments - Posted Jun 19, 2011
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said that starting on November 18, 2011, it will restrict retail pharmacy sales of three diabetes drugs manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline: the stand-alone Avandia (rosiglitazone) and the combination drugs Avandamet (rosiglitazone and metformin) and Avandaryl (rosiglitazone and glimepiride).
0 comments - Posted Jun 11, 2011
Amylin Pharmaceuticals has announced that it will collaborate with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to test a combination of Symlin and insulin in injectible form as a type 1 therapy.
0 comments - Posted Jun 3, 2011
May 2011
Meet the latest superfood: maple syrup. Wait a minute...maple syrup? The super-sugary stuff poured on pancakes and waffles and used to glaze hams? That maple syrup?
9 comments - Posted May 24, 2011
You're heard the doctors. You've read the articles. You know all about tight control.
25 comments - Posted May 20, 2011
Dr. Jonathan Beach is a 35-year-old emergency medicine physician who has had type 1 diabetes for 31 years. He owns and operates Urgicare, a wellness center that includes The Northeast Center for Diabetes Care and Education in Plattsburgh, New York, an isolated rural community that has few other resources for diabetes. This is his story of his life with diabetes and his professional experience with the insulin pump.
5 comments - Posted May 12, 2011
Recently, we published an article about the implantable pump "A Miracle Technology for Type 1s: Can It Be Saved?" Following the appearance of this article on the Diabetes Health website, over 100 readers commented, most of them expressing a heartfelt desire for access to this technology in the U.S.A. To read the original article click on link below:
A Miracle Technology for Type 1s: Can It Be Saved?
34 comments - Posted May 5, 2011
Molly Martin is a vibrant and energetic 18-year-old from Texas who's had type 1 diabetes since the age of two. Five years ago, Molly took up motocross racing. She says, "I love riding motocross---it's just you and the bike. I feel free when I ride, like I don't have to think about diabetes. I do have to make sure that I test before I get on and during breaks, to make sure my sugar is doing what it's supposed to be doing. But when I get out there, it's just me and the bike, going."
1 comment - Posted May 5, 2011
Ryan Shafer is a 44-year-old professional bowler from Elmira, New York, who was 19 when he developed type 1 diabetes. For a couple of weeks, he experienced the usual symptoms of weight loss, lethargy, extreme thirst, and frequent urination, as well as vision problems. "Being that age," he says, "I was afraid to go to the doctor. I thought it would just go away." When he finally saw his family physician and was diagnosed, he says, "I was actually relieved--not that I thought diabetes was a piece of cake, but I was glad to know what was wrong with me."
3 comments - Posted May 1, 2011
April 2011
Kent David is a 47-year-old licensed civil engineer who has had type 1 diabetes since 1981. This is Kent's diabetes story in his own words.
5 comments - Posted Apr 29, 2011
Chase Pelletier is an up-and-coming kart racer from Canada who is 14 years old. When he got type 1 diabetes just before his eleventh birthday, he recalls, "It was pretty overwhelming at first. But me and my family decided early on that we're not going to get down on diabetes in general, and we're going to try to think of positive ways to deal with it."
0 comments - Posted Apr 28, 2011
Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Barbara Davis Center's "Management of Diabetes in Youth" conference, held every other year in beautiful Keystone, Colorado. The focus is on all of the latest and greatest in type 1, and it's a real treat to have so many of the best names in this field gathered in one place. The Barbara Davis Center (BDC) is one of the premier programs in the world focusing on type I diabetes management, and the one (Dr. Peter Chase, to be precise) who brought us the famed" Pink Panther" book, Understanding Diabetes - the reliable handbook of type 1 diabetes that many parents of newly diagnosed kids rely on.
3 comments - Posted Apr 25, 2011
Phil Southerland's autobiography is an inspirational coming-of-age memoir about a type 1 baby who wasn't supposed to live. But his doctor's dismal prediction didn't take into consideration his mother's indefatigable determination that her baby would thrive no matter what, and Phil's own fierce drive to conquer every single challenge he encountered, including his diabetes. It's an engrossing book, a sports adventure story with a medical subplot and a roster of dynamic characters, the most dynamic of whom is Phil himself. If we could harness his energy, our dependence on foreign oil would be a thing of the past.
2 comments - Posted Apr 20, 2011
Mike Fisher is a 23-year-old from Ontario, Canada, who's been snowboarding since he was 13 years old. At the age of 18, he was involved in a motorcycle crash that necessitated the amputation of one leg below the knee. He says, "At first, I felt that my life was coming to a crashing halt. But I just pushed myself to recover as fast as possible and get my life back on track, go to school, get back into snowboarding and motorcycles-just anything so that my life wasn't affected at all. I had a lot of support, and I would say that I was pretty optimistic about it and took it almost as a challenge. By the time that I was 19, I was happy. I was walking again, I was back in college in London, Ontario, and everything was good. The accident was a minor setback to me, and I rose above it. I was just continuing with my life."
12 comments - Posted Apr 19, 2011
A new study has proven that use of a blood glucose meter with advanced features, when paired with diabetes education, more effectively manages blood glucose than using a basic feature meter. This information was presented at the recent 46th European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden.
4 comments - Posted Apr 18, 2011
What if there were a technology that could make people with type 1 diabetes feel absolutely wonderful, completely healthy, better than they ever realized was possible? And what if it were about to disappear? Well, there is such a technology, and it is in serious jeopardy. It's called the implantable insulin pump, currently made by Medtronic. This is the story of four people who have been using this device for 20 years, and their desperate crusade to keep it from disappearing forever.
117 comments - Posted Apr 17, 2011
Three weeks out of every month, my diabetes is well controlled. But the fourth week, the one before my period, is a nightmare. My sugars are astronomically high--I can't even look at a carbohydrate without my sugar spiking. I'm exhausted and cranky, and I can't get comfortable.
8 comments - Posted Apr 15, 2011
Greetings from Philadelphia International Airport! Airports are fascinating places...great for seeing what people look like and how they act under unusual circumstances. At this moment, I see a lot of truly overweight people. Most folks are treating the moving walkway like a ride at Disney World–just standing there, inching slowly along and staring blankly at the passing drywall. I don’t know…maybe the two sights are related. Have we really become this lazy? Have we “convenienced” our way out of being in shape? Have electronic toilet flushers, soap dispensers, and water faucets taken away our last opportunity to burn any calories at all?
0 comments - Posted Apr 14, 2011
Italian and Greek researchers conducting a meta-analysis* of the diets of more than 500,000 people have concluded that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors that are common precursors to type 2 diabetes. Those factors include overweight or obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, high blood sugar, high triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, and high "bad" cholesterol.
The Mediterranean diet is high in fruit, vegetables, whole grain foods, and low-fat dairy products. Proteins include fish, legumes, poultry, tree nuts, and mono-unsaturated fatty acids from olive oil. Alcohol intake is moderate and almost always in conjunction with meals. Red meat is only an occasional menu item.
The scientists looked at 50 studies that involved more than 500,000 people, then extrapolated the effects of a Mediterranean diet from them. Although the meta-analysis pointed to the usefulness of the Mediterranean diet in fending off metabolic syndrome, its authors said that their conclusion is tentative, given the need for more research on the topic.
The study was published in the March 15 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
* A meta-analysis looks at a number of similar studies and tries to derive new and useful results from them by detecting common patterns among them.
0 comments - Posted Apr 12, 2011
After comparing results from 24 studies, researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong found little evidence that increasing soy intake improves people's blood sugar levels.
0 comments - Posted Apr 11, 2011
Jeff and Natalie Kolok live in northwestern Vermont with their three children: Naomi, 16, and Johanna and Nicholas, each ten years old. Both Johanna and Nicholas have type 1 diabetes, Johanna since age four and Nick since age six.
1 comment - Posted Apr 7, 2011
Prodigy Diabetes Care is an aptly named company, a very young enterprise with the talents of a much older organization and a future that promises prodigious rewards. It was founded in 2006 by Ramzi Abulhaj and Rick Admani, two brothers from Palestine who are its sole owners. In the five years since then, they have built a company that is successfully competing against the diabetes old guard by focusing on engineering and a unique marketing strategy.
8 comments - Posted Apr 2, 2011
March 2011
Francisco Zepeda is a 54-year-old native of El Salvador who owns an insurance agency in San Francisco. Type 2 diabetes runs in his family. He says, "My grandmother lived with diabetes for about 30 years, and my father has it as well. I heard about diabetes all that time, but I never thought that it was going to happen to me. And I still hope that I'm not really diabetic. They say that once your blood sugar goes up, then you are diabetic, but I don't want to believe that I'm diabetic, you know what I mean?"
0 comments - Posted Mar 31, 2011
The recently launched U.S. Diabetes Index (USDI) has revealed that 80 percent of all diabetes cases are located in just 20 percent of zip codes. Dr. Gary Puckrein, USDI developer and CEO of the National Minority Quality Forum, hopes that the USDI will help the United States direct its resources to the most affected areas.
7 comments - Posted Mar 30, 2011
This List defines terms that people with prediabetes commonly encounter as they learn more about the condition.
1 comment - Posted Mar 29, 2011
Michael Hamman is a 63-year-old contractor. He recalls, "I first was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes five or six years ago. I probably had elevated blood sugar well in advance of that, but I was unaware of it. I don't remember how high my blood sugar was at the time, but I think my A1C was 7.5%. My blood sugar's never really been awful. Since I started monitoring myself, my sugar readings are normally between 150 and 165. I think it was pushing 200 before I was medicated, but the medications brought it down. They started me on glyburide and I took that for a long time, and then the A1C was moving up again, so they added the metformin. The A1C now is down in the mid-sixes. They consider it controlled, not well controlled or as good as it could be, but certainly for someone my size, it's probably as good as you can get."
1 comment - Posted Mar 25, 2011
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted an application to review dapagliflozin, a drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes that is being developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca.
0 comments - Posted Mar 22, 2011
Tony Flores is a 50-year-old native of El Salvador who works as a construction foreman. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 12 years ago, after an eye doctor told him it would be a good idea to get his blood sugar checked. He recalls, "I did the test, and they got all freaked out and told me, ‘Oh my god, your A1C is at 12%. You have diabetes type 2. You've got to cut the sugar, you've got to stop drinking orange juice and soda."
1 comment - Posted Mar 15, 2011
Weight loss can help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar and avoid potential health risks associated with the disease. Did you know that losing even seven percent of your body weight can lower blood sugar, reduce blood pressure, and improve cholesterol levels1?
"Consider diabetes as a disease that has different phases--with the central feature a disorder of insulin production and insulin use," said Roberta Anding, MS, RD/LD,CSSD,CDE. Anding is a clinical dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Baylor College of Medicine, as well as a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "To better control and lose weight safely with type 2 diabetes, it is important to consider the type and amount of food on your plate."
4 comments - Posted Mar 12, 2011
Edward Danielson developed type 1 diabetes 79 years ago, in 1931, only a decade after the discovery of insulin. Edward's wife of 67 years, Dorothy, recalls, "In the spring of 1930, when Edward was ten, his teacher told his mother that he ought to be checked by a doctor because something seemed to be wrong. His mother got on the streetcar with Edward and they went down to see the doctor, who said, ‘There's nothing wrong with him. He's just slow.' So they went home. In the fall of the same year, his new teacher said, ‘Something's wrong with Edward--he ought to be checked out by a doctor.' So they went back, and that doctor diagnosed him with diabetes. They kept him in the hospital for a month because the doctors then didn't know that much about diabetes 1."
1 comment - Posted Mar 10, 2011
You know that awful feeling when a sugar low is coming. I break out into a cold sweat, feel panicky, get nauseated, and have trouble answering extremely simple questions like "Do you need to eat?" Well, I was feeling it again, and again, and I didn't know why. That's what I hate the most: When things go wrong, but I think I've been doing everything right.
1 comment - Posted Mar 8, 2011
A new report recently published in the American Chemical Society's bi-weekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry adds a new punch to the power of garlic in the fight against heart disease. The report concludes that garlic has "significant" potential for preventing cardiomyopathy, a form of heart disease that is a leading cause of death in people with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 5, 2011
Ten years ago, an astute physician diagnosed me with Type 2 diabetes. I exhibited none of the classic symptoms of rapid weight loss, extreme thirst, and frequent urination. I attributed fatigue to my job. For about a year before diagnosis, I experienced what I thought were yeast infections and treated them with over-the-counter medications. I later learned that this condition is a symptom of diabetes. I am non-insulin dependent.
0 comments - Posted Mar 3, 2011
Hispanics are almost twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to have type 2 diabetes, and more than a third of working adult Hispanics do not have health insurance. For this audience, Jane Delgado, PhD, has written The Buena Salud Guide to Diabetes and Your Life. Available in both Spanish and English, it's a culturally sensitive and reassuring book that dispels myths and presents detailed science while gently guiding readers toward the right path in caring for their diabetes. The tone is conversational, as Dr. Delgado speaks to her readers like a family member who knows them well and has their best interests at heart.
0 comments - Posted Mar 2, 2011
February 2011
Researchers at the Children's Hospital in Boston, led by Umut Ozcan, MD, have found a regulatory protein that lowers blood sugar when it is high due to either lack of insulin or a decreased sensitivity to insulin.
0 comments - Posted Feb 24, 2011
When a young person with type 1 diabetes leaves home for the first time, it's often a difficult adjustment for the parents as well as their child. Tyler Stevenson is 20 years old, in his second year at Florida State. This is what he told us about his life in college with diabetes.
4 comments - Posted Feb 22, 2011
Folks who need that morning cup of coffee to get going may be protecting themselves from type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. UCLA researchers wrote in the journal Diabetes last month that drinking four cups of coffee a day reduced women's chance of developing type 2 by a bit less than half. What's more, the scientists point to a specific reason why all that java has a beneficial effect: a protein known as sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Scientists have suspected for some time that SHBG was connected to diabetes development.
0 comments - Posted Feb 19, 2011
Everywhere you look, there seems to be a great tasting high carb meal, dessert, or snack staring back at you. While away at college last fall, I found a t-shirt picturing a cupcake above a skull and crossbones. For me, that image really sums up how we need to deal with being diabetic while being constantly tempted by sugary treats.
4 comments - Posted Feb 16, 2011
Can't make insulin? That might not be a problem, according to Dr. Roger Unger, the lead researcher on a mouse study out of UT Southwestern Medical Center. As Dr. Unger stated in a press release, his findings "suggest that if there is no glucagon, it doesn't matter if you don't have insulin....In adulthood, at least with respect to glucose metabolism, the role of insulin is to control glucagon. And if you don't have glucagon, then you don't need insulin...If diabetes is defined as restoration of glucose homeostasis to normal, then this treatment can perhaps be considered very close to a ‘cure.' "
1 comment - Posted Feb 16, 2011
The final patient has performed the last visit of the main study period in Diamyd Medical's European Phase III study. Treatment with the antigen based therapy Diamyd® is made to investigate whether beta cell function and thereby blood sugar control can be preserved in children and adolescents with new onset type 1 diabetes. The top line results from this study are expected to be reported as planned, in late spring 2011.
0 comments - Posted Feb 15, 2011
According to a new study published in Diabetes Care, your finger-prick blood glucose test may be "abnormally and significantly high" if you test after handling fruit without first scrubbing your hands thoroughly and vigorously.
0 comments - Posted Feb 12, 2011
It's hard enough to be pregnant, but pregnancy with diabetes is especially challenging because it's so difficult to keep blood sugar within a normal range at a time when hormones are surging. All women try their best with the tools that they have, but even so, about half of all babies born to mothers with type 1 diabetes are overweight or obese at birth because of too much sugar in their mothers' blood. Mothers with high blood glucose levels also increase their child's risk of congenital malformation, stillbirth, neonatal death, preterm delivery, and neonatal admission.
0 comments - Posted Feb 9, 2011
In a new book, "Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health," Dartmouth researchers and physicians H. Gilbert Welch, Lisa Schwartz and Steven Woloshin argue that the medical establishment's embrace of early diagnosis and treatment as the key to keeping people healthy actually does the opposite.
0 comments - Posted Feb 8, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS and NEW YORK - Eli Lilly and Company and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) today announced that they have signed an agreement to fund early-stage research that could enable patients with type 1 diabetes to regenerate insulin-producing cells destroyed by the disease.
0 comments - Posted Feb 4, 2011
January 2011
Insulin has a companion, and it's called amylin. Amylin is a small hormone that is released along with insulin by the beta cells of the pancreas in response to a meal. When people are insulin-deficient, they are amylin-deficient as well. Amylin wasn't even discovered until 1970, and it was not until the 1990s that scientists began to figure out what amylin does. But they now know that it partners with insulin to help control blood sugar levels, each in its own way:
1 comment - Posted Jan 28, 2011
It's Labor Day weekend in Pittsburgh, just outside of the Steelers' Heinz Field, and the Bret Michaels Band has come home for some hard-driving rock and roll. The 20,000 screaming fans are a generational mix, shrieking 16-year-old girls side-by-side with moms and dads who have temporarily abandoned their parental roles to dance, sing the familiar words to "Look What the Cat Dragged In," and howl into the nighttime air. On stage is Bret Michaels, the boy from Butler, Pennsylvania, a coal mining town just an hour north.
16 comments - Posted Jan 27, 2011
Your young primary care doctor may not know a lot about diabetes, according to a study led by Stephen Sisson, MD, of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. "When I graduated from residency here, I knew much more about how to ventilate a patient on a machine than how to control somebody's blood sugar, and that's a problem," said Sisson in a press release. "The average resident doesn't know what the goal for normal fasting blood sugar should be. If you don't know what it has to be, how are you going to guide your diabetes management with patients?"
2 comments - Posted Jan 26, 2011
The kuriously named Kombiglyze XR, a combination of Onglyza (saxagliptin) and the old reliable metformin, has arrived at pharmacies and is available by prescription to people with type 2 diabetes. It's similar to Janumet, an older medication that's a combination of Januvia (sitagliptin) and metformin.
0 comments - Posted Jan 25, 2011
It doesn't matter if you're a computer geek or complete technophobe: If you've ever made the effort to download your blood glucose meter, you probably don't have a clue about what to do with the data once you've gotten it. That needs to change. Those of us who live with diabetes need to become more adept at analyzing our own data, to see what's working and what isn't both for our own sake and that of our time-strapped healthcare providers. .
2 comments - Posted Jan 25, 2011
You'd think the world would be running through the streets in a movie-style panic. An epidemic of unprecedented proportions is inexorably advancing. In our lifetimes, half of us may develop a devastating disease that could cause us to go blind, lose a leg, or die far too soon. But we aren't in a panic. The authorities are talking it up, of course, but most of us aren't doing much at all to prevent type 2 diabetes. We're getting fatter by the year, and we're moving less and less. Many of us who already have type 2 diabetes are not making the changes that could keep its consequences at bay. Why not?
1 comment - Posted Jan 24, 2011
Self-management is the key to healthy living with diabetes, but there are always challenges to maintaining optimum blood glucose levels. Lagging motivation and focus can be obstacles, and adjusting diet and medications to meet changing conditions is challenging. If you have ever wished for a person to help you improve your skills, someone who could offer informed guidance between appointments with your doctor - you may have been wishing for a diabetes coach. Diabetes coaches are personal trainers for individuals with insulin-dependent diabetes. This unique branch of diabetes education delivers ongoing, one-on-one consulting from a trained certified diabetes educator.
0 comments - Posted Jan 24, 2011
Keeping the lights on all night might keep away the monsters under the bed, but it also keeps away the "hormone of darkness," melatonin, according to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Melatonin, which is secreted into the blood by the brain's pineal gland at night, is involved in the circadian rhythm. Scientists believe that disrupting circadian rhythms can contribute to metabolic disease. Specifically, melatonin receptor genes have been linked to type 2 diabetes. Melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant that may help prevent cancer.
3 comments - Posted Jan 19, 2011
On the outskirts of Quito, the capital of Ecuador, meals are likely to be based on white rice, potatoes, sugar, and white bread. Given their reliance on high carbohydrate foods that are low in essential nutrients, many of the residents are overweight and malnourished at the same time. The lack of vitamin C in their diet may contribute to metabolic syndrome, according to researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University and the Corporacion Ecuatoriana de Biotecnologia. The researchers also concluded that vitamin E may have a protective effect against metabolic syndrome.
0 comments - Posted Jan 18, 2011
Most type 2 meds work by increasing insulin production in one way or another. The extra insulin lowers blood sugar by ushering it out of your bloodstream and into your cells, where it may, unfortunately, make you fat. Wouldn't it be nice if instead, you could lower your high blood sugar by just flushing it right down the toilet?
2 comments - Posted Jan 17, 2011
The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (DRIF) announced a new, first-of-its-kind partnership aimed at helping the more than 200,000* Broward County, Florida, residents affected by diabetes. Diabetes Research Institute Live Well Broward County is a joint effort of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, Walgreens in South Florida, LifeScan and a cadre of local physicians that will help residents "Manage Well, Stay Well and Live Well" with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jan 12, 2011
The crowd in the small Boston theater laughed and clapped. The comedy show was a good one, and I was enjoying it from a cramped seat in the balcony. It was October 29, a Friday, and while it was brisk outside, winter hadn't yet clamped down.
0 comments - Posted Jan 11, 2011
A full third of adult Americans are pre-diabetic, and a third of those will develop type 2 diabetes before they're ten years older. Unfortunately, only about seven percent of them have been tested for pre-diabetes and warned of their condition; the rest are ignorant of the road they're on. By losing just 10 to 15 pounds, the whole group could cut their chances of getting type 2 by half. The problem is, how to alert them in time for them to stop their progression to type 2?
7 comments - Posted Jan 10, 2011
Introducing "Type-1 University" (T1U) - the online school for people with diabetes who use insulin, including parents and caregivers. The school can be found only in cyberspace - at www.type1university.com
2 comments - Posted Jan 7, 2011
Sitagliptin (Januvia) has long been used to reduce blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, but a new study indicates that it can do the same for those with type 1 diabetes. Sitagliptin is a DPP-4 inhibitor; that is, it inhibits, or temporarily prevents, the enzyme DPP-4 from destroying a helpful hormone called GLP-1. GLP-1, which is released by the gut when food arrives there from the stomach, lowers blood sugar by causing the release of insulin, reducing the secretion of glucagon, and slowing stomach emptying and nutrient absorption.
3 comments - Posted Jan 7, 2011
Talk about a win-win situation! It seems that many aphrodisiacs--herbs that boost sexual energy and function--can also bring down blood sugar, cholesterol, and/or blood pressure. At least four herbs have shown these double benefits in scientific studies.
1 comment - Posted Jan 6, 2011
RALEIGH, NC- DiabetesSisters is pleased to announce that registration for the 2011 Weekend for Women Conference in Raleigh, NC will open on January 1, 2011 at 8am. The Conference, a revolutionary national weekend conference designed specifically for women with diabetes, will take place April 29 - May 1, 2011 at the Marriott City Center in downtown Raleigh.
0 comments - Posted Jan 5, 2011
My trip began as I flew from Dallas to my home town of Philadelphia and then caught an early Amtrak train to New York City. Growing up in the Philadelphia area had given me an appreciation for U.S. history, but today I was going to learn something new: the history of diabetes. My daughter, Sarah, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2003, yet I didn't know much about the history of the disease. Living every day with the stress and worry that many parents have, I felt I had no time to spend learning how we got to the modern treatments we have today. I had focused only on doing my job as caregiver and supporter of my daughter. I was looking forward to learning something new.
10 comments - Posted Jan 3, 2011
December 2010
A new study finds that combining the newer diabetes drug exenatide with insulin provides better blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes than insulin alone and helps promote weight loss.
1 comment - Posted Dec 27, 2010
Abbott Diabetes Care today announced that it has initiated a recall of 359 lots (approximately 359 million strips) of Precision Xtra®, Precision Xceed Pro®, MediSense® Optium, Optium, OptiumEZ and ReliOn® Ultima Blood Glucose Test Strips in the United States and Puerto Rico.
1 comment - Posted Dec 22, 2010
Research firm Frost & Sullivan, a leading international healthcare consulting company, released a market study analyzing and estimating the demand for Pepex Biomedical Inc.'s new biosensor technology for blood glucose monitoring for diabetes sufferers worldwide. The researchers interviewed diagnosed diabetics, diabetes educators, endocrinologists, and manufacturers of biosensors, blood glucose meters, or other clinical diagnostic or patient monitoring equipment suppliers for the study. The Frost & Sullivan report concluded that the Pepex Trio technology has the "potential as a new standard for measuring blood glucose levels."
6 comments - Posted Dec 21, 2010
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates-- One in three United Arab Emirates (UAE) residents could have diabetes or prediabetes by the end of the decade, according to a new analysis from international health and well-being company UnitedHealth Group, released at the World Health Care Congress Middle East meeting in Abu Dhabi.
0 comments - Posted Dec 17, 2010
A 10-year study by Harvard University scientists found that diabetes puts people at risk for depression and that depression puts people at risk for type 2 diabetes. The two-way connection between the diseases was discovered in 55,000 nurses surveyed over the decade.
1 comment - Posted Dec 17, 2010
Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care, has partnered with Chip Ganassi Racing, LLC to create the Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing team for the 2011 IZOD IndyCar season. The team will sponsor a new entry in the series driven by American racecar driver Charlie Kimball. This partnership makes Kimball one of the first drivers from the 2010 Firestone Indy Lights series to move up the official "Road to Indy" with a full season sponsorship.
0 comments - Posted Dec 17, 2010
Women who experienced sexual or physical abuse in childhood and adolescence-whether moderate or severe-run a higher risk of type 2 diabetes than women who were not abused, according to results from a study recently reported online in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
1 comment - Posted Dec 16, 2010
If you have type 1 diabetes, you know that the process of obtaining life insurance or long-term care insurance has been a long, tough road, most often leading to the dead end of declined coverage. In fact, most insurance companies have classified anyone with type 1 as an automatic decline, without any consideration of each case individually.
7 comments - Posted Dec 14, 2010
"Don't leave home without it" has a whole new meaning this holiday season. With holiday travel up from last year and increased security- and consequent delays- at airports, it's more important than ever for those with diabetes to properly prepare for their holiday travel.
0 comments - Posted Dec 10, 2010
An estimated two million Latinos in the United States have type 2 diabetes, a full 10 percent of the Latino population. Facebook, the fourth most popular Internet site among Latinos, reaches nearly 45 percent of the Latino population that goes online. Put those two facts together, and you have the audience for a new online game, HealthSeekerTM Explorando tu Salud, Paso a Paso ("Exploring Your Health, Step by Step").
0 comments - Posted Dec 2, 2010
November 2010
The competition for a continuous glucose monitoring system that can replace the classic finger prick blood tests for diabetes is heating up. Several new products have come to the market this year that use various techniques to test blood glucose levels continuously without the need for a blood test, but several have faltered with complaints of inaccurate readings and skin irritation.
2 comments - Posted Nov 29, 2010
The economic recession has hammered people with diabetes, according to a new survey. Many say that their health has been harmed by the crisis, and more expect their health to suffer in the future. What's more, most don't expect the government's health reform bill to improve their situation.
1 comment - Posted Nov 28, 2010
Insulet Corp., the leader in tubing-free insulin pump technology with its OmniPod® Insulin Management System, recognizes the outstanding achievements of Christopher Gorham, age 12, of Waterford, Michigan for bringing home both silver and bronze medals in the Sparring and Forms competitions at the 2010 World Karate/Kickboxing Council World Championships held in Albufeira, Portugal. Chris is a 2nd degree black belt in training for a 3rd degree black belt; he has been in martial arts since he was four years old, competing all over the world.
0 comments - Posted Nov 25, 2010
A new drug for type 2 diabetes started showing up in drugstores this week, according to manufacturer Santarus. The FDA-approved drug, called Cycloset, takes an distinctive -- and not well understood -- approach to reducing blood sugar levels. The pill apparently works by increasing dopamine activity in the hypothalamus, a part of the brain. Dopamine is a brain chemical that plays a big role in people's behavior, mood, and ability to sleep. Scientists theorize that glucose intolerance and insulin resistance may in part result from abnormal activity of this chemical, and that upping dopamine activity may iron out these problems.That's the theory, at least: the drug's exact workings aren't known. But it seems to do the trick.
0 comments - Posted Nov 24, 2010
A friend of mine recently remarked that she wants her family to eat healthier, but she just doesn't know that much about nutrition. Though I can sympathize with her in some ways (nutritional education is a daunting and never-ending process), I do feel that the overall American attitude toward food is that ignorance is bliss. It reminds me of the preteen character in the movie Son-In-Law, who puts his sister's bra cups over his ears and tells his parents in a taunting voice, "I can't hear you!" Unfortunately, what you don't know CAN hurt you, and not just you, but also your family.
3 comments - Posted Nov 22, 2010
When I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 23 years ago, I remember being told that having children would be a very difficult challenge. I was seven years old at the time - still a child myself - and had no interest in becoming a mom. My own mother was very distressed at this news, but I didn't pay it any mind. I had other things to focus on: trees to climb, bikes to ride, and friends to play with.
1 comment - Posted Nov 18, 2010
Solianis Monitoring AG is developing a groundbreaking device for the diabetes community- a noninvasive continuous glucose monitoring system that delivers reliable and consistent data.
4 comments - Posted Nov 11, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 10, 2010 --- Diabetes experts at a meeting convened by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) took the next step in advancing efforts toward the development of an artificial pancreas: putting forth clinical recommendations to ensure the safe and effective testing of artificial pancreas technology in real-life situations. We are pleased at today's meeting there was a strong consensus among leading clinicians, researchers and industry leaders regarding the path toward outpatient studies for both low-glucose suspend and artificial pancreas systems.
5 comments - Posted Nov 10, 2010
Over the years, I have had many exercisers with diabetes ask me why they're gaining weight instead of losing it. There are two possible answers to that question. One answer is that muscle is heavier than fat, so if you are gaining muscle while losing fat-especially in the early stages of a new exercise program-your scale weight probably doesn't reflect your positive changes in body composition (i.e., less fat, more muscle).
2 comments - Posted Nov 10, 2010
With just a few days left to 14 November, we imagine that a lot of you are making those final touches to your World Diabetes Day celebrations or have already started your awareness activities. Here's a further look at what will be taking place around the world to mark the day:
0 comments - Posted Nov 6, 2010
October 2010
Tarra Robinson was afraid that she was going to lose her job. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 18 months old, Tarra had recently developed hypoglycemic unawareness, which affects about 17% of type 1 diabetics. Tarra was passing out at work, and once she even crashed her car when her blood sugar dropped unexpectedly. She went on a pump and tried a CGM, but nothing seemed to help. She was still having frequent, dangerous lows.
0 comments - Posted Oct 28, 2010
As flu season approaches, many people are debating whether they should get a flu shot. As everyone knows, getting the flu is not fun. In fact, it can be downright miserable. But for those with diabetes, the flu can mean more than a cough, running nose, and body aches--it could mean more severe complications, and sometimes even death.
0 comments - Posted Oct 27, 2010
An intensive lifestyle intervention program designed with weight loss in mind improves diabetes control and cardiovascular disease risk factors in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes. These are the findings of the four-year Look AHEAD study, funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) is a multi-center, randomized clinical trial evaluating the effect of reduced caloric intake and increased physical activity on the incidence of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular-related death.
0 comments - Posted Oct 25, 2010
Imagine that you're a miner. Imagine you have diabetes (that, at least, shouldn't be too hard). Now, imagine that you have to spend two months trapped underground with other miners. How would you do?
0 comments - Posted Oct 24, 2010
Patients who cannot discuss their diabetes with a doctor in their own language may have poorer health outcomes, even when interpreter services are available, according to a new study by researchers at UCSF and the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research.
0 comments - Posted Oct 23, 2010
Getting enough magnesium in your diet could help prevent type 2 diabetes. Dr. Ka He of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and colleagues have found that people who consumed the most magnesium from foods and vitamin supplements were about half as likely to develop diabetes over the next 20 years as people who took in the least magnesium.
0 comments - Posted Oct 22, 2010
Reducing the cost of low-carbohydrate foods for people with diabetes could significantly reduce medical costs associated with the disease that affects more than 23 million Americans, according to a recent study.
0 comments - Posted Oct 20, 2010
European researchers have reported that when they transplanted fecal matter from healthy thin people into obese people with pre-diabetes, the latter group's insulin sensitivity notably increased. (Insulin sensitivity is the body's ability to properly use the insulin hormone to regulate the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. Pre-diabetes exists when increasing resistance to insulin creates higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, a precondition to the onset of full-blown type 2 diabetes.)
1 comment - Posted Oct 19, 2010
Calibra Medical has announced that it received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its FinesseTM insulin patch-pen for up to three-day use with Novo Nordisk's Novolog® rapid-acting insulin. This much-anticipated step closer to market release follows the announcement in January that Calibra received FDA clearance for the device for use with Eli Lilly's Humalog® rapid-acting insulin.
1 comment - Posted Oct 18, 2010
A meta-analysis* of 87 studies involving 951,083 patients, performed by a Canadian research team, shows that the pre-diabetic condition known as metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease or stroke in patients by a factor of more than two.
0 comments - Posted Oct 17, 2010
University of Michigan scientists have identified events inside insulin-producing pancreatic cells that set the stage for a neonatal form of non-autoimmune type 1 diabetes, and may play a role in type 2 diabetes as well. The results point to a potential target for drugs to protect normally functioning proteins essential for producing insulin.
0 comments - Posted Oct 15, 2010
JACKSONVILLE, FL - October 13, 2010 - The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) today published a consensus statement for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) online, and will be published in the next issue of the association's official medical journal Endocrine Practice.
0 comments - Posted Oct 14, 2010
The day I learned that I had type 1 diabetes was no doubt one of the most heart-wrenching, confusing, and angry days of my life. But I quickly decided that I had to channel those feelings into something productive, something worthwhile. I gained confidence as a person with diabetes, and even though, yes, the shots stung, I wasn't going to flinch. Welcome to my life.
0 comments - Posted Oct 11, 2010
A Web-based tool that extracts information from the electronic medical record helps primary care physicians improve care and manage their entire panel of patients. Those are the findings of two new Kaiser Permanente studies - the first to examine the effectiveness of a population care tool in a large, diverse patient population.
0 comments - Posted Oct 9, 2010
Have you ever worried that in case of emergency, first responders will not know that you or a loved one has diabetes? Or concerned that a low blood sugar may be interpreted by law enforcement officials as intoxication--especially behind the wheel of a vehicle? What if you wear a Medical ID, but they cannot get to you right away in the case of an accident?
0 comments - Posted Oct 8, 2010
We all know of Paul and Mira Sorvino, the legendary father and daughter actors who have graced the small and big screens for decades. Paul has played such classic characters as Paulie Cicero in the film Goodfellas and Sgt. Phil Cerreta on the TV series Law & Order and is a well-known chef and singer, while Mira has starred in over 30 movies and won an Academy Award in 1995 for her role as Linda Ash in Mighty Aphrodite.
0 comments - Posted Oct 5, 2010
The holidays are known as a time for family gatherings, catching up with relatives, and sometimes even the occasional family conflict. Like drama at the holiday dinner table, in many ways your health is influenced by your family-for better or for worse. This year, why not start a conversation that benefits everyone? Gather your family health history.
0 comments - Posted Oct 4, 2010
Last week, sanofi-aventis announced the upcoming launch of the blood glucose meters BGStar® and iBGStarTM (developed by sanofi and its partner AgaMatrix), which should be available in early 2011.
1 comment - Posted Oct 4, 2010
Twenty years ago, when I opened Sugar Happy Diabetes Supplies in San Francisco, people would open the front door, lean in, and ask, “I’m curious. Are there enough people with diabetes for you to stay in business?” My reply was always, “You would be surprised by how many people have diabetes.”
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2010
September 2010
Sanofi-aventis announced the upcoming launch of the blood glucose monitoring (BGM) devices BGStar® and iBGStarTM, developed by sanofi-aventis and its partner AgaMatrix. Due to their convenience, accuracy and ease-of-use, BGStar® and iBGStarTM will help the decision-making process for people with diabetes and their healthcare professionals, with the aim of improving patient self-management. iBGStarTM connects to the iPhone® or iPod touch®. This is an important step towards sanofi-aventis' vision of becoming the leader in global diabetes care by integrating innovative monitoring technology, therapeutic innovations, personalized services and support solutions. BGStar® and iBGStarTM are planned to be made commercially available in the first markets in early 2011.
0 comments - Posted Sep 27, 2010
Diabetes research is on the cusp of new advances in treatment options and in understanding the underlying causes of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Among those are potential treatments using stem cells to regenerate a patient's ability to produce insulin, as well as upcoming clinical trials of a vaccine that potentially could prevent type 1 diabetes.
2 comments - Posted Sep 27, 2010
Do you ever wish you could leave your diabetes at home? Maybe you're at a holiday party, chit chatting with your buds gathered around the bar enjoying an adult beverage (or two), maybe grazing at the table of cookies, cakes and other tempting morsels. "Oh, I think I'll try one of those. Maybe one of those too. I didn't bring my diabetes with me, so I don't have to think about it tonight." Diabetes is not last year's outfit you can leave at home, or a bad relationship you can dump and move on. It is more like a tattoo. It goes everywhere with you.
0 comments - Posted Sep 24, 2010
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that it will significantly restrict the use of the diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) to patients with Type 2 diabetes who cannot control their diabetes on other medications. These new restrictions are in response to data that suggest an elevated risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, in patients treated with Avandia.
0 comments - Posted Sep 23, 2010
Children who have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes might be identified earlier by way of tell-tale genetic indicators known as biomarkers. Some of those new biomarkers might be pinpointed in research led by Nancy F. Butte and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's National Institutes of Health.
0 comments - Posted Sep 22, 2010
New research findings reveal that one of America's favorite colorful fruits, blueberries, have properties that help to improve factors related to pre-diabetes and decrease inflammation in obese men and women. Chronic low-grade inflammation related to obesity contributes to insulin resistance, a major factor in the development of type 2 diabetes. "This is an excellent example of the importance of clinical trials to building our knowledge-base in helping to improve public health," said Steven Heymsfield, PBRC Executive Director
0 comments - Posted Sep 21, 2010
The presence of amyloid protein may produce a chain reaction which destroys vital insulin-producing cells. Researchers based in Dublin, writing in the journal Nature Immunology, say future drugs could target this process. Amyloid is implicated in many other diseases - most notably Alzheimer's.
0 comments - Posted Sep 17, 2010
In late July, five teenagers and five adults hiked to the summit of Mount Shavano, one of Colorado's famed 14,000-foot peaks. For this particular group, the journey to the top of Shavano was designed to be an intensive educational experience on the topic of diabetes management. Each teenager had type 1 diabetes, and the adults were mentors dedicated to helping the teens feel more in control of the disease. The team made it to the summit by performing countless blood sugar tests, counting carbs, and experimenting with insulin pump basal rates. The outfit behind the expedition was Testing Limits, an outdoor adventure club just for people with diabetes, operated by the non-profit Insulindependence.
0 comments - Posted Sep 17, 2010
If you are meeting a friend for a drink after work or attending a holiday party where alcohol is being offered, is it a health risk or a benefit? The medical and nutrition literature reports that moderate consumption of alcohol can offer some health benefits, particularly for your heart. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 defines drinking in moderation as no more than one drink per day for women or two drinks per day for men. One drink, by definition, is a 12-ounce beer, eight-ounce glass of malt liquor, five ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor. Moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke, lower the risk of developing gallstones, and prevent the development of type 2 diabetes in people with pre-diabetes. Studies show that those benefiting from moderate consumption are middle-aged and older adults. It is not recommended, however, that anyone begin drinking or drink more frequently on the basis of health considerations.
0 comments - Posted Sep 15, 2010
On July 2, 2010, when Lt. Jose Lopez took the podium at the recent Children With Diabetes Friends for Life Annual International Conference in Orlando to speak to the parents of children with diabetes, his goal was to use his own story to reassure them about their children's future. "What I most wanted to convey to them was that people with diabetes, especially children, can do normal stuff and live their dreams. I am not a super hero - and I did it."
0 comments - Posted Sep 14, 2010
The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is still unknown, but international researchers have found a link between the blood sugar disorder and a network of immune system genes.
0 comments - Posted Sep 13, 2010
Going back to school can be a little scary for someone with diabetes. There are a lot of things to think about when it comes to making it through the school day without having problems with your blood sugar levels. In school, we strive for that all important "A" on a test; to score 100. The same is true about blood sugar/glucose levels; the closer I come to keeping my blood sugar level at "100," the better for my health and the better for my grades; high and low blood sugars aren't helpful in keeping a clear, quick-thinking mind.
0 comments - Posted Sep 10, 2010
In my office, there is a box. Nothing fancy, just a plain brown box filled with a collection of "old school" diabetes stuff: "boil and re-use" syringes, urine test tape, screw-driven insulin pumps, medieval injection aids and lancing devices, and so on. Of course, no such collection would be complete without an array of classic blood glucose meters. The oldest one I have is a plug-in-the-wall model called a "Dextrometer" that featured test strip rinsing solution and a red LED display that could burn the retina of anyone within six feet.
0 comments - Posted Sep 9, 2010
Dear Diabetes Health, I am 62 years old. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1997, and I am doing OK on metformin. My last A1c was 7.2 %. About a year ago, they put me on medicine for my blood pressure (which was 142/90) and for cholesterol. I started having less interest in sex, which I had really liked before.
0 comments - Posted Sep 7, 2010
Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease are two distressing, but increasingly common, diseases seen in our aging population. At some point in the future, they may well overwhelm the healthcare system.
0 comments - Posted Sep 5, 2010
The routine breakdown of old bone during skeletal growth has an important role to play in regulating blood sugar, according to Columbia University Medical Center researchers. The process, known as resorption, goes on throughout life. It stimulates insulin release and sugar absorption, helping healthy people maintain normal blood glucose levels. The new study, published in Cell, suggests that skeletal changes could causes diabetes for some and that possible treatments for type 2 diabetes could come from the bone-insulin connection.
0 comments - Posted Sep 4, 2010
The Holy Grail pursued by all diabetes researchers is a complete cure for both the type 1 and type 2 forms of the disease. But until then, the "artificial pancreas," a combination of glucose monitoring and insulin dosing technology, may be as close as they get to a final breakthrough in treating diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Sep 3, 2010
Results of brain surgery on a small group of type 2 diabetes patients point the way to a possible new approach for treating the disease.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2010
August 2010
The Flamingo Flock diabetes awareness campaign is the brainchild of 9-year-old Noah Brokmeier, "The Diabetes Dude." Noah's blue flamingos are landing on lawns nationwide and appearing at big events like the Boston Marathon. Wherever they go, the birds pose for pictures, which are then posted on Noah's website, www.thediabetesdude.com. The location of the birds is also flagged on his "official flamingo tracking map," to show the progress and growth of the campaign.
