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Diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar (glucose) levels in your body are too high. Diabetes can cause serious health problems, including heart attack or stroke, blindness, problems during pregnancy, and kidney failure. About 15 million women in the United States have diabetes, or about 1 in every 9 adult women.1

Diabetes is a disease caused by high levels of blood sugar (glucose) in your body. This can happen when your body does not make insulin or does not use insulin correctly.

Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas, an organ near your stomach. Insulin helps the glucose from food get into your body's cells for energy. If your body does not make enough insulin, or your body does not use the insulin correctly, the glucose stays and builds up in your blood.

Over time, this extra glucose can lead to prediabetes or diabetes. Diabetes puts you at risk for other serious and life-threatening health problems, such asheart disease, stroke, blindness, and kidney damage.

The three main types of diabetes are:

A risk factor is something that puts you at a higher risk for a disease compared to the average person.

Risk factors fortype 1 diabetesin women and girls include:

Risk factors fortype 2 diabetesin women and girls include:4

If you have any of these risk factors, talk to your doctor about ways to lower your risk for diabetes. You can also take theDiabetes Risk Testand talk about the results with your doctor.

Type 1 diabetesusually develops in children and young adults, but it can happen at any age.5 It is more common in non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks than in Hispanic populations.6 About 5% of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.1If you have a parent or sibling with the disease you may be more likely to develop type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetesis more common in adults, especially in people who are 45 and older, have a family history of diabetes, or have overweight or obesity. About 9095% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common in children and teens, which may be because more of them have overweight and obesity.7,8,9

Yes. It is more common for certain racial and ethnic groups to have diabetes. This affects women who are:

Learn more about risk factors for diabetes.

Diabetes affects women and men in almost equal numbers. However, diabetes affects women differently than men.

Compared with men with diabetes, women with diabetes have:12

Yes. The longer you have type 2 diabetes, the higher your risk for developing serious medical problems from diabetes. Also, if you smoke and have diabetes, you are even more likely to develop serious medical problems from diabetes, compared with people who have diabetes and do not smoke.14

The extra glucose in the blood that leads to diabetes can damage your nerves and blood vessels. Nerve damage from diabetes can lead to pain or a permanent loss of feeling in your hands, feet, and other parts of your body.15

Blood vessel damage from diabetes can also lead to:

Women with diabetes are also at higher risk for:

Researchers do not know the exact causes of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Researchers do know that inheriting certain genes from your family can raise your risk for developing diabetes. Obesity is also a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Smoking can also cause type 2 diabetes. And the more you smoke the higher your risk for type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems if you already have diabetes.16

Weight loss can help control type 2 diabetes so that you are healthier. Quitting smoking can also help you control your blood sugar levels. Being a healthy weight and not smoking can help all women be healthier.

But, obesity and smoking do not always cause diabetes. Some women who are overweight or obese or smoke never develop diabetes. Also, women who are a normal weight or only slightly overweight can develop diabetes if they have otherrisk factors, such as a family history of diabetes.

Type 1 diabetessymptoms are usually more severe and may develop suddenly.

Type 2 diabetesmay not cause any signs or symptoms at first. Symptoms can develop slowly over time. You may not notice them right away.

Common signs and symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes include:

Maybe. You should be tested for diabetes if you are between 40 and 70 years old and are overweight or obese. Your doctor may recommend testing earlier than age 40 if you also have otherrisk factors for diabetes. Also, talk to your doctor about diabetes testing if you havesigns or symptomsof diabetes. Your doctor will use a blood test to see if you have diabetes.

If the testing shows that your blood sugar levels are high, you can begin making healthy changes to your eating habits and getting more physical activity to help prevent diabetes.

Prediabetes means your blood sugar (glucose) level is higher than normal, but it is lower than the diabetes range. It also means you are at higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes andheart disease.

As many as 27 million American women have prediabetes.17 If you have prediabetes, you can make healthy changes, such as doing some type of physical activity on most days, to lower your risk of getting diabetes and return to normal blood sugar levels. Losing 7% of your body weight (or 14 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds) can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes by more than half. If you have prediabetes, get your blood glucose checked every year by a doctor or nurse.4

Diabetes treatment includes managing your blood sugar levels to control your symptoms. You can help control your blood sugar levels by eating healthy and getting regular physical activity.

With type 1 diabetes, you also will need to take insulinthrough shots or an insulin pump. Insulin cannot be taken as a pill.

Type 2 diabetes treatment also may include taking medicine to control your blood sugar.Over time, people with type 2 diabetes make less and less of their own insulin. This may mean that you will need to increase your medicines or start taking insulin shots to keep your diabetes in control.

Learn more about controlling diabetes at theNational Diabetes Education Programwebsite.

Researchers do not know how to prevent type 1 diabetes. Researchers are still looking for ways to prevent type 1 diabetes in women and girls by studying their close relatives who have diabetes.

Yes. Many studies, including the largeDiabetes Prevention Programstudy, have proven that you can prevent diabetes by losing weight. Weight loss through healthy eating and more physical activity improves the way your body uses insulin and glucose.

Learnhow to eat healthier and get more physical activity.

Yes. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you can have a healthy pregnancy. If you have diabetes and you want to have a baby, you need to plan ahead,beforeyou get pregnant.

Talk to your doctor before you get pregnant. He or she can talk to you about steps you can take to keep your baby healthy. This may include a diabetes education program to help you better understand your diabetes and how to control it during pregnancy.

For more information about diabetes, call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or contact the following organizations:

This content is provided by the Office on Women's Health.

Excerpt from:
Diabetes | Womenshealth.gov

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive, chronic disease related to your body's challenges with regulating blood sugar. It is often associated with generalized inflammation. Your pancreas produces the hormone insulin to convert sugar (glucose) to energy that you either use immediately or store. With type 2 diabetes, you are unable to use that insulin efficiently. Although your body produces the hormone, either there isn't enough of it to keep up with the amount of glucose in your system, or the insulin being produced isn't being used as well as it should be, both of which result in high blood sugar levels.

While this can produce different types of complications, good blood sugar control efforts can help to prevent them. This relies heavily on lifestyle modifications such as weight loss, dietary changes, exercise and, in some cases, medication. But, depending on your age, weight, blood sugar level, and how long you've had diabetes, you may not need a prescription right away. Treatment must be tailored to you and, though finding the perfect combination may take a little time, it can help you live a healthy, normal life with diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is most common is those who are genetically predisposed and who are overweight, lead a sedentary lifestyle, have high blood pressure, and/or have insulin resistance due to excess weight. People of certain ethnicities are more likely to develop diabetes, too. These include: African Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Asian Americans. These populations are more likely to be overweight and have high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing diabetes.

As you age, you are also at increased risk of developing diabetes.

A poor diet and smoking can also affect your risk.

There are many complications of diabetes. Knowing and understanding the signs of these complications is important. If caught early, some of these complications can be treated and prevented from getting worse. The best way to prevent complications of diabetes is to keep your blood sugars in good control. High glucose levels produce changes in the blood vessels themselves, as well as in blood cells (primarily erythrocytes) that impair blood flow to various organs.

Complications of diabetes are broken into two categories: microvascular (damage to the small blood vessels) and macrovascular (damage to the large blood vessels). They can include:

Often people don't experience symptoms of diabetes until their blood sugars are very high. Symptoms of diabetes include: increased thirst, increased urination, increased hunger, extreme fatigues, numbness and tingling in the extremities (hands and feet), cuts and wounds that are slow to heal, and blurred vision. Some people also experience other less common symptoms including weight loss, dry itchy skin, increased yeast infections, erectile dysfunction, and acanthosis nigricans (thick, "velvety" patches found in the folds or creases of skin, such as the neck, that is indicative of insulin resistance).

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, don't ignore them. Make an appointment to see your doctor. The earlier diabetes is caught, the more likely you can prevent complications.

A diagnosis of diabetes can be done using a variety of blood tests.

If you are at increased risk of diabetes, have symptoms of diabetes, or have pre-diabetes (a major warning sign for diabetes), your doctor will check to see if you have diabetes. Your doctor may also check to see if you have diabetes if you are over the age of 45, have a family history of the disease, are overweight, or if you are at increased risk for another reason. The tests used to check for diabetes are the same tests used to check for pre-diabetes.

Fasting blood sugar test: This test checks your blood sugar when you haven't eaten for at least eight hours. A fasting blood sugar above 126 could be indicative of diabetes. Your doctor will re-check this to determine if you have diabetes.

Glucose tolerance test: This is a test that checks how you respond to sugar. You will be given a sample of sugar (75 grams over the course of two hours). If your blood sugar is above target after that time, you may be diagnosed with diabetes.

Hemoglobin A1c: This test checks your blood sugar over the course of three months.

If your blood sugar is above 6.5 percent, you may be considered to have diabetes.

Random blood sugar test: Your doctor can do this test if you are experiencing symptoms of diabetesincrease thirst, fatigue, increased urination. If your blood sugar is above 200mg/dL, you may be considered to have diabetes.

If you have no symptoms and any of these tests are positive, the American Diabetes Association recommends that a new blood sample be drawn to confirm a diagnosis.

While you can't change getting older, your family history, or ethnicity, you can work on ways to reduce your weight and waist circumference, increase your activity, and lower your blood pressure.

Eating a balanced diet that is rich in fiber, non-starchy vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fat can help get you to your goal weight and reduce your waist size and body mass index (BMI). Reducing your intake of sweetened beverages (juices, sodas) is the easiest way to lose weight and reduce blood sugars. If you are someone who has high blood pressure and are salt sensitive, aim to reduce your intake of sodium; do not add salt to your food, read package labels for added sodium, and reduce your intake of fast food and take out. Don't go on a diet. Instead, adapt a healthier way of eating, one that you'll enjoy for a long time.

Exercising regularly, about 30 minutes a day or 150 minutes per week, can also help to reduce your weight and blood pressure. Finally, if you smoke, aim to quit. Smoking can increase your risk of stroke, blood pressure, and heart attack, and quitting can reduce your risk of diabetes.

