Diabetes Guidelines

Prescription diet drug raises risk of heart attack, stroke
Sibutramine, which alters brain chemicals to suppress appetite, carries risks for users with a history of cardiovascular disease. One doctor says it should be pulled off shelves. The prescription diet drug sibutramine, sold under the brand name Meridia, should be taken off the market because it raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes in some patients, the editor of the New England Journal …

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In this article you will learn some simple nutrition facts about alcohol, antioxidants, caffeine and calcium.

Too much alcohol can raise the levels of fats in the blood, lead to high blood pressure, heart failure and increased calories. Too many calories lead to obesity and a higher risk of developing diabetes. Excessive and binge drinking can lead to stroke.

The American Heart Association recommends if you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Moderation means an average of one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. A drink is equivalent to 12 oz. of beer, 4 oz. of wine, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits, or 1 oz. of 100-proof spirits. Drinking more than this increases all the health risks as noted above. In addition, it is not possible to predict in which people alcoholism will become a problem. The American Heart Association cautions people not to start drinking if they do not already drink alcohol.

Pregnant women should not drink alcohol in any form; it can harm the baby seriously.

Antioxidant vitamins

There has been a lot of research recently focused on how antioxidant vitamins may reduce cardiovascular disease risk. The data is incomplete; however, up to 30 percent of Americans are taking some form of antioxidant supplement.

The American Heart Association does not recommend people using antioxidant vitamin supplements until more complete data is available. They recommend people eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods daily from all the basic food groups. Eat a variety of foods low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol to provide a natural source of these vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Caffeine

The metabolic effects of caffeine include:

? Stimulates the central nervous system
? Releases free fatty acids from adipose (fatty) tissue
? Affects the kidneys by increasing urination, which can lead to dehydration

Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate and some nuts.

The American Heart Association says moderate coffee drinking (1-2 cups per day does not seem to be harmful.

Caffeine withdrawal symptoms may occur 12 to 24 hours after the last dose of caffeine in individuals who are habitual caffeine drinkers. The most prominent symptom is headache. Other withdrawal symptoms may include:

? Anxiety
? Fatigue
? Drowsiness
? Depression

Although many studies show there is a direct link between caffeine, coffee drinking and coronary heart disease, the results are conflicting.

Calcium

To help reduce the risk of developing the bone disease osteoporosis most physicians encourage women to eat fat-free and low-fat dairy products to get calcium.

The American Heart Association recommends women should aim to consume between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams of calcium each day. Excellent sources of calcium include:

? Fat-free milk
? Low-fat dairy products

Other sources of calcium include:

? Eating vegetable greens like spinach, kale and broccoli
? Some legumes and soybean products

To date, scientists do not have enough information to know if calcium intake affects the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Adequate daily intake according to data from the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine includes:

? 210 mg for infants from birth to 6 months, 270 mg for age 6 months to 1 year
? 500 mg for children age 1-3; 800 mg for ages 4-8
? 1,300 mg for children and adolescents age 9-18
? 1,000 mg for adults ages 19-50 (for maximal calcium retention)
? 1,200 mg for adults ages 51 and older
? 1300 mg for women who are pregnant and under age 19; 1000 mg for pregnant women ages 19-50

Source: American Heart Association

Disclaimer: *This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Always consult with your health care provider about any kind of a health problem and especially before beginning any kind of an exercise routine.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box. Article written 4-2007.

Connie Limon
http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/nutrition-facts-alcohol-antioxidants-caffeine-and-calcium-139450.html

Obesity May Increase Risk of Preterm Birth
Babies born to women who are overweight or obese are more likely to be delivered prematurely, and the heavier the mother’s weight, the greater the risk, a study shows.

Read more on WebMD

Distribution Is What Matters, How Body Fat Influences The Risk Of Diabetes
Waist circumference gives a better prediction of diabetes risk than does BMI. This is the conclusion drawn by Silke Feller and her colleagues from the German Institute for Nutritional Research in Potsdam-Rehbrucke, in the current edition of Deutsches Arzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2010; 107[26]: 470-6). Current guidelines recommend that the degree of risk of diabetes from overweight …

Read more on Medical News Today

Read the case study and answer the questions that follow:
Debra is a 45 year old woman of Pacific Islander descent who has been living with diabetes for 5 years. She has come in for a check-up. She has always considered herself to be overweight, and does not take part in regular physical activity. Debra does not take insulin to control her diabetes, but does have to take oral medications to help her cells become more receptive to her own insulin. Her lab tests show the following: HbA1c 8.3%, serum cholesterol 214 mg/dl, and triglycerides 275 mg/dl.

When Debra was diagnosed with diabetes she did not seek the help and expertise of a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE). Instead she followed the diet advice of her great aunt who also has diabetes, which was simply to avoid anything with sugar. This guideline, though simple, has not been working well for Debra and her sweet tooth.

