topic Re: June's diabetes thread in Wellness

June's diabetes thread

cherry — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 17:09:38 GMT

Eating earlier in the day is beneficial ,according to a new study. I do this, and have had good luck with my A1c levels ,it is also supposed to be good for your blood pressure

https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2018/05/30/study-eating-meals-earlier-in-the-day-can-cut-diabetes-risk-and-lower-blood-pressure/#7820930e1339

Re: June's diabetes thread

BirkiLady — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 17:20:18 GMT

@cherryYes and it helps with the absorbsion of Metformin. Win-win.

Re: June's diabetes thread

MoJoV — Sat, 02 Jun 2018 21:56:05 GMT

@cherry that was an interesting article,thank you for posting it. I'm going to try it. I've gone from insulin to Metformin the last few months. Dr. says I'm doing alot of things right.

What have you changed as far as eating times? I'm the usual 7am, 12pm, 5or 6 pm. for meals.

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Sat, 02 Jun 2018 22:25:37 GMT

@MoJoV I eat one meal which is breakfast, my biggest one, around 9 AM ,and then my last mea,l a small one ,around 3 PM. I allow myself one small snack ,like a piece of fruit..but I never have anything after 7 PM ,and usually much early than that, my snack might be around 5.

You just have to play around with it. Other times might work out better for you. So experiment ,to see what works best for you..good luck

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Sun, 03 Jun 2018 10:55:35 GMT

“And if you snack after your evening meal - especially if the foods contain carbohydrates - you may wake up the next morning with a high blood sugar level.”

She says that snacks you should choose include ‘free’ foods, or foods with few calories.

Snacks diabetics could eat before bed include one sugar-free frozen cream pop, five baby carrots, one cup of light popcorn, a handful of crackers or a can of diet soda.

Getty

Diabetes type 2 symptoms: You can try these six snacks before bed

Can you live a normal life with diabetes?

Wed, June 21, 2017

Living with diabetes - ten top tips to live normally with the condition.

“You could also swap them for a piece of gum or small hard candy,” she said.

Diabetes.co.uk warns that high blood sugar levels can impact your sleep.

“It may be that the high levels make it less comfortable for you to sleep - it may make you feel too warm or irritable and unsettled,” they continue.

Healthline, a medical advice website based in America, suggests eating a high-fibre, low-fat snack before bed to avoid a spike in blood sugar during the early morning.

“Whole-wheat crackers with cheese or an apple with peanut butter are two good choices,” it says.

Diabetes type 2 symptoms: You may be able to eat these before bed if you are hungry

Like the Mayo Clinic, it also recommends keeping portion sizes small.

“Eating too much before bed can contribute to weight gain, which is counterproductive when you have diabetes,” it says.

“Foods can affect different people’s blood sugar in different ways.

“Monitor your blood sugar in the morning to help determine how much and what type of a snack may be best for you.”

It also recommends steering clear of stimulants before bed, such as coffee, taking a walk so that insulin is working more efficiently, and preparing your bedroom for sleep.

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 11:13:59 GMT

Food insFecurity linked to type 2 diabetes risk

Shereen Lehman

5 MIN READ

(Reuters Health) - Canadians who cannot afford to eat regularly or to eat a healthy diet have more than double the average risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a study suggests.

To reduce the burden of diabetes on individuals and the national healthcare system, policymakers should consider intervening in this pathway early by reducing food insecurity, the study team urges in the journal PLOS ONE.

Household food insecurity is defined as having uncertain or insufficient food access due to limited financial resources. Being on a limited budget may result in having to rely on cheaper, high-calorie foods that contribute to weight gain and the risk of chronic disease, the authors write.

“Increasingly, food insecurity is being recognized as a significant social and health problem in Canada, but there isn’t a great deal of evidence that has linked food insecurity to the risk of future chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes,” lead author Christopher Tait told Reuters Health in an email.

Tait, a researcher at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, and colleagues analyzed data from a 2004 national health survey. Survey participants were representative of 98 percent of the Canadian population, and the analysis focused on 4,739 men and women over age 18, including 277 who were classified as food insecure.

