Is Avocado Good for Diabetes?

By Jennifer Berry

The humble avocado, shunned for years during the fat-free diet craze of the 1990s, may have finally hit its stride. No longer just for guacamole, this nutritious fruit is popping up as a healthy addition to various diet plans.
But can people with diabetes eat this food? It turns out that avocados are not only safe for people with diabetes, but they may be downright beneficial. Research shows that avocados offer many ways to help people manage their diabetes and improve their overall well-being.

Diet and diabetes

A healthy diet is critical for people with diabetes. The foods that they eat each day can have a considerable impact on how they feel and how well their diabetes is controlled.
In general, people with diabetes should eat foods that help control blood sugar levels and that offer health benefits such lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. This is one of the best ways to keep diabetes under control, avoid complications, and lead the healthiest life possible.
Avocados are an excellent choice for people with diabetes because they offer all these benefits - and possibly more.

How do avocados affect blood sugar levels?

Avocados are lower in carbohydrates than many other fruits.
 

Blood sugar control is critical for people who have diabetes. A physician or dietitian may advise patients to choose foods that are lower in carbohydrates and sugar. They may also recommend foods that help control blood sugar spikes. An avocado meets both of these requirements.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, an average medium avocado has around 17 grams of carbohydrates. For comparison, an apple has 25 grams of carbohydrates and a banana has 27.
A 1-ounce serving, or about one-fifth of an avocado, contains only 3 grams of carbohydrates and less than 1 gram of sugar.
With so few carbohydrates, people with diabetes likely won't need to worry about an avocado raising their blood sugar levels.
Pairing an avocado with other foods may help reduce blood sugar spikes too. Its fat and fibre content takes longer to digest and slows the absorption of other carbohydrates in the process.

How much avocado can people with diabetes eat?

Before people make any significant changes to their diet, they should talk with their physician or dietitian. One of the things to consider is total calorie intake.
A whole avocado contains 250-300 calories, but a 1-ounce serving has only 50. People who are watching their calories in order to maintain or lose weight can still add avocado to their diet. This can be done by switching a serving of avocado for something else with a similar amount of calories like cheese or mayonnaise.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) say people should pay attention to the type of fat they're eating more than the amount.
Specifically, people should strictly limit the unhealthy fats. This includes saturated fats and trans fats, often found in fatty meats, fried foods, processed and restaurant foods.
The ADA encourage people with diabetes to consider adding avocado into their diets due to its healthy fats.

Avocados and heart health

Avocados have fat and are calorie-dense, but this is not a reason for people with diabetes to avoid them.
The fats in avocados are mostly monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which have been shown to raise "good" HDL cholesterol. MUFAs can also lower levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and fats called triglycerides, and reduce blood pressure.
Having healthy cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood pressure levels can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
People with diabetes are twice as likely to have heart disease and stroke as someone without diabetes, according to the NIDDK. More importantly, heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death among people with diabetes.
There may be an additional reason that MUFAs are a ticket to better health when living with diabetes. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition suggests that these fats may help control blood sugar and insulin levels.
The researchers found this was particularly the case when replacing some carbohydrates in the diet with MUFAs. So besides being naturally low in sugar and carbohydrates, an avocado's healthy fats can help lower blood sugar levels even more.

Fiber, blood sugar levels, and feeling full

A medium avocado has an impressive 10 grams of fiber. For reference, men should get 30-38 grams of fiber per day, and women need 21-25 grams, according to the Academy of Nutrition of Dietetics.
Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet because it improves digestive health and keeps the bowels regular. It's particularly helpful for people with diabetes because it helps improve blood sugar levels.
A study in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine suggests that fiber can lower fasting blood sugar levels and hemoglobin A1C levels in people with diabetes.
Soluble fiber, which is present in avocados, may also improve cholesterol levels, according to a study in the American Journal for Clinical Nutrition. This is another way this fruit may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Avocados may also help people feel fuller for longer. This can help people control their calorie intake without feeling hungry. A study in the Nutrition Journal found that eating half of an avocado with lunch increased levels of feeling full up to 5 hours later.

Choosing and using avocados

Avocados offer a buttery yet versatile flavor that can be added to a variety of salads, sandwiches, and sweet and savory dishes.

Ripe avocado is easy to add to a wide range of different healthy meals.

Although avocados require no cooking, it is best to eat one when it's ripe. A ripe avocado will be dark in color and will feel slightly soft when squeezed gently.
If an avocado is firm and green in color, it should be left to ripen for a few days. Avocados ripen off the tree, and many found at the store need some time to reach their ideal ripeness.
The following is another way of telling if an avocado is ripe or not:

1. Try to remove the avocado's stem
2. If it doesn't come off easily, it's not yet ripe
3. If it removes easily and the skin underneath is green, the avocado is ripe
4. If it removes easily and the skin underneath is brown, the avocado may be overripe. It may have brown spots inside or a texture that's too soft

Breakfast ideas

Spread 1 to 2 teaspoons of avocado on whole grain toast instead of butter. Adding a dash of black pepper and garlic, a tomato slice, or some fresh salsa can give it extra flavor. Combine it with favorite vegetables and seasonings.
Another option is a baked avocado egg. Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Crack an egg, place it in the avocado half, and bake for 15-20 minutes at 425°F. Top with diced tomatoes, salsa, peppers, or other vegetables.

Lunch ideas

Slices of avocado make a great addition to nearly any salad. They also work well as a topping for vegetable or chicken wraps and turkey burgers. Avocado can also be used in a sandwich in place of mayonnaise or butter.
Adding a mashed up avocado to store-bought hummus gives a boost of fiber and healthy fats. Skip the chips and instead, dip fresh, crunchy vegetables like carrots and celery sticks.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/310996.php

Aloe vera should be investigated as diabetes treatment, study says

By Catharine Paddock

Diabetes is a global epidemic and a leading cause of disease and death. The fact fewer than half of patients with type 2 diabetes have their disease well controlled highlights the need for new, affordable, effective medications that are not limited by unfavourable side effects. Now, a pooled analysis of nine studies that examined the effect of oral aloe vera in people with diabetes and pre-diabetes suggests the medicinal plant should be further investigated as an antidiabetic compound.
The analysis is the work of researchers at the David Grant USAF Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, CA, who report their findings in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
The analysis shows people with diabetes whose fasting blood glucose (FBG) is above 200 mg/dl may benefit the most from treatment with oral aloe vera.
Diabetes is a lifelong condition where blood sugar is too high, resulting in damage to organs if not treated. There are 382 million people worldwide living with diabetes, with type 2 diabetes accounting for the vast majority of cases.
The authors note that in the United States - where some 21 million people have the disease - the cost of treatment and loss of productivity in 2012 due to diabetes was $245 billion. The global cost is expected to "exceed a staggering $490 billion" by 2030.

People with diabetes are more likely to seek complementary and alternative medicines than people without diabetes. A popular remedy is aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis), a plant used medicinally by the Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks, Indians, Japanese, and Mexicans for thousands of years.
More recently, aloe vera has been used as a skin application to treat seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis vulgaris, and genital herpes, and orally as a laxative.

Aloe vera contains dozens of active compounds

The part of the aloe vera plant that is used medicinally is the leaves, the major components of which are the green outer rind and the colorless inner gel. Aloe vera products are made from either of these components, or both.
The aloe vera plant contains at least 75 active compounds, "which notably include vitamins, enzymes, minerals, anthraquinones, monosaccharide, polysaccharides, lignin, saponins, salicylic acids, phytosterols, and amino acids," note the authors, who also cite studies suggesting some of these compounds play a role in improving blood glucose control.
The plant also contains trace elements such as chromium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc, known to be important for glucose metabolism by improving the effectiveness of insulin.
Studies of oral aloe vera as a remedy for a range of chronic diseases - such as asthma, glaucoma, high blood pressure, inflammatory bowel disease, and diabetes - have produced limited or inconsistent evidence.
However, oral aloe vera is becoming more popular, and evidence about its effect on lowering blood glucose has been mounting, so the researchers decided to analyse it.

