Meatloaf

meatloafMichael Lee Aday was born in 1947 as Marvin Lee Aday. He is a native of Dallas, Texas. His fans and the professional industry better knows Aday as Meat Loaf. He has had an impressive career in the musical industry as well as an actor. Between 1987 and 1991, Meat Loaf performed in 300 concerts. Then in the 1990s, Meatloaf began acting in movies. He has worked with Patrick Swayze, Dennis Quaid and Brad Pitt. Meat Loaf’s songs include “Paradise by the Dashboard Light”, “Bat out of Hell” and “I’d Do Anything for Love (but I Won’t Do That)”. His stage presences include “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, “Fight Club” and “Spice World”. Even though, his life has been rocky, Meat Loaf is a musical legend. He is 61 years old.

Meat Loaf has been diagnosed with diabetes for several years. He has been ill at a few of his concerts where he was forced to go on despite the way he felt. Meat Loaf has had other medical issues as well. He has been in a near fatal car accident, a shot put has hit him directly in the head and has been ill with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.

Wilford Brimley

Wilford BrimleyAllen Wilford Brimley was born in 1934. He is native to Salt Lake City, Utah. Throughout his life, he has had some major accomplishments. Brimley was once a body guard for Howard Hughes. During the Korean conflict, he served in the United States Marine Corps. Brimley is most famous for his acting ability, however. His first job on a set was shoeing horses for 60s westerns. He is more notable for his works in “Cocoon”, the television show “Our House” and “The Firm”. Brimley is known for being an activist. He fights laws on the banning of cockfighting and horse-race gambling. Wilford Brimley is 74 years old.

Brimley having diabetes is a spokesman for the disease. He speaks out on the importance of checking glucose levels often and living a better life. Brimley appears in advertisements for Liberty Medical, a distributor of diabetes supplies.

David Crosby

David CrosbyDavid Crosby is a legend in the music industry. He was born in 1941, native of Los Angeles, California. Crosby was one of the founding members of the rock groups The Byrds as well as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. His first interest was not music, rather it was acting. After a while, he put aside that idea and began his music career. Crosby will always be remembered for his songwriting, singing and guitar playing. Some of his most famous works include “Eight Miles High”, “Music is Love” and “Where Will I Be”. Crosby was introduced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well. David Crosby is 67 years old.

Crosby has had some medical problems in his life. He is insulin dependant with type 1 diabetes. Crosby has also undergone a liver transplant in the 90s. This is because his liver was damaged due to over use of drugs and alcohol in his past.

Catfish Hunter

catfish hunterJames Augustus Hunter is a native from New Orleans, born in 1946. Later, he became known as the Catfish Hunter. He played both football and baseball while in high school. During his senior year, he had a hunting accident and lost one toe. This accident worried the would be baseball star. Catfish Hunter felt that he could not have a successful career. However, he became one of the leading sports stars of his time. Still, he went on to pitch for an MLB team. On May 22, 1968, Hunter pitched a perfect game. He began his career with the Kansas City A’s in 1965 and it ended in 1979 with the New York Yankees. Catfish Hunter died in 1999 from Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He was 53 years old.

The Lou Gehrig’s Disease was diagnosed one year before he died. In the last few years of Catfish Hunter’s life, he could barely throw a baseball. He was unconscious for a time when he hit his head on a step. Catfish Hunter was released from the hospital in good condition. Along with the Lou Gehrig’s Disease, he was also diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This left him taking insulin injects 3 times a day.

B.B. King

bb kingRiley B. King entered the world in 1925. He is a native of Itta Bena, Mississippi. King began his career in the 40s where he went to Tennessee to become a star. Unfortunately, he did not make it at that time. King went back home to prepare himself better. Two years later, he returned for the break he was looking for. King began as a singer at a radio station, soon after he had his first recording contract. He is dubbed one of the best guitarist of all time. Some of his recordings include “Stand By Me”, “Woke Up This Morning” and “You Upset Me Baby”. King has had several television appearances and over 15,000 musical performances. B.B. King is 83 years old.

King has been living with type 2 diabetes for over 20 years. He is an avid spokesman for the disease. King was worried about the need to prick his fingers in order to test his blood glucose level. After he discovered the One Touch Ultra System, he agreed to be a voice for One Touch. King has also endorsed other products that allow individuals to take care of their diabetes successfully.

Elliot Yamin

elliot yamin and diabetesEfraym Elliot Yamin entered the world in 1978. He is a native of Los Angeles, California. Yamin is from Jewish and Israeli descent. His musical career started out at an early age. Yamin was first discovered signing karaoke when he was a teenage. He has had several big breaks including a single titled, “Wait for You”. Most people may recognize him from “American Idol”, where he placed 3rd on the fifth season. Since being on “American Idol”, he has preformed on various talk shows as well as several other performances that has launched his musical talent to higher levels. Elliot Yamin is now 30 years old and in the height of his career.