The good news is that if you have diabetes, you have a great amount of control in managing your disease. Although it can be difficult to manage a disease on a daily basis, the resources and support for people with diabetes is endless. It's important for you to receive as much education as possible so that you can take advantage of all the good information that is out there (and weed out the bad).

Don't let others let you feel like a diabetes diagnosis means you are doomed.

All people with diabetes should also be seen by an ophthalmologist after diagnosis. Diabetes can affect the eyes before it is even diagnosed. After the initial session, people should be seen every two years if there are no issues, or more often if there are.

In addition, people with diabetes should have a comprehensive foot exam by a podiatrist once they are diagnosed or if they are experiencing issues, such as tingling of the feet, pain, sores, hammer toes, thick dry skin, or fungal nails.

A registered dietitian and/or certified diabetes educator will educate you on how to eat for diabetes and provide you the tools you need to self-manage your diabetes.

Some other doctors you may want to or have to add to your list as the disease progresses include a cardiologist (to make sure your heart is working efficiently and you have no blockages in your arteries), a vascular doctor (a doctor who specializes in veins and circulatory issues), and a therapist to help you cope with your diagnosis.

What you eat plays a major part in your diabetes controland your weight. Eating a balanced diet that is rich in non-starchy vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats can help you improve your nutrition, lose weight, and lower your blood sugars.

These dedicated Verywell sections can help you improve your diabetes diet know-how:Type 2 Diabetes DietDietitian Advice and Recipes

It isn't always easy to start an exercise regimen, but once you get into a groove, you may be surprised at how much you enjoy it. Find a way to fit activity into your daily routine. Even a few minutes a day goes a long way. The American Diabetes Association recommends that adults with diabetes should perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week (spread over at least three days with no more than two consecutive days without exercise). You don't have to start with this right away, though. Start with five to 10 minutes per day and go from there. To stay motivated, find a buddy, get a fitness tracker, or use another measurement tool that can help you see your progress.

The American Diabetes Association recommends that blood sugars be 80mg/dL-130mg/dL before meals and less than or equal to 180mg/dL two hours after meals. Blood sugar targets are individualized based on a variety of factors such as age, length of diagnosis, if you have other health issues, etc. For example, if you are an elderly person, your targets maybe a bit higher than someone else. Ask your physician what targets are right for you.

Read: High and Low Blood Sugar: Managing the Ups and Downs

The above tips are important for you. But it's also crucial to allow yourself time to cope with the diagnosis and commit to making lifestyle changes that will benefit you forever. The good news is the diabetes is a manageable disease; the tough part is that you must think about it daily. Consider finding supportsomeone that you can talk to about your strugglesbe that a friend, another person with diabetes, or a loved one. This may seem trivial, but it truly can help you take control of diabetes so that it doesn't control you. Some next steps that may help you to get on the right track at this early stage in your journey:

Diabetes is a chronic condition that must be managed daily, but it is manageable. You can live a long, healthy life with diabetes if you adapt a healthy lifestyle. By choosing to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and quit smoking, and seeing your doctors regularly, you will increase your energy, feel better, and maybe even feel great.

Many people with diabetes also have other conditions such as sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Once they change their lifestyle, many of these other symptoms improve or go away. You are in the driver's seat. You have the ability to control diabetes.

And go easy on yourself: Sometimes you can be doing everything perfectly and your blood sugars start to creep up. Because diabetes is a progressive disease, your body slowly stops making insulin over time. If you've had diabetes for a very long time, try not to be discouraged if your doctor has to increase your medication or discusses insulin with you. Continue to do what you can to improve your health.

Excerpt from:
Type 2 Diabetes - Symptoms, Treatment, and More

In the 1950s, about 1 in 5 people died within 20 years after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes. Almost all of them developed diabetic retinopathy, which accounted for about 12% of new cases of blindness between the ages of 45 and 74. People with diabetes relied on inaccurate urine tests to track their blood sugar. They used crude animal-derived insulins to control it.

In 1983, NIH began the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, which enrolled 1,441 people with type 1 diabetes. This landmark study was stopped early because the results so clearly showed that careful control of blood sugar reduced eye, kidney, and nerve complications by 50% to 75%. In a follow-up study 10 years later, researchers learned that rates of heart disease and stroke had declined by half.

Today, people with type 1 diabetes are living longer and healthier lives. New technologies help them keep tight control of their blood sugar using continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps that deliver rapid-acting, bioengineered human insulin.

We also know a lot more about type 2 diabetes. We know that family history, obesity, and physical inactivity are risk factors for this condition, formerly known as adult-onset diabetes. NIH-funded research has shown that type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented. Basic lifestyle interventions modest weight loss and regular exercise slash type 2 diabetes risk by 58% over 3 years in people with pre-diabetes. Despite this good news, type 2 diabetes still accounts for 90% of diabetes cases nationwide and has been increasing at an alarming rate due to the rise in obesity in the United States.

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Diabetes | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

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Sources:

MedicineNet: Diabetes Mellitus<https://www.medicinenet.com/diabetes_mellitus/article.htm>

WebMD: Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes <http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/diabetes-warning-signs>

MedTerms: Insulin <http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=3989>

WebMD: Obesity Overview <https://www.webmd.com/diet/tc/obesity-overview>

WebMD: Obesity - Health Risks of Obesity <https://www.webmd.com/diet/tc/obesity-health-risks-of-obesity>

MedicineNet: Prediabetes Could You Have It? <https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=57580>

MedicineNet: Type 2 Diabetes Pictures Slideshow <https://www.medicinenet.com/type_2_diabetes_pictures_slideshow/article.htm>

WebMD: Diabetes Symptoms and Types <http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/diabetes_symptoms_types>

WebMD: Diabetes and Infection <http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/infections-linked-diabetes>

WebMD: Understanding Diabetes The Basics <http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/understanding-diabetes-basics>

MedicineNet: Diabetes Insipidus <https://www.medicinenet.com/diabetes_insipidus/article.htm>

NIH: Diabetes Insipidus <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001415/>

THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on to make decisions about your health. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on the MedicineNet Site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.

© 1996-2018 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

Link:
Diabetes Quiz: Symptoms & Signs of Diabetes Mellitus & Insipidus

Although diabetes cant be cured, you can still live a long and healthy life. The single most important thing you can do is control your blood sugar level. You can do this by eating right, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and, if needed, taking oral medicines or insulin.

Your doctor will test your blood sugar every 3 months with an A1C test. Also, you can test your blood sugar on your own throughout the day. You will need to use a blood glucose monitor to check it on your own. This involves pricking your finger for blood and putting a test strip in the blood to get the results. If your blood sugar gets too low, you might feel tired, experience problems with muscle coordination, sweat, have difficulty thinking or speaking clearly, twitch, feel like youre going to faint, become pale, lose consciousness, or have a seizure. At the earliest sign of any of these symptoms, eat or drink something that will raise your blood sugar fast. This could include candy, juice, milk, or raisins. If you dont feel better in 15 minutes or if monitoring shows that your blood sugar level is still too low, eat or drink another item to raise your blood sugar fast. Always keep a supply of these items on hand for emergencies.

You may not know if your blood sugar is too high unless you test it yourself. However, you may experience common symptoms such as frequent urination, extreme thirst, blurry vision, and feeling tired. Some factors unrelated to food can make your blood sugar high. This includes not taking your insulin correctly, overeating at a meal, illness, having hormonal changes, and stress.

If your blood sugar level is too high and you take insulin, you may need to take an extra dose of rapid- or short-acting insulin to return it to normal. Your doctor can tell you how much insulin you need to take to lower your blood sugar level.

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Diabetes - familydoctor.org

Diabetes can strike anyone, from any walk of life.

And it does in numbers that are dramatically increasing. In the last decade, the cases of people living with diabetes jumped almost 50 percent to more than 30 million Americans. Worldwide, it afflicts more than 422 million people.

Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, amputations, heart failure and stroke.

Living with diabetes places an enormous emotional, physical and financial burden on the entire family. Annually, diabetes costs the American public more than $245 billion.

Just what is diabetes?

To answer that, you first need to understand the role of insulin in your body. When you eat, your body turns food into sugars, or glucose. At that point, your pancreas is supposed to release insulin. Insulin serves as a key to open your cells, to allow the glucose to enter -- and allow you to use the glucose for energy.

But with diabetes, this system does not work.

Several major things can go wrong causing the onset of diabetes. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are the most common forms of the disease, but there are also other kinds, such as gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy, as well as other forms.

Do you want to learn more about the basics of diabetes?Read our brochure: "What is Diabetes?" in Englishor"Que es La Diabetes?" in Spanish.

The more severe form of diabetes is type 1, or insulin-dependent diabetes. Its sometimes called juvenile diabetes, because type 1 diabetes usually develops in children and teenagers, though it can develop at any age.

With type 1 diabetes, the bodys immune system attacks part of its own pancreas. Scientists are not sure why. But the immune system mistakenly sees the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas as foreign, and destroys them. This attack is known as "autoimmune" disease.

These cells called islets (pronounced EYE-lets) are the ones that sense glucose in the blood and, in response, produce the necessary amount of insulin to normalize blood sugars.

Insulin serves as a key to open your cells, to allow the glucose to enter -- and allow you to use the glucose for energy. Without insulin, there is no key. So, the sugar stays -- and builds up-- in the blood. The result: the bodys cells starve from the lack of glucose. And, if left untreated, the high level of blood sugar can damage eyes, kidneys, nerves, and the heart, and can also lead to coma and death.

So, a person with type 1 treats the disease by taking insulin injections. This outside source of insulin now serves as the key -- bringing glucose to the bodys cells.

The challenge with this treatment is that its often not possible to know precisely how much insulin to take. The amount is based on many factors, including:

Food

Exercise

Stress

Emotions and general health

These factors fluctuate greatly throughout every day. So, deciding on what dose of insulin to take is a complicated balancing act.

If you take too much, then your body burns too much glucose -- and your blood sugar can drop to a dangerously low level. This is a condition called hypoglycemia, which, if untreated, can be potentially life-threatening.