0 comments - Posted Aug 30, 2010
MannKind Corporation announced that the company will supply its novel, ultra rapid acting insulin AFREZZATM (insulin human [rDNA origin]) for use in a study being conducted by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) as part of its Artificial Pancreas Project. The planned two-year study in patients with type 1 diabetes will leverage the unique rapid action of AFREZZA for use in a closed-loop blood sugar monitoring and insulin delivery system, termed the "artificial pancreas" by the JDRF. The study will be managed in conjunction with the Sansum Diabetes Research Institute and the University of California, Santa Barbara.
0 comments - Posted Aug 29, 2010
NaturEra, (http://www.NaturEra.com) a dietary supplements emerging leader, this month announced the launch of its new Sugar Crush dietary supplements would take place at the American Association of Diabetes Educators meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Sugar Crush research has been accepted for Poster presentation at the AADE meeting. The full clinical research study (http://www.naturera.com/Manuscript.pdf) shows that NaturEra's 'Sugar Crush' and 'Sugar Crush Daily' dietary supplement formulas used in combination lower and maintain healthy blood sugar levels for people with diabetes.
1 comment - Posted Aug 26, 2010
In the early days after my type 1 diabetes diagnosis, I sentenced a lot of foods to what I came to think of as my personal DO-NOT-EAT list, often with only slight provocation.
1 comment - Posted Aug 25, 2010
PPARy is a protein that regulates the body's production of fat cells. However, obesity can modify how PPARy works, leading to decreased insulin sensitivity and the development of metabolic syndrome. (Metabolic syndrome is the cluster of factors, including insulin resistance, overweight, high blood pressure, and abnormal blood sugar levels, that is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.)
0 comments - Posted Aug 22, 2010
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared Baltimore-based health software company WellDoc to begin marketing the DiabetesManager® System, a mobile phone application designed for patients and healthcare providers who are dealing with type 2 diabetes. The company, founded in 2005, plans to start selling the product early next year.
0 comments - Posted Aug 19, 2010
(Reuters) - Genetic testing might have helped identify people who would become depressed or suicidal while taking Sanofi-Aventis' weight loss drug Acomplia, which might have helped keep the drug on the market, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.
0 comments - Posted Aug 19, 2010
"Absolutely not. I'm not going to mess with that."
0 comments - Posted Aug 18, 2010
Laser eye surgery is becoming increasingly popular as more and more people look to free themselves from their glasses or contact lenses. There are two main types of laser eye surgery, Lasik and Lasek. The vast majority of people choose to have Lasik because it has a far quicker and more comfortable recovery period. Most people can return to work and normal activities within 48 hours of having Lasik, whereas it can take up to a week to recover from Lasek surgery. In some instances your surgeon may insist that you have Lasik--if, for example, you are involved in contact sports.
1 comment - Posted Aug 16, 2010
Women who deal with gestational diabetes in their first or second pregnancy are far more likely to develop the condition again in their third pregnancy, according to a new study from Kaiser Permanente that examined the electronic medical records of 65,132 women. The study was published online in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology last month.
0 comments - Posted Aug 11, 2010
Insulin-resistant obese women lost more weight after 12 weeks on a low-carbohydrate diet than they did on a low-fat diet, according to a study conducted by the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Reno. (The study was funded by Jenny Craig, a company that sells diet foods.)
0 comments - Posted Aug 7, 2010
Novo Nordisk presented results demonstrating that once-daily Victoza® (liraglutide [rDNA] injection) achieved significantly greater improvements in blood sugar control compared to placebo among African-American patients with type 2 diabetes. The meta-analysis of phase 3 data from the Liraglutide Effect and Action in Diabetes (LEAD) trials were presented at the 2010 National Medical Association Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly.
0 comments - Posted Aug 5, 2010
We can all come up with plenty of excuses not to test our blood sugar. For one, yeah, it stings a little (No pain, no gain, the angel on my shoulder whispers in my ear). For another, testing isn't convenient, no matter how quickly the meter works or how small it is. While seemingly everyone else is carelessly enjoying a meal or leaping into the swimming pool, you are on the sidelines trying to ignore your diabetes. And of course, sometimes, we just do not want to know what the number will be. It's easier to ignore the ugly truth than face it.
0 comments - Posted Aug 3, 2010
July 2010
Now that it's summer, I'm enjoying a typical teacher's vacation: summer break. I have three months of freedom, which for many is a dream come true. However, I live in the sweltering Midwest, where it's typical to see mid-summer temperatures of one hundred degrees or more, with an even higher heat index. These oppressive temperatures can continue into late October.
0 comments - Posted Jul 31, 2010
Bioengineers at the University of California, San Diego and GlySens Incorporated have developed an implantable glucose sensor and wireless telemetry system that continuously monitors tissue glucose and transmits the information to an external receiver. The paper, published in the July 28, 2010 issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine, describes the use of this glucose-sensing device as an implant in animals for over one year. After human clinical trials and FDA approval, the device may be useful to people with diabetes as an alternative to finger sticking, and to short-term needle-like glucose sensors that have to be replaced every three to seven days.
0 comments - Posted Jul 31, 2010
Unfortunately, dental treatment and vision care are rarely included in basic health insurance plans. I don't know how insurance companies concluded that the eyes and the teeth are not parts of the body, but they managed it somehow. If you have diabetes, however, it's especially important to realize that contrary to the rationalizations of insurance executives, both your eyes and your teeth require attention and care.
0 comments - Posted Jul 30, 2010
Last summer, I led the third annual swim-run biathlon for the Barton Center for Diabetes Education, which hosts two Massachusetts camps for children with type 1-Camp Joslin for boys and Camp Clara Barton for girls. It was at Camp Joslin that I met a memorable eight-year-old boy who exemplifies what being a diabetes hero is all about. I'll call him "Adam."
0 comments - Posted Jul 29, 2010
NEW YORK, NY, July 26, 2010 - Recalling the desperate fight for life that used to be waged by juvenile diabetes patients, and commemorating the events of 1921 that inaugurated a new era of hope for them and their families, the New York Historical Society will present the exhibition Breakthrough: The Dramatic Story of the Discovery of Insulin from October 5, 2010 through January 31, 2011. Exploring the roles of science, government, higher education and industry in developing and distributing a life-saving drug, the exhibition will bring to life the personalities who discovered insulin and raced to bring it to the world and will tell the story of one extraordinary New York girl-Elizabeth Evans Hughes, daughter of the leading statesman and jurist Charles Evans Hughes-who was among the very first patients to be saved.
0 comments - Posted Jul 26, 2010
I was in the parking lot of the mall, walking past wheelchair parking, when I noticed a man using the lift gate of his specially equipped van. There he was, lowering himself and his motorized wheelchair down to the ground all by himself. As I walked through the mall that day, I couldn't get the man in the wheelchair off my mind.
0 comments - Posted Jul 26, 2010
Hardly a day goes by that I am not asked a question related to diabetes. I'm a "heart on my sleeve" diabetic. Because one of my jobs, writing articles and guest blog posts, centers on the subject of diabetes, I'm known, in part, by my disease.
0 comments - Posted Jul 24, 2010
Learn Your Risk for Diabetes and Take Steps to Protect Your Health. If you are diagnosed in the early stages of diabetes, you can take better care of yourself and get treatment. If you have pre-diabetes, you can take steps to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jul 23, 2010
Type 1 diabetes often strikes children. Children love to play video games. Putting two and two together, diabetes educators have created a string of diabetes-themed video games over the years. The latest evolution of that simple equation--the Bayer Didget meter-game combination--arrived in U.S. drugstores this year.
0 comments - Posted Jul 22, 2010
From environmentally friendly hybrid cars and heating with solar power to organic or natural foods, our culture is increasingly embracing green strategies. "Using natural dietary supplements to support healthy blood sugar levels and minimize the impact of glycation is a rational continuation of this green philosophy," says Steven Joyal, MD, vice president of Scientific Affairs and Medical Development for the Life Extension Foundation in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (www.lef.org). He is also author of the book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jul 20, 2010
Overview: 57 million Americans are estimated to have pre-diabetes, a condition in which a person's blood sugar (glucose) level is above normal but below a level that indicates diabetes. Pre-diabetes may have no outward symptoms, and is diagnosed with a blood glucose test.
0 comments - Posted Jul 16, 2010
There's nothing quite like a dip in the Mediterranean Sea at sunset. The warm, clear water, shimmering clouds, and sound of families enjoying aperitifs at beachside cafes--it was the perfect start to a late-summer Italian holiday. We were visiting my boyfriend's brother, who had moved from England to Genoa a few years prior. It was my first time across the Atlantic, so my boyfriend Dunstan and I tried to make it count with 10 days filled with dinners, family celebrations, a road trip to Rome, hiking, and plenty of swimming.
0 comments - Posted Jul 13, 2010
A massive study involving 485 people with type 1 diabetes at 30 locations across North America shows that the combination of an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor helps patients achieve significantly lower A1c levels than multiple daily insulin injections.
0 comments - Posted Jul 13, 2010
My diabetes and I have traveled a lot of miles together in nineteen years. Racing Ironman triathlons in Australia, Europe, the Carribean and all over North America, climbing and camping at the top of 14,000 foot Mt. Whitney, and of course dozens of family vacations and business trips. Packing equipment and supplies for an Ironman triathlon and 3 weeks in Australia requires a bit of planning and preparation, but when you have diabetes you feel like you do that for just a weekend out of town. Meters, strips, insulin, syringes, infusion sets, pump supplies, snacks . . . a simple weekend trip becomes a lunar expedition.
1 comment - Posted Jul 10, 2010
When I was first diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, the disease became my entire life. I was drowning in paperwork telling me who to pay, what to eat, how to medicate, and what to do if I got sick. But as months and years passed, diabetes management became just a part of my goal to live healthfully. I realized that I couldn't compartmentalize my health. I cannot pinpoint when my obsession with all things healthy started, but once it did--well, I've never looked back.
0 comments - Posted Jul 9, 2010
Data from the massive ACCORD study on intensive blood sugar control shows that lowering blood sugar levels in people with longstanding type 2 diabetes to near-normal may delay the appearance of signs that point to damage to nerves, eyes, and kidneys, but does not stop their progression toward it.
0 comments - Posted Jul 9, 2010
AFREZZA TM (insulin human [rDNA origin]) Inhalation Powder, a well-tolerated, investigational ultra rapid acting mealtime insulin, as part of a diabetes treatment regimen, provides long-term glucose control comparable to usual insulin therapy but with a significantly reduced incidence of hypoglycemia and less weight gain in patients with Type 2 diabetes, according to a two-year study presented at the American Diabetes Association's 70th Scientific Sessions.
0 comments - Posted Jul 6, 2010
Summer has arrived, and for many, that means it's time to take that long-awaited vacation. Visions of sunny beaches, gourmet meals, mountain resorts, adventurous excursions, and campgrounds dance in our minds. The word "vacation" is typically a synonym for "letting it all go." No worries. No cares. Just pure indulgence. But for people with diabetes, an upcoming vacation can bring on anxiety and stress. For many of us, our disease thrives on routine and predictability, and vacations do not adhere to our everyday lives.
0 comments - Posted Jul 3, 2010
In people with longstanding type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for heart attack and stroke, lowering blood sugar to near-normal levels did not delay the combined risk of diabetic damage to kidneys, eyes, or nerves, but did delay several other signs of diabetic damage, a study has found. The intensive glucose treatment was compared with standard glucose control.
0 comments - Posted Jul 2, 2010
A diet including coconut oil, a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA), helps combat insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is the inability of cells to respond to insulin and take in glucose for energy. The pancreas tries to compensate for insulin resistance by producing even more insulin, but eventually glucose accumulates in the bloodstream. Over time, insulin resistance and obesity can lead to pre-diabetes or full-blown type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2010
June 2010
It raises fasting blood sugars. It increases the risk for type 2 diabetes. Millions of people suffer from it. And many don't even know they have it.
1 comment - Posted Jun 30, 2010
Dear Diabetes Health, I have been married for 14 years. I am 36 and my husband is 39, and we have a seven-year-old daughter. About six months, ago my husband found out that he has type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jun 29, 2010
White rice and brown rice are reminiscent of those old dramas about identical twins, wherein one turns out to be angelic and the other turns out to be bad news.
0 comments - Posted Jun 28, 2010
One day as I was multi-tasking (making dinner, washing dishes, supervising my daughter, returning phone calls), I suddenly grew very annoyed at the music we were listening to. I had recently purchased a children's CD for my daughter, and it hit me that all the songs sounded the same. What a waste of twelve dollars, I thought, as I headed toward the CD player to shut it off. As I reached down to hit the "off" button, I noticed a small, unfamiliar icon on the display screen. I crouched down to further examine and then laughed aloud.
0 comments - Posted Jun 26, 2010
A Sacramento Superior Court judge has ruled that only school nurses can give insulin shots to children in public schools who have diabetes. The decision by Judge Lloyd Connelly overturned a 2007 California State Department of Education decision that allowed trained school staff, as well as nurses, to administer such injections.
1 comment - Posted Jun 25, 2010
Diabetes is often perceived as a physical disease, an issue with one's body. But those of us with diabetes know that it affects every area of our lives, including our emotional, spiritual, and mental health. People with diabetes are more likely to experience depression than the average person, and it doesn't take a doctor to explain why. Diabetes is daunting, complicated, and confusing. There's no one-size-fits-all explanation or treatment plan, and even when we arrive at something that works, diabetes throws us a curveball and we are forced to reinvent our treatment regimen---time, and time, and time again.
0 comments - Posted Jun 18, 2010
One of the factors that increases the risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes is excess body fat. So it makes sense that losing weight has always been one of the first lines of defense against the disease. Yet people who are slender -skinny, even- sometimes develop type 2. Why is that? Does the fact that a slender person can acquire type 2 negate the need for weight control?
0 comments - Posted Jun 18, 2010
A Canadian study that tracked 207 patients suggests that a low-dose combination of metformin and Avandia can reduce the development of type 2 diabetes by 66 percent in people at high risk for the condition.
0 comments - Posted Jun 15, 2010
One of the most inspiring personalities of the 2010 Vancouver Games, Olympic cross-country skier Kris Freeman sheds his skis and poles this week to kick off his 6th annual diabetes summer camp tour with Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly Diabetes). Freeman, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 10 years ago at age 19, will share his amazing comeback story from coast to coast and encourage children with diabetes to continue pursuing their dreams.
0 comments - Posted Jun 14, 2010
BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, announced today the launch of BD Ultra-FineTM Nano-the world's smallest pen needle. The BD Nano pen needle is proven to be as effective as longer needles for patients of all body types and proven to offer a less painful injection experience for the more than 5 million people in the United States who inject insulin or GLP-1 to manage their diabetes.[1]
0 comments - Posted Jun 10, 2010
It's a cool Sunday evening, and I'm sitting in a lively Italian restaurant. My husband is across the table. We've just placed our orders, and we're engaged in easy conversation.
0 comments - Posted Jun 8, 2010
I've been told by my medical team, those who work hard to make sure I live a healthy life with my diabetes, that I am a "good patient." They are pleased that I do what I am supposed to: check my blood sugar, keep my appointments, eat healthy foods, and exercise. They also remark that they wish all their patients took their diabetes management as seriously as I do.
0 comments - Posted Jun 3, 2010
With the rise of the iPhone and the creation of hundreds of thousands of iPhone applications, it's only natural that several wonderful apps have appeared to make life easier for diabetes patients. Here is a quick look at 10 FREE applications, in no particular order, to help you choose the right ones for you.
1 comment - Posted Jun 2, 2010
BD Diagnostics, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), announced today the U.S. launch of the BD Vacutainer® Push Button Blood Collection Set with Pre-Attached Holder. The ready-to-use product has been designed to help protect healthcare workers from accidental needlestick injuries (NSIs) during the blood collection process and to prevent reuse of the tube holder.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2010
It's early on a Thursday morning in a hotel ballroom in downtown Oakland, and attendees at a breakfast of the annual meeting of the California Dietetic Association are still working on getting fully awake. That problem is solved two minutes after Jay Hewitt, the breakfast's inspirational speaker, takes the stage. Hewitt, a 41-year-old lawyer who was diagnosed with type 1 in 1991, knows his audience is an experienced group of professional dietitians that has dealt with every type of patient and heard every kind of excuse for failure.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2010
May 2010
Both genetic components and environmental factors play a role in most chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes. In the same way that researchers use a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) to evaluate the role of genetic factors in disease, scientists at Stanford University have used an Environmental-Wide Association Study (EWAS) to evaluate environmental factors on diabetes.
0 comments - Posted May 29, 2010
Abbott announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its new FreeStyle Lite blood glucose test strips. The new FreeStyle Lite test strips minimize interference during blood glucose testing and are designed to offer a better testing experience.
0 comments - Posted May 27, 2010
As awareness of pre-diabetes grows, the list of conditions that can lead to it seems to be growing. Along with obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, researchers may start listing lack of sleep as another danger signal. Two recently published studies conclude that sleep deprivation can lead to insulin resistance-a precursor for diabetes-and even increase the risk of early death.
0 comments - Posted May 26, 2010
People with diabetes who have limited health literacy are at higher risk for hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, according to a new study from researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, CA.
0 comments - Posted May 20, 2010
Tattoos aren't just an art form or a way of making a personal statement anymore: They are beginning to save lives.
1 comment - Posted May 20, 2010
A new study released by the Children's Hospital of New Orleans has found that black children with type 1 diabetes scored higher on A1c tests than white children who had similar blood glucose levels. Such ethnic disparity has already been shown in previous studies with adults.
0 comments - Posted May 18, 2010
Phil Southerland was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was seven months old. Now 28, he has always taken an aggressive approach to managing the disease. He recalls, "My mom scared the daylights out of me when I was six years old by letting me know about the severe complications of diabetes if you don't take care of it. That has motivated me to never let those complications fall on my shoulders."
0 comments - Posted May 17, 2010
Rhode Island-based CVS/pharmacy, which operates more than 7,000 pharmacies and drug stores in the United States, has announced three diabetes-related initiatives:
0 comments - Posted May 15, 2010
Most people who have diabetes quickly learn that one of the worst side effects of the disease is pain caused by damage to the hands and feet. High blood sugar inflames nerves, leading to tingling and numbness, and often, severe pain. Researchers at the Comprehensive Pain Center at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland have learned that onset of nerve pain may have a daily rhythm, with the worst occurring late at night around 11 p.m. Their study, which they characterized as "preliminary," tracked 647 people with diabetic neuropathy. The results showed that the typical pattern for people with the condition was to experience the greatest pain from it after sunset, peaking at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.
1 comment - Posted May 14, 2010
Over 80 years ago, famed diabetologist Elliot Joslin said about the treatment of patients with type 1 diabetes: "Ketoacidosis may kill a patient, but frequent hypoglycemic reactions will ruin him." Unfortunately, hypoglycemia continues to be the most difficult problem facing most patients, families, and caregivers who deal with the management of type 1 diabetes on a daily basis. Frequent hypoglycemia episodes not only can "ruin," or adversely impact the quality of life for patients, but also, when severe, can cause seizures, coma, and even death.
10 comments - Posted May 13, 2010
Scientists at the Mayo Clinic have developed a molecule that can block the breakdown of insulin. Their discovery could lead to development of a new class of drugs to help treat diabetes.
0 comments - Posted May 10, 2010
I woke up on the floor of my living room, soaked in sweat. I could not stand, or even sit up. I could not raise my arms or control my hands enough to grasp anything. Forget reaching for the telephone, even if my brain could have formulated the thought to try. I could not speak, but I lived alone, so there was no one to hear anyway. I did not know what day it was, but the hot July 4th late afternoon sun was shining brightly through the windows. After an unknown period of time, my brain must have had a flash of coherence that I was having severe hypoglycemia.
8 comments - Posted May 8, 2010
My last ten tips were meant to give you an idea of what to think about before you plan your day (Tyler's Top Ten Tips). Now I'm going to give you my top ten tips for how to manage your blood glucose levels while playing sports. These should help you keep everything in control and allow you to relax and have fun while playing.
4 comments - Posted May 5, 2010
A Danish analysis of data from 21 research studies on the effects of saturated fat intake has concluded that swapping refined carbohydrates, such as pasta and white bread, for fat causes spikes in blood sugar that are harmful to the heart. However, cutting down on saturated fats while increasing consumption of whole-grain breads and vegetables-low glycemic index* foods-had a discernible positive impact on heart health.
0 comments - Posted May 2, 2010
Clinical studies at 52 different sites nationwide have shown that combining standard laser treatments with injections of the drug ranibizumab (Lucentis) offers substantially better results for treating macular edema than laser treatments alone. The research showed that almost 50 percent of patients treated with the combination therapy showed substantial improvement in their vision after one year, compared with 28 percent of patients who had been treated solely with laser.
1 comment - Posted May 1, 2010
April 2010
Are you the parent of a child with type 1 diabetes? Do you often wish that you could find a babysitter who understands the "ins-and-outs" of type 1 so that you could enjoy an evening out, assured that your child is in good hands? Or are you a teenager with type 1 who is looking for a way to help children manage their disease, while making a little extra money at the same time? Then look no further than www.SafeSittings.com. Launched over six years ago in Manhattan by teenager Kimberly Ross, www.SafeSittings.com is a free online service that matches type 1 families with babysitters who also have the disease.
4 comments - Posted Apr 30, 2010
NEW YORK, April 27, 2010 - The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation announced today that it is partnering with Living Cell Technologies (LCT), a New Zealand-based biotechnology company focused on developing cell based therapeutics, in a Phase II clinical trial to study the safety and effectiveness of transplanting encapsulated insulin-producing cells from pigs as a treatment for type 1 diabetes with significant hypoglycemia unawareness.
1 comment - Posted Apr 28, 2010
Dear Diabetes Health, I am a 60 year old married woman who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes eight years ago. In the last two years, I have lost interest in sex. I just don't feel like it, although I still like hugs.
3 comments - Posted Apr 26, 2010
Bayer Diabetes Care today announced the introduction of the DIDGETTM blood glucose monitoring system in the United States. The DIDGET meter is unique because it is the only blood glucose meter that connects directly to Nintendo DSTM and DS Lite gaming systems to help kids manage a lifelong disease by rewarding them for building consistent testing habits and meeting personalized blood glucose target ranges. Bayer's DIDGET meter is now available for purchase in the U.S. through CVS.com, Drugstore.com and Walgreens.com.
1 comment - Posted Apr 26, 2010
In the early hours of Saturday, February 27th, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Chile, eventually leaving 1.5 million displaced from their homes. At 6 a.m. that same morning, Hawaiians awoke to the news that a tsunami was barreling towards them and evacuation was necessary. Within minutes, many had left their homes for safe ground.
0 comments - Posted Apr 23, 2010
The study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, adds to evidence that metformin, a generically available drug commonly used for type 2 diabetes, may have anti-cancer effects.
0 comments - Posted Apr 22, 2010
Conference Task Force Members will meet with policymakers, healthcare providers, payers, patients, and other stakeholders to discuss how to tackle the diabetes epidemic and reverse its economic impact on our nation's healthcare system.
0 comments - Posted Apr 22, 2010
Admit it, Type 1s. In weaker moments, you look down your noses at the Type 2 diabetics. You know that their disease can result from poor lifestyle choices. You know that their treatment regimen, compared with yours, is simple.
35 comments - Posted Apr 19, 2010
The first human trials of the latest design of an artificial pancreas for people with type 1 diabetes found the device worked without causing low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
8 comments - Posted Apr 18, 2010
Four risk factors-all of them preventable-reduce life expectancy among U.S. men by 4.9 years and among U.S. women by 4.1 years, according to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. (According to U.N. figures, current U.S. life expectancy is 75.6 years for men and 80.8 years for women.)
0 comments - Posted Apr 15, 2010
Successful clinical trials of a topical drug called mecamylamine may lead to a potent new treatment for the diabetes-induced eye disease known as macular edema. Diabetic macular edema* involves the part of the retina called the macula. High blood sugar levels inflame its blood vessels, leading to leakiness and fluid accumulation. Left uncontrolled, those symptoms can lead to blurriness, impaired vision, and even blindness.
1 comment - Posted Apr 14, 2010
We continue to monitor the progress of studies to determine the effectiveness of salsalate, a generic aspirin-like drug, to reduce inflammation and lower blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes. As previously reported here in October 2008 and January 2009, researchers from the Joslin Diabetes Center at Harvard University are conducting clinical trials to determine if this well known and proven drug for joint pain can be added to the list of diabetes drugs. Recently, results from a three-month trial were announced online in the Annals of Internal Medicine, showing that those who took salsalate demonstrated significantly improved blood glucose levels.
0 comments - Posted Apr 10, 2010
Using a sophisticated nanotechnology-based "vaccine," researchers were able to successfully reverse type 1 diabetes in mice and slow the onset of the disease in mice at risk for the disease. The study, co-funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, provides new and important insights into understanding how to stop the immune attack that causes type 1 diabetes, and could even have implications for other autoimmune diseases.
2 comments - Posted Apr 9, 2010
Tests of an experimental drug called CPSI-1306 at Ohio State University were so successful at lowering inflammation and blood sugar levels in lab mice with type 2 diabetes that scientists consider it a prime candidate to become a new therapy for the disease.
0 comments - Posted Apr 8, 2010
(Reuters Health) - Adding soy supplements to the diet may not improve blood sugar control in older women who are at high risk of or in the early stages of type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests.
0 comments - Posted Apr 7, 2010
People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who find it difficult to trust others or reach out for emotional support may be shortening their own lives. That's the conclusion of a five-year University of Washington study that showed a 33 percent higher mortality rate among diabetes patients who did not interact well with their healthcare providers or other people.
1 comment - Posted Apr 2, 2010
March 2010
I do not conceal the fact that I love dessert. I believe that it is something that I deserve, a reward for working out that morning, keeping my blood sugar in check, monitoring my carbohydrate intake, going to work, and taking care of household duties.
15 comments - Posted Mar 31, 2010
Dr. Stan De Loach is a bicultural, trilingual, Certified Diabetes Educator (one of the first 13 in Mexico) and clinical psychologist, not to mention a pianist, composer, and writer. Born and educated in the U.S., he has been a resident of Mexico for decades, and his first love is the annual bilingual diabetes camp that he co-founded, the four-day Campamento Diabetes Safari in Mexico..
3 comments - Posted Mar 30, 2010
A University of Texas researcher who genetically modified mice with type 1 diabetes to control their disease with leptin instead of insulin is now ready to extend his experiment to human test subjects. Dr. Roger Unger, a researcher at the UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, will begin the tests as soon as leptin manufacturers can assure him of a steady supply of the hormone.
2 comments - Posted Mar 27, 2010
Over the past few months, there has been a discernible shift of opinion among healthcare providers about which test best reveals a high risk of acquiring diabetes. The old standby, fasting glucose, seems to be giving way to the hemoglobin A1c test as the preferred method.
1 comment - Posted Mar 26, 2010
According to researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine, obesity and metabolic syndrome may be partially brought on by intestinal bacteria that increase appetite and insulin resistance. The two can lead to overeating and high blood sugar levels - both important factors in the eventual onset of type 2 diabetes. Perhaps even more interesting, the scientists found that the bacteria can be transferred from one mouse to another, creating increased appetite and insulin resistance in an animal that had previously experienced neither.
0 comments - Posted Mar 26, 2010
Experience is a great teacher, but sometimes it's not the best way to learn, especially when it comes to your medical needs. Smart people learn from their mistakes, but wise people learn from other people's mistakes. In my ten years with diabetes, I have found that to eliminate problems, you need to anticipate your needs. A few moments of preparation can ensure a great afternoon of fun with your friends, a better grade on a test, or participation in a sporting competition without any complications.
7 comments - Posted Mar 25, 2010
Suggested revisions in the benchmarks used to assess dangerously high blood sugar levels in pregnant women could lead to a doubling or tripling of the number of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes*. That's the conclusion of an international study led by the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
0 comments - Posted Mar 24, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS - March 17, 2010 - Medtronic, Inc. today announced it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the MiniMed Paradigm® REAL-Time RevelTM System, the next generation of the industry's only integrated diabetes management system (insulin pump therapy, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and diabetes therapy management software). The system incorporates new innovative CGM features including predictive alerts that can give early warning to people with diabetes so they can take action to prevent dangerous high or low glucose events.
3 comments - Posted Mar 22, 2010
I grew up around the corner from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In high school, long ago, I thought that NIH scientists were "bad guys" who mistreated animals in the name of medical research. I later moved to the West Coast and became a registered obstetrical nurse. Over the years, along with sharing the joys of new moms and new babies, I cared for patients with devastating conditions like cancer and quadriplegia, people whose lives could potentially be saved or improved by medical research., Yet it wasn't until many years later, after moving back to the DC area, that I really began to see the NIH in a new light.
4 comments - Posted Mar 20, 2010
According to Duke University researchers, a mutation that causes the lack of an insulin-controlling molecule may be a factor in the development of type 2 diabetes. The molecule, ankyrin B, is activated in response to the smell and taste of food and leads to the production of insulin in preparation for food intake.
1 comment - Posted Mar 19, 2010
At a two-day meeting (March 16 and 17, 2010) to review blood glucose meters, Food and Drug Administration officials and staff pointed to a number of issues that can prevent people from getting proper treatment and sought input from medical experts and industry on ways to improve test results with the widely used devices.
1 comment - Posted Mar 18, 2010
Allen, Texas - When Pam Henry's daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2003, she never even thought she would be part of something that could revolutionize health care. "When Sarah was diagnosed, my only goal was to do all I could to keep her as healthy as possible. What I created was something just to help keep her that way."
4 comments - Posted Mar 13, 2010
A scientist's discovery that dolphins have a genetic ability to turn diabetes on and off, depending on the availability of food, could lead to research into whether humans might have a similar-although dormant-gene.
1 comment - Posted Mar 13, 2010
The sooner people with diabetes start taking metformin, the longer the drug remains effective, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the March issue of Diabetes Care, a journal of the American Diabetes Association.
2 comments - Posted Mar 12, 2010
A university study of 20,000 Chinese adults aged 50 and older says that people who nap four to six days a week have a higher rate of type 2 diabetes than people who either never take a daily snooze or do so less often.
2 comments - Posted Mar 10, 2010
The demand for diabetes research funding clearly exceeds the funds available. In the United States, 23.6 million children and adults (7.8 percent of the population) have diabetes, and we spent $174 billion on diagnosed diabetes alone in 2007 (the most recent year for which data are available). It is imperative that we take action, but where is the research funding coming from? Can it possibly be sufficient, and how is it being spent?
1 comment - Posted Mar 3, 2010
February 2010
Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk has received Food and Drug Administration permission to begin marketing its type 2 drug Victoza® in the United States.
Victoza, the brand name for liraglutide, is a GLP-1* analog that is taken one a day by injection to help control blood sugar-and in some cases, help with weight loss-in patients with type 2 diabetes.
5 comments - Posted Feb 27, 2010
My four-year-diabetes-diagnosis anniversary is almost here. It falls on March 24th, a day just like any other to most people, but a day full of sadness, loss, and victory for me. Will I celebrate? I'm not sure if reflection is a form of celebration. I'd much prefer a birthday-like affair featuring balloons, cards, and, of course, something sweet to eat. But I also feel as if the impending date is much like a funeral on the calendar, a time for mourning as well as reflection.
28 comments - Posted Feb 26, 2010
As part of an extensive program to support the needs of adults with type 1 diabetes, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International announced the introduction of a key support program, the JDRF Adult Type 1 Toolkit, to meet an immediate need for resources and community for adults more recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes - a chronic autoimmune disease often first diagnosed in children.
3 comments - Posted Feb 24, 2010
A hormone responsible for the body's stress response is also linked to the growth of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, according to JDRF- funded researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California. The findings are the latest advances to underscore the potential for regeneration as a key component of a possible cure for type 1 diabetes.
2 comments - Posted Feb 22, 2010
For as long as I can remember, I have disliked meat. I believe it started with my sensitive gag reflex as a child. I could hardly chew and swallow pork chops, pineapple, or anything else that didn't go down easily. In high school I became best friends with a girl who didn't eat meat. It seemed like a really cool lifestyle, so I joined ranks with her. Instead of eating meat, we consumed french fries, fruit punch, and snack cakes. This became our definition of vegetarianism. Then, during my junior year of high school, my doctor informed me that my chronic low blood sugars might be improved by more protein consumption, so I forced myself back into the life of a carnivore, not knowing then that protein consumption didn't have to equal a slab of meat at every meal.
7 comments - Posted Feb 20, 2010
This is the third - and final - installment of our three-part series "Handing Down the Genes." Part III: "Nutrition and Exercise Tips"
1 comment - Posted Feb 19, 2010
Bayer's A1CNow SELFCHECK, cleared by the Food and Drug Administration last year, is the first and only system of its kind with at-home results in five minutes. It enables patients to more closely watch their A1C level in between doctor visits so they may have a more informed discussion with their healthcare provider to ensure their diabetes plan is working.
2 comments - Posted Feb 18, 2010
Thwarting a protein that carries an otherwise benign enzyme into the nuclei of cells in the retina, where the enzyme kills the retinal cells, may hold the key to preventing blindness in patients with diabetes. That's the conclusion of a two-year study by researchers at Michigan State University seeking a way to treat retinopathy, the disease that often leads to blindness in people with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Feb 16, 2010
This is the second installment of our three-part series "Handing Down the Genes." Part II: "Preventing Type 2 in Children"
1 comment - Posted Feb 13, 2010
Foods that are sugar free, no sugar added, or low carb, typically have the sugar replaced with sugar alcohol. Sugar alcohols have a significantly diminished impact on blood sugar levels as compared to regular sugar because they are incompletely absorbed into the blood stream from the small intestine. They also have fewer calories than sugar, and are not as sweet as sugar. Some common sugar alcohols are: glycol, sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, and lactitol. The simplest sugar alcohol, ethylene glycol, is the sweet but notoriously toxic chemical used in antifreeze. Sugar alcohol is typically derived from fruits and vegetables.
3 comments - Posted Feb 12, 2010
Results of a 22-year study by researchers at Cardiff University School of Medicine in Wales indicate that older type 2s who try too hard to drive their A1c's down to "normal" (4.5% to 6%) may significantly increase their chances of early death. In fact, the study, just published in the British medical journal The Lancet*, found that type 2s with the lowest risk of death had A1c's of 7.5% -- a figure that few authorities on the disease have recommended as ideal.
15 comments - Posted Feb 11, 2010
Steel-cut oats are whole grains, made when the groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) are cut into pieces by steel. Also known as coarse-cut oats or Irish oats, they are golden and look a little like small pieces of rice. They gain part of their distinctive flavor from the roasting process after being harvested and cleaned. Although the oats are then hulled, this process does not strip away their bran and germ, allowing them to retain a concentrated source of their fiber and nutrients.
4 comments - Posted Feb 9, 2010
Many of us have a "BFF" (Best Friend Forever), but people with diabetes or pre-diabetes need a BFF who understands the importance of maintaining a healthy diabetic lifestyle -- a "DFF" (Diabetes Friend Forever). To honor these unsung heroes, Dreamfields Pasta is launching a first-of-its-kind contest to pay tribute to the special people who help make living with diabetes a manageable experience.
2 comments - Posted Feb 6, 2010
In addition to diagnosing type 2 diabetes based on fasting blood glucose levels or a glucose tolerance test, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and the American College of Endocrinology (ACE) have now approved the use of A1c as an additional diagnostic criterion for type 2 diabetes.
2 comments - Posted Feb 5, 2010
CHICAGO, IL - On Thursday, February 4, Oprah, Dr. Oz, Bob Greene, Art Smith, Dr. Ian Smith and more reveal the staggering human cost of the growing diabetes and pre-diabetes epidemic on a special episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. Before a studio audience comprised of all diabetics and their families, Oprah and Dr. Oz reveal the latest facts and figures, share stories of those affected, and hold a no-holds-barred, revealing conversation about risk factors, diet and lifestyle.
17 comments - Posted Feb 4, 2010
Dear Diabetes Health, I'm 26 years old and engaged to a woman I've known since college. We live together, love each other, and have good sex, but now I'm having doubts. A year ago, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. She started taking insulin, and it has been rough. Four times now she has started sweating and shaking and saying strange things. Twice this happened during sex.
11 comments - Posted Feb 3, 2010
January 2010
Thousands of elite athletes from around the world are making their final preparations for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. Every snowboarder, short track speed skater, ski jumper and hockey player shares a dream of standing on the medium wearing an Olympic gold medal.
7 comments - Posted Jan 29, 2010
Novo Nordisk announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the new drug application for Victoza (liraglutide injection), the first once-daily human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analog for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Victoza is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
4 comments - Posted Jan 28, 2010
I have a long-standing obsession with baking. The art of creating cookies, bars, pies, and cakes got me through some of the most stressful times in my life, including holidays, college final exams, and a new job. After I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of twenty-four, however, I learned that my traditional ingredients, including white flour, sugar, and excessive amounts of chocolate, lead to high blood sugars and of course, fatigue, fogginess, and other undesirable side effects.
15 comments - Posted Jan 26, 2010
University of Florida engineers have designed and tested versions of a sensor for applications ranging from monitoring diabetics' glucose levels via their breath to detecting possible indicators of breast cancer in saliva. They say early results are promising - particularly considering that the sensor can be mass-produced inexpensively with technology already widely used for making chips in cell phones and other devices.
2 comments - Posted Jan 26, 2010
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) announced today an innovative program aimed at improving the treatment of type 1 diabetes by developing novel insulin delivery products to enhance the use of insulin pumps.
0 comments - Posted Jan 22, 2010
Living with a chronic condition like diabetes can be a challenging and stressful experience. Unfortunately, all the worry about blood glucose and the constant effort to balance insulin against food intake and exercise can itself raise blood glucose levels. But stress management can help control the stress hormones that affect blood glucose levels. Yoga practice, for example, can have a calming effect and play a major role in stress management.
1 comment - Posted Jan 21, 2010
Bestselling cookbook author and nutritionist Marlene Koch (pronounced, serendipitously, "cook") has been dubbed a "magician in the kitchen" when it comes to creating great-tasting, healthy recipes that everyone can enjoy, including those with diabetes!
1 comment - Posted Jan 20, 2010
Many meaningful events, experiences, and accomplishments have gone into making me the person that I am today. In my life, most of the important milestones came and went as they do for every kid. But for some of us, life throws a curveball and introduces a trauma or an unexpected event that will forever change our lives. When my most meaningful event occurred, on May 22, 2000, there were no cheers, applause, or laughter in the room. That was the day I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
21 comments - Posted Jan 19, 2010
NEW YORK, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Montefiore Medical Center continues to expand its portfolio of options for patients in need of organ transplantation. The new Pancreas Transplant Program will treat patients with severe, end-stage diabetes. As the only Pancreas Transplant Program in the Bronx and Westchester, and one of only several in Greater New York, patients will be able to receive world-class care close to home. The program currently has nine patients medically approved and waiting for a pancreas transplant.
2 comments - Posted Jan 16, 2010
NEW YORK, January 13, 2010 - The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation today announced an innovative partnership with Animas Corporation to develop an automated system to help people with type 1 diabetes better control their disease - the first step on the path to what would be among the most revolutionary advancements in treating type 1 diabetes: the development of an artificial pancreas, a fully automated system to dispense insulin to patients based on real-time changes in blood sugar levels.
9 comments - Posted Jan 15, 2010
A five-year study of 2,613 people treated for diabetes at Italian clinics shows that tight blood sugar control may not be the number-one priority for patients who have other medical problems.
5 comments - Posted Jan 13, 2010
MADISON, Wis. - Using one of the two major national diabetes screening guidelines misses about one-third of those with diabetes, consequently putting them at risk for serious health complications, according to surprising research findings at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
0 comments - Posted Jan 13, 2010
The first time that my fiancé Richard and I got, um, "intimate," I had some explaining to do. "Er, that's for my diabetes. So's that. And this thing. Oh, and this too." Richard was a bit overwhelmed. I think his exact words were, "Are you bionic or something?"
2 comments - Posted Jan 6, 2010
"You have diabetes." Have you just heard these words? Or maybe you recently heard it about your son or daughter. The oxygen rushes out of your body. A knot forms in your stomach. "What now?"
11 comments - Posted Jan 4, 2010
ROSEMONT, IL - Exercise is a critical piece of a healthy lifestyle, however those who suffer from diabetes may see an even greater impact, according to a study published in the January/February 2010 issue of Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Authors confirm that exercise can aid in diabetes treatment by improving glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
1 comment - Posted Jan 4, 2010
December 2009
According to Marlene, finding the perfect mix of ingredients is key when creating healthier versions of your favorite foods. From composing a healthier sandwich to perfecting pasta dishes and creating delightful desserts, Marlene reveals some of her tastiest ingredient tips:
1 comment - Posted Dec 31, 2009
I have never been one to make New Year's resolutions. This probably stems from my life experiences. Every year at my fitness club, the place is flooded with new faces from January until late February. Then, as the days tick by, the club becomes less and less crowded.
8 comments - Posted Dec 30, 2009
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Combining artificial sweeteners with the real thing boosts the stomach's secretion of a hormone that makes people feel full and helps control blood sugar, new research shows.
2 comments - Posted Dec 26, 2009
Denmark-based Novo Nordisk A/S has begun phase 1 testing of an insulin pill that, if successful, could replace injections as the primary means of blood sugar control for millions of people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The company has enrolled 80 volunteer German test subjects in the study and expects to have preliminary results by the first half of 2011. The test group consists of both people with diabetes and people without it.
12 comments - Posted Dec 24, 2009
The combination of type 2 diabetes and mild heart disease is a double whammy that in many cases leads to such intrusive therapies as angioplasty* and can result in death from some sort of cardiovascular event. But a five-year university study of 2,368 type 2 patients with moderate heart disease shows that lifestyle changes and non-intrusive treatments can work just as well at lowering mortality rates as surgery.
0 comments - Posted Dec 22, 2009
‘Tis the season to be jolly? The most wonderful time of the year? Joy to the world? Between Black Friday, meal preparations, decorating, dealing with clashing family members, and party after party, the holiday season can be one of the most stressful times of the year. The joy and jolly that we sing about in Christmas carols hardly resonates in our lives as we prepare for and then attempt to survive the stress of the holidays.
3 comments - Posted Dec 17, 2009
The dictionary defines a sugar plum as a small round or oval piece of sugary candy. But for most of us, visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads conjures up a far vaster array of sweet holiday treats. From cakes, cookies, and pies, to sugar-laced seasonal beverages, and yes, plenty of sweet confections, the holiday season is arguably the sweetest time of the year - and the most difficult when one is trying to keep carbohydrates and calories in check.
0 comments - Posted Dec 15, 2009
BOSTON, DECEMBER 8, 2009 -- In a recent study conducted by the Center for Connected Health, a division of Partners HealthCare, new data revealed that parents of children with diabetes were receptive to using novel health technology - such as a mobile phone that could collect and transmit the child's blood sugar readings to a doctor - to help manage their child's diabetes. This study was published in the November issue of the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology (Volume 3, Issue 6, November 2009).