Questions: (All answers can be found in the notes)
1.Interpret the results of Debra’s lab tests.
a.Are they within normal limits? Explain. (1 point)
b.If not, what are the normal levels of those particular lab tests? (1 point)
c.We know that Debra has already been diagnosed with diabetes, but her lab results indicate that she is at risk for another disease/condition. What is she at risk for and why? (2 points)

2.Based on the information provided in the case study, what type of diabetes does Debra likely have? What have you based your answer on? (2 points)

3.During the Diabetes lecture, we discussed diet changes that can be beneficial in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. What are these diet changes? (2 points)

4.Which of the risk factors (not the same as complications) for diabetes discussed in class (in the notes) apply to Debra? (1 points)

5.Explain briefly the functions of insulin and glucagon, respectively, with regard to blood glucose control. (2 points)

6.Explain the major difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. (1 point)

7.Briefly explain the following terms: Glycogenesis, Glycogenolysis, Gestational diabetes, Polyphagia, Insulin resistance, Hypoglycemia, Glycated hemoglobin, Glucometer. (8 points)

I think it would be better if you did your own homework. Go to webmd and research your project.

Could You be at Risk? American Diabetes Association “Sounds the Alert” on March 25th — ADA’s 20th Annual American Diabetes Alert® Day

Could you have diabetes? One in five Americans have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, or may even already have diabetes. Because people can live for years without knowing they have diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) is issuing an urgent call-to-action for Americans to learn their risk for type 2 diabetes during the 20th Annual American Diabetes Alert Day. Awareness about diabetes can lead to early detection and treatment, which may help prevent type 2 diabetes or devastating complications associated with diabetes such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, and amputation.

On American Diabetes Alert Day, held annually on the fourth Tuesday in March, the ADA encourages people who are overweight, physically inactive, or over the age of 45 years to take the Diabetes Risk Test, which asks seven simple questions about weight, age, lifestyle and family history – all potential risk factors for type 2 diabetes. People scoring 10 points or more are at a high risk for diabetes and are encouraged to speak with their health care provider. The Diabetes Risk Test, in English or Spanish, is available by calling the Association toll-free at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or by visiting www.diabetes.org/alertnews.

Duration : 0:2:12

Could You be at Risk? American Diabetes Association “Sounds the Alert” on March 25th — ADA’s 20th Annual American Diabetes Alert® Day

Could you have diabetes? One in five Americans have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, or may even already have diabetes. Because people can live for years without knowing they have diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) is issuing an urgent call-to-action for Americans to learn their risk for type 2 diabetes during the 20th Annual American Diabetes Alert Day. Awareness about diabetes can lead to early detection and treatment, which may help prevent type 2 diabetes or devastating complications associated with diabetes such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, and amputation.

On American Diabetes Alert Day, held annually on the fourth Tuesday in March, the ADA encourages people who are overweight, physically inactive, or over the age of 45 years to take the Diabetes Risk Test, which asks seven simple questions about weight, age, lifestyle and family history – all potential risk factors for type 2 diabetes. People scoring 10 points or more are at a high risk for diabetes and are encouraged to speak with their health care provider. The Diabetes Risk Test, in English or Spanish, is available by calling the Association toll-free at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or by visiting www.diabetes.org/alertnews.

Duration : 0:2:12

Have Pre-Diabetes?

Take Steps Now to Prevent It

Diabetesis a growing problem in America. An estimated 20.8 million people –nearly 7% of the population – have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Awhopping 1.5 million new cases were diagnosed in 2005 alone. In aneffort to slow the increase, doctors have recently begun to identifyindividuals at risk for diabetes before they develop the disease. Theycall it pre-diabetes. The diagnosis gives individuals a chance to delayor prevent the development of type 2 diabetes, a condition in which thebody does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed toconvert food into energy necessary for daily life. Diabetes is also aleading risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Pre-diabetesoccurs when blood glucose levels rise above normal, but have not yetreached the diabetic range. The American Diabetes Association estimatesthat as many as 41 million Americans, or 40% of individuals between 40and 74 years old, have pre-diabetes. And if they don’t take steps tocontrol their risks, studies show that most of those people willdevelop diabetes within 10 years.*

How to Tell If You Have Pre-Diabetes

Pre-diabetesdevelops silently – it has no obvious signs or symptoms. But certainrisk factors may make you more susceptible. If you are 45 years old orolder, talk to your doctor about getting tested – particularly if youare overweight. You may also want to consider getting tested if you areyounger than age 45 and have any of the following risk factors:

• Family history of diabetes.

• Overweight or obesity.

• Low HDL cholesterol and high triglyerides.

• High blood pressure.

• History of gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds.

• African-American, Latino, Native American or Asian-American ethnic origin.

