StemCell Therapy

AMARILLO - Medication or healthy food?

It's a decision many in our area have to choose between when spending their money.

But for 12 weeks, more than a dozen people suffering from type two diabetes had the chance to solely focus on their health.

Norma Mata isn't the same woman she was after starting on a 12-week lifestyle change.

"My food intake has been better," said Mata. "More salads, more grilled meats, and things of that sort."

Despite living with type two diabetes, she decided to take control of her health.

"My sugars have gone down tremendously. Eating healthy is beneficial for our health," added Mata.

High Plains Food Bank officials say they recognized the need to provide foods that heal, so they initiated a partnership with Heal the City.

The group noted that many of their patients are living with type two diabetes and could benefit from nutrition-based interventions.

"Most of these patients had been diabetic for over ten years," said Rachel Scott, a Clinic Coordinator for Heal the City. "A lot of them said no, I don't really know what it means, I don't really know what I'm supposed to eat."

This led both non-profits to create a 12-week pilot program called "Food to Health".

We're told it includes nutrition education, healthy food, and medical care for food insecure patients who struggle with type two diabetes.

"The good thing about this program is not only do they help your health get better and have all these bad numbers go down., they taught you how to do that so you can take that knowledge home," said Lourdes Sanchez, another participant of "Food to Health". "You know that when you go shopping you have to look at the nutritional facts, you know what to look for, so you're able to continue forward with what happened during the program because they taught you how to do it yourself. "

Mata and Sanchez are part of the twenty participants who started on this 12-week "Food to Health" journey.

Next week Scott says 16 of them will graduate from the program.

Before the program started, "Food to Health" participants had tests and blood work done. Next week, they will get their lab results to compare their progress.

Mata and Sanchez tell us after changing their diet and mindset, they noticed a big difference.

Officials say individuals and families who lack consistent access to enough healthy food may have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases like obesity, hypertension and type two diabetes.

Read more from the original source:
Local Organizations Helping to Fight Type Two Diabetes - MyHighPlains

ALTON Alton Memorial Hospitals Diabetes Management office has earned the prestigious American Diabetes Association Education Recognition Certificate. The ADA believes that this program offers high-quality education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment.

The Associations Education Recognition Certificate assures that educational programs meet the national standards for diabetes self-management education programs.

The process gives professionals a national standard by which to measure the quality of services we provide, said Lisa James, diabetes educator at AMH. And, of course, it assures the consumer that he or she will receive high-quality service.

Education Recognition status is verified by an official certificate from ADA and awarded for four years.

Self-management education is an essential component of diabetes treatment. One consequence of compliance with the national standards is the greater consistency in the quality and quantity of education offered to people with diabetes. The participant in a recognized program will be taught, as needed, self-care skills that will promote better management of his or her diabetes treatment regimen. All approved education programs cover the following topics as needed: diabetes disease process; nutritional management; physical activity; medications;

monitoring; preventing, detecting, and treating acute complications; preventing, detecting, and treating chronic complications through risk reduction; goal setting and problem solving; psychological adjustment; and preconception care, management during pregnancy, and gestational management.

Unnecessary hospital admissions and some of the acute and chronic complications of diabetes may be prevented through self-management education.

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 29.1 million people or 9.3 percent of the population in the United States who have diabetes. While an estimated 21 million people have been diagnosed, 8.1 million people are not aware that they have this disease. Each day more than 3,900 people are diagnosed with diabetes. Many will first learn that they have diabetes when they are treated for one of its life-threatening complications heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and nerve disease and amputation.

For more information about diabetes education at Alton Memorial, call Lisa James at 618-463-7526.

James

http://thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_Lisa-James.jpgJames

.

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Alton Memorial Hospital's diabetes program honored by ADA - Alton Telegraph

Podimetrics, a startup created during an MIT hackathon in 2011, focuses on catching foot ulcersa complication of diabetes that can lead to amputationearly. The company unveiled data showing its remote-monitoring technology caught a majority of foot ulcers well before they appeared.

A number of factors contribute to the development of diabetic foot ulcers, including nerve damage, which stops patients from feeling small injuries in their foot. A healthy person might change his or her movement or adjust a shoe, but a person with diabetes-related nerve damage will not notice the pain. Repetitive injury over time can lead to an ulcer, and early detection can help prevent an ulcer from forming or getting worse.

American Diabetes Association guidelines recommend that people with diabetes undergo a comprehensive foot evaluation each year. Patients with a history of ulcers or amputations, insensate feet, foot deformities or peripheral artery diseaseshould get their feet checked out at every doctors visit.

The Podimetrics Remote Temperature Monitoring System is designed for the ongoing assessment of patients' feet. Itrelies on the concept that tissue heats up before it becomes a wound, said CEO Jonathan Bloom, M.D. A patient steps on the system's Smartmatfor 20 seconds at a time and it measures the temperature difference at various locations on the feet. Specifically, the software is looking for a hotspot, or a place where the temperature is persistently higher than in other areas.

A monitoring service alerts patients and physicians when the data show that inflammation may develop. The patient and physician then work together to prevent an ulcer from forming.

In a real-world setting, when a doctor gets a notification that a patient has a hotspot, the patient will be advised to reduce physical activity for a period to let the developing wound heal or may be asked to come in for a visit in serious cases, said lead investigator Robert Frykberg, M.D., of the Carl T. Hayden Veterans Affairs Medical Centerin a statement.

The 129-patient study, published in Diabetes Care, showed that the SmartMat detected as many as 97% of developing nontraumatic plantar foot ulcers an average of five weeks before they presented clinically. Additionally, 86% of patients used the device at least three times a week, and 88% of them said it was easy to use.

This is the big part, Bloom said. People actually use it.

[This] is critical for adherence and ultimately achieving ongoing prevention of [diabetic foot ulcers] and its devastating complications, he said in the statement.

See more here:
Study: Temperature-reading 'smartmat' catches diabetic foot ulcers early - FierceBiotech

Lifestyle is a decisive factor in preventing or stabilising diabetes. From diet and exercise to stress management, here are a few lifestyle changes to consider.

Diabetics dont need to have to skip dessert, but they should definitely make wise food choices.

Pick products that have a naturally low glycemic index to prevent spikes in blood sugar.

Top fruits on that front are red berries (raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries), apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, peaches and nectarines.

Note that cinnamon can help lower blood sugar levels.

It can be used to sweeten coffee or tea or sprinkled on yogurt or fromage frais.

Certain bakeries make cakes and cookies specifically for diabetics.

These sweet treats typically contain half the amount of sugar, notably by using natural sugar substitutes.

Still, they should only be eaten occasionally and always as part of a meal in order to limit the hyperglycemic effect.

Add berries and fruit to your deserts.

Most diabetics know that they should avoid pre-prepared supermarket dishes and ready meals.

These meals are often too high in fat and salt, and can be lacking in vitamins and minerals.

Cooking from scratch with quality produce remains the best option.

When it comes to grains, oats and barley are allowed.

These cereals fibres slow down the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine and help control blood sugar levels and insulin requirements.

Walking for 10 minutes right after eating could be more effective for controlling blood sugar than walking at another time of day.

Do this after an evening meal, when blood sugar can drop by 22%, according to research from New Zealand.

Current recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend at least the equivalent of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day, five times a week.

You can develop diabetes from too much stress and not enough sleep.

Unfortunately, it is possible to develop type-2 diabetes due to chronic stress from work or personal lives.

Permanent stress can contribute to increasing insulin resistance.

Thats why it is recommended to take regular exercise, learn relaxation techniques and organize break times on downtime in your day.

Keep an eye on shut-eye too (minimum seven hours sleep per night), as, according to several studies, this can help curb cravings for fatty or sugary foods, among other things. AFP Relaxnews

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If you really want to take control of your diabetes, follow these 4 tips - Star2.com

Cynthia McCormick @Cmccormickcct

WEST BARNSTABLE The YMCA Cape Cod is holding a grand opening of its newly renovated Weny Diabetes Resource Center at 5 p.m. today with an emphasis on nutrition counseling and classes for Cape Codders with diabetes and prediabetes.

