In the same way asthmatics use rescue inhalers to reduce bronchial issues a new product may allow similar assistance for the symptoms of diabetes.

According to WebMD, Inhaled insulin proved to be as effective at lowering blood sugar levels as standard insulin injection treatment, and with minimal side effects, among patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes.

“Reporting in this week’s American Diabetes Association meeting and in The Lancet, researchers compared two approaches to managing type 2 diabetes among patients ages 18 to 80 from 10 different countries. The patients were nonsmokers and had poor control of blood sugar despite insulin therapy.”

There were just over 200 participants in this experimental distribution method while a slightly higher number of patients in the control group received standard diabetic treatment. At the end of the one-year study there were several findings that may be of interest to those living with diabetes.

• Blood sugar levels were similar in the two groups; 22% of patients in the inhaled insulin/insulin glargine group reached a goal A1c level of 7% or less while 27% of those solely on insulin injections reached the goal.
• Patients using the inhaler gained less weight — a major concern among diabetes patients. The inhaler group gained only an average of about 2 pounds, whereas the control group gained an average of about 5.5 pounds.
• Patients using the inhaler had fewer episodes of hypoglycemia — a sudden drop in blood sugar — than those in the comparison group, occurring in 31% of patients on inhaled insulin/insulin glargine group vs. 49% of those in the insulin injection group.
• Patients using the inhaler reported more side effects with coughing and upper respiratory infections. Most of the coughing occurred within the first 10 minutes of inhalation and primarily during the first week of treatment and declined as treatment continued.
• Prior use of metformin, an oral drug commonly taken to manage blood sugar, did not affect results among the two groups of patients. (Source: WebMD)

Of particular interest is the fact that blood sugar was controlled more tightly when the inhaled insulin was used. Weight gain was less problematic with the inhaled insulin and hypoglycemia incidence was reduced.

On the other hand there were the side effects that caused some patients initial problems although it was noted those symptoms subsided following regular use.

WebMD quotes researcher Julio Rosenstock, MD as saying “Our findings show that inhaled insulin plus insulin glargine, alone or in combination with an oral antidiabetes drug such as metformin, is an effective alternative to conventional insulin therapy (biaspart insulin) in uncontrolled type 2 diabetes.”

In an effort to provide full disclosure WebMD further reported, “This research was funded by MannKind Corp., a California-based bio-pharmaceutical company that manufactures Technosphere, the inhaler device used to deliver the insulin in this study. MannKind is using Technosphere to administer an inhaled insulin drug called Afreszza, which has not yet been approved by the FDA.”

The primary voice of caution in this case has to do with the side effects of respiratory discomfort. Some in the field of medical science are concerned about the effects of this new distribution method on miniature air sacs in the lungs known as alveoli.

It’s a safe bet that more tests will follow to help determine if the findings can be replicated and to learn more about the potential side effects and how they may ultimately influence those who may choose to use this product should it become available.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggests that a better understanding of what prediabetes is could help prevent the expansion of diabetes. Knowing what leads to diabetes can be a powerful tool of disease avoidance.

The following information was provided by the CDC to help identify issues related to prediabetes.

Prediabetes: Impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose

Prediabetes is a condition in which individuals have blood glucose levels higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. People with prediabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

• People with prediabetes have impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Some people have both IFG and IGT.
• IFG is a condition in which the fasting blood sugar level is 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) after an overnight fast. This level is higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
• IGT is a condition in which the blood sugar level is 140 to 199 mg/dL after a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test. This level is higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
• In 1988–1994, among U.S. adults aged 40–74 years, 33.8% had IFG, 15.4% had IGT, and 40.1% had prediabetes (IGT or IFG or both). More recent data for IFG, but not IGT, are available and are presented below.

Prevalence of impaired fasting glucose in people younger than 20 years of age, United States

• In 1999–2000, 7.0% of U.S. adolescents aged 12–19 years had IFG.

Prevalence of impaired fasting glucose in people aged 20 years or older, United States, 2007

• In 2003–2006, 25.9% of U.S. adults aged 20 years or older had IFG (35.4% of adults aged 60 years or older). Applying this percentage to the entire U.S. population in 2007 yields an estimated 57 million American adults aged 20 years or older with IFG, suggesting that at least 57 million American adults had prediabetes in 2007.
• After adjusting for population age and sex differences, IFG prevalence among U.S. adults aged 20 years or older in 2003–2006 was 21.1% for non-Hispanic blacks, 25.1% for non-Hispanic whites, and 26.1% for Mexican Americans.

