Defeat Diabetes^® E-Lerts™ Newsletter

September  2004
(Volume III, Issue 9)

Lose weight, exercise, see your physician regularly, test often and take your meds. Our readers are very savvy and know all of the above (whether we all follow these practices or not is another matter). We're presenting new information for you and it's News You Can Use.

This month we've divided our Latest News into 3 categories.  Risks, Symptoms and Tests for heart disease, heart attacks, depression and brain swelling.  In our Good Foods, most people know about the benefits of blueberries, but do you know about kiwifruit and tomato juice? The Veterans Administration (VA) is doing a wonderful job in their care for diabetics. Care, Drugs and Supplements also includes two articles about drugs and supplements.

Cooking has never been one of my strong points. To get me in the kitchen, I require easy to prepare, as well as lower fat and lower carb recipes and Jyl Steinback's (America's Healthiest Mom) succeeds in being tasty too.

Those who are not insulin dependent don't realize what's involved with taking the correct amount of insulin.  In this month's Islets of Humor™, Theresa Garnero addresses humorously the complexity of insulin formulas and this time of year when we've sent our children back to school.

Treatments on the Horizon include fruit flies that have cells that function like a miniature pancreas and how pancreatic stem cells can lead to a cure for diabetes. Also there are 2 pills or treatments that revolve around losing weight, revving up metabolism, and stopping smoking.

Did you know that diabetes equals heart disease? Atherosclerosis (a diseased heart) is the cause of death for almost 7 of every 10 people with diabetes and more than half of the people who are newly diagnosed with diabetes already have heart disease. In this month's Nutrition News, Barbara Quinn tackles this subject.

Mr. Diabetes®, Andy Mandell, has earned another prestigious distinction:  The President’s Challenge Active Lifestyle Gold Award. read more    Over 5600 miles on the Mr. Diabetes® Wake Up and Walk® Tour and still counting!!!! Yea Andy!!!

Is it possible to get too few carbohydrates? Does diabetes cause any problems in the liver? Those are two questions we answer in this month's Reader's Forum.

We want to hear from you. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions on how we can improve E-Lerts™, Please let us know. You can email me directly at lrasolt@DefeatDiabetes.org or  info@DefeatDiabetes.org.

Good Health,
Lisa M. Rasolt
Program Director
lrasolt@DefeatDiabetes.org

Awareness + Action = Prevention^®
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Did You Know?
The UKPDS showed that an HbA1c of above 7% is a strong predictor of diabetes-related health complications.
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Latest News - Risks, Symptoms and Tests
Researchers Devise Way To Detect Brain Swelling In Diabetic Children A rare swelling of the brain that is nonetheless the most common diabetes-related cause of death for children with the disease could be caught earlier - if practitioners learn to recognize key signs.
Depression Derails Diabetics' Self-care People with diabetes who are depressed are less likely to watch what they eat, to exercise, and to take their medications. Lin concluded that people with poor diabetes control might be helped "by screening for major depression and treating it effectively, including systematic follow-up."
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Did You Know?
A brisk 15-minute walk is equivalent in relaxation power to taking 5 milligrams of Valium.
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Global Study Shows Nine Factors That Identify 90% Of Heart Attack Risk The vast majority of heart attacks can be predicted by nine easily measurable factors, that are the same in every region and ethnic group worldwide. The study found that the two most important risk factors are cigarette smoking and an abnormal ratio of blood lipids (Apolipoprotein B/Apolipoprotein A-1), which together predicted two-thirds of the global risk of heart attack.
C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test - A Key Indicator of Heart Disease Risk In addition to monitoring lipid, or cholesterol, levels, Mayo Clinic cardiologists have begun ordering a new screening test for heart disease risk, called high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP). An elevated CRP level increases the risk for creating arteriosclerosis and plaque rupture that causes heart attack.
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Did You Know?
Most Airlines hold the Exit Rows till the morning of the flight, if you want the extra leg room, call before you leave for the airport or ask when you check in.
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Latest News - Good Foods
Kiwifruit Benefits Heart Health Similar To Aspirin "Our study shows that consuming two or three kiwifruit per day for 28 days significantly reduced platelet aggregation (blood clotting) in human volunteers, similar to aspirin. Moreover, plasma triglyceride levels were also reduced in these volunteers."
Tomato Juice Reduces Clotting in Diabetics Researchers have found that drinking tomato juice for three weeks had a blood-thinning effect in people with diabetes and may help stave off the heart troubles that often complicate the disease. The juice reduced "platelet aggregation" -- the blood's ability to clot. "In diabetes, there are a lot of pro-inflammatory markers that contribute to increasing platelet aggregation, so if there's something we can do that can reverse or limit that, that would be a very positive thing."
Blueberries Fights Heart Disease, Cancer and Diabetes They have potential to lower cholesterol as effectively as commercial drugs. Blueberries, already known to help fight cancer and diabetes, may guard against heart disease as well.
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Did You Know?
An increase in HbA1c of just 1% corresponded to a 35% increase in risk of nerve, eye and kidney complications.
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Latest News - Care, Drugs and Supplements 
VA Treatment Tops Managed Care for Diabetes Diabetic patients treated by the country's long-maligned VA health system got better care than diabetics under managed health care plans. "The VA has instituted system-wide standards, integrated care, and a way to track and monitor how their patients are doing."
Cholesterol Drugs Lower Glaucoma Risk Researchers found a 40 percent decrease in glaucoma among long-term statin users. There are a couple of good reasons to suspect that statins might actually be protective for patients against developing glaucoma, or perhaps in the future against the worsening of glaucoma if someone has already developed it.
Chromium Picolinate Cleared Of Toxic Charges The safety research overwhelmingly confirms that chromium picolinate is a safe nutritional supplement. Chromium picolinate received a further boost when the Society of Toxicology affirmed its safety as a nutritional supplement.
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Did You Know?
Exercise causes cells to become more sensitive to insulin, so sugar is taken out of the blood, and exercising muscles use more sugar. The result is a more normal blood sugar level.
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Diabetic Recipes recipes
We're presenting a delicious mix of easy to prepare dishes from Jyl Steinback's (America's Healthiest Mom) new cookbook: Supermarket Gourmet.
Vegetable-Cheese Wonton Wraps
Berry Salad Dressing
Leaf Lettuce with Pears and Feta Cheese
Poached Salmon with Spinach and Cheese
Grilled Peppers and Onions
Chocolate Chip Cookies
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WE NEED YOUR HELP to continue our highly recognized and well received programs, but we would like to do more. Defeat Diabetes Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  Our web site is secure and all donations are tax-deductible.
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Islets of Humor™ humor
September 2004
By Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CEDE