Were trying to make this free and open to the public, said YMCA of Cape Cod CEO and President Stacie Peugh.

Individuals diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes are entitled to five free visits with nutritionist Lauren Kunkler, Peugh said.

As part of its diabetes programming, the YMCA of Cape Cod also hosts prediabetes education and lifestyle coaching classes at the Mashpee-based Community Health Center of Cape Cod, Harbor Health Services in Hyannis, Duffy Health Center in Hyannis and the Falmouth Service Center, Peugh said.

The YMCA is planning to launch a support group for people with diabetes in collaboration with NAMI Cape Cod & the Islands, an advocacy group for people with mental illness, Peugh said.

There is actually a correlation between depression and diabetes, Peugh said during an interview in the newly renovated resource center, located by the front door of the YMCA.

With its blond wood shelving, soft blue-green walls and clear plastic furniture, the resource center is fairly small in size but was designed to appear bright and inviting, said Paula Drury of Brown, Lindquist Fenuccio & Raber Architects, the architect/designer for the project.

Located since 2008 at the back of the YMCA building where the front door used to be situated the new position is designed to attract the attention of the hundreds of people who enter the Y each day, Peugh said.

In addition to individual consulting, the diabetes center was designed to serve as a library and resource center for people with diabetes and their families, Drury said.

Websites relating to diabetes and health care have been built into two Apple desktop stations, and books and informational packets fill the resource centers book shelves.

The space and services offered are designed to help guide people past nutrition information overload and into useful, health-enhancing practices, Peugh said.

Diabetes is considered a metabolism disorder that affects the way the body uses food, according to information online from Cape Cod Healthcare.

The pancreas of diabetics either produces too little insulin, or the cells of the body do not respond to the insulin that is produced, according to the fact sheet.

The resulting glucose accumulation in the body can lead to multiple health issues including heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, nerve damage and blindness.

According to a public information platform called DataUSA, 8.6 percent of Barnstable County residents are living with diabetes. The percentage was based on data collected in 2013.

Todays open house will feature an appearance by Roger Ludwig, a trustee with the Weny Charitable Trust, and a discussion of the centers new partnership with NAMI, Peugh said.

Refreshments will be served. Peugh said the Weny Charitable Trust,which contributed $1 million to the expansion of the YMCA of Cape Cod 10 years ago, funded the relocation and renovation of the diabetes resource center with a gift of $100,000.

Follow Cynthia McCormick on Twitter: @CmccormickCCT.

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Expanded diabetes center opens today - Cape Cod Times (subscription)

Diabetes can be deadly. Each year, more than 70,000 Americans die from complications of the disease. About half of all people with type 2 diabetes dont have their condition under control. Now, new research shows a well-known procedure for weight loss may be the best bet for patients with uncontrolled diabetes.

This was the old Lisa Shaffer. At her heaviest: almost 300 pounds!

When I was obese, my life was so limited, Lisa said.

Her health suffered, too. Lisa had type 2 diabetes, and she tried everything to control it.

She explained, Nothing worked, nope.

But today, Lisa is 120 pounds lighter and her diabetes is gone. The reason; gastric bypass surgery.

Its been incredible. Yeah. It really did give me my life back. she exclaimed.

Phillip Schauer, MD, Director of the Cleveland Clinic Bariatric and Metabolic Institute in Cleveland, Ohio, led a study that compared bariatric surgery, either gastric bypass or gastric sleeve, to intense medical therapy in people with diabetes. After five years, the gastric bypass patients did the best. Many were in complete remission without drugs or insulin.

Which is pretty remarkable. Thats about as close to a cure that you can get, Dr. Schauer explained.

Twenty-nine percent of gastric bypass and 23 percent of gastric sleeve patients achieved and maintained normal blood sugar levels -compared to just 5 percent of medication-only patients. The surgery groups also lost more weight and reported a better quality of life.

The patients who had surgery did better and were happier at the five- year mark, Dr. Schauer stated.

Three days after her surgery, Lisa was off all of her meds. Her A1c, a measure of blood sugar control, was 10.5 before the surgery and today, its 5.3. Now shes able to live the life shes always wanted.

Ever since I lost the weight, Ive run three 5ks. Ive done zip lining with the family, which is fantastic. Just no limits anymore, theres no limitations on my life anymore. she said.

Doctor Schauer says weight loss is one reason diabetes patients benefit from bariatric surgery. The other is something that happens in the body as a result of the surgery. When the intestines are bypassed, special hormones increase, which helps the pancreas produce insulin more effectively.

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Best bet for uncontrolled diabetes - WTAJ

Please take note this is only one aspect in weighing the attractiveness or non-attractiveness of the companies mentioned as an investment and should not be used independent of other factors. This article examines one segment of the companies' businesses, and other factors such as valuation are not addressed.

Chinas dialysis population has seen a steady increase over the years.

Source: Wolfgang Meichelboeck, Dipl.-Ing. Pentenried Germany

The number of dialysis cases is growing in China. China had approximately 440,000 dialysis patients last year, an increase of 80% over five years.

Source: European Renal Association

The national prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was 10.8% (estimated at over 100 million Chinese) and end stage renal disease (ESRD) stood at 0.03% of the Chinese population.

Diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage kidney disease worldwide, although glomerular disease tended to be the leading cause in China caused for instance by taking medications and herbal medicines which damage the kidneys.

Source: nature.com

However, after decades of economic growth and the resulting unhealthy change in dietary habits, diabetes cases have seen a corresponding increase in China and this has contributed to a shift in the causes of kidney failure in China. A study found that chronic kidney disease related to diabetes was progressively becoming more common than chronic kidney disease related to glomerulonephritis in both the general population and hospitalized urban population in China. In 2010, among hospitalized patients, the percentage with chronic kidney disease related to diabetes was lower than the percentage with chronic kidney disease related to glomerulonephritis (0.82% vs. 1.01%). Beginning in 2011, the percentage with chronic kidney disease related to diabetes exceeded the percentage with chronic kidney disease related to glomerulonephritis, and the gap between them increased progressively.

Source: The New England Journal of Medicine

In 2015, the percentage of the hospitalized Chinese population with chronic kidney disease related to diabetes and to glomerulonephritis was 1.10% and 0.75%, respectively. In both 2010 and 2015, the percentage of hospitalized urban patients with chronic kidney disease related to diabetes was higher than that of hospitalized urban patients with chronic kidney disease related to glomerulonephritis, and the gap had increased by 2015 (1.02% vs. 0.84% in 2010 and 1.55% vs. 0.72% in 2015). However, among hospitalized rural patients during that same time frame, glomerulonephritis-related chronic kidney disease predominated, and the percentage with chronic kidney disease related to diabetes was lower than the percentage with chronic kidney disease related to glomerulonephritis, though the gap had narrowed by 2015 (0.68% vs. 1.51% in 2010, and 0.76% vs. 0.95% in 2015).

Chinas economic growth led to changes in Chinese citizens lifestyle and dietary habits. In the 1980s diabetes affected just about 1% of Chinas population. By 2015, this figure rose to roughly 10% of Chinas population, numbering around 110 million (compared to the U.S. where it is about 30 million) making it the country with the highest number of diabetics in the world and home to about a third of the worlds diabetic population.

The number is expected to continue rising as diets change in the country alongside economic growth. Almost 500 million people in China are estimated to be pre-diabetic about 1 times the size of the entire U.S. population.

By 2040, China is expected to have 150 million diabetics, presenting a growth opportunity for companies such as Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO), Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) and Sanofi (NYSE:SNY) which are the leading multinational insulin providers in China accounting for over 80% of Chinas insulin market.

Source: Marketwatch

The rate of chronic kidney disease increases with age, reaching over 30% of adults aged 70 years and older according to a study conducted by Peking University first Hospital.

The increasing incidence of obesity (over one third of adults in China are overweight and 7% of adults are obese) and Type II diabetes (a major risk factor for kidney disease), along with an aging population (in 2015, 9.5% of Chinas population was aged 65 or older and the U.N. projects this percentage to increase to 27.5% by 2050) suggests China could see rising chronic kidney disease (CKD) cases going forward.

