Walking Reduces After-Meal Glucose Spikes
By Diane Fennell
Strategies to reduce after-meal blood glucose spikes are among the most sought-after pieces of information on our Web site, as evidenced by the popularity of articles such as "Strike the Spike" and "Strike the Spike II." Now, new research shows that short bouts of moderately intense walking can lower blood glucose levels after eating and improve 24-hour glucose control.
To compare the effectiveness of three 15-minute bouts of walking after meals to one 45-minute bout of walking for controlling blood glucose, researchers recruited inactive people age 60 or older who were at risk of impaired glucose toler...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 14, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Diane Fennell Source Type: blogs
For Teenagers
By Scott Coulter
I don't know how many teenage readers are out there — I know that isn't the majority of who makes up this Web site's readership. But today, I'm writing for you. I've been wracking my brain trying to come up with something, ANYthing, that I could fill my space with this week, and after reading through some old writing from my own adolescence, I finally stumbled upon it. I'm going to talk about living with diabetes through the teenage years.
Adolescence is a rocky, unstable period of time for everyone. It's unstable for the adolescent, for the family of the adolescent, for the teachers of the adolescen...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 13, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Scott Coulter Source Type: blogs
Do You Meditate?
By David Spero
Last Monday, I went to my first meditation class. For years, I have heard that meditation reduces stress, increases energy, and improves focus. It might also open the doors to spiritual growth. I'm finally giving it a try.
Perhaps I was inspired by Scott Coulter's article about living in the moment, on this site last week. So I found a class on Meetup.com. That's a great site — you just type in the kind of activity or group you're looking for, and there's a good chance you will find it not too far away. You have to pay to start your own group, but finding a group and joining it is free.
The class I j...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 12, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: David Spero Source Type: blogs
Say No to Joe?
In this study, researchers fed CGA to mice with diet-induced obesity, expecting that the CGA might lessen some of the harmful effects of obesity and perhaps even result in weight loss. The dosage was meant to approximate 5–6 cups of coffee per day in a human. The result was quite unexpected: obese mice who were fed CGA actually had more insulin resistance than those who weren't fed CGA, as well as lower glucose tolerance, a fattier liver, and greater retention of fat within cells. It is unclear how, exactly, this result might help inform choices among humans. It may be the case that coffee has harmful effects only in...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 12, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Quinn Phillips Source Type: blogs
I Do It MY Way
By Jan Chait
First, a smile for the day. My 84-year-old mother was visiting and I arranged to have coffee with a local friend of mine who is 86. I got to the coffee shop first and was, with the help of one of the employees, carving out a space for us at the community table.
"I'm meeting two octogenarian ladies," I told him.
He then began wondering where their country was.
I worry about today's youth and hope the little dude never gets diabetes. He might find the knowledge he'll need to duke it out with the big D a bit overwhelming: Perhaps even more difficult than trying to find Octogenaria on a map.
How do you treat your ...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 11, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Jan Chait Source Type: blogs
Being Kind to Your Kidneys: Kidney Function Tests
By Amy Campbell
A big part of "being kind" to your kidneys is taking charge early on. In discussing diabetes, we often talk about "knowing your numbers," such as your A1C and blood pressure. These are important numbers, of course, but what's often overlooked is your kidney numbers. These numbers may or may not be something that your doctor talks to you about — if you don't know about your kidney test results, ask! In the meantime, here's a rundown of some common tests, often called kidney function tests, that you should be familiar with.
Microalbumin test
The microalbumin test is a urine test that checks for very sma...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 10, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Amy Campbell Source Type: blogs
Sign the Diabetes Petition
By Web Team
Currently nearly 26 million people in the United States have diabetes, and it is predicted that by 2050, one in three Americans will have the condition if steps aren't taken to stem the tide. And while it's been shown that low-cost community health programs can significantly reduce a person's risk of the condition, federal funding levels for diabetes research and prevention have not kept pace with increases in prevalence, according to the American Diabetes Association.
To address the growing diabetes epidemic, the American Diabetes Association has set up a petition urging Congress to increase the money inves...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 8, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Web Team Source Type: blogs
Night-Shift Work May Impair Glucose Tolerance
By Diane Fennell
Working the night shift may reduce glucose tolerance and increase a person's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study from researchers in Boston. Nearly 24 million people in the United States have Type 2 diabetes, and roughly 8.6 million Americans work the night shift.