If you take too little insulin, your body can again be starved of the energy it needs, and your blood sugar can rise to a dangerously high level -- a condition called hyperglycemia. This also increases the chance of long-term complications.

The most common form of diabetes is called type 2, or non-insulin dependent diabetes.

This is also called adult onset diabetes, since it typically develops after age 35. However, a growing number of younger people are now developing type 2 diabetes.

People with type 2 are able to produce some of their own insulin. Often, its not enough. And sometimes, the insulin will try to serve as the key to open the bodys cells, to allow the glucose to enter. But the key wont work. The cells wont open. This is called insulin resistance.

Often, type 2 is tied to people who are overweight, with a sedentary lifestyle.

Treatment focuses on diet and exercise. If blood sugar levels are still high, oral medications are used to help the body use its own insulin more efficiently. In some cases, insulin injections are necessary.

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What is Diabetes?

Diagnosis

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes often appear suddenly and are often the reason for checking blood sugar levels. Because symptoms of other types of diabetes and prediabetes come on more gradually or may not be evident, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has recommended screening guidelines. The ADA recommends that the following people be screened for diabetes:

Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. This blood test, which doesn't require fasting, indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. It measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells.

The higher your blood sugar levels, the more hemoglobin you'll have with sugar attached. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates that you have diabetes. An A1C between 5.7 and 6.4 percent indicates prediabetes. Below 5.7 is considered normal.

If the A1C test results aren't consistent, the test isn't available, or you have certain conditions that can make the A1C test inaccurate such as if you're pregnant or have an uncommon form of hemoglobin (known as a hemoglobin variant) your doctor may use the following tests to diagnose diabetes:

Oral glucose tolerance test. For this test, you fast overnight, and the fasting blood sugar level is measured. Then you drink a sugary liquid, and blood sugar levels are tested periodically for the next two hours.

A blood sugar level less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) is normal. A reading of more than 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) after two hours indicates diabetes. A reading between 140 and 199 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L and 11.0 mmol/L) indicates prediabetes.

If type 1 diabetes is suspected, your urine will be tested to look for the presence of a byproduct produced when muscle and fat tissue are used for energy because the body doesn't have enough insulin to use the available glucose (ketones). Your doctor will also likely run a test to see if you have the destructive immune system cells associated with type 1 diabetes called autoantibodies.

Your doctor will likely evaluate your risk factors for gestational diabetes early in your pregnancy:

Your doctor may use the following screening tests:

Initial glucose challenge test. You'll begin the glucose challenge test by drinking a syrupy glucose solution. One hour later, you'll have a blood test to measure your blood sugar level. A blood sugar level below 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) is usually considered normal on a glucose challenge test, although this may vary at specific clinics or labs.

If your blood sugar level is higher than normal, it only means you have a higher risk of gestational diabetes. Your doctor will order a follow-up test to determine if you have gestational diabetes.

Follow-up glucose tolerance testing. For the follow-up test, you'll be asked to fast overnight and then have your fasting blood sugar level measured. Then you'll drink another sweet solution this one containing a higher concentration of glucose and your blood sugar level will be checked every hour for a period of three hours.

If at least two of the blood sugar readings are higher than the normal values established for each of the three hours of the test, you'll be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

Depending on what type of diabetes you have, blood sugar monitoring, insulin and oral medications may play a role in your treatment. Eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight and participating in regular activity also are important factors in managing diabetes.

An important part of managing diabetes as well as your overall health is maintaining a healthy weight through a healthy diet and exercise plan:

Healthy eating. Contrary to popular perception, there's no specific diabetes diet. You'll need to center your diet on more fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains foods that are high in nutrition and fiber and low in fat and calories and cut down on saturated fats, refined carbohydrates and sweets. In fact, it's the best eating plan for the entire family. Sugary foods are OK once in a while, as long as they're counted as part of your meal plan.

Yet understanding what and how much to eat can be a challenge. A registered dietitian can help you create a meal plan that fits your health goals, food preferences and lifestyle. This will likely include carbohydrate counting, especially if you have type 1 diabetes.

Physical activity. Everyone needs regular aerobic exercise, and people who have diabetes are no exception. Exercise lowers your blood sugar level by moving sugar into your cells, where it's used for energy. Exercise also increases your sensitivity to insulin, which means your body needs less insulin to transport sugar to your cells.

Get your doctor's OK to exercise. Then choose activities you enjoy, such as walking, swimming or biking. What's most important is making physical activity part of your daily routine.

Aim for at least 30 minutes or more of aerobic exercise most days of the week. Bouts of activity can be as brief as 10 minutes, three times a day. If you haven't been active for a while, start slowly and build up gradually.

Treatment for type 1 diabetes involves insulin injections or the use of an insulin pump, frequent blood sugar checks, and carbohydrate counting. Treatment of type 2 diabetes primarily involves lifestyle changes, monitoring of your blood sugar, along with diabetes medications, insulin or both.

Monitoring your blood sugar. Depending on your treatment plan, you may check and record your blood sugar as many as four times a day or more often if you're taking insulin. Careful monitoring is the only way to make sure that your blood sugar level remains within your target range. People with type 2 diabetes who aren't taking insulin generally check their blood sugar much less frequently.

People who receive insulin therapy also may choose to monitor their blood sugar levels with a continuous glucose monitor. Although this technology hasn't yet completely replaced the glucose meter, it can significantly reduce the number of fingersticks necessary to check blood sugar and provide important information about trends in blood sugar levels.

Even with careful management, blood sugar levels can sometimes change unpredictably. With help from your diabetes treatment team, you'll learn how your blood sugar level changes in response to food, physical activity, medications, illness, alcohol, stress and for women, fluctuations in hormone levels.

In addition to daily blood sugar monitoring, your doctor will likely recommend regular A1C testing to measure your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months.

Compared with repeated daily blood sugar tests, A1C testing better indicates how well your diabetes treatment plan is working overall. An elevated A1C level may signal the need for a change in your oral medication, insulin regimen or meal plan.

Your target A1C goal may vary depending on your age and various other factors, such as other medical conditions you may have. However, for most people with diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends an A1C of below 7 percent. Ask your doctor what your A1C target is.

Insulin. People with type 1 diabetes need insulin therapy to survive. Many people with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes also need insulin therapy.

Many types of insulin are available, including rapid-acting insulin, long-acting insulin and intermediate options. Depending on your needs, your doctor may prescribe a mixture of insulin types to use throughout the day and night.

Insulin can't be taken orally to lower blood sugar because stomach enzymes interfere with insulin's action. Often insulin is injected using a fine needle and syringe or an insulin pen a device that looks like a large ink pen.

An insulin pump also may be an option. The pump is a device about the size of a cellphone worn on the outside of your body. A tube connects the reservoir of insulin to a catheter that's inserted under the skin of your abdomen.

A tubeless pump that works wirelessly also is now available. You program an insulin pump to dispense specific amounts of insulin. It can be adjusted to deliver more or less insulin depending on meals, activity level and blood sugar level.

An emerging treatment approach, not yet available, is closed loop insulin delivery, also known as the artificial pancreas. It links a continuous glucose monitor to an insulin pump, and automatically delivers the correct amount of insulin when needed.

There are a number of versions of the artificial pancreas, and clinical trials have had encouraging results. More research needs to be done before a fully functional artificial pancreas receives regulatory approval.

However, progress has been made toward an artificial pancreas. In 2016, an insulin pump combined with a continuous glucose monitor and a computer algorithm was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. However, the user still needs to tell the machine how many carbohydrates will be eaten.

Oral or other medications. Sometimes other oral or injected medications are prescribed as well. Some diabetes medications stimulate your pancreas to produce and release more insulin. Others inhibit the production and release of glucose from your liver, which means you need less insulin to transport sugar into your cells.

Still others block the action of stomach or intestinal enzymes that break down carbohydrates or make your tissues more sensitive to insulin. Metformin (Glucophage, Glumetza, others) is generally the first medication prescribed for type 2 diabetes.

Transplantation. In some people who have type 1 diabetes, a pancreas transplant may be an option. Islet transplants are being studied as well. With a successful pancreas transplant, you would no longer need insulin therapy.

But transplants aren't always successful and these procedures pose serious risks. You need a lifetime of immune-suppressing drugs to prevent organ rejection. These drugs can have serious side effects, which is why transplants are usually reserved for people whose diabetes can't be controlled or those who also need a kidney transplant.

Bariatric surgery. Although it is not specifically considered a treatment for type 2 diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes who are obese and have a body mass index higher than 35 may benefit from this type of surgery. People who've undergone gastric bypass have seen significant improvements in their blood sugar levels. However, this procedure's long-term risks and benefits for type 2 diabetes aren't yet known.

Controlling your blood sugar level is essential to keeping your baby healthy and avoiding complications during delivery. In addition to maintaining a healthy diet and exercising, your treatment plan may include monitoring your blood sugar and, in some cases, using insulin or oral medications.

Your doctor also will monitor your blood sugar level during labor. If your blood sugar rises, your baby may release high levels of insulin which can lead to low blood sugar right after birth.

If you have prediabetes, healthy lifestyle choices can help you bring your blood sugar level back to normal or at least keep it from rising toward the levels seen in type 2 diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight through exercise and healthy eating can help. Exercising at least 150 minutes a week and losing about 7 percent of your body weight may prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

Sometimes medications such as metformin (Glucophage, Glumetza, others) also are an option if you're at high risk of diabetes, including when your prediabetes is worsening or if you have cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease or polycystic ovary syndrome.

In other cases, medications to control cholesterol statins, in particular and high blood pressure medications are needed. Your doctor might prescribe low-dose aspirin therapy to help prevent cardiovascular disease if you're at high risk. However, healthy lifestyle choices remain key.

Because so many factors can affect your blood sugar, problems may sometimes arise that require immediate care, such as:

Increased ketones in your urine (diabetic ketoacidosis). If your cells are starved for energy, your body may begin to break down fat. This produces toxic acids known as ketones. Watch for loss of appetite, weakness, vomiting, fever, stomach pain and a sweet, fruity breath.