Access to dialysis is lower in developing countries than developed countries, for reasons such as financial constraints and inadequate clinical infrastructure.

Source: The George Institute

China, the worlds largest developing country bears an enormous burden of kidney disease. For reasons such as a lack of financial and clinical resources, the rate of patients currently receiving dialysis treatment in China is lower than in developed countries such as the United States.

Majority of Chinese renal failure patients, mostly located in rural China do not have access to dialysis. While dialysis treatment is available for patients in urban China, access to dialysis treatments is inadequate for patients in the rest of the country due to a shortage of equipment, doctors and limited awareness levels.

Of the approximately 100 million Chinese with chronic kidney disease, about 2% of these patients are expected to develop into end stage kidney disease which means approximately 2 million people will require renal treatment therapy. However, according to the national renal registries, the number of patients who actually received treatment was less than 0.5 million.

According to a report by the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, in China, less than 30% of patients with end-stage kidney disease are treated with dialysis. For the rest, renal treatment therapy is not available due to a number of factors such as financial constraints, inadequate infrastructure and limited awareness.

Chinas ongoing healthcare reform is expected to alleviate this shortage of dialysis supply. Basic medical insurance covers over 90% of Chinas population and a high reimbursement policy for catastrophic diseases including end stage kidney disease has been established.

A report by Allied Market Research expects the global dialysis market to expand at a CAGR of 4.5% between 2017 and 2023 and Asia-Pacific led by China is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period presenting an opportunity for dialysis companies.

Chinas dialysis market is still at early stages and offers long term growth potential. Chinas dialysis market is dominated by foreign brands with over 90% of dialysis equipment and over 80% of hemodialysis consumables in China being imported from overseas.

Fresenius Medical Care (NYSE:FMS) and DaVita (NYSE:DVA) two of the worlds largest dialysis product companies are well established in the Chinese dialysis market. A few years ago, Fresenius opened an R&D center in Shanghai and this year, Fresenius acquired a 70% stake in Kunming Wuhua Health Hospital, a private Grade II hospital in Kunming (the capital of Yunnan province) which is specialized in chronic disease management and hemodialysis. This marks the companys first joint venture (JV) hospital in China and may be aimed at capitalizing on a new policy issued by the China State Council and The National Health And Family Planning Council which states that chronic disease management will be gradually migrated from larger hospital outpatient departments to smaller Grade II hospitals and community hospitals.

DaVita entered into a joint venture with Shunjing Renal Hospital in China with the aim of building and operating dialysis chains.

Early this year Baxter (NYSE:BAX) announced that it was exiting India, Turkey and Venezuela this year and refocusing its business on Latin America and China. China is expected to become a US$ 1 billion market in the next few years. Baxter operates a Flying Angel program in partnership with China's Ministry of Health, which is aimed at improving access to peritoneal dialysis for patients in rural areas.

Most renal treatment therapy (RRT) in China occurs at HD (hemodialysis) centers and the country has about 4,000 dialysis centers.

Source: Wolfgang Meichelboeck, Dipl.-Ing. Pentenried Germany

Hemodialysis is costlier than peritoneal dialysis not only for the patients but also for Chinas healthcare system as well. With the prevalence of end stage renal disease in China increasing rapidly, the government has begun examining the feasibility of expanding peritoneal dialysis as a treatment option in China.

A report assessing dialysis options and costs in China from the National Health Development Research Center showed that the annual cost of peritoneal dialysis (PD) is about 93,520 Chinese yuan (US $14,380), whereas the cost of in-center hemodialysis (HD) is 103,416 Chinese yuan (US $15,910). The report also notes the advantages of PD for patients in rural areas. Peritoneal dialysis is a home-based treatment, offering greater freedom for rural patients and reducing the inconvenience and financial burden of having to commute several times a week to and from the hospital for treatment. To facilitate peritoneal dialysis expansion, the Chinese government is planning on adjusting reimbursement policies and the Chinese Ministry of Health has certified over 30 training centers across the country to promote the implementation of peritoneal dialysis by establishing regional satellite centers which would provide staff training, patient education and the implementation of quality assurance protocols. Baxter appears well positioned to capitalize on this opportunity. Morningstar estimates that Baxter absolutely dominates the global peritoneal dialysis market with a 72% market share.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Excerpt from:
China's Dialysis Market: Potential For Growth Driven By Diabetes And Aging Population - Seeking Alpha

June 23, 2017 Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas have developed a wearable diagnostic biosensor that can detect three interconnected, diabetes-related compounds -- cortisol, glucose and interleukin-6 -- in perspired sweat for up to a week without loss of signal integrity. The team envisions that their wearable devices will contain a small transceiver to send data to an application installed on a cellphone. Credit: University of Texas at Dallas

Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas are getting more out of the sweat they've put into their work on a wearable diagnostic tool that measures three diabetes-related compounds in microscopic amounts of perspiration.

"Type 2 diabetes affects so many people. If you have to manage and regulate this chronic problem, these markers are the levers that will help you do that," said Dr. Shalini Prasad, professor of bioengineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. "We believe we've created the first diagnostic wearable that can monitor these compounds for up to a week, which goes beyond the type of single use monitors that are on the market today."

In a study published recently in Scientific Reports, Prasad and lead author Dr. Rujute Munje, a recent bioengineering PhD graduate, describe their wearable diagnostic biosensor that can detect three interconnected compounds - cortisol, glucose and interleukin-6 - in perspired sweat for up to a week without loss of signal integrity.

"If a person has chronic stress, their cortisol levels increase, and their resulting insulin resistance will gradually drive their glucose levels out of the normal range," said Prasad, Cecil H. and Ida Green Professor in Systems Biology Science. "At that point, one could become pre-diabetic, which can progress to type 2 diabetes, and so on. If that happens, your body is under a state of inflammation, and this inflammatory marker, interleukin-6, will indicate that your organs are starting to be affected."

Last October, Prasad and her research team confirmed they could measure glucose and cortisol in sweat. Several significant advances since then have allowed them to create a more practical, versatile tool.

"We wanted to make a product more useful than something disposable after a single use," Prasad said. "It also has to require only your ambient sweat, not a huge amount. And it's not enough to detect just one thing. Measuring multiple molecules in a combinatorial manner and tracking them over time allows us to tell a story about your health."

One factor that facilitated their device's progress was the use of room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), a gel that serves to stabilize the microenvironment at the skin-cell surface so that a week's worth of hourly readings can be taken without the performance degrading over time.

"This greatly influences the cost model for the deviceyou're buying four monitors per month instead of 30; you're looking at a year's supply of only about 50," Prasad said. "The RTIL also allows the detector to interface well with different skin typesthe texture and quality of pediatric skin versus geriatric skin have created difficulties in prior models. The RTIL's ionic characteristics make it somewhat like applying moisturizer to skin."

Prasad's team also determined that their biomarker measurements are reliable with a tiny amount of sweatjust 1 to 3 microliters, much less than the 25 to 50 previously believed necessary.

"We actually spent three years producing that evidence," Prasad said. "At those low volumes, the biomolecules expressed are meaningful. We can do these three measurements in a continuous manner with that little sweat."

Prasad envisions that her wearable devices will contain a small transceiver to send data to an application installed on a cellphone.

"With the app we're creating, you'll simply push a button to request information from the device," Prasad said. "If you measure levels every hour on the hour for a full week, that provides 168 hours' worth of data on your health as it changes."

That frequency of measurement could produce an unprecedented picture of how the body responds to dietary decisions, lifestyle activities and treatment.

"People can take more control and improve their own self-care," Prasad said. "A user could learn which unhealthy decisions are more forgiven by their body than others."

Prasad has emphasized "frugal innovation" throughout the development process, making sure the end product is accessible for as many people as possible.

"We've designed this product so that it can be manufactured using standard coating techniques. We made sure we used processes that will allow for mass production without adding cost," Prasad said. "Our cost of manufacturing will be comparable to what it currently takes to make single-use glucose test stripsas little as 10 to 15 cents. It needs to reach people beyond America and Europeand even within first-world nations, we see the link between diabetes and wealth. It can't simply be a small percentage of people who can afford this."

