Diabetes Guidelines

Cardiovascular care in America is spiraling out of control.  We are now spending more than one hundred billion dollars a year for treatment and management of cardiovascular catastrophes (heart attack, stroke and diseases of the vascular system). This extraordinary amount of money is spent on victims of a disease that is largely preventable.

In The Great American Heart Hoax I have outlined the problems of cardiovascular care in America that is draining our healthcare dollars and contributing to our financial collapse.  In addition, I point out key areas of wasteful spending on expensive and risky diagnostic studies as well as procedures that are of no benefit to the millions of Americans who fall prey to the cardiovascular intervention industry.  What may surprise you is what you believed to be the ultimate of cardiac care in this country is often unnecessary and dangerous.

Examples of inappropriate cardiovascular care are summarized below:

1. Coronary angioplasty and stent insertion: While coronary angioplasty (the opening up of a blocked artery with a catheter device) and stent placement can be indicated and potentially lifesaving in acute coronary syndromes such as heart attacks, utilizing this technology in stable patients who have coronary blockages is inappropriate and has never been shown to reduce the risk of future heart attack or prolong life as compared to more conservative therapy (lifestyle changes and medications as indicated).  Indeed balloon angioplasty and stent placement can often lead to an increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality compared to an intensive prevention approach.  Despite this well-researched fact the cardiovascular intervention industry continues like a freight-train out of control.  This year over one million stents will be inserted in patients across America and many of these procedures are clearly not indicated.
2. Heart bypass surgery (also called coronary artery bypass graft surgery): like catheter-based intervention, heart bypass surgery is clearly indicated in select unstable patients, however bypass surgery is over-utilized in the majority of patients with obstructive coronary artery disease.  Major clinical trials have failed to show a benefit in clinical outcome in the vast majority of stable patients treated with bypass surgery.
3. CT-Scans: While CT scans are often necessary in unstable patients in the emergency room as a diagnostic modality, the proliferation of this technology to screen Americans for coronary artery disease is inappropriate and leads to a depletion of our valuable health care dollars.    There is no evidence that subjecting yourself to a CT scan will lower your risk of having a heart attack or prolong your life.  Most disturbing is the fact that these procedures subject unsuspecting men and women to excessive radiation exposure which stays with them for a lifetime and increases their risk of cancer.  At the end of the day ask yourself the following question: do I need to pay a large sum of money and be bombarded with a significant dose of radiation just to be told to do what I should be doing anyway?   Follow a healthy-lifestyle with optimal nutrition, regular exercise, stress management and smoking cessation.
4. Stress-nuclear studies: As with CT scans, stress nuclear studies are expensive and lead to significant amounts of radiation exposure via intravenous radioisotopes.  These tests should be avoided in the stable population.  If a stress test is recommended with imaging why not choose a stress-echo study which is less expensive than a stress-nuclear study and utilizes harmless sound waves to provide similar information?
5. Cardiac catheterization: Another expensive diagnostic tool that carries a multitude of significant risks.  These risks are justified in unstable patients however this procedure should not be performed indiscriminately on stable individuals.

The Solution

There is a better road we can walk down that will provide us with a lifetime of heart health.   This road is called progress road and it costs a fraction of the journey down the dead-end road, with excessive interventions and diagnostic studies that don’t improve clinical outcome.  Progress road is truly the biggest bang for the buck! 

Progress road utilizes clinically proven prevention rather than needless intervention to keep us healthy and lowers our health care costs that cripple the financial health of America thereby impeding our ability to compete in a global economy. 

