Defeat Diabetes^® E-Lerts™ Newsletter

February 2005
(Volume IV, Issue 2)

Very Important Diabetes Information
This issue of E-Lerts™ is packed with information that can impact every day of your life. We've posted a list of drugs that may affect blood glucose levels in diabetics or nondiabetics. Keep your teeth and gums healthy; this is especially important for diabetics.

Take the Test. Defeat Diabetes® Screening Test as recommended in Bottom Line, Volume 26 Number 5, March 1, 2005, page 3.

Did you know there is a traditional Indian medicine to treat diabetes seems to lower blood sugar and insulin levels in a manner similar to prescription drugs? Also, why are green tea extract and fish oil supplements recommended so highly? What's the story with vitamin E? Read about all of these in our Latest News - Herbs and Supplements section.

Here's a twist on an old favorite song: a spoonful of vinegar helps the sugar go down. There's a nut that increases HDL and lowers LDL - do you know which one? Read Latest News - Food.

If you do one certain thing, you'll never gain another pound. Family stress can lead to diabetes? Read all about it in Latest News - Taking Care of Yourself.

Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE has targeted the important subject of dental care and diabetes as her theme this month.  DIABeducation™ talks about periodontal disease, hyperglycemia and the practical how-to. Islets of Humor™ as always makes us smile.

I enjoy learning new things and for this month's Readers' Forum I really needed to do research to answer our readers' questions about diabetes and the metabolism of food and the expected life span for pets with diabetes.

There are some great Treatments on the Horizon from bat saliva to a new islet transplant to a promising new oral diabetes drug to a "master switch" that triggers insulin resistance.

Diabetic Recipes: In much of the world, the weather outside is still raw and cold, so let's warm up with some great soups, stews, bisques, chilis and chowders from America's Healthiest Mom, Jyl Steinback.

Our Executive Director, Andy Mandell, Mr. Diabetes®, is still at home base for the winter and is he keeping us busy! He misses being out on the road for the Mr. Diabetes® Wake Up and Walk® Tour and interacting with all the great people he meets on his travels. We'll keep you updated as to when he'll be on his way again.

Good Health,
Lisa M. Rasolt
Program Director
lrasolt@DefeatDiabetes.org
Awareness + Action = Prevention®
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Defeat Diabetes® Public Awareness Programs donate
Defeat Diabetes Foundation has provided over 2.2 million Defeat Diabetes® Screening Tests to over 4600 schools in all 50 states. We need your financial support for all of our Defeat Diabetes® Public Awareness Programs. Defeat Diabetes Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  Our web site is secure and all donations are tax-deductible. Donate Now
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Very Important Diabetes Information
Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy This is a great preventive how-to page for all people, but especially diabetics. February is National Children's Dental Health Month.
Drugs That May Affect Blood Glucose Levels There are medicines that can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) in diabetics and in nondiabetics. These pharmaceuticals will have an even greater effect on the patient with diabetes and should either be avoided or used with vigilance and with a consideration of changing the amount of the diabetes medication used.
Defeat Diabetes® Screening Test as recommended in Bottom Line, Volume 26 Number 5, March 1, 2005, page 3. Take the Test.
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Did You Know?
Individuals who have poor control of their blood sugar get periodontal disease more often and more severely than people who have good diabetic control. Many types of bacteria thrive on sugar, including glucose, the sugar that is linked to diabetes. When diabetes is poorly controlled, high glucose levels are found in the mouth that help bacteria grow. This is the beginning of gum disease.
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Latest News - Herbs and Supplements
Herb for Diabetes  Researchers have found an herb used in traditional Indian medicine to treat diabetes seems to lower blood sugar and insulin levels in a manner similar to prescription drugs.
Green Tea Extract Can Increase Endurance by 24 Percent and Speeds Up Fat Breakdown Green tea extract appears to stimulate the use of fatty acids by the muscle, reducing carbohydrate use and allowing for longer exercise times.
Fish Oil Supplements May Be Safer Than Eating Fish  Consumption of fish oil supplements vs fish meals may confer the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids without the risks of toxins.
Vitamin E Unlikely to Improve Endothelial or LV Function in Diabetics  High doses of vitamin E have no beneficial effects on endothelial or left ventricular function in patients with long-standing type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
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Did You Know?
Brown Rice Helps Lessen After-meal Hyperlipidemia (elevation of lipids in the bloodstream. These lipids include cholesterol, cholesterol esters, estersphospholipids and triglycerides) Intake of germinated brown rice can inhibit the elevation in neutral fat after a meal. Further, they have concluded that a regular intake of germinated brown rice may lessen postprandial hyperlipidemia. Japan Society of Adult Diseases, Jan. 9, 2005
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Latest News - Food
A Spoonful of Vinegar Helps the Sugar Go Down 2 tablespoons of vinegar before a meal even as part of a vinaigrette salad dressing—will dramatically reduce the spike in blood concentrations of insulin and glucose that come after a meal.
Using Walnuts For Lowering Lipids In Type 2 Diabetes 30 grams of walnuts/day delivering substantial amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acid improved the lipid profile of patients with type 2 diabetes. Increasing HDL and lowering LDL by 10%.
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Did You Know?
Exercise can cut depression symptoms in half. A new study finds exercising just a half hour a few times a week can cut the symptoms of depression in half. That's close to the same benefit many people get from antidepressants. Researchers at UT Southwestern found the more intense the exercise, the better the results. Researchers say this is new proof that exercise can treat depression as well as medication but should still be supervised by a doctor. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Jan, 2005
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Latest News - Taking Care of Yourself
Walk 2000 More Steps a Day and Never Gain Another Pound 6000 steps a day significantly reduces risk of death, and 8000-10,000 a day promotes weight loss.
Family Stress Linked to Autoimmune Diabetes in Children Psychological strain in families may be involved in triggering diabetes-related autoimmunity in infancy, as well as progression of the condition, according to new study findings. Moreover, the association is independent of any family history of diabetes.
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Did You Know?
There are more bacteria in your mouth right now than there are people on Earth. If those germs settle into your gums, you've got gum disease. Dentek
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Islets of Humor™ humor
February 2005
By Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE
For more of Theresa's cartoons
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Did You Know?
More than 40 percent of Americans take at least one prescription drug and 16.5 percent--one person in every six--take three or more, said the government. Both figures are up about 5 percentage points in recent years. The study found spending on health climbed 9.3 percent in 2002 to $1.6 trillion.
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DIABeducation™ diabeducation
February 2005
By Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE

Something To Smile About
Brush your teeth! Mom was right. And especially if you have diabetes. 

Did you know that gum disease (periodontal disease) is the most common oral complication of diabetes? Under conditions of high blood glucose (hyperglycemia), tissues surrounding the teeth are prone to swelling and inflammation.

Do you have any of these signs or symptoms? read more
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Mr. Diabetes^® Says
Great thoughts reduced to practice become great acts. William Hazlitt
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Readers' Forum forum
I enjoy learning new things and this month I really needed to do research to answer our readers' questions about diabetes and metabolism of food and the expected life span for pets with diabetes.
Q - How does diabetes affect metabolism of food? - Stephanie for our response
Q - What is the expected life span for a diabetic pet? - Jon -  for our response
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Did You Know?
Heart disease is the leading cause of diabetes-related deaths. Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about 2 to 4 times higher than adults without diabetes. CDC
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Treatments on the Horizon
Drug From Bat Saliva May Help Treat Stroke An experimental clot-busting drug made from the saliva of a vampire bat can restore blood flow to the brain as long as nine hours after the onset of stroke symptoms, according to new research.
Scientists Discover 'Master Switch' that Triggers Insulin Resistance & Type 2 Diabetes  Scientists have discovered why excess weight leads to low-grade inflammation, which hampers the body's ability to use insulin. They found that the "master switch" of this inflammation is activated in the liver by weight gain. And they showed it can be turned off by salicylates, a class of drugs that includes aspirin.
Edmonton-Japanese Team Perform 1st Insulin Cell Transplant Using Living Donor Using living donors could allow many more patients to get transplants sooner, and the quality will be much better coming from a living donor than from the donated organ of a dead person.
New Oral Drug For Type 2 Diabetes  "It enhances the action of insulin and improves the control of blood glucose levels." "ISF402 lowers blood glucose and has been shown to be more effective when co-administered with injected insulin."
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Did You Know?
If you are a smoker, have diabetes, and are 45 years old or older you are 20 times more likely to have gum disease as compared to a person who has none of these conditions. If you have gum disease you will have a worse diabetic condition than someone who has healthy gums. Family Health Administration
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Diabetic Recipes recipes
In much of the world, the weather outside is still raw and cold, so let's warm up with some great soups, stews, bisques, chilis and chowders from America's Healthiest Mom, Jyl Steinback.
Beef and Barley Stew
Crab Bisque
Cream of Asparagus Soup
Lentil Soup
Fish Chowder
Chili with Winter Squash and Beans
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Did You Know?
Among Pima Indians with type 2 diabetes, periodontal disease strongly predicts mortality from heart disease and kidney disease, according to a study published in the January issue of Diabetes Care.
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This concludes the Defeat Diabetes^® E-Lerts™ Newsletter.

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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.