Prasad was motivated to address this specific problem in part by her own story.

"South Asians, like myself, are typically prone to diabetes and to cardiovascular disease," Prasad said. "If I can monitor on a day-to-day basis how my body is responding to intake, and as I age, if I can adjust my lifestyle to keep those readings where they need to be, then I can delay getting a disease, if not prevent it entirely."

For Prasad, the latest work is a fulfilling leap forward in what has already been a five-year process.

"We've been solving this problem since 2012, in three phases," Prasad said. "The initial concept for a system level integration of these sensors was done in collaboration with EnLiSense LLC, a startup focused on enabling lifestyle based sensors and devices. In the market, there's nothing that is a slap-on wearable that uses perspired sweat for diagnostics. And I think we are the closest. If we find the right partner, then within a 12-month window, we hope to license our technology and have our first products in the market."

Explore further: Bioengineers create sweat-based sensor to monitor glucose

More information: Rujuta D. Munje et al, A new paradigm in sweat based wearable diagnostics biosensors using Room Temperature Ionic Liquids (RTILs), Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02133-0

Google said Friday it would stop scanning the contents of Gmail users' inboxes for ad targeting, moving to end a practice that has fueled privacy concerns since the free email service was launched.

Like driving a car despite a glowing check-engine light, large buildings often chug along without maintenance being performed on the building controls designed to keep them running smoothly.

Microphones, from those in smartphones to hearing aids, are built specifically to hear the human voicehumans can't hear at levels higher than 20 kHz, and microphones max out at around 24 kHz, meaning that microphones only ...

Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas are getting more out of the sweat they've put into their work on a wearable diagnostic tool that measures three diabetes-related compounds in microscopic amounts of perspiration.

Researchers at the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a novel design approach for exoskeletons and prosthetic limbs that incorporates direct feedback from the human body. The findings were ...

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Bioengineers create more durable, versatile wearable for diabetes ... - Phys.Org

Since her diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes in 2009, Madyi Stangl has felt that the disease has placed a cloud on her life limiting her ability to travel and live life.

But that cloud has lifted, thanks to a special golden retriever named Willy.

Willy is a diabetes assistance dog that was given to Stangl by Can Do Canines, a New Hope, Minn., based non-profit organization that trains dogs to help people who live with diabetes, autism, seizures, hearing loss and mobility issues.

Madyi and Willy graduated in a class of 14 on June 10.

Willy can detect changes in Stangls blood sugar levels by scent. He alerts Madyi to high or low blood sugar levels by touching her with his paw. If she doesnt respond, he will whine or whimper and eventually do whatever he needs to do to get her attention. He is trained to bring glucose tablets or even a cell phone to Stangl.

Recently, Stangl had a scary low of 34 during the night. When she failed to respond to Willys touches, he laid over her body until she woke up. She then checked her blood sugar levels and ate food to bring her levels back up to normal, saving her life.

Can Do Canines has produced nearly 600 teams of dogs and their human companions since opening in 1989, according to Client Services Coordinator Sarah Schaff.

The organization can give away the dogs, which are sold by other organizations for $20,000 or more, because of volunteers and many donors, Schaff says.

Funding comes from donations from individuals, companies and grants. Schaff reports that the organization does not receive any state or federal funds, relying solely on donations, fundraisers and bequests.

Puppies are bred in a cooperative program with other certified service dog organizations, raised by volunteers and many receive their initial training in six Minnesota and two Wisconsin prisons.

Schaff notes that the prison environment is good for the dogs as well as the inmates.

It gives dogs a 24/7 taste of what life will be like when they are working, she says, adding that there are many studies pointing to the therapeutic benefits for the inmate handlers as well.

The organization has a screening process to find suitable candidates to match with dogs that are in the system or are in training.

It takes two years to raise and train a dog to be an assistance animal, Schaff says.

Madyi lives ub Minneapolis and works as the Operations Lead for the University of Minnesota Physicians, and Willy accompanies her to work as well. He even alerted a diabetic co-worker to a low blood sugar level.

Stangl grew up with dogs and reports that having Willy around is like having a big security blanket that I carry with me all the time. She is now more confident as well.

Even though Im going to continue on as this girl with this physical reminder of my disability, Im a little prouder because Im able to shed light on diabetes. Diabetes is an invisible illness, but it is something that needs to be seen because its not something to be taken lightly, she says.

Even though Willy is a beautiful and friendly dog, Stangl asks that people should refrain from touching him or any other assistance dog without permission of the owner.

When we are out in public and Willy is wearing his vest, its important not to make eye contact or distract him, Stangl says. He is working for me, and if he gets distracted, he stops working and that could be dangerous.

Schaff says that Can Do Canines is in need of volunteers to raise and train labrador, collie and poodle puppies for two years and return them to the company for further training.

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'Lifting the cloud' of diabetes with a special dog | News ... - Burnett County Sentinel (subscription)

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL)- More than 1 million Americans are living with Type 1 diabetes (T1D), an autoimmune disease where the pancreas stops making insulin.

One out of every 400 children has T1D, and for one Tallahassee family, a pair of twins were both diagnosed before the age of 2.

"It can happen to anyone. We don't have it in our families," said Rebeka Joseph, the mother of Eva and Leah Joseph."This was a strike of lightning that hit us. Twice."

Leah was diagnosed when she was just 10 months old. Her parents thought she had the flu, but her blood sugar level was dangerously high.

"My baby was 10 months old, and she had diabetes," Rebekah said. "My life changed forever in that moment."

Just nine months later, Eva was diagnosed with T1D. Rebekah was able to detect it, thanks to the medical team at Tallahassee Memorial.

"As they grow up, there will be physicians here who can continue to take care of them," said Dr. Larry Deeb, a pediatric endocrinologistat TMH. "There will be the Diabetes Center that can continue to offer support at every stage of life."

"We're there to continue training and making sure that they make the transition -- being able to learn some of the care things themselves, so that they can take care of their bodies as they grow and develop," saidKatherine Owen, a certified diabetes educator at TMH.

TMH provided the girls with devices that monitor and administer insulin throughout the day.

"It's an hourly -- almost minute-to-minute disease," Rebekah said.

As the girls grow up, the family wants to make sure their teachers know how to handle issue with diabetes. TMH trained the staff at Good Samaritan Academy to do just that.

"The girls are able to develop as little people that can play with other kids," Rebekah said. "I want them to realize how normal they are. There's really no difference."

That's what Belinda Rodebaugh hopes for, too. She was diagnosed when she was 5 years old.

"It is part of your life, and it never goes away. However, it will respond to things that you do," Rodebaugh said."So, the more you research what you eat and what you don't is a really good thing."

The twins will celebrate their second birthday in September. The family says the support they've received gives them confidence to manage any challenge that comes their way.

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Tallahassee twin toddlers learn to live with Type 1 diabetes - WTXL ABC 27

American Diabetes Association officials are offering a summer diabetes-prevention camp in Santa Clarita from July 1516, 2017, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita.

This camp is available for 7- to 15-year-olds who are at risk for diabetes or that have a family history of Type 2 diabetes.

To register, visit the Camp Power Up website at http://www.diabetes.org/camppowerupsantaclarita or call 323-966-2890.

Obesity continues to pose a threat to the health of Americans, as Type 2 diabetics make up 90-95 percent of all diabetics in the world.

Approximately 208,000 Americans under age 20 are estimated to have diagnosed diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

In order to combat this statistic, create new habits and become knowledgeable about Type 2 diabetes prevention, the diabetes camp will focus on exercise, proper nutrition and fellowship between children in similar health circumstances.

Parents and other family members are encouraged to attend camp on Sunday in order to reinforce the healthy lifestyle their children learned about on Saturday.

In addition to the weekend long camp experience, all children and their families are invited to attend three Reunion Events hosted at the Boys & Girls Club in Newhall.

Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes are being overweight, sedentary, and having a family history of diabetes. African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are at an increased risk for developing the disease.

However, Type 2 diabetes can be reversed via exercise, nutrition, and a change in lifestyle choices.