Prevention or delay of diabetes

• Progression to diabetes among those with prediabetes is not inevitable. Studies have shown that people with prediabetes who lose weight and increase their physical activity can prevent or delay diabetes and return their blood glucose levels to normal.
• The Diabetes Prevention Program, a large prevention study of people at high risk for diabetes, showed that lifestyle intervention reduced developing diabetes by 58% during a 3-year period. The reduction was even greater, 71%, among adults aged 60 years or older.
• Interventions to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in individuals with prediabetes can be feasible and cost-effective. Research has found that lifestyle interventions are more cost-effective than medications.

The best news in this prediabetic information is that type 2 diabetes can be prevented through certain lifestyle adjustments. These adjustments can lead to a longer life and a significantly better quality of life.

This information is important as the number of undiagnosed diabetes continues to rise. Because a diabetic can have the disease the not know it until the disease is well entrenched it is important to know what signs to look for as an indicator of what you may need to do to avoid the disease.

Table salt has been linked to hypertension (high blood pressure), but there may be another side to salt that can make it more ominous for those who either are or may become diabetic.

The reason this is a concern is based on the link of diabetes and obesity. Salt apparently plays a role in both hypertension and weight gain.

In a recent interview with HealthCastle.com Registered Dietitian and author Tammy Lakatos Shames provides some interesting connections with salt, “We used to always blame carbs or sugar or often whatever else it may be. And sure, these are partially responsible, but now we know that salt is playing a key role as well. First of all, salt makes us both hungrier and thirstier. But an interesting thing that most people don’t know that research shows that it actually makes your fat cells fatter.”

Salt is often used as a taste enhancer that can be used in self proclaimed moderation, but Shames indicates, “Most people don’t think they have a salt problem and the truth of the matter is, a large percentage of us are actually getting two to three times the salt that we actually should. So the bottom line is most of us do have a salt problem.”

Consumers may attempt to do the right thing by purchasing low sodium products and resisting the urge to put too much salt on our foods, but Shames says there may really only be one way to ensure a low salt diet, “Stick to really wholesome foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans. You have to keep in mind that even foods like bread contain a lot of salt.”

If you’re curious as to the most probable food offenders when it comes to salt Shames says, “Most of us know about the pickled foods but really it’s also those bacon, sausages, the processed meats are really high. Canned foods, processed foods too. Unfortunately, anytime you go to a restaurant or fast food restaurant, usually there is a lot of salt in there as well.”

Shames suggests that humans aren’t born with a taste for salt. This is acquired through diet, “Cut back the salt for about three weeks (21 days), your taste buds like other cells in your body turn over. So that salt that you used to really like, you no longer will like so much. In fact, we have seen this with clients of time and time again where they have salty foods and then they cut back on the salty foods. Then go back to adding salt back in their diet, and suddenly they can’t stand the salt and think that everything tastes too salty.”

Not surprisingly Shames points to processed foods as a primary culprit for excess dietary salt. When cooking fresh meat try adding spices instead of salt and work through small steps to eliminate one source of processed food each day, “Read the label. If you see a snack food that has 400 mg of sodium per serving, you know that it’s going to be too much when you should only be getting a maximum of 2300 mg of sodium a day,” said Shames.

Shames is the author of “The Secret to Skinny” in which she deals extensively with salt in our diets and effective ways to reduce its instance at both mealtimes and snacks.

Are there habits you can embrace that place you more at risk for diabetes? According to one author the answer is a definitive, “Yes!”

We all tend to understand there are habits that we can develop that can be helpful to long-term health, but according to Dr. Timothy Church, M.D there are things that we do as part of a ritual or habit that can place us in line with diabetes development.

Church spoke with abc15.com, a television station in Arizona. What follows is the list Church provided.

#5 BREAKFAST SKIPPER
A Harvard Medical School study found that people who eat breakfast were one-third less likely to be obese or have blood sugar problems, which increase the risk of developing diabetes, compared to those who skipped the meal.

#4 STRESSED OUT
Stressful situations can release hormones that will raise your blood sugar levels directly. For people with Type 2 diabetes, mental stress often raises blood glucose levels.

#3 NIGHT OWL
Suppression of slow-wave sleep, or “deep sleep,” in healthy young adults significantly decreases their ability to regulate blood-sugar levels and increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes according to researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

#2 BEER BELLY
Weight is distributed differently on everyone. However, contrary to what most people think, it’s not what you weigh, it’s where you weigh that can increase your risk for diabetes. The amount of fat in the belly area can be a key indicator. A waist measurement larger that 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men constitute a high risk for diabetes.