0 comments - Posted Dec 11, 2009
Dear Diabetes Health, I am 57 years old. About five years ago, I saw my doctor because I was feeling tired. My waist size was up, and I was not interested in sex. I almost never got an erection. The doctor diagnosed type 2 diabetes and put me on metformin. He also prescribed Viagra, which helped sometimes, but not all the time.
5 comments - Posted Dec 10, 2009
Dr. Bill Polonsky, PhD, CDE, knows diabetes. Among other things, he has served as Chairman of the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators, as a Senior Psychologist at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, and as an Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is the founder and president of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute (BDI) in San Diego, California, and a member of Diabetes Health's Advisory Board.
18 comments - Posted Dec 7, 2009
The road to my diabetes diagnosis was anything but easy. Over Thanksgiving break during my first semester of graduate school, I fell ill with a horrific stomach virus. I was too busy to be sick, swamped with student essays to grade and papers to write for my own classes. But as the following year and half progressed, I felt worse and worse. I suffered from chronic sinus infections, drastic weight loss, extreme thirst, and constant fatigue. As I bounced from doctor to doctor, I grew increasingly discouraged. No one could figure out what was wrong with me.
16 comments - Posted Dec 4, 2009
November 2009
We hear it all the time, from the diet ads on television to the lectures from our doctors and dietitians. What matters is not only what you eat, but also how much you eat. But how can you control your portions? Is it possible to have a healthy relationship with food? How can you make sure you are full, but not stuffed? Can you keep your blood sugars under control? The answer to all these questions is yes!
1 comment - Posted Nov 24, 2009
For 2,000 years, diabetes has been recognized as a devastating and deadly disease. A Greek by the name of Aretaeus described its destructive nature in the first century AD, naming the affliction "diabetes," the Greek word for "siphon." Eugene J. Leopold, in his text "Aretaeus the Cappodacian," described Aretaeus' diagnosis: "...For fluids do not remain in the body, but use the body only as a channel through which they may flow out. Life lasts only for a time, but not very long. For they urinate with pain, and painful is the emaciation. For no essential part of the drink is absorbed by the body, while great masses of the flesh are liquefied into urine."
4 comments - Posted Nov 24, 2009
Q: How do I lower my blood sugar when it goes over 200 mg/dl? I have type 2 diabetes.
6 comments - Posted Nov 21, 2009
Bridgewater, NJ, November 19, 2009 - Sanofi-aventis U.S. announced today that GoMealsTM, a new iPhone application (app) designed to help people living with diabetes make healthy food choices, is now available for download at the iTunes App store. GoMealsTM is a food tracking tool which allows users to search thousands of foods and dishes from popular restaurants and grocery stores to easily see the nutritional content of meals and snacks.
0 comments - Posted Nov 20, 2009
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As the nation marks American Diabetes Month, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius released a new report today, Preventing and Treating Diabetes: Health Insurance Reform and Diabetes in America. The report comes one day after Sebelius toured the East Manatee Family Healthcare Center in Bradenton, Fla. At the center, Sebelius met with patients and Floridians who care for people with diabetes.
2 comments - Posted Nov 12, 2009
When I was a child, my mother always said, "Think before you speak." Have you heard of this before? If not, please digest my words. If you have heard of this simple yet beneficial policy, please reconsider its merit and then implement it into your practice.
34 comments - Posted Nov 7, 2009
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Employers are signing up for a first-of-its-kind health plan by UnitedHealthcare designed to help control the escalating costs of insuring diabetic and pre-diabetic employees and their families while improving their health.
3 comments - Posted Nov 7, 2009
Fingertip blood-oxygen monitors, called pulse oximeters, measure oxygen in the blood using light and color. The noninvasive device, which clips onto a fingertip or earlobe, typically has a pair of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) facing a sensor. Light of a certain wavelength (a certain color) travels through a translucent part of the body like the fingertip or an earlobe, and is picked up by the sensor. The amount of oxygen in the blood (actually, oxygenated hemoglobin) affects how much light from each diode finally makes it through the finger and reaches the sensor. The result is an effective measurement of the amount of oxygen in the blood.
6 comments - Posted Nov 5, 2009
October 2009
San Diego, CA (October 28, 2009) - Novocell, Inc., a preclinical stage diabetes company, today announced that it will receive a Disease Team award totaling $20 million from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). The Disease Team includes a group of scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), led by Dr. Jeff Bluestone, which is contracted to receive $2.8 million. The funding will advance Novocell's development of a first in kind cellular therapy for the treatment of diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Oct 31, 2009
Dear Diabetes Health, Hello! I am 60 years old and have had type one for about 24 years. It has been quite some time since I had a relationship, and now I have one coming at me. The problem is, I am very dry. The commercially sold products don't seem to help, and Intercourse isn't comfortable. What do you recommend that I try? And what about a libido enhancer? I need this relationship to work because living alone is tough, and my partner likes his intimacy. Please!!!
2 comments - Posted Oct 31, 2009
While the relationship between Alzheimer's and diabetes is far from clear, there does seem to be an interesting connection. And that connection just became a little more complicated according to a French study published in the October 27th issue of the journal Neurology.
0 comments - Posted Oct 29, 2009
The statistics are chilling. Children born today have a one-in-three chance of developing type 2 diabetes. For Latinos, however, that risk is one-in-two.
2 comments - Posted Oct 27, 2009
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A number of traditional Chinese herbs may help control blood sugar levels in people at high risk of diabetes, a new research review suggests.
0 comments - Posted Oct 22, 2009
The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health (CDC) recommends that everyone, especially people with diabetes and other diseases, get both a seasonal flu vaccination and an H1N1 flu ("swine flu") vaccination this year.
6 comments - Posted Oct 16, 2009
The human body is an amazing machine. The biological clock that ticks inside us to keep the machine running efficiently not only prompts us to sleep and eat on regular basis, but also apparently regulates blood sugar.
1 comment - Posted Oct 15, 2009
"Self-monitoring blood glucose" (SMBG), a staple in the lives of most people with diabetes who take insulin, involves consistently monitoring and recording blood glucose levels before and after specific activities, such as eating, exercising, sleeping, and taking insulin. By observing the effects of certain foods and activities on their blood glucose levels, patients can learn exactly what works to raise or lower them. Thus, SMBG affords a kind of "fine tuning" approach to diabetes that empowers patients to adjust their medicine, modify their behavior, and manage their disease without always needing expert intervention.
1 comment - Posted Oct 13, 2009
A law signed by New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine that allows teachers to give emergency glucagon shots to students with diabetes has parents elated but has drawn strong opposition from teachers and nurses. The law also allows students with diabetes to test their own blood glucose levels and use insulin pumps while they are in the classroom, two activities that were not previously allowed.
15 comments - Posted Oct 12, 2009
Hyperglycemia is known to cause microvascular damage, which then creates complications such as proliferative retinopathy. However, this microvascular damage may also affect cognitive functioning even before it is reflected by more easily observed complications such as retinopathy. A study carried out by Eelco van Duinkerken and colleagues in the Netherlands found that "functional connectivity", which is "an indicator of functional interactions and information exchange between brain regions," was different in type 1's as compared to controls.
0 comments - Posted Oct 10, 2009
A study coming out in the November issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology is reporting that type 2 men whose blood contained a high count of eosinophils, a sign of allergic inflammation, also had albumin in their urine, which is an early indication of kidney disease. Eosinophils are white blood cells that increase in number during an allergic reaction. Albumin is a protein in the blood that helps regulate blood volume and acts as a carrier for other molecules. Albumin is not normally found in the urine, however, because when healthy kidneys filter the blood, they retain what the body needs (like proteins) and allow only smaller "impurities" into the urine. But during diabetes, too much blood sugar can damage the filtering structures of the kidneys, causing them to thicken and become scarred. Eventually, they begin to leak, and protein (albumin) begins to pass into the urine.
0 comments - Posted Oct 6, 2009
The enthusiasm for inhaled insulin has waned, to say the least, since Exubera was pulled off the market by Pfizer. Following the Exubera debacle, the development of two other inhaled insulins (AIR by Eli Lilly and Alkermes, and AERx by Novo Nordisk) was halted as well.
14 comments - Posted Oct 5, 2009
Having diabetes involves a lot of pretty complex arithmetic. You've got to calculate carbs from nutrition labels, total the calories and carbohydrates in a meal, calculate insulin dosage based on insulin-to-carbohydrate intake, and on and on. These tasks aren't simple: They require an understanding of measurement, estimation, time, logic, and multi-step operations, and the knowledge of which math skills to apply to each problem.
3 comments - Posted Oct 2, 2009
In our June/July 2009 issue, we published a letter from reader Sheila Payne, who wrote that we had been far too positive about continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in our June/July article Get the Facts on Continuous Glucose Monitoring. Her letter provoked a stack of letters from people who believe that the benefits of CGM substantially outweigh its negatives. To let you in on the debate, we are reprinting Ms. Payne's thought-provoking letter here, followed by two equally thoughtful responses from readers.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2009
September 2009
Even if they don't lose weight, a moderate aerobic exercise program can improve insulin sensitivity in obese adolescents who are sedentary.
4 comments - Posted Sep 23, 2009
That old dog is me (thirty-seven years living with diabetes). There's a lot to be said for teaching someone who's lived with diabetes for years new ways to manage diabetes, and some new things that have come into the marketplace recently.
9 comments - Posted Sep 20, 2009
For a while now, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) has been conducting clinical trials on the effectiveness of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for people with type 1 diabetes. Last year, they issued their first two reports on their findings, showing that CGMs can improve control even for people who already have A1c's below 7%. That information has already had a powerful impact: It's convinced a number of large health insurers (including Aetna, Cigna, Kaiser Permanente, United Healthcare, and Wellpoint) to cover CGMs for type 1s, and it's led to the inclusion of CGMs in national standards of care for type 1 diabetes.
6 comments - Posted Sep 17, 2009
Those of you who are familiar with the South know what kudzu is. An Asian vine that can grow a foot taller every day, it was brought to the American Southeast in the 1930s in a sadly boneheaded attempt to control erosion. Unfortunately, the little green visitor liked it here so much that in the decades since, it has colonized 10 million acres of farms and woods, becoming a massive and costly nuisance.
0 comments - Posted Sep 16, 2009
An Italian study of people with type 2 diabetes has found that 70 percent of those who followed a low-fat diet eventually needed diabetes drugs, as opposed to only 44 percent of those who ate a Mediterranean diet.
4 comments - Posted Sep 14, 2009
Adults newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes generally don't take to the idea of using insulin right off the bat. They're worried about gaining weight and fear low blood sugars. They're also concerned about whether they can manage the regimen and fear that taking insulin will lower their quality of life. Those concerns, however, might be assuaged by a study recently conducted by Ildiko Lingvay and his colleagues at the University of Texas Southwestern.
5 comments - Posted Sep 12, 2009
I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the night before Thanksgiving, and my family and I were driving to my parents' house for the holiday weekend. I am usually the one who drives, but this time my wife insisted on taking the wheel because I was so dizzy and light-headed that I could hardly stand upright. Over the course of the previous week, I had not been feeling well. I had been getting up frequently at night to use the bathroom, was insatiably thirsty, and had been so dizzy that I had actually fallen down several times.
7 comments - Posted Sep 11, 2009
Eating fat is usually not very helpful when it comes to losing weight. According to a researcher at Ohio State University, however, two natural oils that contain "good fats" can melt away pounds in postmenopausal obese women with type 2 diabetes.
1 comment - Posted Sep 2, 2009
August 2009
In our last issue, we published a letter from reader Sheila Payne, who wrote that we had been far too positive about continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in our June/July article Get the Facts on Continuous Glucose Monitoring. But her opinion provoked a stack of letters from people who believe that the benefits of CGM substantially outweigh its negatives. To let you in on the debate, we are reprinting Ms. Payne's thought-provoking letter here, followed by two equally thoughtful responses from readers.
12 comments - Posted Aug 28, 2009
Canadian scientists have reported that a hormone found in the gut has the power to lower glucose production by signaling the brain and liver to do so. When the researchers activated its receptors in lab rats, they found that the hormone, called cholecystokinin (CCK) peptide, rapidly lowered the animals' blood glucose levels.
0 comments - Posted Aug 27, 2009
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning against the use of GDH-PQQ blood glucose test strips by people with diabetes who are taking medications that contain non-glucose sugars. [Note: GDH-PQQ is the abbreviation of "glucose dehydrogenase pyrroloquinoline quinone," a chemical that reacts with the non-glucose sugars maltose, galactose, and xylose, which are contained in some therapeutic products.]
10 comments - Posted Aug 24, 2009
Three days after a routine physical last November, 84-year-old Louis Zorich was called by his doctor and told that he had type 2 diabetes. The first words out of the seasoned actor's mouth were "There's been a mistake." Louis, who's been married to Academy Award-winning actress Olympia Dukakis for 47 years, proceeded to explain (incorrectly) to his doctor, "Men don't get diabetes. My three brothers don't have it, but my mother had it....It may be genetic, but only the female side of my family can have diabetes."
2 comments - Posted Aug 21, 2009
South African researchers have found that in areas where tuberculosis is endemic, nearly one in three children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes tests positive when given a skin test for the disease. Although the positive test results do not mean that these young people will inevitably develop active TB, they do run a very high risk of doing so.
4 comments - Posted Aug 20, 2009
Only a handful of studies have examined the relationship of a woman's menstrual cycle to her blood glucose control, but they have one finding in common: menstruation's effect on blood glucose is as varied as each individual's disease. As a result, blood glucose testing remains the only way to know how a woman's monthly cycle affects her diabetes control.
9 comments - Posted Aug 15, 2009
This year the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) went deep south for its annual conference, hosting the event in Atlanta, Georgia, from August 3rd through August 9th. Diabetes Health was there, hobnobbing with thousands of attendees and hundreds of companies, and it was an amazing experience.
0 comments - Posted Aug 15, 2009
Last May, 24-year-old Charlie Kimball was in Car #35, taking Turn 3 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Firestone Freedom 100. He was in radio contact with his pit crew, who informed him that he had a headwind coming out of the turn and onto the 5/8 mile "straight." Charlie kept an eye on the car next to him, moving closer and beginning to crowd it on the inside. Having raced professionally for six years, he knew that he had to make a move, and soon. He shifted into sixth gear and accelerated.
2 comments - Posted Aug 8, 2009
Most clinical studies of new drugs are conducted primarily on white men, whether or not they are most affected by the disease the drug is intended to treat. African Americans, for example, are 1.6 times more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites. Why should we assume that what works for white males will also be effective for African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, or, for that matter, women?
0 comments - Posted Aug 6, 2009
Eating fat is usually not very helpful when it comes to losing weight. According to a researcher at Ohio State University, however, two natural oils that contain "good fats" can melt away pounds in postmenopausal obese women with type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Aug 2, 2009
Eating fat is usually not very helpful when it comes to losing weight. According to a researcher at Ohio State University, however, two natural oils that contain "good fats" can melt away pounds in postmenopausal obese women with type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Aug 2, 2009
It's very likely that you, like most people, believe many myths about diabetes. If you do, you might actually be doing yourself harm. Learning the truth can empower you (as it did me) to make choices and take actions that increase the quality and length of your life.
9 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2009
In 1994, Kelli Kuehne was on a roll. That year, she won the United States Girls Junior Amateur Golf Championship and a year later, she won the U.S. Women's Amateur Golf Championship, repeating that win in 1996 while also taking the British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship. The roll continues. Today, Kelli Kuehne is still playing matches in the LPGA and, through it all, has never allowed type 1 diabetes to beat her on the golf course or in her life.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2009
Because we have good health insurance, my son sees his endocrinologist twice a year, his diabetes health educator twice a year, and his nutritionist once a year. Meanwhile, he sees his school nurse one to three times a day. As you know, this relationship can make a difference for the rest of a child's life.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2009
July 2009
In an era when tobacco cessation programs are being cut from tight budgets, we need to be intentional and creative with tobacco cessation opportunities. According to Dr. Steven Schroeder of the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center at the UCSF School of Medicine, changing the way we view tobacco dependence is necessary to reduce tobacco use and save lives. If we all work together to increase the cessation rate from 2.5 percent to 10 percent, we can save 1.2 million additional lives!
1 comment - Posted Jul 31, 2009
May 5 - Ann Arbor, MI - In the first study of the effects of statins on the concentrations of both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; known as the "bad" cholesterol) and low-density lipoprotein particles (LDL-P) in patients with metabolic syndrome, it was shown that even though the statins lowered the concentrations of LDL-C to target levels, the patients retained considerable residual risk for cardiovascular events because LDL-P concentrations were not reduced to a similar extent. A pre-print version of the study in Diabetes Care is available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.2337/dc08-1681, and the final version will be available in print in the June 2009 issue, as well as online at the same URL.
0 comments - Posted Jul 29, 2009
A protein that builds up in the pancreases of baboons and leads to the suppression of insulin-producing beta cells, may provide one of the most significant indicators yet for predicting the onset of type 2 diabetes.
1 comment - Posted Jul 28, 2009
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, have found a brain enzyme that, when blocked, curbs appetite and increases energy levels-both crucial factors in controlling and losing weight.
0 comments - Posted Jul 25, 2009
According to results of a phase II clinical trial at the University of Texas Medical School, a low dose of oral interferon alpha can preserve pancreatic beta cell function in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes patients. Interferons are proteins produced by the cells of the immune system in response to challenges like a virus or a tumor cell. They work by inhibiting viral replication in the host cell, activating natural killer cells, and increasing the activity of other immune system cells such as lymphocytes.
0 comments - Posted Jul 24, 2009
Never underestimate the power of people with diabetes and their families. When we as a consumer group purchase more fruits and vegetables, walk or bicycle instead of taking the car, and educate ourselves about a healthy lifestyle, we are addressing global issues as well as personal ones and can have a strong, positive effect on the future.
1 comment - Posted Jul 23, 2009
A man who has been married for 15 years suddenly begins losing weight and buying new clothes. He starts staying late at work and taking weekend business trips, unusual behaviors for him. His wife thinks he is having an affair. Why?
0 comments - Posted Jul 22, 2009
Could the medical community be overlooking 2.5 million people who have diabetes? Currently, 23.6 million children and adults in the United States, or 7.8 percent of the population, have diabetes. Although an estimated 17.9 million of them have been diagnosed, 5.7 million (nearly one quarter) are unaware that they have the disease. If lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people comprise 10 percent of the U.S. population, then 10 percent of people with diabetes are part of the LGBT community-about 2.5 million people.*
3 comments - Posted Jul 22, 2009
Minneapolis-based Medtronic Inc. is recalling some lots of its Quick-set infusion sets over concerns that they may cause insulin pumps to deliver too much or too little insulin.
1 comment - Posted Jul 21, 2009
Growth hormones, peer pressure, independence struggles, and mood swings: welcome to the teenage years! There's nothing like a warning glance from a fed-up teenager to make a parent retreat. As your child takes more control of his or her diabetes, it becomes ever more tempting to step back and avoid the friction that sometimes comes from being involved. Nevertheless, your teenager needs your reliable presence more than ever. The beauty, strength, and sheer courage our kids exhibit in meeting their teenage challenges can inspire us to stand up and work with them to keep their health and well-being firmly in the forefront of their minds. Each child and each situation is different, but here are a few suggestions for staying on your teen's diabetes team.
0 comments - Posted Jul 17, 2009
The Organic Center (TOC), a leading research institute focused on the science of organic food and farming, announced that a balanced, organic diet-both before and during pregnancy-can significantly reduce a child's likelihood of becoming overweight or obese or developing diabetes.
1 comment - Posted Jul 17, 2009
People often ask me, "Why limit diabetes-related services to the iPhone when there are so many other cell phones out there?" I always answer them by asking, "How many applications have you downloaded onto your cell phone?"
15 comments - Posted Jul 13, 2009
April 2009 was an exciting month at the University of Alberta. It marked the tenth anniversary of an unprecedented approach to islet transplantation, recognized globally as the "Edmonton Protocol." Each year since that milestone has produced evidence of progress in the art of islet isolation and the science of the transplant process. I know this because I lived it. I am patient number thirty-three, one of the many who have witnessed the evolution of this continuing innovation.
7 comments - Posted Jul 11, 2009
Women who frequently snore-at least three nights a week-run a substantially higher risk of developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy than non-snorers.
0 comments - Posted Jul 9, 2009
I would exercise if I had more time... if I had a health club membership... if it didn't hurt so much... if I knew what exercises to do... if I could do it with my family... if I could control my blood sugar...
0 comments - Posted Jul 8, 2009
By inhibiting the expression of a gene called sirtuin 1, Yale researchers have been able to reduce blood glucose levels, decrease the liver's production of glucose, and increase insulin sensitivity in rats conditioned to exhibit type 2 symptoms. A happy byproduct of their research is a simultaneous lowering of cholesterol levels.
0 comments - Posted Jul 3, 2009
How many times during your work with young people and their families have you wished that you could really help them through a rough time in their lives? Young people with diabetes and their families often feel overwhelmed, both physically and emotionally, by all that they must learn and manage. They can feel very alone if they don't know anyone who can understand their diabetes fears and trials.
0 comments - Posted Jul 2, 2009
Patriotism, parades, parties, and pyrotechnics - July Fourth is a high intensity day of celebrations and national pride. In many towns, families move from one exciting event to the next, and the day can be very unpredictable. Still, parents of children with diabetes want carefree time with their families, and children don't want to think about diabetes details. A bit of advanced planning and packing can make this festive day much easier.
0 comments - Posted Jul 2, 2009
June 2009
Until now, care for insulin-dependent diabetes has focused on the delivery of insulin combined with frequent blood glucose (BG) testing. Keeping your A1c down is, and always will be, the name of the game. But numerous studies have shown us in the last few years that having access to continuous glucose data has a huge impact. How you deliver the insulin doesn't necessarily matter-you can use a pump, a syringe, or an insulin pen, it's knowing your personal BG trends that makes all the difference.
11 comments - Posted Jun 29, 2009
Rachel and her husband adopted a beautiful baby girl in November of 2008. Their daughter is now seven months old. You can read Rachel's article about diabetes and adoption here.
5 comments - Posted Jun 26, 2009
With Type 2 diabetes emerging as an epidemic, primary care clinicians need to become savvy at initiating and adjusting insulin. Given the nationwide shortage of endocrinologists, referring all patients on insulin for endocrine appointments is not realistic in most areas of the country.
0 comments - Posted Jun 24, 2009
In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published strong warnings that the type 2 diabetes drug exenatide (trade name Byetta) might increase risk of acute pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas. The FDA's action came in the wake of reports that 30 exenatide users had come down with pancreatitis and that six of them had died from the condition.
1 comment - Posted Jun 19, 2009
I hear voices in my surroundings as the cloud of confusion gradually begins to lift. "Curtis, can you hear me?" "Curtis, what was the score of the football game?" "Curtis, do you know where you are?"
6 comments - Posted Jun 18, 2009
The A1c test (also called the HbA1c test), which establishes average blood sugar levels over a three-month period, should replace fasting plasma glucose and oral glucose tolerance tests as the standard for diagnosing diabetes.
6 comments - Posted Jun 17, 2009
Gale Fullerton is a 65-year-old Californian who has the distinction of being a Joslin 50-Year medal winner. Elliott P. Joslin, M.D., knew that good self-management was the key to minimizing long-term diabetes complications, and the medal program was designed as an incentive for those committed to good diabetes care. In 1970, Joslin Diabetes Center expanded the program and began awarding a 50-year bronze medal. They presented the first 75-year medal in 1996.
24 comments - Posted Jun 16, 2009
Bayer Diabetes Care's new A1c monitor enables people with diabetes to check their A1c levels at home. The FDA-approved A1CNow SELFCHECK is not considered a replacement for a healthcare provider's A1c test, but rather a tool with which to monitor A1c levels between doctor visits. A1c's provide an average assessment of blood sugar levels over the past three months and are an indicator of how well diabetes is being managed
6 comments - Posted Jun 11, 2009
The World Health Organization (WHO) is still deciding whether to declare a global pandemic
0 comments - Posted Jun 10, 2009
Obese lab mice with severe type 2 diabetes had their blood glucose levels restored to normal and experienced a doubling in physical activity when sensitivity to the hormone leptin was restored to a portion of their hypothalamus.
3 comments - Posted Jun 9, 2009
University of Cambridge researchers are reporting that people with type 2 diabetes who maintain strict control of their blood sugar-defined as lowering their A1c levels by 0.9% over a five-year period-can lower their risk of non-fatal heart attacks by 17 percent.
2 comments - Posted Jun 5, 2009
Novo Nordisk has announced that results from a study show that almost 60 percent of type 2 patients taking once-daily doses of its Levemir insulin analog were able to reach the average blood sugar level recommended by the American Diabetes Association.
3 comments - Posted Jun 2, 2009
Never underestimate the power of people with diabetes and their families. When we as a consumer group purchase more fruits and vegetables, walk or bicycle instead of taking the car, and educate ourselves about a healthy lifestyle, we are addressing global issues as well as personal ones and can have a strong, positive effect on the future.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2009
May 2009
A study of Merck's Januvia (sitagliptin), a drug for patients with type 2 diabetes, has found that its use can lead in some patients to a low-grade form of pancreatitis and an increased risk of pancreatic cancer in the long term. However, the study, conducted at the Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center at UCLA, also found that the risks associated with Januvia as a monotherapy are removed when the drug is used in conjunction with metformin (trade name Glucophage). Metformin, a low-cost drug that controls glucose production by the liver, is one of the oldest and most benign standbys in the anti-diabetes arsenal.
0 comments - Posted May 27, 2009
If you have type 2 diabetes, you know that regular sustained exercise is one of the best and easiest ways to manage the disease. At the same time, proper nutrition-eating low glycemic foods, avoiding carbohydrates, and taking supplements, such as vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids-is the other key to non-medicinal control of blood sugar levels.
6 comments - Posted May 26, 2009
Doctors who treat diabetes must often feel like moms who spend 18 years reminding their kids to pick their socks up off the floor. "It just takes two seconds, and your reward is a clean room and a less grumpy mother."
1 comment - Posted May 22, 2009
Smoking has severe effects on your diabetes and your health. Quitting smoking will give you more energy, better control of your diabetes, and less chance of a heart attack or stroke.
5 comments - Posted May 21, 2009
My husband, Simon, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in October 2004. It was managed via oral medication at first, but his blood sugar levels were hard to control, and his doctor prescribed insulin to stabilize his condition.
0 comments - Posted May 21, 2009
Dear Sex & Diabetes, I have had type 1 diabetes since the age of ten. When my husband and I were first married, I had no trouble with my sex drive. After the births of our three children, however, I noticed a big decrease in desire. I have also had a hysterectomy and have gained 50 pounds since we were first married. Do you think my weight has something to do with it? I really don't feel it is fair to put my husband through my lack of desire. He still seems to want me.
2 comments - Posted May 12, 2009
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has just approved the marketing of Cycloset, a type 2 diabetes drug that works by affecting a brain chemical that helps govern metabolism. In doing so, it helps reduce the rise in blood sugar levels that typically occurs after meals. Cycloset will be offered as a monotherapy or in conjunction with sulfonylureas, metformin, or other combination type 2 drug therapies.
2 comments - Posted May 12, 2009
"I think I'm the only blind principal in Los Angeles," stated Connie Gibson after she developed diabetic retinopathy, which later led to sudden vision loss after complications from laser surgery. Now age 59, Gibson is currently legally blind, but has been able to move forward with her life. She continues working and living an active lifestyle despite her disability.
5 comments - Posted May 6, 2009
The American Diabetes Association has released a list of "superfoods" it says "have necessary nutrients for good diabetes management, including fiber, potassium, healthy fats, magnesium and antioxidants."
22 comments - Posted May 5, 2009
Voglibose*, a generic drug often used in combination with sulfonylureas to control blood glucose levels, appears to delay or even prevent the onset of diabetes in people who are predisposed to the disease.
6 comments - Posted May 1, 2009
April 2009
What do you eat in a 140 mile Ironman triathlon? I get that question a lot. It's been said that the Ironman race is 10% fitness, and 90% nutrition. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but for those of us with diabetes, that's our daily life. Nutrition affects everything we do. Exercise, sleep, driving a car, all of those activities require a person with diabetes to think about the carbohydrates they have consumed and when they will eat or drink them again
2 comments - Posted Apr 30, 2009
Although researchers reporting the phenomenon can't quite put their fingers on how it works, a newly released study says that severe hypoglycemic episodes requiring hospitalization among older people with type 2 diabetes create a greater risk - 32 percent - for developing dementia.
1 comment - Posted Apr 29, 2009
Many people with diabetes who have ditched multiple daily injections in exchange for an insulin pump regret not doing so sooner. Ask them why they didn't, and arguably the most common answer has something to do with vanity. Still, while many might feel overjoyed by their optimum blood sugar control, they're not in love with their new appendage and may struggle with self-image as a result.
1 comment - Posted Apr 25, 2009
Women hate their bodies. At least, an overwhelming collection of statistical data suggests as much. Consider the following facts compiled by Liz Dittrich, Ph.D, at About-Face.org, which aims to combat negative and distorted images of women:
0 comments - Posted Apr 24, 2009
The need to investigate and determine normoglycemia in Mexican children under the age of six begins with a lack of relevant published data. Another motive for reviewing the currently recommended glycemic goals for children and adolescents with type 1 stems from the well-known observation that children and adolescents who do not have type 1 do not develop microvascular diabetic complications. Today, thanks to insulin analogs and basal/bolus therapy regimens, children with type 1 have the option of achieving true euglycemia and of potentially benefiting from its advantages.
14 comments - Posted Apr 17, 2009
There is an old schoolyard chant that starts out with an image of two people "sitting in a tree" and "K-I-S-S-I-N-G." This is followed by, "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage." The natural progression of life is to find one's "soul mate," tie the knot, and then have children.
37 comments - Posted Apr 17, 2009
Understanding which proteins help control blood glucose during and after exercise could lead to new drug therapies or more effective exercise to prevent type 2 diabetes and other health problems associated with high blood sugar.
0 comments - Posted Apr 16, 2009
Welcome to Diabetes Health's new column on sex and diabetes, by David Spero RN and Aisha Kassahoun. Once a month, we'll publish questions submitted by our readers, along with David and Aisha's responses. Send your questions to love@diabeteshealth.com and watch for their answers to appear in this column.
9 comments - Posted Apr 14, 2009
Scientists at Jilin University in Changchun, China, have used an ancient trick, employing sugar-loving bacteria, to produce a low-sugar, low-calorie vegetable juice aimed at people with diabetes and pre-diabetes who have abnormally high blood sugar.
4 comments - Posted Apr 9, 2009
University of Cambridge researchers are reporting that people with type 2 diabetes who maintain strict control of their blood sugar-defined as lowering their A1c levels by 0.9% over a five-year period-can lower their risk of non-fatal heart attacks by 17 percent.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2009
University of Cambridge researchers are reporting that people with type 2 diabetes who maintain strict control of their blood sugar-defined as lowering their A1c levels by 0.9% over a five-year period-can lower their risk of non-fatal heart attacks by 17 percent.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2009
My whole childhood, I was a bit of a pudgy girl. At the age of eight, I weighed over 110 pounds, wore a woman's size 8, and stood a mere five feet tall. I wasn't grossly obese, by any means, but it was enough to keep me off the cheerleading squad and out of the popular crowd at school. I didn't really have any health issues besides the weight.
27 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2009
Canadian scientists studying the effects of glucose on cellular aging have discovered an unusual effect that could change how doctors treat diabetes and even address the human lifespan.
2 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2009
March 2009
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) released a statement last week in response to the study published online in the New England Journal of Medicine which suggested that intensive blood glucose control for critical care patients with hyperglycemia doesn't improve outcomes and is associated with an increase in deaths.
1 comment - Posted Mar 31, 2009
I hear voices in my surroundings as the cloud of confusion gradually begins to lift. "Curtis, can you hear me?" "Curtis, what was the score of the football game?" "Curtis, do you know where you are?"
5 comments - Posted Mar 27, 2009
The first time Chris Matthews heard the words "high blood sugar" was in 2002 at a doctor's office in Washington, DC, where he was being treated for malaria after a trip to Zimbabwe. He didn't pay a lot of attention to the warning about his glucose levels after a blood test. The malaria was subsequently cured, and he continued at his usual rapid-fire pace, traveling the country giving speeches about his best-selling books ("Life is a Campaign" is his latest; "Hardball" is his best known) and his work both inside the White House, where he was a speechwriter for President Carter, and outside, where he was administrative assistant to House Speaker Tip O'Neill on Capitol Hill. Then there's his work on television, where he is host of Hardball on MSNBC and the Chris Matthew Show, which airs on Sundays just before Meet the Press on NBC. He stayed busy, and his schedule remained overbooked. He let the warning about high blood sugar go into the background-so far back it was out of sight and definitely out of mind. Besides, there just wasn't any room in his life to deal with it.
10 comments - Posted Mar 26, 2009
If you get less than six hours of sleep per night, your risk of developing impaired fasting glucose rises by a factor of 4.56, according to a report from the American Heart Association.
2 comments - Posted Mar 25, 2009
The FDA has announced that starting in early April, its Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee will begin looking into two new drugs for type 2 diabetes: saxagliptin tablets from Bristol-Meyers Squibb and liraglutide, an injection drug from Novo Nordisk.
1 comment - Posted Mar 24, 2009
This marks the beginning of a new era of living with diabetes! The time has come to end the limited way in which we view, address, and manage diabetes. The perspective that diabetes is solely a medical condition is archaic and is limiting our progress toward improving the lives of all those who live with diabetes. One's experience with diabetes is not determined exclusively by one's medical care. As those who live with diabetes know all too well, diabetes affects nearly every area of their lives. To date, there have been virtually no concerted efforts made to assist people with the array of "non-medical" components that come along with living with diabetes: that is, until now.
15 comments - Posted Mar 20, 2009
Physicians who treat people with type 2 diabetes face difficult choices when selecting the best medical therapy for each patient. The decision process is further complicated by the fact that because type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease, therapeutic agents that were initially successful may fail five or ten years later.
162 comments - Posted Mar 20, 2009
Sanofi-aventis U.S., a maker of insulin as well as many other pharmaceuticals, announced last month the launch of their new YouTube diabetes channel that's designed to challenge the barriers, myths, and misperceptions about insulin use and empower people living with type 2 diabetes to make better-informed decisions for managing their condition. The channel is part of their broader GoInsulin campaign, a multi-media resource for people living with type 2 diabetes to help dispel the myths about insulin.
0 comments - Posted Mar 19, 2009
A report commissioned by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is being published in this month's issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, the National Kidney Foundation's journal. Led by kidney specialists Dr. Andrew S. Levey at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dr. William McClellan at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, the panel of experts designed a comprehensive public health strategy to prevent the development and complications of chronic kidney disease in the U.S.
1 comment - Posted Mar 19, 2009
New cases of adult type 2 diabetes have increased by more than 90 percent in the past 10 years, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease and Prevention.(1) Equally troubling is the dramatic rise in type 2 diabetes among children. Recent reports reveal a 200 percent increase in hospitalizations for children with type 2 diabetes, a condition that was rarely diagnosed in children decades ago.(2) In the words of the CDC, "Diabetes is common, disabling, and deadly."(3)
2 comments - Posted Mar 18, 2009
Scientists at a Cambridge, Massachusetts, laboratory who set out to develop a tattoo for tracking heart health may now be on track for developing a tattoo for people with diabetes that changes color as blood glucose levels rise and fall. If it becomes a workable approach, the tattoo technology could spare millions of people the tiresome, often painful routine of pricking themselves throughout the day to produce blood samples for their glucose monitors.
15 comments - Posted Mar 6, 2009
It was in the spring of 2005 that I received a call from the director of the diabetes camp in the state where I lived and worked as a sales rep for a blood glucose meter company. He was calling to ask if I would volunteer as a counselor at the week-long camp, which served around 200 campers, the vast majority with type 1 diabetes. I'd known for years that counselors were always in demand at the camp, but had never stepped forward to volunteer. I'd heard the stories of how tough and exhausting it was keeping up with your group, performing 2:00 AM blood sugar checks, and ensuring that they all stayed safe and had fun. Frankly, I'd always had serious doubts as to whether I was up to it. This, however, was the first time that I had been directly asked to volunteer, and something inside me made me grudgingly agree. As I drove to the campsite to begin that week in June, though, I'd be lying if I did not admit to being as nervous as any of the kids who were attending.
5 comments - Posted Mar 6, 2009
A few quick, intense bursts of energy, such as 7.5 minutes per week of sprints on a stationary bicycle, may be just as good as 30 minutes per day of moderate exercise in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. In fact, say researchers at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, such short bursts may be even more effective.
2 comments - Posted Mar 5, 2009
I was diagnosed with type 1 relatively late in life, at age 24. People sometimes remark to me, with genuine kindness, that it must have been harder on me. Perhaps they think I recall what it was like to be a "normal" child and young adult, to do and eat what I wanted without insulin, checking blood sugar, or worrying about highs and lows or long-term complications. I appreciate their sincerity, but I always correct them. Diabetes is not harder for me. It is hard on everyone. Whether you were diagnosed as a child or an adult, it complicates your life and the lives of your family.
1 comment - Posted Mar 4, 2009
A few years ago a young man named Jeff came into my office seeking help to lose weight. He was 5'10" tall and weighed 130 pounds. Jeff denied starving himself, denied making himself throw up, and denied over-exercising. I tried to convince him that he was actually 30 pounds underweight. As I looked for the most effective ways of motivating him to restore his health, he brought up the fact that he had type 1 diabetes. Jeff said that he rarely gave himself insulin and that he had "diabulimia." I had never heard of diabulimia and had no idea what I was dealing with. I gave him a list of clinicians and asked him to call me back after he made appointments with an endocrinologist and a psychotherapist.
13 comments - Posted Mar 3, 2009
February 2009
A report in the February 4, 2009, issue of Cell Metabolism says that babies born with neonatal diabetes might be able to avoid irreversible damage to the pancreas if doctors treat them quickly with sulfonylureas rather than insulin.
0 comments - Posted Feb 25, 2009
I admit it: I've had diabetes for seven years, and only recently did I even think about buying a medical alert ID. It's not like me to be this irresponsible, but diabetes crept up on me, rather like type 2 does, although I'm a type 1. My diabetes is a slowly progressing adult-onset form, sometimes called type 1.5. For the first five years after my diagnosis, I controlled the disease with diet.
12 comments - Posted Feb 24, 2009
Data from a phase 3 study of the Novo Nordisk drug liraglutide shows that when it is used in combination with glimepiride, it is more effective at reducing A1c's than glimepiride by itself or glimepiride in combination with the drug rosiglitazone.
0 comments - Posted Feb 19, 2009
Sanofi-aventis U.S. and Children with Diabetes have announced the arrival of a multimedia resource, called the KidCare Kit, which gives families the tools and information they need to get through the challenging first 30 days after a diagnosis of type 1.
0 comments - Posted Feb 18, 2009
Over the past few years, Team Type 1, a team of elite and professional cyclists living with type 1 diabetes, has competed in races like the Tour of Georgia and the AT&T Austin Downtown Criterium, and it has twice won the ultra-endurance, 3,052 mile Race Across America (RAAM).
0 comments - Posted Feb 18, 2009
Bone marrow cells that the body normally uses to restore blood vessels can be cultured to stop neuropathy and restore nerve function in diabetic mice, according to researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.
12 comments - Posted Feb 12, 2009
Cards, gifts, chocolates, flowers, and romantic gestures. Isn't that what Valentine's Day is supposed to be about? My husband Brian and I had been going on that theory until 2002, when the holiday had the audacity to come around again one month after our son Danny was diagnosed with diabetes. That year, we woke up, wished each other Happy Valentine's Day and started talking about blood sugar levels, carbohydrates, insulin, exercise and pharmacies. We hit those same topics during the day by phone, and although we vaguely planned to go out for dinner, by evening Danny wasn't feeling well, and we spent part of the night on the phone to Children's Hospital. We did remember to kiss goodnight before we collapsed into a restless sleep, but were poised for the alarm to wake us, so we could test Danny's blood sugar levels again at midnight.
4 comments - Posted Feb 9, 2009
Baxter International, Inc., which produces the peritoneal dialysis solution Extraneal (icodextrin), has teamed with MedicAlert Foundation International to encourage peritoneal dialysis patients to add a warning to their MedicAlert bracelets regarding the fact that icodextrin may cause false readings on non-specific glucose monitors.
0 comments - Posted Feb 5, 2009
By introducing a protein called cdk6 into human insulin-producing adult beta cells via a virus, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers have induced the cells to replicate "robustly." Previously, scientists believed that beta cells could be induced to regenerate slowly at best, and usually not at all.
0 comments - Posted Feb 5, 2009
As we go to press, President-elect Barack Obama has not yet been sworn into office but he and Senator Tom Daschle, Secretary-designate for Health and Human Services, have made it clear that health care will be a top priority. They have pledged to make health insurance work for people and businesses. One suggested reform in the Obama-Biden health plan is requiring insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions so that all Americans, regardless of their health status or history, can get comprehensive benefits at fair and stable premiums. This will be good news for the diabetes community.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2009
Cards, gifts, chocolates, flowers, and romantic gestures. Isn't that what Valentine's Day is supposed to be about? My husband Brian and I had been going on that theory until 2002, when the holiday had the audacity to come around one month after our son Danny was diagnosed with diabetes. That year, we woke up, wished each other Happy Valentine's Day, and started talking about blood sugar levels, carbohydrates, insulin, exercise, and pharmacies. We hit those same topics during the day by phone, and although we vaguely planned to go out for dinner, by evening Danny wasn't feeling well, and we spent part of the night on the phone to Children's Hospital. We did remember to kiss goodnight before we collapsed into a restless sleep, but were poised for the alarm to wake us so we could test Danny's blood sugar levels again at midnight.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2009
January 2009
Remember that New Year's resolution that you made a few weeks ago? Oh yeah, that one. How's that going? If you're like most people, you may have started to slack off just a little bit. Or even worse, maybe it's already a distant memory. No worries, I won't tell. Let's get you going again.
1 comment - Posted Jan 27, 2009
We first reported on salsalate, an aspirin-like drug discovered in the nineteenth century, last October. At that time, researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston discovered that it appears to reduce inflammation and lower blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes.
2 comments - Posted Jan 27, 2009
Nearly every time that I mention islet transplantation in a conversation about diabetes, the person I'm with responds with a sniff that it's never going to work because of the immune suppression problem.
12 comments - Posted Jan 24, 2009
Hearts in the medical community beat with considerable excitement at the discovery of leptin in 1994. A hormone produced by fat, leptin has a very useful talent: it tells the brain when to stop eating. So hopes were high that leptin would become the basis of an anti-obesity treatment. What could be simpler than to dose an obese person with a hormone that says, "You're not hungry any more, and you want to stop eating."