see more of Theresa's cartoons and read about Theresa
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Mr. Diabetes^® Says
Mere longevity is a good thing for those who watch Life from the side lines. For those who play the game, an hour may be a year, a single day's work an achievement for eternity. -- Gabriel Heatter
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Treatments on the Horizon
Help Is On The Way For Losing Weight And Smoking Cessation First year results of the two year trial Rimonabant In Obesity (RIO, a Phase III clinical study), showed a 3.5 inch reduction in waist circumference, 19 pounds lost, reduced metabolic syndrome 50%, raised HDL 28%. Rimonabant (endocannabinoid) in another study doubled the odds of quitting smoking without weight gain.
Fruit Fly Pancreas Points to Possible Diabetes Cures Fruit flies have cells that function like a miniature pancreas, which is good news for researchers hoping to use the tiny insects to develop cures for diabetes.
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Did You Know?
HDL, Your Good Cholesterol: For each number that you increase your HDL, you lower your cardiac risk by 1 percent
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Pancreatic Stem Cells Can Be A Cure For Diabetes Toronto University scientists have said that stem cells can be a cure for diabetes, thereby eradicating the need for replacing insulin. The lead scientists of the study have identified individual cells in the adult mouse pancreas that are capable of making insulin-producing "beta cells." These beta cells make up the tissues in the organ that release insulin and help regulate the body's blood sugar levels.
Exercise Pill Will Rev Up Metabolism & Protect Against Obesity Altering a single gene can give your body the benefits of training without the need to sweat, allowing your body to eat large amounts of food without getting fat. The discovery could lead to treatments for obesity and disorders associated with it, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
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Did You Know?
The new CheeseBurger Bills that all the states are trying to pass, bars people from seeking damages in court from food companies for weight gain and associated medical conditions, including heart disease and diabetes. This year, a dozen states have enacted CheeseBurger laws.
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Nutrition News nutrition
September 2004
By Barbara Quinn, MS, RD, CDE

Diabetes Equals Heart Disease?
Diet recommendations

Consider these statistics:

• Atherosclerosis (a diseased heart) is the cause of death for almost 7 of every 10 people with diabetes.
• More than half of the people who are newly diagnosed with diabetes already have heart disease.

It is now clear that diabetes is not just a “sugar” issue. If you have diabetes, you are at high risk for heart disease.

What’s the treatment? “TLC---Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes” that involve diet, exercise and weight loss remain the primary treatments for diabetes and heart disease. read more and  About Barbara Quinn
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Did You Know?
One can of coke contains nearly 10 teaspoons of sugar or the entire daily recommended amount of calories from sugar.
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Readers' Forum forum
Q - Does diabetes cause any problems in the liver? - Casey - for our answer

Q - I have noticed that when I cut way back on carbohydrates my glucometer readings are good. My question: At what point will I not be getting enough carbohydrates? - Mel - for our answer
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Did You Know?
People with diabetes had a 65 percent higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. For the measurements of cognitive decline, researchers found a difference between diabetics and nondiabetics only in the speed of making simple perceptual comparisons. Results were controlled for age, sex, and educational level. Archives of Neurology. May 2004, Vol. 61, pp. 661-666.
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This concludes the Defeat Diabetes^® E-Lerts™ Newsletter.

If there are specific questions you have, you may reach us at info@DefeatDiabetes.org.

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The Defeat Diabetes Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  Our web site is secure and all donations are tax-deductible.

Important Notice: The opinions and statements expressed in the Defeat Diabetes^® E-Lertsä Newsletter are directed at a general audience. Its intent is solely for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes and is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. Please consult a health professional on any matters regarding your health and well-being, or if you are interested in anything mentioned in the Defeat Diabetes^® E-Lertsä Newsletter. The information presented here is believed to be accurate, based on the best judgment of the Program Director, but the reader is responsible for consulting with his/her own health professional on any matters raised within.