Evidence sufficient to warrant further investigation

For their analysis, the team looked for studies of the effect of oral aloe vera on fasting blood glucose (FBG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and a number of other measures in pre-diabetic and diabetic populations.
They found only nine studies had appropriate data for meta-analyses and covered FBG and HbA1c only. Of these, all nine measured FBG (total of 283 participants), and five measured HbA1c (89 participants).
FBG (sometimes called fasting plasma glucose, FPG) measures the blood glucose level during a period when the patient has not had anything to eat or drink, except water, for at least 8 hours. A level in the range of 100-125 mg/dl is defined as pre-diabetic and 126 mg/dl or higher as diabetic.
HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin, sometimes called haemoglobin A1c or simply A1c) is a measure of average blood glucose over the past 2-3 months. A level greater than or equal to 6.5 percent is considered diabetic.
The meta-analysis showed aloe vera decreased FBG by 46.6 mg/dl and HbA1c by 1.05 in the populations studied.
The researchers also note "the data suggest that patients with an FBG ≥200 mg/dl may see a greater benefit," and this population saw an average FBG reduction of 109.9 mg/dl.
In their conclusion, the researchers point to several limitations of the data and findings. For example, there were inconsistencies across studies in the formulation of aloe vera used, making it difficult to determine which products would be effective.
Other important shortcomings include: trial periods ranging from 4-14 weeks; differences in types of controls and comparisons with other medications and supplements; lack of blinding or randomization; and measuring how well participants followed their assigned regimens.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/311305.php

Dogs Can Sniff Out Diabetes in People, Now We Know How

By John Rosca

Dogs have the ability to sense when a human with Type I diabetes suffers a low blood sugar episode, and scientists have discovered how they are able to do this. When a diabetic is experiencing a drop in blood sugar levels, this produces a chemical that dogs are able to smell. This can alert a dog to the onset of hypoglycaemia.
Many families with diabetic children have begun taking in medical alert service dogs to help monitor their children's symptoms. Speaking to the Toronto Sun, an Alliston, Ontario family discussed the benefits of having Amy, a Diabetic Alert Dog, to watch over their 14-year-old daughter Kate Beausaert while she is sleeping.
Diabetes patients run the risk of experiencing dangerously low levels of blood sugar during sleep, sometimes with fatal outcomes. Blood sugar levels within 4.0 and 7.0 millimoles per liter are viewed as safe. Should Kate's blood sugar level drop to 4.5 mmol/L or lower, Amy will alert her-and if she proves unresponsive, the dog will go wake up Kate's parents.
Diabetic alert dog owners as a whole have expressed high satisfaction and confidence in their canine guardians, according to the Endocrinology Advisor. This report was based on study results presented by Dr. Evan Los of the Oregon Health & Science University at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 76th Scientific Sessions. Owner satisfaction rated as high as 8.9 out of 10 on the Likert scale, while confidence scored 7.9 out of 10.Clearly, people have been highly receptive to diabetic alert dogs as healthcare monitors, even before science had managed to figure out their secret. Now, new findings from scientists at Cambridge University and the University of Oxford may finally reveal how dogs are able to detect a hypoglycemic episode.
In their paper on Diabetes Care, the university researchers pinpointed a chemical called isoprene. The level of isoprene in a person's breath tends to rise when the blood sugar in the body falters. The isoprene in the breath may be the substance that dogs are smelling when a diabetic's blood sugar level crashes.

http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/24353/20160628/dogs-sniff-out-diabetes-people-now-know.htm

Low birth weight ups type 2 diabetes risk: study

Los Angeles, Jun 26 (PTI) People born with a low birth weight due to genetic factors may have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a new study has found.

Researchers from Tulane University in the US conducted the study on 3,627 type 2 diabetes cases and 12,974 controls of European ancestry.

They created a genetic risk score (GRS) based on five low birth weight-related genetic variations known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

The analysis showed that for each one point increase in GRS (with the score ranging from 1-10), the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increased by six per cent, researchers said.

Using a statistical technique called Mendelian randomisation, they further found evidence that the low birth-weight was actually causing the excess risk in type 2diabetes.

This type of analysis, is, researchers said, a new approach for establishing causal relationships in studies of this nature.

"Evidence from both population and experimental studies has suggested that restricted early life development has long-term structural and functional influence on individuals' predisposition to an increased risk of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes," researchers said.

"However, to our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the potential causal relation between low birth-weight and risk of type 2 diabetes," they added.

Since low birth-weight represents restricted intrauterine growth (foetal growth), it cannot be ruled out that it is in fact the risk factors for this restricted growth that are causing the low birth-weight and in turn causing type 2diabetes to develop, researchers said.

Risk factors for restricted intrauterine growth include malnutrition, anaemia, infections and placental insufficiency, they said.

Researchers found that a genetically lowered birth weight was associated with increased susceptibility to type 2diabetes.

"Our findings support a potential causal relation between birth weight and risk of type 2 diabetes, providing novel evidence to support the role of intrauterine exposures in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes," researchers said.

The findings were published in the journal Diabetologia.

http://www.msn.com/en-in/news/other/low-birth-weight-ups-type-2-diabetes-risk-study/ar-AAhDIxW

A better way to predict diabetes

From Science Daily

An international team of researchers has discovered a simple, accurate new way to predict which women with gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes after delivery. The discovery would allow health care providers to identify women at greatest risk and help motivate women to make early lifestyle changes and follow other strategies that could prevent them from developing the disease later in life.

Gestational diabetes is defined as glucose intolerance that is first identified during pregnancy. It occurs in three to 13 percent of all pregnant women, and increases a woman's risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 20 to 50 percent within five years after pregnancy.
The joint efforts of the University of Toronto's Michael Wheeler, a professor in the Department of Physiology, and Erica Gunderson, Senior Research Scientist with the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, led to development of a technique called targeted metabolomics to better predict the development of type 2 diabetes in women with recent gestational diabetes. Typically, diabetes is diagnosed by measuring blood sugar levels in the form of glucose, an important fuel used by cells in the body. The researchers identified several other metabolites that indicate early changes that signify future diabetes risk long before changes in glucose levels occur.
The team tested fasting blood samples collected from women with gestational diabetes within two months after delivery -- predicting with 83 percent accuracy which women would develop the disease later on. These results were significantly better at predicting the development of type 2 diabetes than conventional methods, a fasting blood test followed by the time-consuming and inconvenient oral glucose tolerance test.
"After delivering a baby, many women may find it very difficult to schedule two hours for another glucose test," says Wheeler, who is also a Senior Scientist at the Toronto General Research Institute. "What if we could create a much more effective test that could be given to women while they're still in the hospital? Once diabetes has developed, it's very difficult to reverse."
"Early prevention is the key to minimizing the devastating effects of diabetes on health outcomes," says Dr. Gunderson. "By identifying women soon after delivery, we can focus our resources on those at greatest risk who may benefit most from concerted early prevention efforts."
The fasting blood samples used for this study were obtained from 1,035 women diagnosed with gestational diabetes and enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente's Study of Women, Infant Feeding and Type 2 Diabetes after GDM Pregnancy, also known as the SWIFT Study, which was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (R01 HD050625). The SWIFT study screened women with oral glucose tolerance tests at 2 months after delivery and then annually thereafter to evaluate the impact of breastfeeding and other characteristics on the development of type 2 diabetes after a pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association recommends type 2 diabetes screening at six to 12 weeks after delivery in women with gestational diabetes, and every one to three years afterwards for life. The time-consuming nature of the two-hour oral glucose test is believed to be one reason for low compliance rates of less than 40 percent in some settings.
The new method may also be able to predict individuals who may develop type 2 diabetes in the general population -- a major advance at a time when more than 300 million people suffer from the preventable form of this disease. A next-generation blood test that's more simple and accurate than the current options could help to identify individuals who would benefit most from more timely and effective interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Wheeler and Gunderson are now hoping to conduct additional tests in women with gestational diabetes to evaluate racial and ethnic differences in prediction, and investigate high risk groups with prediabetes to learn if metabolomics will predict type 2 diabetes in the general population.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160623115738.htm