You can check your urine for excess ketones with an over-the-counter ketones test kit. If you have excess ketones in your urine, consult your doctor right away or seek emergency care. This condition is more common in people with type 1 diabetes.

Hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic syndrome. Signs and symptoms of this life-threatening condition include a blood sugar reading over 600 mg/dL (33.3 mmol/L), dry mouth, extreme thirst, fever, drowsiness, confusion, vision loss and hallucinations. Hyperosmolar syndrome is caused by sky-high blood sugar that turns blood thick and syrupy.

It is seen in people with type 2 diabetes, and it's often preceded by an illness. Call your doctor or seek immediate medical care if you have signs or symptoms of this condition.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). If your blood sugar level drops below your target range, it's known as low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). If you're taking medication that lowers your blood sugar, including insulin, your blood sugar level can drop for many reasons, including skipping a meal and getting more physical activity than normal. Low blood sugar also occurs if you take too much insulin or an excess of a glucose-lowering medication that promotes the secretion of insulin by your pancreas.

Check your blood sugar level regularly, and watch for signs and symptoms of low blood sugar sweating, shakiness, weakness, hunger, dizziness, headache, blurred vision, heart palpitations, irritability, slurred speech, drowsiness, confusion, fainting and seizures. Low blood sugar is treated with quickly absorbed carbohydrates, such as fruit juice or glucose tablets.

Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this disease.

Diabetes is a serious disease. Following your diabetes treatment plan takes round-the-clock commitment. Careful management of diabetes can reduce your risk of serious even life-threatening complications.

Make physical activity part of your daily routine. Regular exercise can help prevent prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, and it can help those who already have diabetes to maintain better blood sugar control. A minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise such as brisk walking most days of the week is recommended.

A combination of exercises aerobic exercises, such as walking or dancing on most days, combined with resistance training, such as weightlifting or yoga twice a week often helps control blood sugar more effectively than does either type of exercise alone.

It's also a good idea to spend less time sitting still. Try to get up and move around for a few minutes at least every 30 minutes or so when you're awake.

In addition, if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes:

Keep your vaccinations up-to-date. High blood sugar can weaken your immune system. Get a flu shot every year, and your doctor may recommend the pneumonia vaccine, as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also currently recommends hepatitis B vaccination if you haven't previously been vaccinated against hepatitis B and you're an adult ages 19 to 59 with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

The most recent CDC guidelines advise vaccination as soon as possible after diagnosis with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. If you are age 60 or older, have diabetes, and haven't previously received the vaccine, talk to your doctor about whether it's right for you.

If you drink alcohol, do so responsibly. Alcohol can cause either high or low blood sugar, depending on how much you drink and if you eat at the same time. If you choose to drink, do so only in moderation one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men and always with food.

Remember to include the carbohydrates from any alcohol you drink in your daily carbohydrate count. And check your blood sugar levels before going to bed.

Numerous substances have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in some studies, while other studies fail to find any benefit for blood sugar control or in lowering A1C levels. Because of the conflicting findings, there aren't any alternative therapies that are currently recommended to help everyone with blood sugar management.

If you decide to try any type of alternative therapy, don't stop taking the medications that your doctor has prescribed. Be sure to discuss the use of any of these therapies with your doctor to make sure that they won't cause adverse reactions or interact with your current therapy.

Additionally, there are no treatments alternative or conventional that can cure diabetes, so it's critical that people who are receiving insulin therapy for diabetes don't stop using insulin unless directed to do so by their physicians.

Living with diabetes can be difficult and frustrating. Sometimes, even when you've done everything right, your blood sugar levels may rise. But stick with your diabetes management plan, and you'll likely see a positive difference in your A1C when you visit your doctor.

Because good diabetes management can be time-consuming, and sometimes overwhelming, some people find it helps to talk to someone. Your doctor can probably recommend a mental health professional for you to speak with, or you may want to try a support group.

Sharing your frustrations and your triumphs with people who understand what you're going through can be very helpful. And you may find that others have great tips to share about diabetes management.

Your doctor may know of a local support group, or you can call the American Diabetes Association at 800-DIABETES (800-342-2383) or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at 800-533-CURE (800-533-2873).

You're likely to start by seeing your primary care doctor if you're having diabetes symptoms. If your child is having diabetes symptoms, you might see your child's pediatrician. If blood sugar levels are extremely high, you'll likely be sent to the emergency room.

If blood sugar levels aren't high enough to put you or your child immediately at risk, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in diabetes, among other disorders (endocrinologist). Soon after diagnosis, you'll also likely meet with a diabetes educator and a dietitian to get more information on managing your diabetes.

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment and to know what to expect.

Preparing a list of questions can help you make the most of your time with your doctor. For diabetes, some questions to ask include:

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:

Link:
Diabetes - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic

Articles OnType 2 Diabetes - Type 2 Diabetes: The Basics Type 2 Diabetes - Type 2 Diabetes: The Basics Type 2 Diabetes - Type 2 Diabetes: The Basics

Diabetes is a life-long disease that affects the way your body handles glucose, a kind of sugar, in your blood.

Most people with the condition have type 2. There are about 27 million people in the U.S. with it. Another 86 million have prediabetes: Their blood glucose is not normal, but not high enough to be diabetes yet.

Your pancreas makes a hormone called insulin. It's what lets your cells turn glucose from the food you eat into energy. People with type 2 diabetes make insulin, but their cells don't use it as well as they should. Doctors call this insulin resistance.

At first, the pancreas makes more insulin to try to get glucose into the cells. But eventually it can't keep up, and the sugar builds up in your blood instead.

Usually a combination of things cause type 2 diabetes, including:

Genes. Scientists have found different bits of DNA that affect how your body makes insulin.

Extra weight. Being overweight or obese can cause insulin resistance, especially if you carry your extra pounds around the middle. Now type 2 diabetes affects kids and teens as well as adults, mainly because of childhood obesity.

Metabolic syndrome. People with insulin resistance often have a group of conditions including high blood glucose, extra fat around the waist, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and triglycerides.

Too much glucose from your liver. When your blood sugar is low, your liver makes and sends out glucose. After you eat, your blood sugar goes up, and usually the liver will slow down and store its glucose for later. But some people's livers don't. They keep cranking out sugar.

Bad communication between cells. Sometimes cells send the wrong signals or don't pick up messages correctly. When these problems affect how your cells make and use insulin or glucose, a chain reaction can lead to diabetes.

Broken beta cells. If the cells that make the insulin send out the wrong amount of insulin at the wrong time, your blood sugar gets thrown off. High blood glucose can damage these cells, too.

While certain things make getting diabetes more likely, they won't give you the disease. But the more that apply to you, the higher your chances of getting it are.

Some things you can't control.

Some things are related to your health and medical history. Your doctor may be able to help.

Other risk factors have to do with your daily habits and lifestyle. These are the ones you can really do something about.

Because you can't change what happened in the past, focus on what you can do now and going forward. Take medications and follow your doctor's suggestions to be healthy. Simple changes at home can make a big difference, too.

Lose weight. Dropping just 7% to 10% of your weight can cut your risk of type 2 diabetes in half.

Get active. Moving muscles use insulin. Thirty minutes of brisk walking a day will cut your risk by almost a third.

Eat right. Avoid highly processed carbs, sugary drinks, and trans and saturated fats. Limit red and processed meats.

Quit smoking. Work with your doctor to avoid gaining weight, so you don't create one problem by solving another.

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be so mild you don't notice them. In fact, about 8 million people who have it don't know it.

Your doctor can test your blood for signs of diabetes. Usually doctors will test you on two different days to confirm the diagnosis. But if your blood glucose is very high or you have a lot of symptoms, one test may be all you need.

A1C: It's like an average of your blood glucose over the past 2 or 3 months.

Fasting plasma glucose: This measures your blood sugar on an empty stomach. You won't be able to eat or drink anything except water for 8 hours before the test.

Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT): This checks your blood glucose before and 2 hours after you drink a sweet drink to see how your body handles the sugar.

Over time, high blood sugar can damage and cause problems with your:

The best way to avoid these complications is to manage your diabetes well.

SOURCES:

American Diabetes Association: "Statistics About Diabetes," "Type 1 Diabetes," "Type 2," "Diagnosing Diabetes and Learning About Prediabetes."

U.S. National Library of Medicine: "Diabetes in Children and Teens."

Cleveland Clinic: "Diabetes Learning Module," "Preventing Diabetes Complications."

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: "Causes of Diabetes."

International Diabetes Federation: "Prevention," "Complications of Diabetes."

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: "Simple Steps to Preventing Diabetes."

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: "Am I at risk for type 2 diabetes?"

Joslin Diabetes Center: "Common Questions About Type 2 Diabetes."

Carolinas HealthCare System: "Yeast Infections and Diabetes: What You Should Know."

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Type 2 Diabetes: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Prevention

How can you tell if you have diabetes? Most early symptoms are from higher-than-normal levels of glucose, a kind of sugar, in your blood.

The warning signs can be so mild that you don't notice them. That's especially true of type 2 diabetes. Some people don't find out they have it until they get problems from long-term damage caused by the disease.

With type 1 diabetes, the symptoms usually happen quickly, in a matter of days or a few weeks. They're much more severe, too.

Both types of diabetes have some of the same telltale warning signs.

Hunger and fatigue. Your body converts the food you eat into glucose that your cells use for energy. But your cells need insulin to bring the glucose in.

If your body doesn't make enough or any insulin, or if your cells resist the insulin your body makes, the glucose can't get into them and you have no energy. This can make you more hungry and tired than usual.

Peeing more often and being thirstier. The average person usually has to pee between four and seven times in 24 hours, but people with diabetes may go a lot more.

Why? Normally your body reabsorbs glucose as it passes through your kidneys. But when diabetes pushes yourblood sugarup, your kidneys may not be able to bring it all back in. This causes the body to make more urine, and that takes fluids.

You'll have to go more often. You might pee out more, too. Because you're peeing so much, you can get very thirsty. When you drink more, you'll also pee more.

Dry mouth and itchy skin. Because your body is using fluids to make pee, there's less moisture for other things. You could get dehydrated, and your mouth may feel dry. Dry skin can make you itchy.