It consists of:

1. A heart- healthy Mediterranean-style diet.
2. Regular exercise:  30 minutes of walking should be considered a daily routine.
3. Stress management:  Simple techniques such as yoga, breathing exercise or relaxation response training can serve to lower our blood pressure and pulse and protect us from vascular insults such as heart attacks and strokes.
4. Control cholesterol:  Following a Mediterranean-style diet will significantly lower cholesterol levels in the majority of Americans.  Judicious use of medications such as generic statins could also be utilized if required.
5. Blood pressure control:  Blood pressure can be managed with lifestyle changes (Mediterranean diet, exercise, smoking cessation and stress management).  Blood pressure medication should be used in select patients if lifestyle changes do not achieve goal.
6. Avoid metabolic syndrome and diabetes:  again diet and exercise are key to prevent or reverse these conditions.
7. Achieve ideal body weight.
8. Lower inflammation and oxidative stress: a Mediterranean diet, regular exercise, weight control, avoiding pollution and pesticides, good oral hygiene (daily flossing) all serve to lower inflammation and free radical induced oxidative stress that leads to cardiovascular disease.
9. Have a routine physical exam with comprehensive blood work: an ongoing relationship with your personal treating physician to discuss prevention strategies is key. Get the proper screening blood studies to uncover hidden risk of cardiovascular disease.
10. Avoid unnecessary procedures that increase the cost of medical care and do not lead to improved clinical outcomes.

At this critical juncture, we have to decide what is best for the health and wealth of the citizens of this country.  Will it be business as usual with indiscriminate utilization of diagnostic and interventional procedures that cost billions and don’t improve the overall health of Americans or do we want a health care system that is affordable and delivers preventive care that gives us the biggest bang for our buck?  I think the answer is clear.  The Great American Heart Hoax chronicles all that is wrong with our current health care system for cardiovascular treatment and it also delivers a concise, practical and clinically proven 10- step approach that can lead us to the promise land of affordable health care, fewer heart attacks and strokes and freedom from a misguided cardiovascular intervention industry that is sabotaging our financial and medical well-being.

Copyright © 2009 Michael Ozner, M.D., author of The Great American Heart Hoax: Lifesaving Advice Your Doctor Should Tell You About Heart Disease Prevention (But Probably Never Will)

Author Bio
Michael Ozner, MD, FACC, FAHA, author of The Great American Heart Hoax: Lifesaving Advice Your Doctor Should Tell You About Heart Disease Prevention (But Probably Never Will), is one of America’s leading advocates for heart disease prevention. Dr. Ozner is a board-certified cardiologist, a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and of the American Heart Association, medical director of Wellness & Prevention at Baptist Health South Florida and a well-known regional and national speaker in the field of preventive cardiology. He is the medical director of the Cardiovascular Prevention Institute of South Florida and symposium director for “Cardiovascular Disease Prevention,” an annual international meeting highlighting advances in preventive cardiology. He was the recipient of the 2008 American Heart Association Humanitarian Award. Dr. Ozner is also the author of the BenBella Books title The Miami Mediterranean Diet.

Michael Ozner, Md, Facc, Faha
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-great-american-heart-hoax-economic-and-political-implications-738679.html

Men with diabetes face much more several health concerns, that including increased risk of heart attacks and strokes and impotence (not being able to having or keep an erection though).

Above the age of 50 the likelihood of having other difficulties with an erection occurs in an approximately 50-60% of men with the problem of diabetes.  In reality  men over 70, 90% have erectile dysfunction problems so far .

Diagnosed and controlled  diabetes can be effectively managed to minimise its impact on your health and well being. You can  even prevent or delay diabetes complications those like damage to eye sight and nerve damage to the fingers and toes.  However many men do not realise  just they suffer from the disease.  Around one third of the men population with diabetes are not aware of their
illness.

Diabetes Signs and other Symptoms

If you find yourself with any of these following symptoms, it is really important  that you visit your doctor or health practitioner and get tested for diabetes problem:

â?¢  feeling tired often
â?¢  frequent urination (specially at night)
â?¢  being very thirsty most of time
â?¢  weight loss problems
â?¢  blurry eyesight problems
â?¢  recurring skin, other gum, or bladder infections
â?¢  sores that heal comparatively slowly
â?¢  dry, and itchy skin
â?¢  loss of feeling or tingling in that your feet

Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

There are few other different kinds of diabetes:

â?¢ Type 1 diabetes is generally first diagnosed in children, teenagers, or young adults.
â?¢ Type 2 diabetes is the other most common form of diabetes. People can even develop it at any age, but it is often diagnosed in the  later life and is in much more common found in men who are over weight and do little exercise.