The study team also matched these people to a national database of people diagnosed with diabetes through 2016, making for an average of nearly 12 years of follow-up.

People who were food insecure at the time of the original survey tended to be younger, female, non-white, lower in income and had lower-quality diets compared to food-secure individuals. Food-insecure adults were also more likely to be smokers, less physically active and obese.

By the end of the follow-up period, 577 participants had developed type 2 diabetes. Those who were food-insecure had 2.4 times the risk of those who were not. When researchers accounted for obesity, the diabetes risk was still two-fold higher with food insecurity.

The findings speak to the importance of understanding the health burden associated with food insecurity, which has been steadily increasing in Canada over the past decade, Tait said.

“Our findings also emphasize the need to continue to monitor this important marker of economic deprivation. This is particularly relevant given Statistics Canada’s decision to make food insecurity measurement optional at the provincial-level as of 2013, which may be a missed opportunity moving forward, he added.

Testing strategies for reducing rates of household food insecurity will be important, Tait said, citing the Ontario Basic Income Pilot as an example of such a strategy. Also, he said, efforts are needed to meaningfully address the broader systemic factors that shape food environments, access and availability.

It’s well known that high and frequent intake of fast foods and processed foods are related to increased risk of obesity, unhealthy blood fat levels and diabetes type 2, among other diseases, said Sandra Arevalo, director of nutrition services and community outreach at Community Pediatrics, a program of Montefiore and The Children’s Health Fund in New York City.

“What I have seen in my practice in the South Bronx, located in the second poorest congressional district in the U.S. and working with the NYC homeless, is that people who are food insecure consume more foods with low nutritional value, which are more affordable,” said Arevalo, who wasn’t involved in the current study.

“Healthier foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk, lean cuts of meat and low-sodium foods should be subsidized as a measure to prevent the increasing incidence of diabetes type 2 and to support diabetes control among patients,” she said in an email.

More diabetes prevention programs and diabetes self-management education that includes points for selecting healthier foods, shopping tips to save money, meal planning, and cooking classes are needed, Arevalo added.

SOURCE: bit.ly/2INEslh PLOS ONE, online May 23, 2018.

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 10:00:39 GMT

This diabetes monitor ,can read your blood sugar, without any blood

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/05/12/dexcom-g6-latest-diabetes-monitor-doesnt-need-blood.html

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 10:40:36 GMT

LUKE ANDREWS

PUBLISHED: 15:56, Sun, Jun 3, 2018 | UPDATED: 16:14, Sun, Jun 3, 2018

Diabetes type 2 symptoms tend to appear in later life, when the condition is more likely to develop.

Symptoms of this type of diabetes include a frequent need to urinate and an increase in hunger and thirst.

Treatment for the condition involves changes to diet and lifestyle, to enable a sufferer to better control blood sugar levels.

During summer and with British berry season due to peak over the next two months, you may wonder if you can eat this home grown produce.

Diabetes UK says that sufferers can eat British strawberries, and other types of fruit as they come into season.

Eating as many as 37 British summer strawberries a day could help reduce diabetes type 2 symptoms and lower blood sugar levels

“You might think that the sugar content of fruit means you can’t eat it,” writes the UK-based charity on its website.

“But, the sugar in fruit is natural, and it is not this type of sugar we need to cut down on.”

Diabetes UK considers strawberries as part of your five a day.

You could have as many as seven British summertime strawberries to make up your five a day.

British strawberries can be purchased for around nine pence per strawberry in most UK supermarkets.

Other summertime fruits you could eat include two plums and 14 cherries as part of your five a day.

Getty

Diabetes type 2 symptoms: You can eat British summer strawberries if you have the condition

Everyday Health, a US-based website on the condition, says you should count strawberries “among the best foods for diabetics”.

It mentions a 2011 study from PLoS ONE, that found eating 37 of the red berries a day ay help diabetics avoid symptoms such as vision, nerve and kidney problems.

Conducted by the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, the study found that the flavonoid fisetin in strawberries lowered kidney enlargement, and reduced the amount of protein in urine.

Damage to the back of the eye and nerves due to diabetes also decreased.

