New data released last week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) paint an urgent picture of the state of diabetes, estimating that nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States are now living with diabetes. With one out of every three Americans at high risk for type 2 diabetes, emphasis must be placed on prevention and lifestyle modifications that can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes, a debilitating disease that can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart disease and death.

“We’ve seen that diabetes has been on the rise for quite a while, but the new data from the CDC is a real wake-up call. One in four Americans living with diabetes is still undiagnosed, highlighting how essential it is for Americans to know if they are at risk and take action, if needed,” said Robert R. Henry, MD, President, Medicine & Science, American Diabetes Association. “Let’s use these devastating new numbers as inspiration to work harder and stop diabetes in its tracks.”

Early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is critical to successful treatment and delaying and preventing some of its complications. For many, diagnosis may come seven to ten years after the actual onset of diabetes, often only after patients have already started to show signs of one or more of its complications. Studies have shown that exercising 150 minutes a week and losing 7% of your body weight (about 15 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds), can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by 57%.

The American Diabetes Association offers tips to help prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes and its complications:

• Know Your Risk. There are certain risk factors you can’t change, including being over 45 years of age, a family history of diabetes, or coming from a certain family background (African American, American Indian, Asian American or Pacific Islander, or Hispanic/Latino). Other risk factors you can control include being overweight or inactive, eating an unhealthy diet, smoking, or having higher than normal blood glucose, blood pressure or cholesterol levels.
• Get a Check Up. Don’t wait until you get sick to see your health care provider. Schedule a complete evaluation to learn your numbers, including:
• Blood glucose – There are three different tests that measure blood glucose levels: A1C, Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) and Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGGT). These tests will determine if prediabetes or diabetes is present.
• Blood pressure level – A healthy blood pressure level is below 120/80. Early high blood pressure is between 120/80 and 140/90. High blood pressure is 140/90 and higher.
• Blood lipid levels – A blood lipid test measures HDL (good) cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol) and triglycerides. To maintain optimal health, it is important to be aware of your lipid levels and to maintain low LDL cholesterol levels.
• Move Those Feet. Experts suggest exercising 30 minutes a day most days of the week. If exercising that long is intimidating at first, try walking 10 minutes most days of the week. Find other ways to be more active, such as taking the stairs and parking farther away.
• Sneak in Healthy Foods. Instead of making a complete lifestyle change, try incorporating one small change into your diet at a time. Choose lower-calorie snacks, eat a salad and a vegetable with dinner, or take home half of your main course when you eat out.

The American Diabetes Association offers free resources for those at risk for type 2 diabetes:

• My Health Advisor – Calculate your risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease by entering some basic health information. After your risk is calculated, you can quickly and easily see the difference simple lifestyle changes — like losing 10 pounds or quitting smoking — can make in your overall risk.
• CheckUp America – Get in-depth information about the different risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes and what you can do to lower that risk.
• Center for Information and Community Support – By calling 800-DIABETES or chatting with a representative online, you can request free information in English and Spanish, including the new booklet Top 5 Ways to Stop Diabetes and Get Healthy Right Now!

Source:
American Diabetes Association
Diabetes From Medical News Today

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com

Diabetes Forecast, the consumer magazine of the American Diabetes Association, has published its annual Consumer Guide in its January issue. The number of products on the market can be overwhelming, so Diabetes Forecast seeks to help people with diabetes select the ones that best meet their needs. Highlights from this comprehensive guide to diabetes management products include:

• On the Horizon — Smaller insulin pumps; a tool to turn an iPhone into a glucose meter; a new inhaled insulin; and the most notable cutting-edge technologies coming down the pike.
• Blood Glucose Meters — A complete guide to virtually every meter on the market today, plus everything you need to know about coding, data storage, blood sample sizes, temperature limitations, lancing devices, and more.
• Continuous Glucose Monitors — In-depth, side-by-side comparisons of all four CGMs on the market, plus a list of key functions to consider.
• Insulin Pumps and Infusion Sets — In-depth, side-by-side comparisons of all three pumps currently available, plus what to consider when choosing a pump and infusion set.
• Insulin Pens — An at-a-glance guide to every pen available, with listings of crucial features.
• Online-only listings of diabetes medications and insulins.