What is Diabetes?

Most of the food that we eat is turned into glucose (sugar) for our bodies to use for energy production . The pancreas makes insulin that  which helps sugar get right into the cells. When you have diabetes problems then your body either doesnâ??t make enough insulin or just canâ??t use the insulin it does to make. This causes sugar to build up in your blood then. Over the years  high blood sugar leads to other  problems like heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, nerve problems, gum infections, and amputations problem.

Diabetes-Related Problems in Men

Men with diabetes suffer more from some  other diabetes-related health problems than women. The American Diabetes Association reports that here:
â?¢ In people who develop diabetes before the age of 30 in context  men develop retinopathy (a vision disorder that can lead to  blindness problems ) more quickly than women in either .

â?¢ Having the major symptoms of peripheral vascular disease (pain in the thigh, calf, or buttocks during exercise) is linked to a two- to three-fold increased risk of the coronary heart disease, stroke, or cardiac failure in men with diabetes problems.
â?¢ Amputation rates from diabetes-related problems that are 1.4 to 2.7 times higher in men than women with diabetes.

dr rony
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/diabetes-risk-for-men-722820.html

After being diagnosed with diabetes, many people work on improving their health to decrease the likelihood of complications. Kidney disease, skin disorders, blindness and foot problems are well-known complications of the condition. However, there is another risk that often hides in the background, unbeknownst to the patient.

Heart disease and stroke are major complications associated with diabetes, yet nearly 70% of people with diabetes aren’t aware of the connection between heart attack, stroke and diabetes.* Because people with diabetes often experience high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels along with other health problems, they are at an increased risk of developing arterial disease – a condition that can ultimately lead to a stroke or heart attack. Although this may seem dire, the long-term outlook for diabetics can be positive if risk factors are managed properly.

A Heart-to-Heart Matter

If you’re wondering how diabetes affects your heart, here’s how: A spike in blood sugar, blood pressure or cholesterol can harm your blood vessels by making it easier for fat deposits to cling to the arteries. Arteries and blood vessels can become blocked, leading to a heart attack or stroke. Fortunately, there are strategies for warding off arterial disease.

One of the first steps in determining whether you are at risk for diabetes complications is to assess your overall health. If you smoke, drink heavily and/or eat poorly, your health may be at risk. These factors can harm anyone’s health, but are especially dangerous for a person with diabetes. Making changes to your lifestyle takes effort, but can greatly reduce complications. To help maintain heart health, the American Diabetes Association suggests following the ABCs of diabetes care.

Lower your Hemoglobin A1C. Keeping your Hemoglobin A1C (a blood test that indicates how your blood sugar control has been over the past three months) below 7% can help prevent complications.

Monitor blood pressure. Have your blood pressure checked regularly. If your doctor tells you it’s high, you may need to work on reducing stress or following an exercise routine. Medication may also be an option for getting blood pressure under control.

Tackle bad cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is unhealthy for your heart. This type of cholesterol can lead to fat build-up in your arteries, increasing the chance that you’ll develop cardiovascular disease. By lowering your cholesterol, you can help keep your heart in working order.

On the Right Path

If you have diabetes and are concerned about your risk for heart attack or stroke, talk to your physician. Your health care provider can help monitor your diabetes and suggest ways to improve your health.

Learn how to live healthy with diabetes. Research your questions at: http://living-healthy-with-diabetes-swicki.eurekster.com/

* Source: Mayo Clinic.com.

Diabetes Info
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/manage-the-risk-the-link-between-diabetes-heart-disease-and-stroke-112130.html

Omega 3 fish oil supplements are normally inspected by federal inspection agencies to ensure that they meet quality health standards. These supplement products are pharmaceutical grade fish oil and totally reliable and safe. In order to offer fish oil capsules at a discounted rate, many companies sell omega 3 fish oil in bulk. There are many online sources where you can go to buy these supplements. These products are available in the form of capsules as well as liquid oil in a bottle.

