The Diabetes Blog

Tips for Diabetics: Control Your Glucose to Lower Foot Pain Risks

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:48:00 +0000

Diabetics who keep their blood sugar in check are likely to have a far lower risk of developing foot pain or other nerve damage in the future. This is shown by a nationwide US study. The study reveals that the positive effects of tight blood glucose control can be seen many years later. Patients who had controlled their blood sugar tightly ever since the start of this study were 51% less likely to have nerve problems than patients who started the study at the same time but did not have the initial five-year period of intensive blood sugar control. The study began in the 1980s, and is published in the journal Diabetes Care It involved 1,441 people with type 1 diabetes.

Sleeping Too Long or Too Little May Increase Type 2 Diabetes Risk

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:48:00 +0000

Do you have the problem of sleeping too little or too much? Then be aware and bring it back to the standard cycle, as it may increase a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a new research suggests. Compared to men getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, men getting no more than 6 hours of sleep per night, as well as those getting more than 8 hours of shut eye per night, were at significantly increased risk for developing diabetes. "Sleep duration may be a novel risk factor for the development of clinical diabetes," conclude the researchers in the March issue of Diabetes Care.

Blame Gestational Diabetes for Future Diabetes Risk

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:46:00 +0000

The risk of developing diabetes later in life increases by gestational diabetes mellitus. Finnish investigators report this in Diabetes Care. According to the study, overall, 62.5 percent of women who developed type 1 diabetes tested positive for islet cell antibodies. And only two women who later developed type 2 diabetes tested positive for auto-antibodies. Since an earlier type 1 diabetes diagnosis is associated with a preserved ability to produce insulin and a lower risk of complications of the circulatory system, Dr. Tapanainen’s team advises that these women require careful follow-up after pregnancy.

Diabetes Control in Children Improves Their Attention Spans

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:46:00 +0000

Diabetes is no more a disease of the aged and adults. Kids are being rapidly victimizes with diabetes. And if the blood sugar levels of the diabetic children are stabilized, their attention span appears to improve, according to researchers from Arizona State University in Tempe. The changes in classroom attention "may have meaningful implications on the participants’ lives, as well as those of their peers and teachers… Such changes may signal better long-term academic gains and diminished need for teacher time devoted to management and redirection in the long run," Wodrich and colleagues write. The February 2006 of the Journal of Pediatrics reports these findings.

Put an End to Insulin Injections With Lab-grown, Insulin Producing Cells!

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:45:00 +0000

Marking a major breakthrough in diabetes research, Bioengineers at the University of Calgary in Canada have successfully grown insulin producing cells in a lab! Yes, to repeat it, its insulin producing cells in a lab. You read it right. You can get rid of those painful shots, once the scientists eventually transplant lab-grown, insulin producing cells directly into your body, if you are a patient with Type 1 diabetes. "This transplant procedure, developed in Edmonton, is the best thing to come in 20 years to treat type one diabetes," said Dr. Leo Behie, the professor of chemical engineering in charge of the research project.

All-natural Oral Supplement to Address the ‘Root’ of Diabetes Problem

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:44:00 +0000

Insulow is here to address the root of the problem for diabetics and pre-diabetics. That is what its manufacturer claims. It is an all-natural oral supplement, the correct balance between insulin production and glucose uptake. When used separately or as a complement to traditional medicines, Insulow can reduce-or in some cases eliminate-the need for administering insulin or medications used to manage blood glucose levels, according to Glucorell, Inc., Insulow.

UTSA Offers Free Diabetes Testing On March 22-23

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:44:00 +0000

On March 22-23, UTSA Student Health Services will offer free diabetes testing and blood glucose screening for Diabetes Alert Days. The free screenings are set for 9 a.m.-noon, Wednesday, March 22 in the University Center second floor east wing on the 1604 Campus, and 10 a.m.-noon, Thursday, March 23 at the Frio Street Building commons on the Downtown Campus. At the events, Diabetes and Glandular Research Associates representatives will also perform free glucose screenings. It has been recommended that for best blood glucose results, fast for at least 8 hours before testing is needed and results will be given immediately. Free healthy snacks will be provided by Costco.

Water Retention Lead to Diabetes Drug Weight Gain

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:43:00 +0000

Are you a type 2 diabetic and treated with pioglitazone? Do you know, up to 75 percent of the increase in body weight that can occur in is from you water retention? Researchers reported this in the journal Diabetes Care. The drug also tends to reduce abdominal fat and blood pressure. Sold in the US under the trade name Metaglip, pioglitazone is sold under the trade name Actos and glipizide. Dr. Ananda Basu and colleagues at the Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota compared the effects of the drug on body composition and body water content, as well as other factors, in 19 patients with type 2 diabetes. Though pioglitazone tended to reduce the average blood pressure, glipizide had no impact on blood pressure.

Software to Make Diabetes Management Easier

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:42:00 +0000

It is difficult tracking and analyzing large amount of data on your blood glucose management using your personal computer. Here is a better way with diabetes management software. It is a tool that will help you track and analyze your diabetes related data. And to try to achieve optimal control over your diabetes, you can make changes as needed. According to Sara Palladino, a marketing manager at LifeScan, ‘Using diabetes management software enables the consumer to take a proactive role in their self-care. It allows patients to easily identify glucose patterns and trends to help them better manage their diabetes. Some healthcare professionals do not use diabetes management software; in these cases, the consumer can provide printable reports to their healthcare professionals so that sharing glucose results is easy.’

China Beats India in Diabetes Incidents: WHO Says

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:42:00 +0000

China might have just beaten India to becoming the `Diabetes Capital of the World!’ Fresh estimates put the number of diabetics in the world’s most populous nation at over 30 million! The World Health Organisation (WHO) is examining data that may put China ahead of India. Gojka Roglic, Technical Officer, Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion said, "The problem was we did not have data accessible to us to include in our calculations. The new studies were in Chinese and were published in journals that are not usually accessible to us."