Diabetes raises risk of heart attack death by 50 percent

From medicalxpress.com

Having diabetes increases the risk of dying from the effects of a heart attack by around 50 per cent, a University of Leeds study has found.
Researchers in the School of Medicine tracked 700,000 people who had been admitted to hospital with a heart attack between January 2003 and June 2013.
Of these, 121,000 had diabetes.
After stripping out the effects of age, sex, any other illnesses and differences in the emergency medical treatment received, the team found stark differences in survival rates.
People with diabetes were 56 per cent more likely to have died if they had experienced a ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) heart attack – in which the coronary artery is completely blocked – than those without the condition.
They were 39 per cent more likely to have died if they had a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) heart attack – in which the artery is partially blocked - than those without diabetes.
Lead researcher Dr Chris Gale, Consultant Cardiologist and Associate Professor in the School of Medicine, said: "These results provide robust evidence that diabetes is a significant long-term population burden among patients who have had a heart attack.
"Although these days people are more likely than ever to survive a heart attack, we need to place greater focus on the long-term effects of diabetes in heart attack survivors.
"The partnership between cardiologists, GPs and diabetologists needs to be strengthened and we need to make sure we are using established medications as effectively as possible among high-risk individuals."
He added that the next step in their research would be finding out exactly what it is about having diabetes that increases the risk of death following heart attack.
Dr Mike Knapton, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, which funded the study said: "We knew that following a heart attack, you are less likely to survive if you also have diabetes.
"However, we did not know if this observation was due to having diabetes or having other conditions which are commonly seen in people with diabetes.
"This paper is the first to conclusively show that the adverse effect on survival is linked to having diabetes, rather than other conditions people with diabetes may suffer from.
"This research highlights the need to find new ways to prevent coronary heart disease in people with diabetes and develop new treatments to improve survival after a heart attack.
"The British Heart Foundation is committed to funding research in this area.
"We are currently funding researchers in Leeds to find new ways of keeping blood vessels healthy in people with diabetes in the fight for every heartbeat."
Dr Anna Morris, Head of Research Funding at Diabetes UK, said: "While researchers tackle this issue, we know that managing diabetes effectively can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
"This includes eating healthily, keeping active and taking medications as prescribed by your doctor.
"It's essential that people with diabetes get the support they need to do this effectively, and that we continue to fund research across the UK aimed at preventing the onset of complications in the first place."
The study is published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-06-diabetes-heart-death-cent.html

Specific diet plan works better than drugs for type 2 diabetes, study shows

By Stephen Feller

BOSTON, June 22 (UPI) -- While general advice on how to improve diet to reduce diabetes symptoms and obesity can work, researchers in a recent study found a personalized, specific nutrition plan was far more effective for achieving health goals.
Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center found structured nutrition therapy helped patients reach health goals similar to those of medications for type 2 diabetes and was far easier to follow than less structured plans.
Standard nutrition therapy includes individualized advice to make changes to eating habits and preferences; however, using measures of A1C, body weight and blood lipid levels to plan specific nutrient and caloric intakes for the day -- with check-ins from a dietitian -- brought far greater results, the researchers report.
"It was surprising to see all these significant changes in A1C and body weight without altering medications or activity level and without aiming for weight reduction," Dr. Osama Hamdy, medical director for the Obesity Clinical Program at Joslin Diabetes Center, said in a press release. "Which tells us that nutrition therapy can be as effective as medications even after a long duration of the disease."
For the study, researchers recruited 108 overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes, randomly assigned them to one of three groups: A standard treatment group receiving advice from a registered dietitian on eating habits and preferences; a group given a highly structured meal plan based on macronutrient ratios and caloric levels, including instructions, menu books and calorie replacement foods, and were asked to keep a food log; and a third group following the highly structured treatment plan, but with additional weekly phone coaching by the dietitian.
The researchers took A1C and body weight measurements at the start of the 16-week trial, finding there was no significant difference in either measure in the standard therapy group from beginning to end of the study.
The second and third groups receiving much more detailed eating advice saw significant reductions in A1C and body weight, which the researchers say is a combination of the benefits of the eating plan. carbohydrates make up about 40 percent of nutrient consumption in the eating plan, with the rest coming from health protein and fat, resulting in a diet high in fiber and lower in saturated fat and sodium.
Hamdy said the structured plan has been used in a diabetes weight reduction program at Joslin for several years, and patients have previously requested they be put on the structured, monitored plan because it is easier to follow than the generic guidance generally given to patients.
"This drop in A1C due to nutrition therapy alone is much better than what we have been able to achieve with many of the current medications for type 2 diabetes," Hamdy said. "This is very encouraging since participants in the study have lived with type 2 diabetes for more than 10 years and were not able to control their blood glucose or weight with multiple medications."

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016/06/22/Specific-diet-plan-works-better-than-drugs-for-type-2-diabetes-study-shows/9551466594770/

New link found between diabetes, Alzheimer's disease

From ScienceDaily

Drugs used to treat diabetes could also be used to treat Alzheimer's disease, and vice versa, according to new research from the University of Aberdeen.

This is also the first study of its kind to show that Alzheimer's disease can lead to diabetes, as opposed to diabetes occurring first as was previously thought.
The study reports that Alzheimer's Disease and type 2 diabetes are so closely related that drugs currently used to control glucose levels in diabetes may also alleviate the symptoms and progression of Alzheimer's disease.
The paper, published in the journal Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes), found for the first time that dementia-related complications within the brain can also lead to changes in glucose handling and ultimately diabetes. This is contrary to what was previously thought -- that diabetes begins with a malfunction in the pancreas or a high fat, high sugar diet.
The research was led by Professor Bettina Platt who formed a unique collaboration between her Alzheimer's research team and the diabetes research team led by Professor Mirela Delibegovic. The teams were keen to investigate why the two diseases are so commonly found together in elderly patients.
The researchers developed a model of Alzheimer's disease and were surprised to find that increased levels of a gene involved in the production of toxic proteins in the brain not only led to Alzheimer's -like symptoms, but also to the development of diabetic complications.
Professor Platt said of her research: "Many people are unaware of the relationship between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, but the fact is that around 80% of people with Alzheimer's disease also have some form of diabetes or disturbed glucose metabolism. This is hugely relevant as Alzheimer's is in the vast majority of cases not inherited, and lifestyle factors and comorbidities must therefore be to blame.
"Our research teams are particularly interested in the impact of lifestyle related factors in dementia and by collaborating with experts in diabetes and metabolism, we have been able to investigate the nature of the link in great detail.
"Until now, we always assumed that obese people get type 2 diabetes and then are more likely to get dementia -- we now show that actually it also works the other way around.
"Additionally, it was previously believed that diabetes starts in the periphery, i.e. the pancreas and liver, often due to consumption of an unhealthy diet, but here we show that dysregulation in the brain can equally lead to development of very severe diabetes -- so again showing that diabetes doesn't necessarily have to start with your body getting fat -- it can start with changes in the brain.
"This study provides a new therapeutic angle into Alzheimer's disease and we now think that some of the compounds that are used for obesity and diabetic deregulation might potentially be beneficial for Alzheimer's patients as well. The good news is that there are a number of new drugs available right now which we are testing to see if they would reverse both Alzheimer's and diabetes symptoms. We will also be able to study whether new treatments developed for Alzheimer's can improve both, the diabetic and cognitive symptoms."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160621112107.htm

As Childhood Diabetes Rates Rise, So Do Costs — And Families Feel The Pinch: Study

By Carmen Heredia Rodriguez

Childhood diabetes rates are on the rise, and a report released Monday pointed to the impact that the cost of their care could have on families — even those who have employer-sponsored health insurance.
The study, conducted by the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI), found that children as old as 18 with diabetes who were insured through an employer-sponsored plan racked up $2,173 per capita in out-of-pocket health care costs in 2014. That spending level was nearly five times higher than that of kids without the illness.
The HCCI researchers analyzed data from claims submitted from 2012 to 2014 through group, individual and Medicare Advantage insurance policies to analyze health care spending and utilization trends among people younger than 65 who had diabetes and employer-sponsored coverage plans.   

