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Lets face it. You only get one body and if you want to be around awhile and enjoy good health, its your job to learn how to take care of it. Thats why I have been so pleased to attend the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes Healthier You series of eight classes that are held at the Enloe Conference Center and taught by Enloe Medical Center health professionals.

On March 20, I attended a class on prediabetes, presented by Mary Aram, clinical dietitian with Enloe Diabetes Services. Diabetes is a major health scourge of the modern age, and it is essential that you do what you can to keep from getting it, or if you have it already, to know how to control it.

There are two types of diabetes: Type I or childhood-onset diabetes and Type II, adult-onset diabetes. We are talking here about adult-onset or type II diabetes, a metabolic disorder in which the body becomes resistant to insulin, the hormone produced by the pancreas that lets the bodys cells take up sugar from the blood to use as energy for body functions.

People with type II diabetes have both high insulin levels and high blood-sugar levels, and that does a great deal of damage.

Diabetes can be associated with complications in about all organ systems and causes an increased rate of atherosclerosis (plaque on the lining of artery walls), stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, poor circulation, peripheral nerve damage, blindness, erectile dysfunction, and dementia.

As we exercise less, eat more, and choose foods poorly, the rates of this debilitating disease are ballooning. Between 1980 and 2009 the rate tripled. Diabetes is the sixth leading official cause of death among those who are over 65, and those who have diabetes have twice the risk of dying from other causes such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. According to Rebecca L. Ferrini and Armeda F. Ferrini in Health in the Later Years, to be diagnosed with diabetes at age 60 means that you have lost 7-10 years of life.

In addition, diabetes is the most costly chronic disease, requiring 25 percent of the total Medicare budget to treat. In this time of growing aged population and threats of government cuts to Medicare, this is an important consideration.

Alarmingly, poor life style choices are causing people to develop diabetes at an earlier age. In a recent study of California health, 43 percent of 18-39 year-olds in Butte County had prediabetes, and 10 percent already had developed diabetes. Unless this trend is reversed, huge numbers of future elders will be debilitated by this disease and require even more of the health care budget.

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There is good news. This is a medical condition in which the patients lifestyle changes can positively affect the disease outcome. Losing 5-7 percent of body weight (10-14 pounds for a 200-pound person) and getting a half hour of moderate exercise five times a week can significantly prevent or delay onset of diabetes.

Aram points out that when people reach their target blood glucose levels, most of the time they mitigate their incidence of diabetes complications by 60-70 percent.

Prediabetes often does not have any symptoms, so it is essential to be aware of risk factors, to have regular blood sugar tests, and to make immediate life-style changes if the tests indicate prediabetes.

The chance that you will get prediabetes increases if you

Are over age 45

Have African American, Hispanic American, Native American, Asian American or Pacific Islander heritage.

Have a parent or siblings with diabetes.

Are overweight.

Store extra fat in the abdomen (waist over 40 inches for men, 35 inches for women).

Are physically inactive (especially when sedentary for more than a two-hour period).

Have high blood pressure or you take high blood pressure medication.

Have low HDL cholesterol and/or high triglycerides.

Are a woman who had diabetes during pregnancy.

Have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

If you are over 45, even if you have no risk factors, you should have your blood sugar tested at least every three years. If you are over 65, have any risk factors, or previous tests have shown high blood sugar, you should be tested every year.

Discuss the results of your blood sugar tests with your physician. If your fasting glucose test is over 100, you are at the cut-off for prediabetes. This does not mean you should wait until you actually have diabetes before taking steps to improve your health. It means you have to act now.

If exercise is a dirty word for you, think in terms of activity that you enjoy. Little things can make a big difference: walk the dog every day; park the car farthest from where you are going; go for a 10-minute walk after meals.

If you are really out-of-shape, choose specific, measurable realistic goals, like walk for 10 minutes three times a day. Gradually, as you become stronger, you can raise the bar.

Regular exercise will help your body use insulin better and improve blood sugar levels. It also relieves stress, reduces depression and anxiety, and improves sleep. It will reduce heart disease and improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Finally you will lose fat and gain muscle. All of this will help prevent diabetes.

When people think of diabetes, they frequently think of reducing sugar intake, but several factors of diet and meal planning affect glucose level. The type of food, the timing of meals, and combinations of protein, carbohydrates and fat all play a part in the amount and speed at which glucose gets into the blood stream.

It is important to educate yourself about the glycemic index and learn which foods will cause a low and slow, rather than fast and high, increase in blood sugar. Helpful information can be found at http://www.glycemicindex.com.

Whether you have pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, diabetes risk factors or you are simply interested in healthier living, you can sign up for a two-hour Prediabetes Education Class at the Enloe Outpatient Center, 888 Lakeside Village Commons, Bldg. C, Classroom A, Chico. Classes meet quarterly, on Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. (check in at 5:30 p.m.).

The next classes will be held April 20 and July 20 so sign up now. Classes are $10. You can preregister at http://www.enloe.org (look under Healthier You, then by date under the Classes heading) or by calling the Enloe Public Relations Office.

As Aram emphasized, the purpose of these classes is to help patients become better advocates for themselves.

Two more presentations remain of the OLLI Healthier You series for this semester.

On April 17, Jeff Zelenski, manager of Enloe Outpatient Rehabilitation Services, will speak on Joint Health.

On April 24, Shawn Furst, DO, of the Enloe Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic will present information on Pain Management.

These classes, which are free and open to the public, are held at the Enloe Conference Center, 1528 The Esplanade, Chico, 2-3:30 p.m. Mondays.

Leslie Howard is a retired English teacher and certificated gerontologist. She welcomes comments and suggestions at leslie.t.howard@gmail.com.

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A senior moment: Are you doing your part to prevent getting diabetes? - Oroville Mercury Register

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation One Walk will kick off its annual event in Stroudsburg on Sunday, April 23 at Stroudsburg High School. Aiming to raise more than $74,000 to help fund critically needed type 1 diabetesresearch. The event, organized by JDRF Eastern PA, is expected to attract more than 500 supporters representing local businesses, families, schools, and other organizations. The event is one of more than 200 community JDRF One Walks nationwide that bring together hundreds of thousands of people each year who share JDRFs vision to create a world without type 1 diabetes.

This is a great opportunity to get family and friends together whether you have type 1 diabetes, know someone who does, or want to simply participate in an event that makes a huge impact on so many lives said Pat Delaney, Executive Director. Every walker and supporter will bring our community one step closer to turning Type One into Type None. We are grateful for the incredible support of the people of Stroudsburg,and supporters like Haltermans Toyota/Scion, who make it possible for JDRF to direct even more funding toward importanttype 1 diabetes research for the 1.25 million people with this serious disease.

JDRF encourages people of all ages driven to support the cause to participate in JDRF One Walk at Stroudsburg High School and enjoy a fun day with food catered by Momento Pizzeria & Restaurant. On-site registration begins at 1 p.m. at the high schoolstadium. The entire JDRF One Walk will be approximately 3 miles long, starting and ending inside the stadium.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic, life-threatening autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults at any age. In type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system destroys the cells that release insulin, eventually eliminating insulin production from the body. Type 1 diabetes requires rigorous 24/7 monitoring of blood glucose levels to avoid devastating complications.Type 1 diabetes onset is sudden and unpreventable and it is unrelated to diet or lifestyle.

JDRF One Walk is the largest and most powerful peer-to-peer fundraising programfor type 1 diabetes, raising more than $68 million annually. Since 1992, the event has raised more than $1 billion dollars fortype 1 diabetes research. This funding has enabled the search to find ways of preventing, delaying or halting the progression of T1D, and ultimately curing it; and has led to, life-changing drugs, treatments and devices many of which have already moved into clinical trials and real-world testing.

We are excited to be partnering with JDRF for this event to help fund much needed type 1 diabetes research,said Tom Schoeller, Event Chair.We are proud to be a part of this community which is so committed to relieving the burden experienced by people with type 1 diabetes and their families, and we share the same desire to rid the world of this disease.

JDRF gratefully acknowledges its local corporate partners for Eastern PA Chapters Walk including Sanofi-Aventis, Haltermans Toyota/Scion, ESSA Bank & Trust, and Momento Pizzeria &Restaurant among others.