In order to obtain essential fatty acids, an external food source is required. People who eat fish on a regular basis have high levels of these acids in their body. However, those who do not like to eat fish, are vegetarians or do not have access to wild or fresh fish, often rely on other food sources for the consumption of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fish oil benefits include treatment of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, depression, arthritis and cancer.

Omega 3 is a type of fat essential for the overall health of an individual. Omega 3 acids belong to the family of polyunsaturated fatty acids, generally considered to be good fats. Fish oil is a rich source of omega 3 and can be consumed as a dietary supplement to fulfill the needs of essential fatty acids in the body. Omega 3 fish oil is known to provide numerous health benefits including proper growth of body tissues, prevention of heart attack, correct functioning of the nervous system and the excretory system, and fat loss.

There are a number of different agencies that have recommendations for the omega 3 fish oil daily dosage and they are all fairly similar and uniform in the discoveries that hey have made and in the suggestion of using fish oils. For example, the National Institute of Health recommends approximately 650mg of omega 3 fish oil daily dose while the American Heart Association recommends 650-1000mg per day.

Omega 3 essential fatty acids can lower triglycerides. They also help to lower bad cholesterol and high blood pressure. Omega 3′s are beneficial in weight loss as well. The body doesn’t make its own so they must come from food sources.

Omega 3 Fish Oil Capsules is a perfect for your health to improve and benefit due to the high content of Omega 3 fatty acids that is essential to the body. Maybe you’ve even seen or heard of Omega 3 Fish Oil Capsules on television or the radio and thought about getting some or seen it in the local grocery store. These products are picky to choose in the way that not all fish oils can be in the same classification of quality. It is highly important that you purchase pharmaceutical grade fish oil.

peterhutch
http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/omega-3-fish-oil-benefits-dosage-715000.html

We’ve all been told (or told someone else) that finishing all your veggies or eating fresh fruit every day is a good way to keep your body healthy and fit. But there are some other surprising foods (drinks too) that we can add to our diet that bring impressive health benefits, and (in moderation, of course) might just help us reach our weight loss goals.

Here are the five, good for your surprises:

1. Tea – 3 cups per day of any type that comes from the leaves of the plant Carnellia sinensis, which includes black, green, white and oolong varieties. There is strong evidence that tea might just reduce your risk of heart disease, and offer other less researched benefits such as protection from cancer and cutting your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Tea appears to have a type of flavonoid from that same family of antioxidants found in fruits, veggies and red wine. To get the most out of your cup of tea, make it strong and steep it a good long time-but if you’re watching your weight, keep an eye on the milk and sugar you add to your cup.

2. Dark Chocolate – a little goes a long way, but just like tea, this delicious treat is believed to have an ample supply of the same flavonoids in red wine, fruits and veggies. Small amounts of dark chocolate have been shown to improve blood vessel flow, and may stabilize blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, thus reducing the risk of diabetes. Choose dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa so you get more of these healthy antioxidants, and fewer calories from the milk and sugars used to make milk or white chocolate.

3. Fatty Fish – two servings per week of fish such as salmon, trout, herring, tuna, sardines or mackerel. These fish are rich in omega – 3 fatty acids, shown to reduce cholesterol, which helps to keep clots from forming and causing heat attacks. The research is so compelling that the American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish on a regular basis. Be sure you choose grilled or broiled recipes as frying removes many of the beneficial substances in the fish and replaces them with calories and saturated fats.

4. Coffee – despite its bad rap, used in moderation, your first cup of morning coffee may have health benefits you haven’t heard about – including stimulating the brain and nervous system as well as lowering your risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, mood disorders and headaches. Coffee has a compound from the antioxidant family and is a good source of magnesium, both are believed to help improve sugar metabolism, help with insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. And while black coffee is a tasty zero calorie drink, adding cream, sugar, or other toppings adds calories that you might not want.