In terms of use of medical services, children with diabetes visited the emergency room 2.5 times more often than children without it. Acute inpatient services were used nearly five times more often. In all, a year’s worth of care cost $17,380 — the second only to adults aged 55 through 64 with diabetes.
Although more prescriptions and frequent doctor’s visits help explain the difference in the health care costs generated by children with and without this illness, researchers were still surprised by the magnitude of the disparity.
Families are “spending more out-of-pocket across the board on all types of services,” said Amanda Frost, a senior researcher at HCCI. “And it’s just higher use. So when you end up using all of these health care services, you end up with a very personal impact on your wallet, especially if you’re a parent with a child with diabetes.”
As of 2012, 208,000 children and adolescents younger than 20 years old lived with diabetes, most of whom have Type I diabetes, which is when the body does not produce insulin, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And the rates are surging. In the past 30 years, the total number of cases for all age groups has quadrupled. Childhood Type II diabetes, often associated with obesity, is rising, especially among racial minorities. 
Prescription drugs accounted for the largest share of the out-of-pocket costs for children with diabetes in each year of the study period, peaking in 2014 at $751 per child, driven by spending on brand-name prescriptions. For all other age groups studied, these costs decreased by at least 3 percent.
The price of insulin, the drug used to treat Type I diabetes has skyrocketed. A study published in JAMA in March found the drug cost an average of $12.92 per milliliter in 2013. With children with Type I diabetes needing daily anywhere from .5 to 1.5 milliliters of insulin per kilogram of their weight, Dr. Fran Cogen, director of the Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes Program at Children’s National Health System said, the price and the burden can rack up quickly.
Cogen also said families who struggle with the financial burden of diabetes treatment wrestle with more issues than the bottom line. Mental health and access to other resources is also a concern in assessing the well-being of the child, adding another layer of cost and complexity in treating children.
“Not only do you have to deal with the diabetes, you have to deal with underlying socio-economic conditions and psychological conditions and their need,” Cogen said.
Among the researchers’ other conclusions:

• Per capita spending for insured people with diabetes increased between 2012 and 2014 by $1,310 to $16,021 in 2014, nearly four times higher than spending for people without the illness, which was $4,396.
• Spending was the highest for adults between the ages of 55 through 64.
• Increases in out-of-pocket spending for people with diabetes corresponded with the overall rise in costs. However, there were drops in spending on prescription drugs — especially among the oldest age group. This decline is attributed to less spending on brand-name prescription medicines.
• The total cost of health care among those with diabetes tended to decrease with age. Expenditures among those without diabetes trended in the opposite direction.

http://khn.org/news/as-childhood-diabetes-rates-rise-so-do-costs-and-families-feel-the-pinch-study/    

Diabetes instructor warns of ‘Blood Sugar Blues’

By Scott Kirk

When pharmacist Greg Young told Donna Goble, diabetes coordinator for Hendrick Medical Center, that he had something new to try in a diabetes support group, all she could do was trust him.
"I thought he was going to change the curriculum," Goble said.
Young, who serves as a diabetes educator as well as working at Hendrick Professional Pharmacy, didn't change the curriculum any, but his delivery that January day was decidedly different.
He sang.
Dressed in a dark suit, sunglasses and a fedora, Young performed his original work, "Blood Sugar Blues."
"When you're new, you can get away with things," Young said.
The song is about what happens to diabetics if their blood sugar level gets low and they "treat" it with more sugar — such as a soda or sweets — causing blood sugar levels to get too high.
Goble loved it.
"It breaks the ice," she said." This is something that has happened to all of them."
She liked it so much that she and the rest of the diabetes management staff helped Young make a music video of "Blood Sugar Blues" during the spring. The video can be seen on the Hendrick's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hendrickhealth/videos.
The video has been seen by more than 20,000 people, according to Lynne Bruton, public relations coordinator for Hendrick.
It turns out that Young has some musical chops.
"I've done music all my life," he said." I couldn't make a living at it — I'd starve."
Young has performed at church and with bands, as well as performing on the street.
"If I could, I'd be a professional street musician," said Young, who acknowledged that he preferred performing in front of small groups rather than large audiences.
He stressed, however, that this isn't about his musical abilities but about reinforcing messages on managing diabetes.
"I wanted to make sure that the people (in the support group) didn't think I was making fun of their condition," Young said. "People who have a chronic illness have a burden."
Goble said the song fits with her message to diabetic patients that they shouldn't beat themselves up over the fact that they have the condition.
"People might tell them, 'Well, you did this to yourself,' " she said."Our goal is not to be the police, but to be encouragers."
When it came time to pick the people to appear with him in the video, Young said he instinctively went with his Hendrick Diabetes Center colleagues, whose passion inspired him to get certified as a diabetes educator.
"They're a fun bunch," he said." We're a team, and a band is a type of team."
The video was cranked out in less than a day. Bruton created a storyboard, and filming took about an hour and a half in front of the diabetes center on Hickory Street.
Goble said the staff felt comfortable making the video because of Young.
"We trust Greg, that he wasn't going to make us look like blooming idiots," she said.
Although it was made to be fun, the song's major theme is the "rule of 15": Consume 15 grams of carbohydrates and wait 15 minutes to check your blood sugar.
"Low blood sugar is a horrible thing," Young said. "It can be as dangerous as a stroke."
Young said Goble's preparation for the support groups is impressive.
"Donna updates her lectures every two or three months," said Young, whose own presentations concern medications.
Goble said the center is recognized by the American Diabetes Association, which makes the most current diabetes studies available to Hendrick.
"Awareness is really important," she said, adding a quote from the late Elliott Joslin, considered a pioneer in diabetes treatment: "The patient who knows the most lives the longest."
Young said he incorporates many of Goble's sayings into his presentations, including "Put down that stick you're beating yourself with."
"Donna's got a lot of pretty good country girl advice," Young said. "She also does a pretty good June Carter Cash."
That perhaps is fitting because Young has a second song — a version of Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line" that incorporates verses about diabetes care. That video hasn't been made yet, but as they say, it's in the works.

http://www.reporternews.com/topstories/diabetes-instructor-warns-of-blood-sugar-blues-3567e00c-74df-7941-e053-0100007fcc8f-383703651.html

Your breakfast choice may help avoid diabetes

By Salma Khalik

Experts have been saying for decades that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Now, researchers from the Clinical Nutrition Research Centre (CNRC) here have proven why this is so. What is eaten for breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day in terms of sugar in the blood.
It has shown that people who take a low glycaemic index (GI) breakfast and afternoon snack had significantly less sugar in their blood for the rest of the day.

GI measures the sugar in the blood from the carbohydrates consumed. A glycaemic response (GR) is the amount of sugar in the blood over time resulting from food.
The trial found that while participants were offered a standard buffet lunch and were free to eat what they wanted for dinner, what they had for breakfast made a vast difference to their glycaemic response.
The difference was even larger on the second day of the study.
Professor Jeyakumar Henry, head of CNRC and one of the researchers involved, said: "So what you eat at breakfast sets your glucose response to the entire day at a lower amplitude."
The researchers postulate two possible reasons for this. One is that those on a low GI breakfast were possibly more satiated and ate less for lunch. The other is something called a "second meal effect" where a low GI meal reduced the glucose response to the next meal taken.
The results of this study were published last year in the Journal of Clinical & Translational Endocrinology.
The researchers suggested that taking a low GI breakfast "may help to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes" - which is caused by high blood sugar levels.

 

 

Over two days, the 11 male participants were given a high or a low GI breakfast and afternoon snack, a common buffet lunch and were free to choose their own dinner.
The low GI breakfast comprised multigrain bread and parboiled basmati rice while the high GI breakfast was white bread and glutinous rice.
The 11 men each wore a continuous glucose monitoring machine that tested their blood glucose every five minutes over 48 hours.
A week later, they went through the whole schedule again, but those who originally had the low GI breakfast now had the high GI version.
The difference in blood sugar level, even overnight, was significantly lower with the low GI breakfast.
Having high levels of sugar in the blood stresses the pancreas, which has to produce more insulin to move the sugar to muscles where it is converted to energy.
Over time, too much stress decreases the effectiveness of the pancreas. When the pancreas is consistently unable to clear the sugar, people become diabetic.
High levels of sugar in the blood also significantly raises the risks of cardiovascular disease, blindness and kidney failure.
Singapore has one of the highest incidence of diabetes among developed countries, with one in four people suffering from diabetes or are headed that way.
About 1,500 people are diagnosed with kidney failure each year.

http://health.asiaone.com/health/health-news/your-breakfast-choice-may-help-avoid-diabetes

Everything you wanted to know about diabetes

By Ann Robinson

What is it?

Four million people in the UK live with diabetes and nearly a quarter of a million more are being diagnosed each year. Ninety per cent of those with diabetes have type 2 diabetes (T2D) and you’re more prone to it if you’re overweight, it runs in your family or you’re of south Asian or African descent. In T2D, the body doesn’t respond properly to insulin, the hormone produced in the pancreas that dispatches glucose from the food we eat to the cells of the body to be used for energy or stored as fat. T2D is treated by weight loss, lifestyle changes and oral drugs. Type 1 diabetes (T1D), which accounts for 10% of cases, can appear in childhood and is treated with injectable insulin. In T1D, the pancreas gradually stops making insulin for reasons that are still unclear but may be triggered by a viral illness.
High blood-glucose levels damage blood vessels supplying many parts of the body, so there’s an increased risk of kidney failure, blindness, strokes, heart attacks and gangrene. Life expectancy is reduced by 20 years for people with T1D and up to 10 years for T2D. The good news is that careful control hugely reduces these risks and that new developments are coming on stream at a rapid rate.