Previous studies have shown that people who work the night shift have an increased risk of developing Type 2. To determine what factors might contribute to this increase in risk, researchers recruited 13 healthy, nonobese adults who did not have a significant history of night-shift work. The participants were assigned ...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 7, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Diane Fennell Source Type: blogs
In the Moment
By Scott Coulter
I practice Zen meditation — much more sporadically than I care to admit, but I do practice it, and I have found it an incredibly valuable practice. It's a grounding force for me, something that knocks me out of my head, quiets my spinning wheels of nervous thought, and lets me breathe.
It allows me to put an end to that "drowning" feeling I can get when my to-do list is 20 items long, and the time in which to do it is one hour. Being a musician/social worker/writer/teacher often means living with such lists, budgeting my time incredibly carefully to pull off what I need to pull off for my various jo...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 6, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Scott Coulter Source Type: blogs
FDA Patient Network Makes Its Debut
By Web Team
Have you ever wondered how medicines and medical devices get approved? Would you like your voice to be heard in decision-making at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)? Are you looking to participate in a clinical trial? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you'll want to check out the new FDA Patient Network Web site.
Launched in April, the FDA Patient Network gives patients the tools they need to understand and get involved in the FDA's work. Features of the site include information describing how medical products are approved, details on off-label uses of drugs and investigational drugs, li...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 5, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Web Team Source Type: blogs
Rename Type 2?
By Quinn Phillips
A few weeks ago, we wrote about an online petition to change the name of Type 1 and possibly also Type 2 diabetes. That effort was begun by two mothers of sons with Type 1 diabetes, who didn't feel that their children's condition was being taken seriously enough by teachers and other parents. In the petition, which is addressed to the American Diabetes Association, the National Institutes of Health, and the International Diabetes Federation, they write that a name like "autoimmune beta cell apoptosis diabetes" could help teach people what is really going on in Type 1 diabetes. Similarly, they write, a nam...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 5, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Quinn Phillips Source Type: blogs
Study Examines Impact of Type 1 on Family Members
By Web Team
Are you the parent or sibling of a child with Type 1 diabetes? Then you may be interested in participating in a new study being conducted by researchers at Palo Alto University in California.
The investigators are seeking to learn about how much support is available for parents of children with Type 1, which sources of support are the most useful, and how siblings of children with Type 1 are affected, as well as to develop recommendations that can help improve the lives of families touched by Type 1 diabetes.
The study is open to parents or caregivers of children with Type 1 and to children ages 6 to 17 wh...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 4, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Web Team Source Type: blogs
Being Kind to Your Kidneys (Part 1)
By Amy Campbell
When was the last time you thought about your kidneys? Was it when you had a kidney test (a microalbumin test, to be exact) at your doctor's office? Many of us don't give much thought to these two bean-shaped organs, but if you have diabetes, you may be worried about developing diabetic kidney disease. But as with other complications of diabetes, you can take steps to lower your risk of having kidney problems.
What do they do, anyway?
Let's face it — the kidneys are not the most glamorous or exciting of organs. But they're essential. And they do more than just excrete waste products. First, you might...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 3, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Amy Campbell Source Type: blogs
Type 1 Trial Expands Its Reach
By Web Team
Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet, "an international network of researchers who are exploring ways to prevent, delay and reverse the progression of Type 1 diabetes," has expanded its reach by implementing an online sign-up process and nationwide testing for volunteers interested in participating.
TrialNet must screen more than 20,000 relatives of people with Type 1 diabetes each year to perform studies and collect data. Previously, family members needed to visit a study site or attend a screening event, but now, thanks to evolving technology that allows for more secure online registration, interested parties can answ...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - June 1, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Web Team Source Type: blogs
Acupuncture Improves Diabetic Gastroparesis
By Diane Fennell
"Needleless" acupuncture can provide relief for people dealing with diabetic gastroparesis, according to new research recently presented at the 2013 Digestive Disease Week meeting in Orlando, Florida. As many as 50% of people with diabetes will develop gastroparesis.
Gastroparesis, most commonly caused by damage to the nerve fibers that control the movements of the stomach, is a condition in which the stomach's ability to move food into the small intestine is reduced. This slow stomach emptying results in a variety of symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, feelings of fullness after eating, a lack of app...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - May 31, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: Diane Fennell Source Type: blogs