#1 COUCH POTATO
Research has shown that physical activity can lower your blood sugar level and plays an important part in preventing Type 2 diabetes. A major government study, the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), showed that modest weight loss of 5 to 7 percent—for example, 10 to 15 pounds for a 200-pound person—can delay and possibly prevent Type 2 diabetes.

Church is the author of “Move Yourself” and he has a passion for eliminating reasons to develop diabetes. He suggests there are things you can do to help yourself. Again, from abc15.com we see a secondary list of helpful tips.

1. Move Yourself More
Whether you lose weight or not, any type of physical movement, or activity, lowers blood sugar and boosts your sensitivity to insulin — which helps keep your blood sugar within a normal range.

Church says if you just schedule 30 minutes of walking into your daily routine you’ll drastically reduce your risk to major diseases including diabetes.

2. Mulberry Before Big Meals
Chruch says blood sugar levels are at the highest and have the potential to cause substantial damages during the first 30 to 45 minutes after big meals.

You can counteract that with a traditional natural remedy: mulberry leaf extract.

Used by many cultures around the world for centuries, mulberry leaf extract is taken to reduce the rise in blood sugar that occurs after meals.

Evidence from multiple clinical studies show mulberry leaf extract can help with blood sugar maintenance.

3. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Weight is distributed differently on everyone. However, according to Dr. Church contrary to what most people think, it’s not what you weigh, it’s where you weigh that can increase your risk for diabetes.

The amount of fat in the belly area can be a key indicator.

A waist measurement larger that 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men constitute a high risk for diabetes.

Taking 10 minutes a day to log what you eat and manage your calorie intake can be critical. As little as a 5 percent weight reduction can make a difference in avoiding diabetes.

In some diabetic circles the mere mention of the word carbohydrates can send off massive internal alarms. However, it may be possible that certain carbs may actually be beneficial once you understand how they deliver blood sugar to your system.

There are many carbs that flood your system with excess blood glucose. This can be especially difficult for diabetics, which is why there tends to be an intentional shift away from carbs in most instances.

The good news is there may be carb alternatives that can assist in the management of blood glucose due to their ability to act in a time released way. For instance plain white bread delivers carbs quickly to your system while dark whole-grained breads deliver valuable fiber while minimizing the potential of glucose overload due to carbs.

Interestingly pasta may actually better for you than rice when it comes to carbs simply because rice provide a quick release of blood glucose that can overload your system. Pasta may still not be the absolute best alternative, but you can offset this struggle by electing to use whole-wheat pasta that provides an incredible alternative low in glucose.

Sometimes those who aren’t diabetic tend to believe that it is sugar that causes the majority of problems for those who have diabetes. The truth is the carbs found in candy are the real culprit. There needs to be a distinction between sugar and blood glucose. Sugar doesn’t automatically become blood sugar. It is excess carbs that create the excess blood glucose. As far as fruit is concerned the worst offender in high carbs is watermelon. This is important to note simply because most dietitians will suggest fruit is something a diabetic can have within a regulated diet.

In those who are either not diabetic or prediabetic the role of carbs can play an important role in determine how best to eat for the greatest long-term benefits. It simply makes sense for all of us to work at keeping blood sugars from spiking, and one of the best ways to manage this is through education.

For those wanting to get a better handle on their glycemic index it just makes sense to work at regulating a diet that aids in digestion and long-term health.

For those who have diabetes it makes sense to follow a low-glycemic diet, Research indicates there is a decreased reliance on medication for those who follow such a management plan.

One of the most violent carb offenders is the potato. These white starch filled veggies add an immediate boost to your glycemic index and can leave you feeling a little sluggish.

Soluble fiber can be a great friend to the diabetic if for no other reason than the fiber is useful in the digestion of carbohydrates. Again, there are carbs that may be acceptable to eat, and added fiber can further reduce the impact of carbs.

If all of this seems to be a bit too much you need to know that it is knowledge that can allow you to not only understand the disease of diabetes, but also the opportunity to mitigate the damage and bring a better sense of order to your personally directed self management care.

Following this advice could result in a decrease in the instance of diabetes, heart disease as well as aiding in weight reduction goals.

It’s a sport you may not follow and his is a name you may never have heard of, but this world champion is diabetic and he’s facing struggles he did not imagine when he took up his sport. This is the story of Raymond van Barneveld.

“Barney’s” sport is professional darts – and he takes it very seriously. He’s won multiple world championships and is a favorite among fans. He hails from the Netherlands and is that countries most celebrated darts player.

