With diabetes, save a leg, save a life

Each year in the U.S. diabetes results in the amputation of about 65,700 legs or feet. About 85% of those began with a diabetic foot ulcer. And for Dr. David Schwegman, the mission to educate people about the issue is personal.

His father, a diabetic, had a foot ulcer that resulted in the amputation of his left leg, which contributed to his death, his son said.

"He became a statistic," Schwegman said. "He was one of the 50% of people that died within five years after having an amputation."

Diabetic foot ulcers, or DFUs, are usually located on the ball of the foot, the bottom of the big toe or sides of the feet. They can be a result of neuropathy, or nerve damage which leads to a loss of feeling.

Although prevention is key, simply not treating an ulcer can lead to infection, particularly in the bone, and eventual loss of a limb.

"If you have a DFU that leads to a major amputation, your risk of death in five years is greater is higher than that of breast cancer and prostate cancer combined," Schwegman said.

"This is a very, very serious health problem that has very serious risks if not dealt with properly and quickly," the doctor said. "In order to do that, we really need to get the word out to both the patients and the physicians."

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Lowering Cholesterol, Blood Pressure May Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk

Treating traditional risk factors for heart disease such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes may also prevent the progression of mild memory and cognitive problems into full-blown Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests.

Although dietary changes, cholesterol-lowering statins, and hypertension drugs such as beta-blockers are far from a surefire way to prevent Alzheimer’s, these and other treatments that promote healthy blood vessels may be a practical way for people to reduce their risk, the researchers say.

The study, which was conducted in China and published in the journal Neurology, “highlights the importance of midlife vascular risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, which, unlike age and genetics, can be modified,” says Whitney Wharton, PhD, a research scientist at the University of Wisconsin’s Alzheimer’s Institute, in Madison, who was not involved in the research.

Researchers at Daping Hospital, in Chongqing, followed 638 men and women over the age of 55 for five years. All the study participants had problems with memory and mental function that were noticeable but not severe enough to interfere with their daily functioning. This condition, known as mild cognitive impairment, progresses to Alzheimer’s in roughly 10% to 15% of cases each year, according to the study.

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Women living with fibromyalgia may top number with diabetes, study finds

Athena Champneys is no stranger to questions about fibromyalgia, the disease that leaves her feeling wiped out and in pain. Some people don't trust it exists, and most don't understand it well. So it's no wonder that a national survey released this month doesn't shock Champneys, who was diagnosed in December 2003. The research found that American women with the condition experience prolonged physical and emotional struggles. Champney's diagnosis came after debilitating pain settled in as a burning sensation up and down her spine and into her extremities.

The survey, conducted for HealthyWomen.org, a top online women's health web site, found that it had taken most women who had fibromyalgia at least a year to get a diagnosis and that a fourth of them wait five years or more to find out what's incorrect. Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill, executive director of HealthWomen.org, told an estimated 75 percent of those with the disease may still be undiagnosed. The numbers, she noted, could rival those living with diabetes.

"Even minimal activity drains the living tar out of me," said Champneys. "By afternoon, I need to lie down and rest. If I am having a bad day, I have to use an electric wheelchair in stores. You get all kind of attractive looks if they see you walk up to it."

Diabetes Advance: Researchers Grow Insulin-Producing Cells From Testes

New study suggests it may be possible for people with type 1 diabetes to grow their own insulin-producing cells -- an advancement that could lead to a cure for this form of diabetes.

The preliminary findings are slated to be presented at the American Society of Cell Biology 50th yearly meeting in Philadelphia.

“The aim here is to cure diabetes, not to treat it,” says study author G. Ian Gallicano, PhD, an associate professor in the department of biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology and the director of the Transgenic Core Facility at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Half of American Adults Headed for Diabetes by 2020, UnitedHealth Says

Half of all American adults are destined to develop diabetes or pre-diabetes by 2020 if they don't slim down, according to a dire new prediction that pegs the cost of their care at $3.35 billion by decade's ending.

Under the scenario, if present trends continue, the ranks of American adults with excessive blood sugar levels would swell from 93.8 million this year (about 28 million diabetics and 66 million more with pre-diabetes) to 135 million in 2020.

Sixty percent of the annual $500 billion burden of the obesity-driven diabetes epidemic would be borne by the U.S. government, according to "The United States of Diabetes," a provocative working paper produced by the Center for Health Reform & Modernization, part of the healthcare huge UnitedHealth Group Inc.

UnitedHealth issued the statement on the heels of an Oct. 22 forecast from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that as many as 1 in 3 adults could be diabetic by 2050. That's an enormous jump from present diabetes prevalence, which is 1 in 10 among adults.

Exercise Combo Best for Type 2 Diabetes

Variety in your exercises routine may be key to optimal diabetes management, new research suggests.

The study found that when people with type 2 diabetes did aerobic workout some days and resistance training on others, they had lower blood sugar levels after nine months than people who did either type of exercise alone.

"From a health perspective, the combination exercise program actually outshined the others," said the study's lead author, Dr. Timothy Church, director of preventive medicine research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University System in Baton Rouge.

"We really thought that the walking group and the combination group would be similar, but the combination group was the only group that had significant development. They reduced their HbA1C levels, while also reducing the amount of diabetes medications," said Church.

The HbA1C test examines long-term (two to three months) blood sugar concentration. Unlike a fasting blood glucose test, the HbA1C indicates how well you've controlled your blood sugar over the past 8 to 12 weeks.

Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce sufficient insulin, or because cells do not react to the insulin that is produced. This high blood sugar produce the classical symptom of polyuria,polydipsia and polyphagia.

There are three main types of diabetes- results from the body's failure to produce insulin, results from insulin resistance, Gestational diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus also comprise congenital diabetes, which is due to genetic defects of insulin secretion, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, steroid diabetes induced by high doses of glucocorticoids, and quite a lot of forms of monogenic diabetes.

Mediterranean diet beats low fat for diabetes

In a first long-term study, researchers examined the effects of a Mediterranean diet, compared to a low fat diet for diabetes control. The results showed that eating a Mediterranean diet was superior to eating a typical low fat diet for diabetes management.

The study explored obese individuals newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, examining need for medication and weight loss, and whether eating a Mediterranean diet is effective, safe and sustainable for diabetes treatment.

Over a four-year period, 215 overweight diabetics were assigned to eat either a low carbohydrate Mediterranean type diet, or a typical low fat diet. Both groups received nutritional counseling at the start of the study, and bi-monthly for the next three years.

Diabetics lost weight on the Mediterranean diet, decreased some markers for heart disease, and fewer of the study participants required medications to control blood sugar.

Compared to those eating a low fat diet, only forty four percent of the group given a Mediterranean diet required diabetes medication, compared to seventy percent of diabetics give a low fat diet.

The study authors concluded that a Mediterranean diet seems to be preferable to a low fat diet for controlling blood sugars, and delaying the need for medication to control blood sugar in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics. A caution of the study, is that diabetic food intake was self-reported. The study adds to the list of health benefits associated with consuming a Mediterranean diet.

Diet the key to disease prevention

A healthy Mediterranean diet could greatly reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and diabetes, according to the Director of UniSAs Sansom Institute for Health Research. More info at http://www.unisa.edu.au/news/2009/090609.asp

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-14041-Charlotte-Health-and-Happiness-Examiner~y2009m8d31-Mediterranean-diet-beats-low-fat-for-diabetes