Todetermine whether you have pre-diabetes, doctors may conduct thefasting plasma glucose test (FPG) or the oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT). Both tests require that you fast overnight. The FPG measuresyour blood glucose level before you eat anything in the morning. Alevel between 100 mg/dL and 126 mg/dL indicates impaired fastingglucose, or pre-diabetes. The OGTT takes the same measurement, thenchecks the level again two hours after drinking a glucose-rich drink.Results between 140 mg/dL and 200 mg/dL suggest impaired glucosetolerance, another name for pre-diabetes.

(editor’s note: may want to break out the section below as a sidebar for emphasis)

5 Tips to Help Keep Diabetes at Bay

ANational Institutes of Health (NIH) study of individuals withpre-diabetes found that simple lifestyle changes reduced their risk ofdeveloping type 2 diabetes by 58%. To control your risk, consider thefollowing.

1. Exercise and eat right.The NIH study showed that those who exercised 30 minutes a day, fivedays a week, and followed a low-fat, low-calorie diet were less likelyto develop diabetes than their inactive counterparts.

2. Lose weight.Reducing your weight by 5% to 10%, in combination with eating right andexercising, may help you impede or avoid diabetes altogether.

3. Control blood pressure. Experts recommend taking whatever steps are necessary to reach a blood pressure reading of 130/80 or below.

4. Quit smoking.Kicking the habit can improve your body’s ability to use insulinproperly, while reducing your risk for respiratory conditions, cancerand cardiovascular disease.

5. Talk to your doctor.Discuss your risk factors for pre-diabetes and whether you should betested. Your physician can help you decide what lifestyle changes maybe right for you.

* Source: American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org.

check out the Living Healthy with Diabetes swicki at eurekster.com

Diabetes Info
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/diabetes-search-engine-for-your-site-97170.html

Have Pre-Diabetes?

Take Steps Now to Prevent It

Diabetesis a growing problem in America. An estimated 20.8 million people –nearly 7% of the population – have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Awhopping 1.5 million new cases were diagnosed in 2005 alone. In aneffort to slow the increase, doctors have recently begun to identifyindividuals at risk for diabetes before they develop the disease. Theycall it pre-diabetes. The diagnosis gives individuals a chance to delayor prevent the development of type 2 diabetes, a condition in which thebody does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed toconvert food into energy necessary for daily life. Diabetes is also aleading risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Pre-diabetesoccurs when blood glucose levels rise above normal, but have not yetreached the diabetic range. The American Diabetes Association estimatesthat as many as 41 million Americans, or 40% of individuals between 40and 74 years old, have pre-diabetes. And if they don’t take steps tocontrol their risks, studies show that most of those people willdevelop diabetes within 10 years.*

How to Tell If You Have Pre-Diabetes

Pre-diabetesdevelops silently – it has no obvious signs or symptoms. But certainrisk factors may make you more susceptible. If you are 45 years old orolder, talk to your doctor about getting tested – particularly if youare overweight. You may also want to consider getting tested if you areyounger than age 45 and have any of the following risk factors:

• Family history of diabetes.

• Overweight or obesity.

• Low HDL cholesterol and high triglyerides.

• High blood pressure.

• History of gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds.

• African-American, Latino, Native American or Asian-American ethnic origin.

Todetermine whether you have pre-diabetes, doctors may conduct thefasting plasma glucose test (FPG) or the oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT). Both tests require that you fast overnight. The FPG measuresyour blood glucose level before you eat anything in the morning. Alevel between 100 mg/dL and 126 mg/dL indicates impaired fastingglucose, or pre-diabetes. The OGTT takes the same measurement, thenchecks the level again two hours after drinking a glucose-rich drink.Results between 140 mg/dL and 200 mg/dL suggest impaired glucosetolerance, another name for pre-diabetes.

(editor’s note: may want to break out the section below as a sidebar for emphasis)

5 Tips to Help Keep Diabetes at Bay

ANational Institutes of Health (NIH) study of individuals withpre-diabetes found that simple lifestyle changes reduced their risk ofdeveloping type 2 diabetes by 58%. To control your risk, consider thefollowing.

1. Exercise and eat right.The NIH study showed that those who exercised 30 minutes a day, fivedays a week, and followed a low-fat, low-calorie diet were less likelyto develop diabetes than their inactive counterparts.

2. Lose weight.Reducing your weight by 5% to 10%, in combination with eating right andexercising, may help you impede or avoid diabetes altogether.

3. Control blood pressure. Experts recommend taking whatever steps are necessary to reach a blood pressure reading of 130/80 or below.

4. Quit smoking.Kicking the habit can improve your body’s ability to use insulinproperly, while reducing your risk for respiratory conditions, cancerand cardiovascular disease.

5. Talk to your doctor.Discuss your risk factors for pre-diabetes and whether you should betested. Your physician can help you decide what lifestyle changes maybe right for you.

* Source: American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org.

check out the Living Healthy with Diabetes swicki at eurekster.com

Diabetes Info
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/diabetes-search-engine-for-your-site-97170.html