There’s more in the January issue. What’s new in healthy living: type 2 diabetes in children, new guidelines for diagnosing gestational diabetes, the latest on calcium and vitamin D, and more. Plus: How to Perfect Your Pasta, a step-by-step illustrated guide to nutritious pasta dishes, with recipes for healthy takes on favorite sauces.

Source:
American Diabetes Association

Diabetes From Medical News Today

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/212700.php

There are several benefits of exercising. It helps in preventing many diseases associated with old age. Most of the heart diseases, diabetes, arthritis and high blood pressure can all be prevented by doing exercise. Exercise is advised by the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, the National Institutes of Health and the Arthritis Foundation. By having a half an hour long exercising session thrice a week, you can get rid of the diseases that occur with aging.

Maddi McDonough of Pembroke, Massachusetts is aged 66. She loves to exercise daily to stay fit. She takes around ten thousand steps every day. She has benefited tremendously from the regular exercise. Her cholesterol levels have gone down, her blood pressure is maintained and sciatica which had kept her bedridden has disappeared. She is one of the many people who have snapped pedometers onto their belts and joined the 10,000 steps club. She exclaims as to how she was able to hike up to the peak of Mt. Pilatus when she visited Switzerland. She says I was able to hike while others just waited at the lodge. She also did white water rafting in Colorado. I was even tempted to for bungee jumping in Australia, but I didn’t do it! she exclaims. It is important to exercise; the type of exercise doesn’t matter much. You need to exercise thrice a week in order to stay fit and healthy.

New developments are being made in the field of medicine. Earlier The Arthritis foundation used to advise rest to the patients of osteoarthritis. However with changing times, this concept also changed. Nowadays you either exercise or get the diseases, the choice is yours. Joints will become inflexible and stiff if you do not use them regularly. Exercise helps to build strong muscles near to the joints, keep the joints flexible. It also helps in reducing the joint pain. However the pain is not relieved completely. In addition to all this, exercise also controls weight, promotes better sleep, increases energy, increases self esteem and decreases depression.

Marilyn Boynton, a 68 year old described herself as an old broad. However things began to change when he started tap dancing at the age of 59. Initially she had a lot of back pain while dancing but instead of giving up she joined a fitness club. Now, her back pain has bettered.

You should not straight away start with strenuous exercises. You should always start with mild exercises and then gradually increase it. You can have some strain or injuries in case you jump to strenuous exercises straight away. To make your exercise successful, follow the following steps advised by the American Heart Association.

• You need to consult your doctor before you start out with any exercise program in case you are overweight, haven’t been active recently or have some chronic illness.
• You should do a number of exercises. You will get bored if do the same type of exercise regularly so choose a number of activities.
• You should start with mild exercises and then increase it slowly.
• It can get boring to exercise alone. Find out a friend and exercising will be much more fun!
• You must wear proper clothes and shoes while you are working out.
• You should exercise regularly, however there is no need to worry if you miss it for a day. Indulge in other types of physical activities to make up for it.
• Warming up is extremely important. You can have certain injuries if you do not warm up before the exercise. It is also important to cool down after the exercise.

You need to exercise to keep yourself healthy and fit. It is important if you want to lead a disease free life!

My Health Advisor, an online tool from the American Diabetes Association, can help you understand your risk. All you have to do to is enter some basic health information, such as:

• Family history
• Height and weight
• Blood glucose level
• Cholesterol level
• Smoking history
• Age, race, gender

My Health Advisor takes your information and creates a personalized online health profile, and will let you know if you are at risk. Your results are compared to results of dozens of clinical trials to make sure it is accurate.