About the American Diabetes Association

The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. For the past 75 years, our mission has been to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383) or the Los Angeles office at 323.966.2890 or visit http://www.diabetes.org Find the Los Angeles office on Facebook (adalosangeles), Twitter (@ada_losangeles) and Instagram (@adalosangeles).

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Diabetes-Prevention Camp To Be Held In Santa Clarita ... - KHTS Radio

OLEAN The Street Classics Car Club presented a $5,000 check to JDRF for Type 1 diabetes research Thursday at its weekly cruise night.

Since 1991 the club has donated more than $70,000 to the organization formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, said Karen Swierski, executive director of JDRFs Western New York chapter. Swierski was at cruise night in the Olean Center Mall parking lot to accept the check from club President Jim McKelvey and Treasurer John Ricci, as well as other club members.

The club began donating to support the organizations mission of finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes because one of its founding members had the disease.

We keep plugging away, McKelvey said.

About 1.25 million Americans have Type 1 diabetes, according to a 2014 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that affects the bodys ability to produce insulin.

We dont call it juvenile anymore because you dont get rid of it as you get older, Swierski said.

Donations to JDRF go toward both research and outreach.

Our mission is to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes, thats our main focus, but we realize theyre are a lot of people with Type 1 out there and we have to help them manage their disease, Swierski said.

Many donations come from groups like the Street Classics Car Club.

We do some big fundraisers, we do work with the federal government, but it's the community fundraisers like this group that really make a difference, Swierski said.

As of 2016, the clubs 25th anniversary, the club has donated more $84,000 to a variety of local charities, according to club officials. Organizations who have benefited include the SPCA in Cattaraugus County, Olean Food Pantry and St. Bonaventure University's Warming House. Individuals, who needed assistance after fires or needed ramps to get into their homes, have also been helped.

We try to help everybody, but a lot of it just depends on our cruise nights and our Car Show and our sponsors, McKelvey said.

The clubs 26th annual Street Classics Car Show will take place Aug. 6 at Firemans Park in Allegany. There will be 50/50 drawings, a Chinese auction, food, games and live music. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cruise nights, held every Thursday, will last through Labor Day.

(Contact reporter Tom Dinki at tdinki@oleantimesherald.com. Follow him on Twitter, @tomdinki)

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Street Classics Car Club makes annual donation for Type 1 diabetes research - Olean Times Herald

Dr. Ralph Defronzo talks with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed during the ADA 77th Scientific Session in San Diego about SGLT-2, GLP-1, and the drugs he recommends despite standard practice.

Dr. Ralph Defronzo, MD is Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Diabetes Division at the University of Texas Health Diabetes Center in San Antonia, Texas. Dr. Defronzo is also Deputy Director of the Texas Diabetes Institute.

Transcript of this video segment:

Steve Freed:You were one of the first to use triple therapy. Certainly a more aggressive attitude. Now we have drugs that actually prevent or reduce your risk for death. Now were coming out, were finding out the SGLT-2s may cause amputation of your toes. It may cause other issues. I dont think theres a drug on the planet that doesnt have side effects. But were not going to die from the loss of a toe. What are your thoughts even when it comes to SGLT-2s? I know theyre fairly expensive right now. Competition hopefully will reduce that. What are your thoughts about the SGLT-2 drugs and the GLP-1s?

Dr. Defronzo:Let me just back up before I talk about this amputation issue, because its going to be very controversial. To me, Ive always been a strong believer that you need to understand what causes type 2 diabetes. NIH spends millions and millions of dollars to help us try to define what causes the disease. If you know what causes the disease, you ought to use medications to reverse the problem. Sulfonylureas clearly dont do that. In my opinion, these drugs, other than cost, really should not be being used in our diabetic patients. We have much better armor material. So if I had to list the drugs, and this may be a little bit different from what other people tell you. I would put a tie between GLP-1 receptor agonist and pioglitazone. And very close to those two, I would put SGLT-2 inhibitor. Id put Metformin as a good drug but lower down. Those are my four good drugs. Then way down, Id put DPP-4 inhibitors and I just dont use sulfonylurea drugs. I dont believe that theres any need for these drugs. Youd have to be very hard pressed that people could not afford any other drug before Im going to resort to using sulfonylurea drugs. Weve done a very large study with triple therapy. Its now into its 5th year. We use a combination of pioglitazone, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, and Metformin. Because when we started these studies, SGLT-2 inhibitors were not around. I can tell you now, the results are phenomenal. These people have three years later normal beta-cell function. They have a 60% improvement in insulin sensitivity. They lose weight. Theres minimal hypoglycemia. We just published a very large study inDiabetes Care, its called the Qatar Study, where theyre going to play the World Cup. We took people who had failed completely on Metformin and sulfonylurea. Their A1C was 10.1. They had ten and a half duration of this disease. We added a GLP-1 receptor agonist plus pioglitazone. A year and a half later, they have an A1C of 6. So, the beta cells, Id rather say, theyre not dead, theyre hibernating. People dont recognize that the TZDs have a huge effect on the beta cell. GLP-1 receptor agonists have a huge effect on the beta cell. And then pioglitazone also has a good insulin sensitizing effect. If I had to do this study over again, I actually would replace the Metformin with the SGLT-2 inhibitor. But these are all good drugs and docs need to learn how to mix and match them. Then they also need to remember that even though you start on two or three drugs, or even you start on one drug, you need to follow the patient to see what happens. If you get a gratifying response, great. But if you dont, then you need to move on quickly, either adding one or two additional drugs.

Steve Freed:Now, you had mentioned, if you go back 50 years, we had one oral drug. Today, we have a couple million possible combinations if you include insulin in there. What you see coming down the pike as far as the future because it used to be simple. You go to your doctor, and he gives you a prescription for sulfonylurea. Today, theres so many options and so many new drugs that each of them has side effects. Theyre all a little bit different. Theyre certainly better than what we had. How do you teach a physician, what possible combination he should use? Is it just trial-and-error?

Dr. Defronzo:Well, I think for endocrinologists, its a little bit easier because this is our job. I think the real problem is amongst primary care physicians because they have to learn all of these new diabetes drugs. Then they have G.I. problems. They have to learn all of these new G.I. drugs. Then they have people presenting with arthritis and collagen vascular disease. Then we have this whole new plethora of immuno-suppressive drugs. I feel sorry in a certain way for the primary care physician because hes supposed to be an expert in everything. Well, thats not possible. The good part is we have very good medications. So thats an advantage. Sometimes I see patients coming to me, I wonder why are they on these drugs when theyre not well controlled, when there are better drugs. It sounds easy for us. I see a patient literally in 10 to 15 minutes, I can handle all the problems. I know instantaneously what to do with glucose, lipids, blood pressure, and cardiovascular issues. Thats basically the major part of diabetes cardiovascular hypertension treatment. And since Im board certified in nephrology as well, I know if they get kidney problems what to do. So for me its very easy to take care of diabetic patients. Its not so easy for primary care physicians and then on top of all of that, we have cost. These newer drugs are really quite expensive. Also, if you prescribe a drug thats not on the patients formulary and he goes to pick it up and its $500, believe me you havent prescribed any drug, because hes not going to get it. Even though, the docs may understand what drugs do and what are the good ones, not always can you prescribe them for your patients.

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Dr. Ralph Defronzo Part 3, Diabetes Medications - Diabetes In Control

LOOMIS Becton Dickinson wants to help cure or find a better way to treat diabetes, so the medical equipment manufacturer supports the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

To do so, BD is sponsoring a 2K Color Fun Run July 1 in Loomis. It will begin at Loomis High School and will end at the communitys water park.

Usually, we sponsor an event inside the plant, but we decided to do something different this year, said Holdrege BD employee and event leader Sheri Freeland.

Donations will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Lincoln and Greater Nebraska Chapter to create a world without type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease in which a persons pancreas stops producing insulin. Insulin is a hormone people need to get energy from food.