5. Avocados – even though these fruits are full of fat, most of it is the heart healthy monounsaturated kind that is believed to lower cholesterol. Avocados have carotenoids, vitamin E and potassium, plus fiber to fill you up. Be aware though, that just because the fats are “good” ones, they still add calories if you aren’t careful about portions. Slice them onto salads, add them to a soup or spread them on bread to keep the potion sizes under control while still getting all the taste and health benefits too.

Adding one or more of these surprisingly healthy options is a great way to improve a diet that could use some help, or boost the healthfulness of one that’s already on the right track. Along with regular exercise, eating a balanced and nutritious diet is still one of the best ways to maintain your weight and your health.

Valerie Slaugther
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/good-for-you-surprises-you-can-add-to-your-diet-today-61635.html

Only 13% of American women feel they are personally at risk for heart disease, although it continues to claim more lives than the next six causes of death combined.* Each year, millions of women die from causes that are at least partially preventable. Read on to learn about the biggest threats to your health, and how to protect yourself and your loved ones.

1. Heart Disease

Heart disease is often thought of as primarily affecting men, although in the United States more women die of heart disease each year than men – nearly 500,000.*

Help protect yourself from heart disease by:

Not smoking, and limiting your exposure to secondhand smoke.

Getting tested regularly for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, and keeping these conditions under control.

Eating a healthful diet (one that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables and limits saturated fats) and maintaining a healthy weight.

Getting adequate exercise – at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.

Drinking alcohol in moderation, if at all.

Discussing your risk factors and your family’s medical history with your physician.

Knowing the often-subtle symptoms of a heart attack.

2. Cancer

The most common cause of cancer death for U.S. women is lung – not breast – cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2005, about 73,000 women died of lung cancer, roughly 40,000 women died of breast cancer and approximately 28,000 American women died of colorectal cancer. An equal number of women and men die of colorectal cancer each year, yet it is another disease mistakenly believed to primarily afflict men.

To reduce your risk of cancer, follow the same tips for preventing heart disease. In addition, refrain from chewing tobacco, avoid excessive sun exposure and get regular preventive health screenings.

3. Stroke

Of the nearly 163,000 Americans who die of stroke each year, roughly 60% are women.** Stroke is more than just the third-leading cause of death of American women; it’s also one of the leading causes of disability.**

Some risk factors for the disease (such as family history; age; sex; race; and a history of migraines, autoimmune diseases and clotting disorders) can’t be controlled, but two major risk factors – smoking and high blood pressure – can be minimized by following the same steps that help prevent heart disease. Use of birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy may also increase the risk of stroke.** To minimize the damage caused by a stroke, know the warning signs so that you can get help immediately, if necessary.

4. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

The fourth most-common cause of death, COPD includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, but not asthma or other obstructive diseases. The leading cause of COPD is smoking, so prevent the disease by not smoking and by limiting your exposure to secondhand smoke and air pollutants.

5. Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disease that afflicts an estimated 4.5 million Americans and ultimately leads to death.*** Researchers have yet to unlock the mysteries of preventing Alzheimer’s. Some experts theorize, however, that preventing serious head injury and maintaining good cardiovascular health might reduce the risk of the disease.

For More Information

To learn more about preventing these and other common causes of death – such as diabetes, accidents, pneumonia and influenza – consult your health care provider.

* Source: American Heart Association, www.americanheart.org.

** Source: American Stroke Association, www.strokeassociation.org.

*** Source: Alzheimer’s Association, www.alz.org.

[Sidebar]

A Checklist for Your Next Checkup

Without regular health care and screening tests, it’s possible to overlook the symptoms of a condition until the disease is advanced. Ask your physician if the following screenings and immunizations may be appropriate for you.

