Author: Staff Writers

Couch Potatoes Run the Risk of Death: Shocking research from Australia indicates that people who spend too much time in front of the TV often find themselves at pronounced risk of death or critical health care issues.

According to WiredPRNews.com, “A recent study suggests that too much time in front the television can be bad for the health of individuals; regardless of whether they are overweight or at a healthy weight. As reported by Reuters, Australian researchers found that hours spent sitting in front of a television daily can increase risks of death from heart complications and other health conditions.”

This sedentary lifestyle can result in obesity, which can it turn develop into diabetes. Study leader David Dunstan, of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, is quoted in the report as remarking, “A lot of the normal activities of daily living that involved standing up and moving the muscles in the body have been converted to sitting… For many people, on a daily basis, they simply shift from one chair to another – from the chair in the car to the chair in the office to the chair in front of the television,” according to WiredPRNews.com.

The average television viewing time in America is 5 hours a day. This exceeds the amount researchers felt was acceptable. In fact the study shows that watching more than 4 hours of television each day can result in an 80% greater chance of death by cardiovascular disease and a 46% greater chance of death through other means.

What Causes Death in Watching TV?

You may be surprised to know that weight isn’t always a contributing factor in those who watch TV and struggle with disease. The real culprit seems to be in the act of sitting still for long periods of time. It appears that even those who spend up to an hour each day in exercise can face similar problems if they spend significant amounts of time in activities in which they remain still.

These activities could be reading a book, checking out the web, in a car commuting from one place to another or at a desk in an office.

Our bodies are designed to be used. When we sit without any movement we can cause our bodies to experience problems they weren’t made to handle.

So, is TV Watching Out?

Not necessarily. You might try a stationary bike while watching TV or fold clothes or perform other household chores that still allow you to watch your favorite show. Some individuals might experience better health by not using the remote to change the television or perhaps to use commercial breaks to walk around the house until the show comes back on.

The real key here is to pay attention to how much time you spend sitting still. In school academic activity is broken up by physical movement. The same should be true in the life of a family. Limit the amount of time a child spends playing video games. Transfer some of the time you might spend in watching TV to an evening walk or time on a treadmill.

If you work in an office take the time to walk a report to a colleague or to find time to locate office supplies you need rather than using the intercom to ask for it to be brought to your office. Find ways to get and stay mobile. Your long-term health is more important than what’s new on television tonight.

A Compelling Reason to Never Start Smoking: What if I were to tell you that people who stop smoking are 70% more likely to develop diabetes? I suppose that depends on whether you’ve only considered smoking and this convinces you not to – or if you are a smoker and have considered stopping.

It’s a new year and many individuals are doing their best to kick a habit that does damage to the lungs and often shortens life expectancy, but new information has many struggling with how to make wise decisions.

A new study followed 10,000 people who did not have diabetes when the study began. What researchers discovered was that a significant portion of those who quit smoking for health reasons were also prone to the development of diabetes.

The common thread in these findings was that of weight gain. Patients who quit smoking often substituted their craving for nicotine with a craving for something else. This was usually fulfilled in eating comfort foods. Essentially the weight gain from these coping mechanisms resulted in conditions in which diabetes could develop.

There is good news in this story. According to Guardian.co.uk the diabetes risk spiked in the first three year. “It then slowly reduced, over about 10 years, down to the level of risk of someone who never smoked,” the report indicated.

What if weight gain was not a problem? Well according to that same report, “The risk of diabetes from stopping smoking was almost cancelled out when they took account of the amount of weight people gained. So a smoker who didn’t gain weight after stopping might have little or no increased risk of diabetes.”

This works to confirm the long-standing research that indicates excess weight is often a profound contributor to diabetes.

According to Guardian.co.uk, “The study was done by researchers at universities in the US (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine) and in Brazil. It was published in a journal called the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study was funded by grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in the US.”

To be clear this report is in no way suggesting that people who smoke should continue smoking. The health risks make stopping not only reasonable, but also responsible. The overriding consensus seems to be that those who stop smoking should also be very aware of potential weight gain and work with their health care provider to maintain the weight while they break the chains of cigarette addiction.