My Health Advisor will also create a personalized plan that will help you lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Tips may include eating healthier foods or smaller portions, and increasing your level of physical activity. But the real benefit is that you can see instantly how these small changes to your day-to-day routine can lower your risk.

With each small change, you will be on your way to a longer, healthier life. You can stop type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Visit www.CheckUpAmerica.org/MA today for your personalized risk profile.

To learn more about type 2 diabetes and heart disease, call the American Diabetes Association at (800) DIABETES (800 342-2383), e-mail AskADA@diabetes.org or visit www.CheckUpAmerica.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

More than 20 million people have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. By the end of the decade, this number is expected to rise dramatically. When high blood sugar levels damage nerves, diabetic neuropathy can occur and eventually 40 to 60 percent of diabetics will develop diabetic nerve pain.

Mostly it affects the hands and feet, with mild to severe numbness, and sharp pain like pins and needles. Limbs feel alternately burning hot and icy cold, accompanied by pain and muscle fatigue.

Treating diabetes may halt progression and improve symptoms of the nerve pain, but recovery is slow. The painful sensations of diabetic nerve pain may become so severe it can lead to depression in some patients.

This chronic painful condition is often puzzling and frustrating for patients and physicians, as it is difficult to diagnose and seems to respond poorly to standard pain therapies. Countless people with diabetes have suffered from nerve pain for years.

Diabetic neuropathy sufferer Ron Morrison developed so much discomfort from his condition in his legs and feet that he was, “seriously shopping for a wheelchair because it was becoming too difficult to stand and walk,” he says. He began using a topical ointment called Neuragen that provided instantaneous relief from the burning sensation in his feet. “It has returned quality back to my life,” he says.

“I was introduced to a wonderful new product at my local pharmacy, Neuragen, that provided instantaneous relief from this burning sensation in my feet and have been using this product ever since. It has returned quality back to my life.”

In clinical trials, Neuragen provided rapid and effective pain relief without significant side effects. It has been recommended by health care professionals in the United States and Canada since 1996 for treatments of chronic pain associated with a variety of conditions.

Good glucose control can also help control diabetic neuropathy along with a balanced diet, rich in fiber, regular physical activity and limiting alcohol consumption.

More information on Neuragen and nerve pain is available at www.Neuragen.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Diabetes experts on Friday urged a switch to a diagnostic test for the disease that’s more useful to primary care doctors and more convenient for patients because it doesn’t require fasting.

An international panel recommended that a test known as the hemoglobin A1c assay be the new standard test for diabetes. In the past, this test has primarily been used to monitor if diabetes treatment is working. However, the committee — which unveiled its recommendations at this weekend’s American Diabetes Association meeting in New Orleans, La. — said the A1c test’s long-term measurement of chronic blood sugar control problems provides a better diagnosis than current “snapshot” tests.

The test has not been adopted by all doctors for diagnostic purposes. Many of them prefer to rely first on the tried-and-true techniques such as the standard fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) and the less common oral glucose tolerance test — tests that the A1c screening would unseat as the new standard.

Still, other physicians have welcomed the new screening. Dr. Joel Zonszein, director of the Clinical Diabetes Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, said many colleagues have been “waiting years for this to happen.”

Proponents favor the A1c because it measures average blood glucose over the preceding two to three months, rather than just at one point in time, the researchers said.

“A1c values vary less than fasting plasma glucose values, and the assay for A1c has technical advantages compared with the glucose assay,” said Dr. David M. Nathan of Massachusetts General Hospital, who chaired the expert committee.

“Also, testing for diabetes using A1c is more convenient and easier for patients who will no longer be required to perform a fasting or oral glucose tolerance test,” Nathan added.

The recommendations — made jointly by the American Diabetes Association, the International Diabetes Federation, and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes — were published online today in Diabetes Care and will appear in the July issue of the journal.

Can Doctors Agree on A1c?
Many primary care doctors already use A1c screening as a first-line tool for diagnosis, while others use it in combination with FPG. One reason for caution about the A1c in the past, doctors said, has been concern about standardization in A1c screenings — that is, whether doctors agree that a given result indicates that a patient has diabetes.