Blood pressure test

Cholesterol and triglyceride tests

Thyroid stimulating hormone test (TSH)

Blood sugar test

Mammogram

Pap test and pelvic exam

Body mass index (BMI) calculation

Sexually transmitted disease screening

Fecal occult blood test

Colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy

Digital rectal exam

Mole exam

Bone mineral density test

Influenza, pneumococcal and/or diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis booster vaccinations

[Sidebar (if room)]

Know the Signs of Stroke

If you experience any of the following symptoms, even temporarily, get help immediately:

Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body

Trouble seeing out of one or both eyes; blurred or double vision

Confusion; trouble speaking or understanding

Loss of balance or coordination, trouble walking or dizziness

A severe headache of unknown cause

Diabetes Info
http://www.articlesbase.com/women’s-issues-articles/top-5-health-risks-for-women-111457.html

There are 8,956 different ways to die. But, most people “choose” the same 4. Why do I say “choose”? Because the majority of our population are choosing a suicidal lifestyle that leads to early death.

As Dr. Augustus Grant, president of the American Heart Association, puts it, “Poor diet, excess body weight, physical inactivity and smoking, are modifiable risk factors that contribute to the premature death of close to 1.5 million Americans each year.”

“Last year,” according to John Seffrin, head of the American Cancer Society, “over 80 percent of all deaths in America were from 4 things – heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes.” And all of these 4 diseases are dramatically affected by a lifestyle of “poor diet, excess body weight, physical inactivity and smoking.”

And Americans aren’t the only ones. Now days, the rest of the world’s population are joining us in a lifestyle that leads to early death. Even though most people are born healthy, with the potential to live a long healthy life, they’re refusing to follow the guidelines from health experts and scientists all around the world.

Yet the evidence is undeniable and the message is being drummed out loud and clear on a daily basis. “You can do something about your health. You can protect yourself from chronic disease.” But, what do we do instead? The majority of the population continues a couch-potato lifestyle, eating junk food, gaining weight and smoking cigarettes.

This health crisis is so severe that the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society have joined forces to get the word out by delivering a unified, clear, straightforward message.

Here’s what the scientists and experts are saying. Most deaths are not caused by unlucky genes or even environmental toxins. People, all around the world, are dying prematurely because of the unhealthy lifestyle choices they’re making every day – day, after day, after day.

Most Americans, for example, are way overfed and way undernourished. More than 60% are either overweight or obese. Yet very few are eating the recommended 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Most don’t even get a pittance of that. And, when they do eat fruits and vegetables, it’s usually in the form of unhealthy banana splits or French fried potatoes.

What’s more, the majority of Americans still don’t exercise for the recommended 30 minutes a day. Nearly 1 out of every 4 still smoke after over thirty years of health warnings. And these negative statistics are growing throughout the world.

But you don’t have to be one of these statistics. If you want to avoid the fatal four – heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer – just follow the guidelines for optimum health. Eat a healthy diet, including fruits, vegetables and natural whole food supplements. Manage your weight. Exercise regularly. And don’t smoke.

After all, wouldn’t it be nice to live to be a happy, healthy, fit centurion and then die peacefully in your sleep with a big smile on your face, surrounded by loving family and friends?

Michael Byrd
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/do-you-want-to-be-healthy-92343.html

HEALTH: No chemical romance
CANADA and Denmark have banned the use of Bisphenol-A (BPA) in baby bottles, feeding cups and baby food packaging. There is also great concern in both Europe and the United States about its continued use.

Read more on The Malay Mail

My in laws are well into their 70′s and he has a heart and kidney problem and she has diabetes and Alzheimer’s and i am trying to find a good home health agency to come in and help her bathe and dress and groom because he is in his 80′s and takes blood thinners and the least little scratch is very dangerous to him , he could bleed almost to death. She is functioning like a child and can not do the things she used to do , she needs assistance with her bathing and medications and food preparations. I have tried several agencies since all they have is medicare but they are trying because some times they will show up and some times they just don’t. I even had one aide from a place to take money and jewelry from them . My mother in law does not know any better than to offer it , she is thinking like a child would. So will medicaid help them in any way? OR is it the same ole ordeal, with , limitations and guidelines? Need advice soon or we will have to move them to a family members home and hope all goes well there but i highly doubt it.

Health Highlights: July 27, 2010
Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Read more on HealthDay via Yahoo! News