Continued here:
500 to walk for Juvenile Diabetes - Pocono Record

Do you have Type 2 diabetes? Would you like to learn more about your disease and how to live well reducing your health risks? If so, Purdue Extension has a great program for you.

The Purdue ExtensionKnox County office in partnership with the Daviess Co. Purdue Extension Service consists of four two-hour sessions that will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on each Thursday during May with the first session scheduled on May 4 and the fourth session on May 25. Participants may also elect to have a follow-up session in June. The Dining with Diabetes program is open to those with diabetes, their family members and caretakers. The series of four sessions is $25/person or $35/couple. Pre-registration and payment is required no later than April 28. Participants are encouraged to attend all class sessions which will be held at the Knox County Extension Office, 4259 N. Purdue Road in Vincennes.

The educational programs and cooking school will help adults with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar, to feel better, and reduce their risk of health complications. Those enrolling will learn how to prepare meals that are healthy, easy to prepare and taste good. Recipes will be demonstrated, and participants will have the opportunity to taste each one. Participants will also learn up-to-date information on nutrition, meal planning, exercise and how to understand common diabetes-related medical tests. Recipe and handouts will be given to each participant.

Diabetes is a very serious and costly disease, but research has shown that those who learn to manage their blood glucose (sugar) levels eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly can lower their risks of complications and lead a healthier and more productive life.

Purdue Extension Knox County and Daviess County are currently recruiting participants for this program. If you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, or know someone and are part of the support system for an individual and are interested in being a part of this program, please call Purdue Extension office at 812-882-3509. Registration and program fee may be sent to: 4259 N. Purdue Road by April 28. The $25/$35 program fee includes educational classes, program materials and food sampling. Dining with Diabetes is offered statewide and is sponsored by Purdue Extension.

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Dining with Diabetes program offered - Washington Times Herald

For years, health experts have bemoaned the rise of childhood obesity in the United States. About 17% of kids and teens in the U.S. are now considered obese, a figure that has more than tripled since the 1970s, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A report in this weeks edition of the New England Journal of Medicine lays out one of the consequences of all this excess weight: a corresponding increase in childhood cases of type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when extra body fat makes it hard for cells to use insulin, a hormone that turns sugar into energy. Over time, blood sugar levels rise and cause blood vessels to become stiff, increasing the risk of life-threatening conditions like heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure, among others. More than 75,000 Americans die of diabetes each year, the CDC says.

Type 2 diabetes used to be called adult-onset diabetes, because it would take years to develop. (Thats in contrast to type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes, which occurs when the immune system destroys the cells that make insulin.) But these days, doctors are diagnosing type 2 in school-age kids, and occasionally even in toddlers.

After reviewing data on 10- to 19-year-olds in primarily five states (California, Colorado, Ohio, South Carolina and Washington), researchers determined that 12.5 out of every 100,000 of them had a bona fide case of type 2 diabetes in 2011 and 2012. That compares with nine cases per 100,000 youth in 2002 and 2003.

After accounting for age, gender, race and ethnicity, the study authors found that the incidence of type 2 diabetes in this age group rose by an average of 4.8% per year during the study period.

The increase is detailed in this chart, which comes from the CDC. Here are five take-aways from the new data.

Although the difference between nine cases and 12.5 cases per 100,000 people might not sound like much, it means that about 1,500 more kids and teens were being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes each year at the end of the study period compared with the beginning.

The incidence of type 2 diabetes rose pretty much across the board for 10- to 19-year-olds, regardless of age, gender, race or ethnicity. The two exceptions were white kids and youth in Ohio.

The burden of all these extra cases of type 2 diabetes is not being shared equally.

The racial and ethnic gap was evident in 2003, when the incidences ranged from 4.4 cases per 100,000 people for white youth to 22.6 cases per 100,000 people for Native Americans. By 2012, whites still had the lowest incidence and Native Americans still had the highest, but the gap had increased from 3.9 to 46.5 cases per 100,000 people.

In between were Asian American youth (with 12.2 cases per 100,000), Latinos (18.2 cases per 100,000) and African Americans (32.6 cases per 100,000).

Not only did white kids and teens start out with the lowest incidence of type 2 diabetes, they were the only demographic that didnt experience an increase in incidence over the 10 years of the study.

At the beginning of the study period, the incidence of type 2 diabetes was seven cases per 100,000 boys and 11.1 cases per 100,000 girls. By the end, the incidence increased modestly for boys (to nine cases per 100,000) but more markedly for girls (to 16.2 cases per 100,000).

After the researchers accounted for demographic factors, they calculated that the annual increase in type 2 diabetes incidence was 3.7% for boys and 6.2% for girls.

When the researchers divided the data according to age, they found very little difference between 10- to 14-year-olds and 15- to 19-year-olds.

In 2003, the older teens had a slight edge, with an incidence of 10 cases per 100,000 people compared with eight cases per 100,000 for their younger counterparts. By 2012, that edge had narrowed to 12.9 cases per 100,000 to 12.1 cases per 100,000.

The adjusted annual increase was essentially the same for both age groups 5.2% for the older kids and 5.1% for the younger ones.

The earlier the disease starts, the more potential it has to do damage.

Globally, the number of years people lived with diabetes-related disabilities rose by nearly 33% between 2005 and 2015, according to a report published last year in Lancet. In addition, the number of years of life lost to type 2 diabetes rose more than 25% in the same period.

That means that even though doctors are doing a better job of treating diabetes and its related conditions, the overall adverse effect of diabetes on public health is actually increasing, according to an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine that accompanies the new report.

karen.kaplan@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @LATkarenkaplan and "like" Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook.

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Type 2 diabetes, once considered a disease for adults, is increasingly common in tweens and teens - Los Angeles Times

Most of us know that eating fresh fruit and vegetables is good for our health. However, people diagnosed with diabetes may avoid fruit due to its high sugar content. New research investigates the health benefits of fresh fruit consumption among people with diabetes.

Diabetes affects more than 420 million people worldwide and more than 29 million people in the United States alone.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes caused more than 1.5 million deaths in 2012. In the U.S., diabetes is a leading cause of death, accounting for almost 80,000 yearly deaths, according to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Fresh fruit and vegetables are healthful for most of us, but people with diabetes may abstain from eating fresh fruit because of its high sugar content.

This is why a team of researchers - led by Huaidong Du of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom - decided to investigate the health effects of consuming fresh fruit in patients both with and without diabetes.

The authors were also motivated by the fact that, to their knowledge, no studies have so far investigated the long-term effects of fresh fruit consumption on the rate of diabetes or on the risk of diabetes-induced cardiovascular events.

The research was published in the journal PLOS Medicine.

The researchers examined the effects of fruit consumption on almost 500,000 people enrolled in the China Kadoorie Biobank national study. Participants were aged between 30 and 79 and lived in 10 different areas across China.

The participants were clinically followed for approximately 7 years.

During this follow-up period, 9,504 cases of diabetes were identified in participants who did not have diabetes at the beginning of the study.

Using Cox regression models, researchers analyzed the correlations with consumption of fresh fruit while also adjusting for age, sex, location, socioeconomic status, body mass index (BMI), and family history of diabetes.

In total, 18.8 percent of the participants said that they consumed fresh fruit every day, and 6.4 percent said that they never or rarely consumed them. Those who had been previously diagnosed with diabetes were three times as likely to not consume fruit than those without diabetes or with screen-detected diabetes.

The team found that people who did not have diabetes at the beginning of the study and consumed fresh fruit in high amounts had a significantly lower risk of diabetes. Additionally, those who had diabetes at the beginning of the study and consumed high amounts of fruit had a significantly lower risk of dying from any cause, as well as a lower risk of developing cardiovascular complications.

More specifically, in comparison with the other study participants, those who consumed fresh fruit daily had a 12 percent lower relative risk of developing diabetes.

Study participants who had diabetes at baseline but consumed fresh fruit more than three times per week had a 17 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and up to a 28 percent lower risk of developing both major and minor cardiovascular complications.

"Major" cardiovascular complications refer to events that affect large blood vessels (ischemic heart disease and stroke, for instance), while "minor" refers to those affecting small blood vessels (such as kidney diseases, eye disease, and neuropathy).

In absolute terms, this means that daily fruit-consumers had a 0.2 percent decrease in their absolute risk of developing diabetes over a 5-year period, and people diagnosed with diabetes had a 1.9 percent absolute reduction in the risk of mortality from all causes.