Perhaps critical to this story is the idea that the best defense is a proactive offense. As diabetic rates continue to rise to unprecedented levels it may make more sense that ever to encourage young people to refrain from smoking in the first place. If a young person can really grasp the notion that the smoke damages the lungs and increases risk for heart attack and stroke they might think about not smoking. If they also understand that by trying to quit smoking once they start the end result could be diabetes they may rightfully conclude that it is a waste of time to pick up the habit.

Like almost everything in life it all comes down to choices. Some you can make early and can affect you for a lifetime. Others are made later and may provide more challenging circumstances to deal with.

Diabetic Gene Therapy Proves Promising in Mice: Research can be a protracted effort with baby steps resulting in new findings that simply ask new questions. One recent discovery indicates the potential to control diabetes independent of weight. As with most research this is preliminary with more research needed.

According to ScienceDaily.com, “Researchers have found that even a very little bit of the fat hormone leptin goes a long way when it comes to correcting diabetes. The hormone controls the activity of a gene known as IGFBP2 in the liver, which has antidiabetic effects in animals and could have similar therapeutic effect in humans, according to a report published by Cell Press in the January issue of Cell Metabolism.”

Jeffrey Friedman of Rockefeller University is quoted by the online resource as saying, “It was surprising to me how potent leptin was in treating diabetes. It had a highly significant impact at plasma levels that were undetectable.”

Leptin provides an interesting yet helpful side effect, “Leptin also causes marked weight loss, which by itself can improve diabetes. To get around that issue in the new study, Friedman and his colleagues first identified the lowest dose of leptin that could correct insulin resistance and diabetes without leading animals to eat less or lose weight,” according to ScienceDaily.com.

In essence researchers were already aware of the fact that this hormone causes weight loss, but by significantly reducing the dose in research subjects (animals) they further found that even the small doses had a profoundly positive effect on diabetes. The report further declared, “Earlier studies had shown that leptin treatment effectively corrects high blood sugar and insulin levels in leptin-deficient mice and humans. Leptin’s usefulness as a therapy has also been shown in some clinical settings, in people with rare metabolic disorders. But it wasn’t clear exactly how the hormone produced in fat tissue acts to improve diabetes.”

In a practical application researcher were led to the IGFBP2 gene. The ScienceDaily.com report states, “Treatments designed to increase IGFBP2 expression in obese and diabetic mice reversed their diabetes. Further study showed that animals treated with the protein responded to insulin three times better than untreated ones.

“They also found that leptin-deficient patients do indeed have lower blood levels of IGFBP2 at baseline and that those levels can be raised with low-dose leptin treatment.”

As mentioned earlier this discovery may sound amazing on the surface, but in order for it to eventually lead to a medical therapy further clinical research will be needed to answer the new questions raised from this initial research.

To immediately begin marketing this as a cure-all for diabetes may be irresponsible because while all indicators point to effective control, the research has yet to extend to humans and side effects have not been noted in long-term use. In fact, “Friedman said that future experiments in mice lacking IGFBP2 altogether are needed to confirm that the protein is required for leptin’s antidiabetic influence. Now that they know that very high levels of IGFBP2 can act to improve diabetes, they’ll also need to explore the effects of normal physiologic levels,” said ScienceDaily.com.

In other words there will still be rodent research before it ever gets to human clinical trials. The most important ‘next’ finding will simply be to replicate the findings of this initial, and compelling research and answer as many new questions as possible in the process.

Back on the World Stage 10 Years After Diabetes Diagnosis: He is thought of as one of the most elite cross country skiers in America and, “Kris Freeman is back in the hunt for an Olympic medal in Vancouver after being named… to the U.S. ski team following a disappointing finish at the 2006 Games in Torino, Italy,” according to PRNewsWire. Freeman lives with Type 1 diabetes.

It is anticipated that Freeman will participate in as many as five events in the 2010 Olympics including “the 15 km freestyle, the individual sprint, the 30 km pursuit, the team sprint, and the 50 km mass start classic,” said PRNewsWire.

Freeman was diagnosed ten years ago as a teenager and health care providers told him he would never be able to compete in the Olympics. This isn’t the first Olympics in which Freeman has been able to participate. According to the press release, “A key marker on Freeman’s comeback trail is how he is now treated for type 1 diabetes.  To compete in the 2010 Games, Freeman will wear a small device, called an insulin pump, which provides an adjustable supply of insulin to help manage his diabetes even while racing.”