The disease can suddenly strike both children and adults. Type 1 diabetes is unrelated to diet or lifestyle. People with type 1 diabetes must regularly monitor their blood-sugar levels, inject or continually infuse insulin through a pump, and carefully regulate insulin doses with eating and activity 24 hours a day.

The juvenile diabetes foundation funds research to deliver new treatments and therapies that make day-to-day life with diabetes easier, safer and healthier until it can prevent and one day cure the disease.

After hearing a speech from 13-year-old Riley Kinnan, who was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 7, Freeland knew leading this event was something she wanted to do.

(Her speech) was interesting and motivating. Since Ive worked (at BD) for 36 years, I felt like I should do something, and I knew this was a great way to help out, said Freeland.

Riley, an eighth-grader to be from Lincoln, is an ambassador for the juvenile diabetes foundation. She is very passionate about helping younger children, especially those who are also dealing with the challenges of a diabetes diagnosis.

In the past, BD has sponsored diabetes foundation events such as chili cookoffs, salsa-making contests, hamburger feeds and silent auctions. It has sponsored the juvenile diabetes foundation for six or seven years.

There are 30 people signed up for the Color Run, and Freeland said she has already sold 80 T-shirts for the occasion. All proceeds are going to the juvenile diabetes foundation, and BD is matching the money raised.

Freeland said she is grateful for the number of people who have signed up so far to participate.

We werent sure if we would have enough people or money to put this event together, but we ended up having many volunteers and people in the community willing to help out.

With continued publicity for the event, Freeland hopes to help those suffering with diabetes.

Its a scary disease, and it can affect so young. There are kids that are 2 or even younger that have it, and its terrifying to think about how many shots to have daily and watching what you eat constantly. Its not like you can take a pill and make it go away. For kids, it just sucks, Freeland said.

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BD fun run to benefit juvenile diabetes research - Kearney Hub

According to the latest report published by Credence Research, Inc.Diabetes Devices Market Growth, Future Prospects and Competitive Analysis, 2016-2022,the global diabetes devices market was valued at USD 20.4 Bn in 2015, and is expected to reach USD 28.2 Bn by 2022, expanding at a CAGR of 4.6% from 2016 to 2022.

Browse the fullreport Diabetes Devices: Market Growth, Future Prospects and Competitive Analysis, 2016-2022 at http://www.credenceresearch.com/report/diabetes-devices-market

Market Insights

With approximately 385 Mn diabetic patients and a burden of 175 Mn undiagnosed population, the burden of diabetes is significant. Lifestyle, increase in obesity prevalence, dietary changes and ageing are some of the critical factors contributing to the growing prevalence of diabetes worldwide. The global diabetes management market is majorly driven by rising disease prevalence, technological innovation, growing preference for automated disease management solutions are the prime drivers of diabetes devices market.

Growth of the global diabetes management devices market is also supported by significant investments, scope of penetration in middle- and low-income countries and increasing awareness in patient population about effective diabetes management and thereby prevention of disease related complications. On the other hand, high costs of novel diabetes management products and monitors, compliance issues, safety concerns and reimbursement issues are some of the market hindrances faced by the diabetes device manufacturers.

This report classifies the overall diabetes devices market into insulin delivery devices and glucose monitoring devices segments. The insulin delivery devices segment studies individual market for insulin pumps, insulin syringes, insulin pens and insulin inhalers. The glucose monitoring products studied in this report include test strips, lancing devices and lancets, glucose meters and continuous glucose monitors. Insulin delivery devices currently take the larger share of the overall diabetes devices market and it is anticipated that the demand for these products shall remain high through the forecast period. Additionally, continuous glucose monitors is anticipated to be the fastest growing segment in the total market, where the growth is facilitated by rapid technological innovation in this field by players such as Dexcom and prove efficiency of these devices in management of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Geographically, North America and Europe are the largest regional markets for diabetes devices. High awareness, diabetes prevalence and evolved reimburse systems for novel drug delivery and monitoring systems are the prime market growth drivers in these regions. Furthermore, Asia-Pacific and Middle East and Africa are the fastest growing regions in the global market. Phenomenal rise in diabetes prevalence in countries such as India, China and Middle East countries are the major growth facilitators in these region.

The overall diabetes devices market is led by F. Hoffmann La Roche through its flagship product line Accu Chek and is followed by Animas Corporation and LifeScan with their wide product offering. Eli Lilly currently is among the top players in the diabetes delivery devices segment.

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Diabetes Devices Market Is Predicted To Hit USD 28.2 Bn By 2022, Credence Research - Technorati

A raucous relay ball game was underway in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian Church in downtown Fredericksburg.

Shouts, beach balls and running kids filled the room. Captain America, Spiderman and Wonder Woman were leading the activities.

"Someone's low," one child yelled.

A counselor wearing a shirt bearing the Superman logo and the words "Power of insulin" crossed the room toward a little girl in a pink dress. The counselor checked the screen of a device the girl wore on a flowered belt around her hips.

The device was a continuous glucose monitor, a tool that tracks the child's blood sugar levels all day and night to give an overall picture of how they fluctuate.

It showed that the levels were slightly down but they weren't falling. She could keep playing.

Twenty-two children between the ages of 7 and 12 gathered this week for the 11th annual Kids for a Cure Club summer camp for kids with type 1 diabetes.

KFCC is a local nonprofit organization that was founded by the Mary Washington Healthcare diabetes management staff and parents of children with type 1 diabetes to provide education and support for families living with the disease.

The summer camp, which had a superhero theme this year, aims to help kids become more proficient in managing their diabetes while letting them have fun with peers who share their daily challenges. It is sponsored by MWH and the Aquia and Fredericksburg Lions Clubs.

"The purpose is for children with diabetes to be with others who have the disease," said Lana King, a registered nurse and the camp's founder. "In their school, they might be the only diabetic child. Here, they can feel like it's a normal thing. Here, they're acting differently if they're NOT having their blood checked."

Campers are under the care of four MWH registered nurses and diabetes educators and King, who used to work for MWH and now is clinical business manager for Animas Corporation, an insulin pump company.

All the camp counselors, who are 15 and 16, and the junior counselors, who are 13 and 14, also have type 1 diabetes.

Camp activities included craftsmaking superhero capes, badges and masks, decorating flower pots and picture framesgames and special activities such as cooking classes and trips to the Farmer's Market and the pool.

The kids heard from adult guest speakersa writer and a Secret Service agentwho have diabetes. They also prepared their own diabetes-friendly snacks each day.

Regular blood sugar checks were part of the day's activities.

"I think the hardest part of this disease is that there is no break," King said. "You must get up every day and check your blood sugar 6-8 times a day or give yourself injections. You're having to be responsible."

Hence, the superhero theme. For one of the daily activities, the kids had to answer the question, "Who is your superhero and why?"

One girl answered, "My superhero is me because I have learned how to manage my diabetes."

Other kids said their parents were their superheroes for helping them with their disease.

Matthew Gomez, 13, and his sister Gianna, 11, have attended the camp for multiple years.

"I like everything about it," Matthew said. "It's definitely up there [in my list of favorite summer camps.]"

Gianna, who was diagnosed at age 6 and has a twin sister who doesn't have diabetes, wears an insulin pump which delivers insulin to her body continuously. Matthew, who was diagnosed at age 9, gives himself insulin injections and pricks his finger to check his blood sugar four or five times a day.

He said it used to hurt, but his fingers are so tough now that it doesn't bother him.

Trinity Riley, 10, said she was diagnosed at age 3 after she went into a diabetic coma. She doesn't remember, but her sister has shown her pictures and video of herself in the hospital.

"I looked dead, not like myself," Riley said.

She said she's the only kid in her school with diabetes and usually tries to hide what she's doing when she pricks her finger to test her blood. But at camp, she doesn't have to do that.

"It's nice not being scared," she said. "When I'm here, I'm wide open, because everyone's the same."

Jayden Britt, 12, was just diagnosed with the disease in December. She said she's loved the summer camp because it helps her "not feel so different."

For two months leading up to her diagnosis, she felt "a little weird." Her mom noticed that she had lost a lot of weight and wasn't fitting into any of her clothes and took her to be checked out. Doctors ran a urine test and found ketonesacids that remain when the body burns its own fat instead of glucose for energy. It's a common complication of diabetes.