Prevention is best

T1D can’t be prevented, but T2D can. NHS England is rolling out an ambitious national Diabetes Prevention Programme to try to prevent up to 100,000 people each year developing it. Professor Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England’s national clinical director for obesity and diabetes, says: “Tackling obesity and diabetes is one of the biggest healthcare challenges of our time and the numbers with T2D are rising.” Those referred will get personalised help to lose weight and bespoke exercise programmes over nine months.

A desperate need for new drugs

Once you develop diabetes, dietary changes and exercise may not be enough. There’s a limited range of drugs available now and Professor Nicholas Morton of the University of Edinburgh says we need to find new drugs that work in novel ways. He is interested in lean individuals whose genes allow them to stay thin even though they live the same western lifestyle that is making so many of us obese. A gene that codes for an enzyme that protects mice from obesity and its damaging effects holds promise. A drug called sodium thiosulfate, which is used to treat severe side effects of kidney disease, also acts to boost this enzyme and medicines like it could offer a different way of tackling diabetes.

Does surgery offer a chance of cure?

Simon O’Neill of Diabetes UK says there’s strong and growing evidence that if you are obese and have T2D, surgery works better than drugs and lifestyle advice. Surgery involves restricting the size of the stomach or bypassing the duodenum, where most absorption takes place. It also seems to cause changes in gut hormones, so people eat less and exercise more. Some people have had the surgery and not lost much weight, but their diabetes has still disappeared. It’s possible that people with diabetes who aren’t obese could benefit from the surgery, too. But, obviously, surgery has its downsides and risks. The holy grail would be a tablet that could mimic the gut hormone changes that surgery causes.

An end to needles?

Many people with diabetes, especially children, dislike the repeated finger-prick tests. But an alternative does exist. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) involves a small wearable device that tracks glucose levels constantly and can be set with alarms that go off when levels are too high or too low. However, at the moment, NHS provision of CGM is practically nil, according to O’Neill. The NHS may pay for devices for people who get no warning of dangerous hypos (when blood glucose is so low that it can cause coma or even death) and in children with T1D.

But what if you don’t want continuous readings?

A device called Freestyle Libre monitors your blood glucose all the time, but only gives you a reading when you swipe it. It’s a patch the size of a 50p piece that is positioned on the upper arm. A tiny filament is inserted into the skin that reads glucose levels in the fluid between skin cells. Parents can swipe their diabetic kids while they’re sleeping rather than wake them up for a finger-prick test. There’s an initial outlay of about £60 for a reader that should last a few years, then running costs of about £100 a month if used continuously.

Insulin pumps

Most diabetics in the UK still inject themselves with insulin three to four times a day. But insulin pumps that do away with the need to inject are increasingly popular. They consist of a fine tube inserted under the skin with a wearable pump that contains insulin, which is attached most of the time. In Sweden, 50% of people with T1D have an insulin pump, but in the UK only 6% of eligible adults and 19% of children have one. CGM devices can interact with insulin pumps if blood glucose levels are falling dangerously low. The health watchdog Nice has endorsed one of these devices for people whose T1D is generally well-controlled, but who get uncontrollable hypos.

The perfect solution would be for a CGM system to communicate directly with an insulin pump to deliver the correct dose without any input from the human wearing the devices. “In its entirety, that’s still a long way off,” says O’Neill. The pump would need to hold two hormones; insulin to lower blood glucose when it’s too high and glucagon to boost glucose levels if it’s too low.

Is there an app?

There are lots of apps to encourage weight loss, lifestyle changes and management of diabetes. A new app has launched this month to support people with diabetes to count carbs, scan supermarket products, plan meals at home and analyse typical restaurant dishes. Nutrino shows how daily food intake, activity, sleep and other parameters affect glucose levels. If you have a compatible CGM device and insulin pump, detailed data of your insulin requirements and diabetes control feed into the app, which can customise its suggestions to your needs. The app can also connect with wearable devices such as Fitbit to get a picture of how much you exercise.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jun/19/everything-want-to-know-diabetes-technology-revolutionising

Study: Eating More Vegetables Can Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

By TWC News

New research suggests that eating more vegetables and less meat could lower your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
Just swapping out one or two servings of meat and dairy a day with one or two vegetables will do it.
The study published in the journal PLOS Medicine, showed the risk of diabetes dropped by more than 30 percent for the plant-based eaters who chose foods like whole grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.
When participants chose unhealthy stuff like cake and soda, instead their diabetes risk went up slightly.
The study followed 200,000 men and women over 20 years.

http://www.twcnews.com/nc/triangle-sandhills/news/2016/06/18/study-eating-more-vegetables-can-lower-risk-of-type-2-diabetes.html

Longer working hours bad for women & good for men, study says

From rt.com

Working more than 40 hours a week could mean serious health problems for women, like higher chances of cancer or heart diseases, a new study claims. The effect on men’s health appears to be quite the opposite, though.
Scientists from the Ohio State University analyzed interviews by a little less than 7,500 people given to the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth over 32 years (in between 1978 and 2009) to come to their conclusions.
They were in particular looking into their answers on average weekly working hours as well as diseases, particularly these eight: heart condition, non-skin cancer, arthritis, diabetes, chronic lung disease, asthma, chronic depression, and hypertension.
The results of the analysis were published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The negative effects can go unnoticed first, however, if a woman spends more than 40 hours per week at work, she already starts putting her health at risk, the scientists say. It significantly increases with more than 50-hour workweek. When the number of hours spent at work averages 60 hours or more, the risk of diabetes, cancer, heart diseases and arthritis grows threefold.
“People don’t think that much about how their early work experiences affect them down the road,” Allard Dembe, professor of health services management and policy and lead author of the study, said as cited by ScienceDaily.
“Women in their 20s, 30s and 40s are setting themselves up for problems later in life,” he added.
Interestingly enough, men also working longer hours (41 to 50 hours weekly) were found more prone to only one disease – arthritis. Their predisposition to other types of health problems appeared to be significantly less than in their not so laborious peers.
Such a big difference between the genders may be explained by the fact that women’s responsibilities more often go beyond their professional activities. Apart from pursuing career goals, they also do the housekeeping which only adds up to stress, the study says. Work for women can be less satisfying because of the constant need to balance between family and career.
“Women – especially women who have to juggle multiple roles – feel the effects of intensive work experiences and that can set the table for a variety of illnesses and disability,” Dembe said.
However, the study doesn’t not distinguish between workaholics, enjoying overwork, and those who are forced to bear more burden.
In 2015 a study, conducted by the Harvard and Stanford Business School, found that job stress leads to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, decreased mental health and even contributes to the deaths of 120,000 Americans a year.

https://www.rt.com/news/347295-women-work-diseases-study/

Diabetes UK launches top tips for writers

Diabetes UK has today launched a new resource offering scriptwriters and producers top tips on how to portray diabetes accurately in their storylines, a move welcomed by television presenter Phillip Schofield and screenwriter, film maker and great grandson of Diabetes UK founder HG Wells, Simon Wells.

The charity has launched its free guide ‘Top Tips For Writers’ during Diabetes Week 2016 as part of its focus on busting myths and misconceptions surrounding the condition.

Often contacted by people living with diabetes who are concerned about how the condition is depicted on screen, the charity hopes the guide will help to ensure that diabetes is reflected accurately across all storylines.

Simon Wells: "I’m very glad that Diabetes UK has created this"

Screenwriter Simon Wells said: “As a film maker, I've come to really understand that a movie is nothing without a good script. Getting the story right is certainly true for how diabetes is portrayed.

“This invaluable guide will aid television and film makers every time they write diabetes into a script, helping to build an accurate understanding of the condition for their audiences. When you're writing scripts the research is essential and often massively time-consuming. A straightforward guide to the nuts and bolts of the condition really is invaluable. I’m very glad that Diabetes UK has created this.”

"Too often diabetes is portrayed incorrectly"
 

Chris Askew, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said, “Each time diabetes is featured in a storyline is a huge opportunity to raise awareness of this serious condition which affects over four million people in the UK. Yet too often diabetes is portrayed incorrectly or insensitively. This is not only extremely unhelpful and can lead to myths and misconceptions around diabetes, but can also be hurtful to those living with it day in and day out.