Du and team explain the significance of these findings:

"These findings suggest that a higher intake of fresh fruit is potentially beneficial for primary and secondary prevention of diabetes. For individuals who have already developed diabetes, restricted consumption of fresh fruit, which is common in many parts of the world [...] should not be encouraged."

The study was purely observational, so no conclusions were drawn regarding causality.

Learn how legumes may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

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Fresh fruit may prevent diabetes and related complications - Medical News Today

Apple is reportedly working on a super secret medical project: building sensors to monitor blood sugar levels without piercing the skin.

According to CNBC, the iPhone maker has been working on this for at least five years, quietly hiring dozens of biomedical engineers and sequestering them in a nondescript Palo Alto office.

It may be intended to connect to the Apple Watch, which Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously hinted at trying to make more medically useful, even suggesting that an app developed adjacent to it might have to get approval from the US Food and Drug Administration. And Reuters reported in 2014 that Apple, Samsung, and Google were all interested in merging their respective mobile devices with glucose monitoring devices. What Apples reportedly trying to do here hasnt worked out so well for Google, whose life-sciences arm, Verily, is also located away from company headquarters in its own unassuming office building and has long been working (publicly) on a smart contact lens for blood sugar monitoring. That project hasnt been fruitful yet.

Keeping track of how blood sugar levels rise and fall throughout the day is a big job for people with type 1 diabetes, whose bodies dont produce insulina crucial hormone in blood sugar regulation. Diabetics typically test blood samples from their fingertips several times a day to measure these levels, but since the numbers can fluctuate so much in response to food, exercise, stress, and other factors, a few data points per day isnt always enough information. Thats why enthusiasm has been building for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensors.

These sensors rely on a small needle that stays under the skin for days at a time to analyze interstitial fluidthe stuff that surrounds tissue cellsto measure blood sugar and wirelessly transmits the data to a receiver with a screen displaying the numbers. Dexcom, the current leader in CGM, has a sensor that works with an app for the iPhone and the Apple Watch.

According to CNBCs report, it sounds like whatever Apples working on would only differ by using light or an electrical current instead of a needle under the skin. Dexcoms technology is considered minimally invasive, while an optical or electrical sensor would be non-invasive.

This has been tried, unsuccessfully, in the past. Most notable, perhaps, was the commercial failure of a device called the GlucoWatch, which was approved by the FDA in 2001. It was worn just like a regular wristwatch and sent electrical currents through a patients skin to test blood sugar levels every 20 minutes, displaying the numbers on its face so that checking a blood sugar was as easy as checking the time. It was described in FDA documents (PDF) as a device that provides frequent, automatic, non-invasive glucose measurements. The glucose sample is obtained directly through intact skin. It may have met the definition of non-invasive, and it may have been accurate, but it was also painful.

It generated an electrical current, and for many people it caused a burn, according to Henry Anhalt, an endocrinologist who had patients that tried the device. Anhalt, now the chief medical officer at a diabetes research network called the T1D Exchange, says that although the GlucoWatch provided accurate results, people felt this burning sensation which I believe led to the demise of the product. Collectively in the community we were all discussing that this was why patients stopped using it.

Since the early 2000s, companies like Dexcom, Abbott, and Medtronic have successfully brought minimally invasive CGM devices to market, though Dexcom ran in the red for years, Abbott shut down its diabetes division in 2011, and Medtronics sensors were hampered by quality control problems for several years. Today, Dexcom is profitable and several hundred thousand people in the US use either its CGM or Medtronics. Some people with diabetes consider them must-haves, but not all. And its not clear that a sensor made by Apple, despite being non-invasive and from a trusted consumer brand, would be a must have, either.

These devices havent crossed the return on investment yet for a lot of people, Aaron Kowalski, one of the research leads at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, recently told Quartz. Glucose sensors will become bigger game-changers once theyre hooked up to automated insulin delivery, or closed-loop, systems, like the soon-to-launch Medtronic insulin pump, which has an integrated CGM that triggers the pump to suspend insulin delivery when low blood sugar is detected. Future devices are supposed to be capable of even more, and the true holy grail for many diabetics, short of a biological cure, is a fully-closed loop system that doesnt require them to even look at or think about their blood sugar numbershopefully because a computer is constantly making its own decisions based on those numbers.

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Apple (APPL) has a secret glucose monitoring device project to help ... - Quartz

On the outside, you wouldn't know what this crowd has in common.

"I thought everybody had diabetes when I was a kid because I had it when I was a year and a half old," Tim Alcorn says. Tim has been managing his type 1 diabetes for 61 years.

Looking in, the group is just a small number of the millions of people affected by type 1 diabetes.

Tim's wifeBecki Alcornsays,"It's nice to know there are that many people out there that can manage and manage well and to know there's that much life left for everybody."

For 10, 25, 50 and even 75 years...and multiple insulin shots a day, patients with type 1 diabetes were recognized with a Lilly Diabetes Journey Award.

Sean Kinslerhas been managing his diabetes for 35 years. He says, "It's kind of nice to be able to say I made it this long and I'm going to continue to make it as long as I can make it."

"I'm happy to be here and I'm very proud actually to make it 61 years," Tim says.

Local award recipients join the thousands of individuals who have received the honor since the award was first established in 1975.

"It's wonderful because anybody who doesn't have diabetes doesn't realize what he or anyone with diabetes has to do just to be able to live," Becki says.

"The doctors used to joke and say 'Oh yeah you'll be in a wheel chair you'll lose a leg your eyesight and all this stuff you have to be worried about," Kinsler says. "I said 'Doctor...not me bud, just wait I'm going to prove you wrong.'"

Some say seeing others functioning so well with the same disease gives them a personal goal. Others, thankful for the insulin pumps that have helped them live so long. Most patients, lifting their hats, or insulin pumps to a virtual toast.

"I appreciate the day and I appreciate being able to be one that gets an award," Kinsler says.

This is the first time Deaconess held the celebration and staff says they plan to continue doing these awards annually.

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On the outside, you wouldn't know what this crowd has in common. - Tristatehomepage.com

Two new studies on diabetes deliver good and bad news, but the overall message is that the blood sugar disease remains a formidable public health burden.

The first study looked at the incidence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in U.S. children, and uncovered this troubling trend: From 2002 to 2012, the rates for both types of diabetes increased, especially among racial and ethnic minorities.

But a bit of hope was offered up in the second study: Swedish researchers reported a drop in the incidence of heart disease and stroke in adults with both types of diabetes.

"These studies highlight our concerns about the increasing prevalence of diabetes. Every 23 seconds, another person is diagnosed with diabetes [in the United States]," said Dr. William Cefalu, chief scientific, medical and mission officer for the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

Cefalu added that the Swedish study was encouraging and shows that things are "trending in the right direction. Because of research in diabetes, we've been able to improve the lives of millions of people with diabetes around the world, but the disease is still increasing worldwide. We still have a lot of work to do."

In the United States, approximately 29 million people have diabetes, according to the ADA. The vast majority of those have type 2 diabetes. About 1.3 million people have type 1 diabetes.

RELATED: Dealing With Diabetes Distress

In people with type 2 diabetes, the body doesn't use insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that helps usher sugar from foods into the body's cells to be used as fuel. When someone has type 2 diabetes, this process doesn't work well and blood sugar levels rise. Obesity is the main risk factor for type 2 diabetes, though it's not the only factor involved in the disease.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The body's immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This leaves someone with type 1 diabetes with little to no insulin. To stay alive, someone with type 1 diabetes must replace that insulin through injections.

"The specific genes and environmental/behavioral factors that cause type 2 diabetes are different than those that cause type 1 diabetes," explained Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, the author of the study on diabetes incidence in children.

Mayer-Davis and colleagues found that type 1 diabetes was increasing 1.8 percent a year. The increase was significantly larger for Hispanic children, at 4.2 percent a year. That compared with 1.2 percent for white children, the findings showed.

The factors underlying the increase aren't entirely clear, she said.

Although far fewer children have type 2 diabetes, the disease is increasing faster than type 1. Between 2002 and 2012, the rate of type 2 diabetes increased 4.8 percent a year. The annual increase in type 2 diabetes in black children was 6.3 percent. For Asian/Pacific Islanders, the yearly increase was 8.5 percent, and for Native Americans, it was almost 9 percent, the investigators found.