Treating type 2 diabetes patients with a cholesterol-lowering drug called fenofibrate cuts the risk of a first diabetes-related limb amputation by 36%, according to a new study published this week in The Lancet.

“I would call that a substantial reduction in risk,” says James Best, MD, professor of medicine at the University of Melbourne in Australia and a co-author of the study.

The reduction in limb amputation risk is probably not directly related to the cholesterol-lowering effects of the drug, he tells WebMD, but rather to some of the other effects, such as improving the functioning of small blood vessels.

Amputation & Type 2 Diabetes: Background
People with diabetes are more likely than people without the condition to have a foot or leg amputation, according to the American Diabetes Association.

That’s because people with diabetes are likely to have peripheral artery disease, reducing blood flow to the lower legs and feet, and to have nerve disease called diabetic neuropathy, boosting their risk of getting ulcers and infections that can result in a need for amputation.

Fenofibrate & Amputation Risk: Study Details
Best and his colleagues looked at 9,795 patients in Australia, New Zealand, and Finland with type 2 diabetes, aged 50 to 75, who had taken part in the FIELD study (Fenofibrate Intervention and Event Lowering in Diabetes). The patients were assigned to get either fenofibrate at a dose of 200 milligrams a day or placebo for five years.

FIELD is a clinical trial that previously analyzed the drug’s effect on heart disease death and nonfatal heart attack and showed it did not have a significant effect on those outcomes, but it did help with other problems, such as reducing risk of diabetic retinopathy, a diabetes-related eye problem.

Among the funding sources were Laboratoires Fournier SA, now part of Solvay Pharmaceuticals, which markets fenofibrate, and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.

The researchers got information on amputation and whether they were minor, defined as below the ankle, or major, defined as above the ankle.

They also assessed whether large blood vessel disease or small blood vessel disease was found in the amputated limb.

Fenofibrate & Amputation Risk: Study Results
Over the course of the study, 115 patients had amputations of the lower limbs related to their diabetes. The researchers also found:

• Overall, the risk of first amputation was 36% lower for all patients given fenofibrate compared to those given placebo. Although 70 of those on placebo had amputation, 45 of those on the drug did.
• The risk of minor amputation in patients who did not have large vessel disease was even lower, 47%, for those who took the drug compared to those who got the placebo.
• Risks didn’t differ significantly between groups for major amputations.
• Height predicted risk of amputation. For every 4-inch increase in height, there was a 1.6-times boost in risk. (Best notes that this is not a new finding.)

Fenofibrate & Amputation: Take-Home Message
Best puts the study findings in perspective this way. “What we have to keep in mind is that amputation is not as common as heart attack [among those with type 2 diabetes].” Although the effect of the drug on amputation risk was significant, he says, “This doesn’t mean everyone with diabetes should start taking fenofibrate to prevent amputation. The therapy should be targeted to those at high risk for amputation.”

That includes those who have nerve damage in their feet from their diabetes, who have an ulcer on their foot, or who have had a previous amputation, Best says.

Fenofibrate & Amputation: Second Opinions
“It’s an interesting study that may change some people’s approach [to diabetes treatment],” says Richard Jackson, MD, senior physician at Joslin Diabetes Center and assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston, who occasionally does prescribe the drug, typically to bring down high triglyceride levels.

But he adds a caveat. “The medication could be helpful, but it’s only one study.” More studies are needed, he says.

Another expert who reviewed the study findings for WebMD agrees. “We need to do a larger trial to understand its mechanism and confirm the findings,” says Richard M. Bergenstal, MD, president-elect of the American Diabetes Association and executive director of the International Diabetes Center at Park Nicollet Health Services in Minneapolis.

Meanwhile, he says, the study results point to the importance of preventive care. The researchers found that the strongest predictors of a first amputation included a history of previous amputation or diabetic skin ulcers, nerve problem, or a history of peripheral vascular disease. “Anybody who has neuropathy and a history of amputation or ulcer, we need to follow them very closely because they are at higher risk.”