“Those 37 strawberries a day won’t change how we treat [people with diabetes], but the study may point us in the direction of growing healthier strawberries with this flavonoid,” said Donna Wihofen, senior nutritionist at the University of Wisconsin Hospital, to Everyday Health.

Diabetes type 2 symptoms: Strawberries can help reduce diabetes symptoms

The British strawberry season begins in May, and peaks throughout June and July, according to British Summer Fruits, the industry body representing berry suppliers in the UK.

“The best thing is that strawberries can be enjoyed when dining al fresco as part of a mina course or dessert, straight from the punnet at a picnic, or simply with cream or ice cream,” they add on their website.

Other foods that could help you control your blood sugar levels included grapes, which have a relatively low glycemic index and are a great snack for diabetes patients.

They increase insulin sensitivity in patients, while also managing your blood sugar, said nutritionist Dr Josh Axe on his website.

Grapes contain antioxidants, called polyphenols, which lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, as well as obesity and metabolic syndrome, he said.

“Evidence suggests that polyphenols in grapes and grape products may reduce metabolic syndrome and prevent development of obesity and type 2 diabetes by acting as multi-target modulators with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects,” said Axe.

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 14:44:41 GMT

Eating a daily handful of almonds, cashews, and walnuts stabilises the blood sugar levels of type 2 diabetics, study finds

Just 75g of mixed nuts significantly improves patients' blood sugar control

The snack also reduces 'bad' cholesterol and may lower the risk of heart disease

Results show the importance of unsaturated fat in type 2 diabetes patients' diets

Around 3.5 million people in the UK are diagnosed with diabetes

Of those with a diagnosis, more than 90% of patients have type 2

By ALEXANDRA THOMPSON HEALTH REPORTER FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 09:35 EDT, 5 June 2018 | UPDATED: 09:35 EDT, 5 June 2018

Eating a handful of almonds, cashews and walnuts every day stabilises blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, new research suggests.

Just 75g of mixed, unsalted nuts significantly improves patients' blood sugar control, a Canadian study found.

The snack also reduces so-called 'bad' cholesterol and lowers levels of a protein associated with heart disease, known as Apo-B, the research adds.

The researchers believe their findings highlight the importance of unsaturated fat and low carbohydrate intakes for type 2 diabetes control.

Around 3.5 million people in the UK are diagnosed with diabetes, of which approximately 90 per cent have type 2.

Handful of nuts a day stabilises blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes (stock)

How the research was carried out

The researchers, from the University of Toronto, analysed 117 adults with type 2 diabetes who were on medication to lower their blood glucose levels.

Some of the participants ate 75g of mixed nuts, others had three wholewheat muffins and the remainder ate half of each every day for three months.

All of their diets contained a similar number of calories, however, the nuts provided more unsaturated fat and less carbohydrate.

The participants' blood glucose levels were assessed around every two weeks.

The mixed nuts mainly consisted of unsalted and mostly raw almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews and macadamias.

The findings were published in the journal Diabetologia.

Swapping one portion of meat for a handful of nuts a day slashes the risk of an early death

This comes after research released last July suggested swapping just one portion of meat for a handful of nuts a day slashes the risk of an early death by up to 17 percent.

A 20 percent improvement in people's diets reduces their risk of dying prematurely by between eight and 17 percent, a study found.

This is the equivalent of swapping just one serving of meat for a handful of nuts or a tablespoon of peanut butter a day, the research adds.

Lead author Dr Mercedes Sotos-Prieto, from Ohio University, said: 'It's not necessary for people to conform to a single dietary plan to achieve a healthy eating pattern.

'The essential elements of a healthy diet include higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and beans, and lower intakes of red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages and highly refined grains, like white rice and flour.'

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Fri, 08 Jun 2018 17:17:51 GMT

Depression and Diabetes: A Toxic Combo for Suicide

Ask anyone with the condition—Diabetes management is a grueling process that requires 100% attention to detail, day in and day out. There is no downtime. No breaks.

From endless medication administration to restrictive food choices to the blood sugar roller coasters that occur to diabetic complications like blindness, heart and kidney failure, and limb amputation, are all occurrences that people who are non-diabetics don’t have to deal with. It can be very frustrating and depressing— especially if you don’t know many other people who can empathize or relate.