0 comments - Posted Jan 22, 2009
The treatment of diabetes has come a long way since Dr. Elliot Joslin wrote The Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus in 1916. But Dr. Joslin's idea that diet, exercise, and insulin (when it became available as therapy in 1922) are the keys to managing diabetes remains true today. This doesn't mean that diabetes is not a complex illness requiring ongoing education and individualized care. People with diabetes benefit greatly from the services of a team of health care professionals including a certified diabetes educator and an endocrinologist--a doctor who specializes in treating disorders of the endocrine system.
7 comments - Posted Jan 21, 2009
Current thinking has it that obese people are obese because they engage in less physical activity and burn fewer calories than their thinner counterparts. But suppose you could show that obese women burn just as many calories as their thinner, supposedly fitter counterparts?
0 comments - Posted Jan 21, 2009
One of 2008's most interesting developments was the change in one long-standing recommendation for treating diabetes in people who have had the disease for a long time: Work intensely on getting blood sugar levels as low as possible.
11 comments - Posted Jan 15, 2009
As the 76-million-member Baby Boomer generation ages-its oldest members are now 63-nursing homes are bracing for an unprecedented demand for their services. Along with increased pressure from the sheer number of patients, nursing homes will also have to deal with the skyrocketing number of seniors with type 2 diabetes.
2 comments - Posted Jan 15, 2009
Two diets - one severely restricting carbohydrate intake but with no limit on calories, and the other emphasizing low-glycemic carbohydrates and low calories - allowed high percentages of obese type 2 patients in a university study to reduce or even eliminate their diabetes medications (95.2 percent of the patients on the extreme low-carb diet and 62.1 percent of the patients on the low-glycemic diet).
6 comments - Posted Jan 14, 2009
About half of young people who have diabetes report having tried to lose weight at one time or another, says a Kaiser Permanente Southern California study reported in the December 2008 issue of Diabetes Care.
4 comments - Posted Jan 6, 2009
They start in your forties as periodic mental hiccups where you suddenly lose the thread of a thought. By your fifties, they happen often enough to make you jokingly introduce the phase "senior moment" to your vocabulary. And by the time you enter your sixties, there's not a lot of humor in them any more. Senior moments become an often exasperating stall in conversations and thought.
0 comments - Posted Jan 6, 2009
Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong report that having metabolic syndrome may raise the risk of chronic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
1 comment - Posted Jan 6, 2009
December 2008
Here at Diabetes Health, we've learned the hard way that specific resolutions are the way to go. General plans like "I'll watch my weight" or "I'll check my blood glucose more often" tend to be less successful than the more specific: "I'll eat x number of carbs each meal" and "I'll check my BG before and after every meal."
2 comments - Posted Dec 29, 2008
Every type 1 fears having a hypoglycemic event. Because people are usually more accustomed to dealing with highs, however, a sudden low often catches them unaware. Use this fictional yet typical story to find out what might happen medically during a low and what you need to know to keep hypoglycemia in check.
10 comments - Posted Dec 29, 2008
Are you a scientific anomaly like me? Have you or someone you know reversed the complications associated with diabetes? Did you suffer microvascular and macrovascular damage during the “growing pains” of coming to terms with having no choice but to live your life with diabetes? Then, did you turn around and find love and hope, which made you change your life? And after changing it, did you find after several years that you were healing the damage that you had incurred by your own misguided hand?
117 comments - Posted Dec 25, 2008
Obesity in the United States is increasing in epidemic proportions. This is true in children as well as adults. It's estimated that the healthcare costs associated with obesity and its related complications will exceed $130 billion this year.
52 comments - Posted Dec 25, 2008
The day I heard "Diabetes is not the leading cause of heart attack, blindness, kidney disease, and amputation," my life changed. I had believed the opposite to be true for the 32 years I'd been dealing with diabetes. Complications had always hung like a knife over my head.
14 comments - Posted Dec 22, 2008
Avandia (rosiglitazone) and Actos (pioglitazone), two medications used to lower blood sugar in type 2 patients, double the risk of fractures in women, but not in men, says a new study.
0 comments - Posted Dec 22, 2008
A common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) decreased the average glucose level during sleep of type 2s who were newly diagnosed with OSA. After seven weeks of the therapy, known as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the diabetic patients' average BG level fell 20 mg/dl.
1 comment - Posted Dec 22, 2008
For 2,000 years diabetes has been recognized as a devastating and deadly disease. In the first century A.D. a Greek, Aretaeus, described the destructive nature of the affliction which he named "diabetes" from the Greek word for "siphon." Eugene J. Leopold in his text Aretaeus the Cappodacian describes Aretaeus' diagnosis: "...For fluids do not remain in the body, but use the body only as a channel through which they may flow out. Life lasts only for a time, but not very long. For they urinate with pain and painful is the emaciation. For no essential part of the drink is absorbed by the body while great masses of the flesh are liquefied into urine."
45 comments - Posted Dec 17, 2008
Diabetes Health magazine recently had the pleasure of interviewing Doug Burns for a lengthy feature. He is a well-spoken and forthcoming man with a good sense of humor and an easy-going manner. Altogether, he comes across as a very nice person. On Sunday, however, Doug Burns was severely beaten by police during an episode of low blood sugar that occurred at a movie theater in Redwood City, California.
60 comments - Posted Dec 17, 2008
Most people with diabetes will tell you this: Everything about having it is a hassle, an annoyance and sometimes utterly overwhelming. Endless worrying over meal plans, carbohydrate counting, finger-stick checks, pills, injections, lab tests, prescriptions, supplies and doctors’ appointments are nobody’s idea of fun.
7 comments - Posted Dec 17, 2008
Until fairly recently, low testosterone in men (I call it "low T") was treated only in patients with severe and obvious T deficiencies, such as men with congenital hormonal conditions that affected their pituitary gland or those who had lost both testicles to trauma, tumors, or infections. However, as the medical community has learned more about the benefits of T therapy for men with less obvious causes of low T (e.g., improved sexual desire and function, energy, and body composition), there has been concomitant interest in how T relates to other medical conditions, including diabetes. It turns out that the relationship between low T and diabetes is quite involved, although the final chapter on the ultimate nature of the relationship is still to be written.
1 comment - Posted Dec 15, 2008
An international team of researchers reports that a mutation in a gene that controls a person's body clock can cause higher blood sugar levels, leading to a 20 percent increased risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Dec 15, 2008
How does a mother keep her sense of humor when her 12-year old son has just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes? Well, it's not easy, but...
3 comments - Posted Dec 15, 2008
A doctor is trying to get his patient, an overweight man with diabetes, to lose some weight. "I want you to eat what you always do for two days, then skip a day, then repeat this for two weeks. When you come back, you should have lost five pounds." A month later when the patient returns, he's lost 20 pounds. The doctor is amazed. "Was it hard to follow my instructions?" he asks. "Well, on the third day, I thought I'd die," the man replied. The doctor nodded. "From hunger? " "No," the man replied, "From the skipping."
1 comment - Posted Dec 8, 2008
The first time I presented medical research findings, I was not yet a physician. The year was about 1975. I was in my early forties and a mid-career engineer. The forum was a scientific symposium on diabetes. At the time, I felt that I had discovered the holy grail of diabetes care and was eager to share what I had learned.
22 comments - Posted Dec 8, 2008
Older men who are worried about insulin resistance can take heart from a Tufts University study which shows that higher than normal doses of vitamin K slow development of the condition. (Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body increasingly cannot use insulin properly and blood glucose levels rise. It is a major precursor to type 2 diabetes.)
1 comment - Posted Dec 8, 2008
More than 60 percent of adults with type 1 diabetes are not physically active, according to a study in the November 2008 issue of Diabetes Care. Their reason is fear that exercise will bring on hypoglycemia, leading to such severe consequences as loss of consciousness or even death.
2 comments - Posted Dec 8, 2008
My daughter Lauren was five days shy of her twelfth birthday when she was diagnosed with type 1. We were blessed with a child who could and did take the lead in her recovery and care. She never had any "teen diabetic rebellion" and never adopted a "why me?" mentality. Her health has been great, and her last A1c was 6.7%. With all the hormonal changes that can affect a teenage girl's body and thus change her insulin requirements, Lauren has always stayed on top of her care and never lost her fantastic personality.
24 comments - Posted Dec 2, 2008
People who have been newly diagnosed with diabetes will spend substantially more in the first year on medical costs than their non-diabetic counterparts-an average of $4,174 for a 50-year-old-according to RTI International, a non-profit research institute in North Carolina.
2 comments - Posted Dec 2, 2008
Last week we published an excerpt from Chapter 4 of Sheri Colberg's revised, updated, and expanded version of her 2001 book, Diabetic Athlete's Handbook: Your Guide to Peak Performance. Dr. Colberg has a PhD in exercise physiology, is a Diabetes Health board member, and is herself an athlete with diabetes. Her book draws upon the experiences of hundreds of athletes with diabetes to provide the best advice for exercisers with diabetes, either type 1 or type 2.
0 comments - Posted Dec 2, 2008
November 2008
Diabetes Health board member Sheri Colberg, PhD, has published a completely revised, updated, and expanded version of her 2001 book, Diabetic Athlete's Handbook: Your Guide to Peak Performance. Dr. Colberg, a diabetic athlete herself, has a PhD in exercise physiology. Her book draws upon the experiences of hundreds of athletes with diabetes to provide the best advice for exercisers with diabetes, either type 1 or type 2.
2 comments - Posted Nov 24, 2008
According to a study sponsored by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, it cost $218 billion to treat type 1 and 2 diabetes in the United States in 2007. Of that amount, the federal government spent approximately $85 billion.
1 comment - Posted Nov 24, 2008
I'll never forget the afternoon of January 22, 2003. I was just leaving my classroom when my phone lit up, alerting me to a new voicemail. My heart stopped when I listened to the message. It was my son's pediatrician, asking me to call him back as soon as possible.
2 comments - Posted Nov 24, 2008
Becoming pregnant for the first time can be overwhelming for any woman, especially if that woman has diabetes. When my husband and I decided we were ready to have children, the first thing I did was make an appointment with my endocrinologist. Diagnosed when I was fourteen, I've had type 1 diabetes for twenty-four years. My doctor explained that I would need to be in tight control for three months before I could even think about babies, so I got right to work. Learning everything I could about diabetes and pregnancy, I was pleased to discover that with education, support, and practice, a woman with diabetes has every opportunity for a healthy pregnancy.
7 comments - Posted Nov 17, 2008
Dear Laura,
I just finished viewing your clip online. You seem like a very intelligent and involved mom who decided it was time to take charge. I applaud you, and I agree with many points you make, but I disagree with your position on food.
11 comments - Posted Nov 17, 2008
With more than 2,500 facilities serving 10,000 communities that run the gamut from big-city downtowns to small rural sites, the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) could turn out to be a powerful tool in the fight to prevent diabetes.
1 comment - Posted Nov 17, 2008
A compound in brown rice called acylated steryl glucoside (ASG) can significantly reduce the chances of the nerve and vascular damage that often results from type 1 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Nov 17, 2008
I have been reading a lot about diabetes on the Internet ever since I was diagnosed less than a year ago, and I wanted to share my experiences.
8 comments - Posted Nov 10, 2008
A study published in the August 25 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports that people with type 1 diabetes "may not judge correctly when their blood sugar levels are too low and may consider driving with a low BG." In the study, "low" was defined as less than 70 mg/dl.
15 comments - Posted Nov 10, 2008
The ADA has a new book out, called What to Expect When You Have Diabetes: 170 Tips for Living Well With Diabetes.
1 comment - Posted Nov 10, 2008
When I was growing up in the South, my mother always told me, "You are what you eat." With Americans leading the pack in obesity and type 2 diabetes, it appears that she may have been right. Years of drive-through dinners and instant breakfasts have caught up with us, making us rethink every bite that passes our lips in our quest to fight off the complications of diabetes.
7 comments - Posted Nov 3, 2008
Even as diabetes researchers worldwide strive for total control over-or even an outright cure of-type 1 diabetes via gene therapy, altered cells, or surgical intervention, other researchers continue to press toward creation of a functional "artificial pancreas."
1 comment - Posted Nov 3, 2008
October 2008
I read with interest the article by Cynthia Heinz in which she spoke to her local school board, describing a worst case scenario for a child with severe hypoglycemia. As a veteran parent with 15 years of dealing with diabetes in our local public school, I have a few things to add to the discussion.
9 comments - Posted Oct 27, 2008
A recent Wall Street Journal article shows once again how misinformation about diabetes-related topics can be spread by even the most expert journalists.
3 comments - Posted Oct 27, 2008
I have had type 1 diabetes for 16 years and, after a long path with many ups and downs, I have finally achieved optimal diabetic health. I have discovered the special lifestyle and diet mix that works and have brought my A1c from 11.4% to 5.2% while increasing my energy and overall health. I'm an elite athlete who plays professional ice hockey, and I currently run marathons.
19 comments - Posted Oct 27, 2008
Halloween scares me. It scares me even after seven years of helping my 14-year-old son with diabetes enjoy the holiday. We have created a comfortable tradition. Our neighbors get Danny non-food items. We go to a neighborhood bonfire and tell scary stories, and my husband Brian buys back most of Danny's candy and brings it to his office. Through experience, I am no longer afraid of the possible highs and lows, and, thanks to the blessing of cell phones, even Danny's teenage wandering feels okay. If you were a spider on our wall, we'd all appear excited and happy about Halloween.
7 comments - Posted Oct 20, 2008
In gastric bypass surgery, the surgeon basically lops your small intestine in two and then hooks it back up again in such a way that it's much shorter than before. With the first section of your small intestine out of commission, food flows directly from your stomach to the middle of your small intestine. When less intestine is available to absorb food, less food is absorbed, not surprisingly. It works, but it's not pretty.
3 comments - Posted Oct 20, 2008
I rush to the hospital, hoping to get there in time. When I arrive, I find my newly diagnosed diabetic with a blood sugar of 1027. He is vomiting all over the place and might have a seizure soon. He is in diabetic ketoacidosis. It's time for my dream job.
5 comments - Posted Oct 13, 2008
Ben Vereen, the Tony Award-winning, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-nominated actor, was diagnosed with type 2 on Christmas Day last year.
0 comments - Posted Oct 6, 2008
According to the British public health organization Diabetes UK, a four-year study has shown that the drug candesartan reduces the chances of people with type 1 diabetes developing retinopathy by almost 20 percent.
1 comment - Posted Oct 6, 2008
The diagnosis of type 1 diabetes peaks at 13 to 14 years of age, but at any age it immediately requires children and adolescents to learn many complex facets of glycemic self-management. Dr. Elliot Joslin's belief of 85 years ago, that education is not just part of the treatment of diabetes, but rather the treatment itself, still holds true.
1 comment - Posted Oct 6, 2008
I'll never forget the afternoon of January 22, 2003, and the phone call that came from Derek's pediatrician. I was just leaving my classroom that day when I noticed the light on my phone lit up, alerting me to a new voicemail. My heart stopped when I listened to the message. The doctor asked me to call him back as soon as possible.
2 comments - Posted Oct 6, 2008
Heritage Labs has introduced the Appraise® Home A1c Kit, a product that allows people with diabetes and pre-diabetes to measure their average blood glucose level over a three- or four-month period.
5 comments - Posted Oct 6, 2008
I awake at 1:00 am with a feeling of sickness in my stomach. I wonder if it's from anxiety created by a weird dream, hormonal imbalances, and/or high blood sugar. Or did I go to bed angry? The deep-sunken feeling of thick stagnant sludge in my stomach begins to settle into my consciousness. My Mini Mag flashlight illuminates the blood sugar meter, which reads 357. I remember in my high blood sugar fogginess that my blood sugar was 140 before I went to sleep, and I did nothing out of the ordinary. Now, only a few hours later, I am rudely awakened and have to force myself to gather my senses to correct the situation. Fluctuations in blood sugar are mind boggling and frustrating, not to mention the feelings of irritability, anger, fatigue, victimization, and depression that come along in daily life with diabetes. It can create a sense of failure if one does not get a handle on creating a healthy mind, body, and spirit.
5 comments - Posted Oct 6, 2008
November is National Diabetes Awareness month. It's a good time to reflect on your blood glucose successes and have compassion for what you may view as failures. What's in a glucose reading anyway? It's just a number. It gives you feedback for a certain time period. Everyone struggles with maintaining good blood sugars. The important thing to remember is that you are not alone. In this issue, you will find everyday heroes who are committed to reminding other people that we are all in this together. Since dialog is what it's all about when dealing with your diabetes, I am happy to tell you about a new section of our popular web site, Diabetes Health Forums. It's a place where you can participate in an existing discussion or start a new one of your own. Learn more at www.diabeteshealth.com/forums.
0 comments - Posted Oct 2, 2008
September 2008
An article published in Diabetologia this month challenges the accepted glucose cut-off values that define hypoglycemia because they have a major effect on reported frequencies of hypoglycemia.
11 comments - Posted Sep 29, 2008
Bret Michaels was only six years old when he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Now 44 years old, he's a twenty-year veteran of the rock and roll scene as the lead singer of the eighties band "Poison."
64 comments - Posted Sep 22, 2008
A professional doctors' group has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to require that Avandia's warning label include a statement that a low-fat vegan diet is a safer, more effective approach to lowering blood sugar levels than the drug itself.
20 comments - Posted Sep 22, 2008
These days, Doug Burns is a modern Sampson. The reigning Mr. Universe, he’s two hundred pounds of sheer muscle and the picture of good health. Of the skinny little boy with type 1 who used to work out in the woods alone, all that remains are a wry sense of humor and an attractively self-deprecating manner. They’re unexpected in a man who’s triumphed in the uber-masculine world of bodybuilding, but there’s a lot that’s unexpected about Doug Burns.
31 comments - Posted Sep 22, 2008
Gastroparesis doesn't sound good, and it isn't. Literally "stomach paralysis," it is a form of diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage, that is a common complication of diabetes. The damaged nerve in question is the vagus nerve, named for its vagabond-like wandering nature.
27 comments - Posted Sep 22, 2008
I remember the call from the doctor's office two weeks after a long overdue annual physical. I sat in the examining room expecting to hear the usual "lose weight" diagnosis. I had been feeling tired and had been making more than a few daily trips to the bathroom. But in spite of the fact that my grandmother, father, cousin, and brother all suffered from type 2 diabetes, I was not prepared for my doctor's stern warning: My sugar had been totally out of control for several months. I needed to adjust my diet and lifestyle immediately. I was a 40-year-old chocoholic and totally calorie clueless. I also weighed 255 pounds. The doctor prescribed an oral medication and told me that monthly visits for testing would now be required. I thought, OK, I can do this.
1 comment - Posted Sep 18, 2008
People who tightly control their blood sugar-even if only for the first decade after they are diagnosed-have lower risks of heart attack, death, and other complications ten or more years later, a large follow-up study has found.
0 comments - Posted Sep 18, 2008
Diabetes educator Cindy Young used case studies to illustrate the many little things that can have a big effect on your blood glucose-or just on the readings you get with your meter.
7 comments - Posted Sep 11, 2008
A Canadian clinical study has delivered a double dose of good news for proponents of exenatide (sold commercially as Byetta), a drug used by more than 700,000 Americans to control blood glucose, ease food cravings, and, incidentally, lose weight.
3 comments - Posted Sep 11, 2008
A study sponsored by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation confirms that many older type 1 patients achieve better control of their blood sugar levels by using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) than by conventional monitoring with a meter and finger pricks.
1 comment - Posted Sep 11, 2008
When I became a type 2 about fifteen years ago, I wanted to find a way to manage my weight and blood sugar with diet and exercise. I tried the high carb diet recommended by my doctor and dietitian for a time. It worked wonderfully well while my blood sugar level was high, but when my blood sugar stabilized and I was able to go off medication, I started gaining weight again. The next thing I tried was low carbohydrate dieting. I found it to be a very effective way to lose weight rapidly, but I was unable to endure the regimen for more than a short time.
5 comments - Posted Sep 11, 2008
With 21 million U.S. residents now officially diagnosed as having diabetes, healthcare professionals are looking at another statistic that is causing them many a sleepless night: The Centers for Disease Control estimate that there are 57 million people with pre-diabetes in the United States. (Pre-diabetes is defined as impaired fasting glucose of 100 to 125 mg/dl, impaired glucose tolerance of 140 to 199 mg/dl, or both.)
6 comments - Posted Sep 4, 2008
When Gina Capone, a thirty-something type 1 for eight years, got married this year, she and her husband decided it was time to start thinking about having a baby. Like all women with diabetes who are planning a pregnancy, Gina needs her A1c to be as low as possible in order to prevent complications for her and her baby. This strict control can be very challenging and time-consuming, requiring up to 20 blood sugar tests a day.
3 comments - Posted Sep 4, 2008
August 2008
As an Ironman triathlete with type 1, I get asked a lot of questions.
How do you control your blood sugar during a race?
What foods do you eat?
What products do you use?
How do you balance work, family, training, and diabetes?
Sometimes, people simply ask me if I am nuts.
3 comments - Posted Aug 28, 2008
The members of the AADE are an impassioned group who genuinely want to make a difference in their patients' lives. It was an ideal place for me to be, especially because I had a concern of my own: Why am I getting red dots every time I inject? Every educator I asked went right to work examining the problem and investigating my behavior, truly wanting to help. Unfortunately, they are dwindling in number each year, while patients are increasing in number, making their work ever more demanding.
4 comments - Posted Aug 20, 2008
I was forty-five years old when I found out that I had type 2 diabetes. I don't know why I was shocked. Diabetes ran like a river through my family. My father had type 1. He died at the age of forty-one from a heart attack, but my mother always insisted that it was partly because he didn't "manage" his diabetes well.
2 comments - Posted Aug 20, 2008
Diabetes educator Mary M. Austin reported that many people are paying for blood glucose test strips even though their insurance plans would cover them. "There is a lot of misunderstanding," she said. For example, a client of Austin's got a free meter at a health fair. He then paid for strips on his own for six months, until he found out that his insurance plan would cover them if he got a prescription for the strips from his healthcare provider.
3 comments - Posted Aug 20, 2008
A recent story put out by the British Broadcasting Corporation proclaimed that eating broccoli could reverse the damage to heart blood vessels caused by diabetes.
2 comments - Posted Aug 14, 2008
Several months ago researchers suspended work on the landmark ACCORD (Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes) study, which tracked 10,251 type 2s, some of them undergoing very tight control of their blood sugar levels.
0 comments - Posted Aug 14, 2008
At the beginning of 2007, we began studying guidebooks and making reservations for a long-anticipated trip to New Zealand and Australia. With limited funds and so much we wanted to do, we decided our budget would go farther if we stayed at hostels. At the same time, we were concerned about Al’s rising blood sugar scores. After visiting relatives during Christmas and celebrating the New Year, Al’s morning scores were as high as 154 mg/dl.
3 comments - Posted Aug 14, 2008
The hemoglobin A1c test (HbA1c) is a staple among people with diabetes attempting to map out their long-term blood glucose levels. However, it is not a standard test for non-diabetics, even those whose doctors suspect they may have the disease.
14 comments - Posted Aug 5, 2008
The incidence of limb-threatening ulcerations in diabetics is very high, affecting approximately one in six to seven patients. Non-healing "diabetic" ulcers are the major cause of leg, foot, and toe amputations in this country, after traumatic injuries such as motor vehicle accidents. These ulcerations do not occur spontaneously; they are always preceded by gradual or sudden injury to the skin by some external factor. Preventing such injuries can prevent their sad consequences.
5 comments - Posted Aug 4, 2008
July 2008
When does a visit to the eye doctor mean more than just a new pair of glasses and a change in prescription? When it can change—or even save—your life.
7 comments - Posted Jul 31, 2008
In a report published in the December 23, 2000, issue of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), researchers at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom write that hypoglycemia is one of the complications of diabetes most feared by patients. They point out, "Intensive research has been devoted to the development of hypoglycemia alarms."
13 comments - Posted Jul 31, 2008
Hostility and anger are associated with higher blood glucose levels in non-diabetic single men, new research shows.
2 comments - Posted Jul 25, 2008
A new Spanish language consumer guide to type 2 diabetes, called “Pastillas para la diabetes tipo 2,” has been released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The guide provides information on how to control type 2 and includes comparisons of oral medications. AHRQ data show that nearly one in eight Hispanics takes a prescription drug for diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jul 25, 2008
You might think that having a disease is the last thing you would want broadcast over the World Wide Web. But for some writers, getting the word out there is the main idea. In a world inundated with celebrity gossip and angst-ridden posts, a few people rise above the online mess and use their blogs to foster a sense of community in what could otherwise be an isolating dilemma: living with diabetes.
10 comments - Posted Jul 25, 2008
Before diabetes, I was a normal teenager whose greatest worry was whether I’d get an A or a B on a test. I was strong and healthy. Somehow, I took for granted all the freedoms that diabetes took away from me. Last year, at the age of fifteen, I learned that every day, even every breath, that we are given is a true gift.
4 comments - Posted Jul 25, 2008
What follows is Medtronic's response to Zachariah Kramer's letter to Diabetes Health cautioning against unrealistic expectations about CGM systems.
2 comments - Posted Jul 16, 2008
Have you heard the story of the little boy who was on the beach after a storm? Thousands of starfish had washed ashore, and he picked up one after another and threw them back into the sea. A man watched him work and after some time said to the boy, “Look at all these starfish. You’re never going to be able to save them all. Do you think all your work will make a difference?” The boy thought for a minute as he looked up and down the beach. “I don’t know,” he said as he picked up another starfish and flung it into the brine, “but it sure will make a difference to this one!”
4 comments - Posted Jul 10, 2008
Metformin, combined with dietary changes and exercise, seems to help obese pre-diabetic adolescents, especially girls, lose weight, says a report in the June 2008 Journal of Pediatrics.
8 comments - Posted Jul 10, 2008
A University of Texas professor of medicine says that diabetes doctors should take “a leap of faith” and begin administering newly-diagnosed people with diabetes a “triple treatment” consisting of the drugs metformin, pioglitazone and exenatide.
4 comments - Posted Jul 10, 2008
VALLEY STREAM, NY: July 2, 2008 -- On Tuesday, July 1 online community Diabetes Talkfest sponsored the first CGMS Denial Day online rally highlighting the excessively high rate of denials issued by insurance companies for continuous glucose monitors. CGMS have been proven to help people with diabetes control their blood sugar levels, and quality of life. The event was held in association with social network site Tudiabetes.com.
5 comments - Posted Jul 3, 2008
The Food and Drug Administration is considering a requirement that before receiving agency approval, new diabetes treatment drugs must not only lower blood sugar levels, but also demonstrate a positive effect on heart disease and lifespan.
1 comment - Posted Jul 3, 2008
June 2008
Years ago, John Bantle, MD, gave brownies to people with diabetes. Brownies made with real sugar. And their blood glucose levels…did not skyrocket.
27 comments - Posted Jun 26, 2008
Dear Editor:
A few weeks ago, I was reading in bed at around one o’clock in the morning. I got up to administer my twice-daily Lantus dose and a small amount of Humalog to "cover" the carbs I'd consumed about an hour earlier.
1 comment - Posted Jun 26, 2008
This year Carb Cards™ have added calorie and fat gram information to the 3rd edition of the carbohydrate counting flashcards. Twelve new cards with information on such foods as oatmeal, beans, and fish have been added to the revised 55-card deck to encourage healthier choices and more variety in meal planning.
1 comment - Posted Jun 26, 2008
When you have diabetes, you make the acquaintance of a lot of high-tech tools to help you manage it: monitors, meters and pumps. One very handy tool that sometimes gets overlooked is a digital scale for weighing and analyzing the nutritional content of food.
1 comment - Posted Jun 19, 2008
It doesn’t matter whether your doctor is a blunt bull-in-a-china-shop type or a hand-holder who tries to deliver the news as softly as possible: it’s a shock when you learn you have type 2.
3 comments - Posted Jun 19, 2008
Canadian researchers report that succinobucol, an anti-oxidant drug used to treat cardiovascular inflammation, appears to have a beneficial effect in lowering the risk of developing diabetes. Even patients who already have diabetes, they say, achieve better blood sugar control while on the drug.
1 comment - Posted Jun 19, 2008
Diabetes treatments are now the leading driver of prescription drug spending growth, displacing lipid-lowering drugs, which tumbled in price after a reign of 10 years in the top position. Generic drugs are cutting the cost of treating high cholesterol.
2 comments - Posted Jun 12, 2008
Dear Diabetes Health,
After reading the story in the April/May Diabetes Health about the mother and daughter who won approval from Blue Cross/Blue Shield to pay for the continuous monitor, I wanted to share our story.
5 comments - Posted Jun 12, 2008
May 2008
The desire to be thin can be overwhelming. Few people know that better than Kelie Gardner, who started inexplicably losing a lot of weight during high school. She thought it was great until she discovered the reason—she has type 1 diabetes and her body can’t absorb the nutrients it should. After she was diagnosed and started taking insulin, Gardner returned to a healthy weight. Unfortunately, she wasn’t happy with this sign of improvement. “When I was on insulin, my body was able to start functioning normally,” says Gardner, now 26. “I went up to a normal body weight, but I was used to being skinny. I had the fear of, ‘Oh gosh, I’m going to be fat.’”
21 comments - Posted May 30, 2008
While none of us would have asked for diabetes, and it's a semi-regular (OK, almost constant) pain in the butt, and I go from highs to lows both in my blood sugar and my frustration level, I still try to remain focused on my blessings: the good in my life and what diabetes gives me.
1 comment - Posted May 30, 2008
HealthDay reports that according to a University of Miami study, people with type 1 diabetes who received transplanted islet cells from human donors lived insulin-free for up to two years.
1 comment - Posted May 30, 2008
Is it possible that a dip in the hot tub can cause a dip in the blood sugars? According to a pilot study that appeared in the September 16 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), "hot tub therapy" helped a group of type 2s reduce their blood sugars, lose weight and improve sleep patterns.
11 comments - Posted May 23, 2008
Dear Editor, I am a medical student in the M.D. program at Oregon Health and Sciences University and a type 1 diabetic of almost 10 years. I use a Medtronic pump and I also use their continuous glucose monitoring system (Paradigm Real-Time).
34 comments - Posted May 22, 2008
Let me start with my maternal grandmother, Helen. Helen had diabetes and lived to the age of 73. We all assumed that she didn’t do a good job with it, as we would often find candy wrappers under her bed. When it came to taking care of herself, Helen was my mother’s role model.
5 comments - Posted May 15, 2008
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), people with diabetes are more prone to periodontitis, tooth decay, oral fungal infections, taste diminishment, gingivitis and delayed healing time than people without the disease.
7 comments - Posted May 15, 2008
You can't have diabetes without knowing about the merits of exercise.
1 comment - Posted May 8, 2008
"Insulin Quiz: Are You Smarter Than a Doctor" (April-May '08, pp 12-15) was an excellent article, if perhaps a little frightening. I couldn't help but wonder how well the parents of diabetic children would do on the quiz, and where they might have learned their lessons.
6 comments - Posted May 8, 2008
BOZEMAN, Mont. (April 30, 2008) – Governor Brian Schweitzer appeared at Montana State University Tuesday to celebrate Montana’s scientific contribution to the development of barley varieties that serve as a natural way to help manage diabetes, heart disease and obesity.
3 comments - Posted May 8, 2008
I was diagnosed with type I insulin-dependent diabetes 54 years ago at the age of 22 months. A dear family friend suggested my parents take me to our family doctor and have me checked for diabetes after I showed some of the more common symptoms. I was unusually cranky and always hungry, but had a stomach that was hard to the touch as though food was not digesting properly. I was also always thirsty, drinking a lot and urinating frequently. Our doctor tested my blood sugar, and the result was high enough to indicate diabetes. He put me on 60 units of insulin per day and told my parents to take me to the hospital 30 miles from the little Western Kansas town where we lived to get a shot of insulin once a day.
17 comments - Posted May 8, 2008
Most people are aware of the health hazards that come with sugar consumption. Still, sugar restriction is difficult for our generation, which has developed a strong sweet tooth. However, for those who want to or must limit sugar, there is an extensive variety of sugar substitutes on the market.
21 comments - Posted May 1, 2008
A word of caution about the values used below. This study was conducted using people without diabetes. Some people with diabetes experience symptoms at higher glucose levels than the study suggests. Other people with diabetes appear to function well with blood sugars in the 30's and 40's (mg/dl). Therefore, the values in the study should only be used as an approximation. This study also used plasma glucose levels. Your values done at home might be 20 percent lower or higher than these lab values. For example, epinephrine release in someone without diabetes would begin at about 63mg/dl with a home blood glucose meter.
43 comments - Posted May 1, 2008
April 2008
Carol Whitton of Coral Springs, Florida, discovered that her blood sugar often increased sharply after she drank a diet soda while dining in a restaurant. So she started to test her diet drinks for sugar, a practice she learned from watching the “Living With Diabetes” television program.
29 comments - Posted Apr 28, 2008
Have you ever met anyone who thinks they get enough exercise? Everywhere you look there are books, web sites, exercise videos and articles telling people how to get started and how to stay motivated. Our family certainly avoided any kind of exercise plan. Although we played in the yard, took walks, rode our bikes, and played soccer, I never woke up thinking, "What can we do for exercise today?" Even though I knew we weren't active enough, I didn't want another thing to do.
0 comments - Posted Apr 28, 2008
The FDA has cleared the OneTouch UltraLink wireless meter as the only meter certified by Medtronic to wirelessly communicate with its diabetes management products in the United States. The meter uses Medtronic-certified wireless technology to transmit glucose readings directly to MiniMed Paradigm insulin pumps and the Guardian® REAL-Time continuous glucose monitoring system. This makes bolus dosing more accurate and easier for patients compared to the manual entry of blood glucose readings.
8 comments - Posted Apr 28, 2008
Does anyone living in our well-nourished country, eating a reasonable diet, really need to take vitamins, minerals, or herbs? Should a person with diabetes take them? If so, which ones and how much? When it comes to supplements, the answers are often unclear.
20 comments - Posted Apr 23, 2008
A Question-and-Answer Session With Jordan Hoese, A 14-Year-Old Type 1 Marathon Runner.
16 comments - Posted Apr 21, 2008
I was working at my computer when my 37-year-old daughter, Laura, walked into my home office and burst into body-wrenching sobs. She finally managed to blurt out that a doctor had just told her that my 7-year-old grandson had juvenile diabetes and needed to go straight to the hospital. I didn't want to add my own upset to the chaos of the day, so I went through the motions, calming Laura and being as helpful as I could. My husband Jack, a psychiatrist, canceled his patients and picked up Danny and his ten-year-old sister Jessica at school. The five of us met Laura's husband Brian at the hospital and spent two days learning as much as we could about Danny's diabetes.
5 comments - Posted Apr 21, 2008
This is a thank-you note for the article, “An Appeal to Insulin Manufacturers,” on page 27 of Diabetes Health (Feb/March 2008). In the 10 years that I have been using insulin, I have made the “near fatal” mistake twice. I use Lantus and Apridra (5 units of Apidra before breakfast and lunch, and 8 units before dinner; 50 units of Lantus at bedtime). I realized what I had done after the fact and stayed up all night eating and monitoring. I was so scared each time I ate my blood sugar up to 300 mg/dl and 400 mg/dl!
1 comment - Posted Apr 21, 2008
It is estimated that nearly 3 million African-Americans have diabetes – 17 percent of all diabetes patients in the United States. That figure is growing as the proportion of African-American patients diagnosed with diabetes consistently increases year to year, according to research from GfK Market Measures’ Roper Global Diabetes Group.
0 comments - Posted Apr 16, 2008
Forty-six years of coping with IDDM hasn’t stopped me! I’m a published, award-winning poet, an actress and, in my “retirement,” a vocalist. All this from a girl from a far off place known as The Bronx – and a policeman’s daughter, no less!
0 comments - Posted Apr 16, 2008
Hi, Mr. King: Thanks so much for Diabetes Health. Being a type 1 diabetic, I have benefited from many of its articles. I would like to tell you a story concerning my daughter, Morgan, and say what an inspiration Nick Jonas from the Jonas Brothers is. Morgan is 12-½ years old and a huge Jonas Brothers fan! Of course she and her friends wanted tickets for the Louisville Palace show in February. A few of her friends’ mothers went and stood in line on the cold morning that the lottery tickets went on sale.
53 comments - Posted Apr 10, 2008
When Dee Brehm was diagnosed in 1949 with type 1 diabetes, her prospects were not bright: a permanent chronic condition, a reduced life span, potentially devastating complications and perhaps no children. She married Bill Brehm in 1952, and they began a partnership knowing that together they would have to manage her disease. Dee subsequently defied the dim outlook for her life: She has two children and six grandchildren, and she has surpassed the half-century mark with this disease having been spared the ordeal of complications.
23 comments - Posted Apr 2, 2008
March 2008
People who live with diabetes on a daily basis are usually instructed to eat right, maintain regular physical activity, and if necessary, take medication. What many may not know is that these medications that help control healthy insulin levels may lead to unexpected events at the dentist’s office. According to a study in the November/December 2007 issue of General Dentistry, the clinical, peer-reviewed journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, diabetic patients especially need to communicate special needs to their dentists. This is because of harmful interactions that could occur with materials and medications used at dental appointments.
5 comments - Posted Mar 27, 2008
What is “surprising” about the partial halting of the ACCORD study (“Diabetes Study Partially Halted After Deaths,” Feb. 7, 2008) is that the researchers were so surprised by completely predictable results.
13 comments - Posted Mar 27, 2008
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles is seeking participants with type 2 diabetes for a randomized, controlled clinical study to evaluate an implantable device that delivers electrical impulses to the stomach.
0 comments - Posted Mar 27, 2008
Fifteen-year-old Californian Laura Miller, a brittle diabetic, and her mother, Gillian, thought they had a strong case when they asked Blue Cross in late 2007 to pay for a continuous glucose monitor for her.
15 comments - Posted Mar 27, 2008
Editor:
My son was diagnosed in August 2007 with juvenile diabetes. I am a registered nurse and was devastated by the diagnosis because I was just completely paralyzed by the fear of potential complications. It was also a tremendous shock to be on the other side of health care – receiving information from hurried staff, including doctors, glancing at their watches while I asked one too many questions.
28 comments - Posted Mar 21, 2008
“You need dialysis” are words nobody wants to hear. But today kidney failure doesn’t have to mean driving to and from a clinic three times a week and having a lesser quality of life. Hemodialysis (HD) can safely be done in the privacy of your home in two new ways: daily and nocturnal home HD, both of which can help you feel better and live longer.
6 comments - Posted Mar 19, 2008
Scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston have initiated a phase 1 clinical trial to reverse type 1 diabetes. The trial is exploring whether the promising results from the laboratory of Denise Faustman, MD, PhD, can be applied in human diabetes.
13 comments - Posted Mar 19, 2008
Five weeks ago I hurt my ankle. Really hurt it. I either tore a tendon or a ligament or had a severe stress fracture or something. Although I’ve been to my podiatrist twice now, the diagnosis is still unclear. The X-ray showed no break, and while the doc didn’t feel I needed an MRI, I figured that if my insurance paid for it, I did. I want to know we’re doing everything possible to get this fixed as quickly as possible (which already seems impossible after five weeks), because not walking is having several unpleasant effects on me:
3 comments - Posted Mar 19, 2008
The table was set for Thanksgiving and all the family was there. Joey, the baby, was the center of attention. This would be the second Thanksgiving he had witnessed in his relatively short life. Somebody remarked that he looked thin, but Sandra, Joey's mother, thought that it was just a sign of growth. As the turkey and mashed potatoes were served, the family turned its attention away from the cooing baby to ladling piles of food onto plates. Joey didn't eat much that night, but kept asking for more to drink.
20 comments - Posted Mar 13, 2008
Perhaps more than anyone, people with diabetes know that the motto “Just say no” often doesn’t work.
28 comments - Posted Mar 13, 2008
Blood sugar control is the heart and soul of diabetes management. How you handle it determines what will be the consequences of your diabetes.
2 comments - Posted Mar 13, 2008
It's not easy to do, but regular exercise is a wonderfully effective way to control your blood sugar and fend off the other metabolic effects of diabetes.
4 comments - Posted Mar 13, 2008
NEW YORK – Growing evidence shows that surgery may effectively cure type 2 diabetes – an approach that not only may change the way the disease is treated, but that introduces a new way of thinking about diabetes.
18 comments - Posted Mar 13, 2008
For the first time, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) came out in support of low-carbohydrate diets for people with diabetes who want to manage their weight. The ADA announced this landmark decision in December 2007 with its 2008 clinical practice recommendations. The latest recommendation is in sharp contrast to decades of promoting only low-fat/high-carb diets.
2 comments - Posted Mar 9, 2008
What is the secret of effective weight management? When a person develops type 2 diabetes, this is a critical question. Losing weight is one of the most successful ways of dealing with this disorder. This is the challenge that I faced when I diagnosed as diabetic about 15 years ago.
2 comments - Posted Mar 7, 2008
Continually revved up insulin production, the kind that results from overeating and obesity, slowly dulls the body’s response to insulin. As a result, blood sugar levels start to creep up, setting the stage for diabetes-associated complications such as blindness, stroke and renal failure. To make matters even worse, chronically elevated blood sugar concentrations exacerbate insulin resistance.
1 comment - Posted Mar 6, 2008
Janel Johnson also works for Can-Am Care, and is the product manager for their line of glucose products (Dex 4) designed to treat hypoglycemia. She talks with Scott King about the new ways to get the glucose we need when we are having episodes of low blood sugar. Products include tablets, gels, and liquids.
0 comments - Posted Mar 5, 2008
February 2008
About 10 years ago Diabetes Health began reporting on "omission," the practice among some type 1 teen girls of deliberately stopping their insulin intake to produce drastic - and fast - weight loss.
1 comment - Posted Feb 29, 2008
A study at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark says there is a link between type 1 or pregnancy-related diabetes in mothers and the later onset of type 2 diabetes in their children.
1 comment - Posted Feb 27, 2008
A British study of 800 people 65 and older concludes that people with diabetes are more likely than non-diabetics to experience difficulties walking, dressing and climbing stairs.
1 comment - Posted Feb 26, 2008
Until August 2006, I was a healthy 44-year-old female with no family history of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes has been so difficult, not because of the shots or management - although it is incredibly time-consuming to take care of yourself.
66 comments - Posted Feb 23, 2008
Just after a massive U.S. study dropped its aggressive treatment of blood glucose levels because of increased deaths among type 2 patients, international researchers announced that their similar intense study of tight blood sugar control showed no increased risk of death.
0 comments - Posted Feb 22, 2008
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the newest continuous glucose monitoring system from diabetes management device manufacturer Medtronic.
0 comments - Posted Feb 15, 2008
"Constant Vigilance!" roars Mad Eye Moody, Harry Potter's Defense Against the Darks Arts teacher. "You need preparing. You need arming. But most of all, you need to practice constant, never-ceasing vigilance. Get out your quills…copy this down…"
0 comments - Posted Feb 14, 2008
To successfully treat diabetes, you must take charge of your own diabetes management. You need to know your medications, and you need to know your pharmacist. But that kind of intimate knowledge has become a lot more complex in the past decade.