When the doctor started to tell Britt what the diagnosis was, she saw her mom begin to tear up.

"She knew what was coming," Britt said. "My dad has type 1 and my mom was blaming herself because she hadn't noticed the symptoms."

Katlyn Agosta, a nurse and MWH diabetes educator who is in her second year with the camp, said the camp helps kids as well as parents find support in handling the disease.

Mom Karen Embrey was wearing a shirt that said, "Some people never get to meet their hero. I gave birth to mine." Her daughter, Hannah, 15, has type 1 and is a counselor at the camp.

She said the hardest part about the disease from a mother's perspective is trusting anyone other than herself to manage it.

"Letting her be away from me is hard," she said.

Embrey said Hannah has been taking care of her own diabetes for a few years and generally does a good job.

"But this camp, being responsible for other kidsit's making her more mindful," she said.

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Superheroes on a T1D mission! Kids with Type 1 Diabetes conquer the disease's challenges - Fredericksburg.com

In 2003, Jose Sanchez was a recent graduate just starting out in the world, hustling to get his graphic design business off the ground. Then, one day, his life changed.

I went to take a nap and then I didnt wake up for two days, he said. When I woke up, I looked like the Matrix. I had all these tubes coming out of me.

Sanchez discovered he had Type 1 diabetes only after he had fallen into diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition. His story is a reminder of what many diabetics went through in the years before the Affordable Care Act, and what many could face again if its rolled back.

Because he had very little income at the time, Sanchez was able to qualify for New York States Medicaid program. Between changing his diet and lifestyle and getting insulin and other health care through Medicaid, he managed to stay relatively healthy after the incident.

Eventually, he found stable employment and had a son. But then another disaster hit. In 2007, he learned that his jobworking nights at Abercrombie & Fitch, prepping the store for the morning crowdspaid just a little too much for him to continue to qualify for Medicaid.

Thats when I found out the true cost of being a diabetic, he said.

Without insurance, insulinrefillsalone cost him $225 every three weeks. Diapers, food and milk for his son came first, so he rationed the medication and ended up in the emergency room over and over again, racking up tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills he had no way to pay on his salary.

I would end up being in the hospital for a weeklong visit as they brought my levels back down, he said. This just became routine. Once or twice I had to have the ambulance come and get me at my house.

For a lot of people like Sanchez, the expansion of Medicaid in many states under the Affordable Care Act changed everything. The accessibility increased the chances that diabetics would be diagnosed early on before they have life-threatening emergencies. It also made it more likely that diabetics who were seeking treatment could successfully manage their disease, preventing hospital visits.

One 2009 study found that 46 percent of uninsured people with diabetes hadnt received a diagnosis, compared with 23.2 percent of insured diabetics.Medicaid expansion appears to have made a significant dent in the number of people who cant get treatment because they have never been diagnosed.

Looking at the 26 states, plus the District of Columbia, that expanded Medicaid in 2014, researchers found that new diabetes diagnoses rose 23 percent. In the other 24 states, they rose by less than half a percent.

LaShawn McIver, senior vice president of government affairs and advocacy with the American Diabetes Association (ADA), said thats really important because being aware of the condition can allow for earlier interventions to prevent complications.

That is a huge win for people with diabetes in those states, in comparison with people in states that did not expand, she said.

For people who know they have diabetes, of course, getting coverage, whether through Medicaid or other insurance, is critical to affording the treatment they need to keep their disease under control. Looking at known diabetics between 1999 and 2008, one study found people without insurance generally got less health care and had worse blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure.

Beyond helping to pay for medication and doctors visits, state Medicaid agencies are now experimenting with new ways to help people with diabetes learn to stay as healthy as possible. For example, in 15 states Medicaid now pays for diabetes self-management classes under some circumstances. This kind of education has proved successful in helping patients keep their blood sugar down so they stay healthier.

Now, the ADA is pushing Medicaid agencies to expand this kind of approach by offering similar classes to people who are at risk of developing diabetes. Its a lifestyle intervention which gives people the skill they need to sort of take care of the behavioral changes, McIver said.

She said the program starts with classes taught by an instructor trained in a curriculum created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. After that, participants meet regularly in peer groups.

Its kind of like a support group that provides these skills for lifestyle changes, she added.

Medicare will start covering this in 2018, and McIver said it only makes sense for Medicaid to do the same.

While it continues to try to make Medicaid coverage better, the ADA is now fighting to preserve coverage. Republican proposals moving through Congress now would phase out the ACAs expansion of Medicaid and also reduce funding for the core program. Under the plan passed by the House of Representatives, 14 million fewer people would receive Medicaid coverage by 2026, according to the Congressional Budget Office.The Senate version would cut Medicaid even more deeply over the long term.

At the same time, changes that reduced protections for people with preexisting conditions would quash diabetics access to private insurance on the individual market.

Diabetes is a disease that requires ongoing care, McIver said. What we worry about with any kind of repeal or replacement is that people wont have access to affordable care.

If they dont have that access, many people like Sanchez will almost certainly end up in the hospital suffering from complications that medication or other interventions could have headed off. That adds up to big costs that somehow need to be covered. A study last year found that when patients with diabetes who arrived at an emergency department were referred to a diabetes center for additional support, they were much less likely to be hospitalized over the next year. The cost of institutional care also fell by $5,461 per patient.

For Sanchez, the repeated hospitalizations only ended after he missed so much work that he lost his job and ended up eligible for Medicaid again. After that, he cycled in and out of coverage. Finally, in 2014, just as other patients were getting insured under the Medicaid expansion, he got a job with the City of New York that provided good coverage.

Sanchezs life today demonstrates both the importance of strong insurance policies and the challenges that remain. He now has his disease under control, thanks to insurance that covers his medication and care. Hes able to care for his growing family(his son now has a little sister) and himself.But, because the kinds of insurance he could get on the individual market arent as good as what he has, he feels tied to his job. That means he cant go back to pursuing a career in design full-time as he always wanted.

I would love for legislation to work toward making entrepreneurs just as safe as municipal employees, he said. You shouldnt have to choose between having a job with adequate health insurance and living your dream, living your purpose.

For now, Sanchez is just working to preserve the health care expansion thats happened over the past few years, telling his story on behalf of people who are where he was 15 years agounaware that health care coverage is going to end up mattering a lot to them.

Everybodys going to have a health concern at some point or another, he said.

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This Is What Happens When People With Diabetes Lose Medicaid - HuffPost

June 23, 2017 by Martha Mckenzie Lisa Staimez, left, and Mary Beth Weber, middle, are studying diabetes in India. Credit: Emory University

The number of people with diabetes has quadrupled from 1980 to 2014, and 415 million adults in the world now have diabetes, according to Rollins researchers. Globally, it was estimated that diabetes accounted for 12 percent of health expenditures in 2010, or at least $376 billiona figure expected to hit $490 billion in 2030.

When K.M. Venkat Narayan first began studying type 2 diabetes in the early 1990s, it was considered a disease of adults in affluent countries. Today diabetes has spread to every country in the world, to both urban and rural areas. It afflicts the poor as much as if not more than the rich and strikes children and teens as well as adults. A possible new phenotype of type 2 diabetes has emerged that is affecting younger, thinner people.

The number of people with diabetes has quadrupled from 1980 to 2014, and 415 million adults in the world now have diabetes, according to Rollins researchers. Globally, it was estimated that diabetes accounted for 12 percent of health expenditures in 2010, or at least $376 billiona figure expected to hit $490 billion in 2030.

"In the years since I began working in this field, diabetes has grown to become one of the biggest public health threats we face," says Narayan, Ruth and O.C. Hubert Professor of Global Health. "The spread of some of the ills of a modern lifestylesedentary behaviors, a diet of processed and unhealthy foods, and an increase in obesityhas made diabetes a worldwide crisis. And at least in its most common form, it is substantially preventable."