"The increase in incidence of type 2 diabetes is likely related primarily to the increases in overweight and obesity in youth, although this is not the only reason," said Mayer-Davis. She's a professor of nutrition and medicine at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

The second study looked at all of the people registered in a Swedish National Database from 1998 through 2012, and followed their health through 2014. The database has nearly 37,000 people with type 1 diabetes and more than 457,000 with type 2 diabetes. These patients were compared to similar people without diabetes (the "control" group).

The researchers saw roughly a 40 percent greater reduction in heart disease and stroke in people with type 1 diabetes compared to the matched controls. In people with type 2 diabetes, there was roughly a 20 percent greater drop in heart disease and stroke compared to the control group, the study showed.

When it came to deaths during the study period, people with type 1 diabetes had similar reductions in the number of deaths compared to controls. People with type 2, however, had smaller reductions in deaths versus the control group, the researchers found.

Even with these improvements, people with either type of diabetes still have much higher overall rates of premature death and heart disease than the control groups, the study authors noted.

"We believe the changes observed in our study most likely reflect a combination of advances in clinical care for patients with diabetes," said study author Dr. Aidin Rawshani. He is from the Institute of Medicine at the University of Gothenberg in Sweden.

"Perhaps the most important is improved management of cardiovascular risk factors," he said. These risk factors include high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, signs of early kidney damage and poor blood sugar control. He said treatment with high blood pressure medications and cholesterol-lowering drugs likely contributed to the improvement.

Both studies were published April 13 in theNew England Journal of Medicine.

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Diabetes Continues Its Relentless Rise - Everyday Health (blog)

A string of life sciences companies have attempted to develop sensors that can monitor blood sugar without drawing blood. Thus far, all of these efforts have failed.

Now, it's Silicon Valley's turn.

Apple is the latest to throw its hat in the ring, CNBC reported on Wednesday. The company has a team of about 30 people in an office in Palo Alto working on this problem using optical sensors, which suggests it intends to bring blood sugar tracking to its devices.

Biotechnology experts said such a breakthrough would make the Apple Watch a must-have device for millions of people with diabetes. "There is definitely a huge market opportunity here," said Steve Pacelli, executive vice president of strategy and corporate development at Dexcom, maker of glucose monitoring products.

Shares of Dexcom briefly dipped on Thursday, following the news of Apple's efforts in the space.

A device that could accurately monitor glucose non-invasively and continuously would be a boon for people with type 1 diabetes, who currently rely on finger-pricks and test strips for accurate measurements. It might also prove alluring for people with type 2 diabetes, which affects 29 million adults in the U.S. alone, and so-called "quantified selfers" who are buying glucose monitors to track their blood sugar proactively.

The market opportunity is huge, but many are skeptical about whether such technology is viable -- at least in the near-term.

"Abbott, Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, Becton, Dickinson and Company and Roche, just to name five established big clinical companies, have taken decades to where we are today," said Doug Schenkel, a senior research analyst with Cowen and Company. "What Apple is trying to do is harder," he added. "This is really tough stuff."

Companies like Dexcom have developed continuous glucose monitors for users to get readings every five minutes with a tiny wire under the skin.

Alphabet's life sciences arm Verily is also making a bid in this space. Unlike Apple, it is taking a partnership-driven approach. One of its experimental efforts is a contact lens, which reads blood sugar levels in tears. Verily is also working with Dexcom on smaller, cheaper glucose sensors.

Despite the challenges with developing non-invasive alternatives, those in the space are not surprised that the opportunity has attracted interest from both Apple and Alphabet.

This is "the most expensive health care problem in society today," said Jeff Dachis, chief executive for diabetes app One Drop. The cost of care and related complications is already costing hundreds of billions of dollars, he said, and 1 in 3 people in the United States are at high risk of the disease. "It's a runaway freight train," he said.

--Additional reporting by Meg Tirrell and Anita Balakrishnan

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The payoff would be huge if Apple or Alphabet solved this 'really tough' diabetes problem - CNBC

A diagnosis of diabetes can be scary and confusing for many people, especially with all the myths surrounding the disease and how to manage it.

But if you are one of the millions of Americans diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes each year, understanding the facts can help you make positive changes and gain control over the condition so you can lead a healthier life.

The Diabetes Management Program at University Medical Center of Princeton (UMCP) helps adults and children diagnosed with diabetes learn how to live with the condition. It also provides education to enable patients to make informed lifestyle changes based on facts rather than myths.

MYTH:The most important item to watch in your diet is sugar, and if a food is sugar-free, you can eat as much as you want.

FACT:Years ago, people were advised that to prevent and control diabetes they just needed to avoid or reduce sugar in their diet. However, just because a food is low in sugar or sugar-free, it could still be high in carbohydrates. And total carbohydrates are the real culprits in raising glucose levels after you eat.

Carbohydrates include starches (such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, and cereals), fruits, milk and vegetables. Most vegetables are low in carbohydrates, and protein and fats have minimal or no carbohydrate. When it comes to managing diabetes, it is not enough to just avoid sugar, it is important to watch your total carbohydrate intake for meals and snacks.

Everyone is different though and the amount of carbohydrates you need varies by individual. For example, people with type 2 or pre-diabetes may need to limit or controlthe amount of carbs they eat each day, while someone with type 1 diabetes may need to match their insulin doses to how much carbohydrate they want to eat.

MYTH:You dont need to do anything if you are told you have pre-diabetes or borderline diabetes.

FACT:Not true! Pre-diabetes is defined as having fasting glucose levels between 100-125, or a hemoglobin A1c between 5.7-6.4. This is higher than normal, but right below the cut-off point for diabetes. More than 86 million American adults more than 1 out of 3 have pre-diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While having pre-diabetes is a risk factor for developing diabetes, you may be able to reverse the progression or delay the development for years through diet and exercise. If you are able to lose 5 to 10 percent of your weight and get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week, you can increase your chances of keeping diabetes at bay. In addition, if you are diagnosed with pre-diabetes, it is important to follow up with your doctor and have your hemoglobin a1c levels checked every three months, and to monitor your glucose at home if necessary or desired.

MYTH:There is only one diabetic diet, or one way to eat for managing diabetes.

FACT:Also, not true! There may be general guidelines to make it easier to get started, but each person needs an individualized plan, taking into consideration their preferences, lifestyle, activity, weight, diabetes medications, and glucose levels. While one person may be able to eat three regular meals a day, another may benefit from eating three small meals and two to three snacks. Amounts of carbohydrates, fat, and calories will be different for each person as well. For someone monitoring their glucose levels at home, they can see the effects of their diet on their glucose levels and make changes accordingly. Registered dietitians, especially those who are also certified diabetes educators, can help develop a diet plan tailored to individual needs.

MYTH:If you cant exercise for 30 to 60 minutes or more a day, dont bother.

FACT:Research has shown that just 10 to 15 minute increments of exercise or activity two to three times daily or even every other day can be beneficial and reduce glucose levels, especially after meals. For people who sit most of the day, getting up and walking around for 5 minutes every 30 to 60 minutes can be beneficial as well. Also, exercise can include chair exercises, strength training and using weights, or a combination of aerobic and strength. Put simply, moving more is good for your health.

Nationally Recognized Care

There is now a wide range of effective treatments for diabetes, greatly reducing the risks of serious complications. Finding a healthy personal balance learning to control your blood sugar levels through a combination of good nutrition, exercise and often medication is key to successfully managing your diabetes.

The Diabetes Management Program at UMCP is recognized by the American Diabetes Association as a quality diabetes self-management education program that meets the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education. This award is based on a rigorous clinical review process every four years to ensure high standards of diabetes care and education.

The program is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of diabetes specialists, including registered nurses and registered dietitians, who work closely with each individual patient and their physician and other healthcare providers to help effectively manage their diabetes and enjoy an improved quality of life. Services include:

Individual and group education sessions by registered nurses and dietitians

Blood glucose monitoring instruction

Community outreach programs

Diabetes care and management for pre-pregnancy/conception and during pregnancy

Medical Nutrition Therapy/nutrition education and meal planning

Professionally facilitated monthly support groups

For more information about the Diabetes Management Program at UMCP, go to http://www.princetonhcs.org or call 609-853-7890.

Sandra Byer-Lubin is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator with University Medical Center at Princetons Diabetes Management Program.