3 comments - Posted Feb 12, 2008
After seeing an increase in deaths among type 2 participants, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has halted the intense blood sugar control portion of its years-long study on controlling cardiovascular risks to people with diabetes.
14 comments - Posted Feb 8, 2008
Pioneering low-carb diet advocate Dr. Richard K. Bernstein has responded to the American Diabetes Association's recent support for low-carb diets with a critique of several of the ADA's most cherished notions.
30 comments - Posted Feb 8, 2008
I have been using insulin for over 29 years, and during this time I have experienced too many lows to recall. My endocrinologist informed me that insulin users who have an A1c less than 7 percent typically require emergency assistance for hypoglycemia about every six to nine months.
26 comments - Posted Feb 7, 2008
Recently, meal-replacement bars, powders and beverages have been touted as a popular way of providing nutritious options for today's busy lifestyles, as well as aids for weight loss and poor appetite.
0 comments - Posted Feb 5, 2008
SK: We’re joined on our show by Craig Eberhard, vice president of sales at Amylin Pharmaceuticals. Hey, Craig, thanks for coming on the show. Amylin has one of the most innovative products that I’ve heard of in years. It’s called Byetta.
8 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2008
January 2008
It is always interesting trying to observe something that we don't ourselves live with. Though I do not have diabetes, I am surrounded by it through family, friends and work on a daily basis.
13 comments - Posted Jan 30, 2008
I just had a frightening experience. A severe hypoglycemic, I took my regular 5 units of R Humulin 30 minutes before lunch. Instead of my normal sandwich and milk at lunch, I drank a glass of Slim Fast with milk. I carefully read the label and figured out that it was almost identical to the sandwich in calories, carbs and sugars.
11 comments - Posted Jan 30, 2008
Eight-year-old Olivia Miller asked for a Chihuahua for Christmas, but what she received was far more precious than just any pet. That's because Olivia and her new little dog both have diabetes and today they comfort and encourage each other through the rigors of dealing with the disease.
3 comments - Posted Jan 27, 2008
Swedish scientists have found that alcohol lowers blood sugar by redirecting blood within the pancreas and sending massive amounts of it to the islets.
16 comments - Posted Jan 23, 2008
"It feels like you accidentally pricked yourself with a pin, only it's not accidental and you have to do it over and over again in the same areas."
34 comments - Posted Jan 18, 2008
I'm a juvenile diabetic. Although, mind you, at 48, it's a bit of an oxymoron, isn't it? I'm also, for the first time, a newlywed.
10 comments - Posted Jan 18, 2008
Statins, the drugs now widely used to control "bad" LDL cholesterol in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients, should be offered to most people with diabetes regardless of their age, sex or cardiovascular health and history.
0 comments - Posted Jan 16, 2008
To successfully treat any disease, one must know what disease to treat. Treating only a symptom of the disease will leave the underlying disease unchecked and possibly worse. For example, we evolved the "runny" nose to help us clean out upper respiratory infections. So taking a decongestant to eradicate the symptom of a "runny" nose is actually counterproductive for the underlying disease.
23 comments - Posted Jan 13, 2008
Startling statistics are only one reason sufferers should get help and why research into this lethal combination must continue. On the list of deadly diseases in the United States, diabetes ranks fifth. And for so many reasons: major killers like heart attack and stroke are among a slew of diabetes' potentially lethal complications.
15 comments - Posted Jan 12, 2008
The National Athletic Trainers Association has issued a seven-element plan for helping athletes with type 1 diabetes maintain proper blood sugar levels while competing, training or traveling.
2 comments - Posted Jan 10, 2008
Here's a sour little bit of good news for type 2s: taking two tablespoons of vinegar at bedtime can lower fasting glucose levels the next morning by as much as 6 percent.
19 comments - Posted Jan 8, 2008
As the parents of a very active and accident-prone 13-year-old son, my husband and I have had our share of emergency room visits.
1 comment - Posted Jan 5, 2008
You and everybody else alive encounter stress, daily, hourly and minute by minute. As unavoidable, inscrutable, and sometimes as aggressive as the IRS, stress is part of the human condition. It is not just a sense of being tense but is any event that causes a complex physiologic response called the "stress response."
4 comments - Posted Jan 3, 2008
Because scientists often tend to dismiss what they don't fully understand, many of them used to think that C-peptide had no physiological function. But while it's true that C-peptide does nothing to lower blood sugar, recent research is finding that it might have a role in preventing diabetes complications.
19 comments - Posted Jan 3, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS, July 21 - Eli Lilly and company today announced that it has begun limited testing in healthy human volunteers of biosynthetic human insulin produced by recombinant DNA technology. The company also announced that it has started construction of the world’s first manufacturing facilities—at a cost of $40 million—to employ recombinant DNA technology to produce the biosynthetic human insulin.
1 comment - Posted Jan 1, 2008
December 2007
African-American and Chinese women who eat foods that are high on the glycemic index may carry a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to two recent university studies.
1 comment - Posted Dec 31, 2007
When a woman is pregnant, she needs to produce more insulin than usual because her body is feeding more cells than normal. A hormone, prolactin, which is abundant during pregnancy, causes more pancreatic islet cells to grow in order to produce the extra insulin.
0 comments - Posted Dec 30, 2007
We can only conclude that the universe is being perverse again when it comes to the way it treats type 2s: Diabetes writer David Mendosa has reported there are new studies show that the caffeine in coffee causes moderate increases in glucose levels.
11 comments - Posted Dec 29, 2007
Recently on "Good Morning America," a friend of mine (and fellow A1c champion) watched author Gary Taubes talk about his new book, Good Calories, Bad Calories. My friend sent this email around: "Taubes says that exercise makes us hungry for carbohydrates and that carbohydrates cause insulin secretion, which creates fat."
49 comments - Posted Dec 27, 2007
I recently had the good fortune to come across two very good cookbooks for people with diabetes. The first is The All-Natural Diabetes Cookbook: The Whole Food Approach to Great Taste and Healthy Eating, by Jackie Newgent, RD, published by the American Diabetes Association.
0 comments - Posted Dec 25, 2007
There's now plenty of evidence that U.S. ethnic minority groups tend to have higher A1c levels than whites. (Your A1c is the percentage of your hemoglobin cells that are glycated - have sugar stuck to them. The higher your blood sugars are, the more sugar sticks to your hemoglobin over time, and the higher your A1c is.)
1 comment - Posted Dec 24, 2007
When my son Danny was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, I was in such a state of shock that I couldn't absorb the two days of education that our hospital provided. My head was reeling.
1 comment - Posted Dec 22, 2007
Vigorous exercise is a powerful preventive when it comes to type 2 diabetes, but what if the glow of perspiration isn't your best look? Happily for those of us who prefer strolling to straining, it appears that a leisurely walk to work is mighty effective as well.
1 comment - Posted Dec 17, 2007
To conclude our pump survey, we asked you how you'd like to see pumping improved. As usual, you came up with a plethora of intriguing suggestions, although some were a bit more visionary than others: One reader said, "I wish someone would invent a device that could be waved over a meal, and it would display the number of carbs in the meal."
43 comments - Posted Dec 14, 2007
Hiring a babysitter is not a problem for most parents, but for parents of kids who have diabetes, it is very challenging. Babysitting such a child is a huge undertaking, and it takes a lot of experience.
0 comments - Posted Dec 12, 2007
In a recent randomized study, 69 people with type 2 diabetes who were already taking metformin were given either Byetta or Lantus for a full year. When the results were in, Byetta came out ahead on several fronts.
10 comments - Posted Dec 11, 2007
Diabetes Essentials is a group of four nutritional supplements recently released by Nutrition 21. They include Diachrome Blood Sugar Health capsules; the same product in a drink powder called Nutrition to Go; Multivitamin Nutrition to Go powder; and Heart Health tablets.
4 comments - Posted Dec 10, 2007
I have lived with type 2 diabetes for thirteen years, and I know very well how to take care of myself. In fact, I have it down to a routine. The flaw of a routine activity, however, is that it is so very routine: you go through the motions without thinking. And that, as I learned to my deep chagrin, can be dangerous.
42 comments - Posted Dec 6, 2007
Scientists have been having fun again making themselves specially engineered mice. This time they knocked the gene that makes glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) right out of their ever-accommodating mice.
0 comments - Posted Dec 5, 2007
In an Italian study to compare once-daily injections of insulin glargine (Lantus) with once-daily injections of insulin detemir (Levemir), 24 patients with type 1 diabetes were treated for two weeks with either one or the other in a randomized double-blind study.
14 comments - Posted Dec 4, 2007
Diabetes is not a disease of blood sugar. It is a disease of insulin and, perhaps more importantly, leptin signaling. Until that truth is accepted, we will continue to see epidemic growth in type 2 diabetes and obesity, growth that underscores the inadequacy of current conventional medical treatment and the falsity of prevailing nutritional advice.
27 comments - Posted Dec 3, 2007
Scott King: Do you have any innovative approaches to treating type 2 diabetes?
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2007
David Bradley, age 44, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1991. A talented artist who recently went on the pump, he expresses his experiences with diabetes through his multimedia art.
1 comment - Posted Dec 1, 2007
November 2007
You can make any insulin last longer by injecting a large enough shot. (See Scott King's column, "Why Smaller Shots of Insulin Get Absorbed Faster, Peak Sooner, and Are Out of Your System Quicker", for the math on this.) In fact, about 25 years ago, Dr. John Galloway of Eli Lilly and Company performed an important experiment that demonstrated this very fact.
7 comments - Posted Nov 30, 2007
For my contribution this month, I wanted to share an important lesson I learned about twenty years ago from Peggy Wong at the UCSF Diabetes Teaching Center. It concerns how long insulin lasts after you push down that plunger and create a "depot" of insulin under your skin.
12 comments - Posted Nov 28, 2007
Many medications, both oral and injectable, exist to manage blood glucose in type 2 diabetes. Even insulin has many different formulations, including fast-acting and long-acting analogs as well as various pre-mixed combinations of faster and slower acting insulins in the same vial.
9 comments - Posted Nov 27, 2007
In July, I flew from New York City to Phoenix to meet my new book agent. (Trust me, I would not have deliberately sought out 100-degree weather without good reason.) Always thinking ahead, I decided to bring along a fancy new bag specially insulated to keep my insulin cool. Alas, either the bag failed me, or I failed the bag.
3 comments - Posted Nov 25, 2007
In the early 1980s, human insulin produced by recombinant DNA technology came onto the market. It was the first time that this technology had been used in medicine, so hopes were high.
8 comments - Posted Nov 23, 2007
Most diabetes drug trials focus strictly on the medication's effect on blood sugar levels, but ignore that medication's impact on other outcomes that are important to patients, such as quality of life and the risk of complications.
7 comments - Posted Nov 23, 2007
A study out of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center has found that to restore normal glucose levels in type 1 diabetic mice, it's not enough to halt the destruction of their beta cells. You also have to reverse the muscle and fat inflammation that prevents insulin from transferring glucose into those tissues.
1 comment - Posted Nov 22, 2007
Once upon a time in a land called Sweeten, there lived a beautiful princess named Princess Tootsweet. She had long flowing hair, large dark eyes, and a lazy pancreas.
7 comments - Posted Nov 21, 2007
Many tests try (and many fail) to accurately predict whether a person will eventually develop type 2 diabetes. But they often test for single conditions, like impaired glucose tolerance, that don't appear until the road to diabetes is already well begun.
0 comments - Posted Nov 21, 2007
It's well known that dogs can somehow sniff low blood sugars. Many people credit their dogs with waking them up when they were dangerously low. How the dogs do it has been a mystery, but now there's evidence that they may be sniffing methyl nitrates on their owners' breath.
1 comment - Posted Nov 18, 2007
First we find out that our belly fat is an endocrine organ, and now it's our bones. Dr. Gerard Karsenty of Columbia University has discovered that bone-building cells (osteoblasts) secrete a hormone called osteocalcin that not only tells the beta cells to secrete more insulin, but also causes the number of beta cells themselves to increase.
0 comments - Posted Nov 18, 2007
Parents have always said that they can tell when their children's blood sugar is high by their kids' behavior, which tends to change, and not for the better, when their sugar is high. Now a formal study has confirmed just that.
6 comments - Posted Nov 17, 2007
Diabetes educators are no less than a lifeline for patients, providing vital insights into the self-care behaviors that keep diabetes in check: managing blood sugar, dosing medications and insulin, exercising, and understanding all the numbers involved.
30 comments - Posted Nov 15, 2007
In a recent three-month study, 43 non-insulin-dependent people with type 2 diabetes were given either a daily dose of 1000 milligrams of cinnamon or a placebo.
24 comments - Posted Nov 15, 2007
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just approved pre-filled pens for administering Symlin, which was previously available only in vials. The SymlinPen 60 delivers 15, 30, 45, or 60 micrograms per dose.
9 comments - Posted Nov 14, 2007
SoLo Gi® Low Glycemic bars are delicious. We can vouch for that because we've eaten our way through all five flavors. And because they're clinically validated to have a very low glycemic index, they don't raise your blood sugar like other snack bars.
0 comments - Posted Nov 11, 2007
Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and fires strike fast, creating challenges that can be especially difficult for people with diabetes.
1 comment - Posted Nov 9, 2007
In research reports, they're always talking about glucose clamps. Two types of clamps are quite commonly used, but they have nothing to do with the common definition of the word clamp. Instead, they are used to measure either how well you metabolize glucose or how sensitive you are to insulin.
1 comment - Posted Nov 7, 2007
El Paso, Texas, October 31, 2007 - Diabetes has become the leading cause of death in Mexico and the third-leading cause of death among those living along the U.S. side of the border, according to a new study presented today by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
1 comment - Posted Nov 2, 2007
October 2007
According to a recent study reported at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), people with type 2 diabetes have significantly higher average white blood cell counts, no matter if they are fat or thin.
5 comments - Posted Oct 28, 2007
Stevia is a natural sweetener made from the leaves of a South American herb, Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, commonly known as sweetleaf or sugarleaf.
7 comments - Posted Oct 24, 2007
A low glycemic diet is sometimes advised for people with diabetes because it raises blood sugar slowly and reduces blood sugar spikes. Well, now Australian dermatologists have found that it clears up your skin as well.
4 comments - Posted Oct 23, 2007
I am a survivor and proud of it. Not only have I lived with diabetes for 52 years, since the age of five, but I am also a breast cancer survivor for over fifteen years.
3 comments - Posted Oct 22, 2007
On most cruises, a low-carb diet is the last thing on people's minds. In fact, stuffing yourself 24/7 is pretty much the order of the day.
0 comments - Posted Oct 21, 2007
When calculating glycemic index (GI) values, glucose is arbitrarily given the highest GI value: 100. To assign a GI value to another type of carb, a complex process is used to compare the blood sugar response elicited by the test carb to the blood sugar response provoked by glucose.
2 comments - Posted Oct 18, 2007
The take-home message from the Tufts study is that the GI value of white bread is 70. That's nothing new: The same value has been found in dozens of other studies around the world (1).
2 comments - Posted Oct 18, 2007
The higher your blood glucose is during pregnancy, the greater your child's chances of growing up to be obese, according to a recent study published in Diabetes Care.
0 comments - Posted Oct 15, 2007
Symlin, or pramlintide, is synthetic amylin, a natural hormone that slows stomach emptying and leads to a feeling of fullness. Currently Symlin is used to dampen blood sugar rises in people with diabetes, but it's showing potential as a weight loss drug as well, according to a recent study.
1 comment - Posted Oct 12, 2007
Josephine Kulman has had type 1 diabetes for 45 years, ever since she was five years old. For much of her life, her blood sugars were rarely in control.
32 comments - Posted Oct 11, 2007
Halloween and candy…candy and Halloween. No other holiday is so inextricably tied to sweets. It wasn't very long ago that I too was handing out Reese's Cups and Snickers bars to the troops of tiny ghosts and ballerinas who crowded around our door chirping "trick or treat!"
1 comment - Posted Oct 9, 2007
I was ten years old when my seven-year-old brother, Danny, was diagnosed with diabetes. After his diagnosis, he got pretty much all of my parents' attention.
0 comments - Posted Oct 6, 2007
Researchers recently studied the bones of 41 children with type 1 who were an average of ten years old and had had type 1 for about four years.
0 comments - Posted Oct 2, 2007
Saul Katz is one charismatic health bar maker, a fascinating talker and visionary who makes health bars seem like the most important thing in the world. In 1989, he began his quest to create a "functional food" that would combine science, nature, and great taste in a snack bar. Not only did he want his bar to promote health, enhance performance, and prevent disease; he also dreamed of air-dropping his bars to disaster victims in need of a good self-contained meal. It's taken over a decade of intense scientific alchemy to achieve, but he's managed to do it all.
1 comment - Posted Oct 1, 2007
Bryan Stubblefield is a big ruddy man with the gentlest manner you could imagine. This is the story of his little boy, who's overcoming almost insurmountable problems, and of the man who has learned from him what it really means to be a father.
1 comment - Posted Oct 1, 2007
September 2007
When I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last year, my doctors and I were rather shocked. I was only 27 years old at the time, slender and in good shape. Diabetes does run in my mother's side of the family, so I wasn't completely taken aback.
2 comments - Posted Sep 28, 2007
American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad, Inc., also known as AYUDA, is a small organization with a lofty goal: to bring the diabetes camp experience to underprivileged children and youth with type 1 diabetes around the world.
0 comments - Posted Sep 28, 2007
Until now, there were only two blood sugar numbers you had to worry about: your A1c and your fasting glucose level. The first, according to IDF guidelines, should be 6.5% or below, and the second 100 mg/dl or below.
6 comments - Posted Sep 27, 2007
In two recent studies, WelChol, a drug already approved for lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol was found to lower A1c's in patients with type 2 diabetes. The first study showed that WelChol, when added to insulin, lowered A1c's by an average of 0.5% compared to a placebo group.
0 comments - Posted Sep 26, 2007
I met Perry at a neighborhood Food Co-op four years ago when he noticed my jacket's JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) emblem, introduced himself, and asked if I knew of any diabetes support groups. His three-year old son, Max, had recently been diagnosed with type 1.
1 comment - Posted Sep 24, 2007
If ever there were a diabetic trailblazer, the honor should go to James William Quander, the longest-living African-American with type 1 diabetes on record. Born in 1918 in Washington, D.C., he was diagnosed with diabetes in early 1924, shortly before the age of six.
0 comments - Posted Sep 21, 2007
It will soon be November, and National Diabetes Month will be here once again. It's a time when I like to reflect upon my past with diabetes and try to look into the future.
0 comments - Posted Sep 20, 2007
Studies of rats, those ever-useful creatures, have already shown that a fatty heart accompanies obesity and type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, the heart fat produces toxins that cause heart cell death and then heart failure.
0 comments - Posted Sep 20, 2007
As a scientist who has type 1 diabetes, Dr. Kowalski knows that the cure may be a long time coming. But he's optimistic, nevertheless, because he believes that technology will revolutionize diabetes management long before the cure raises its shy little head.
1 comment - Posted Sep 18, 2007
Swaying in rhythm like drunk fans singing their team fight song, we campers bellowed our camp theme, clapping and banging on dining tables: "Shock, shock for Camp Firefly! We take the insulin - try not to cry!"
7 comments - Posted Sep 18, 2007
I've been doing a lot of flying lately, and it's given me time for reflection. While aloft a few days ago in JetBlue's comfy seat, as I took out my syringe and Humalog to dose for my snack, I realized how many things I no longer do that I was once taught to do.
1 comment - Posted Sep 16, 2007
A review of sixteen studies, examining 836,941 people who sustained a total of 139,531 hip fractures, has found that diabetes, especially type 1, makes you more likely to break your hip.
0 comments - Posted Sep 15, 2007
Diabetes is sometimes called "the thinking person's disease," and it's not hard to understand why. One consequence of living with diabetes is a constant undertow of diabetes-related thought.
1 comment - Posted Sep 10, 2007
Life in the trenches with type 1 diabetes is challenging. Unpredictable blood sugars can leave a person with diabetes (PWD) feeling frustrated and helpless. The acute toxic effects of abnormal blood sugars also contribute to depression, anxiety, irritability, and food cravings.
4 comments - Posted Sep 9, 2007
We recently wrote about a study which concluded that blood glucose meters are a waste of time for people with type 2 diabetes who are not using insulin ("Is Using a Meter a Waste of Time for Type 2s?"). Our readers vehemently disagreed with that conclusion.
2 comments - Posted Sep 6, 2007
An Australian review of six short clinical trials has found that low glycemic diets (which involve eating foods that raise blood sugar slowly instead of quickly) cause about two pounds more weight loss than calorie-restricted diets.
3 comments - Posted Sep 4, 2007
A study published in the August 2007 Lancet examined 8291 Italians who'd recently had a heart attack. Three years later, a full third of them had developed either type 2 diabetes or impaired fasting glucose.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2007
August 2007
The mad science of genetic engineering is busily engaged in finding all sorts of novel ways to make insulin. We recently reported on cloned cows that will give insulin-containing milk ("Got Insulin-Containing Milk?").
0 comments - Posted Aug 31, 2007
A Canadian Olympic rower and marathon runner, Chris Jarvis, age 26, exhibits the endurance of most elite athletes. However, few would know that for nearly 13 years he has lived and struggled with type 1 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Aug 25, 2007
There are plenty of corporate weight-loss programs around, but Lite For Life is a weight loss program with a difference: Its philosophy is based upon the work of Seale Harris, a diabetes pioneer who discovered hyperinsulinism (excess secretion of insulin related to insulin resistance) in 1924.
3 comments - Posted Aug 20, 2007
An old and inexpensive drug, hydroxychloroquine, has been found to help prevent type 2 diabetes in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
0 comments - Posted Aug 19, 2007
Courtney Lovell remembers vividly when her little sister, Marah, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. As the eldest in a family of seven children, Courtney was her mom's right hand.
1 comment - Posted Aug 16, 2007
A meta-analysis of 29 studies, none longer than six months, has shown that incretin therapies (like Byetta and Januvia) are moderately effective in lowering blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes, especially after meals.
0 comments - Posted Aug 16, 2007
Five hundred thousand New Yorkers have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and another 200,000 have diabetes and don't know it yet - that's a total of one out of every eight adults.
0 comments - Posted Aug 13, 2007
A study of 2,375 middle-aged British men reports that those who drank at least a pint of milk a day were 62 percent less likely than non-milk-drinkers to have metabolic syndrome (defined as raised levels of two or more of the following: blood glucose, insulin, blood fats, body fat, and blood pressure).
0 comments - Posted Aug 11, 2007
Diabetes is a chronic yet manageable malady; as such, it requires constant interaction between the person and the disease. You must pay attention to the endless flow of information produced by your various management tools.
1 comment - Posted Aug 10, 2007
Between two million and ten thousand years ago, during the Paleolithic era in which we evolved, there was no agriculture, no farmed grains, no refined fat or sugar, little salt, and no dairy.
0 comments - Posted Aug 10, 2007
Studies have already shown that people with diabetes do worse than non-diabetics after being hospitalized for stroke, heart attack, and heart surgery. Now researchers have found that they do worse after being hospitalized for trauma (a physical injury) as well.
2 comments - Posted Aug 9, 2007
That old standby, metformin, is still your best bet. In fact, there is no benefit in taking the newer oral medications unless you can't tolerate the older ones.
0 comments - Posted Aug 8, 2007
Both Bristol-Myers Squibb and GlaxoSmithKline are developing new drugs that block the re-absorption of excess glucose by the kidneys, allowing it to be excreted by the body instead.
0 comments - Posted Aug 4, 2007
In 1999, Virginia passed a law requiring non-medical school personnel to help students with their type 1 diabetes whenever a school nurse isn't around. A recent study looked at who was filling in for the missing nurses and whether they were doing a good job of it.
0 comments - Posted Aug 3, 2007
Parents of newly-diagnosed children with diabetes have something in common - they don't sleep soundly through the night. Anxiety soars in the darkness. When our son Danny was diagnosed at age seven, my husband Brian and I barely closed our eyes, and we set our alarm to check on him at least once every night.
3 comments - Posted Aug 2, 2007
According to a University of Oxford study led by Dr. Andrew Farmer, home monitoring of glucose with a meter did not improve glucose control in non-insulin-requiring people with type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2007
On July 30, 2007, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel voted 22 to 1 to keep Avandia on the market, right after agreeing by a vote of 20 to 3 that Avandia does increase heart risks. Now the FDA will decide what kind of warning should appear on the Actos and Avandia labels. It has already called for a black box warning, the sternest possible, on Avandia.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2007
July 2007
Here's one more small fact to add to the mountain of reasons not to smoke: A recent study indicates that if you are a smoker with type 1 diabetes, your odds of severe hypoglycemia (involving loss of consciousness or overnight hospitalization) are 2.6 times greater than those of someone with type 1 who's never smoked.
2 comments - Posted Jul 30, 2007
This issue, we lay out the many devices with which diabetic people must poke themselves: syringes, pen needles, and lancing devices. And we top them off with a sprinkling of sugar: a chart outlining all the sources of fast-acting glucose.
0 comments - Posted Jul 26, 2007
Not to be outdone by his older brother Gerald (the oldest living person with diabetes most of his life), Bob Cleveland is believed to be the longest-living person with type 1 diabetes to date after Gladys Dull, who beats him by less than a year.
2 comments - Posted Jul 24, 2007
A life-time resident of the Syracuse, New York, area, Gerald Cleveland has had a history of not quite coming out on top - at least until now.
2 comments - Posted Jul 19, 2007
Lantus and Levemir have a lot in common. Both are basal insulin formulas, which means that they last for a long time in the body and act as background insulin, with a slow feed that mimics the constant low output of insulin produced by a healthy pancreas.
103 comments - Posted Jul 17, 2007
Two-thirds of pregnancies in women with diabetes are unplanned. How long after conception do those women realize they're pregnant? They may be eight weeks into their pregnancy before they know it's happened.
5 comments - Posted Jul 14, 2007
Born on the family dairy farm in New York, the second of five children, Carolyn Gridley was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after her grandmother noticed sugar crystals on her diaper that attracted the bees and flies around the farm.
1 comment - Posted Jul 11, 2007
How elevated does your blood sugar have to be before you're diagnosed with gestational diabetes? Not near as elevated as we used to think, according to the findings of the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) Study.
0 comments - Posted Jul 10, 2007
You have made a point of checking your blood glucose and getting your annual eye and foot checkups. You track your blood cholesterol and blood pressure. But now the pain in your hip is unbearable and interfering with your walking program, so your doctor suggests hip surgery. You will be admitted to the hospital for hip surgery, not diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jul 9, 2007
An overview of 103 research reports comprising 10,455 subjects has found that it's better to stick to exercise than to spread yourself too thin by trying to change your activity level, diet, and medication all at the same time.
1 comment - Posted Jul 9, 2007
Sidney, NY, July 6, 2007 - A study by the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston has found that the AT-A-GLANCE® Balance & Stretch® Day Planner is an effective tool in improving the management of type 1 diabetes in children. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) highlighted the results of the study at its 67th Scientific Session in Chicago.
0 comments - Posted Jul 7, 2007
Each year, one hundred thousand peregrinos, or pilgrims, set out for Santiago De Compostela in northwestern Spain to visit the bones of St. James buried beneath the cathedral. Called El Camino de Santiago, it's one of the world's largest Christian pilgrimages.
1 comment - Posted Jul 6, 2007
If you like cinnamon on your pudding, you could be in luck. In a Swedish study of fourteen healthy pudding-eating subjects, a teaspoon of cinnamon sprinkled on top dampened the post-meal blood glucose rises usually seen after a pudding fest.
0 comments - Posted Jul 6, 2007
Q: My mother, who is a "brittle diabetic," has been sent to a skilled nursing facility for two weeks of rehabilitation following a seven-week hospital stay. I am amazed and frightened at the lack of concern for and attention to her diabetes care at the nursing home.
1 comment - Posted Jul 3, 2007
I was diagnosed with diabetes in September 1953. During that summer, I was in my second year of graduate school at UCLA when I noticed that I was losing weight and had severe polyuria (frequent urination).
1 comment - Posted Jul 1, 2007
June 2007
Kevin Powell is an athlete, first and foremost. Twice a year, he competes in an Ironman event, a grueling test of endurance that entails a 2.4-mile swim and a 112-mile bike ride, topped off by a full marathon of 26.2 miles.
2 comments - Posted Jun 28, 2007
Kamaal Washington was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was nine. He's thirteen now. In those four years, he's become an advocate for diabetes and the author, with his brother Malcolm and help from his parents, of a diabetes educational superhero comic book that's swept the nation beyond their wildest expectations. But it all started when he began to be really, really thirsty.
1 comment - Posted Jun 27, 2007
As many of us know to our dismay, the desire to chow down fatty, sugary food can be very strong indeed. In a recent six-week study of 88 obese, non-diabetic men and women, Symlin, a synthetic hormone currently used to dampen diabetic blood sugar swings, was found to dampen those very desires.
1 comment - Posted Jun 27, 2007
In a recent Dutch study, researchers gave either a placebo or a daily dose of 400 micrograms of chromium in the form of chromium yeast to 57 obese, insulin-requiring type 2 patients with A1c’s above eight percent.
0 comments - Posted Jun 25, 2007
Adolescents don't always check their blood glucose levels as often as they should. Because frequent monitoring is a keystone of diabetes care, this can make their parents frantic.
0 comments - Posted Jun 24, 2007
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of three, and I have lived with it for 62 years. I can still remember my mother learning to inject insulin into an orange at Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas.
1 comment - Posted Jun 24, 2007
Anne Williamson has had type 1 diabetes for forty years, since the age of seven. But because of the Easter basket incident, she still vividly remembers her time in the hospital. Anne was alone in her hospital room when a volunteer insisted on leaving a candy-filled Easter basket by her bed.
0 comments - Posted Jun 23, 2007
Prickly pear pads, otherwise known as nopales, are a staple of Mexican cuisine: People in mid- to low socioeconomic populations in Mexico tend to eat them about three times a week. Apparently they're pretty tasty when stripped of their prickles and boiled up in bite-sized pieces.
0 comments - Posted Jun 22, 2007
The results of our pump survey are in, and we had 841 respondents! Clearly, people are passionate about pumping, both pro and con. In fact, they seem to be more passionate about pumping than about sex, judging by the far greater response we got to this survey than we did to our survey about women and sex!
9 comments - Posted Jun 21, 2007
These days, it doesn't take much imagination to envision a weapon, bomb, chemical, or biological threat occurring at school. Such a situation, although unlikely, is a possibility in today's world. Consequently, parents must consider whether their diabetic child is properly prepared for a crisis. An examination of your child's school emergency plan may be well worth your time.
0 comments - Posted Jun 20, 2007
If you want to brown meat really nicely, add sugar and then fry it up. If you want insides as inflexible as burnt barbeque, years of elevated blood sugar will do the job in much the same manner.
0 comments - Posted Jun 17, 2007
In 1960, I was a scrawny thirteen-year-old…very scrawny. When my mother recognized that I was eating a lot (and drinking a lot) and not gaining any weight, she took me to the family doctor, who diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetes. I recall that my parents were devastated.
0 comments - Posted Jun 16, 2007
A company called Sugarest has developed a pill made from the Indian herb Gymnema sylvestre that purports to deaden your ability to taste sugar, thereby rendering sweets tasteless.
0 comments - Posted Jun 15, 2007
In a recent University of Michigan study, rats bred to develop high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and impaired glucose tolerance received a diet that included at least one percent freeze-dried powdered whole tart cherries for a period of ninety days.
0 comments - Posted Jun 15, 2007
Several years ago, my husband Brian and my son Danny were eating at the Food Court of a local mall. "Dad, when someone gets three wishes from the genie in the lamp, why don't they just wish for more wishes?" Danny asked.
0 comments - Posted Jun 14, 2007
Twenty-five years ago, at the age of seven months, Phil Southerland was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Doctors at the time gave his mother very dismal predictions about his prospects, but he blew all those right out of the water.
0 comments - Posted Jun 13, 2007
When Maureen "Moe" Murray was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1954, she was told that she probably wouldn't live to adulthood. If she did, she wouldn't be able to get pregnant, and if by some miracle she did conceive, she would certainly miscarry. Fifty-two years later, she's a dynamo of a woman who's disproved every one of those dire predications.
0 comments - Posted Jun 8, 2007
People without diabetes completely miss the real difficulties of being diabetic. For one thing, it's not so much about what I can't eat as what I have to eat.
0 comments - Posted Jun 6, 2007
I'll never forget coaching my oldest child's soccer practice on that cool damp evening in late April. The moment I laid eyes on my ten-year-old daughter as she walked onto the soccer field, I knew that something wasn't right.
0 comments - Posted Jun 6, 2007
In a recent Dutch study, researchers gave either a placebo or a daily dose of 400 micrograms of chromium to 57 obese, insulin-requiring type 2 patients with A1c's above eight percent.
1 comment - Posted Jun 3, 2007
I recently had the privilege of interviewing Ginger Graham, the CEO who led Amylin during the launch of its two first-in-class medicines, Byetta and Symlin. A fascinating woman with a very personal leadership style, she had the following to say about her past achievements and her future hopes.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2007
NEW YORK, May 29, 2007 - The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is proud to announce that recording artist Elliott Yamin will serve as a celebrity advocate for its signature event, “Children’s Congress,” and their “Promise to Remember Me” campaign.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2007
May 2007
On May 30, 2007, prosecutors dropped the assault charges against Doug Burns, the champion bodybuilder whom we profiled extensively last month. The decision to dismiss the case and not go to trial was based upon evidence from an endocrinologist that Doug was in diabetic shock at the time of the incident and therefore had a viable defense of unconsciousness.
0 comments - Posted May 31, 2007
Analysis of several recent studies indicates that Avandia (rosiglitazone), a type 2 diabetes medication that's been taken by more than six million people worldwide, is associated with a 43 percent increased risk of heart attack and with a borderline-significant increased risk of heart attack-related death.
0 comments - Posted May 31, 2007
The recent ruckus over the drug rosiglitazone (Avandia) has been portrayed as another case of Big Pharma foisting a dangerous drug on the public while the overworked FDA can't keep up.
0 comments - Posted May 31, 2007
Two new meters that purport to measure your blood glucose without a fingerstick are currently in the works–again. The road to a non-invasive meter is one that many have traveled before, but no one, thus far, has ever reached the market.
7 comments - Posted May 30, 2007
That long snout on a typical dog is there for a very good reason. It gathers up scent molecules and sends them deep down to special sniffing cells that hold 25 times the number of scent receptors that we humans have. Dogs can sense complex odors that are 100 million times weaker than our little noses can. Among those scents is the chemical mix that bodies manufacture when they are getting dangerously low on blood sugar.
1 comment - Posted May 29, 2007
Meters have come a long way since 1969, when the first meter went on the market. The meter measured the amount of light reflected off a Dextrostix, a paper strip that turned various shades of blue, depending on blood glucose level, after a large drop of blood was placed on it and then washed off.
0 comments - Posted May 24, 2007
Recently, while preparing to give a speech, I found myself reminiscing about my life with diabetes. It was 33 years ago that I was diagnosed with type 1, but I remember it like it was yesterday.
0 comments - Posted May 22, 2007
Aggressive management of diabetes can lead to more episodes of severe low blood sugar, but a new study has found that these episodes apparently don’t impair cognitive (thinking) function.
0 comments - Posted May 18, 2007
Forty Years Old and Leaking Like a Sieve - When I turned forty, my body began to break down like an old used car.
0 comments - Posted May 18, 2007
Back in 2003, a study in Diabetes Care showed that in thirty people with type 2 diabetes, one to six grams of cinnamon daily for forty days resulted in a drop in blood sugar levels, triglycerides, and LDL (bad cholesterol)...
4 comments - Posted May 17, 2007
INDIANAPOLIS Data from a pooled analysis of three studies suggest that in patients with pain caused by diabetic nerve damage, or diabetic peripheral neuropathy, who are treated with Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl), improvements in both average daily pain and night pain severity were associated with less pain-related sleep interference than in those patients taking sugar pill.
5 comments - Posted May 15, 2007
In the March 2007 issue of Diabetes Care, Swedish researchers examined the fasting plasma glucose levels and post-load (after being given glucose) sugar levels of 33,293 women and 31,304 men.
0 comments - Posted May 14, 2007
Sanofi-aventis and the Patient Mentor Institute are looking for people with diabetes to become patient mentors with the A1C Champions® program – a unique, patient-to-patient approach to diabetes education.
2 comments - Posted May 12, 2007
Diabetes may delay the graying of your eyebrow hair, reports Dr. Uwe Wollina of Germany, who examined a hundred men with gray pates between the ages of fifty and seventy years. Half the men had matching gray eyebrows, and half still sported dark eyebrows.
0 comments - Posted May 12, 2007
What is the best kept secret in weight management? When I became a type 2 diabetic and had to lose a significant amount of weight, I wanted a program that was guaranteed to succeed. I tried low carbohydrate dieting, but found it too difficult.
1 comment - Posted May 10, 2007
Continuous Glucose Monitors Are Revolutionary - I’ve always believed that if I could give myself insulin conveniently and constantly knew my blood glucose, I could control my blood sugar almost as well as a non-diabetic person. Nine years ago, an insulin pump made the first condition come true. Since then I have been waiting for the magic blood sugar machine.
2 comments - Posted May 10, 2007
Doug Burns, reigning Mr. Universe, was recently involved in an encounter with Redwood City police while experiencing severe low blood sugar; during the incident, he was handcuffed and clubbed by police who mistook him for inebriated. On May 2, 2007, Doug was arraigned in court on charges of assault and resisting arrest.
1 comment - Posted May 10, 2007
When it comes to your feet, it’s important to know where you stand. Foot problems are the most common reason for diabetes-related hospitalizations, and people with diabetes are up to fifteen times more likely to have a lower limb amputation than those without diabetes.
0 comments - Posted May 8, 2007
We’ve gotten the results from our women's sex survey, and now the word is out about you, your diabetes, and sex...
0 comments - Posted May 3, 2007
The 21st century may be remembered as the time when diabetes became a worldwide epidemic. However, it may also be known as the time when the disease was cured.
8 comments - Posted May 3, 2007
PHILADELPHIA, April 19, 2007 - Eat right. Exercise. Monitor blood sugar. Take medication regularly. This is the advice physicians give the more than 20 million Americans affected with diabetes. Yet implementation of these recommendations is often far from ideal, putting patients at greater risk for damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes, and feet.
0 comments - Posted May 3, 2007
Last summer our family changed forever when Lauren, our nine-year-old daughter, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. A whirlwind of shock, anger, and worry engulfed me as I watched an incurable chronic illness move into our home.
5 comments - Posted May 1, 2007
April 2007
Nick Jonas is a personable boy of fourteen who happens to be a member of the Jonas Brothers Band, a group of three brothers with a devoted following of very passionate young fans. In November 2005, Nick Jonas found out that he had type 1 diabetes.
1466 comments - Posted Apr 27, 2007
At 63 years old, I've coped successfully with insulin-dependent diabetes for 46 years. Education and acceptance are the keys, but it took me years (and the support of loving family and friends) to achieve them.
0 comments - Posted Apr 27, 2007
When I developed diabetes in 1946, physicians thought that the high illness and death rate of diabetics was due to dietary fat and the supposedly resultant elevation of serum cholesterol. Since the DCCT trial, the scientific literature overwhelmingly supports the role of elevated blood sugar in all long-term diabetic complications.
2 comments - Posted Apr 24, 2007
Dismal Predictions - In 1949, at the age of 13, I was diagnosed with diabetes. I was told that I would have to take shots for life and that my life would probably last only 25 years longer. Furthermore, I could eat no candy, and all my children would be diabetic.
2 comments - Posted Apr 23, 2007
A lot of new medicines have come out, with a pile of new acronyms: GLP-1, DPP-4, BYOB…well, that last one is probably familiar, but a little background on the other two might not be out of place. You’re going to be seeing a lot more of them in the future, and it’ll help to be on speaking terms.
1 comment - Posted Apr 20, 2007
The FDA has approved Janumet, Merck’s merge of metformin and Januvia into one pill, for use with type 2 diabetes in the United States. Januvia (sitagliptin) is a DPP-4 inhibitor that works by enhancing the incretin system, a natural process that lowers blood sugar.
7 comments - Posted Apr 20, 2007
The story of Doug Burns’ arrest during a low blood sugar episode has generated a lot of comments from the diabetes community. How did it happen, why did it happen, and how could it have been handled differently?
1 comment - Posted Apr 19, 2007
Whitehouse Station, N.J., March 26, 2007 – JANUVIA™ (sitagliptin1), Merck & Co., Inc.'s once-a-day oral treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes, has been granted a license from the European Commission. JANUVIA now becomes the first and only medication in a new class of drugs known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4 inhibitors), which enhance the body’s own ability to lower blood sugar when it is elevated, to be adopted by the European Commission.
1 comment - Posted Apr 18, 2007
It’s well known that depression is not good for your sugar numbers and that alleviation of depression is accompanied by improved glucose control. The question has been whether the improvement is due to body weight reduction and better self-care, or whether it might be partially due to healing of the depression condition itself, independent of the aforementioned two factors.
0 comments - Posted Apr 17, 2007
Upcoming research in the Journal of Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice reveals that Pycnogenol (pik-naw-jin-all) that many-talented extract of pine tree, is 190 times more effective than the prescription medicine acarbose (Precose) in slowing uptake of glucose after a meal, thereby preventing after-meal glucose spikes.
0 comments - Posted Apr 15, 2007
In December 2006, the injected medication Byetta was approved by the FDA for people with type 2 diabetes who are taking a thiazolidinedione (TZD), but don’t have good control of their blood sugar.
0 comments - Posted Apr 14, 2007
What’s the most important goal for kids and families dealing with diabetes? Learn all you can, and then strive for the best possible blood glucose levels without excessive hypoglycemia. This is a tough goal to attain. Our tools, food, insulin, and monitoring, while the best they have ever been, are still imprecise. And although optimal glucose control is critical for immediate and long-term health, one must always be wary of severe and recurring hypoglycemia.
0 comments - Posted Apr 13, 2007
Anybody who takes insulin shots wishes, at least occasionally, for an insulin pill. Insulin in pill form, unfortunately, doesn’t work because stomach acid very efficiently dissolves any protein that comes its way, and that includes insulin.
0 comments - Posted Apr 13, 2007
If you don’t know what diabetes is, I’ll explain to you what it is. Hi, my name is Erin. I’m eight years old, and I have diabetes. I can tell you what I have to do every day to keep myself healthy. Now I have to check my blood sugar four times a day, every day. And I also have to take shots. No, it’s not fun, but I have to.
0 comments - Posted Apr 11, 2007
To the general public, the mood swings of a teenager are the wildest personal roller coaster around. But there’s another roller coaster out there that puts that kiddie ride to shame: the mood swings of a diabetic person like me. In an average teenager, hormones cause mood swings.