Freeman was quick to point out, “I’m motivated to win for my country and myself, but to also prove to detractors that it’s possible to compete against the world’s best cross-country skiers, even with type 1 diabetes.”

It is this ‘can do’ attitude that has allowed Freeman to not only achieve much, but also to excel in his chosen sport. It should be noted that only one other American Olympian has ever medalled in cross-country skiing. To add a greater sense of drama to the prospect PRNewsWire reported that Freeman “underwent surgery in both legs last spring to alleviate debilitating pain caused by a rare muscle disorder called compartment syndrome.”

While Freeman is looking for a win he is also concerned about the health of other young people who also must wage a daily battle with Type 1 diabetes. When he’s not skiing Freeman “travels for sponsor Eli Lilly and Company to children’s diabetes camps across the U.S. to speak to campers about their disease. To date, he has met with more than 3,000 youngsters nationwide.”

Freeman talks about that experience, “I have a blast meeting the campers, but more importantly, I want them to see that a person with diabetes can do almost anything he or she puts his mind to, including competing in the Olympics.”

Press release information states, “In competition, Freeman is a 13-time U.S. National cross-country champion and recently had his best finish at the 2009 World Championships and the best U.S. finish in any cross-country event in more than two decades. He came in fourth in November’s World Cup 15 km classic in Kuusamo, Finland.

“At the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, Freeman placed 22nd in the 15 km classic and 14th in the 30 km pursuit. He also logged the sixth fastest time overall in the 4 x 10 km team relay, helping the U.S. team secure fifth place — the best Olympic finish for the U.S. cross-country team in history. In 2003, Freeman finished sixth and fifth in two consecutive World Cups, and finished 22nd in the 15 km classic at the 2006 Winter Games in Torino, Italy.”

While managing his disease can take time and patience Freeman continues to prove that diabetes does not have to prevent you from achieving your dreams.

Seeking Quality Insulin Delivery For Type 1 Diabetics: As research continues into the possibility of an artificial pancreas there is new evidence to suggest that the current method of insulin delivery for Type 1 diabetics may have some flaws.

According to Marketwatch, “Researchers at Sansum Diabetes Research Institute and University of California, Santa Barbara have concluded that changing the height of a conventional insulin pump in relation to its tubing and infusion set can significantly impact expected insulin delivery rates. Such changes can occur during routine daily activities like dressing, sleeping or showering. The study, ‘Siphon Effects of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion Pump Delivery Performance,’ evaluated the siphon or hydrostatic pressure action effects on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion and was published in the January issue of Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology.”

The core findings of this report suggests that some of the most common insulin pumps will supply less insulin when the unit is lower than the tubing site and more insulin when the unit is above the tubing.

Marketwatch continues by quoting lead investigator Howard Zisser, MD, Director of Clinical Research and Diabetes Technology at the Sansum Diabetes Research Institute in Santa Barbara, CA, “In this study we found a pronounced siphon effect in conventional insulin pumps, which caused significant fluctuations in the accuracy of insulin delivery rates when the pump position was moved higher or lower relative to its tubing and infusion site. Insulin pump therapy allows for precise control of insulin delivery for patients with type 1 diabetes. The unintended fluctuation in insulin delivery, which may arise from pump movement during normal daily use, can increase blood glucose variability, a risk factor for the progression of complications of diabetes. The effect of hydrostatic pressure was most significant at low basal rates and therefore these findings may be particularly important for pediatric diabetes patients, who often use insulin pumps at low basal rates.”

The primary reason for the research was to identify which pump could supply the best delivery of insulin according to the actual need. While no pump was perfect the research did indicate, “The OmniPod, which has no external tubing, was the least affected by pumping orientation and direction. With the OmniPod System, the 1U/hr rate differences only ranged from 98.3% when its delivery cannula was in a level pumping position to 101.3% when the cannula was in an upward pumping position. For the 1.5U/hr rate, its differences only ranged from 96.0% in a level pumping position to 102.5% in an upward pumping position.”