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HEALTH MATTERS: Busting Diabetes Myths - Packet Online

Nearly four of every 10 people in parts of Chicagos South and West Side neighborhoods have Type 2 diabetes, risking serious and even life-threatening health problems as they age.

Rates of diabetes range from 17 percent to 37 percent in Chicagos South and West Side neighborhoods where for decades, high crime and poverty, inadequate health-care outreach, lack of safe exercise spaces, and few affordable or easy-to-reach fresh and healthy foods restrict peoples choices. (See map below)

Dr. Brian Layden, division chief of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism and an associate professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), says people at risk should have their blood sugar checked in their 30s or 40s and that the consequences of ignoring the issue are truly life threatening.

Despite diabetes being a disease you dont notice, it does shorten your life if you dont take care of it, Layden said. The most serious complications include blindness, nerve damage, kidney failure and limb amputation.

Two Chicagoans who knew they were at risk of such dire consequences took action proving that you can stop the downward spiral toward diabetes if you recognize it before its too late.

Jaime Diaz, pictured in the exercise room where he attended weekly sessions when he began the Elm program at Rush University Medical Centers Triangle Office Building, on Thursday, March 24, 2017. | Michelle Kanaar/For the Sun-Times

Nearly three years ago, Jaime Diaz got a wakeup call from his doctor: His weight, which topped out at 332, along with high blood sugar and fat levels, showed that he was pre-diabetic and had metabolic syndrome, putting him at risk of a stroke, heart attack and full-blown diabetes.

Dr. Rasa Kazlauskaite at Rush University Medical Center, where Diaz, 36, works as an Information Systems engineer, put it to him straight: If Diaz wanted to celebrate his then-three month old daughters Quinceanera party or walk her down the aisle at her wedding, hed have to quickly reverse his health crisis.

I was shocked, said Diaz, who has since lost 100 pounds, exercises for an hour each weekday at lunchtime, gave up soda, beer and a high-carbohydrate diet and no longer has any characteristics of pre-diabetes. People with pre-diabetes have blood glucose levels higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.

Diaz advises anyone who is overweight, who has a family history of diabetes or who simply believes he or she is at risk to get a baseline screening as soon as possible, and to prepare for a long but ultimately fulfilling journey.

Jaime Diaz reviews his records with Dr. Rasa Kazlauskaite at Rush University Medical Centers Triangle Office Building on Thursday, March 24, 2017. Diaz has lost 102 pounds since he enrolled in the ELM Program for pre-diabetes in the summer of 2013 and has since reversed his condition. | Michelle Kanaar/For the Sun-Times

The first four to six weeks were the toughest, he said, noting that he isolated himself from friends with poor eating habits until he figured out how to replace carbs with healthy foods.

I started walking around with packs of nuts, yogurt and lettuce leaves, he said. If I was invited to a cookout, Id bring lettuce leaves in place of tortillas, and have my answers ready when somebody said, What are you doing? Youre being a little girl.

I had friends who tried to talk smack to me, Diaz said. After a while, they started respecting my choices and let me be.

Diaz also joined Rushs ELM (Eat well, Love better, Move more) program, a six-month program where a group of patients meets once or twice a week to make healthy habits part of their daily routine. The idea is that healthy living is not about deprivation; its about enjoying life.

One of Diazs habits his workouts started when he joined the Rush Fitness Center in the summer of 2014. Since Diaz started the program, he has lowered his blood sugar level to 75 from 101 grams per liter. A blood sugar level less than 100 grams per liter is normal; from 100 to 125 is considered pre-diabetic and 126 or higher on two separate tests indicates diabetes. He also lowered his level of triglycerides to 80 from 220.

He said he now appreciates every moment of his new routines, including going out Latin-dancing with his wife, Joanna, and running, jumping and playing with children Alyssa, 6, and Emma, 3.

Trainer Maurice Durr and Lynda Powe pose for a photo during Powes workout session Thursday, March 23, 2017, in Forest Park, Illinois. | Tim Boyle/For Sun-Times Media

Lynda Powe, a 70-year-old retired Chicago Public Schools teacher, followed her doctors advice, too, by starting a workout program with personal trainer Maurice Durr, who operates First2Train in southwest suburban Forest Park.

(Durr) is very clear about not only what [exercises] we do, but why we do it, Powe said. Powe credits Durr with being a calm and patient force on her seven-year journey. She has lost 125 pounds, ditched her soda-pop habit, took control over food portion sizes and completed her first 5K run.

Powe, who had had pre-diabetes during her third pregnancy in 1983 at age 36, said she turned to her doctor, Dr. Crystal Peoples, when she felt frustrated that she kept gaining weight despite going to a gym, and wanted to avoid veering into diabetic territory again.

I knew I was heading in the wrong direction, and that, if I didnt get myself together, there would be no pre (diabetes) about it, said Powe, who spent most of her 36 years teaching at CPS schools on the citys West Side. I needed to take care of myself so I wouldnt have to worry about (getting diabetes) in the future.

Lynda Powe works with trainer Maurice Durr during a workout session Thursday, March 23, 2017, in Forest Park, Illinois. | Tim Boyle/For Sun-Times Media

Powe has lowered her blood sugar level to an average of 73 from her previous level over 125, and reduced her triglycerides to 35 from her original level over 150.

Dr. Kazlauskaite said diabetes prevention is particularly difficult to deal with because so many people believe Type 2 diabetes is a poor persons disease that results from a character flawjust as people once thought of depression. Yet Kazlauskaite said that in her native Lithuania, diabetes is a disease of the rich: Those with access to soda pop and highly processed food available only to the affluent get diabetes.

The real culprit is far more complex in the United States, with Type 2 diabetes affecting Latinos and African-Americans moreso than whites, and reflecting not only a disorder of the pancreas, but also how a persons liver handles food nutrients from the digestive tract. Other risk factors include obesity, age, high blood pressure and a family history of diabetes, doctors say.

The best treatment is to prevent [diabetes] in the first place with lifestyle changes, said Kazlauskaite, who works in Rushs preventive medicine department.

Courtesy Illinois Department of Public Health

Medical startups and community groups are leading an effort to bring diabetes prevention programs to Chicago, including a pilot program sponsored by Northwestern University in partnership with Saint Anthony Hospital, Alivio Medical Center and Latino community healthy lifestyle centers Enlace Chicago and Universidad Popular.

Their efforts are filling a void left by the YMCA of Metro Chicago, which is taking a wait-and-see position before it implements a diabetes prevention program. By contrast, the YMCAs in Berwyn, Cicero, Oak Park and Joliet are spearheading such programs.

The YMCA of Metro Chicago is watching how the diabetes prevention programs work in area suburbs and what happens to federal and state funding before it commits to implementing the program, a spokeswoman says.

How do people reverse pre-diabetes? Heres advice from two people who did it:

Dont expect quick results. And dont beat yourself up when you hit a rough patch. Lynda Powe, who lost 125 pounds over seven years, said she and her exercise group regained the weight they had lost during a recent spring break. Their trainer, Maurice Durr, maintained his calm, positive demeanor while he acknowledged their work would eventually pay off, Powe said.

Put movement, nutrition and recovery at the center of your new lifestyle. This isnt about dieting and exercise. Its about how you live.

Find a support system, including a doctor you trust, an exercise or lifestyle coach, and/or a motivational group.

Start reading food labels and measuring the amounts of starch, sugar, calories and other ingredients youre consuming. Replace high-carb foods such as pasta, bread and tortillas with high-fiber lentils and vegetables, and substitute fish, chicken and black beans for red meat. Lose the soda pop and, as much as possible, beer and alcohol. Jaime Diaz, who lost 100 pounds and reversed his pre-diabetes over three years, says he started making cauliflower rice by chopping up cauliflower heads and frying them in salt, seasoning and olive oil. He also started making flaxseed pancakes and almond flower pancakes. When Diaz spent about six weeks on a fasting diet, he was allowed 700 calories every other day, based on his weight and body type. He chose to drink seven 100-calorie protein shakes throughout the day on those days.

Drink lots of water. Make it more palatable by adding lime, cucumbers, strawberries or sparkling water.

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Diabetes awareness, treatment need big push among minorities - Chicago Sun-Times

Last fall, Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) won FDA approval of a closed-loop system that automatically tracks blood sugar levels and delivers insulin as necessary. The system is being heralded as a major advance in treating diabetes, because it significantly reduces the need for finger sticks and insulin shots. Will this new device be a hit?