1 comment - Posted Apr 11, 2007
Six years ago, Julie DeFruscio’s two-year-old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Two years later, her 13-year-old son was also diagnosed with type 1. And four months after that, her ten-year-old son diagnosed himself with diabetes - unfortunately, he was right.
0 comments - Posted Apr 11, 2007
It’s well known that people with uncontrolled diabetes sometimes suffer from ketoacidosis, in which their breath gives off the strong odor of nail polish remover. Well, nail polish remover is made of acetone.
0 comments - Posted Apr 10, 2007
Here are some useful tips to help you choose a meter that’s right for you - and continue to use it successfully.
0 comments - Posted Apr 3, 2007
Dr. David Reiss had never heard of diabetes until age 16, when he found out he had type 1 during his college physical exam. He rebelled and refused injections for a year, but by then there were ketones in his urine and he had no choice. That was 42 years ago, when people gave themselves just one injection a day.
0 comments - Posted Apr 2, 2007
Although the A1c test provides critical information about how your blood glucose has behaved in general over the preceding two or three months, it doesn’t tell you specifically how your BGs performed right after meals.
1 comment - Posted Apr 2, 2007
March 2007
Medtronic has received FDA approval for pediatric models of both of its REAL-Time continuous glucose monitors, the MiniMed Paradigm REAL-Time System and the Guardian REAL-Time System. Previously approved only for adults, both pediatric models will be appropriate for kids ages 7-17.
0 comments - Posted Mar 29, 2007
The day after my eleventh Easter, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I got a shot that very night, and at least two shots every day for the next fifteen years, until I went on the pump. It seems appropriate that on the day the disease took over my body, a fire took over the chimney of our house.
0 comments - Posted Mar 29, 2007
Q: Please describe your background.
Morey Haymond: A pediatric endocrinologist by training, I have been involved in
metabolic studies of kids, infants, and adults for 35 years. I work with children who have disorders of
carbohydrate metabolism, including diabetes and hypoglycemia. Understanding the regulation of those
processes has been a focus of my research, and I have looked at amino acid and fat metabolism as well.
1 comment - Posted Mar 29, 2007
Q: Are there any long-term side effects of the popular drugs to treat type 2 diabetes?
2 comments - Posted Mar 24, 2007
When my seven-year-old son, Danny, was diagnosed with type 1diabetes, I had to take a serious look at his diet. He had always been our “picky” eater, and I had gone along with his demands to keep the peace. As a result, his favorite foods at the time of his diagnosis were pancakes with syrup, grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, cookies, juice, and the only vegetable he ate—cucumbers. These foods became the centerpiece of the meal plan constructed by the hospital nutritionist.
0 comments - Posted Mar 21, 2007
Neal Brenner, 41 of Roanoke, Virginia is embarking on the journey of a lifetime which began on March 8 and lasts until March 24. With nothing but a laptop, a satellite phone, and his insulin pump to manage his diabetes, Neal will drive over 4,800 miles through the Arctic Circle with a friend as they take part in a 16-day adventure from Edmonton and ending in Tuktoyaktuk (the uppermost edge of Canada’s Northwest Territories).
0 comments - Posted Mar 20, 2007
Dr. Richard K. Bernstein, author of the Diabetes Solution New and Revised 2007, The Diabetes Diet, and the 6hr CD program, Secrets to Normal Blood Sugars will be doing a special live Teleconference call on March 27th and April 24th at 7PM cst.
0 comments - Posted Mar 16, 2007
Are ketones a healthy or an unhealthy sign?
Ketones in the urine can be a danger sign if your blood sugar is too
high and insulin levels are too low. It can indicate acidosis, an
abnormal condition usually occurring in people with out of control
type 1 diabetes requiring immediate medical attention. Ketones can
also occur because of other metabolic conditions.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2007
February 2007
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - For the millions of people worldwide who are afflicted with diabetes, we are now one step closer to a potential cure for the disease. Spring Point Project, a non-profit organization created to expedite the widespread availability of islet tissue for diabetes care, will open its first biosecure animal facility in Western Wisconsin in February to hold high-health pathogen-free pigs. Insulin-producing islet cells from pigs are needed to meet the demands that cannot be realized by using transplantation of human islets.
0 comments - Posted Feb 28, 2007
BETHESDA, MD - February 21, 2007 - The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is calling for the medical and public health community to increase alarmingly low influenza vaccination rates among persons with diabetes – the fifth deadliest disease in the U.S.
0 comments - Posted Feb 23, 2007
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 11 months old, and I have struggled for almost 46 years to keep control of it. With diabetes, you never get a break.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2007
Novartis reports that there will be a three-month delay in approval for its experimental diabetes drug, Galvus, due to the FDA’s request for additional safety data.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2007
According to research presented in September at the annual American Chemical Society meeting, the tannins in cranberry juice stop urinary tract infections (UTIs) by changing the shape of E. coli bacteria from a rod to a sphere and by crushing the tiny hairs on its surface. Those changes prevent the bacteria from attaching to cells in your urinary tract, so you can flush them away without getting sick.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2007
In kids with type 1, higher BGs can mean higher rates of affected emotion and behavior. That was the finding of Australian researchers.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2007
It’s not easy to navigate the crowded waters of type 2 oral medications. There are dozens of them, and their names have a lot in common with tongue twisters. They’re hard to pronounce, and harder to remember. But they’re necessary. Of the 20 million Americans with diabetes, 90 to 95 percent have type 2. Although some people with diabetes are able to manage their condition through diet and exercise alone, the majority cannot control their blood sugar without medication. According to the CDC, among adults diagnosed with diabetes, 57% take oral medication; 16% take insulin; 12% take both insulin and oral medication; and only 15% take neither insulin nor oral medication.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2007
December 2006
During this time of year, we are all busy. Many of us are so overextended with demands on time and energy that we allow our usual health routines to fall by the wayside.
0 comments - Posted Dec 7, 2006
On October 17, 2006, the oral medication Januvia (sitagliptin phosphate) was granted approval by the FDA. Januvia is the first diabetes treatment approved in a new class of drugs known as DDP-4 inhibitors that enhances the body’s own ability to lower elevated blood sugar.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2006
Eli Lilly and Co. has announced its LillyforLife Achievement Award Winners, who are honored for their outstanding personal and professional achievements in diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2006
As any fan of the mega-hit television show American Idol knows, making it through the first stage of auditions is not easy. Contestants wait in line for up to 12 hours to get the chance to sing a few bars before the discerning ears of judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell.
3 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2006
Adam Morrison, 22, is an NBA star that also has type 1 diabetes. He does not, however, have a horror story about his type 1 diagnosis that makes his ascension to NBA stardom seem like an “in-your-face” to an endocrinologist’s pessimistic predictions.
2 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2006
November 2006
When Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive lineman Kendall Simmons won the 2002 Joe Greene Great Performance Award for being the Steelers “Rookie of the Year,” he felt at the top of his game.
0 comments - Posted Nov 27, 2006
The holidays, although fun and festive, are stressful for many Americans; however, people with type 2 diabetes face a battle far more difficult than gaining a few extra holiday pounds.
2 comments - Posted Nov 9, 2006
The glycemic index of foods you eat could be the reason that one day you find your sugars out of control, but you’re shocked, because you haven’t strayed from your diabetes nutrition guidelines.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2006
In honor of National Diabetes Month, we welcome you to Diabetes Health’s “Best-Of” issue.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2006
Like so many others, Kris Berg, EdD, an exercise physiologist at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, has observed the rapid-fire increase in obesity that has recently been labeled an “epidemic.”
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2006
October 2006
Going low during exercise can be frightening. Preventing low blood glucose involves two strategies: decreasing insulin dosage or increasing carbohydrate intake. Sounds simple, but in reality it takes time for each individual to find the right combination that works for him or her.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2006
September 2006
As I get older, I get more calls from friends and family members telling me about their recent diabetes diagnosis. A little over a year ago, my first cousin Jeannie called to announce her inclusion in the growing type 2 club.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2006
Weight-Loss Books Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars, by Richard K. Bernstein, MD (Little Brown, 2003)
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2006
August 2006
Stevia is a bush native to South America that has been used for centuries by the natives of Paraguay, where it’s grown primarily as a sweetener and for medicinal uses. The stevia leaf is usually a component of Paraguayan teas, including the widely popular beverage yerba mate.
3 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2006
July 2006
GlaxoSmithKline announced the availability of Avandaryl (rosiglitazone maleate and glimepiride), a new fixed-dose combination product for type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2006
June 2006
If you’ve ever tried a sugar-free food product but didn’t care for the sugar alcohols, Eat Well Be Well Foods, Inc., of Hood River, Oregon, has a suggestion for you.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2006
In 1998, Eli Lilly & Co.’s rapid-acting insulin analogue lispro (Humalog) appeared on the U.S. market, followed in 2000 by Novo Nordisk’s rapid-acting counterpart aspart (NovoLog). Joined now by sanofi-aventis’ glulisine (Apidra), these rapid-acting insulins offer both convenience and improved blood glucose control to people who require bolus insulin.
1 comment - Posted Jun 1, 2006
May 2006
On February 28, 2006, sanofi-aventis announced that its fast-acting Apidra (insulin glulisine [rDNA origin] injection) is now available by prescription in the United States. Apidra was granted FDA approval in April 2004.
1 comment - Posted May 1, 2006
April 2006
John H. Holcombe, MD, is a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine and medical fellow, diabetes, for Eli Lilly and Co.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2006
Recent developments in the treatment of diabetes mellitus have shown that “tight” control and intensive therapy are necessary to prevent complications, increased morbidity and mortality. We are all familiar with the findings of the DCCT and various UKPDS studies and sub-studies. The importance of these “landmark” studies does not need any further discussion at this time.
2 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2006
On January 7, 2006, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Ava Grace Baker. She was 8.4 pounds and 20.25 inches long. It took 30 hours, but it was worth every moment. Well, almost every moment.
7 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2006
If you have ever dreamed of taking your insulin without needles, your dream came true on January 27, 2006. That was when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Exubera (insulin of human [rDNA origin]) Inhalation Powder for treatment of adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2006
March 2006
On January 27, 2006, Pfizer Inc. received word from the FDA that its inhalable insulin Exubera was granted approval. It is the first inhaled form of insulin and the first insulin option that does not need to be administered by injection in the United States.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2006
For six seasons, actor Aida Turturro has played the role of Tony Soprano’s sister Janice on the award-winning and critically acclaimed HBO series “The Sopranos.”
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2006
February 2006
For Deb it was a vicious circle. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 33 years ago at age 20. It was four weeks before her marriage. You can imagine the stress she endured at that time. “I have lived on a diabetes rollercoaster ever since, until about eight months ago,” she says.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2006
“I’ve been taking insulin for 31 years.” People always gawk at me when I divulge this. “But you look so healthy,” they reply.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2006
Kris Freeman, 25, is a three-time national champion and the number one cross-country skier in the United States. In the history of American cross-country skiing, Freeman is the second most successful skier of all time.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2006
Since his type 1 diagnosis 20 years ago, Doug Frazer of Forest Knolls, California, had been using Lente as his basal insulin. His regimen of Humalog at mealtimes coupled with Lente at bedtime provided him with what he considered great control.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2006
December 2005
Remember the old song “Sleigh Ride”?
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2005
Could it be that when it comes to diabetes and the workplace, honesty isn’t always the best policy?
2 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2005
Scott Dunton, 20, is a world-class professional surfer, currently ranked 220th in his first year on the professional circuit.
4 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2005
November 2005
Early recognition and lifestyle interventions are vitally important if we are to make progress in the prevention of type 2 diabetes in people of all ages.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2005
He grew up among country folks in Mississippi. As a child, he performed on street corners for dimes, sometimes in four towns each night. That was only the beginning for the man who ended up being perhaps the most successful blues musician of all time.
1 comment - Posted Nov 1, 2005
October 2005
There are so many food products containing artificial and alternative sweeteners on the market today that they have become a topic of great interest among diabetic patients and health professionals.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2005
If you’ve never been able to go to New York to see endocrinologist Richard Bernstein, MD, FACE, FACN, CWS, now Richard Bernstein can come to you.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2005
According to a recent study, soy-based meal replacement plans (MRs) yield greater weight loss and better blood glucose control than American Diabetes Association-recommended individualized diet plans (IDPs).
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2005
There here, they’re there, they’re everywhere! It’s the Diabetes Police—your family, friends and others who criticize your diabetes behaviors. They disapprove of your food choices, point out your weight gain, accuse you of skipping your medication and nag you to exercise more. These well-meaning individuals care about you, but they make life with diabetes more difficult and can create tension in a relationship. Here are some examples of ways that the Diabetes Police operate in our lives:
1 comment - Posted Oct 1, 2005
September 2005
Diabetes Cure May Reside in Adult Stem Cell Research
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2005
Type 1 Kids Do Well on Pumps
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2005
August 2005
Summer activities are in full swing with ball games in the park, family reunions and vacations. The warm weather draws us to the great outdoors for fun as well as mealtimes. Picnics, potlucks, sack lunches and travel meals are a part of our summer routine that can sometimes make blood glucose harder to manage.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2005
July 2005
“People who are no longer successful on oral agents can now add Byetta [exenatide] instead of insulin,” says Anne Peters, MD, director of the USC Clinical Diabetes Programs.
1 comment - Posted Jul 1, 2005
June 2005
On March 16, 2005, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., of San Diego, California, announced it had received FDA approval for Symlin (pramlintide acetate) injections to be used in conjunction with insulin to treat diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2005
If you love rumors and intrigue, enter the world of artificial sweeteners.
9 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2005
May 2005
Although most adults with insulin-treated diabetes usually follow their prescribed insulin regimen, experiencing A1Cs higher than 7% suggests that an individual’s insulin use, regimen or both are inadequate to achieve optimal blood glucose control.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2005
April 2005
I spent some time this month reflecting on the products I have reviewed over the past year and realized that diabetes management software is getting more and more sophisticated. I have been asked if there is any “basic” software out there for diabetes management.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2005
March 2005
Last year, Stacey Martin, a 41-year-old real estate agent from East Hampton, New York, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. At 270 pounds, the medical community considered her “morbidly obese.”
8 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2005
February 2005
Australian researchers say that watching television excessively can increase the risk of abnormal glucose metabolism in adults.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2005
January 2005
Caution: Consult your diabetes care team before starting a lower-carbohydrate meal plan. Diabetes medications such as insulin or oral drugs that stimulate insulin production (sulfonylureas or meglitinides) will need adjustment to prevent hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) when carbohydrate intake is decreased. In addition, meds might need to be decreased, and blood glucose levels need to be checked more often.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2005
December 2004
Over one year ago, Denise Faustman, MD, and her colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) eliminated type 1 diabetes in mice. The Iacocca Foundation wants this work to be translated to people who have new-onset or long-term diabetes. In order to achieve this goal, the Iacocca Foundation is raising the money to move the research from mice to humans in the hopes of finding a cure for human type 1 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2004
The accuracy—or typically the lack thereof— of blood glucose meters is a big concern of mine. I have written several articles on this topic. But first of all, you have to know if your meter is precise.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2004
November 2004
Before the mid-1950s, people with diabetes injected insulin using glass syringes with detachable steel needles. Between injections, the glass syringes were boiled and the needles were soaked in alcohol to keep them as germ-free as possible. To reduce the pain of the injection, people would sharpen their needles on a sharpening stone.
1 comment - Posted Nov 1, 2004
October 2004
Some researchers believe that having type 1 children practice at estimating their blood glucose (BG) levels is not an effective way to increase accuracy and “may be contraindicated.”
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2004
July 2004
Eating problems and eating disorders are common among teenagers, especially those with diabetes. If you are preoccupied with thoughts about your weight or about eating, if your eating is out of control, or if eating problems are interfering with your ability to manage your diabetes, here are a few suggestions that can help:
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2004
June 2004
“Are those new wraps at Subway good for me?” “If I make applesauce with Splenda, can I eat all I want?” “How do I count the carbohydrates in low-carb yogurt?” Do questions like these cross your mind every time you dine out, set foot in the supermarket or flip through a recipe book?
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2004
May 2004
Mindy Mendenhall plays basketball the way a bull browses a china shop. She’s all muscle and emotion under the hoop, and she’s manic enough to launch her body across the court after loose balls.
1 comment - Posted May 1, 2004
The terms “adolescent” or “young adult” are not differentiated by age but by the responsibilities that separate them.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2004
Larger leg fat mass is associated with lower glucose levels and may be protective against disturbed glucose metabolism, particularly in women.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2004
A Novo Nordisk-sponsored study demonstrated that eight out of 10 elderly people with diabetes who have visual and motor difficulties preferred the Novolin Innolet doser to vials and syringes.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2004
April 2004
“Diabetes case management can help reduce disparities in diabetes health status among low-income ethnic populations,” writes Lois Jovanovic, MD, endocrinologist and researcher at Sansum Medical Research Institute in Santa Barbara, California.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2004
Mulberry leaves aren’t just for silkworms anymore: When fed to diabetes-induced rats, they have been shown to improve glucose levels.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2004
March 2004
I struggle to understand why you are publishing information recommending low-or no-carb meals for people with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2004
Calcification, or hardening, of the arteries occurs in all populations but can be particularly damaging to people with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2004
Medtronic MiniMed announced the introduction of its Paradigm 712 insulin pump, which incorporates a larger reservoir for diabetes patients who require more insulin. The pump also performs complex diabetes calculations and recommends correct insulin dosages.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2004
February 2004
I’m not a diet doctor, but I can help you lose weight. A lot of it. In less time than you’d ever think was possible. The secret is a revolutionary new diet I developed while working with overweight men and women who visited my cardiology practice in Miami.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2004
December 2003
Della Reese’s positive attitude has always helped her survive—overcoming childhood challenges of poverty, struggling to carve her place in America’s entertainment industry, and dealing with her type 2 diagnosis nearly four years ago while filming the CBS TV show “Touched by an Angel.”
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2003
April 2003
February 2003
Q: I was wondering whether you could have someone discuss "type 1.5."
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2003
Reasons for choosing a particular blood-glucose meter are as varied as the users. Some users want it simple, some want all the bells and whistles and many want something in between—as long as the meter and strips are affordable and accurate. Not to mention fast!
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2003
Q: I was wondering whether you could have someone discuss "type 1.5." I am especially interested in how diabetes "type" and C-peptide numbers are related. I was 28 when I first started having symptoms of diabetes (thirst, weight loss, fatigue). Two years later, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. After a year or two, some confusion arose about what type of diabetes I had. (I needed a rather low total daily insulin dose of 25 units for my weight of 140.) A C-peptide test was run. My blood sugars were kind of high at the time, and the C-peptide came back as 0.2. The doctor told me I was definitely type 1. I am still requiring rather low doses of insulin (a daily total of 30 units for a weight of 170).
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2003
January 2003
People with diabetes know that we are all supposed to check our blood glucose. But some of us do a better job of it than others. Frankly, it's sometimes frustrating to look at the results and see a number that's too high or too low.
3 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2003
If you test your blood glucose regularly, you probably think you have a pretty good idea of how high or low your numbers rise and fall during a typical day and night. However, what if you had 288 blood-glucose readings every 24 hours, instead of only a handful?
1 comment - Posted Jan 1, 2003
December 2002
Do high blood-glucose levels lead to more severe strokes? Or does having a high blood-glucose level mean that you had a more severe stroke? Researchers studying the puzzle say their results suggest the former.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2002
Do high blood glucose levels lead to more severe strokes? Or does having a high blood glucose level mean that you had a more severe stroke? Researchers studying the puzzle say their results suggest the former.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2002
October 2002
Telling the world you have diabetes is not the easiest proposition. Coming "out of the closet," so to speak, could bring support or condemnation from others.
2 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2002
Frequently now I come across an article or a quote or a joke that my mother would like, and I reach for the phone to share it with her.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2002
September 2002
Vicki Abbott, a 65-year-old medical transcriptionist from Portland, Oregon, has taken the idea of tight diabetes control to heart. She adheres to a control regimen that is almost militaristic in its method, and her goal is perfect blood glucose.
4 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2002
Many of us with diabetes run numbers in our heads all day. We balance carb counts, insulin units, exercise and increments of time as if we were computers, sometimes making extraordinary calculations to safely incorporate 35 CHO of birthday cake into an afternoon.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2002
Researchers in Spain who wrote a letter to Diabetes Care report studies showing that pre-meal blood glucose averages better predict A1Cs in people with type 1 diabetes than after-meal readings do. But they add that if after-meal blood glucose averages are more predictive of heart disease, as some studies suggest, it could mean that A1C results do not accurately reflect the harmful effects of high blood-glucose levels on diabetes-related cardiovascular complications.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2002
June 2002
If patience is a virtue, then millions of people with diabetes who have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the GlucoWatch Biographer can now enjoy their just deserts.
1 comment - Posted Jun 1, 2002
What's the weather got to do with type 1 diabetes? A great deal, according to Zvi Laron, MD. Dr. Laron, professor emeritus of the Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology at Tel Aviv University in Israel, is just one of many doctors focusing his diabetes research on seasonality—specifically, the relation of winter weather to children's risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2002
April 2002
“You shouldn't have to futz around with shots,” says Wendy S. Lane, MD, of Asheville, North Carolina. ”[If I had my way], newly diagnosed type 1s would be put right on pumps, if it weren't for insurance companies.”
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2002
Back in December 1992, two years after we started Diabetes Health, I was shocked to learn that Mom had developed diabetes, too. I wrote in these pages about how she had complained to me that she was tired and couldn't get off the sofa. She was depressed, and sometimes she slept all day. Then she got worse. She was sick, lethargic, had tingly feet and blurry vision. I was concerned for her health and suspected that she had diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2002
March 2002
People with type 2 diabetes often have blood-glucose levels of 200 mg/dl or higher after meals, even if they are maintaining good A1C control, according to the results of a new study.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2002
Cost-effective, group-based stress management programs can provide significant help for people with type 2 diabetes, say researchers from Duke University. Stress can raise blood-glucose levels by stimulating the release of counter-regulatory hormones, and it can also disrupt diabetes control by undermining diet and exercise programs and self-care routines.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2002
February 2002
Millions of Americans are living with type 2 diabetes—a chronic metabolic disorder that develops when the body is unable to effectively control the level of glucose, or sugar in the blood. In some type 2 diabetics, the pancreas decreases production of insulin, the hormone crucial to convert glucose into energy, and injections may be necessary. In most others, sufficient insulin is produced but their bodies resist it and blood sugar levels are likewise abnormal—a process called insulin resistance.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2002
December 2001
After 40 years on insulin, Bob Teskey, 56, could no longer keep his blood-glucose levels under control. As his condition worsened, his hypoglycemic (low blood-glucose) episodes became more and more intrusive on his life. Teskey talked to his doctors, but there was nothing they could do except tweak his insulin regimen, which did not solve the problem. He continued to collapse unexpectedly, as his blood-glucose levels dropped without warning.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2001
Correction: In the Letters to the Editor of the November issue (p. 61), we made an incorrect statement about the use of Lantus. The sentence should read "..those who take three meal-time shots of short-acting insulin plus basal Lantus will take four shots of insulin a day." We apologize for this error.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2001
November 2001
"Okay, so I know I should do it. I know it will decrease my blood sugar. I know it will burn more calories. It's supposed to improve my circulation, cholesterol, triglyericdes and A1c. Rumor says it will even make me feel better. I know, I know, I know! Go ahead—blame me for not doing it!"
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
Researchers at three centers in the United Kingdom have been successful in demonstrating that using an insulin pump helps to control blood sugar and A1c levels, and can assist in preventing serious diabetes complications in a variety of patients—from long-term type 1s with erratic control to children and pregnant women.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
One of Diabetes Health's most popular sections is its "Question & Answer" column. Our readers ask questions that cannot always be answered in a 10-minute office visit, and we pose these questions to our arsenal of diabetes professionals who offer their expertise.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
John Hughes of Woodburn, Oregon, had never bothered to get a letter from his doctor stating that he has diabetes and is required to carry sharp-pointed insulin-pump infusion sets, lancets and emergency syringes with him into airplane cabins.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
Roche Diagnostics of Indianapolis, Indiana, is now offering a new lancet with unique functions for making blood sugar testing as painless as possible. Called the Accu-Chek Softclix, the lancet features 11 different depth settings, which can be set to match your skin type. In addition, the lancet does not use a spring-loaded system, which can cause skin tissue to dilate or tear. Instead, it uses a linear sliding motion to avoid pain caused by side movement, according to company's press release.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
Working in collaboration with diabetes health-care professionals at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Kathy Jensen, RD, CDE, has produced the first in a series of programs designed to be available and affordable to families with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
For decades, people with diabetes have known the drill: prick your finger, get a good-sized drop of blood, apply the drop of blood to a meter, wait for the result and adjust your insulin, eating or exercise regimen accordingly.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
If only all those high-carb foods like pasta and pastries weren't so high on the glycemic index, you could eat them more often.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
On August 1, pump maker Animas Corporation received the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) award for its long-term implantable optical blood glucose monitor.
1 comment - Posted Nov 1, 2001
Researchers in Jamaica say the compound capsaicin, which makes peppers hot, also lowers blood sugar in dogs. They add that some day it might be used to treat diabetes in humans.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
Emisphere Technologies Inc., of Tarrytown, New Jersey announced the results of three phase I studies for two new medications for the oral delivery of insulin. Representatives, who presented the data at Investor Day In New York City and released a written statement on September 7, said the trials showed that the drugs were successfully absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and significantly reduced blood glucose levels in study subjects.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
A study published in the September 13 issue of New England Journal of Medicine says that 90 percent of type 2 cases could be prevented if people exercised more, ate healthier food, stopped smoking and adopted other healthy behaviors.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
One of the most commonly used over-the-counter drugs may lead to a new treatment for type 2 diabetes, say researchers. Aspirin, used for decades to treat headaches and minor aches and pains, has been shown to reverse high blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity when taken in high doses, according a study published in the August 2001 issue of Science.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
This month, I am featuring the second in a series of guest editorials. Jan Chait, a frequent contributing writer to DIABETES HEALTH who has type 2 diabetes, writes this one.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
Researchers at three centers in the United Kingdom have been successful in demonstrating that using an insulin pump helps to control blood sugar and A1c levels, and can assist in preventing serious diabetes complications in a variety of patients-from long-term type 1s with erratic control to children and pregnant women.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
This month, I am featuring the second in a series of guest editorials. Jan Chait, a frequent contributing writer to DIABETES HEALTH who has type 2 diabetes, writes this one.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2001
October 2001
There's a new way to keep your "eye" on blood-sugar levels and it doesn't use needles.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
Which of the following statements do you think are true?
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
I recently had a drink with 124 grams of carbohydrates, 19 grams of fat and 23 grams of protein in it. It is important to know that two hours prior to this, I rode my bike for one hour and 45 minutes at a moderate-to-high effort. Now I will tell you how I adjusted and administered my insulin to make sure my blood sugar stayed level.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
It's that time of year again—the cold and flu season—when millions of people run to their medicine cabinets for relief.
1 comment - Posted Oct 1, 2001
iMetrikus of Carlsbad, California, announced its partnership with Home Diagnostics Inc. (HDI) to offer a new system for people with diabetes to test blood sugars and track the results in a format that can be provided to their doctors.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
Having type 1 diabetes can cause women to experience early menopause, say researchers in Pennsylvania. Janice S. Dorman, PhD, from the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues found that the women with type 1 diabetes started menstruation later, experienced more irregular periods before the age of 30 and reached menopause at an earlier age. As a result, women with type 1 also had a lower number of reproductive years (30 years compared to the 37 years of their non-diabetic sisters and 35 years in the control group). In evaluating all risk factors, researchers also found that bearing no children and the removal of one ovary were also associated with earlier menopause.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
"Currently, diabetes guidelines in the United States are not consistent with world-wide standards,'' said Rhoda Cobin, MD, FACE, president of the American College of Endocrinology (ACE), in its press release. "We need more aggressive, complete and cohesive standards."
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
Jane Seley, RN, MPH, MSN, GNP, is a doctoral candidate from New York City and a good friend of mine. Jane has served on our advisory board since the very beginning, over 10 years ago.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
If you are trying to develop a diet consisting of low-GI foods, consider the following:
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
"I am currently incarcerated at a medium-security prison," writes James Mackenzie, in a letter to Diabetes Health from a jail in Shirley, Massachusetts. "I am 38 years old and suffer from diabetes and severe pain in my spine. The medical staff has tried to reduce my blood sugars—which range from 140 to 427 mg/dl. The problem is that it brings my readings into the hypoglycemia range of 50 to 72 mg/dl. This happens even with the lowest dosages.
2 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2001
September 2001
What's so unusual about the life of Charles Ray III? His story is a simple one—about a man from Raleigh, North Carolina who has lived with type 1 diabetes for 22 years without developing a single complication. Ray maintains consistently low A1c levels (averaging between 6% and 7%) and leads a life of hard work (as an evening-shift cook) and careful play (drinking only non-alcoholic beer).
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
There are many factors to consider before adding exercise to your diabetes management. The benefits of physical activity are often celebrated and touted; however, safely and effectively incorporating these benefits into your workout is not always obvious.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
I am in my 32nd week of pregnancy with my second child, and I wonder if I have developed gestational diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
The glycemic index (GI) may not be a leading economic indicator, but it is a leading diabetes indicator. Knowing whether the GI of a food is high or low can be a great aid in the quest for control.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
"I think the InDuo is the cat's meow," says Jane Seley, RN, NP, CDE, a doctoral candidate at New York University. "It's fast, easy and accurate."
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
It's common knowledge, at this point, that injecting insulin helps control diabetes by lowering high blood sugars. However, what about using insulin as a preventive measure to offset its developing in the first place?
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
According to a recent survey conducted by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), 75 percent of people with type 2 diabetes do not know their Hemoglobin A1c (A1c) level. In addition, 77 percent could not name a good test result. Also, a 2000 survey published by the National Quality Control Association states that 75 percent of people with diabetes are not getting their A1cs tested.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
Retailers should not switch the brand of diabetes supplies without first informing patients or their healthcare providers, according a recent survey sponsored by Becton Dickinson (BD) of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. The vast majority (90 percent) of doctors and nurses surveyed said that they don't approve if a retailer changes a syringe from a prescribed brand to a store brand without telling them or the user.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
Eating less animal protein and sugar may improve HbA1c levels in your body, say researchers from the University of South Florida in Tampa.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
If you are taking medications to control your blood sugars, you are less likely to be hospitalized if you refill your prescriptions, say researchers.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
A 40-day treatment of type 1 diabetes was shown to cure the disease in mice, say researchers from Massachusetts. The encouraging results could lead to finding a cure for diabetes in humans, they say.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
Doctors think that the current approach to diabetes treatment and the established goal for glycemic control should be reconsidered. According to the results of a recent survey of endocrinologists, the goal for achieving blood sugar control should be lower and achieved by better planning of when to take insulin. The Council for the Advancement of Diabetes Research and Education (CADRE), which commissioned the survey, announced the results in a press release on June 26. The purpose of the survey was to determine why, according to CADRE, less than half of type 2s have good blood sugar control.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
August 2001
Recent research has shown that it is better to be fat and fit than lean and sedentary from a metabolic standpoint.
1 comment - Posted Aug 1, 2001
Everyone, including your neighbor, manicurist and racquetball partner, seems to be jumping enthusiastically onto the "supplement bandwagon." Should you and your diabetes climb aboard?
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
There may come a time when your health-care provider wants to have some tests done to help diagnose a condition or to decide the most appropriate course of action. A diagnostic test is a laboratory, or other non-invasive, invasive or imaging procedure. Non-invasive diagnostic tests include urine tests, electrocardiograms, simple X-rays, MRI and CAT scans. Invasive diagnostic tests include any non-surgical procedure that includes an insertion of a medical device or medication for the purpose of evaluating or measuring a physiological function or response.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
Taking rapid-acting insulin before meals may reduce major incidents of nighttime hypoglycemia and minor incidents of daytime hypoglycemia, according to research conducted by Novo Nordisk presented at the ADA's scientific sessions in June.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
It may no longer be necessary to visit your doctor to get advice and the results of blood tests, according to researchers in Creteil, France, who presented their findings at the American Diabetes Association's scientific sessions in June. Using e-mail to send data from self blood glucose monitoring to your doctor and ask questions is efficient and economical, they say.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
Researchers speculate that incorrect use of insulin pens may harm one's ability to control diabetes. However, after studying the effects of correct and incorrect use of insulin pens on users, they found that the method of injecting did not affect a person's HbA1c—despite the fact that incorrect injecting is common.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
Nutrition 21 Inc. announced on June 7 that preliminary research on a composition containing chromium picolinate and conjugated linoleic acid demonstrated "significant blood-glucose uptake in cells without the addition of insulin."
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
On May 15, Roche Diagnostics of Indianapolis, Indiana, introduced its new software package for tracking blood sugar levels and presenting them in formats that help patients better manage their diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
Avandia maker GlaxoSmithKline announced on May 22 that it is sponsoring a nationwide educational campaign, called "Know Your A1c" to help people with type 2 diabetes better manage their disease over the long term.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
High-intensity strength training is considered a convenient, safe and effective way for older people with diabetes to improve control of their blood sugar, say researchers at the USDA Human Nutritional Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
Like many people with diabetes, Gayle Hoover Thorne of Sacramento, California, was led to her type 2 diagnosis by water—or rather, the feeling that she couldn't get enough of it.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2001
July 2001
I am in my 32nd week of pregnancy with my second child and I wonder if I have developed gestational diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
The type 2 diabetes epidemic has reached an estimated 125 million people worldwide. This number is expected to increase to 220 million by the year 2010. The main reasons for this steep increase include reduced physical exercise, dietary changes and a higher incidence of obesity.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
In July 1999, John Buse, MD, PhD, CDE, director of the University of North Carolina's Diabetes Center told Diabetes Health that patients enrolled in clinical trials for insulin glargine (Lantus) absolutely "loved" the 24-hour-a-day long-acting (basal) insulin. Most of the people who participated in the clinical trials were not doing well on just NPH or Ultralente, and Lantus improved their control. However, Buse added, "[The clinical-trial participants are] upset that they cannot continue on it." That was because, at the time, the clinical trials had ended and the participants were told they would have to wait at least one year for FDA approval of Lantus and longer until they could get their hands on it.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
When Karl Smith was first diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in August 1922, he started out on what he calls "starvation" to treat his condition. He stayed on that "treatment regimen" until December 24, 1922.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
Karl Smith, a type 1 for 79 of his 85 years, remembers having type 1 diabetes as a child but not having any insulin with which to treat the disease.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes incorporate 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber into their diets on a daily basis in order to control their blood sugars. To help people with diabetes meet this goal, the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston has published a new high-fiber cookbook entitled "The Joslin Diabetes Healthy Carbohydrate Cookbook."
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
On April 30, The Kamut Association of North America announced that its Kamut Pasta was awarded the Low-Glycemic Seal of Approval by the The Glycemic Research Institute of Washington, D.C.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
Inhale Therapeutic Systems Inc. of San Carlos, California, is experiencing volatile market value after one of its partners, Aventis SA, announced that the experimental inhaled insulin therapy may have detrimental side effects.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
You might be familiar with the two types sugar levels in the body: fasting blood glucose (FBG)—measured first thing in the morning—and two-hour blood glucose (2h-BG)—measured two hours after a meal. Despite the fact that both accurately measure sugar levels, how do they compare in terms of predicting death, particularly for people who were not diagnosed with diabetes?
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
Stomach Stapling Not a Cure for Type 2 Diabetes
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
I am in my 32nd week of pregnancy with my second child and I wonder if I have developed gestational diabetes. Diabetes does not run in our family, and I am not overweight. Furthermore, I did not develop gestational diabetes with my first child.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
"The thrill of victory-the agony of defeat" can play havoc with your blood-glucose levels-even if you're merely cheering for your favorite teamItalian researchers M.G. Cavallo, S. Romeo, G. Coppolino and P. Pozzilli examined a 25-year-old Italian man with type 1 diabetes who was wearing a MiniMed Continuous Glucose Monitoring System both the day before and the day of the semi-final soccer match between Italy and Holland during the European Soccer Championship on June 29, 2000. The research was published in the February issue of Diabetologia.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2001
June 2001
There is no doubt that camps are an educational and fun experience for kids with diabetes. But what about the big kids? Diabetes camps for adults age 17 and older do exist, and like camps for kids offer similar experiences.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
I am a pediatric endocrinologist. I have been in practice for 18 years and see 12 to 15 kids every day.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
Father's Day is a good time to reflect upon the gift fathers give to their children and families when they assume an active role in the management of diabetes. Fathers play a pivotal role in helping the child and family cope effectively with the diagnosis and daily challenge of living with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
In 1981, Phoenix Suns' center Chris Dudley was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 16. He never thought for one second, however, that the disease would interfere with his dream to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
Caryn was a six-year-old who had had type 1 diabetes for one year. She once confided in me during one of her hospitalizations that she did not want to play soccer because she did not want to have to eat before each game. No one else had to and her friends starting saying she was weird.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
For many parents, the most troubling aspect of diabetes is the possibility of low blood sugars during the night. We have recently tested two new products that are providing solutions to this problem.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
Many new technologies have recently become available to help manage type 1 diabetes. Among these, insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors are proving to have great benefit, even in young children.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
"Camps offer a support system that isn't available in other places because [kids] are meeting other kids with diabetes," says Suzanne Apsey, program director for Triangle D Camp of Northern Illinois.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
Nutrition 21 has announced the introduction of a dietary supplement that has been shown to help improve the absorption of glucose in the body.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
Carla Elliot liked to keep busy. A bright and outgoing 14-year-old girl, Carla involved herself in as many activities as she could. Whether it was swimming, cheerleading, softball, 4-H club meetings or simply running around the neighborhood, Carla was there.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
Father's Day is a good time to reflect upon the gift fathers give to their children and families when they assume an active role in the management of diabetes. Fathers play a pivotal role in helping the child and family cope effectively with the diagnosis and daily challenge of living with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
What does having the words “Miss America” on your resume do for you in the real world? What doors does it open and what difference does it really make?
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
For many parents, the most troubling aspect of diabetes is the possibility of low blood sugars during the night. We have recently tested two new products that are providing solutions to this problem.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
Many new technologies have recently become available to help manage type 1 diabetes. Among these, insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors are proving to have great benefit, even in young children.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
Six things to consider if you are thinking of putting your diabetic child on an insulin pump:
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
Camps offer a support system that isn't available in other places because [kids] are meeting other kids with diabetes, says Suzanne Apsey, program director for Triangle D Camp of Northern Illinois.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2001
May 2001
Rosiglitazone (Avandia) is more effective if taken twice per day instead of once per day, according to research conducted at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2001
For many people with type 2 diabetes, diet and medication alone are not successfully treating the disease, researchers announced on March 16 at the Diabetes Health Expo in Miami.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2001
A protein in fat cells may cause insulin resistance, say researchers from Harvard Medical School.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2001
Could zinc hold one of the keys to a cure for type 1 diabetes?
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2001
After three and a half decades of doubts about the healing properties of C-peptide, scientists now believe that the hormone may help prevent diabetes complications.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2001
Diabetes poses a risk factor for tooth decay and gum disease. However, many people with diabetes are in the dark concerning this fact.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2001
Cygnus, Inc. of Redwood City, California, has finally completed its long journey to receiving FDA approval for its GlucoWatch Biographer. People with diabetes, however, should expect to wait until the end of 2001, or later, before being able to purchase one.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2001
I am a type 1 insulin-pump user and I intend to try the GlucoWatch as soon as it's available.
2 comments - Posted May 1, 2001
April 2001
Managing diabetes is hard work. It can also be very discouraging when you are making a consistent effort to manage your blood glucose, and your efforts are rewarded by unpredictable high and low blood-glucose readings.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2001
For Kim Hanchette, MEd, CDE, keeping up with the diabetes Joneses has never been a problem. With the conclusion of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial in 1993, Hanchette says most doctors in her hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina, had come to embrace the concept of self-management. As a CDE at an outpatient clinic there, Hanchette had her work cut out for her, with patients flowing in at a steady stream for classes on nutrition, glucose levels, exercise and medication.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2001
I am 72 years old and have been a type 2 for 21 years. I keep my blood sugar under control and get lab work done every three months. My A1c remains at 6%. Despite these measures, every year I get neuropathy on a different part of my body that lasts from winter until spring. Currently, I have it in my right buttocks and the back of my thigh. It is very painful. My doctor doesn't know what to do other than to prescribe painkillers that irritate my stomach.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2001
New evidence suggests that diabetes can lead to breast disease in menopausal women.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2001
March 2001
While exercise can improve your body's sensitivity to insulin, it can also complicate blood glucose (BG) control. Normally, exercise causes your body to use more blood sugar without insulin. Therefore, when insulin users participate in physical activities, they frequently need to make insulin adjustments to keep BGs normal.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2001
The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association have established general clinical practice recommendations for exercise and diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2001
Life Services of Neptune, New Jersey, now manufactures a high-protein/low-carbohydrate macaroni and cheese dinner called KETO Macaroni and Cheese. Each serving contains five grams of carbohydrate.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2001
According to Richard Bernstein, MD, FACE, FACN, CWS, a diplomat at the American College of Wound Management, elevated blood sugars can injure and eventually destroy sensory nerves in the feet. Virtually all people with diabetes, who have experienced ongoing higher-than-normal blood sugars for more than five years, suffer some loss of sensitivity to pain, pressure and temperature in their feet.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2001
February 2001
Many people with diabetes suspect that the insulin they get by mail sometimes has lost its effectiveness. Now, a study has proven their suspicions are probably true, causing the medical community to question mail-order pharmacies and bring people back to their community pharmacies, where face-to-face treatment delivers to them the best care possible.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2001
Although runners of all levels are welcome at the New York City marathon, its course is unrelenting-a 174-foot ascent in the first mile, another steep climb in Queens, and 26.2 miles of hard asphalt that stretches from Staten Island to the Bronx and back down.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2001
As a physically active individual in today's world, you are likely to be bombarded with all sorts of claims about nutritional supplements that will enhance your athletic performance. In reality, very few have been scientifically proven to have any effect on athletic performance.
3 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2001
Hypoglycemia is defined as a blood glucose level of less than 60 mg/dl. Many type 2s, however, may be well above this level but still say they feel "low." A common mistake for type 2s is to eat sweets because you feel low, only to later find they have a very high blood sugar.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2001
In yet another study examining the benefits of vitamin E supplementation, researchers have proclaimed that routine vitamin E use may have a beneficial effect on the hearts of people with type 1 diabetes. They add that vitamin E should be considered a life-long part of a type 1's vitamin regimen.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2001
Can you point me to any data on whether people with diabetes are prone to canker sores or other mouth sores?