Blurred vision. Changing fluid levels in your body could make the lenses in your eyes swell up. They change shape and lose their ability to focus.

These tend to show up after your glucose has been high for a long time.

Yeast infections. Both men and women with diabetes can get these. Yeast feeds on glucose, so having plenty around makes it thrive. Infections can grow in any warm, moist fold of skin, including:

Slow-healing sores or cuts. Over time, high blood sugar can affect your blood flow and cause nerve damage that makes it hard for your body to heal wounds.

Pain or numbness in your feet or legs. This is another result of nerve damage.

Unplanned weight loss. If your body can't get energy from your food, it will start burning muscle and fat for energy instead. You may lose weight even though you haven't changed how you eat.

Nausea and vomiting. When your body resorts to burning fat, it makes ketones. These can build up in your blood to dangerous levels, a possibly life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. Ketones can make you feel sick to your stomach.

If you're older than 45 or have other risks for diabetes, it's important to get tested. When you spot the condition early, you can avoid nerve damage, heart trouble, and other complications.

As a general rule, call your doctor if you:

SOURCES:

Cleveland Clinic: "Diabetes: Frequently Asked Questions" and "What Is Diabetes?"

University of Michigan Health System: "Type 1 Diabetes."

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: "Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes? Taking Steps to Lower Your Risk of Getting Diabetes."

Baylor Scott & White Healthcare: "Urinary Frequency" and "Diabetes and Diabetic Neuropathy Hard-to-Heal Wounds."

Sutter Health: "Question & Answer: Is Sudden Weight Loss a Sign of Diabetes? If So, Why?"

Neithercott, T. Diabetes Forecast, August 2013.

University of Rochester Medical Center: "Diabetic Skin Troubles."

Joslin Diabetes Center: "Diseases of the Eye" and "Diabetic Neuropathy: What You Need to Know."

The Nemours Foundation: "When Blood Sugar Is Too High."

Virginia Mason Medical Center: "Complications."

Carolinas Health System: "Diabetes: Yeast Infections and Diabetes: What You Should Know."

Continue reading here:
Diabetes Symptoms - webmd.com

Along with all the other consequences of poorly managed diabetes, patients who dont or cant control their sugars are more likely to lose their teeth because of severe periodontitis, an irreversible gum disease that attacks the tissues and bone around the teeth.

The connection has long been known. But exactly why it happens hasnt been so well-understood.

Now, a new study by University of Pennsylvania researchers that was supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research shows that unmanaged diabetes changes bacteria in the mouth so that microbes are more capable of causing disease. That means more inflammation of the gums and bone loss.

The findings on the oral microbiome, researchers hope, will help lead to better dental treatments for people with diabetes and anyone with periodontitis.

Penn Medicine

Dana Graves,D.D.S.

Studies done on the microbiome had been quite limited, says Dana Graves, a professor of periodontics at Penn Dental Medicine and senior author of the study.

Rather than only looking at the bacteria present, for the first time we examined the destructiveness of the bacteria by transferring them from a diabetic mouse to a normal germfree mouse, he said. We found that the bacteria from a diabetic animal created more inflammation and more bone loss than bacteria from normal mice.

About 47 percent of Americans ages 30 and olderand more than 70 percent of adults 65 and older have some form of periodontal disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most common is gingivitis, which causes bleeding of the gums and inflammation, but not irreversible loss of bone around the teeth. With proper dental hygiene, gingivitis is reversible.

Periodontitis an irreversible condition is much less common, affecting 15 percent to 30 percent of dental patients with gum disease and causing damage to soft tissues and destroying the bone that supports the teeth. People with poorly managed diabetes are about three times more likely to have this form of the disease.

In poorly controlled diabetes, there is greater inflammation of the gums, says Graves. You have a cycle where diabetes causes inflammation that changes the bacteria in the mouth, which causes more inflammation, which makes people with diabetes have a higher risk of periodontal disease.

In the study, Penn researchers compared the oral microbiome of healthy mice withanimals with diabetes. They found that the two groups had similar profiles before the diabetic mice developed hyperglycemia or high blood sugar levels. With high blood sugars, the oral microbiome of the diabetic mice shifted, forming a less diverse and more disease-causing community of bacteria.

The diabetic mice developed periodontitis, a loss of bone supporting the teeth, when the blood sugar levels rose, says Graves.

The next step was to uncover whether the microbial changes were responsible for the disease. Researchers tested this by transferring microbes from a diabetic mouse to a nondiabetic mouse. They found that the transferred bacteria of the diabetic animal created more inflammation and more bone loss in the normal mouse.

If you transfer normal bacteria from one mouse to another, it will create some bone loss, says Graves. But in this case, the normal mice who received microbes from the diabetic mice showed significantly more bone loss [42 percent] than mice who had received a microbial transfer from normal mice.

The researchers also found that certain inflammatory markers particularly IL-17, a signaling molecule important in immune response and inflammation were increased in diabetic animals. Higher levels of IL-17 in humans are associated with periodontal disease.

We thought if we blocked IL-17, it might prevent changes in the bacteria, says Graves. After injecting an antibody to IL-17 directly into the gums of the mice, we examined the bacteria and found that its composition had changed less and that it made the bacteria less pathogenic, proof that the greater inflammation associated with diabetes led to a change of the bacteria.

While injecting an antibody into the gums is not an option for humans, it suggests that if you can control inflammation, you could reduce the susceptibility of diabetics to periodontal disease. We need a way to target it a little more carefully, says Graves.

This article, said Renate Lux, professor of periodontics at the UCLA School of Dentistry, provides new and important understanding of the interplay between the microbiome and the host in patients with diabetes. Lux was not associated with the study.

In the future, Graves group hopes to explore whether changes observed in mice also occur in humans.

One takeaway from the study is the importance of rigorous oral hygiene for people with diabetes.

Its very important that patients with diabetes and periodontal disease keep both their physicians and periodontists informed of changes in either condition, says Terrence J. Griffin, president of the American Academy of Periodontology. People with diabetes should consider a regular oral hygiene routine, which includes brushing twice a day, flossing regularly, and checking in with a periodontist at least once a year or if they notice changes in their gums or teeth.

Periodontal disease is largely preventable, said Graves. If a person maintains good oral hygiene and good glycemic control with a hemoglobin A1c level of under 7 they will have less likelihood of developing periodontitis.

mice30@comcast.net

Published: September 1, 2017 3:01 AM EDT

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What diabetic mice can teach us about keeping teeth healthy - Philly.com

LISTEN: You haven't heard Darlington Nagbe like this before. In a relaxed interview from the USMNT hotel, the Timbers man explains why the middle third is his favorite, why his family comes first and what representing his country means to him. Taylor Twellman joins for the complete US-Costa Rica preview. Subscribe now and "Like" our Facebook page so you never miss a show! Download this episode!

Millions of soccer fans across the country tuned in as Jordan Morris dramatically scored the tournament-winning goal of the Gold Cup last month. And doubtless, USMNT fans will turn their attention back to him when the US host Costa Rica in tomorrows World Cup qualifier at Red Bull Arena (6:30 pm, ESPN, Univision, UDN).

But none of them were watching just nine days before that Gold Cup win when Morris, unassumingly and without fanfare, did another cool thing while wearing a US shirt.

Following the end of a USMNT practice at the University of Pennsylvanias Rhodes Field, Morris met Liam Fuller, the teenage son of Penns soccer coach, Rudy Fuller. Like Morris, Liam is a Type 1 diabetic, and reached out to Morris for guidance and advice as to how to play soccer while managing the disease.

Morris met young Liam Fuller this summer at USMNT training.

As he has done with other kids, the 22-year-old Seattle Sounders and US national team star struck up a relationship with Liam via email before they met in person for the first time, drawing huge smiles from an awe-inspired 14-year-old.

"I want to give back, Morris told MLSsoccer.com by phone shortly before rejoining the US national team ahead of Fridays World Cup qualifier. Ive been very blessed with being able to play.

For me, when I was growing up, I looked at guys who had diabetes that were playing professional sports, like Jay Cutler and Adam Morrison, and I know I would have loved to have been able to speak with them. But I definitely looked at them as an inspiration. so whenever someone reaches out to me I try to get back to them and I hopefully can be that inspiration to them with whatever their dream is whether its playing professional sports or anything else.

Morris has made it a point to mentor as many diabetic kids as he can, meeting a new one on the field after every Seattle Sounders home game. Hes been to hospitals to host talks on diabetes, and is in the process of starting his own foundation. Meanwhile, hes expanded his reach beyond Seattle by meeting kids at USMNT camps, too.

Earlier in July, he met a nine-year-old diabuddy named Aiden, giving him gifts, introducing him to Landon Donovan and Stuart Holden, and bonding over the kind of fruit snacks they need to eat before games in a video released by US Soccer. Not long after, when the cameras werent rolling, he had a similar conversation with Liam Fuller as his father proudly looked on.

Jordans been instrumental in helping my son along, so it was really nice to connect those two, said Rudy Fuller, the longtime Penn head coach and fixture in the Philadelphia soccer community. It was the first time they met in person, and Jordan was phenomenal. Hes an unbelievable guy, really generous with his time. My son walked away on cloud nine.

While the best part for Morris is seeing the kids faces light up, he also notices how much relief his talks give to parents like Rudy Fuller, who are naturally worried about how the disease may affect their son.

Morris does his best to ease those concerns, pointing to what hes been able to accomplish as proof that diabetes hasnt held him back. But he does it an honest way, opening up about some of his own struggles, listening candidly to those facing younger kids, and offering encouraging tips about utilizing some of the new technologies that have been developed. (He wears a glucose monitor on his hip that sends a blood-sugar update to his phone every few minutes).

Especially when youre younger for me too its hard to deal with because people really think its going to get in the way, said Morris, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of nine. But I just try to get that out of their heads. Ive gotten some responses from parents that have been very thankful.

I cant say enough about Jordan and his generosity and the type of person he is, said the elder Fuller. Hes obviously got a really bright future. To do what hes done on the field and to have the future he has and to still be as grounded as he is, its very impressive.