There are about 1.25 million Americans with Type 1 diabetes, and for these patients, managing their blood sugar levels can seem like a full-time job.

Image source: Getty Images.

Type 1 diabetes patients must regularly check their blood sugar levels with finger sticks, and then dose themselves with insulin when blood sugar levels require it. Unfortunately, this scattershot approach to managing the disease results in many patients failing to maintain appropriate blood glucose levels, especially at night, or when exercising. Because time spent outside of desired blood sugar ranges can accelerate disease progression and lead to life-threatening conditions, inadequately controlled diabetes remains a big problem.

Fortunately, medical device makers have developed new technology like insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors that help patients better control their disease, however, until now, there wasn't a FDA-approved closed-loop system for the monitoring and dosing of insulin available.

The FDA gave Medtronics MiniMed 670G a green light after trial results showed that it helped patients remain within their desired blood sugar range over a three-month period. The trial included bothadults and children with Type 1 diabetes, and A1C levels fell from 7.7% to 7.1% in children and from 7.3% to 6.8% in adults. There also was a 44% decline in time spent with blood glucose below 70 mg/dL and a 40% decline in time spent with dangerous hypoglycemia, or levels below 50 mg/dL.

Image source: Medtronic.

The MiniMed 670G uses sensors to automatically monitor blood glucose levels every five minutes and it uses a pump to automatically administer insulin as it's needed. A daily finger-stick is still required to calibrate the system, and the insulin pump needs to be refilled every few days, but the system still significantly reduces the treatment burden on patients.

The MiniMed 670G system includes a sensor that's attached to the body and that must be changed weekly, an insulin pump that's worn on the waist, and an infusion patch that connects to the pump to administer insulin via a catheter.

Medtronic's device is an important advance in automating diabetes treatment, but it's not approved for use in Type 1 diabetes patients who are younger than 14 (yet), it still requires some patient involvement, and it's arguably a bit bulkier of a solution for active patients, who may prefer wireless pumps, such as Insulet's (NASDAQ:PODD) Omnipod.

Omnipod is atubeless insulin management system that delivers insulin for up to three days using a wireless programming device. Oftentimes, patients pair Omnipod up with a continuous glucose monitor, such as those made byDexCom(NASDAQ:DXCM), to provide even better control of their disease.

Medtronic only began shipping the MiniMed 670G to patients recently, so the verdict isn't in on whether it will win away consumers from these other solutions. If it does, then it could be an important new source of revenue for Medtronic. However, that tailwind could only be temporary, because the MiniMed 670G may face stiff competition soon.Insulet, for example, is working on its own closed-loop system that incorporates DexCom's sensors, and if trials are successful, its system could be available as soon as next year. Similar systems are also being developed by Tandem and Bigfoot Biomedical, so you'll want to pay attention to their progress, too.

Todd Campbell has no position in any stocks mentioned.His clients may have positions in the companies mentioned.The Motley Fool owns shares of Medtronic. The Motley Fool recommends Insulet. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Is Medtronic's Artificial Pancreas the Next Big Thing in Diabetes? - Motley Fool

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United to Reimburse Passengers on Flight Man Was Dragged From

United Airlines sought to quell the uproar over a man being dragged off a plane by announcing it would no longer ask police to remove passengers from full flights and would compensate customers who were on the flight when the man was removed. In an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America" aired, United parent company CEO Oscar Munoz said he felt "ashamed" watching video of the man being forced off the jet. He has promised to review the airline's passenger-removal policy. Munoz, who leads United's parent company, apologized again to Kentucky physician David Dao, his family and the other passengers who witnessed him being taken off the flight. In an effort to calm the backlash, United also announced that passengers on United Express Flight 3411 would be compensated equal to the cost of their tickets.

'Cocaine Cowboy' Arrested After 26 Years on the Run, Officials Say

One of the original 'Cocaine Cowboys' was arrested after 26 years on the run. Gustavo Falcon, who also goes by several aliases, including Augusto Falcon and "Taby," was finally captured by a team of U.S. Marshals from Miami working with U.S. Marshals in the Orlando-Kissimme area. The team focused specifically on the address of a rental property in Kissimmee, and while conducting surveillance, they saw what they thought was Falcon and his wife exit the house to go on a bike ride. When agents stopped Falcon, he had fake driver's licenses dating back to 1997, using Miami addresses, federal officials said. The 55-year-old also had fake licenses for his wife, as well as his children, who are now in their 30s, according to U.S. Marshals. Falcon did not resist the arrest and even confessed to his real identity, officials said. He was booked into the Osceola County Jail and will make his first federal court appearance Thursday.

Officer Charged With Shooting Autistic Man's Caretaker, Authorities Say

A North Miami police officer who shot the unarmed caretaker of an autistic man has been charged with attempted manslaughter, the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office announced. Officer Jonathan Aledda also was charged with misdemeanor culpable negligence in the shooting of behavioral therapist Charles Kinsey. Aledda, a four-year veteran of the department, was arrested and was later released from Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on $6,000 bond. The criminal charges come after what officials said was a lengthy investigation by the State Attorney's Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement into the July 2016 shooting. Kinsey, a caretaker at a home for people with mental disabilities, was lying on the ground, with his hands up in the air, next to his adult patient when he was shot in the leg by Aledda on July 18. Cellphone video captured events leading up to the shooting.

Apple Has Secret Team Working on the Holy Grail for Treating Diabetes

Apple has hired a small team of biomedical engineers to work at a nondescript office in Palo Alto, miles from corporate headquarters, CNBC reported. They are part of a super secret initiative, initially envisioned by the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, to develop sensors that can non-invasively and continuously monitor blood sugar levels to better treat diabetes, according to three people familiar with the matter. Such a breakthrough would be a "holy grail" for life sciences. Many life sciences companies have tried and failed, as it's highly challenging to track glucose levels accurately without piercing the skin. The initiative is far enough along that Apple has been conducting feasibility trials at clinical sites across the Bay Area and has hired consultants to help it figure out the regulatory pathways, the people said.

Trans Fat Ban Linked With Fewer Heart Attacks & Strokes, Study Shows

Local bans on artery-clogging trans fats in restaurant foods led to fewer heart attacks and strokes in several New York counties, a new study suggests. The study hints at the potential for widespread health benefits from an upcoming nationwide ban, the authors and other experts say. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2015 gave the food industry until next year to eliminate artificial trans fats from American products. New York City enacted a restaurant ban on the fats in 2007 and several counties in the state did the same. Hospital admissions for heart attacks and strokes in those areas declined 6 percent starting three years after the bans, compared with counties without bans.

Comedian Charlie Murphy Dies at 57, His Publicist Says

Comedian and actor Charlie Murphy, who stepped out of his brother Eddie's shadow as a talent in his own right, has died at 57, according to his publicist. Murphy died of leukemia, publicist Domenick Nati told NBC Los Angeles. Fellow comedian Chris Rock posted a picture of Murphy on Twitter with a message of mourning: "We just lost one of the funniest most real brothers of all time. Charlie Murphy RIP." Murphy was perhaps best known as an ensemble actor in the comedy "Chappelle's Show," where he told belief-defying stories about spending time with Rick James and Prince. In the recurring segment "Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories," Murphy would recount how his brother's fame brought him into the orbit of the biggest stars. His versions of the experiences, played out by him, Chappelle and others, became enduring hits. He was born in New York City.

Josh Brolin Set to Play Cable in 'Deadpool 2,' Representatives Say

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Published at 6:52 AM EDT on Apr 13, 2017

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Happening Today: United, 'Cocaine Cowboy,' Diabetes, Charlie Murphy - NBC New York

AWS diabetes challenge exemplifies Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' letter to shareholders Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle) The Alexa Diabetes Challenge awards $250,000 in cash prizes to developers who create voice-automated apps that most improve the lives of patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, previously known as adult-onset diabetes until children ... and more »

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AWS diabetes challenge exemplifies Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' letter to shareholders - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle)

New research from Finland suggests that higher blood levels of indolepropionic acid - a product of gut bacteria that is increased by a fiber-rich diet - may help to protect against type 2 diabetes.

Writing about the discovery in the journal Scientific Reports, the team - led by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio - suggests that it increases our understanding of the important part played by gut bacteria in the relationship between diet, metabolism, and health.