1 comment - Posted Feb 1, 2001
The blood glucose (BG) meter is the "single most important thing" in the life of a person-type 1 and 2-with diabetes, says Jane Seley, RN, CDE, MPH, MSN, GNP, a doctoral candidate at New York University.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2001
For millions of people with diabetes, technology has supplied us with wonderful, helpful aids to help control blood sugar. While some of these medications come in pill form and remain stable when stored out of light and at moderate temperatures, people with diabetes who use insulin need to depend on more than technology to make sure their insulin is in top form.
1 comment - Posted Feb 1, 2001
On December 22, 2000, Novartis Pharmaceuticals received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its type 2 drug nateglinide (Starlix) as a therapy on its own and in combination with Glucophage.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2001
January 2001
A recent survey shows the United States is far from alone in its high numbers of people with diabetes with a deficit in self-management education. The survey, conducted by the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF), found that people with diabetes in five European countries said they had received little to no formal training on how to manage the disease.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2001
In August 2000, the potential for finding a type 1 cure was championed when the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued guidelines concerning the use of federal funds for research using stem cells from frozen human embryos.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2001
December 2000
Recently, I was leafing through the latest research findings of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Israel. I found a lot of interesting research on diabetes that I would like to share with you.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2000
Normally a stranger to such parts, diabetes was at the top of the marquee at this year's American Chemical Society, held in Washington, D.C. Three studies conducted by pharmaceutical companies revealed potential for glucagon-receptor-blocking compounds as a means of controlling type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2000
A study published in the September issue of Diabetes Care says neurotic people with diabetes have better blood sugar control.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2000
I've Started Taking Avandia. What Changes Do I Need to Make to My Diet?
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2000
Chai-Na-Ta Corporation of Langley, British Columbia, announced on September 12 that a research study using its North American Ginseng significantly reduced the blood glucose level of patients with type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2000
Fresh out of the starting gate with its April FDA approval, insulin glargine is on its way to overtaking other insulins as a viable treatment option for people with diabetes. A human insulin analog designed to have a smooth, peakless action, glargine is the first insulin to offer people with diabetes 24-hour insulin action.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2000
If you do get a cold or flu, you will need more than anti-viral medication to feel better. You will probably need some over-the-counter drugs.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2000
October 2000
Many of you probably record your blood glucose in a diary or logbook, which you bring to your healthcare team on routine visits. This logbook has been an important component of diabetes treatment programs since the days of Dr. Elliot Joslin (Joslin Diabetes Center), the late pioneering diabetes specialist. Dr. Joslin believed important events in a person's life and diabetes treatment should be entered into a diary that both that person and his health care team could refer back to for treatment decisions.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2000
How does massage therapy come into the picture of diabetes treatment? What are its benefits? What does a person with diabetes need to know about massage?
1 comment - Posted Oct 1, 2000
Whether you're off to work or school, portable foods have become increasingly popular. Who needs the long waits and high prices of restaurants when your own kitchen can provide better food at better prices?
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2000
Whether you realize it or not, most blood sugar meters store information about the tests you perform and also let you recall the date and time that you checked your blood sugars. Some meters keep track of the "control" and "checkstrip" quality control tests done to ensure the accuracy of your meter. More advanced meters even store additional data such as events like low blood sugar symptoms, insulin doses, activity levels, the amount of food consumed or even your HbA1c levels.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2000
In addition to being an assistant professor of exercise science at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia and DIABETES HEALTH's exercise advisor, Sheri Colberg, PhD, can add "author" to her list of credentials.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2000
September 2000
Barbara Nelson, CDE, of Boise, Idaho, recently noticed that many of her patients were using the book "Sugarbusters!" for their dietary guidelines, usually at the recommendation of their health care providers. She wrote in asking for our thoughts on this book, and we got the following answer from Joy Pape, RN, CDE:
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2000
Mixtures of Insulin:
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2000
Carl S. Lau of Los Angeles, California wrote in response to our July article on the Food Guide Pyramid, wanting to know what scientific evidence there was showing low-carbohydrate diets to be unsafe. Elizabeth Rhodes, RD, LD, author of our July piece, had this to say in reply:
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2000
Has your child with diabetes ever come home from school upset, because a teacher said something that made him or her feel "weird" or "different"? Has your child ever missed a snack or a shot because the teacher did not want it to interfere with the class schedule? Whether you are aware of it or not, that's discrimination and it's illegal. Public schools that discriminate against children with diabetes violate their civil rights, since every child is ensured a free and appropriate public education.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2000
Parents who are concerned about the insulin pump's relative complexity but relish the possibilities of the increased control it can offer children may finally have the solution to their problem. A recent study suggests that part-time pumping can offer improved control for younger children without requiring them to operate the pump on their own.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2000
On June 27, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) joined as plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit charging the City of Philadelphia with denying people with diabetes proper medical treatment while in police custody.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2000
August 2000
Active people living with diabetes love the flexibility and finite control that using an insulin pump provides. Life no longer revolves around timed snacks and meals. Long-acting insulin peaks no longer control you. Even exercise participation can become spontaneous again. Whether you are new to pumping or a veteran, there are things to consider when you manage exercise blood sugars.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2000
Chromium's effects on diabetes have garnered attention in the past, but a recent study shows its benefits can be felt before type 2 diabetes develops—and may even prevent it from ever occurring.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2000
Recently, Dr. James Shapiro and a team of transplant surgeons at the University of Alberta in Edmonton transplanted islets into 10 people with type 1 diabetes. In previous studies, only eight percent of islet-transplant recipients have remained off insulin for one year. The Edmonton Protocol is the first study in which 100 percent of islet-transplant recipients have been insulin-independent for one year.
1 comment - Posted Aug 1, 2000
Dinner is at 5, but you usually eat at 7. Your attending doctor does not do the same things as you and your diabetes team. Your attending doctor knows you have a diabetes specialist but does not call the specialist. You routinely eat a bedtime snack, but nobody in the hospital brings you one. The insulin you use is Humalog, but it is not on the formulary. Neither is your ACE inhibitor.
2 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2000
If you ever think, "I never go anywhere without my meter; it's like my wallet," think again. How many of us have forgotten our wallets? If it is prudent to own spare car keys, why not own a spare meter? Why not own two meters, one for the home and a spare meter for your workplace? If you exercise at the gym regularly, keeping a third spare meter in your locker is also advisable.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2000
July 2000
You'll find this months "letters to the editor" to be very interesting. On several topics, our readers are clearly divided. Our article on nighttime hypoglycemia shocked one reader and drew praise from another.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2000
Years ago, restaurant eating was reserved for special occasions. It was a time for celebration and overindulging in foods not typical of our normal fare. Today, eating out has become second nature for many, a by-product of our fast-paced life on the run.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2000
I know people sometimes say that developing an illness was both the best and the worst thing to ever happen to them. I used to find it hard, however, to imagine how an illness could be anything but bad.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2000
June 2000
Getting lost in the Amazon rain forest without a backpack is bad news for a person with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
I know a young man. He is only 17. He appears to be a typical, everyday, run-of-the-mill teenager. He wears pants that are a size too big. His hair is in a crew cut. He drives a 1986 Nissan pickup with the windows down and the stereo blasting. He winks at the girls while sitting at the red lights and has a charming half-grin when he smiles.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
Many little girls dream of someday becoming professional ballerinas, dancing with the grace of a swan, in the spotlight before thousands. Ballerina Zippora Karz, 35, is proof that diabetes doesn't stop dreams and goals from being reached.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
Approximately 21 percent of Americans who suffer from arthritis use glucosamine sulfate supplements to help ease their pain. U.S sales of glucosamine are $230 million per year, according to the Nutrition Business Journal.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
Jean Betschart MN, RN, CDE is a pediatric nurse practitioner in the Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. She has also written many books and articles for children with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
Kellie Kuehne, 23, is in her third year on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour. Kuehne (pronounced key-knee), who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 10, is a two-time U.S. Women's Amateur champion.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
Diabetes Camp-The Best Thing to Happen to My Son
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
There are an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 young people who attend diabetes camps each summer. Summer camps provide young people, ages 6 to 18, an opportunity to effectively manage their diabetes in an environment that is educational, safe and fun.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
The survival and success rates for pancreas transplants have improved during recent years. By 1997, almost 10,000 such transplants had been done.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
Gary Hall Jr., the gold and silver medalist swimmer at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, is considered America's finest freestyle sprint swimmer.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
Kumetrix Inc. of Union City, California, has entered into an agreement with Bayer Diagnostics to further develop Kumetrix's silicon micro-needle device for diabetic blood glucose monitoring.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
Taking American ginseng before a meal can reduce blood sugar in people with and without diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
The Disetronic Group has initiated and received approval for the development of an innovative new insulin delivery system with integrated monitoring of blood sugar.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2000
May 2000
Five years ago, on Mother's Day, Eileen Clarke got a surprise that changed her family's life. Her twin daughters, Kelsey and Kayla, just months old, were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Kelsey started injections that day, and Kayla soon followed. From infancy, Kelsey and Kaylas' lives were given to the realities of needles, lancets, strict meal schedules and healthy foods.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2000
As all people with diabetes know, one of the greatest challenges you will ever encounter is confronting the problem of maintaining an exercise program. Unfortunately, it is a challenge requiring skills that are not taught by most health clubs or included in most fitness literature.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2000
Two more herbal preparations containing a blood sugar-lowering prescription drug were recalled by two California firms. The recall action came just two months after the FDA issued a warning about five other herbal products that contained blood-sugar lowering drugs.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2000
Q: Are there any studies of dietary changes to help with problems of gastroparesis? My daughter has had type 1 diabetes for 32 years and is now suffering complications, gastroparesis being one of particular concern.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2000
Editor's note: Before changing your treatment plan, always advise your physician or health care practitioner.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2000
In a follow-up study of the 10-year DCCT (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial), it was found that people who intensively managed their blood sugar significantly reduced their risk of developing retinopathy and kidney disease.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2000
In the March issue of the journal Nature Medicine, Ammon Peck, MD, and colleagues at the University of Florida in Gainseville, reported that the use of stem cells reversed diabetes in an animal model. Their experiment was the first to demonstrate that the cells were as valuable as researchers have speculated in treating diabetes.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2000
Biocontrol Technology of Pittsburgh announced on March 28 that its subsidiary, Diasensor.com, has purchased an equity interest in Diabecore Medical, a Toronto-based company working to develop a new insulin for the treatment of diabetes.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2000
Is diabetes driving you crazy? If so, welcome to the club. In fact, a very large club.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2000
DIABETES HEALTH: The latest figures show that only five percent of people with diabetes see a diabetes specialist. Is there something seriously wrong here?
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2000
April 2000
A small Italian trial tested the accuracy of two popular blood glucose monitors at an altitude of nearly 10,000 ft. The Glucometer Elite II and the LifeScan One Touch II were tested on six type 1s who all had good glycemic control and no diabetes-related complications. The readings from the meters were compared to the results from venous blood samples. The findings were reported in the January issue of Diabetes Care.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2000
Animas Corporation will be having its coming-out party to the diabetes community this May.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2000
On February 24, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned people with diabetes not to use five brands of Chinese herbal products. The FDA says that the herbs illegally contain the prescription diabetes drugs glyburide and phenformin which can cause dangerous drops in blood sugar.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2000
I thought Daniel Trecroci's foot care feature in the February issue ("Does the Shoe Fit? Important New Products for the Diabetic Foot") was very well written and organized. It is always good to express opinions from a variety of specialties.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2000
I thought Daniel Trecroci's foot care feature in the February issue ("Does the Shoe Fit? Important New Products for the Diabetic Foot") was very well written and organized. It is always good to express opinions from a variety of specialties.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2000
Sande Francis has a veritable gymnasium at her home in Fresno, California. A type 2 since 1992, Francis started exercising after she was diagnosed with a random blood sugar reading of 264 mg/dl.
1 comment - Posted Apr 1, 2000
Through the partnership of M. Joann Henry, RNC, MSHS, CDE and Patricia Payne-Zajac, MSW, RD, CDE, Sweet Success Express promotes diabetes and pregnancy guidelines across the country.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2000
March 2000
It seems that each new issue of Diabetes Health is more exciting than the previous one.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2000
Kidney disease, retinopathy, angiopathy, neuropathy and delayed wound healing are the more commonly known complications of diabetes. Consider periodontitis, or gum disease, to be the sixth complication of diabetes, an important risk factor that needs to be controlled in order to improve your overall dental health. The more diabetes-related complications you may have, the more likely you are to develop others. Periodontitis has been linked with complications such as retinopathy, angiopathy and kidney disease. Periodontal disease can be monitored and controlled with careful attention to your at-home oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2000
While rigorous glycemic control is important for all diabetic patients, it's especially important after surgery. Better glycemic control after surgery reduces the rate of bacterial infections; and high post-surgery BGs often lead to more infections.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2000
Twenty years ago, the first blood glucose meters used 30 microliters of blood. When the One Touch came out 10 years ago, it only required 10 microliters of blood. Today, the FastTake, Advantage, Elite and Precision QID only use 2 or 3 microliters of blood. As Bayer claims in its "Size Matters" print ad for the Elite and Elite XL, "less blood means fewer errors, fewer punctures, less pain" resulting in "...reduced wastage and reduced cost."
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2000
Jay Leeuwenburg is an imposing, 6-foot, three-inch, 295-pound physical specimen which goes a long way in his field of work as an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL). Even before Leeuwenburg was a teenager, he weighed as much as 170 pounds. At the age of 12, however, he began losing weight at a rapid pace, and eventually whittled away to 130 pounds. Upon seeing a doctor, Leeuwenburg discovered he had type 1 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2000
Patients with neuropathy can participate in a clinical trial in San Diego that will test a non-narcotic treatment for the debilitating pain caused by diabetic neuropathy. According to a Diabetes and Endocrine Associates news release, a hand-held device, known as the PlexxNet Patient LogPad, will enable researchers to monitor a patient's safety and response to experimental therapy.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2000
February 2000
This is a hard column to write this month.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
Robert C. Atkins, the author of Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, has not been a stranger to controversy ever since his first book was published 20 years ago. He continues to be controversial in his advocacy of dietary supplements and minerals in his diet plan. Many doctors are leery of supplements because they have not undergone the rigorous approval process that the Food and Drug Administration puts prescription drugs through. Yet, Atkins puts as much weight on supplements as he does on prescription drugs.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
Am I Losing Insulin When I Bleed After an Injection?
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
A promising drug trial at the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at New York's Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center needs children, aged 8 and older, who have recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, to participate.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
Many people with diabetes assume that there is a strong correlation between their mean blood sugar level and their glycosylated hemoglobin levels. Some researchers, however, are sounding a warning: some people with identical glycosylated hemoglobin levels have been shown to have very different average blood glucose levels.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
In addition to numbness and tingling in the extremities, diabetes-induced nerve damage can also lead to problems with control of high blood pressure and cause incontinence, impotence, chronic diarrhea and constipation. This kind of autonomic neuropathy occurs when the branching extensions of nerve cells swell and block normal communication between the cells.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
Insulin lowers elevated blood sugars. Glucagon raises low blood sugars. Insulin shifts the metabolism into storage mode. Glucagon shifts it into the burning mode. Insulin converts glucose and proteins into fat. Glucagon converts proteins and fat into glucose. Insulin converts dietary fat into storage and glucagon converts dietary fat into ketones for energy. Insulin removes fat from blood and transports it into fat cells in the blood to tissues. Glucagon releases fat from fat cells for energy. Insulin increases the body's production of cholesterol. Glucagon decreases it. Insulin stimulates the use of glucose for energy. Glucagon stimulates the use of fat for energy. Insulin makes the kidneys retain water and glucagon makes them release excess fluid. Insulin stimulates the growth of arterial smooth muscle and glucagon stimulates regression. Source: adapted from"Protein Power."
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
Exercise impacts everyone differently. A minority of people with diabetes who exercise may find it unnecessary to make any insulin or dietary changes to accommodate their exercise regime, like the NPH user who does aerobics early in the morning before her breakfast or morning insulin. Most, however, will probably need to make some adjustments.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
There are few issues that scare people with diabetes more than that of amputation. Losing a leg or foot has the potential to affect not only the way you work and play but, generally, all of the activities in your life. The good news is that most amputations are preventable.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
A big issue in diabetes care today is the prevention of foot wounds that could lead to serious consequences. Untreated foot deformities and calluses can lead to ulcers that can subsequently lead to infection and amputation. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) reports that 15 percent of all people with diabetes develop foot ulcers. Diabetic foot problems result in as any as 60,000 major amputations per year in North America.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
Aerobic workouts can be safely enjoyed by people with diabetes. These are fun exercises that can increase your muscle tone and aerobic fitness. A typical workout consists of greater-intensity aerobic work and lesser-intensity stretching and toning activities using hand-held or ankle weights and multiple repetitions (such as abdominal crunches). Classes vary in intensity based on individual ability and level of participation, as well as the nature of the class: high-impact, low-impact, step, hip-hop and others.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
BioSafe Laboratories, Inc., of Lincolnshire, Illinois, recently announced that they have received marketing clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) home test kit to monitor the progression of diabetes. This means that people with diabetes can now monitor their long-term blood sugar control through a home blood collection process.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
Merck & Co., Inc., recently announced that people with high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes cut their risk of a heart attack by as much as 42 percent when taking Zocor, their cholesterol-lowering drug.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2000
January 2000
If you're a person with diabetes who suspects your beta cells may still be hard at work, you may be more right than you know. Most people with diabetes, including type 1s, are still producing at least trace amounts of insulin. And while BGs and HbA1cs may be the foundation for any good diabetes treatment, when it comes to showing insulin production, they don't necessarily paint the full picture.
2 comments - Posted Jan 9, 2000
Researchers at the St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center say the fat-blocking drug Xenical may help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jan 7, 2000
By using gene transfer therapy, other tissues can be programmed to produce insulin and relieve high blood sugar seen with diabetes, according to the May issue of the journal Nature Medicine. The new approach is being touted as a novel way of transplanting and replacing pancreatic tissue.
0 comments - Posted Jan 7, 2000
The May 11 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine reports that fiber may be one step closer to becoming a vital part of the diabetes diet.
0 comments - Posted Jan 7, 2000
The world's most famous diabetes clinic has now teamed up with a local health club to promote good diabetes control through exercise.
0 comments - Posted Jan 7, 2000
On May 4, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation (JDF) announced the opening of the JDF Center for the Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes at Turku University Hospital in Turku, Finland. The JDF is funding the Center at $550,000 per year over the next five years.
0 comments - Posted Jan 7, 2000
In 1996, Humalog was given FDA approval for patients, aged 12 to 65, for injection within 15 minutes of a meal. On May 2, that approval was expanded to include children over age 3 and adults over age 65.
0 comments - Posted Jan 7, 2000
For all children, the time between 6 and 12 years of age is marked by dramatic growth in many areas. For this reason, these years have been called the "I can do anything years."
0 comments - Posted Jan 6, 2000
In November 1995, DIABETES HEALTH reported that a company named Cygnus was developing a new wristband device called the GlucoWatch monitor that was to give sugar readings every 20 minutes. Cygnus said they hoped to introduce the GlucoWatch monitor to the market by the end of 1997. Over the years, as we have covered this story, the launch date has crept forward. It has taken much longer than Cygnus had anticipated, but at least they never gave up.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
Being a 25-year-old woman who has had type 1 diabetes for 20 years, I have had my share of ups and downs.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
SmithKline Beecham recently announced plans to initiate a major study to determine if early treatment with Avandia, Glucophage or a sulfonylurea improves and maintains blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes, delays and/or prevents complications such as kidney disease and prevents decline in pancreatic beta-cell function.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
Ramadan is an annual month of fasting observed by as many as 1 billion Muslims globally. During Ramadan, which takes place this year from December 9, 1999 to January 8, 2000, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset. Although Islamic leaders allow exemptions on medical grounds, many devout Muslims with diabetes prefer to fast during Ramadan. As a result, they must make adjustments to their insulin dosages to avoid hypo- or hyperglycemia. Previously, doctors had reservations about allowing people with diabetes to fast but recent research indicates that fasting can be done safely as long as proper self-monitoring and close professional supervision are guaranteed.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
According to a SmithKline Beecham-funded survey of 1,000 patients with type 2 diabetes, nearly two-thirds of those surveyed do not understand or have never heard of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance, an underlying cause of type 2 diabetes, is a condition in which a unit of insulin has less effect in lowering blood sugar. Only 28 percent of the survey participants have discussed insulin resistance with a physician or other healthcare professional.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
Virginia public schools must now train their employees to administer both insulin and glucagon shots to children with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
Jane Botcha has had diabetes for over six years. When she was tested in 1996, her microalbuminuria was 2.4. In 1997 it rose to 7.4, and this year it was 17.1.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
Pancreas Tonic, a new herbal treatment for people with diabetes, is drawing conflicting opinions from different quarters of the diabetes community. In 1999, Pancreas Tonic was hailed during an episode of the NBC television program EXTRA as "…the cure for diabetes" by William Taylor, MD, an internist. In additon, testimonials were given by people with diabetes who said that Pancreas Tonic really worked for the treatment of their blood sugars. According to transcripts from the EXTRA episode, Taylor added that Pancreas Tonic could be "one of the biggest medical breakthroughs of the century."
3 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
An advisory panel of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unanimously recommended approval of the GlucoWatch monitor on December 6, 1999. The advisory panel, which approved the GlucoWatch monitor with conditions, said that the monitor could offer a tremendous benefit by measuring glucose far more often than blood tests can.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
In animal experiments, insulin was successfully delivered in sustained quantities and without the need for injections by using a skin patch.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
People with diabetes should know that they have the option of treating their seasonal cold and flu symptoms with a sugar-free cough syrup.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
LifeScan has upgraded its Windows-based software by introducing IN TOUCH Diabetes Management Software, Version 1.31. This new software, available for both the patient with diabetes and their health care provider, can download patient blood glucose data from any of LifeScan's current consumer meters. This makes it easier for health care providers to manage many patients and help them better control their blood sugars.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
Kumetrix Inc., a privately held medical device company located in Union City, California, recently announced that it will receive $194,000 in state funds to further develop its painless blood glucose (BG) monitoring device.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2000
December 1999
Dr. David Matthews, chairman of the Oxford Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, says beta-cell deterioration is "virtually inevitable" in persons with type 2 diabetes. He urges doctors who treat type 2s to refrain from telling them that they only have "mild diabetes," and instead tell them that they are still at considerable risk for diabetic complications.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1999
Norman Hart of Tampa, Florida, took his type 2 diabetes diagnosis very seriously. He wanted to find out everything he could about the disease, but found the quality of information disappointing.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1999
How Will My Blood Sugars React To Being Pregnant
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1999
Though it does not test blood, the accuracy of the GlucoWatch monitor compares well with existing blood glucose meters, researchers have concluded.
3 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1999
Even one week of not getting eight hours of sleep can alter a person's capacity to metabolize carbohydrates.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1999
According to Cygnus Inc., the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has scheduled December 6 as the date for an advisory committee review of the GlucoWatch monitor.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1999
A high school Spanish teacher in California, Linda Vernier relies on beef-pork insulin from Eli Lilly and Co. to stay healthy.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1999
On September 11, 1998, Jackie Warren Demijohn, 42, a domestic violence outreach counselor from Farwell, Michigan, took a monumental leap in controlling the diabetes she had suffered from for the last 37 years. Demijohn underwent the first-ever islet and bone marrow transplant at the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) in Miami.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1999
In the October 20 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Frank Hu, MD, of the Harvard School of Public Health, writes that people can cut the risk of type 2 diabetes nearly in half by engaging in one hour of moderate-intensity activity each day, which doesn't have to be all at once. This moderate-intensity activity can be accomplished with a walk to the bus stop in the morning, a walk up several flights of stairs in the afternoon, and housework in the evening.
4 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1999
With its patent exclusivity on metformin (Glucophage) about to end, Bristol-Myers Squibb is looking at a new pill to help keep its strong position in the type 2 drug market. In 2000, other companies will be able to manufacture generic forms of Glucophage, the best-selling diabetes pill in the United States. With generic medicines being less expensive, the company is bound to lose sales.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1999
November 1999
I attended a party this weekend at a friend's house. The hostess said, "Scott, I want you to meet my brother-in-law, Alan. He has diabetes, and you two should talk."
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
Q: I thought that people with diabetes experience frequent urination only when their BGs are high. Is this incorrect? Could frequent urination even when a person has consistently normal BGs be an indication of another medical problem?
1 comment - Posted Nov 1, 1999
Why do over-the-counter decongestants or antihistamines warn that they are not to be used by people with diabetes?
2 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
I am 28 years old and I've had juvenile diabetes for 21 years. I want to try for a family. I'm concerned about my frequent dropping out with low blood sugars at any given time, for a hundred different reasons (hormone levels is one). My big question is, how low can your blood sugars go before it starts to harm a fetus? Or, is it a matter of how long you have a low blood sugar?
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
I am a fire fighter who uses a Disetronic insulin pump and Tender infusion set. I have frequently asked sales reps, Disetronic engineers in Minnesota and Sweden and lots of diabetes educators, at what temperature does an infusion set melt? I have never gotten a sufficient answer. The standard line is that insulin is not viable over 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
Just in time for National Diabetes Month, there is new data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) which shows that more than half of people with type 2 diabetes in the United States have unacceptably high blood sugar levels, putting them at increased risk for serious diabetes-related complications.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
I am a 25-year-old female with type 2 diabetes. My father passed away at 56 and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only four months before his death. Tests showed that he had damage to his eyes as a result of diabetes. Is it possible he had this for many years before his diagnosis?
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
I have had type 1 for 22 years. I am a 41-year-old female. Is there a link between frozen shoulder and diabetes? What can be done to ease it?
8 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
Last February I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and so far have been able to control it without medication, just diet and exercise. I was told to get my peak blood sugar results, two hours after eating. Recently I decided to test one hour after eating, and was shocked at the 238 reading. At two hours, my blood sugar was 150. Should I be concerned, or just continue to check at two hours after eating?
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
I have had diabetes for 24 years and my HbA1cs run below 6.4%. When I am ill, I tend to need stronger antibiotics and need them longer than the average nondiabetic. My doctor, however, tells me that I should only need the same amount of antibiotics as anyone else. I usually have a relapse and need additional antibiotics to clear an infection.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
I am a 39-year-old type 1. What is a good strategy for controlling BGs during the night?
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
When 5-year-old Jennifer Peurrung woke up hourly and started begging for a drink in the middle of the night, her mother Victoria told her to stop drinking and go back to bed. Jennifer started to cry.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
Here is a sample of the software available to help keep you on track with your diabetes control.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston have launched the Joslin Kidney Study to search for genetic components that make some people with type 1 diabetes prone to kidney complications.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
I am president of a diabetes association in which we have lots of members who would like information on islet transplantation. What is the latest news on the success of islet transplantation?
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
Hypnosis. For many, the word conjures up images that make a person uncomfortable. Many fear hypnosis because they fear a loss of control, yet a person is actually more in control while in a state of trance. This fact should interest people with diabetes, because control is exactly the issue that concerns them: controlling blood sugar levels.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
Balance Bar Company has added a new line called Balance Outdoor, bars designed to sustain energy during outdoor activities. Balance Outdoor bars follow the 40-30-30 plan: 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat. In comparison, most sports energy bars are 75 percent or more carbohydrates and low in fat.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
National Diabetes Month is always a good time to stop and take stock of how much you really know about managing your diabetes. With a large assortment of new books on the market, understanding your diabetes can be that much easier.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
October 1999
Welcome to this month's issue, and our feature story on driving.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1999
In 1993, Ross Adler of Lakewood, Washington, was 58 years old and taking a four-shot-per-day regimen of NPH and Regular insulin for a total of 110 units per day. His HbA1c was 8.4%, and his fasting C-peptide was 3 ng/mL which strongly suggested type 2 diabetes was caused by insulin resistance. Obviously, with such a high HbA1c, his injected insulin was not lowering his blood sugars.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1999
The Case of Meyer K.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1999
Hemochromatosis, a genetic metabolic disorder where a person absorbs too much iron in the digestive tract, can result in diabetes, according to researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1999
Every Halloween, Cynthia Primeau of Sterling Heights, Michigan, sympathizes with parents of newly diagnosed children with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1999
Nothing has changed. Recent studies show that the majority of Americans are still exercising less and gaining more weight. This could mean trouble for people with diabetes, and anyone who wants to stay healthy.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1999
In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Bell v. Burson that driving is an "important interest" that may not be taken away from a licensed driver without a government agency's providing procedural due process.
3 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1999
September 1999
In 1978, at age 21, I ran away to Hawaii to work on a cruise ship. In those days, I never told anyone that I had diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1999
Not too long ago, I received a hero's medal from Joslin Diabetes Center for having diabetes for more than 50 years. Now approaching 52 years with diabetes, I'm still going strong. I've had a few complications from diabetes, but nothing that has kept me from leading an active life. The complications I've experienced have made me more determined to maintain my present quality of life.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1999
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin in Madison are saying that light to moderate alcohol consumption decreases the risk of death due to coronary heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1999
According to the July issue of Diabetes Care, high doses of supplementary vitamin C may cause an unexpected elevation of blood sugar levels and false diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
4 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1999
Two new drugs have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In clinical trials, Avandia (rosiglitazone maleate) and ACTOS (pioglitazone hydrochloride) lowered blood sugars an average of 76 mg/dl and 95 mg/dl respectively, when compared to a placebo.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1999
Looking over my application, the martial arts instructor asked, "Do you suffer from any health problems I should know about?" I answered promptly, "I have diabetes." He paused for a few seconds, then nervously asked, "Are you sure this is the right sport for you?"
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1999
LifeScan, manufacturer of blood glucose self-monitoring products, has updated its One Touch Basic meter.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1999
Doctors Say "Noncompliant" is an Irrelevant Term
1 comment - Posted Sep 1, 1999
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified five new cases of liver failure linked to Rezulin.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1999
Every Thursday night before she goes to sleep, Lynn Dempsky, a 42-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes, uses an Acculink modem. With the push of a button, her whole week of glucose readings is faxed to her doctor. If a follow-up is required, she hears from her doctor the next morning. Dempsky says the new modem system has improved her communication with her doctor and is helping her keep better control of her disease.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1999
August 1999
Q: I have been taking vitamin E for over 10 years. I started on 100 mg., then moved up to 200 mg. About six months ago, I switched to 400 mg. Recently, however, I started having swelling in my lower legs and feet. I also started having blisters that oozed on my legs.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
Recently, while trying to keep track of the kids and the shopping list at a big department store, yours truly had a low blood sugar. I immediately sat down, and my meter confirmed a reading of 52 mg/dl. Fortunately, I was carrying glucose tablets and everything was okay.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
Jerry Mathers, one of the most beloved childhood actors of all time, starred as Beaver Cleaver in the hit television show "Leave it to Beaver" from 1957 to 1963. When the show concluded in 1963, Mathers attended University of California, Berkeley, and then worked in real estate and catering. In the 1980's, Mathers got back together with several "Leave it To Beaver" original cast members, and starred in "The New Leave it To Beaver," which ran from 1982 to 1989. As Mathers puts it, he sort of "retired" after the series concluded, and from that point on, his life became sedentary. An ensuing weight gain of about five to seven pounds per year followed.
2 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
The following studies on insulin pump therapy were presented recently at the American Diabetes Association's Scientific Sessions in San Diego:
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), a person is labeled as having type 2 diabetes if his or her morning blood sugar reading is 126 mg/dl or greater. A new study, however, suggests that type 2 diabetes should not be diagnosed at these levels if that person's HbA1c is not excessive.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
Instead of a sugar-free diet, people with diabetes might do better on a hang-up-free diet.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
For some years, we've heard that saturated fats are bad for us. Now, many people are pointing their fingers at trans fats.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
Pregnant women with type 1 diabetes can have healthy deliveries if they maintain a good HbA1c during early pregnancy.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
Researchers at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in Dorset, United Kingdom, discovered that alcohol consumption in people with type 1 diabetes is less than average, and that at least half of them experience some form of acute blood glucose change when drinking.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
In 1995, I was diagnosed with an advanced case of type 2 diabetes. At the time, I hardly knew what the disease was, but I was sure that a few pills would fix it. Still, I wanted to do some research, which started me on a medical journey. It dawned on me that I had a real problem, not just a minor interference with my work schedule.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
Several years ago, I had a severe insulin reaction while vacationing in the mountains. This was the result of exercising a lot more than usual. Pharmacists often spend eight to 12 hours a day, six days a week behind the prescription counter. On vacation, however, with the combination of increase in exercise, altitude, less stress and changes in food patterns, I went into a convulsion around 3 a.m. My wife could not awake me, and I had forgotten to inform her that I had a Glucagon injection with me. I awoke just in time for her to tell me the paramedics were on the way. I drank orange juice, ate glucose tablets, used a tube of Insta-Glucose and scolded her for telephoning for help.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
There's a buzz in the diabetes community from a recent islet transplantation success with a drug called anti-CD154. Given to monkeys once per month after islet transplants, anti-CD154 kept the islets working, and kept the monkeys free of insulin injections, and other harmful immunosuppressive drugs, for one year.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
Exercise Improves Diabetes and Cardiovascular Control, but Maintenance is Necessary. It is well known that good diet and exercise habits reduce the risk of heart disease and improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. Knowing that diet and exercise programs are extremely difficult to follow, researcher Fannie Smith enrolled overweight type 2 patients in an intensive, 16-week program called "Fit N' Healthy."
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
Beef-pork insulin will soon disappear in the United States, leaving thousands of people with diabetes without the insulin they feel is essential to their lives. Ever since insulin manufacturers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk announced that they would no longer sell beef-pork insulin, American activists have been fighting to import it from the United Kingdom and Brazil, where it is still made and widely available. The activists work on behalf of those who say that human insulin causes side effects in them, the most frequently reported being that they no longer get any physical warning when their blood sugars drop.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
According to Kalpana Reddy, rapid availability of HbA1c results is a benefit to patients. The faster a doctor gets HbA1c results, the faster he or she can make appropriate decisions about the patient's blood sugar control.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
July 1999
A great number of skin creams and lotions are formulated for, and marketed to, people with diabetes, but why? What is it that makes people with diabetes require skin care products, and why do those products need to be specifically designed for diabetics?
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1999
You like our changes! All of us at DIABETES HEALTH enjoyed hearing from so many of you that you liked our new layout. We now start the feature stories inside the publication, which reduces the number of page jumps. This opened more room on the front page for our talented art director, Hansen Tom, to create a beautiful illustration.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1999
Walking could be the easiest, least expensive exercise, and it is proven to help shed pounds and improve glucose levels. An Australian study looks at post-menopausal type 2 women, and how walking changed their health.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1999
Testing hurts my fingers. No one will want to marry me. My skin looks bumpy at injection sites Insulin makes me look fat It's not fair that I have to think about diabetes all the time I'll have a bad insulin reaction, especially at nighttime High (or low) blood sugars make me moody Each high blood sugar reading is a nail in my coffin Complications are "time bombs" waiting to explode I'm sick and tired of taking care of my diabetes I have to keep my diabetes a secret or I'll lose friends I feel as if my doctor is judging me My insurance won't cover diabetes supplies, treatment or education -Courtesy of Alan Jacobsen, MD, Joslin Diabetes Center
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1999
Imagine if a free glucose meter showed up at your door. You'd be thrilled, right? Well, it happened to David Fogarty, but he wasn't thrilled. This Berkeley, California, father was fuming mad. Fogarty's HMO, Health Net, sent a free Precision Q.I.D. meter to his 11-year-old son, Lucas, and to all its other members with diabetes. The catch was, Health Net would soon stop covering strips for Lucas's One Touch Profile.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1999
Women with diabetes may be at a greater risk of developing colorectal cancer, according to results from the 18-year Nurses' Health Study.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1999
A compound isolated from a fungus controlled blood glucose levels in mice bred to develop diabetes. Researchers are saying that if the fungus, collected from a plant in the Republic of Congo, demonstrates the same effects in humans with diabetes, then millions of people would be freed from taking insulin.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1999
Visually Impaired Need Braille on Insulin Vials
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1999
Kidney transplant patients who suffered high blood sugar when taking the antirejection drug tacrolimus (Prograf) demonstrated improvement when they were switched to the antirejection drug cyclosporin (Neoral).
1 comment - Posted Jul 1, 1999
Splenda, the new sweetener approved over a year ago, is promised to be safe, very sweet, stable when heated and harmless to your blood sugars. People have been wondering why they can't find it in the supermarket, or anywhere else, until now.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1999
June 1999
In February 1998, Brittany Rausch, 12, and her mother came up with an idea for a skit that she could perform at a diabetes camp in Southern California sponsored by the Pediatric Adolescent Diabetes Research and Education Foundation (PADRE). With a group of other girls she met at the camp, Rausch put together a song and dance routine to the "The Barbie Song," and it was a big hit with the other campers.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1999
Researchers found that teaching coping skills significantly improves an adolescent's metabolic control over diabetes, as well as his or her overall quality of life.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1999
Researchers say that combining some NPH insulin with each injection of lispro (Humalog) has several benefits. It improves 24-hour blood glucose, lowers HbA1c values, and reduces hypoglycemia.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1999
Gary was excited to make the junior varsity crew team. The team usually met at 5:30 a.m., rowed until 6:30, showered, dressed, grabbed some breakfast and got to school by 8. Gary wasn't sure how to swing insulin and breakfast, but he thought his blood glucose levels would be okay. Gary also told his coach that he didn't want special favors or attention because of his diabetes. He and his parents had been well educated about adjusting insulin, and were encouraged by their medical team to see what worked best. Unfortunately, things didn't work out as he planned.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1999
NutraSweet Manufacturer: Beware Internet Rumors, Not Us
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1999
“I was scared to death.” Freezing, out of food and lost near the top of one of the world’s highest mountains, type 1 Colby Smith has to decide. Should he save himself and head down the mountain to safety and leave his friend behind to die, or stay with his friend, which could kill them both.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1999
In 1981, Chris Dudley was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 16. He never thought for one second, however, that the disease would interfere with his dream to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Today, Dudley is enjoying his 12th year in the NBA.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1999
The trick to a bedtime snack is to eat just enough to sustain blood sugar while not overeating.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1999
May 1999
A type 2 medication can reap huge sales, and the world's pharmaceutical businesses compete fiercely for a part of the type 2 market of 14 million people. The push for these sales has brought out many new drugs during recent years. Yet, the recent Rezulin controversy serves as a reminder that knowing all you can about your medication can improve your health.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1999
Electroacupuncture (EA) is from a traditional Chinese therapy that combines traditional needle acupuncture and massage.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1999
A study published in the January 1999 issue of the journal Ophthalmology revealed that proper control of blood glucose could significantly reduce cortical cataracts in people of African descent.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1999
J. Joseph Prendergast, MD, is one of those rare people who blend years of experience with new technology. And, it seems to be working for people with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1999
Readers Sweet On Aspartame Article but ADA Sour
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1999
For people with type 2 diabetes, exercise is an imperative companion piece to managing blood sugars. For people with type 1 diabetes, however, it is a more difficult proposition.
1 comment - Posted May 1, 1999
It's one of those things you should always have but you hope to never use-glucagon.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1999
Rezulin cleared its most recent FDA hurdle, but the question looms as to whether there are any more in the future.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1999
April 1999
How did one type 2 go from 20 units of insulin per day to none, and no blood sugar level above 185? He took Cogent DB, an Indian type 2 medication made from several herbs, which the Mayo Clinic is reported to be interested in testing.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
Over a year ago, the United States Congress gave the Diabetes Research Working Group (DRWG) this task: tell us what we need to do, and what we need to spend, to cure diabetes. On February 25, the group answered the question, recommending a strategic plan for the next five years of diabetes research.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
I never thought I would weigh over 200 pounds in my life, yet I stepped on the scales one day and weighed 214 pounds!
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
You rely on your physicians to recommend the best therapy, but how much do they know about vitamins and nutrition?
2 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
Q: Is the Dr. Atkins low-carbohydrate diet bad for me? I was around 200 pounds last year. I went on a diet and lost 20 pounds by eating a lot of meat, vegetables and eggs, and drinking a lot of diet soda. When I reached 180 pounds, I quit the diet and lost another 20 pounds. Soon thereafter, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
Warner-Lambert is now testing a potential drug it calls Zenarestat that could prevent neuropathy. Several medications treat neuropathy pain, but according to Howard Foyt, MD, PhD, director of clinical research, diabetes and metabolic diseases for Warner-Lambert, there is none available for preventing or reducing the risk of neuropathy.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
Researchers at Kyoto University in Japan have discovered a technique in which a capsule containing pancreatic cells can be implanted into a patient with a minor case of diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
Gastroparesis affects up to half of all people with diabetes, and can occur as early as the teenage years. Gastroparesis is a condition in which the stomach is partially paralyzed due to nerve damage brought on by high blood sugars. The stomach loses its ability to contract, which inhibits food from being properly moved to the small intestines.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
At a recent British Diabetes Association Annual Meeting, a study was presented saying that many people with diabetes are not taking adequate precautions against hypoglycemia.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
If you eat more fiber, you will lose weight, says the Journal of Nutrition. A person who goes from 18 grams of fiber per day to 36 grams will absorb 130 fewer calories per day, translating to a 10-pound weight loss over one year.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
Readers Desperate to Hang On to Animal Insulin
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
A study published in the December 1998 issue of the Canadian Journal of Diabetes Care says that regular exercise is an important component of the treatment regimen for all people with diabetes. Gayle Lorenzi, RN, CDE, who conducted the study at the University of California, San Diego, says that exercise, when combined with dietary management and drug therapy, generally contributes to improved blood glucose control, as well as decreased cardiac risk, blood pressure control, lipid profiles and psychological well-being. Oftentimes, however, initiating an exercise program is a tough sell for most diabetes physicians and educators. The decision to start an exercise program requires motivation to get started, and then a commitment to maintaining the program.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
March 1999
I recently spoke to 200 people at the Desert Diabetes Club in Palm Springs, California. The talk went great, and the Question & Answer part of the speech was the best part for me because it gave me an opportunity to see what was on the minds of people with diabetes. I learned that what people with diabetes wanted the most was tips and information they could use for the treatment of their diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1999
Q: I just finished reading the November 1998 issue of DIABETES HEALTH regarding the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation (JDF) islet transplantation $20 million advance. I didn't see anything about the cloning of islets, however, which I had read about in a previous issue of DIABETES HEALTH. I am curious to know how realistic the cloning process is, and when we might see it actually take place.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1999
Exercise has always been prescribed as a companion therapy to insulin, drug, or diet therapy in individuals with type 1 and 2 diabetes, yet, in the past two decades, the importance of exercise has been reexamined time and time again.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1999
Research has shown that individuals with type 2 diabetes are three times more likely to contract periodontal (gum) disease than individuals without diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1999
Bodybuilders try many substances, both legal and illegal, to develop muscle mass. Lately, insulin has emerged as a popular muscle-enhancing agent, and, according to an article in the May 28, 1998 issue of theJournal of the American Medical Association, it could come with dangerous side effects.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1999
Miss America 1999, type 1 Nicole Johnson, is devoting her year to diabetes awareness. She will check in with DIABETES HEALTH every month, to describe her lobbying and fund raising efforts. She'll also discuss the personal side of being Miss America, including her conversations with others who have diabetes and her own self-care during this hectic year.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1999
Joan Harmon, PhD, senior advisor for diabetes at the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, sees MiniMed's FDA submission as the "most interesting news," however, she stresses that much more is still going on. For instance, the NIDDK's most recent funding awarded $4 million in grants to a variety of promising and innovative research.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1999
February 1999
My daughter, Savannah, was diagnosed with diabetes at 9 years of age. At that time, she was put on insulin injections. For at least the first three years, her HbA1cs were in the normal ranges, and we were able to control her diabetes. She started having problems, however, as soon as she got into her teenage years. Her HbA1cs rose to the 8% range, and no matter what we did, nothing helped.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1999
Kurt hates shots. Since he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 4, my wife and I administered all of his shots, whether he was at home, school or a slumber party. Kurt seemed unusually sensitive to pain. Although Kurt was intelligent enough to draw them up, count carbs and appropriately suggest how to treat highs and lows, he refused to do the shots himself.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1999
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are suggesting that high blood glucose levels help cause cataracts in older patients with type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1999
Q: I cannot find any information on the effect of short-term spikes in blood sugar (i.e., 115 before breakfast, 170 one hour after breakfast). How dangerous are swings? Currently, I am not on any medication and I am simply trying to control my blood sugar through diet and exercise. I am not overweight (6 feet tall, 175 pounds), and I walk four miles about four to five times a week. Even with all of this, I still cannot control my blood sugar into the nondiabetic range. Any suggestions?