It certainly seems quite clear that Morris has a bright future ahead of him on the soccer field, where in the last two years alone hes won an NCAA title, an MLS Cup and the Gold Cup.

And now, as he sets his sights on even bigger things like getting to a World Cup, hes ready to step up his off-the-field mission too.

Ive been given this platform of being able to play soccer and I want to use it to do some good, Morris said. So trying to reach as many younger diabetics as I can is important to me.

Hopefully theres a cure for diabetes at some point. Until then, I definitely want to keep speaking out and trying to be an inspiration to as many as possible."

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Jordan Morris expands his Type 1 diabetes mentorship at USMNT camps - MLSsoccer.com

Every 21 seconds another person in the United States is diagnosed with diabetes, according to the ADA. That's 4,110 people in America diagnosed with the disease every 24 hours. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all those cases. The risk for developing the disease also increases drastically in people age 45 and older, and after age 65 it increases exponentially.

There has also been a troubling rise in the number of adolescents developing both prediabetes and diabetes. Weight has a lot to do with it. Among adolescents, ages 12 to 19, about 1 in 5 are considered to have obesity, and about 1 in 11 (9.1 percent) are considered to have extreme obesity, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

"Nutrition for adolescents is the cornerstone of treatment," Cefalu said. "People need access to adequate nutrition, and you have to get that information in their hands."

Testing for prediabetes in children and adolescents should be considered for those who are overweight or obese, and who have two or more additional risk factors for diabetes, including having a family history of type 2 diabetes, or who are African American, Native American, Latino, or Asian Pacific Islanders. Nearly half of Asian and Hispanic Americans with diabetes are undiagnosed.

Health-care specialists say getting people to change their behavior isn't easy. "Telling people to lose weight does not give them enough information. It is not a message that helps and supports them," Albright said.

To teach people how to change and maintain a new set of lifestyle habits, the CDC is also promoting its National Diabetes Prevention Program, which was initiated in 2010.

Just by participating and staying in the program, prediabetics can lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 58 percent over three years, and by 71 percent for people over age 60. "We want to help them determine what is realistic and doable so they can make real life changes that are sustainable," Albright said.

A DDP program can cost as much as $500 a year. (The CDC-recognized organizations delivering these programs determine the cost, which can vary depending on factors such as the size and experience of the organization offering it.) Diabetes prevention programs are growing in number and participation, but are still underutilized, according to the ADA.

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Type 2 diabetes may hit 84 million Americans, and they don't know it - CNBC

About 350 supporters of the William Sansum Diabetes Center turned out on Saturday, August 26 for the 15th annual Taste of the Vine fundraiser held on the idyllic Summerland bluff grounds of QAD Inc. The center netted about $125,000 from the event for its research, care, and educationprograms.

Guests mingled on the expansive deck and grounds at QAD, enjoying the panoramic ocean views while sampling offerings from fine food and beverage purveyors. Cutlers Artisan Spirits, Santa Barbaras only distillery, was among the 37 food and beverage purveyors serving up tastes, with proprietor Ian Cutler personally serving his delectablespirits.

In her role as Mistress of Ceremonies, Executive Director Ellen Goodstein exuded the passion she brings on a daily basis to this critically important organization. She introduced Charles Mattocks, executive director of Reversed, a reality show about diabetes that premiered this summer on the Discovery Life Channel. Mattocks shared his enthusiasm for raising funds for diabetes, a disease that doesnt get the attention itdeserves.

Board President Dr. Alex DePaoli shared some of the centers exciting research projects, including developing an artificial pancreas. After 10 years of effort, the first device went on the market earlier this year. This hybrid artificial pancreas measures the blood sugar continuously and automatically adjusts basal insulin levels. Work continues on developing more advanced features. DePaoli also referenced the centers work with diabetes and pregnancy, which has lead to significant improvements in the health of both mothers andinfants.

Lastly, he shared his excitement for the Mil Familias Project, which aims to reduce diabetes among the Latino population. For the next 10 years, 1,000 Latino families in Santa Barbara County will be followed to help determine why the incidence of diabetes is higher among this ethnic group.The project is run by a consortium led by the center that includes UC Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, Westmont College and Lilly Diabetes. With $1.25 million in seed funding, the project just began last month. In a recent study of 400 Latino residents in the County, 7% of participants not knowing they had the disease tested positive and a whopping 42% were pre-diabetic, which means they have a one in three chance of developing diabetes in the next three to fiveyears.

Teen star Jackson Gillies, a Type 1 diabetic himself, wowed the crowd with a couple of his songs, and in between, shared his gratitude to the William Sansum Diabetes Center for all that itdoes.

The center (formerly known as the Sansum Diabetes Research Institute), is not part of Sansum Clinic, but was founded by Dr. William Sansum in 1944. It is a leading research institution thatalso provides direct clinical care to patients, including free services to thousands of Santa Barbara County residents. It also offers free education programs to the 50,000 county residents impacted by thedisease.

For more info about the center, go to sansum.org.

If viewing this from a mobile device, click on Desktop site for more photos. Send event invites to Gail atsociety@independent.com.

By GailArnold

Boardmember Wayne Hewitt, Boardmember Joan Arnold, Director of Research and Innovation Dr. David Kerr, and Boardmember GeorgeEmerson.

Treasurer Anthony Castillo, Boardmember and Immediate Past President Sandra Svoboda, and.Boardmember and lead event sponsor CurtCruthirds.

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Sansum Diabetes Center Holds Taste of the Vine - Santa Barbara Independent

AUSTIN (KXAN) Sending a child off to pre-kindergarten for the first time can be scary as a parent.

For Ted Hennessy and his wife, the risk is even higher.

Their 4-year-old daughter Esme has type 1 diabetes, which means she is insulin dependent to keep blood sugar at a healthy level. She was diagnosed with the disease at the age of two and a half after nearly going into a coma.

Thursday, Esme spread out her medical supplies on the floor in her living room to walk us through how she checks her blood sugar three times a day.

The pinkies are the best ones, Esme said as she pricked her finger and then placed a spot of blood on a glucose test strip.

One four nine, she said reading the number on the screen and holding up the handheld device to show her dad.

Esmestarted pre-k at Becker Elementary School a couple of weeks ago.The plan was for Hennessy to spend the first few days on campus making sure everyone was on board with his daughters care. Nearly two weeks in, and he is still there.He has been posting upin the school library every single day because he says he is not yet comfortable putting Esmes health in someone elses hands.

We dont have any consistency right now with her care, said Hennessy.

On Monday, Aug. 21, the first day of school, he briefly saw a nurse, but it was her last day with Austin ISD. Hennessy says the next nurse came toward the end of the week. Most of the time hes seen a variety ofstudent health assistants.

Theres been frustrating days with [SHAs] because they dont know what to do or not comfortable going through the process with us, said Hennessy.

After taking their concerns to the superintendents office, a nurse has been on campus over the last couple of days. Hennessy has also been told a full time student health assistant is starting soon.

Monday night, a handful of parents voiced their concerns to the school board. Several accused the school district of violating state law by not telling them about school nurse changes.

Austin ISD sent KXAN the following statement:

Austin ISD remains cognizant of the Texas Education Code when implementing any programming or service within the district. The addition of telemedicine increases the variety of how health services are provided and as such, does not fundamentally change the services provided in AISD. Nursing services are still available at all campuses, whether students will be seen by registered nurses or student health assistants supervised by nursing staff.

Link:
Dad posting up at daughter's school to oversee diabetes care - KXAN.com

Welcome to this week's Chutes and Ladders, our roundup of hirings, firings and retirings throughout the industry. Please send the good wordor the badfrom your shop to Eric Sagonowsky (email) or Angus Liu (email)and we will feature it here at the end of each week.

SanofiPeter Guenter leaves as global diabetes and cardiovascular head.

Guenterspent 22 years with Sanofi and was most recently the French drugmakers EVP and global diabetes and cardiovascular chief, but he has left that post to join Spanish pharma Almirall as its CEO, taking over from Eduardo Sanchiz, who has been Almiralls CEO since July 2011. Sanofis diabetes business is not without trouble; its lead blockbuster Lantus is facing biosimilar competition, and a much-anticipated cholesterol drug, Praluent, hasnt been doing so well as expected and is facing patent challenge by Amgen. CEO Olivier Brandicourt, who lifted Guenter to his current position during a management rejig, will look after that section of business until Guenters replacement is found. After a 2014 revamp that included a $2.2 billion respiratory divesture to AstraZeneca, Almirall now focuses on dermatology. FiercePharma

PhRMARichard Moscicki, M.D., joins PhRMA as CMO and EVP.

Its almost a full life science journey for Richard Moscicki, M.D. With a medical degree from Northwestern University and after completing a fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital in immunology and immunopathology, he remained on staff at MGH and on the faculty of Harvard Medical School from 1979 until 2013. He joined Genzyme in 1992 and spent nearly two decades with the company, most recently holding the position of SVP, head of clinical development and CMO, responsible for worldwide global regulatory and pharmacovigilance matters, as well as all clinical and medical affairs for the company. He then joined the FDAs Center for Drug Evaluation and Researchas deputy center director for science operations. And starting from this October, he will be joining nongovernment industry organization PhRMA as CMO and EVP. Release

Vir BiotechnolgyAlpna Seth, Ph.D., became COO.