Diabetes is a disease in which the blood contains too much sugar, or glucose - a vital source of energy for the body's cells.

If uncontrolled, high blood sugar can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, and amputation of lower limbs.

Levels of blood sugar are regulated by the hormone insulin, which is made in the pancreas.

The type of diabetes that develops depends on whether the high blood glucose results from lack of insulin (type 1 diabetes) or the body's inability to use insulin (type 2 diabetes).

Type 2 diabetes is by far the most common form of diabetes around the world and largely develops from being overweight and not exercising.

Once a disease occurring only in adults, the number of children with type 2 diabetes is now on the rise.

Fast facts about diabetes

Learn more about diabetes

The global prevalence of diabetes among adults (90 percent of which is type 2 diabetes) has gone up from 4.7 percent in 1980 to 8.5 percent in 2014.

In the United States, there are more than 29 million people living with diabetes. There are also 86 million living with prediabetes, a serious condition that raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other lifelong health problems.

In their study introduction, the researchers note that it is now well-known that factors such as genes, lifestyle, and diet can influence the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

However, what is less clear is what happens at the molecular level to link these factors to the disease.

The new study uses metabolomics, a relatively new technology that allows scientists to quickly assess the metabolite profiles of people.

Metabolites are molecules that cells in the body - including gut bacteria - produce as byproducts of their activity.

Using a particular tool called "nontargeted metabolomics analysis," the researchers assessed the metabolite profiles of 200 participants in the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study who had impaired glucose tolerance and were overweight when the study began.

The participants fell into two groups. One group developed type 2 diabetes within 5 years, and the other group did not develop type 2 diabetes during the 15 years of follow-up.

When the researchers compared the metabolite profiles of the two groups, they found that what stood out was differences in levels of indolepropionic acid and certain lipid metabolites.

Further analysis suggested that having high blood levels of indolepropionic acid, a byproduct of gut bacteria, appeared to protect against developing type 2 diabetes.

Also, a diet rich in fiber and whole grain foods appears to increase levels of indolepropionic acid, which in turn raises the amount of insulin produced by the beta cells in the pancreas, note the authors.

The team confirmed the findings by looking at the link between indolepropionic acid and risk for type 2 diabetes in the data from two other studies: the Finnish Metabolic Syndrome In Men Study, and the Swedish Vsterbotten Intervention Project. These also showed that indolepropionic acid appears to protect against type 2 diabetes.

The researchers suggest that their study shows that it may be more feasible to use metabolite profiles rather than identifying the bacteria themselves (which is a more complex process) to look at links with diseases such as diabetes.

"Earlier studies, too, have linked intestinal bacteria with the risk of disease in overweight people. Our findings suggest that indolepropionic acid may be one factor that mediates the protective effect of diet and intestinal bacteria."

Corresponding author Dr. Kati Hanhineva

Learn how statins are linked to a higher risk of diabetes in older women.

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Gut bacteria compound may help to prevent type 2 diabetes - Medical News Today

A chile-rubbed pork taco is topped with french fries in the Merced market in Mexico City. The taco costs 10 pesos less than 50 cents. Cheap, high-calorie food is contributing to Mexico's obesity problem. Meghan Dhaliwal/for NPR hide caption

A chile-rubbed pork taco is topped with french fries in the Merced market in Mexico City. The taco costs 10 pesos less than 50 cents. Cheap, high-calorie food is contributing to Mexico's obesity problem.

Anais Martinez is on the hunt in Mexico City's Merced Market, a sprawling covered bazaar brimming with delicacies. "So this is the deep-fried tamale!" she says with delight, as if she'd just found a fine mushroom specimen deep in a forest.

The prized tamales are wrapped in corn husks and piled next to a bubbling cauldron of oil.

"It's just like a corn dough patty mixed with lard, put in a corn husk or banana leaf, steamed and then deep fried," says Martinez of this traditional Mexican breakfast. "And then after you fry it, you can put it inside a bun and make a torta [sandwich] out of it. So it's just like carbs and carbs and fat and fat. But it's actually really good."

And it only costs 10 pesos roughly 50 cents.

What's for breakfast? One Mexican option is a deep-fried tamale: a corn dough patty mixed with lard, wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf and then put in a bun. Carbs upon carbs. Meghan Dhaliwal/for NPR hide caption

Martinez is a designer in Mexico City. She studied gastronomy here and now moonlights for a company called Eat Mexico giving street food tours.

Deeper in the market there's an area packed with taco stalls. Customers stand at the counters or sit on wobbly plastic stools. The young cooks fry, flip and chop various meats into tortillas. They pound strips of flank steak out on wooden cutting boards. Piles of red chorizo sausage simmer in shallow pools of oil. Yellow slabs of tripe hang from meat hooks.

We've just come to one of Martinez's favorite taco stands. Its specialty is pork tacos served with french fried potatoes piled on top.

Anais Martinez, a guide with Eat Mexico, leads tours of the sprawling Merced market in Mexico City, where stalls sell tacos, sandwiches and pastries. A huge meal can cost less than $2. Meghan Dhaliwal/for NPR hide caption

Anais Martinez, a guide with Eat Mexico, leads tours of the sprawling Merced market in Mexico City, where stalls sell tacos, sandwiches and pastries. A huge meal can cost less than $2.

"The pork is really thinly sliced, rubbed with chiles and spices and then they fry it," Martinez says as the meat sizzles on a long steel griddle in front of her. "Also, really good."

Rich, fatty street food like this is available all over Mexico at bus stops, at schools and on street corners. And it's affordable to the masses. A heaping plate of Martinez's favorite pork tacos costs less than a dollar.

All that cheap food in a country where incomes are rising is contributing to Mexico's massive diabetes epidemic.

Diabetes is now the leading cause of death in Mexico according to the World Health Organization. The disease takes an estimated 80,000 lives each year. Nearly 14 percent of adults in this country of 120 million suffer from the disease one of the highest rates of diabetes in the world. And it's all happened over the last few decades.

For roughly $2 a day, people in Mexico can now afford a diet heavy in carbohydrates, sugar and fat that delivers way more calories than the WHO's recommended daily intake of 2,000. A study in 2015 showed Mexico to be the leading consumer of junk food in Latin America, consuming 450 pounds of ultraprocessed foods and sugary beverages per person each year.

Rich, fatty street food is available all over Mexico. This vendor prepares tacos al pastor, with the meat cooked on a spit, outside a metro station in Mexico City. Meghan Dhaliwal/for NPR hide caption

Until just recently Mexico was the largest per capita consumer of soda in the world, chugging down 36 gallons of sugary drinks per person per year. That dubious distinction now falls to Argentina, with the U.S. and Chile not far behind.

Excessive body fat is one of the main contributors to the onset of Type 2 diabetes. And obesity rates have been climbing steadily in Mexico. It's now one of the world's most overweight countries, coming in just behind the United States.

Mexican health officials are well aware of the crisis. Late last year, the health minister declared diabetes and obesity to be public health emergencies the first time they'd made such a declaration that wasn't targeting an infectious disease.

"Diabetes is one of the biggest problems in the health system in Mexico," says Dr. Carlos Aguilar Salinas at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition in Mexico City. "It's the first cause of death. It's the first cause of disability. It's the main cost for the health system."

Crowds pass a Coca-Cola store in Mexico City's Centro Historico district. In 2015, the average Mexican drank nearly two glasses of Coke a day. Meghan Dhaliwal/for NPR hide caption

Treating a patient with a severe case of diabetes in Mexico, he says, can cost upward of $40,000 a year. But the bigger problem, Aguilar says, is that the Mexican health system isn't prepared to treat the sheer number of diabetes patients with serious medical complications who show up in its clinics every day.

"The Mexican health system is very efficient to treat infectious disease," he says. But chronic disorders like diabetes, which require lifelong attention and medical monitoring, call for a different skill set from doctors. And Mexico's health system is still adjusting to this shift toward treating chronic disease.

Recognizing how daunting it is to treat diabetes, Mexican officials are trying to prevent it in the next generation. In 2014 the country slapped a controversial 5 cents per liter tax on soda. New rules bar advertisements for high calorie junk food aimed at children. Public service announcements encourage people to exercise more. And there's a major push to restrict the sale of soda and junk food in schools.