In his early 40’s Barney was diagnosed with diabetes in August 2009. He tells the Daily Star, “It’s getting worse.” Barney clarified his diagnosis in mirror.co.uk, “While on holiday in Spain, I discovered I was diabetic. I was waking up every morning with needles and pins in my arms, and it turned out my blood sugar level was four times higher than it should be. It’s Type 2 diabetes, which means I don’t have to inject insulin or take pills, but it’s becoming worse and sometimes I’m so tired… I find it hard to focus.”

As he worked toward his 6th world championship his struggle was not against his competition, but with the effects of his diabetes. Barney is quoted by the Daily Star as saying, “When I’m on stage, I can’t focus as it costs me so much energy every time. I am tired, too tired. The diabetes is my biggest obstacle.”

Mirror.co.uk reported on the recent championship round, “The five-times world champion was so shattered at one stage he could barely retrieve his darts from the board, and was only able to complete his victory after taking sugar tablets and apple juice backstage during the break.”

It is commonly discussed among fans that professional dart players are not always the most fit individuals, but fans are cheering on Raymond van Barneveld as he continues his fight to manage his diabetes.

Barney admits that his greatest struggle is with himself, “I like my food, I like a drink,” he told Mirror.co.uk.

Barney’s response may not be entirely uncommon when a diagnosis of diabetes has been given. Habits are hard to change and restrictions can seem like a sentence of death or lifelong punishment. However, in order to improve your health picture a change in personal direction is needed.

There is a psychological component in determining to roll with new changes related to self-management in diabetes. While it is often initially resisted there will come a time when an individual is tired of being tired, weary of feeling sick and wants to change simply to reengage with life.

You will find many articles here that describe the success stories of men and women who were diagnosed with diabetes and made the hard choices necessary to become a better picture of health and a greater asset to their families.

The next chapter on Raymond van Barneveld hasn’t been written, but the pride of the Netherlands could choose to use his platform as a way to help share the message of diabetes prevention. He could choose to alter lifestyle choices in order to manage his disease better. Barney has choices – and so do you. What will your next chapter look like?

“Somehow I managed to win, but while my brain was telling me everything was all right, my body was shutting down, saying ‘No, I can’t do it any more, forget it’.” – Raymond van Barneveld

Recent analysis from the National Center for Health Statistics indicate there may be a leveling off of obesity cases in the United States. While this is good news there are still roughly a third of Americans who are obese and another third that are overweight.

The recent ten-year average shows an increase of 5% over decade earlier figures. This figure is an increase, but less of an increase than experts had anticipated.

This research also pointed to information that may be startling to some. It is possible to be overweight and not see any prominent health issues as a result of the excess weight. However, that weight had to be located in the arms, legs and buttocks. Excess weight here actually seems to provide some protection. Weight that collected around the stomach was the troublesome weight that seems to cause individuals the most medical difficulty.

The primary reason this seems to be true is that stomach fat places added stress and strain on organs located in the stomach and chest area. The fat here is much harder to get rid of and often very easy to put back on.

Exercise and diet are both keys to managing excess weight, but there appear to be rules that go along with weight management that you may not have realized. For instance you can actually work out too much. The hunger you feel from losing so many calories in an extended workout can cause you to engage in eating that you may feel is justified given the extensive effort you just endured. This hunger can actually cause you to pack on more weight than you are losing in long workouts.

Some experts recommend a light snack before and after exercise that can help curb the appetite and add some help to blood sugar regulation – especially for those who are diabetic. It can be easy to crash following exercise because your blood sugar is too low – just make sure to resist the urge to ‘pig out’.

Sleep is also a perfect companion to weight loss goals. When you sleep less than 6 hours a night or more than 9 hours your body begins to recognize the deficiency or excess as signs of stress. This is when your body releases a hormone called Cortisol. This hormone follows the advice of squirrels in winter. It seeks to store fat so that in the event that you need to react to whatever is causing you stress you will have the energy stores to manage the emergency. The trouble is you may not have a point of physical stress and there may be no reason to have the excess stores of energy. By seeking to remove stress agents form your life you are also decreasing the effects of Cortisol. Sleeping more than 9 hours a night may allow you to feel great when you first wake up, but you will often feel very tired as the day goes on. So, even on the weekend 7-9 hours of sleep is still the right amount.

With the prevalence of diabetes in our society it makes sense to work at reducing weight (even 5-7%) to make a big difference. Working to reduce stress can also be a great way to engage in a good night’s sleep while allowing long-term health to have the best chance of survival.

Americans may always struggle with weight issues, but the fundamental decisions are the every day choices that either moves us closer or further away from our goals.