“However, scriptwriters and producers can play a hugely important role in increasing awareness and understanding of diabetes by depicting it accurately in their storylines – I strongly urge them to keep this guide at their fingertips to ensure this happens every time.”

Phillip Schofield has welcomed the guide

The guide has also been welcomed by television presenter and Diabetes UK supporter Phillip Schofield who said: “As someone who has both worked in TV for many years and has family members who live with Type 1 diabetes, I am frequently aware of the confusion surrounding diabetes, and especially between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. I’m so glad Diabetes UK has produced this essential guide for programme makers, actors, writers, producers and directors so that everyone can talk about diabetes with confidence and accuracy.”

This handy, free, downloadable guide offers scriptwriters and producers a wealth of advice and top tips to use when writing diabetes into a storyline.

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News/Diabetes-UK-launches-guide-for-scriptwriters-and-producers/

This Small Diet Change Might Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes

By Zach Watson

Here's another reason to opt for a side salad: A new study suggests you can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes simply by adding a few more healthy, plant-based foods (think whole grains, fruit, nuts, and veggies) to your diet and slightly reducing how much animal-based foods (meat, dairy) you eat.
The researchers looked at three diet studies conducted over more than 20 years, which included 200,000 men and women in the U.S. Participants filled out an in-depth survey about their diets every two to four years. The people who ate more plant-based food and less animal-based food reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes by 20 to 34 percent.
"What we're talking about is a moderate shift—replacing one or two servings of animal food a day with one or two plant-based foods," Frank Hu, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and one of the authors of the study, told the New York Times. "You can still include some meat, but not have it in the centre of the plate."
It's refreshing to hear that you don't have to go all-out vegetarian or vegan to see these health benefits. Small changes really can make a difference.

http://greatist.com/live/this-small-diet-change-might-reduce-your-risk-of-diabetes

With diabetes, losing weight lowers heart risks, even if you regain it

From Fox News Health

A large weight loss, even if regained, may help overweight people with type 2 diabetes improve their blood sugar control and cholesterol and lower high blood pressure long-term, a new study suggests.
Over four years, even those who regained all of a large weight loss had greater improvements in blood sugar than their counterparts who lost no weight or initially lost a smaller amount.
"Since many people lose weight and regain some (or all) of it, it is important to know whether this pattern leads to better or worse outcomes than never losing weight," said co-author Rena Wing, a professor of psychiatry and human behavior at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
Wing also directs the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center at The Miriam Hospital in Providence Rhode Island.
"Our data shows no negative effects of losing weight and regaining on (cardiovascular disease) outcomes," Wing told Reuters Health by email.
The researchers used data for more than 1,400 overweight or obese adults with type 2 diabetes in a 10-year randomized trial of intensive diet and exercise changes compared to no lifestyle changes.
Participants aimed to lose at least 7 percent of their body weight and to do 175 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity. For these results, the researchers focused on the first four years of the 10-year study.
They divided the participants into six categories based on their progress: no weight loss, moderate weight loss of 3 to 8 percent of body weight, large weight loss of 8 to 20 percent of body weight, moderate weight loss that was fully regained by year four, large weight loss that was fully regained by year four and large weight loss that was only partly regained. Most often, people lost a large amount of weight and partly regained it.
Larger weight loss improved blood sugar control, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels more than lesser weight loss at year one and year four, as reported in Diabetes Care.
Blood sugar control tended to improve in the first year and then worsen again. At year four, it was only still improved among people with large weight losses - and that was true regardless of whether the large weight loss had later been regained.
"Weight loss reduces adipose tissue and improves insulin sensitivity," Wing said. "These changes lead to reductions in inflammation and improvement in (cardiovascular disease) risk factors," she said.
"There are a number of studies showing that weight loss can have a sustained impact even if weight loss is regained," Wing noted, including reducing risk of diabetes for people who do not have it yet. Researchers call these "legacy effects" or "metabolic memory," she said.
But the last measurements for this study were made at year four, so it's not clear whether the apparent "positive effects" will still be there at year five or later, noted professor Abdul G. Dulloo of the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, who was not part of the new study.
"Furthermore, we seem to be dealing here with one cycle of weight loss/regain, and how multiple phases of weight loss/regain (i.e. multiple weight cycling) affects these risks for cardiovascular disease remains uncertain," Dulloo told Reuters Health by email.
In any case, "it is best to lose weight and maintain it," Wing said. "However, fear of regaining should not stop people with diabetes from trying to lose weight."

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/06/16/with-diabetes-losing-weight-lowers-heart-risks-even-if-regain-it.html

It can lead to limb amputation, kidney failure and loss of vision, but what is diabetes?

By Olivia Lerche

EVERY week 4,500 people are diagnosed with diabetes across the UK and in the last year 235,000 people were diagnosed with the condition.
Diabetes occurs where there is too much glucose in the blood because the body cannot use it properly. There are two forms of the condition - Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body cannot produce insulin.
Around one in 10 people with diabetes have Type 1 and it usually affects children or young adults.
Type 1 diabetes means the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. When insulin is not produced a person’s glucose levels increase, which can result in the body's organs being damaged.
People living with Type 1 diabetes are reliant on insulin injections and they need to keep a close eye on their blood glucose levels to ensure they stay balanced.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or the insulin produced does not work properly and can be linked to lifestyle factors such as being overweight.
However, one man, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, has cured himself of the disease just by changing his diet.
If diabetes is not properly managed it can lead to serious consequences such as sight loss, limb amputation, kidney failure and stroke.
Figures have revealed that every week there are over 100 amputations due to people controlling their diabetes poorly.
Chief executive of Diabetes UK, Chris Askew has warned there is a ‘crisis’ surrounding the illness and said people aren’t aware of the seriousness of the condition.
"This Diabetes Week we are setting the record straight and focusing on the realities of living with the condition,” he said.
"There is still a lack of understanding when it comes to people being aware of the seriousness of diabetes and this worries us at Diabetes UK.
"There are over four million people living with the condition in the UK. The fact that 4,500 people will discover they have diabetes over the next seven days is deeply concerning, and highlights the current scale of the crisis.”
He said the charity wants to share concerns about the scale and seriousness of diabetes but, added it was a ‘fantastic opportunity’ to highlight that with the right healthcare, support and management diabetes doesn’t have to hold anyone back.”
Many people have blood sugar levels above the normal range - but not high enough to be diagnosed as having diabetes - which is a condition called prediabetes.
NHS choices said the main symptoms of diabetes are: feeling very thirst, urinating more frequently than usual - particularly at night, feeling very tired, weight loss and loss of muscle bulk, itching around the penis or vagina or frequent episodes of thrush, feeling tired, cuts or wounds which heal slowly and blurred vision.
Experts argue it is important for diabetes to be diagnosed as early as possible because it will get worse if left untreated.
Type 1 diabetes can develop quickly over weeks or even days.
Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms tend to be general.
Anshu Bhimbat, LloydsPharmacy pharmacist, said: “Many people think that Type 2 diabetes is a direct result of being obese and whilst obesity - in particular fat around the stomach - increases your risk of the condition, this is not the only cause.

“Genetics, ethnicity and age can all play a role in Type 2 diabetes. For example, people of south Asian, Chinese, African-Caribbean and black African descent are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes.

“We should look at the physical and psychological effects of diabetes so we can help patients. We also need to educate the general public on living a healthy lifestyle to help manage the condition once diagnosed.”

People living with diabetes should have eight annual health checks: Blood pressure, cholesterol, stop smoking services, BMI, foot check, blood glucose, Urine albumin and Serum Creatinine checks.
This comes after one woman with type 1 diabetes was nearly blinded after blood vessels in her eye burst.