The research was funded by a grant from the Insulet Corporation and was conducted by the Sansum Diabetes Research Institute, “A non-profit research center devoted to the prevention, treatment and cure of diabetes through research and education. In particular, it is known for its work on methods to detect and chart the progress of diabetes, its success in developing protocols to increase the incidence of healthy babies born to women with diabetes, and its expertise in new diabetes technology.”

The goal of this type of research is to work to hold manufacturers accountable to produce pumps with the highest degree of accuracy. By pinpointing the best it may encourage other manufacturers to work to provide pumps with a greater level of accuracy as well. It is presumed that when the artificial pancreas is available the delivery of insulin will be more accurate because no outer tubing will be required.

Diabetes and Black History Month: February is Black History month and one Congressional leader is urging African Americans to get their eyes checked – especially if they also have diabetes.

According to a press release from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), “The incidence of diabetes continues to increase, particularly among African Americans. 3.7 million African Americans aged 20 years or older have diabetes. Studies show that African Americans with diabetes are more likely to develop diabetic complications and experience greater disability from the complications than white Americans with diabetes. The only way to prevent this is through strict glucose control and by having an annual dilated eye exam.”

Congressman and House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (SC-6) is quoted in the release as saying “Diabetes is an epidemic in the African American community. People with diabetes are 25 times more likely to go blind and African Americans with diabetes are at an even higher risk — almost 50 percent more likely to develop diabetic retinopathy. If you have diabetes, it’s critically important for you to receive an annual diabetic eye exam, because it will help detect and prevent eye disease.”

Retinopathy is a common optical issue among those who have diabetes. This can be even truer among African Americans. The release states, “For every white American who gets diabetes, 1.6 African Americans get diabetes and one in four black women, 55 years of age or older, has diabetes. Diabetes is associated with an increased risk for a number of serious and sometimes life-threatening complications, including blindness, heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke. Managing your diabetes can help reduce your risk.”

On a related Note the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK is celebrating a nurse practitioner of African Caribbean descent. Because diabetes is so prevalent among people of Asian and African descent it was easy for Grace Vanterpool to pursue a career as a “nurse consultant in diabetes”.

A video provided by the NHS shows Vanterpool visiting patients and discussing ways to improve their condition. Vanterpool is also the only African Caribbean nurse consultant in diabetes in the U.K.

The NHS report states, “Grace works closely with patients, GPs and practice nurses, as well as training students and clinicians to provide high-quality care. She also works to ensure that all local services for people with diabetes provide the same standards of care.”

Grace and her team work with around 5,000 patients in treating and educating. Grace remembers some of her early work, “We had a double decker bus that went around town, testing people for diabetes and giving out information. During evenings and weekends we’d go wherever people gathered, such as train stations or the university. We also went to local factories, mosques and churches. We discovered that a lot of people had diabetes but didn’t know it.”

The report suggests that there are some 75,000 people in the U.K. that had undiagnosed diabetes. Grace continues, “Raising awareness among black and minority ethnic (BME) communities under an award-winning project called Action Diabetes. As a result, in 2006, she won Community Nurse of the Year and overall Nurse of the Year at the Nursing Standard awards.”

Grace concluded her NHS interview by saying, “The important message is not to ignore diabetes, as it’s a progressive condition. It’s the biggest cause of blindness in the UK working population, but this and other complications are preventable if diabetes is managed well and monitored.”

That includes regular eye exams.

A new study suggests that more than 50% of all diabetics who must use insulin injections to manage their disease miss injections on a regular basis. Why would someone intentionally bypass the use of medication that can help them in their personal health care?

The role of insulin is especially important to those who have Type 1 diabetes because the pancreas either stops producing insulin or it is created at a less than ideal rate. There are some Type 2 diabetics that use insulin. However, in both cases there seems to be a significant number who risk long-term health complications by skipping insulin dosing.

According to WebMD, “The study showed that people with type 1 diabetes who didn’t follow their recommended diet were most likely to skip their insulin injections. Among those with type 2 diabetes, younger people, those with a lower income, and those who perceived their insulin injections as painful or embarrassing were more likely to skip them.”

According to MedicalNewsToday, “Using an Internet survey of more than 500 U.S. adults, the study found that 57% of survey respondents with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes purposefully failed to take their insulin shots at least occasionally. It also found that older patients, those who were disabled, those who followed a healthy diet and those with higher household incomes were more likely to take their shots at the frequency prescribed.”