In the most recent episode of executive exodus at Biogen, the biotechs SVP and global head of the biosimilars unit, Alpna Seth, Ph.D., quietly left the company in July and joined her former boss, Biogens former CEO George Scangos, at his San Francisco-based startup Vir Biotechnolgoy. Seth was with Biogen since 1998 and helped launch Biogens India office. Scangos landed the top job at Vir In January, shortly after he was replaced by Michel Vounatsos at Biogen. With lead investors including ARCH Venture Partners and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Vir is focusing on infectious diseases for which solutions are nonexistent or inadequate. Boston Business Journal story

> Christian Meyer, M.D., Ph.D.,uniQure's four-year CMO until June, will joinTherachon as its CMO, helping to lead its R&D efforts in rare diseases. FierceBiotech

>North Carolina-based CDMO Avista Pharma appointed industry veteran Eric Evans as CFO. Release

>Deirdre BeVard, whohas held leadership roles in clinical affairs and development operations for the past 25 years,joined Elligo Health Research, a clinical research infrastructure provider,as COO. Release

>Health intelligence provider Outcome Health hired Nandini Ramani, formerly VP of engineering at Twitter, as its chief engineering officer tostrengthen the companys technology platform. Release

>Heart medtech company Abiomed announced that its CFO Michael Tomsicek has left the company to pursue other interests, and thatitsformer CFO, Robert Bowen, would step inuntil a permanent replacement is found. Release

> Bone Therapeutics namedJean-Luc Vandebroek as CFO; he will replace Wim Goemaere, whois leaving the company to take up a senior position within a not-for-profit organization.

Original post:
Chutes & LaddersSanofi's diabetes and CV head Guenter jumps ship to Almirall - FierceBiotech

Diabetesis a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin, or when the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas, that acts like a key to let glucose from the food we eat pass from the blood stream into the cells in the body to produce energy. All carbohydrate foods are broken down into glucose in the blood. Insulin helps glucose get into the cells.

Not being able to produce insulin or use it effectively leads to raised glucose levels in the blood (known as hyperglycaemia). Over the long-term high glucose levels are associated with damage to the body and failure of various organs and tissues.

Type 1 diabetes used to be called juvenile-onset diabetes. It is usually caused by an auto-immune reaction where the bodys defence system attacks the cells that produce insulin. The reason this occurs is not fully understood. People with type 1 diabetes produce very little or no insulin. The disease may affect people of any age, but usually develops in children or young adults. People with this form of diabetes need injections of insulin every day in order to control the levels of glucose in their blood. If people with type 1 diabetes do not have access to insulin, they will die.

Type 2 diabetes used to be called non-insulin dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes, and accounts for at least 90% of all cases of diabetes. It is characterised by insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency, either or both of which may be present at the time diabetes is diagnosed. The diagnosis of type 2 diabetes can occur at any age. Type 2 diabetes may remain undetected for many years and the diagnosis is often made when a complication appears or a routine blood or urine glucose test is done. It is often, but not always, associated with overweight or obesity, which itself can cause insulin resistance and lead to high blood glucose levels. People with type 2 diabetes can often initially manage their condition through exercise and diet. However, over time most people will require oral drugs and or insulin.

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are serious. There is no such thing as mild diabetes.

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a form of diabetes consisting of high blood glucose levels during pregnancy. It develops in one in 25 pregnancies worldwide and is associated with complications to both mother and baby. GDM usually disappears after pregnancy but women with GDM and their children are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Approximately half of women with a history of GDM go on to develop type 2 diabetes within five to ten years after delivery.

Other specific types of diabetes also exist.

The risk factors for type 1 diabetes are still being researched. However, having a family member with type 1 diabetes slightly increases the risk of developing the disease. Environmental factors and exposure to some viral infections have also been linked to the risk of developing type 1 diabetes.

Several risk factors have been associated with type 2 diabetes and include:

*Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) is a category of higher than normal blood glucose, but below the threshold for diagnosing diabetes.

Changes in diet and physical activity related to rapid development and urbanisation have led to sharp increases in the numbers of people developing diabetes.

Pregnant women who are overweight, have been diagnosed with IGT, or have a family history of diabetes are all at increased risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In addition, having been previously diagnosed with gestational diabetes or being of certain ethnic groups puts women at increased risk of developing GDM.

Brief questionnaires are simple, practical and inexpensive ways to quickly identify people who may be at a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and who need to have their level of risk further investigated. The Finnish Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Form, developed in 2001, is an example of an effective questionnaire that can be used as the basis for developing national questionnaires which take into account local factors. It has eight scored questions, with the total test score providing a measure of the probability of developing type 2 diabetes over the following 10 years. The reverse of the form contains brief advice on what the respondent can do to lower their risk of developing the disease, and whether they should seek advice or have a clinical examination. The test takes only a couple of minutes to complete and can be done online, in pharmacies or at various public campaign events. The questionnaire is available for download in several languages.

IDF has developed an IDF type 2 diabetes online diabetes risk assessment which aims to predict an individuals risk of developing type 2 diabetes within the next ten years. The test is based on the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) developed and designed by Adj. Prof Jaana Lindstrom and Prof. Jaakko Tuomilehto from the National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.

People with diabetes have an increased risk of developing a number of serious health problems. Consistently high blood glucose levels can lead to serious diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, nerves and teeth. In addition, people with diabetes also have a higher risk of developing infections. In almost all high-income countries, diabetes is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower limb amputation.

Maintaining blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol at or close to normal can help delay or prevent diabetes complications. Therefore people with diabetes need regular monitoring.

Cardiovascular disease: affects the heart and blood vessels and may cause fatal complications such as coronary artery disease (leading to heart attack) and stroke. Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in people with diabetes. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood glucose and other risk factors contribute to increasing the risk of cardiovascular complications.

Kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy): caused by damage to small blood vessels in the kidneys leading to the kidneys becoming less efficient or to fail altogether. Kidney disease is much more common in people with diabetes than in those without diabetes. Maintaining near normal levels of blood glucose and blood pressure can greatly reduce the risk of kidney disease.

Nerve disease (diabetic neuropathy): diabetes can cause damage to the nerves throughout the body when blood glucose and blood pressure are too high. This can lead to problems with digestion, erectile dysfunction, and many other functions. Among the most commonly affected areas are the extremities, in particular the feet. Nerve damage in these areas is called peripheral neuropathy, and can lead to pain, tingling, and loss of feeling. Loss of feeling is particularly important because it can allow injuries to go unnoticed, leading to serious infections and possible amputations. People with diabetes carry a risk of amputation that may be more than 25 times greater than that of people without diabetes. However, with comprehensive management, a large proportion of amputations related to diabetes can be prevented. Even when amputation takes place, the remaining leg and the persons life can be saved by good follow-up care from a multidisciplinary foot team. People with diabetes should regularly examine their feet.

Eye disease (diabetic retinopathy): most people with diabetes will develop some form of eye disease (retinopathy) causing reduced vision or blindness. Consistently high levels of blood glucose, together with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, are the main causes of retinopathy. It can be managed through regular eye checks and keeping glucose and lipid levels at or close to normal.

Pregnancy complications: Women with any type of diabetes during pregnancy risk a number of complications if they do not carefully monitor and manage their condition. To prevent possible organ damage to the fetus, women with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes should achieve target glucose levels before conception. All women with diabetes during pregnancy, type 1, type 2 or gestational should strive for target blood glucose levels throughout to minimize complications. High blood glucose during pregnancy can lead to the foetus putting on excess weight. This can lead to problems in delivery, trauma to the child and mother, and a sudden drop in blood glucose for the child after birth. Children who are exposed for a long time to high blood glucose in the womb are at higher risk of developing diabetes in the future.

At present, type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented. The environmental triggers that are thought to generate the process that results in the destruction of the bodys insulin-producing cells are still under investigation.

While there are a number of factors that influence the development of type 2 diabetes, it is evident that the most influential are lifestyle behaviours commonly associated with urbanization. These include consumption of processed foods, for example foods with a high fat contentm sugar-sweetened beverages and highly refined carbohydrates. At the same time, modern lifestyles are characterized by physical inactivity and long sedentary periods. Together, these behaviours are associated with an increased risk of being overweight or obese and the development of type 2 diabetes.

A number of prevention programmes have shown that modifying such behaviours, by eating healthier foods and increasing physical activity, can greatly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In order to halt the increase of type 2 diabetes, whole populations must change their lifestyle behaviours by modifying diet and increasing physical activity levels. To support this, IDF has reviewed the evidence on which types of food predispose to type 2 diabetes and has released nine recommendations for a healthy diet for the general population.

A particular threat in terms of the associated risk of developing type 2 diabetes is the consumption of high sugar foods, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages, In 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued new recommendations to limit sugar intake. IDF fully supports these recommendations and in response published the IDF Framework for Action on Sugar.

The IDF Diabetes Atlas, Seventh Edition 2015 provides the latest figures, information and projections on the current and future magnitude of the diabetes epidemic.

Original post:
International Diabetes Federation - What is diabetes

The importance of both diabetes and these comorbidities will continue to increase as the population ages. Therapies that have proven to reduce microvascular and macrovascular complications will need to be assessed in light of the newly identified comorbidities.

Lifestyle change has been proven effective in preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes in high-risk individuals. Based on this, new public health approaches are emerging that may deserve monitoring at the national level. For example, the Diabetes Prevention Program research trial demonstrated that lifestyle intervention had its greatest impact in older adults and was effective in all racial and ethnic groups. Translational studies of this work have also shown that delivery of the lifestyle intervention in group settings at the community level are also effective at reducing type 2 diabetes risk. The National Diabetes Prevention Program has now been established to implement the lifestyle intervention nationwide.

Another emerging issue is the effect on public health of new laboratory based criteria, such as introducing the use of A1c for diagnosis of type 2 diabetes or for recognizing high risk for type 2 diabetes. These changes may impact the number of individuals with undiagnosed diabetes and facilitate the introduction of type 2 diabetes prevention at a public health level.

Several studies have suggested that process indicators such as foot exams, eye exams, and measurement of A1c may not be sensitive enough to capture all aspects of quality of care that ultimately result in reduced morbidity. New diabetes quality-of-care indicators are currently under development and may help determine whether appropriate, timely, evidence-based care is linked to risk factor reduction. In addition, the scientific evidence that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed has stimulated new research into the best markers and approaches for identifying and referring high-risk individuals to prevention programs in community settings.

Finally, it may be possible to achieve additional reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes or its complications by influencing various behavioral risk factors, such as specific dietary choices, which have not been tested in large randomized controlled trials.

1Nathan DM. Diabetes: Advances in diagnosis and treatment. JAMA. 2015;314(10):1052-62.