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/680123/what-is-diabetes-type-1-type-2-diabetes-symptoms-condition

For some diabetics, obesity surgery may mean less eye and nerve damage

From Fox News Health

Patients whose diabetes improves after weight-loss surgery may also be less likely to suffer complications like eye and nerve damage, a U.S. study suggests.
Patients in the study had what's known as type 2 diabetes, in which sugar levels in the blood rise too high because the body can't use or make enough of the hormone insulin to convert food into energy.
After the weight-loss operations, some patients saw their diabetes go into remission, which can occur when blood sugar falls back to a healthy level. Patients who experienced remission were 29 percent less likely to develop complications of diabetes like eye, kidney and nerve damage than their peers who never had a remission, the study found.
For each year patients stayed in remission without a diabetes relapse, their risk of these complications was reduced by another 19 percent compared to their peers who never experienced remission, the study also found.
"Even small periods of remission could lead to less disability later in life," lead study author Karen Coleman, a researcher at Kaiser Permanente in California, said by email.
To understand the connection between diabetes remission and eye, kidney and nerve damage, Coleman and colleagues analyzed data on 4,683 adults with diabetes who had bariatric surgery from 2001 to 2011.
At the start of the study, patients were 47 years old on average, and most were extremely obese. About 44 percent had unhealthy blood sugar levels, and more than 70 percent had other medical problems like high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
One year after surgery, 9.5 percent of the patients had damage to the small blood vessels in the eyes, kidneys and nerves of the hands and feet. By three years, this went up to 21 percent and at seven years it reached almost 41 percent.
Most of this so-called microvascular disease involved damage to the retina of the eye, which affected 37 percent of patients seven years after surgery.
Older patients were more likely to develop these complications after surgery than younger people, the study also found. People who had diabetes for a longer time prior to their operations were also more likely to have microvascular disease afterward than their peers who had not lived with diabetes for as many years before surgery.
Blood vessel damage tied to diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, impotence and foot disorders that may eventually require amputations, Rachel Batterham, an obesity researcher at the University College of London who wasn't involved in the study, said by email.
Because the study was observational and everyone had weight-loss surgery, the results don't prove that bariatric procedures cause remission of diabetes, the authors note.
"Even a temporary remission is important as this study demonstrates that bariatric surgery can reset the clock in terms of reducing long-term microvascular disease secondary to diabetes," Dr. Manish Parikh, director of bariatric surgery at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York said by email. He wasn't involved in the study.
While it's possible some patients with diabetes might achieve remission without surgery, the study adds to evidence suggesting that bariatric procedures may offer patients some benefits beyond just weight loss, said Ted Adams, a researcher at Intermountain Healthcare and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City who wasn't involved in the study.
"Long-term risk reduction in eye, nerve and kidney complications shown in bariatric surgery patients even when their diabetes remission following surgery has been temporary may be explained at least in part by additional antidiabetic mechanisms beyond the effects of weight loss or reduction in food intake," Adams said by email.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/06/15/for-some-diabetics-obesity-surgery-may-mean-less-eye-and-nerve-damage.html

More than 500 children with Type 2 diabetes - just 16 years after first ever case

From telegraph.co.uk

More than 500 children in England and Wales are now suffering from type 2 diabetes, just 16 years after the first reported case.
The figures in the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit have been branded a “wake-up call for the nation”, as the Government faces calls to tackle the rising levels of childhood obesity which is fueling the diabetes surge.
Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 is largely preventable and is closely linked to lifestyle, in particular diet.
Of the 533 cases of type 2 diabetes reported in the year 2014-15, eleven were in children aged nine or under.
The audit found that 95 percent of those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were overweight, meaning a body-mass index of 25 to 29, and 83 percent obese, a BMI of 30 or above.
The condition, which usually beings in middle or older age, can cause serious long-term problems, the most of common of which is loss of vision.
Type 2 diabetes is also responsible for a high proportion of cases of kidney failure and lower limb amputation.
But data from the National Child Measurement Programme in 2014-15 found that ten percent of four and five-year-olds and 20 percent of 10 and 11-year-olds are currently obese.
Dr Just Warner, clinical lead for the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit, said: “The Government must act now before this becomes the norm.
“The long-awaited obesity strategy will go some way in doing this, however it must offer clear and bold solutions.
“This includes more research into prevention of obesity as well as making Personal, Social and Health Education a statutory subject in all schools covering the importance of physical activity and nutrition for a healthy lifestyle.
George Osborne announced a tax on sugar in his March budget, and the Government will lay out further measures to address overweight and unhealthy children in its forthcoming childhood obesity strategy, which is expected to be published this summer.
Local authorities have been responsible for public health awareness campaigns since 2013.
A spokesman for the Local Government Association said yesterday: "This is a wake-up call for the nation as the Government faces a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take game-changing action in its forthcoming Childhood Obesity Strategy.
“We cannot afford to delay any longer.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/15/more-than-500-children-with-type-2-diabetes---just-16-years-afte/

Heart drug could reduce diabetes related blindness

From UCL News

Researchers at UCL and Queen’s University Belfast have discovered that a drug originally developed to treat cardiovascular disease has the potential to reduce diabetes related blindness.
According to recent WHO global estimates, 422 million people have diabetes. One of the most common complications of this disease is vision loss. Diabetic macular oedema occurs in approximately 7 per cent of patients with diabetes and is one of the most common causes of blindness in the western world. In the UK, this sight-threatening complication of diabetic retinopathy is associated with estimated health and social care costs of £116 million. The socio-economic burden will only increase with prevalence of diabetes rising by more than 50 per cent by 2030. The researchers, in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline, found that the drug Darapladib inhibits an enzyme which is increased in people with diabetes and causes blood vessel leakage in the eye which leads to swelling of the retina and severe vision loss. The results are published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Currently, the most common treatments for patients with Diabetic Macular Oedema is an injection of a drug directly into to the eye every 4-6 weeks. This therapy is very expensive and not effective for about half of all patients with Diabetic Macular Oedema.
The discovery demonstrates that Darapladib in form of a tablet has potential to reduce the need for monthly injections and provide protection against vision loss in a much wider group of patients with diabetes. Dr Patric Turowski from the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology said: “With our study we show that a blood lipid produced by Lp-PLA2 constitutes a novel trigger factor in diabetic macular oedema and that use of Darapladib may not only constitute an cost-effective alternative to current DMO treatments but has the potential to be effective for patients that currently do not respond to standard treatment.” Professor Alan Stitt, from the Centre for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s University, said: “Diabetes-related blindness is caused by high blood sugar levels damaging the blood vessels in the retina. We have found that an enzyme called Lp-PLA2 which metabolises fats in the blood contributes to blood vessel damage and leakiness in the retina. The drug Darapladib acts as inhibitor of Lp-PLA2, and was originally developed for cardiovascular disease. Based on our break-though we are now planning a clinical trial and if successful we could soon see an alternative, pain-free and cost effective treatment for diabetic related blindness.”

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0616/140616-heart-drug-diabetes-blindness

Should you really eat sugar if you have diabetes?