A couple of underlying themes that seem to present themselves in noncompliance include low income and an other health issues that would cause the patient to at least consider that it may be less important to manage their diabetes.

However, according to MedicalNewsToday, “Risk factors for failing to comply with insulin regimens differed between those who had type 1 and those who had type 2 diabetes. The researchers found diet non-adherence to be a more prominent risk factor for missing injections in type 1 patients, whereas younger age, lower income, and perceived pain and embarrassment were more prominent as risk factors for people with type 2.”

WebMD reported, “Other factors that increased the likelihood of skipping insulin injections were:

• Not following a healthy diet
• Thinking that the injections interfered with their daily activities
• Feeling that the insulin injections were painful or embarrassing (Source: WebMD)

Roughly one-fourth of all diabetics must rely on insulin injections, but the truth is there is a large number who are not getting the shots they need to manage their health.

What may compound the issue is the number of physicians who may be resistant to prescribing insulin for their patents. While no medical professional wishes to over-prescribe a medication there seems to be evidence to support the claim that many physicians do not view insulin injections as a course of first response. Their lack of willingness to use insulin may cause some diabetics to believe that their primary care physician does not believe this form of medical care is important. If it’s not important then it may be believed that taking the medication may not be especially important either. A patient may even believe that medical advances may cure their condition soon so it may not be as important to work toward daily care.

Physicians working to educate their patients coupled with patients willing to engage in medical warfare against their disease will be needed in order to manage this disease both now and in the future.

Remaining Connected With Diabetes: Why is it that some diabetics seem to shrink into themselves and appear to have given up on life while others reach out and embrace whatever is to come next? One Type 1 diabetic has a thought – and it doesn’t take a dummy to figure out what she’s up to.

Annie Lario lives near Fort Saskatchewan, Canada. Lario is an entertainer specializing in the art of ventriloquism. She also lives with Type 1 diabetes.

Diagnosed with the disease at the age of 16 Lario could have taken her private pain and left the world stage in favor of a struggle less visible. However, Lario always seemed to thrive on entertaining those around her.

She participated in a recent fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JRDF) in Canada by providing a show featuring four of her ventriloquist puppets including Kittie, Kitango and Henry Kissingher.

Fort Saskatchewan The Record attributed Lario as saying, “Although there can be complications with diabetes, keeping healthy and being 100 percent honest with the doctors is the best way to avoid problems.”

This response indicates a need for action. It also indicates that doctors are there to help, but only if you allow them to.

Success in diabetes is to do the hard work of staying connected with others. This is important because depression is often a companion of diabetes. The reason face-to-face interaction is essential is that the self-talk we speak to ourselves can have us believing we are the only ones experiencing the difficulties associated with diabetes. We can cycle in a downward spiral to a place where others feel unwelcome and we are considered less than desirable to be around.

This condition also seems to follow many who move into retirement. They may have enjoyed interaction with others, but it becomes very easy to simply take the easy road and stay home rather than finding ways to connect with others.

Engaging life with a support group can go a long way in helping you overcome your depression or lethargy that may be related to diabetes. Finding ways to help others can allow you to dim the lights that are fixed on your own problems. This doesn’t mean you fail to treat your disease. What it does mean is that you embrace the role of one willing to see the needs of others in a light of equal value with your own.

Finding ways to help others can provide a sense of purpose and joy to your life that can be quickly diminished when your primary consideration is how poorly life has treated you.

This is true whether you struggle with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. And as hard as it may be to view yourself as a helper when you may believe you are the one needing help it is a powerful change in thinking that can alter your perspective on living.

Lario has lived with Type 1 diabetes for nearly 30 years. She continues to entertain audience as well as raise awareness and financial support for the JDRF. In recent years this has meant taking her brand of entertainment and walking a JDRF Walk to Cure backwards.

It may not always be easy to stay positive in dealing with your disease, but it is personally beneficial as well as a perceived positive development for those who love you and want the best for your life both now and in the future.

Casey Johnson’s Death Related To Untreated Diabetes: The Los Angeles County coroner came out on Thursday and said the socialite had died due to untreated diabetes. DKA or ketoacidosis was a direct result in her death.

Click here to learn more about ketoacidosis.