WebMD Health News – By Kathleen Doheny

Living with Type II Diabetes?

Diabetes affects nearly 24 million children and adults in the United States and another 57 million have pre-diabetes, a condition that places them at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. If you don’t know the risk factors or symptoms for diabetes, you may very well be risking your life to this silent killer.

Diabetes is a silent killer because many people can live with the disease for years and never find out that they have it until they start experiencing diabetes-related damage that can lead to a heart attack, stroke, vision problems or kidney disease. In fact, most people with type 2 diabetes do not notice the symptoms because some signs of diabetes aren’t easy to recognize. Symptoms of diabetes include:

• Being very thirsty
• Urinating often
• Losing weight without trying
• Having vision problems, such as blurred vision

Diabetes is a serious disease, but early diagnosis and treatment can help people with diabetes live healthy and active lives. A person’s risk for diabetes goes up as they get older, gain weight, or if they do not stay active. So how can you find out if you might be at risk for diabetes? Risk factors include:

• Being overweight or obese
• Not being physically active
• Having a family history of diabetes
• Having high blood pressure
• Having diabetes during pregnancy or having a baby weighing more than 9 pounds at birth
• Being older than 45 years of age

Diabetes is also more common in African Americans, Latinos/Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

To find out if you or a loved one are at risk for type 2 diabetes, you can take the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Risk Test. This is a simple test that asks questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors for diabetes. Based on your response, you can find out whether you are at low, moderate or high risk for diabetes. You can take the test online at www.diabetes.org/alert or by phone (in English or Spanish) at (800) DIABETES (800-342-2383).

If you find that you are at high risk for having diabetes, talk with your doctor to find out for sure. Only your doctor can determine if you have diabetes.

To learn more about diabetes risk factors, diagnosis and treatment, or to take the Diabetes Risk Test, visit the American Diabetes Association’s Web site at www.diabetes.org or call (800) DIABETES (800-342-2383).

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Living with Type II Diabetes?

But did you know that using pedal power could help to find a cure for one of the nation’s deadliest diseases? With your family, on your own or as part of a team you can ride your bike and raise funds for the Tour de Cure.

Take the Ride of Your Life
Tour de Cure, the American Diabetes Association’s nationwide cycling event, welcomes riders at all levels — from novice to experienced cyclists — to support the Association’s mission: to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. Last year more than 38,000 cyclists — people with diabetes, friends, families and supporters — raised more than $15 million to support diabetes research, advocacy and education.

Diabetes is a deadly disease affecting nearly 24 million children and adults in the United States. Another 57 million have pre-diabetes, a condition that places them at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Whether you bike for fun or because you dream of being the next world champion, bicycling is great exercise that can have significant health benefits. Tour de Cure events feature routes that vary in length and difficulty, from 15-mile family distances to 100-mile “century” rides. It is a ride, not a race, so participants are encouraged to go at their own pace.

Are You a Red Rider?
If you have diabetes and plan to ride in Tour de Cure, don’t forget to join the Red Riders, a special section of Tour de Cure that the American Diabetes Association created to recognize participants who have diabetes.

“The Red Rider Recognition Program is a way for those of us with diabetes to gather the strength, courage and motivation to live well all the other days of the year when we aren’t riding in Tour de Cure,” says Mari Ruddy, founder of the Red Rider program. “It gives us an opportunity to celebrate the hard work, dedication and teamwork it takes to manage this challenging and complex disease. Best of all, when we can give a participant a red jersey that proclaims with joy, ‘I ride with diabetes!’ it brings a face to the disease with the heart, soul and passion of the participants who are riding with diabetes.”

Join Tour de Cure to benefit your health and to support the fight to stop diabetes. To register as an individual rider, a Red Rider, start a team, or learn more, visit Tour.Diabetes.org or call (888) DIABETES (888-342-2383).

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Living with Type II Diabetes?