Diabetes In The News: With diabetes viewed as something close to an epidemic there are significant studies being conducted that are designed to provide better treatment options as well as new methods for ongoing care. This article is dedicated to some of the more recent studies and their findings. We will look at what some are doing to manage health cares costs associated with diabetes and other stories related to diabetes and its management.
Diabetics and Saliva
Researchers in both Oregon and India have been researching the possibility of using a saliva sample to help diagnose diabetes in patients. This research is also exploring the possibility of using a similar test to monitor blood glucose.
One of the stated purposes of the research was to find a non-invasive way to monitor the progress of a diabetic. Some feel that the use of standard blood glucose ‘pin prick’ tests make it undesirable for many diabetics to accurately monitor their blood sugar levels.
It should be noted that many in the medical community do not view this as a significant enough prospect to abandon traditional blood glucose tests.
Lowering Costs Associated With Diabetic Care
An insurance company (UnitedHealthcare) is offering savings of up to $500 for those who are diabetic and participate in “blood sugar checks, routine exams and wellness coaching”.
The company indicates it will provide the savings through free prescriptions and testing supplies. The presumed concept is that encouraging managed care will result in fewer costs associated with long-term diabetic care.
An Indicator of Heart Health in Diabetic Men
Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is being claimed as an important indicator of potential heart issues among men who also have diabetes. There seems to be evidence that blood vessels damaged by diabetes within the heart can contribute to ED. Cholesterol reducing drugs can help reduce the risk of heart issues. Interestingly Viagra also seems to provide some benefit to heart health as the drug was initially tested as a heart health aid.
Food Consumption
Researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU) suggest that if cutting calories is a discipline you can live with then you have the potential of better long-term health. Once past middle age your daily caloric needs decrease. Whether it’s simply a matter of habit or felt need most individuals will eat roughly the same amount of food throughout their lives. Lance Davidson who has followed this case carefully was quoted as saying, “Because the body’s energy requirements progressively decline with age, energy intake must mirror that decrease or weight gain occurs.” The weight gain described is a primary contributor to onset diabetes.
The Air We Breathe
The Ohio State University Medical Center conducted research that seems to point to a connection between high air pollution levels and an increase in the development of onset diabetes. It is argued that with as little as six months of exposure to high levels of air pollution the ingestion of air particulates, “exaggerates insulin resistance and fat inflammation.”
The fat inflammation mentioned in the study appears to be blamed for increasing obesity, which often leads to diabetes. One more shocking note from this report states, “221 million people [are] expected to suffer from [Type 2 diabetes] in 2010, a 46 percent increase compared to 1995.”
While there are significant advancements that are coming at a rapid pace there is still a long way to go. Education and discipline are often keys to success in diabetes care management.