By Douglas Twenefor

THERE are 3.5 million people in the UK diagnosed with diabetes so the likelihood is most of us will know a friend or family member living with it.
And that figure doesn't even take into account the estimated 549,000 people in the UK who have the disease and haven't been diagnosed yet.
But despite one in 16 of us being affected with this serious condition there is still far too little understanding about the nature of it. Read on to find out just how much you know.
TYPE 2 DIABETES IS A 'MILD FORM' OF DIABETES
It really upsets me when I hear this comment. All diabetes is serious and if not properly controlled can lead to serious complications such as blindness, kidney failure, amputation, heart attack and stroke. No one should be in any doubt that diabetes can be deadly.
Just because you can't see what's going on inside the body doesn't mean irreparable damage isn't happening. More often, major harm is already done by the time people recognise any symptoms of these complications.
As the number of people with the condition continues to rise, especially those with Type 2 diabetes, we need everyone to understand that we've got a crisis on our hands.
IF YOU HAVE DIABETES, YOU SHOULD NOT EAT SUGAR
Having diabetes does not mean you must avoid sugar entirely. People with diabetes should follow a healthy, balanced diet that includes vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, beans and pulses, nuts, fish and some dairy. You should still be able to enjoy a wide variety of other foods, including some with sugar in moderation.
Si King, one half of the Hairy Bikers, whose wife and son have diabetes, says: "If you enjoy baking but want to cut back on the amount of sugar, try using fresh or dried fruit such as bananas or raisins to add extra sweetness without the added sugar."
People sometimes think that if they have diabetes they can't eat grapes and bananas as they taste sweet. But if you eat a healthy diet that includes these fruits you can still achieve good blood glucose control. In fact grapes and bananas, as with all fruit, make a very healthy choice to replace sugary snacks.
Fruit is high in fibre, low in fat and full of vitamins and minerals. It helps to protect against heart disease, cancer and certain stomach problems. For recipes and tips for improving your relationship with food from clinical psychologist Dr Jen Nash, who also has Type 1 diabetes, visit diabetes.org.uk/enjoyfood
IF YOU HAVE DIABETES, YOU SHOULD EAT 'DIABETIC' FOODS
"Diabetic" labelling tends to be used on sweets, biscuits and similar foods that are generally high in fat, especially saturated fat and calories. Diabetes UK does not recommend eating "diabetic" foods, including diabetic chocolate, because they still affect your blood glucose levels, they are expensive and can give you diarrhoea.
So if you are going to treat yourself you should go for the real thing and limit your portion size.
IT'S NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IF YOU HAVE DIABETES
Providing you are responsible and have good control of your diabetes, research shows that people with the condition are no less safe on the roads than anyone else.
Nevertheless the myth that people with it are not safe drivers persists. Diabetes UK is working with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in England, Scotland and Wales and the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) in Northern Ireland to ensure the process for applying and reapplying for driving licences is fair, safe and transparent.
EVERYONE WHO HAS DIABETES IS OVERWEIGHT
This is wrong. Being overweight does increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes but there are other risk factors that play an important part, such as age, family history and ethnicity. Type 1 has nothing to do with weight or lifestyle.
CHILDREN WITH DIABETES MUST HAVE EATEN A LOT OF SUGAR
Actually the vast majority of children with diabetes have Type 1 which is actually an autoimmune condition and not linked to diet or lifestyle at all.
Parents often say how hard it is to deal with this misconception as they feel they and their child are continually being blamed for something that they had no way of avoiding.
DIABETICS ARE MORE LIKELY TO GET COLDS AND OTHER ILLNESSES
Not true. While there is some medical research that may suggest people with diabetes are at higher risk of developing illnesses there's nothing to prove this conclusively.
But there are certain illnesses that are more common in people with diabetes and diabetes may also alter the course of an illness. A person with it may become more unwell or be unwell for longer than a person without the condition.
HAVING DIABETES MEANS YOU CAN'T DO CERTAIN JOBS
JOBS Being diabetic should not stop you from getting and keeping a job. However despite the Equality Act 2010 (Disability Discrimination Act in Northern Ireland) people with diabetes still face blanket bans in some areas of employment, including the Armed Forces.
Diabetes UK campaigns to lift discriminatory blanket bans and has an advocacy service aimed at helping people fight discriminatory practices in the workplace.
DIABETICS CAN'T WEAR FLIGHT SOCKS
Many flight socks carry the warning that they are not suitable for people with diabetes. If you have any circulatory problems or complications with your feet, such as ulcers, then speak to your GP before using them.
But if your feet and legs are generally healthy and you are normally active, using flight socks is unlikely to do you any harm. People with diabetes travel all over the world so you do not need to choose special holidays or curb your wanderlust.
The key is making the right preparations to minimise any potential problems and have an enjoyable safe trip.
• Douglas Twenefour is deputy head of care at Diabetes UK. For more information on Diabetes Week (June 12-18) visit diabetes.org.uk

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/679606/Health-expert-diabetes-sugar-eat

Tight diabetes control can help you ward off blindness

By ANI

You can protect your vision from the effects of diabetes by intensively controlling your blood sugar level, according to a recent study.
People with type 2 diabetes — who intensively controlled their blood sugar level during the landmark Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) Trial Eye Study — were found to have cut their risk of diabetic retinopathy in half in a follow-up analysis conducted four years after stopping intensive therapy.
Lead author Emily Chew said that this study sends a powerful message to people with type 2 diabetes who worry about losing vision and added that well-controlled glycemia or blood sugar level has a positive, measurable and lasting effect on eye health.
Tight control successfully reduced glycemia to an average 6.4 per cent A1C — a measure of average blood glucose — compared to 7.7 per cent among participants on standard glycemic control therapy.  Although it failed to reduce cardiovascular disease risk — such as heart attack and stroke — the researchers found that the therapy had cut retinopathy progression by about one-third by the end of ACCORD. Results also point to a possible role for ongoing use of fenofibrate to treat diabetic retinopathy, if taken regularly.
Based on ACCORD findings, fenofibrate might be worth taking to control diabetic retinopathy progression. Other countries — including Australia — have approved fenofibrate for treating diabetic retinopathy but not the US, said Chew.
The study appeared in the journal Diabetes Care.

http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/diabetes-control-retinopathy-2850121/

4,500 diagnosed with diabetes every week, warns charity

By Press Association

Every week 4,500 people are diagnosed with diabetes across the UK, a charity has said.
Diabetes UK said that in the last year 235,000 people have been diagnosed with the condition.
The figures, released to mark Diabetes Week, highlight the scale of the "crisis" surrounding the illness, charity chief executive Chris Askew said.
He warned that many people are not aware of the seriousness of the condition.
"This Diabetes Week we are setting the record straight and focusing on the realities of living with the condition," said Mr Askew.
"There is still a lack of understanding when it comes to people being aware of the seriousness of diabetes and this worries us at Diabetes UK.
"There are over four million people living with the condition in the UK. The fact that 4,500 people will discover they have diabetes over the next seven days is deeply concerning, and highlights the current scale of the crisis.
"Diabetes Week is a time to share our concerns about the scale and seriousness of diabetes, but it is also a fantastic opportunity to highlight that with the right healthcare, support and management, diabetes doesn't have to hold anyone back."
Diabetes is a condition where there is too much glucose in the blood because the body cannot use it properly. There are two forms of the condition - Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body cannot produce insulin. Around one in 10 people with diabetes have Type 1 and it usually affects children or young adults.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or the insulin produced does not work properly. Type 2 diabetes is linked to lifestyle factors such as being overweight.
If diabetes is not properly managed it can lead to serious consequences such as sight loss, limb amputation , kidney failure and stroke.

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-3638177/4-500-diagnosed-diabetes-week-warns-charity.html

How to prevent diabetes

From doctortipster.com

How to prevent diabetes is a very important question. Since more and more people are at risk of diabetes, how to prevent diabetes is one of the major concerns of most of the health-conscious people. If you know how to prevent diabetes, you can mould your life accordingly so as to avoid this menace.

Control your weight

If you want to prevent diabetes, you will need to control your weight. Excess weight is one of the most common causes of diabetes. If you are overweight, it will increase your possibility of developing diabetes several times. If you are obese, then the possibility of developing diabetes will increase 20 to 40 times. If you are already overweight or obese, you must lose weight and get yourself back in the healthy weight range. When you start losing your weight, the possibility of diabetes will also start reducing.

Watch your diet

If you want to know how to prevent diabetes, you need to know the important role food plays in developing diabetes. You will need to make some changes to your diet if you really want to avoid diabetes.

(a) Choose whole grains instead of processed foods

To prevent diabetes, you will need to include whole grains in your diet because whole grains can protect you against diabetes. If you include more processed foods which contain refined carbohydrates, the possibility of developing diabetes will increase. Whole grains contain bran and fibre, which are good for you, as does not allow sudden spike in blood sugar and insulin.

(b) Avoid sugary drinks

If you want to avoid diabetes, you will need to avoid sugary drinks and soda. It is always better to drink more water or coffee and tea instead of two sugary carbonated beverages. Some fruit drinks, such as fortified fruit drinks or juices may also not be good for you.

(c)   Choose good fats over bad fats

You should always include good fats like polyunsaturated fats which are available in vegetable oils, seeds and nuts. Avoid trans fats because these are bad fats present in packaged baked products, fried products, margarines, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil etc.

Exercise

If you are inactive, you are more likely to have diabetes. Diabetes is more common in inactive people who sit down more often. You need to work your muscles and move your body to prevent diabetes. When you move from exercise, it helps in improving your ability to use insulin. You can absorb glucose better.

If you can exercise more and involvement exercises and workouts that gets you sweaty, it's better for you, because it will also help you to lose weight besides keeping you fit and active. However, it is not necessary to become a bodybuilder to prevent diabetes. Even if you are able to walk briskly for about half an hour each and every day, it will reduce your diabetes chances by 30%. This is a very simple exercise that can be done by anyone. It will also offer you other benefits because it's a very good cardiovascular exercise. It will also help you to prepare for more intense workouts.

Stopped watching TV because it makes you more inactive. The more you watch TV, the more will be the possibility of developing diabetes because during this time you remain inactive. If you indulge in watching TV instead of some active exercises, the possibility of diabetes increases by 20% and it may also increase other problems like heart disease by 15%.

Now you know how to prevent diabetes. These simple tips can help you to prevent diabetes and live a healthy and normal life.

 

http://www.doctortipster.com/35702-how-to-prevent-diabetes.html