2Knowler WC, Fowler SE, Hamman RF, et al; Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Ten-year followup of diabetes incidence and weight loss in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study. Lancet. 2009 Nov 14;374(9702):1677-86.

3Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report: Estimates of Diabetes and Its Burden in the United States, 2014. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2014. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/data/statistics/2014StatisticsReport.html.

4Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes Report Card 2014. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2015.

5Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration, Seshasai SR, Kaptoge S, Thompson A, Di Angelantonio E, Gao P, et al. Diabetes mellitus, fasting glucose, and risk of cause-specific death. N Engl J Med. 2011;364(9):829-41.

6Menke A, Casagrande S, Geiss L, Cowie CC. Prevalence of and trends in diabetes among adults in the United States, 1988-2012. JAMA. 2015;314(10):1021-9.

7Danaei G, Finucane MM, Lu Y, Singh GM, Cowan MJ, Paciorek CJ, et al. National, regional, and global trends in fasting plasma glucose and diabetes prevalence since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 370 country-years and 2.7 million participants. Lancet. 2011;378(9785):31-40.

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Diabetes | Healthy People 2020

In BriefHealth care startup Virta is proposing a new type of treatment for type 2 diabetes, which revolves around personalized nutrition and constant contact with a medical professional.

More than 29 million people suffer from diabetes in the United States alone. Now, a new healthcare startup called Virta claims that it can stamp out the condition for good and whats more, it plans to do so using little more than a sensible diet plan and a smartphone app.

Virta puts its patients on a nutrition plan that cuts out sugar and bad carbohydrates. To make sure that they can stick to this diet safely, theyre kept in constant contact with a trained physician, exchanging text messages and engaging in video calls as often as every day.

Each patients plan is highly individualized, with everything from their food intake, to their recommended activity levels, to their medication being tailored to their specific situation. Preliminary test have been very promising, with a recent trial of 262 people allowing 87 percent of participants to stop using insulin completely or at least reduce their dosage.

Virta founder Sami Inkinen had good reason to get into diabetes care. In 2007, he had just started competing in Ironman triathlon events, when he was told that he was pre-diabetic.Click to View Full Infographic

I started reading research and thats what kind of led me to meet my scientific co-founders, said Inkinen in a recent interview with Tech Crunch. The bottom line, what these guys had shown is that there is a way to nutritionally reverse type 2 diabetes without starving you to death. They had published all these papers. I was like this is nuts. This is 30 years-old science.

Diabetes has a huge impact on the lives of people affected, not least when theyre forced to administer their own insulin injections. Fortunately, researchers are finding ways to avoid this process, from CRISPR skin grafts to cell implants, to a smartphone app.

Read the original here:
Healthcare Startup Claims It Can Defeat Diabetes With Nutrition Alone - Futurism

Q My neighbor told me she went to an all-day event last year that was great for people with diabetes. Do you happen to know what, where, when? M.J., Greenville

A I asked Angie Watson, registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes educator at ECU Endocrinology, to tell you about this wonderful program that is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 1. Here is what Angie wants you to know about the popular event, Winning With Diabetes. The event is for people living with diabetes, at risk for diabetes, or wanting to support someone with diabetes. It is definitely worth the time, attention and admission charge to attend. This years event will be at a new location, the Edwin W. Monroe Conference Center, 2000 Venture Tower Drive (adjacent to the Vidant hospital campus).

Diabetes can be a very demanding and complex disease, so I love it when people living with diabetes or prediabetes, as well as their friends and family members, are excited about learning how to better manage the condition. For the last 16 years, Greenville has played host to a daylong event for people with diabetes and their loved ones where folks come out to learn, laugh, engage and empower themselves to manage their health. I have had the privilege to be a part of the planning committee for the past two years and have seen first-hand the impact this event can have. Winning With Diabetes is a day filled with guest speakers in the morning, healthy snacks and lunch, interactive screenings, diabetes information booths and opportunities to ask questions to experts.

Our theme this year is Risky Business. The event will highlight some of the health risks that come with having diabetes and ways to reduce these risks. Among these risks are heart disease and stroke, nerve damage, damage to the feet, eye disease, kidney disease and dental problems.

Morning speakers include Kathy Kolasa, professor emeritus and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and columnist, who will present Sweeteners, Smoothies, Supplements, and Sugars ... Oh My to help people sort out which foods and drinks help or hinder blood sugar levels. Following that will be Nancy Leggett Fraser, diabetes nurse educator at Greenvilles Veterans Affairs Clinic, who will present Risky Business Reducing Complications. Closing the morning sessions will be Dr. Robert Tanenberg of ECU Physicians-Endocrinology,a longtime supporter of Winning With Diabetes. His presentation, Diabetic Neuropathy: the Forgotten Complication, will focus on nerve damage.

The healthy snacks and lunch provided give those attending a chance to review carbohydrate counting basics that can help control blood sugars and reduce risks in the long term.

Afternoon events include foot and kidney screenings, as well as Know Your Numbers and Sugar Shockers stations. Afternoon displays will showcase some diabetes resources in the Pitt County area, including medications, devices and tools. Diabetes experts will be available throughout the event to answer questions and concerns that relate to diabetes self-management skills.

Registration is required; the cost is $30 per person. The charge to register a spouse or friend is $25. Mention The Daily Reflector when you register, and the cost is $20. Free parking is available. Those attending will receive a passport booklet that when stamped at each station makes the person eligible to win prizes. Call 847-8265 to register or for more information.

The program is supported by local volunteers and health-care professionals and receives financial support from Medtronic, Sanofi, Lily, NovoNordisk and Tandem.

Professor emeritus Kathy Kolasa, a registered dietitian nutritionist and Ph.D., is an Affiliate Professor in the Brody School of Medicine at ECU. Contact her at kolasaka@ecu.edu.

IF YOU GO!

WHAT: Winning with Diabetes

WHEN: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 1. (doors open at 8:30 a.m.)

WHERE: Edwin W. Monroe Conference Center, 2000 Venture Tower Drive

COST: $30 per person; $25 per each additional person; mention the Daily Reflector and registration is $20.

TO REGISTER: Call 847-8265

Continue reading here:
Winning With Diabetes - Greenville Daily Reflector

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Regular and early lifestyle changes key to reducing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in young South Asians, study suggests

Regular and early one-to-one educational sessions on healthy diet and lifestyle could reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in young South Asians, a new research published today in BMC Medicine suggests.

Unlike previous studies which have focussed on high risk older people, researchers from King's College London and the Diabetes Association of Sri Lanka looked at almost 4000 people aged between 5 and 40. The results suggest regular and realistic interventions with high risk younger people - especially if done before 18- may be more successful, and cost-effective than less-intensive and irregular sessions.

Asia is a major site of Type 2 diabetes, accounting for 60 per cent of people with the disease worldwide. South Asians are predisposed to develop the disease early on, with a third of future cases predicted to occur in those aged below 45 years old.

Participants in the study from Colombo, Sri Lanka had been screened out of a total of 23,298 people, and identified as being at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and CVD, but not yet diagnosed. Out of the 4672 participants aged between five and 40 who began the study, 3539 were eligible for analysis after three years.

Participants were randomised into two groups; pragmatic lifestyle modification (P-LSM) programme and control lifestyle modification programme (C-LSM). There were no significant differences in age, gender, clinical or biochemical characteristics between the two groups at time of randomisation.

Both groups received an identical lifestyle education programme, aimed at reducing weight, improving diet, reducing psychological stress and increasing physical activity. Those in the P-LSM group received one-to-one advice, assessment and education sessions every three months for an average of three years. Those in C-LSM in comparison received these sessions only once a year for an average of three years. For participants younger than 16 the advice and guidance in both groups was also given to the child's parents. The programme was delivered by 'peer educators', i.e. educators aged between 18 to 40 years old. They were trained by experts from the University of Colombo and the MV diabetes research centre in Chennai India with regular refresher sessions.

The groups were monitored throughout the period for several risk factors that lead to cardio-metabolic disease in later life: new type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and renal disease.

After three years, the researchers found that overall, these risk factors occurred less in the P-LSM group than in the control group (479 compared to 562), a significant risk reduction of 11%. New occurrences of hypertension were significantly reduced with those in the P-LSM group (115 participants) versus the control group (152 participants). The researchers found further reductions in the occurrence of type 2 diabetes between the two groups (58 in the P-LSM group versus 72 in the C-LSM group). The reduction was especially pronounced in participants aged under 18; when looked at overall, the risk factors occurred less in the P-LSM group versus C-LSM, with 140 versus 174, a 17% risk reduction.

Participants in the P-LSM also improved their physical activity and their behaviour towards increasing activity during the study to a greater extent than those in the C-LSM group.

Lead author Dr Janaka Karalliedde, Clinical Senior Lecturer at King's College London said: 'This study highlights that even small changes in lifestyle could lead to changes in health. We suggest that early and regular interventions can have a significant impact in delaying or preventing the onset of type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular disease.'

Dr Mahen Wijesuriya, co-lead author, the Diabetes Association of Sri Lanka, said: 'The impact of this research could hold huge benefits for young South Asians at risk of type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular disease. Importantly it is a low-cost intervention that could be translated into parts of the community in Sri Lanka and other low to middle income countries. The use of peer educators to deliver interventions could be a more pragmatic, cost-effective approach than registered dietitians or counsellors.'

The researchers state that further research is required to establish the longer-term impact of such lifestyle changes in a younger population. The trial does not explain the mechanisms behind the reductions in risk factors rather establishes associations that require further research. Additionally, the results in this young urban population may not be generalizable to other groups.

Explore further: Intensive lifestyle intervention provides modest improvement in glycemic control, reduced need for medication

More information: Mahen Wijesuriya et al. A pragmatic lifestyle modification programme reduces the incidence of predictors of cardio-metabolic disease and dysglycaemia in a young healthy urban South Asian population: a randomised controlled trial, BMC Medicine (2017). DOI: 10.1186/s12916-017-0905-6

Journal reference: BMC Medicine

Provided by: King's College London

Original post:
Regular, early lifestyle changes key to reducing type 2 diabetes & cardiovascular disease - Medical Xpress