Gummy bears, potato chips and other snacks are sold on the sidewalk in downtown Mexico City. A study in 2015 ranked Mexico as the No. 1 consumer of junk food in Latin America: 450 pounds per person each year. Meghan Dhaliwal/for NPR hide caption

The head of the World Health Organization's office in Mexico, Dr. Gerry Eijkemans, says diabetes is a huge challenge to health care systems throughout Latin America.

"Diabetes used to be a disease of the rich," she says. "In Western Europe and the U.S., it was really the people who had the money who were obese, and now it's actually the opposite."

This is forcing already overstretched public health systems in Latin America to devote more resources to this complex disease.

"In order to prevent an infectious disease, you reduce the mosquitoes and basically you're done," Eijkemans says. "Not that it's easy, but it's much easier than changing a lifestyle, changing the way a society is basically organized [to encourage] people to consume unhealthy food with lots of fat and sugar."

An article earlier this year in the medical journal The Lancet warned: "Rising levels of increasingly severe obesity mean that, worldwide, populations are on the brink of a catastrophic epidemic of diabetes."

In Latin America, Mexico isn't on the brink of that epidemic, it's already there.

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Diabetes Epidemic In Mexico Is Fueled By Deep-Fried Tamales And ... - NPR

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in Nevada. More than 12 percent of Nevadans have diabetes and, in 2012, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the state. Legislative leaders could work to help address the diabetes epidemic in Nevada, yet some in Carson City are pursuing ill-advised policies. When I recently read SB 265, a state bill that aims to tackle drug costs for people with diabetes, it became quite clear to me our public officials, while well intentioned in their desire to help patients, don't realize what is truly driving the costs associated with the disease.

Caring for people with diabetes involves more than what they pay for insulin or another medication. In fact, most of the medical costs a person living with diabetes incurs has to do with other ailments, but having diabetes increases complexity of treatment and the costs of treatment with it. Also, diabetes seldom occurs alone. It's often accompanied by complications relating to high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, heart failure, kidney disease, and obesity. The complications relating to diabetes are the leading causes of lower limb amputations not relating to accidents or trauma and blindness.

Proponents of SB 265, led by some unions, casinos, and big health insurers, assert price controls will help lower drug costs for patients. That simply isn't the case. The proposal sets arbitrary price limits on certain diabetes medicines, with a focus on insulin, and requires drug makers to pay health insurance companies the difference. In fact, multiple witnesses at a recent hearing for the bill stated there's no guarantee patients will benefit. Even the bill's sponsor indicated there's much work yet to be done and the language is intentionally vague because it's unclear how the legislation might actually work. If this bill goes through, patients would pay the same for medications, insurers would increase their profits, and drug companies would have less reason and capital to invest in the innovative drugs for diabetes that are desperately needed. This is concerning.

The number of people diagnosed with diabetes has tripled in the last three decades. This increase means more patients need high-quality care, including different medication options, to help manage their disease. Innovative treatments, including oral medications and new forms of insulin, are absolutely critical. Unfortunately, SB 265 singles out diabetes patients, creates the high probability of access restrictions, and undermines their overall needs. With SB 265, patients would have fewer options when it comes to fully managing their disease and, as a result, every Nevadan would pay the price.

Instead of restricting access to care, Nevada should be exploring public policies that help us get in front of rising diabetes rates through prevention and actions to reduce the toll of diabetes on those already affected. This can be accomplished through greater access to innovative care, education and awareness initiatives, and bringing all stakeholders to the table to work together to reverse the growth in diabetes prevalence.

Patients must have information needed to choose the right insurance plan to help achieve positive results. Insulin research must continue to evolve, allowing patients superior control, less frequent injections, and better outcomes.

As a lifelong patient advocate, I know Nevadans expect more out of their elected officials.

Larry Hausner was chief executive officer of the American Diabetes Association from 2007 to 2014. He served as chief operating officer for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and also worked for 15 years at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He currently serves on the Research America Board and Executive Committee and is chairman of the Campaign for Medical Discovery. In 2010, he received the Impact Award from the Invisible Disabilities Association for leading the charge in helping people living with diabetes through local and national education, research and support.

Link:
Larry Hausner: A misguided proposal that sets Nevada back in fight against diabetes - Nevada Appeal

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Obesity And Diabetes Kill More Than Initially Thought, According To ... Forbes Here's a problem with death...besides it being death. The real cause of death is not always clear and obvious. Death certificates can be inaccurate. Case in point ... and more »

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Obesity And Diabetes Kill More Than Initially Thought, According To ... - Forbes

The way our bodies use sugar for growth and energy is part of metabolic disorder. There are three main types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes.

Normally, your body breaks down the sugars and carbohydrates you eat into a special sugar called glucose. Glucose fuels the cells in your body. But the cells need insulin, a hormone produced by pancreas, in your bloodstream in order to take in the glucose and use it for energy.

With diabetes mellitus, either your body doesnt make enough insulin, it cant use the insulin it does produce, or a combination of both (diabetes type 2). Insulin resistance from obesity in the setting of relative insulin deficiency contributes to the development of Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes mellitus accounts for most (90 percent to 95 percent) diagnosed cases. Prevalence: In 2012, 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3 percent of the population, had diabetes. Approximately 1.25 million American children and adults have Type 1 diabetes ( ADA. Asian Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Hispanics, and non Hispanic black persons are at an increased risk for developing diabetes compared with non Hispanic white persons.

The Hispanic population is the fastest growing segment in the United States, and it has one of the highest rates of diabetes. The estimated diabetes prevalence rate in the Rio Grande Valley is over 30 percent. But I believe is much higher especially with undiagnosed ones. Since the cells cant take in the glucose, it builds up in your blood. High levels of blood glucose can damage the tiny blood vessels in your kidneys, heart, eyes, or nervous system. Thats why diabetes especially if left untreated can eventually cause heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and nerve damage to nerves in the feet.

The warning signs of diabetes can be so mild that you dont notice them. Type 2 diabetes generally has an insidious onset of prolonged asymptomatic hyperglycemia. Most patients do not present with the classic symptoms of polydipsia (very thirsty,or polyuria (urinating a lot). With Type 1 diabetes, the symptoms usually happen quickly, in a matter of days or a few weeks. Some of the warning symptoms are getting very tired, unplanned weight loss, feeling very hungry, blurry vision, recurrent infections and prolonged wound healing. One of every four people with diabetes doesnt know they have it. See if your risk of having the disease is high (family history of diabetes, overweight or obese (Body Mass Index greater than 25), large waist circumference (women greater than 35 inches/ men greater than 40 inches), dark skin at the neck, having similar symptoms, etc.) ask your doctor to check you.

A blood glucose test measures the amount of a type of sugar, called glucose, in your blood. Glucose comes from carbohydrate foods. It is the main source of energy used by the body. The hemoglobin A1c test, also called HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin test, or glycohemoglobin, is an important blood test that shows how well your diabetes is being controlled. Some serious health issues linked to diabetes may not have any symptoms, such as: kidney disease, high blood pressure and heart disease.

With diabetes, you may not have symptoms of heart disease even if youre having a heart attack. And if you have kidney disease, there could be no warning signs until your kidneys are damaged. Bariatric surgeries could heal diabetes mellitus Type 2 if the BMI over 35 with two risk factors or over 40. My recommendation to diabetic patient or whom have risks: See your doctor every three months and ask him/her to educate you and share with you the care plan (team work).

Try to lose weight if youre overweight (BMI >25). Eat healthy (Mediterranean diet is a good one) and dont skip meals (three meals with snack before bed time). Exercise regularly (minimum 250 minutes/week). Take your diabetes medication as prescribed. If you smoke, get help to quit. Work with your doctor to keep your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol under control.

The Rio Grande Valley Diabetes Association is a local non-profit organization whose mission is dedicated to the prevention of diabetes and its complications through educational services, early detection and awareness. The RGVDAs focus is to bring attention on a growing health epidemic that affects one out of every four people in Hidalgo Country, making it one of the worst afflicted areas in the country. Type 2 diabetes is preventable and also manageable through a healthy regimen of exercise and dieting, The RGVDA offers free monthly cooking.

The Rio Grande Valley Diabetes Association (RGVDA) provides The Monitor a monthly article to educate the public about the prevention and control of diabetes through monthly articles.

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Dr. Monzor H. Yazji and Diana F. Ramirez | Special to The Monitor - Monitor