At the age of 16, he learned that he had type 1 diabetes. He publicly described his reaction to that diagnosis: “I didn’t understand how I could go from being a normal kid to overnight, having this lifelong disease that was incurable.” Yamin got over his initial shock, and he went on to make a recording with Hickory Records.

Esther Rolle

esther rolle and diabetesEster Rolle was born in 1920, native of Pompano Beach, California. Through her life she was a star. Her career choices took her to stage, film as well as TV rolls. Rolle’s stage appearances include “Don’t Play Us Cheap”. Her movie career had hits like, “Train Ride”. However, Rolle’s most memorable performance was in the 70s TV show, “Good Times”. Ester Rolle died in 1998 of complications from diabetes. She was 78 years old.

The world lost another famous diabetic when Ester Rolle died in 1998. She was battling through her health problems up until the end. Even though Rolle’s played a maid in two popular television programs, she made a promise to her father. Rolle’s kept that promise to the very end; she swore that she would never be a maid in real life.

Take a Deep Breath and Test Your Glucose Levels

The same product that is used as an amplifier in a cell phone may make it possible to give up finger prick glucose tests – at least if those researching the new breath-based device have anything to say about it.

According to ScienceDaily, “University of Florida engineers have designed and tested versions of the sensor for applications ranging from monitoring diabetics’ glucose levels via their breath to detecting possible indicators of breast cancer in saliva. They say early results are promising — particularly considering that the sensor can be mass produced inexpensively with technology already widely used for making chips in cell phones and other devices.”

Perhaps the important key to this research is that the technology is something that is already in existence – not something that would require significant capital to create. The Florida-based team “has published 15 peer-reviewed papers on different versions of the sensor, most recently in this month’s edition of IEEE Sensors Journal. In that paper, members report integrating the sensor in a wireless system that can detect glucose in exhaled breath, then relay the findings to health care workers. That makes the sensor one of several non-invasive devices in development to replace the finger prick kits widely used by diabetics,” said ScienceDaily.

A common belief has been that breath contains only trace amount of glucose, which may be too small to read in a breath test. However the University of Florida team insists the process they have developed does, in fact, have enough data to accurately test glucose levels in patients. “Instead of poking your finger to get the blood, you can just breathe into it and measure the glucose in the breath condensate,” researcher Fan Ren was quoted as saying. This same technology could be used to help those with Asthma to determine if they may be experiencing an asthma attack and begin treatment sooner. “The engineers have used other versions to experiment with picking up indicators of breast cancer in saliva, and pathogens in water and other substances,” reported ScienceDaily.

Many standard blood glucose meters can take as long as 30 seconds to provide a test result, Ren is quoted by ScienceDaily as saying, “At 100 microns, or 100 millionths of a meter, the UF sensor is so small that the moisture from one breath is enough to get a pH or glucose concentration reading — in under five seconds.”

As far as cost is concerned Ren indicates it could be “as little as 20 cents per chip, but goes up considerably when combined with applications to transmit the information wirelessly to computers or cell phones. The entire wireless-chip package might cost around $40, he said, although that cost could be cut in half with mass production.”

Michael Shur, professor of solid state electronics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute told ScienceDaily, “This is an important development in the field of biomedical sensors and a real breakthrough. Professors Fan Ren and Steve Pearton have made pioneering contributions to materials and device studies of nitrides, and now their work has led to the development of sensors that might improve quality of life for millions of patients.”

The team has patented some of the processes for this device and is working to patent more. Some suggest the device will never gain widespread appeal while others see it as an exciting potential in the early diagnosis of disease and a tool for long-term monitoring.

Spencer Tracy

Spencer TracySpencer Tracy entered the world in 1900 from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was a brilliant stage and screen actor. In his career, he achieved several awards and nominations. Tracy appeared in over 70 films in his career and won two Academy awards. He was nominated for 9 Academy Awards as well. Tracy is remembered from such films as “Goldie”, “It’s a Small World”, “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”. Spencer Tracy died in 1967 of a heart attack. He was 67 years old.

Tracy has had various health problems through his life including diabetes. Nevertheless, he was always supporting other actors and actresses with their illnesses. Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn stayed at the bedside of the dying Humphrey Bogart.

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd Webber was born in 1948 from his native home town of London, England. He is a world famous musical composer. Lloyd Webber is most known for his musical genius through stage work. These include “Cats”, “Evita” and “The Phantom of the Opera”. He has obtained several awards for his performances including Academy Award, Tony Awards and a Grammy. The list of achievements is unlimited. Andrew Lloyd Webber is still composing at 60 years old.

When a young teen, Lloyd Webber did not let his friends know that he had diabetes. They in turn shared with him news articles that made mention of diabetes.