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1999
Japanese researchers are claiming that a soft gel which shrinks and swells in response to changing sugar concentrations could provide a new way to deliver insulin to people with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1999
If you've ever hit muscle with a needle, you know the pain. If you've ever injected the right dose of insulin and still found your blood sugar sky high, you might have injected too shallowly and hit skin.
4 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1999
Dear Scott King-From Ann Landers - Many thanks for your letter and the excerpts from emails sent by your readers in response to my column on diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1999
Rezulin, a type 2 diabetes drug manufactured by Warner-Lambert, has been receiving its fair share of black eyes recently. Many in the diabetes community, however, are standing by Rezulin as an effective agent in treating type 2 diabetes. Others are making plans to treat their type 2 diabetes through other means.
1 comment - Posted Feb 1, 1999
The first continuous glucose monitor could be on its way to doctors' offices. MiniMed will ask the FDA this month to approve its application for the continuous glucose monitoring system.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1999
January 1999
The Food and Drug Administration has given marketing clearance to Bayer Corporation's pharmaceutical division to use Precose in combination with insulin or metformin for treating people with type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1999
On this issue's front page we begin the story of Ann Landers' comment that people with diabetes who test and inject at restaurant tables exhibit "gross insensitivity and very poor manners."
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1999
For over five years, I thought about starting on the pump, but I always hesitated.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1999
William W. Quick, MD, FACP, FACE, CDE, is an endocrinologist and author of the Web site Diabetes Monitor (http://www.diabetesmonitor.com) Here he presents a case from his experience in caring for people with diabetes. In this case study the patient's name has been changed but the rest of the story is true.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1999
In a study on type 2 diabetes that was commissioned by Eli Lilly, it was discovered that the majority of Americans with type 2 diabetes are out of control in treating their condition, and may be at risk for heart disease.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1999
Q: I am interested in knowing what the current recommendations are for rotating insulin sites. I recently received a request to research this topic from a nurse developing diabetes protocol, and I am learning that many of my heavier, older, insulin-using clients are injecting into adipose (abdomen) tissue. Are there any professional resources you could recommend?
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1999
Ann Landers, the newspaper guru of American folk wisdom, has spoken on public glucose testing and insulin injections. Many people with diabetes do not like what she said.
4 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1999
When I read the letter from Katherine Smith of Wood River, Illinois ["Stop Covering Type 2 Diabetes"], I immediately felt that this woman needed to be properly informed. Diabetes, no matter what type, cannot be cured, and any research in the field of diabetes is beneficial to all.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1999
PharmaTerra Inc. has staked a claim with its herbal remedy, ProBeta, which, if legitimate, could be the most profound treatment of diabetes to date.
1 comment - Posted Jan 1, 1999
Beepers and cellular phones can keep you connected, but a vibrating disk can make you healthier.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1999
Last month I received a medal from the Joslin Diabetes Center for surviving diabetes for over 50 years. I became part of an elite group of over 1200 type 1s who refuse to surrender to diabetes and keep on going despite some heavy loads on our systems. How do you survive this disease and keep on living life to the fullest? It isn't easy, or they wouldn't hand out hero medals to us survivors.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1999
December 1998
My wife's mother, Carol, has been staying with us recently. She's had type 2 diabetes for 14 years, and this past year her vision deteriorated to the point where she is now legally blind. Then, she had a stroke six months ago.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1998
Dori Linnell of Eureka, Montana, would do anything for Tel, her 5-year-old son with diabetes. With diligence, knowledge and love, she has kept his HbA1cs in the nearly perfect range of 6.8 to 7.0 %. Linnell is obviously doing what works but always looking for something that may work better. She read about BetaFast, a product that is said to help people with diabetes control their blood sugars. BetaFast is made from the leaf extract of the herb Gymnema sylvestre, a climbing plant found in India. Always a believer in herbs, she wanted to try it with Tel.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1998
Prevention magazine's publication, 200 Herbal Remedies, linked the following herbs with diabetes control:
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1998
Tis the season for gift giving. Every year, the kid in me loves to exchange Christmas "wish lists" with my husband, Danny. Year after year, his wish remains that I continue to take good care of my diabetes and stay healthy until he can figure out a way to find the cure. I am always moved by his kindness, partnership and generosity of spirit. This year, I wondered how other families with diabetes feel about holiday gifts. I thought you might enjoy hearing some responses to my question.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1998
Q: I would appreciate any information you can provide me concerning whether people with diabetes can qualify for fire fighter positions. Any information concerning the medical requirements, training, etc., would be appreciated. This is for insulin-dependent people with diabetes. Can they qualify for appointment as firefighters for municipal or private fire departments? Are there any special requirements? If you can put me in contact with anyone who is currently a fire fighter with diabetes, it would be most appreciated.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1998
As early as next year, there could be a new drug on the market that is considered revolutionary in the treatment of diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1998
According to a survey conducted by Consumer Health Sciences (CHS), only 70% of people with type 1 and 2 diabetes who are insured have coverage for glucose meters. It was also revealed that 88% have coverage for test strips; 80% have pharmaceutical coverage; 55% have insurance coverage for syringes and only 12% have coverage for insulin pumps.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1998
DIABETES HEALTH: Thank you for speaking with Diabetes Health, Nicole, and congratulations. In preparation for this conversation, I asked our Diabetes Health email group which questions they would ask you if they could, so some of my questions will be from our readers with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1998
Visually impaired people with diabetes now have a glucose monitor, called the Accu-Chek Voicemate, that talks them through their tests. Manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company and Roche Diagnostics, the Voicemate's voice tells people their blood sugar levels and which type of insulin they are using.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1998
November 1998
In early September, researchers concluded a landmark, 20-year study on type 2 diabetes. The $38.6 million study, known as the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS), examined the effects of various therapies on patients with type 2 diabetes. The study is considered the first of its kind in relation to examining diet, oral drug and insulin therapies for patients with type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1998
Q: My daughter was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 2. She is now 7. I have read Dr. Bernstein's book, Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1997) several times, and would like to put my daughter on the program. What do you think about it? I don't remember you ever talking about it in DIABETES HEALTH.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1998
A team of researchers from Yale University was recently awarded the Applied Nursing Research Award for its study on teaching coping skills to adolescents with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1998
Strategic Diabetes Management (SDM) is a program concept that can guide professionals through diabetes treatment, ensuring that patients receive the most thorough and specific guidelines on how to manage their blood sugar. Recent research has indicated that this new treatment strategy really works.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1998
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) will sponsor World Diabetes Day on November 14, which is the birthday of Frederick Banting, a leader in the discovery of insulin.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1998
October 1998
Diabetes is a rich and growing industry. Last year alone, the diabetes medication market grew 23 percent. Furthermore, 2,186 more of us are diagnosed with diabetes in this country every day. Do the math and you'll see a growing market.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1998
According to the August 1998 issue of Diabetes Care, a recent study supports the belief that blood circulation problems in people with diabetes can be avoided through good glucose control. The study went on to further say that the best way to maintain good blood circulation is through the use of an insulin pump.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1998
Q: The subject of treating diabetes with a low carbohydrate diet is virtually untouched by other publications. I would like to see a series of articles about it. Of course, a quicker way would be to read Dr. Richard K. Bernstein's book Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1997).
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1998
Two-thirds of people with type 2 diabetes are experiencing high blood sugar after eating, but not after fasting. Thus, a fasting glucose test fails to identify this type of diabetes, known as IPH, or Isolated Postchallenge Hyperglycemia. Because IPH diabetes prevalence increases with age, a fasting glucose test will miss a diabetes diagnosis among the elderly population, particularly elderly women.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1998
Many people are dissatisfied with a new interim Medicare policy. The policy was considered to be a breakthrough for Medicare patients because for the first time it will cover patients who are not being treated with insulin injections. Prior to July 1, 1998, these patients were not covered by Medicare for their diabetes testing supplies.
2 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1998
Diabetes treatment has made its way into the high-tech age! A new prescription bottle with a "brain" and a beeping alarm clock will help remind patients when to take their medications. It also beeps when it is time for people with diabetes to check blood glucose levels.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1998
September 1998
I, personally, enjoy reading the recently published diabetes research. We subscribe to several journals which publish findings from doctors and other researchers.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1998
Caroline was 29 when she first came to my office in October 1994 for evaluation of her type 1 diabetes. Just over 5 feet tall and weighing 122 pounds, she was a petite and vivacious woman, happily married with one child, and working part-time.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1998
Helping space aliens and controlling blood glucose may sound like an odd mix, but in a new educational software program produced by the Starbright Foundation, a non-profit organization, the two work together to help teach kids about diabetes. The program, funded by Eli Lilly & Company, is just one example of the computer software products available to help people of all ages manage their diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1998
Vince Brewerton has had type 1 diabetes for nine years. By using a software program that was compatible with his glucose meter, he was able to learn how to tighten his control. The software allowed him to see how his glucose levels changed throughout the day and, in turn, adjust his insulin doses accordingly.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1998
An early phase 1 clinical trial presented at the American Diabetes Association's 58th Annual Scientific Sessions showed that the hormone leptin promotes weight loss and may also help lower blood sugars.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1998
Darryl Rawlinson, a 47-year-old middle manager for a Silicon Valley semiconductor plant, was a little hesitant to have needles stuck in his body. Although Rawlinson had diabetes, the needles he was concerned about would not be delivering insulin but would help to stimulate his flow of qi (pronounced CHEE).
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1998
Preliminary results from research performed at Children's Hospital Los Angeles by the Starbright Foundation suggests that the Diabetes CD-ROM is effective in teaching kids about diabetes. When compared to other education methods-including a three-hour group session of educational games and activities and a 1991 Nintendo video game designed to help kids learn about managing their insulin levels-the CD-ROM produced the best overall results. For example, children who used the CD-ROM had better HbA1c levels, higher diabetes knowledge scores, and were more comfortable talking to parents and friends about their diabetes than those who engaged in the other activities.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1998
Just when you thought you had artificial sweeteners all figured out and had settled on a particular brand, the sweetener scene is changing again.
1 comment - Posted Sep 1, 1998
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration claims that the Johnson & Johnson company is failing to adequately warn the public about the dangers of using certain defective SureStep blood glucose meters. As reported in DIABETES HEALTH (see "290,000 SureStep Meters Recalled," July 1998, p. 10), J&J recently began recalling its SureStep meters sold before August 1997. The monitors failed to measure blood sugar levels in excess of 500 mg/dl. At such levels, the meters display an "ER 1" error message instead of the glucose concentrations.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1998
It was over a business meal in a fancy Buffalo, New York, restaurant that the hottest new weight-loss and insulin-control program was born. The program is called Sugar Busters.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1998
August 1998
Last night I woke up with a start. Before opening my eyes I was sure there was a loud phone ringing at the foot my bed. When I looked, there was no phone. Why was I awake then? I went to the dinning room to test my blood sugar, and sure enough, it was low-34 mg/dl. I had glucose tablets right there and I ate them.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1998
Yes, it's almost back to school time. If you have been using your pump successfully over the summer, you can continue to do so during the school year. Here are a few things which can help make the first day of school, and the rest of the year, go smoothly.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1998
It's impossible to pick out the "best" research, particularly when there is so much interesting scientific work to choose from. My choice of what to include in this report, while necessarily arbitrary, was guided by what seemed most interesting to me. So if you've been involved in a particular research project that I've omitted, please accept my apologies. Here are the new findings that I would like to share.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1998
Sifting through the research findings from Chicago, we found many exciting new developments. Some of the results, which we have reviewed below, offer new insights into the complications and associated conditions that come with diabetes. Some of these discoveries offer the possibility of radical new therapies that can help mitigate, if not eliminate, certain damaging effects. Here is a sample of the more interesting reports we found.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1998
Before eating lunch at a restaurant, Jim loads his foil packs of insulin into a device about the size of a large flashlight. He then presses a button which releases a cloud of insulin into the clear chamber of the device. He takes a slow, deep draw of powdered insulin into his lungs.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1998
Hypoglycemia is technically a blood sugar level below 60 mg/dl. The effects of hypoglycemia, however, can strike people at different blood sugar levels. Hypos can be caused by tight control, too much insulin, too little food or too much exercise. Alcohol consumption or slowed digestion of food from the stomach can also cause a hypo.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1998
Two things that affect every aspect of one's life are having diabetes and becoming a senior citizen. When these happen together their impacts can become even more pronounced. As if this isn't enough, seniors with diabetes have to confront less-than-flattering stereotypes every day. This can be especially frustrating, and potentially damaging, when dealing with health care providers. Despite these added challenges, the plight of seniors with diabetes is often overlooked.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1998
July 1998
Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals has introduced a new oral antidiabetic agent called Prandin (repaglinide). The medication is intended for people with type 2 diabetes, who are unable to satisfactorily control their hyperglycemia through diet and exercise. It can also be used in combination with metformin, which works with Prandin to control blood sugars.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1998
Researchers from Duke University Medical Center have found that a depletion of antioxidants may increase the risk of several diabetic complications.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1998
Diabetes control is the place where two worlds collide - the world of the known and the world of the unknown. You know certain things affect your blood sugars - what you eat, how much insulin you take, when you take it and the exercise you do. When you take charge of these areas, you often have good blood sugar readings.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1998
I was among the 400 individuals who attended Today's Solutions for Type 1 Diabetes in St. Louis this past May. The seminar, organized and hosted by the Insulin-Free World Foundation, brought together leading researchers and those of us living with the disease to discuss current transplant options and possible future treatments.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1998
There are few feelings as potent or deep as the love we hold for our children. Their playful innocence reaches into our hearts, past many adult concerns and preoccupations, and reminds us about simplicity. A toothless smile, the infectious laughter from a tickle, a clinging hug - simple, yet profound reminders of what is truly important. Our children change us from the inside out, if we let them. Yet I have never liked drastic change. I prefer slow, predictable adjustment. But neither slow nor predictable characterized the type of change I experienced in the summer of 1990.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1998
In the late 1960s scientists started toying with the idea of replacing insulin producing cells (islets) to cure diabetes. These islets make up a mere one to two percent portion of the pancreas. The goal of this work is that eventually, one dose of insulin producing cells could last a lifetime and not require drugs to suppress the immune system.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1998
The peripheral neuropathy that is the underlying cause of Charcot foot can lead to other foot problems as well. The diminished sensation that allows a person with peripheral neuropathy to continue to walk on a Charcot foot can also lead them to further damage a foot adversely affected by extreme temperatures, poorly fitting shoes, cuts or ulcers.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1998
Johnson & Johnson's LifeScan is voluntarily recalling and replacing its SureStep glucose meters sold before August 1997. The monitors failed to measure high blood sugar levels in excess of 500 mg/dl. At such levels the meters display an, "ER 1" error message instead of the glucose concentration. The problem, which is software related and not in the machine itself, does not exist in units sold after August 1997.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1998
June 1998
I was very saddened to find out that Steven Craig, an islet cell transplant patient that we have written about on so many occasions in the magazine, had died at the age of 43. It seems that Mr. Craig took his own life, and his death was not a result of his diabetes, or was it?
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1998
Researchers in the Netherlands recently found that well controlled type 1s on multiple injection therapy have less variable fasting blood glucose levels and a lower total frequency of hypoglycemia when nighttime pump therapy is substituted for their bedtime NPH insulin injection. In addition, warning signs of hypoglycemia were enhanced and aspects of the counter-regulatory hormonal response to hypoglycemia were improved when subjects were on nocturnal pump therapy.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1998
As a diabetes educator I have worked with a number of people in helping them tackle the tasks of achieving control with an insulin infusion pump. Sometimes the process is quick and easy. Other times it's long and frustrating. As a person who has lived with type 1 diabetes for 25 years and has worn an insulin pump for over three years, I know what my patients must be experiencing. My own situation is simple; pump therapy is the best choice I could have ever made for my diabetes. However, I do not think I fully understood the depth of its true value until the past year or so.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1998
Q: I am a mother with type 1 diabetes and read with interest the "My Own Injection" column in March 1998 ("The Diary of a Diabetic Dad") describing Scott King's trials and tribulations as a dad with diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1998
Sixty-seven-year-old Gerald Lundstrom thinks it's his hearty Swedish stock that has something to do with his good health after fifty years of diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1998
When the first pancreas transplant was performed in 1966 at the University of Minnesota, doctors considered it a risky venture at best. Three decades later and over a 1,000 people in the United States undergo a pancreas or simultaneous pancreas/kidney transplant every year. Still, a cloud of misinformation surrounds the procedure.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1998
The following is a greatly abridged list of quotes from respected medical journals on the financial and medical impact of various diabetes practices and products. These can be used in letters to HMOs and purchasers of HMO plans to impress upon them the importance and financial good sense of providing good diabetes care. Again, this list is just a short list of the many facts gathered on the subject. The more you investigate and the more you learn the stronger the case you can present to get the coverage you need and deserve.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1998
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently added insulin to its list of banned substances for all nondiabetic athletes. According to the IOC, insulin, while used by people with diabetes to control blood sugar levels, can be used by nondiabetic athletes to gain muscle mass. Its misuse can have an adverse affect on health, possibly leading to death.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1998
May 1998
How full did that meal you just ate make you feel? Did it satisfy your hunger, or did it make you feel like you'll need a snack later?
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1998
This month DIABETES HEALTH posed a few questions to an expert in pump therapy, Bruce W. Bode, MD, of the Atlanta Diabetes Association. Bode first became familiar with pump therapy in the '70s and has been putting people on the pump in his own practice since 1985. To date, Bode has started over 800 patients on insulin pump therapy. He also maintains the largest database in the world on people who have undergone pump therapy.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1998
NASA and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation brought together leading figures from academia, NASA, and the diabetes industry for a two day think tank in Washington D.C. on noninvasive and minimally invasive blood glucose testing.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1998
Since Glucophage's (metformin) arrival on the U.S. market in 1995, the type 2 oral medication has produced significant results in people with type 2 diabetes, including reducing fasting glucose levels an average of 60 mg/dl and lowering HbA1c an average of 1 to 2% (i.e., from 10% to 9 or 8%).
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1998
Agents from the U.S. Attorney's Office searched the offices of LifeScan Inc., located in Milpitas, Calif., then confiscated documents as part of an FDA investigation of LifeScan's SureStep meters.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1998
April 1998
Linda Fredrickson, MA, RN, CDE, vice president of global medical education at MiniMed Inc., writes that pump users who do not swim for such an extended period of time usually disconnect from their infusion site. Fredrickson offers Emily Adamski, a 15-year-old who was recently on the cover of Diabetes Forecast, as an example of how the pump can be managed when swimming.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1998
Work, or academic performance, is not affected by a hypoglycemic episode the night before, according to a study in March's Diabetes Care. Low blood glucose at night can have an affect on feelings of well-being, vitality and sleep. The "hung over" feeling many people with diabetes experience may actually be caused by the interruption in sleep brought on by the hypoglycemia, not the hypoglycemia itself.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1998
Ketoacidosis is an extremely serious diabetic complication that can lead to coma and even death. Unfortunately it is also fairly common. The good news, however, is that with proper care and an eye towards prevention, this costly and dangerous complication can be avoided.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1998
Every time I draw up an insulin shot for my son Joey I am acutely aware of what could happen if the immediate future does not proceed as I expect. Most of the time the problems that arise are not the result of anything Joey or I have consciously done, but rather are the fault of circumstance, i.e., a meal is not delivered on time, an unexpected phone call is received or a car breaks down after an insulin injection has been given. Unforeseen events like these can usually be remedied by carrying supplies of sugar and insulin. But recently I experienced an unpredictable event that had dangerous consequences.
9 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1998
Adjusting to diabetes can be tough. But for teenage girls with diabetes it can be potentially fatal. Researchers have found that societal influences on teen boys and girls can affect their diabetes, and that in most cases girls suffer the most from these influences.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1998
Several companies are actively working on technologies to improve blood sugar testing and thereby capture a share of the two- to three-billion dollar blood sugar testing market. The goal is to make testing easier, more convenient and, the hope of many, continuous without sticking the finger. Here are some of the companies trying to become the first to offer improved testing and how they plan to do it:
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1998
In response to February 1998's article "Out of Africa" on Arthur Teuscher's, MD, work in Tanzania, DIABETES HEALTH has received numerous letters and phone calls from concerned readers asking where they can donate insulin and money to those diabetics who lack the basics of diabetes care.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1998
Are you looking for an effective way to fight low blood sugars but unsure which product to take - candy, cake frosting, honey? These are all good choices. However, they contain sucrose, or white sugar, which takes a while to digest in the stomach - minutes which you might not want to waste when suffering from a low blood sugar.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1998
March 1998
This month Spencer turns five. He was born two years after we started Diabetes Health, and Miranda followed 19 months later. In many ways, we have all grown up together.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1998
Neuropathy is one of the three most common complications of diabetes (along with retinopathy and kidney disease). As its name implies, neuropathy affects the nervous system. It can result in pain and/or a dangerous lack of sensation.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1998
While all the specific causes of neuropathy are not fully understood, medical professionals and researchers agree the most effective treatment for neuropathy is the stabilization of blood glucose levels.
1 comment - Posted Mar 1, 1998
Life-threatening infections after heart operations are dangerous for anyone, but can be even more so for people with diabetes. Controlling post-operative high blood sugars seems to be the key to preventing mortal infections for diabetic heart operation patients.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1998
No one enjoys going to the dentist, but for people with diabetes, getting that cleaning and check-up are especially important. The link between diabetes and oral health can't be ignored. In fact, dental problems in people with diabetes are so rampant that Mark Finney, DDS, believes oral disease should be referred to as "the sixth 'opathy' of diabetes," deserving of the attention given to retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy and the like.
4 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1998
Why do teens like using an insulin pump? Here are some representative thoughts from teenagers from Yale Diabetes Service:
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1998
After being officially accepted at Bannockburn Elementary School, a private, religious school in Austin, Tex., our five-year-old daughter, Farren Thompson, was dismissed after eight days of school. Farren was not dismissed for any behavior problems, nor were there any moral objections to Farren's enrollment. Rather, she was dismissed because she has type 1 diabetes and the school decided she was too much trouble.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1998
If you're thinking about joining the battle of the bulge you may want to check out the latest fitness and exercise equipment options available to you. In today's fitness crazed world, the choices are nearly limitless, and many of today's hottest exercise trends have actually been around for decades.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1998
February 1998
I was seventeen years old when the doctor told me I had diabetes. In the weeks that followed I heard many strange things about my new disease. Friends, neighbors and relatives had plenty to say about my diabetes and very little of it was positive.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1998
Cortecs International, an Anglo-Australian biotechnology group, recently announced a breakthrough in the search for an oral version of insulin. Cortecs has produced a capsule containing insulin that is able to get to the liver and reduce blood sugar levels. The capsule overcomes the long-standing problem of capsule destruction by the digestive system.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1998
January 1998
Last month I excitedly reported that a march on Washington had been announced. However, it grew so fast that the planners had to step back and take a second look. They are now calling it a "Political Impact Rally," and the date might be changing. For more information, a toll free number has been set up by volunteer Robin Harrison. Call (888) 253-7144 to find out more about this emerging, grassroots advocacy campaign.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1998
Switching to the pump can involve some soul searching and honesty. Are you ready to live with a small computerized device attached to your body? And if so, are you prepared to go through the training necessary to learn how to use one?
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1998
Results of a study published in October's Diabetes Care show that treating after-meal high blood sugar with lispro insulin can have multiple benefits for some type 2s taking sulfonylureas.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1998
The first study to determine how severe hypoglycemic episodes in type 1 patients impact spouses was recently conducted by researchers Linda Gonder-Frederick, PhD, Daniel Cox, PhD, et al. Two sets of spouses were compared: spouses of diabetics who had a severe hypoglycemic episode within the last year and spouses of diabetics who had not. Data on psychological status and intensity of marital conflict was measured and compared.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1998
Wanna lose 15 pounds in just under 12 hours? Just try Scott Coleman's liquid diet.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1998
Another food designed for people with diabetes has entered the market. Gluc-O-Bar, from Apic USA, Inc., is especially notable because the bars are designed to stabilize blood sugars and keep patients from eating high fat foods like ice cream and peanut butter to avoid hypoglycemia.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1998
December 1997
So you've decided to go on the pump and everything is going well: BGs are under control and the Dawn Phenomenon is a thing of the past. Then, suddenly you have an unexplainable high blood sugar. What do you do?
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1997
Last month, hundreds of thousands of African-American women marched on Washington, D.C. in a show of solidarity. This followed on the heels of the Promise Keepers' rally and the Million Man March two years ago. Each of these called for the participants to take a more active role in their own families and communities.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1997
Q: What information do you have on the latest work being done on islet cell transplants for type I diabetics? When my 13-year-old daughter was diagnosed four and a half years ago, it seemed a cure was around the corner. Now it seems there are more obstacles than resolutions. Any hopeful information?
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1997
Imagine this. You enter a grocery store and on the directory directly above "Diapers" is "Diabetes". This aisle contains every food made for people with diabetes. And thankfully, a number of choices exist in this land of sugar-free sweets, sweeteners and snacks.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1997
A recent USDA study has found that chromium picolinate significantly lowers blood sugars. Chromium is not a drug, but a trace mineral that helps insulin attach to cell membranes to control blood sugars.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1997
Since the 1980s, aspirin has been hailed as the superman of over-the-counter drugs for the secondary prevention of heart attacks. Now the ADA is recommending that people with diabetes who are at high risk of cardiovascular problems take aspirin once daily.
1 comment - Posted Dec 1, 1997
Health Care Professional Calls to Save Insulin
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1997
It's called the Diasensor 1000. The company that built it, Indiana, Pa.-based Biocontrol Technology Inc., claims it's the answer to diabetics' prayers.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 1997
November 1997
It seems like half of America is either on a diet or thinking about going on one. Every month a new exercise fad is promoted as the miracle solution to weight loss. Entire sections of grocery stores are devoted to fat-free foods and low-calorie snack items. Book shops feature the latest in celebrity exercise books and tapes. Yet, statistics tell us that Americans are still gaining weight.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1997
Fewer than 20 percent of Americans exercise regularly. What most people don't know, however, is that if exercise was bottled and sold in pill form its effects would be as revolutionary as penicillin.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1997
November 1: Diabetes is the reason for the season. November is National Diabetes Month, for more information about events and resources available to you check with your local diabetes care and education center.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1997
Julio Castro could not keep his eyes open. At ten o' clock in the morning his eyes would begin to droop. "I felt like I could sleep all day, no problem," says Castro.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1997
October 1997
Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of 80 percent of America’s insulin is planning to take Iletin I (beef/pork) insulins off of the market.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1997
(Our) survey results indicate that for some people, changing insulins has a negative impact on their health, well-being and quality of life. People need more information as to the reasons for changing their insulin and they need to have the choice. They need the support of their physicians and their diabetes health care teams during this time of change-over. The (Canadian) National Advocacy Committee is committed to advocating for the continuation of beef/pork insulins for those whose health, well-being or quality of life will be affected by the change.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1997
In the early '70s, Elke Austenat, MD, spent her days working at the largest diabetes clinic in Eastern Germany. It seemed to her at the time that many of the patients passing through the clinic were overwhelmed and confused by the task of controlling their diabetes. The clinic once counted 400 patients in diabetic comas admitted in just one year.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1997
Are you a prime candidate for the pump? Since the DCCT found that tight control of BGs would significantly decrease diabetes complications, many have turned to insulin pump therapy as a way of controlling their BGs. However, insulin therapy takes commitment and vigilance. Here are some questions to consider before you try insulin pump therapy:
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1997
Awake and Aware to a Sleeping Hypoglycemic Coma
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1997
Are babies born small at a higher risk of developing diabetes? Yes, according to French researchers who published their findings recently in the British Medical Journal .
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1997
Last May, DIABETES HEALTH ran a story about 13-year-old Eric Carr who was suspended and branded a drug dealer by his Missouri middle school for passing out glucose tablets. We received many letters and phone calls from readers shocked by the school's ignorance.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 1997
September 1997
I recently learned of a famous diabetologist, Dr. Lawrence in England, who made all the endocrinologists he trained take a shot of insulin to experience an insulin shock. He felt this was necessary for them to become good doctors.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1997
Laura Greenfield has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 18 years. When told by health professionals that exercise would help her control BGs she tried it. Unfortunately, Laura discovered that exercise is a tricky balancing act and not simply a matter of physical exertion. At first, she found it made it even more difficult to maintain stable BG levels.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1997
August 1997
Many young women with diabetes are putting looks before their health, even going so far as to stop taking insulin to lose weight.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1997
I developed diabetes at age four. Since having the disease I have been fearful. Not fearful of the ravages of diabetic complications, nor the endless medical tests and incompetent residents; but fearful of rejection due to my diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1997
If you have an eating disorder and need help, contact the American Anorexia/Bulimia Association (AABA) at (212) 575-6200 or write them at 165 West 46th Street, Suite 1108, New York, NY 10036. You can also contact psychologist William Polonsky, PhD, CDE, for referrals at (619) 965-5659 or he can be contacted by e-mail at WHPolonsky@aol.com.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1997
Metformin and troglitazone were both shown to improve glycemic control of type 2 diabetes. In addition, using them in combination proved to be safe and to provide additional benefit.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1997
Why is neuropathy (nerve damage), once begun, so difficult to halt even if you control blood sugar very well? This study suggests it's due to a secondary autoimmune attack.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1997
Celiac disease is a chronic intestinal disorder in which gluten intolerance interferes with the absorption of many nutrients. Eating foods containing gluten, which is found in wheat, rye oats and barley, stimulates an autoimmune response in the intestines. The immune system then attacks the tissue of the small intestine, destroying the lining that absorbs nutrients. On a gluten-free diet, the small intestine begins to heal and returns to normal or nearly normal
1 comment - Posted Aug 1, 1997
The following case study was submitted by board member, Steven Edelman, MD an endocrinologist at the Veterans Hospital in San Diego.
3 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1997
July 1997
I have been taking the new insulin Humalog for almost a year now. It took plenty of getting used to - I had to increase my basal insulin and completely relearn when to take my meal shot. But it's been working great.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1997
Minneapolis based Disetronic Medical Systems Inc. is marketing the new D-Modem. It can communicate important pump information to healthcare professionals over the phone.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1997
Cardiovascular disease kills approximately 3,000 Americans each day. While this figure is alarming, people with diabetes have even more reason to be concerned as they are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. But take heart; there is good news.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1997
Acute psychological stress may play a role in glycemic control according to a study in the August 1996 journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1997
In addition to their many lifesaving skills, paramedics must also have expertise in treating people with diabetes in emergency situations. For instance, about once a year 36-year-old Craig Lloyd's sugars plunge unexpectedly into the 30s and he loses consciousness.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1997
At this point, the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial's (DCCT) finding that intensive insulin treatment reduces the number of long-term diabetes complications is, hopefully, only news to the recently diagnosed. What is less commonly known is that the same tight BG control that reduces the risk of complications has a darker side. The intensive insulin therapy (IIT) described by the DCCT presents a three fold risk of severe hypoglycemia - sometimes with dire consequences.
1 comment - Posted Jul 1, 1997
Adam Greiner's story as told to DIABETES HEALTH by his mother, Barbara Greiner-Read, RN, CDE from the Valley Health System in Hemet, Calif.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 1997
June 1997
You're over 50 and taking time to smell the roses when suddenly you get stung. The doctor says you have type II diabetes and must alter your lifestyle. Forget those maple bars at the office every morning. Dust off your running shoes in the back of the closet. That midlife crisis has arrived, and it's nothing you expected.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1997
Get a medical exam before you start an exercise program. Exercising in the morning while the insulin level is low works well for most people with type I diabetes. Exercising 30 minutes to two hours after a meal or snack works well for most people. Prevent low blood sugars with slow carbs, such as athletic bars or protein-enriched pasta. Treat low blood sugars with fast carbs, such as glucose tablets or dextrose candies. Eat a protein/carb snack or a bar with slow-acting carbohydrates (Nite Bite, etc.) before bed after intense/long exercise or any exercise out of your ordinary range to keep your blood sugar from dropping overnight. Regular exercise trains the body and stabilizes the blood sugar. Always carry fast carbs with you as you exercise. To learn more about exercise and diabetes check with your health care professional and read STOP the Rollercoaster, a comprehensive book on managing your blood sugars (available by calling 800-988-4772).
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1997
Growing up is a confusing time for everyone - even more so for an adolescent who has been diagnosed with diabetes. Kelli Sweitzer's life changed at age 15 when she was diagnosed with type I diabetes. Kelli describes in her own words the frustration and confusion of struggling with her disease.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1997
You exercise. You do this because it's good for your health, can help stabilize your blood sugars and makes you look and feel better. It provides you with exhilarating, character-building challenges whether you run in the Boston Marathon or increase your walking distance from two to three miles per day.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1997
Warning: Read at your own risk. The following case study is a true story about one person's fatal encounter with diabetes and may not be suitable for all readers. While the information is unpleasant we feel that it provides a valuable lesson. Most of our case studies have been success stories in the past, but Dr. Marcus and DIABETES HEALTH feel that the information herein can help to save lives.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1997
The Diabetic Man: A Guide to Health and Success in All Areas of Your Life
by Peter Lodewick, MD, June Biermann and Barbara Toohey
(Lowell House, $16)
To purchase call Prana Publications at (800) 735-7726.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 1997
May 1997
Antioxidants, a main selling point for countless nutritional supplements and multi-vitamins these days, are drawing the attention of health experts.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1997
Differing opinions about how to best care for insulin are stirring up a whirlwind of confusion. Over the last few months readers have been sending their questions and concerns to DIABETES HEALTH. The questions are simple enough: What is the best temperature to keep my insulin? Is it okay to use insulin past the expiration date? How should I mix my insulin? But answers to these questions can vary, making it hard to be sure one is doing the right thing. Here the questions and comments of insulin users will be presented with the recommendations of the companies who produce insulin.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1997
A host of new diabetes start-ups are trying to develop alternatives to finger-stick home glucose testing. It is their hope that an alternative to the finger-stick will bring high acquisition valuations like those paid for LifeScan by Johnson & Johnson and for MediSense by Abbott Laboratories Inc.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1997
After a nine-year study researchers have found that variability in long-term glycemic control is a "marked feature of type I diabetes."
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1997
April 1997
Even after 22 years of managing my diabetes I run into situations that get me wondering, "Am I having a hypo or am I just under stress?" These situations always serve to remind me that despite our very best intentions and efforts to make it so, life is anything but predictable.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1997
A recent study by Harvard scientists gives us one more good reason to eat our Wheaties.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1997
During a recent trip to visit my sister and brother-in-law I hit a piece of metal on the interstate and my front left tire was ruined. Changing the tire wasn't a difficult process, but it used energy that was not accounted for in my calculations of exercise, insulin and food intake.
2 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1997
As a teenager, Chris Dudley was diagnosed with type I diabetes. At the time he was told that a person with diabetes could not become a professional basketball player. Through hard work and excellent control of his diabetes, Dudley proved that this was a fallacy. Today, Dudley is the starting center for the Portland Trail Blazers and one of the National Basketball Association's top defensive players.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1997
Human ultralente is being used presently in our pediatric population with great success. To understand how to use human ultralente effectively, one must understand the action of insulin. Animal regular insulin peaks in two to four hours and lasts four to six hours. Animal NPH insulin begins working in one to one-and-a-half hours and peaks in eight to twelve hours with detectable serum levels at twenty to twenty-four hours. In practice, there is little effect on blood glucose after twelve hours. Human insulin appears to work faster than its animal counterparts.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1997
Vivian Murray, RD, a type I for 32 years, is a camp director for children with diabetes. She was recently anticipating the possible problems she might encounter this summer supervising 230 enthusiastic kids.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1997
Islet cell transplants, a treatment that could reverse diabetes, is no longer a pipe dream. Success has been demonstrated in about 30 patients at a number of institutions worldwide.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1997
March 1997
A normal blood sugar level is the primary goal of all treatment options for people with diabetes. It is especially important for young adolescents because poor control can be very problematic at that age.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1997
Don't ignore kids with diabetes' psychological health, say experts from the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1997
I see the swell rising towards me. My instructor, Ed Guzman, says, "Catch this one!" I turn the surfboard towards the distant beach. "Get down and start paddling!" yells Ed. Stroking forward, I feel the swell of the wave begin to lift and propel my ten-foot surfboard. "Stand up and ride it!" Ed says with a big smile. In one smooth (well, somewhat smooth) action, I go from prone position to standing on my board as it begins to accelerate. I'm surfing! I feel a sense of euphoria and complete relaxation at the same time. This is the beginning of a series of surfing lessons from "Club Ed" in Santa Cruz, California.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1997
The supreme importance of daily blood glucose (BG) monitoring for proper blood sugar control is well documented. It is quite possibly the single most important step that individuals with diabetes can take to reduce their chances of developing complications.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1997
Exercise for people with diabetes is crucial for good glycemic control. Type Is can reduce their insulin doses and type 2s can reduce the risk of numerous complications. But exercise for people with diabetes also requires special attention because it has special risks. The following list of recommendations should help you avoid any unnecessary risk when it comes to all forms of exercise - from dancing to jogging.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1997
Balance PC Diabetes Software, a new product from MediLife Inc., has received a "Favorably Reviewed" seal from the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE). The software is "a complete health management" system for insulin and oral medication users.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1997
Do you ever find yourself short of time and in need of a healthy snack to control your blood sugars? Mead Johnson may have the solution for you. Their Choice dmÂȘ beverage is designed to offer meal planning flexibility that aids diabetes self-management.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1997
February 1997
New findings on the consumption of certain sugars may lead to greater dietary flexibility, at least for a small subset of people with type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1997
Last month Diabetes Health reported on men, sex and diabetes. In this issue, we look at some of the concerns women with diabetes may have about sex.
1 comment - Posted Feb 1, 1997
Bill King was training for the Philadelphia marathon when he noticed that no matter how much he drank, he had an inexhaustible thirst. He was easily fatigued and had to go to the bathroom constantly. He had been running and training hard since the age of 17 as a competitive runner. Yet, at 24, it suddenly seemed like everything he had worked for was slipping through his fingers due to this mysterious illness.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1997
What would you do for an extra five years of life, eight years of sight, six years free from kidney disease and six years free from nerve damage and the risk of amputation?
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1997
The following is an informal, unscientific review of some of the leading injection aid products on the market. It is not the result of a comprehensive consumer satisfaction survey. While we are thankful for the responses from our readers included in the article, it should be noted that they are the opinions solely of the individuals and do not reflect the views of Diabetes Health.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1997
There is a new medication for people with type 2 diabetes on insulin that could help reduce, and in a few cases possibly eliminate, the need for insulin. The drug appears to resensitize the body to insulin and makes it easier for glucose to be absorbed from the bloodstream.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1997
The American Diabetes Association sent letters to President Clinton and House Speaker Newt Gingrich in mid-November urging them to make changes to diabetes-related Medicare coverage the first order of business in the 105th Congress.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1997
Some criminals will go to enormous lengths to beat a rap. The Palm Beach Post reported a Florida man, Wesley Shaffer, attempted to convince a jury that he was an undiagnosed diabetic who had been driven insane by eating large amounts of cotton candy. The jury didn't buy it. Mr. Shaffer was convicted on burglary charges, and then promptly escorted to jail-far from the tempting dangers of cotton candy.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1997
January 1997
Are you in danger of hypoglycemia without even knowing it? A recent study of people with insulin dependent diabetes revealed that most NPH-insulin users shake or roll their insulin only four times before injection, 16 times fewer than is necessary. This can result in concentrations of NPH that could be either too low or too high and can cause day to day blood sugar fluctuations.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1997
People with diabetes are taking steps to enhance their lives and feel better using complementary therapies in conjunction with their prescribed medical treatments. Practicing complementary therapy is a way of integrating non-western treatments with conventional medicine.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1997
This case study comes from Peter Lodewick, MD, one of our endocrinology board advisors and the medical director of the Diabetes Care Center in Birmingham, Alabama.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1997
The Philadelphia-based Exocell, Inc. has recently signed an agreement with Eurand International for the clinical development of an orally administered compound that could help prevent diabetic kidney disease. The compound, EXO-226, will be produced and supplied by Eurand for use in the first phase of clinical trials for FDA approval. Exocell anticipates that these trials will begin in early 1997.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1997
Knowledge Leads to Advancements
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1997
Bearskin Meadows Camp, for children and families with diabetes, has staff positions available for summer 1997. Counselors are needed to teach arts, riflery, archery, rock climbing, backpacking, nature and ecology. Registered and student dietitians are needed, as well as office help, drivers, cooks and assistants. The camp is also looking for lifeguards, nurses, a photographer and a songleader. The summer camp begins June 14 and ends August 29. Part-time positions are also available. All positions are paid. Salaries are dependent upon the position and level of experience.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1997
A study, conducted at the University of Wisconsin Medical School at Madison and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in March of 1996, found that hypertension is significantly related to high HbA1c levels in people with diabetes who are taking insulin. The study concluded that controlling high blood sugars may reduce the risk of developing hypertension.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 1997
Improvements in the lives of people with diabetes usually come by way of the latest technology. In the late 1970s, the ability to self-monitor daily blood glucose (BG) levels dramatically improved BG management and is now indispensable. Now, the HbA1c test, which has been around for years, has re-emerged with the same promise of indispensability, but fails to be fully understood or utilized.