The link between diabetes and suicide is depression. Roughly 16 percent of the general population experience depression, but the percentage is nearly doubled for diabetics as seen in a meta-analysis reviewing 39 studies with a combined total of 20,218 subjects.

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Fri, 08 Jun 2018 17:19:17 GMT

Re: June's diabetes thread

Kat60 — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 05:41:33 GMT

Is anyone having trouble with Metformin? My doctor doubled my dosage and I am having trouble with nausea. I should call my doctor but she bugs me. My doctor retired and I have a resident. I was called in for a urine test because I called for pain meds. I fell on my hardwood floor twice in the week and it hurt. I got a Tylenol med. I did check on line and that complaint about Metformin was all over the net. Thank you.

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 08:40:13 GMT

@Kat60 after about 4 years of taking it ,I developed gerd and gastritis. The endo lowered my dose ,and put me on ER, it has helped me a tremendous amount, but it is not gone

I have hopes in time it will be

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 11:11:32 GMT

New research has shown that the rapid decline in insulin production that causes type 1 diabetes continues to fall over seven years and then stabilises.

A team at the University of Exeter Medical School found evidence that the amount of insulin produced declines by almost 50% each year for seven years. At that point, the insulin levels stabilise.

The finding is a major step forward in understanding Type 1 diabetes and contradicts previous beliefs that the insulin produced by people with the condition drops relentlessly with time. It offers the hope that by understanding what changes after seven years, new strategies could be developed to preserve insulin secreting beta-cells in patients.

The study, published in Diabetes Care, measured C-peptide, which is produced at the same time and in the same quantities as the insulin that regulates our blood sugar. By measuring C-peptide levels in blood or in urine, scientists can tell how much insulin a person is producing themselves, even if they are taking insulin injections as treatment. The team studied 1,549 people with Type 1 diabetes from Exeter, England and Tayside, Scotland in the UNITED study.

Dr Beverley Shields, at the University of Exeter Medical School, who led the research, said: "This finding is really exciting. It suggests that a person with Type 1 diabetes will keep any working beta-cells they still have seven years after diagnosis. We are not sure why this is; it may well be that there is a small group of "resilient" beta-cells resistant to immune attack and these are left after all the "susceptible" beta-cells are destroyed. Understanding what is special about these "resilient" beta-cells may open new pathways to treatment for Type 1 diabetes."

Type 1 diabetes affects around 400,000 people in the UK. The disease commonly starts in childhood but can develop at any age, and causes the body's own immune system to attack and destroy the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leaving the patient dependent on life-long insulin injections.

Professor Andrew Hattersley, a Consultant in Diabetes at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and Research Professor at the University of Exeter Medical School, looked forward. "Now we know there is a "seven year switch," the next question is why? Has the immune attack stopped or are we left with "super beta-cells" that can resist the immune onslaught. Any insights into halting the relentless destruction of the precious insulin-producing cells are valuable. We could not have made this progress without the help of over 1,500 patients. We owe it to them to try to find answers that might help patient care quickly."

Karen Addington, UK Chief Executive of the type 1 diabetes charity JDRF, said: "These results provide further evidence that the immune system's assault on insulin-producing beta cells is not as complete as we once believed -- and may change over time. This further opens the door to identifying ways to preserve insulin production in people diagnosed with or living with type 1 diabetes."

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 11:12:14 GMT

A new discovery could lead to the creation of better treatments for people with type 1 diabetes who also have depression.

Scientists at Lund University, Sweden, say levels of an inflammatory protein called galectin-3 could be significant in helping to diagnose or treat depression among those with type 1 diabetes.

Galectin-3 is involved in promoting inflammatory immune system responses that help repair tissue damage, such as in response to injury or disease. But elevated levels have been linked to disorders including Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular disease.

Prior to this study, research suggested that high levels of inflammation were associated with depression and diabetes, but the role of galectin-3 was not investigated in either condition.

Researchers analysed galectin-3 levels in 283 men and women with type 1 diabetes for one year, with incidences of depression self-reported.

Lead author Dr Eva Olga Melin said: "We found that people with type-1 diabetes and depression had higher galectin-3 levels, yet no other diabetes-related metabolic changes could account for these elevated levels."