Burden in low-income countries

Despite the great strides in treating diabetes in high-income countries, much about the disease in low- to middle-income countries remains a mystery. Can interventions that have been proven effective in places like the U.S. be successfully translated in poorer countries? Why are thinner and younger people in some countries developing diabetes, and how does this form of the disease differ from the more common type that occurs in overweight people?

The gap in knowledge has a straightforward explanation. About 75 percent of the burden of diabetes is borne in low- and middle-income countries, but more than 95 percent of the research is being conducted in high-income countries. Narayan and his team have been working to build up the research base in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in India and Pakistan.

Mary Beth Weber, assistant professor of global health, partnered with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation in Chennai, India, on a study that showed the interventions that have proven successful in the U.S. and elsewhere in preventing prediabetes from advancing to diabetes can work as well in India in some segments of the population. After three years, the study group that got the recommended interventionlifestyle education plus the glucose-lowering drug metformin if neededwas 30 percent less likely to develop diabetes than the control group.

Weber is now planning an implementation study to see if this type of diabetes prevention program can be implemented at worksites in India. She and her team are modifying the educational curriculum and training peer educators to provide the interventions where they might have the most impact.

Some participants, however, did not respond as well to Weber's intervention, and this group seems to represent a different phenotype of the disease. These people were thinnersome with BMIs as low as 18.5and younger than the typical person with type 2 diabetes, and their disease characteristics were different from those in obesity-related type 2 diabetes.

Classically, in type 2 diabetes, the pancreas beta cells initially have no problem producing insulin. The trouble is that the body's cells become resistant and thus there is a problem regulating glucose, which builds up in the blood. Over years, the beta cells become exhausted as they have to work hard to produce more insulin to regulate higher glucose levels, and then they begin to fail. This type of diabetes, generally associated with obesity, responds well to weight loss interventions and metformin.

However, when Weber and Lisa Staimez, assistant professor of global health, looked at blood samples of Asian Indians with prediabetes, they found that there had already been dramatic change in their beta cell function. "This suggests that poor beta cell function might happen much earlier in this group as compared with those with typical type 2 diabetes," says Staimez. "But we don't know why."

Some hypothesize that this early beta cell dysfunction may stem from historic undernutrition. Their bodies may be programmed by food scarcity to store fat differently and perhaps secrete less insulin. Indeed, thin Asian people actually have more body fat than a similarly sized person in the U.S., but in Asian individuals fat is stored around organs. This type of fat storage has been linked to higher risk for cardiometabolic diseases like diabetes.

This thin group does not respond well to traditional interventions, such as weight loss. "In the other groups, you are trying to improve insulin's action, whereas here you might have to improve insulin secretion, which we don't know how to do yet," says Narayan. "There is a huge gap in the research in this form of diabetes."

Staimez is starting one study on this group. She wants to know the impact on the child of a mother who is underweight or malnourished. She will look at infants of both normal weight and underweight mothers and compare their beta cell function at six months of age. "Understanding the way type 2 diabetes develops in this group could lead to some really innovative pharmacologic and lifestyle interventions," says Staimez. "By understanding early life factors, this study may provide new insight on how to globally improve the worsening reality of diabetes."

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Diabetes moving from affliction of affluent countries to a global problem - Medical Xpress

Definition

Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood sugar (glucose). Glucose is vital to your health because it's an important source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and tissues. It's also your brain's main source of fuel.

If you have diabetes, no matter what type, it means you have too much glucose in your blood, although the causes may differ. Too much glucose can lead to serious health problems.

Chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Potentially reversible diabetes conditions include prediabetes when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes and gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy but may resolve after the baby is delivered.

Diabetes symptoms vary depending on how much your blood sugar is elevated. Some people, especially those with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, may not experience symptoms initially. In type 1 diabetes, symptoms tend to come on quickly and be more severe.

Some of the signs and symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are:

Although type 1 diabetes can develop at any age, it typically appears during childhood or adolescence. Type 2 diabetes, the more common type, can develop at any age, though it's more common in people older than 40.

To understand diabetes, first you must understand how glucose is normally processed in the body.

Insulin is a hormone that comes from a gland situated behind and below the stomach (pancreas).

Glucose a sugar is a source of energy for the cells that make up muscles and other tissues.

The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. What is known is that your immune system which normally fights harmful bacteria or viruses attacks and destroys your insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This leaves you with little or no insulin. Instead of being transported into your cells, sugar builds up in your bloodstream.

Type 1 is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors, though exactly what many of those factors are is still unclear.

In prediabetes which can lead to type 2 diabetes and in type 2 diabetes, your cells become resistant to the action of insulin, and your pancreas is unable to make enough insulin to overcome this resistance. Instead of moving into your cells where it's needed for energy, sugar builds up in your bloodstream.

Exactly why this happens is uncertain, although it's believed that genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Being overweight is strongly linked to the development of type 2 diabetes, but not everyone with type 2 is overweight.

During pregnancy, the placenta produces hormones to sustain your pregnancy. These hormones make your cells more resistant to insulin.

Normally, your pancreas responds by producing enough extra insulin to overcome this resistance. But sometimes your pancreas can't keep up. When this happens, too little glucose gets into your cells and too much stays in your blood, resulting in gestational diabetes.

Risk factors for diabetes depend on the type of diabetes.

Although the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown, factors that may signal an increased risk include:

Researchers don't fully understand why some people develop prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and others don't. It's clear that certain factors increase the risk, however, including:

Any pregnant woman can develop gestational diabetes, but some women are at greater risk than are others. Risk factors for gestational diabetes include:

Long-term complications of diabetes develop gradually. The longer you have diabetes and the less controlled your blood sugar the higher the risk of complications. Eventually, diabetes complications may be disabling or even life-threatening. Possible complications include:

Most women who have gestational diabetes deliver healthy babies. However, untreated or uncontrolled blood sugar levels can cause problems for you and your baby.

Complications in your baby can occur as a result of gestational diabetes, including:

Complications in the mother can also occur as a result of gestational diabetes, including:

Prediabetes may develop into type 2 diabetes.

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:

Examples of questions your doctor may ask, include:

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:

If the A1C test results aren't consistent, the test isn't available, or if 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:

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 when 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:

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 and whole grains foods that are high in nutrition and fiber and low in fat and calories and cut down on animal products, 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.

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 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 often as several times a week to as many as four to eight times a day. Careful monitoring is the only way to make sure that your blood sugar level remains within your target range. People who receive insulin therapy also may choose to monitor their blood sugar levels with a continuous glucose monitor. Although this technology doesn't yet replace the glucose meter, it can 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 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 insulin regimen or meal plan. Your target A1C goal may vary depending on your age and various other factors. 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 may also 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 is also 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. The device automatically delivers the correct amount of insulin when the monitor indicates the need for it. There are a number of different versions of the artificial pancreas, and clinical trials have had encouraging results. More research needs to be done before a fully functional artificial pancreas can receive regulatory approval.

However, the first step toward an artificial pancreas was approved in 2013. Combining a continuous glucose monitor with an insulin pump, this system stops insulin delivery when blood sugar levels drop too low. Studies on the device found that it could prevent low blood sugar levels overnight without significantly increasing morning blood sugar levels.

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 health care provider will also 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 5 to 10 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. Healthy lifestyle choices remain key, however.

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

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.

No matter what type of diabetes you have:

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

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 of all ages and men older than 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger 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 with blood sugar management.

If you decide to try an 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).

Type 1 diabetes can't be prevented. However, the same healthy lifestyle choices that help treat prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes can also help prevent them:

Sometimes medication is an option as well. Oral diabetes drugs such as metformin (Glucophage, Glumetza, others) may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes but healthy lifestyle choices remain essential.

Have your blood sugar checked at least once a year to check that you haven't developed type 2 diabetes.

Last updated: July 31st, 2014

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Area Of Interest

BEHAVIORAL MED & PSYCH CLIN. ENDO. HLTH CR & PUB HLTH COMPLICATIONS DIABETES IN YOUTH EDUCATION EPIDEMIOLOGY & STATISTICS EXERCISE FOOT CARE IMMUNOLOGY, IMMUNOGENETICS NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES & METABOL PREG AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

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American Diabetes Association