Because depression is common among people with diabetes, researchers hope that if they can validate their findings in future studies, as well as prove a causal relationship between galectin-3 and depression risk, then future treatment targets could help lower the risk of depression in people with type 1 diabetes.

"Depression is a common disorder, so these findings suggest that further investigating the role of galectin-3 could lead to improved diagnosis and maybe better treatment outcomes for patients in the future," added Dr Melin.

The findings appear online in Endocrine Connections.

Editor's note: While people with diabetes are more likely to get depression than those without the condition, they are many ways depression can be treated aside from medication. Our Diabetes Forum has helped people share their stories for over 15 years and talk with like-minded individuals, while keeping good control of blood sugar levels and eating a healthy, real food diet has been shown to improve energy levels as well as mood.

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 11:26:48 GMT

Top doctor Dr Xand van Tulleken is warning about how not all carbs are created equal in a BBC programme which will be aired on Wednesday 6 June.

On The Truth About Carbs, Dr van Tulleken explores food intake and how carbs can affect weight, urging people to cut their carb intake. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are significantly linked and carb intake is becoming a prevalent talking point among healthcare professionals because carbs has the greatest impact on blood sugar levels.

Alongside Kirby GP Dr Faisal Maassarani, the two doctors talk to leading experts, chefs and a group of obese people with health complications including type 2 diabetes about the relationship between obesity and carbohydrate.

Among the obese cohort, those who cut out starch and sugar ended up improving their blood sugar significantly, with one participant close to achieving type 2 diabetes remission.

Chief among the show's lessons is that not all carbs are created equal, with foods high in dietary fibre for example - referred to as "green carbs" - significantly healthier than "beige carbs" such as pasta and potatoes, and "white carbs" such as rice and biscuits.

Speaking to the MailOnline, Dr van Tulleken said: "Learning to eat carbs more intelligently has helped me control my weight more easily. As a medical doctor with a degree in public health, I'm convinced it could bring similar benefits to millions of Britons."

The show also provides viewers with top tips on how to avoid the bad carbs as well as showing scientific experiments about how carbs can affect people's energy levels.

The show will be aired on 6 June on BBC One at 20:00 and can also be watched via the BBC iPlayer shortly after broadcast.

Editor’s note: If you'd like to find out more about different types of carbohydrate, visit our award-winning Low Carb Program.

Re: June's diabetes thread

cherry — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 11:27:55 GMT

An alternative to metformin has been discovered by researchers that could lower blood sugar levels as effectively as the diabetes drug.

Researchers identified this new chemical compound following a study where high-performance computing was used to identify compounds that could kick-start the GPRC6A protein, which regulates blood sugar levels.

Upon kick-starting the protein, the researchers were able to verify its potency and subsequently designed a chemical that can regulate insulin secretion and lower blood sugar in levels.

In trials on mice, the US scientists - which included researchers from the University of Tennessee, the University of Alabama, and the University of Illinois - tested several molecules and identified one called DJ-V-159 which was as effective as metformin in controlling blood sugar levels.

Jeremy Smith, Governor's Chair for Molecular Biophysics at the University of Tennessee, said: "This chemical compound lowers sugar levels in mice as effectively as metformin, but with a 30-times lower dose. It therefore is a good starting point for the development of a new and effective drug to fight diabetes.

"These preliminary findings set the stage for lead optimization of a chemical series of GPRC6A agonists to optimize potency, selectivity, and biological activity to fulfil the criteria for a potentially new therapeutic."

The findings, published in the PLOS One journal, indicate an alternative to metformin could be developed for people unable to tolerate the drug, which is known to carry some side effects such as nausea and diarrhoea.

Metformin is one of the most common forms of type 2 diabetes treatment, used to lower blood glucose levels, and recently the drug has been successfully repurposed to lower the risk of some cancers developing.

While metformin has clear benefits, people with type 2 diabetes have been able to come off the drug, and other diabetes medication, through eating a healthy real food diet and getting regular exercise. A total of 40% of users on our Low Carb Program have been able to come off at least one diabetes medication upon completing the course.