Indholdsfortegnelse for March/April 2019 i Diabetes Self-Management

Metformin is the most widely used diabetes medicine in the world. Find out about early setbacks in metformin’s development; what finally established the medicine as the first-line diabetes treatment; good, bad and neutral side effects of the drug; and more. Readers have responded to our recent interview with ESPN’s Adam Schefter on raising diabetes awareness and his personal connection to Type 1. Here’s a sampling: Thank you, Adam. At 25 years old I’ve been Type 1 for 23 of them… Keep up the good work, let’s continue to raise awareness and fight for the cure! –Jared I didn’t know your connection to #T1D and hope to see more prominent voices help build awareness & advocacy. My son was diagnosed 1⅔1/14 at age 8. #T1DLooksLikeMe –Rebecca S. VIDEO Blood Glucose Monitoring…

Pops! Diabetes Care has announced that its Pops! one Blood Glucose Monitoring System has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), clearing the way for the product to be available for purchase this year. As shown on the company’s website, the Pops! one System includes a slim blood glucose meter that can be attached to a mobile phone (but doesn’t have to be) and communicates with the phone to display and store blood glucose readings. In addition, the Pops! app is designed to coach users to manage their diabetes as effectively as possible. This includes reminders to check blood glucose and pointing out trends in levels. As with most apps that sync with blood glucose meters, Pops! allows users to share their stored blood glucose readings with…

For people with diabetes, things are pretty straightforward. There are certain things you must do such as take insulin and medication, and other things you should do like staying physically active. But if someone close to you has diabetes, things can be a bit murky. What are your responsibilities? When should you get involved? And when is it best to just back off? The answers to these questions are not straightforward. Some people require extensive help tending to their diabetes on a daily basis—young children and people with disabilities, for example. Others are highly independent and may become defensive when people throw in their two cents. Regardless of your specific situation, here are five ways to help your loved one with diabetes. Build your knowledge base The more you know,…

The Mediterranean diet encourages consumption of whole grains because they are naturally rich in many important nutrients. The fuller, nuttier taste and extra fiber in whole grains help keep you feeling satisfied longer. Traditional Mediterranean grains include bulger, barley, farro, and brown, black, and red rice. The diet also includes products made with whole grains or whole grain flour such as bread, breakfast cereal, pasta, and tortillas. Whole grains are tiny but because they contain all three parts of the grain they offer the nutritional benefits of the entire grain—vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and other natural plant compounds called phytochemicals—while containing low amounts of nutrients we need to eat less of, such as saturated fat and sodium. These health-promoting nutrients reduce the risk of heart disease and some types of…

Smart Technology for Weight Management RESEARCH SHOWS that those who learn to self-manage their diabetes and weight achieve better health outcomes than those who don’t. The use of smart technology can ensure your place in the former group. Here are some technology tools designed to help you achieve those goals. Adding smart technology to your toolbox The last two decades have seen a significant increase in diabetes self-management devices that offer a wide range of solutions to many of the challenges faced by those trying to manage both their weight and diabetes. Here are a few smart technology options to help you maintain your weight goals. Nutrition by Fooducate Fooducate is an app available to iPhone and Android users that enables you to scan food labels to receive information about…

 Questions How Much Do You Know about Diabetes and Bone and Joint Disorders? People who have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are at greater risk for hip injuries than people who don’t have diabetes, according to a 2007 study published in Osteoporosis International. For people managing diabetes, osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to weaken and become brittle, often takes a back seat when it comes to other diabetes complications (e.g., blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, or even leg amputation). But diabetes plays a stronger role in bone and joint health and may cause bone brittleness. Take this quiz to see how much you know about the role diabetes plays in bone and joint disorders. 1. In addition to diabetic neuropathy, having diabetes increases your risk for which of…

Technologies used to manage diabetes are constantly changing. For the most part, that’s a good thing—it means new and often improved options are continually available that can offer increased convenience, greater precision, or a proven ability to better manage your blood glucose levels. But the downside of this dynamic is that it can be hard to keep track of what options are available from which manufacturers and what developments loom on the horizon. For this article, we’ve compiled a list of the most promising, currently available and soon-to-be released technologies in the areas of insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems, and apps for diabetes data management. Each of the featured technologies has either received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) already, or is expected to do…

Like everyone, you’re busy – and we kept that in mind when we selected recipes for this issue. Many of the recipes in Diabetic Cooking can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Others require short preparation times followed by long cooking times. We’ve also included symbols to help you more easily find those recipes especially low in fat, sodium, and carbohydrates, and high in fiber. LOW-FAT RECIPE Contains 3g or fewer of fat per serving LOW-SODIUM RECIPE Contains 140mg or fewer of sodium per serving LOW-CARBOHYDRATE RECIPE Contains 15g or fewer of carbohydrate per serving HIGH-FIBER RECIPE Contains 5g or more of fiber per serving…

Researchers in France have announced they have discovered new information about the workings of an important enzyme in the body—information that might lead to the development of new drugs for Type 2 diabetes. The enzyme is called hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). It converts fats into fatty acids and then releases them into the bloodstream. In people who are overweight, these fatty acids promote insulin resistance, a condition that is often a precursor of diabetes. The scientists were from Inserm, a public research organization in France devoted to the study of human health, and were led by Dominique Langin, PhD. They had previously discovered that decreasing the production of HSL leads to better insulin response. In this latest research, they explored how this reduction in HSL actually caused the beneficial effect. To…

A medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) might also be useful in lowering blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, according to a new report from researchers in China. The drug is leflunomide, which has been used to treat RA for nearly two decades. According to Xiulong Xo, PhD, of Yangzhou University, it “could potentially be useful for treating patients with both RA and diabetes.” Xo said his team of researchers studied how leflunomide “works at a molecular level” and discovered that it targets a protein that’s involved in desensitizing the insulin receptor. Because the insulin receptor instructs the cells to start absorbing sugar from the bloodstream, the researchers speculated that leflunomide could play a role in blood glucose management. To test their theory, they administered leflunomide to obese…

Q: Do you know of any vitamins that help curb hunger? I find it very hard to control my food intake when I’m hungry all the time. A: Welcome to the club! Most people with diabetes are hungrier than people without diabetes, due to a deficiency of the amylin hormone and the sad fact that both high and low blood sugar levels tend to stimulate the appetite. But you can combat hunger in several ways. B vitamins (especially B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6) have potential for appetite suppression. B vitamins can be found in food sources such as milk products, green/leafy veggies, beans, legumes, and seeds. Vitamin C can help increase absorption of iron from the food we eat, and this can help stabilize appetite. Having your vitamin D…

If your child has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD, he or she is not alone. Some may think having ADHD means you can’t sit still in a classroom or pay attention when directions are given. Many times, the disorder may go undiagnosed, if it is the type that does not include hyperactivity or impulsivity. ADHD may impair a child’s ability to focus, retain information and plan and complete necessary daily tasks. This complicates diabetes self-management, increases parental and family angst and makes routines and schedules challenging and frustrating. The good news is that once ADHD is properly diagnosed in a youngster with Type 1 diabetes, specific tips, tools and strategies can be implemented to make life a bit easier for family, teachers…

Blood glucose monitoring is an essential part of your treatment plan when you have diabetes. Your blood glucose numbers are important to help make the best decisions for optimal blood glucose targets on a daily basis, as well as over time. Self-management of values outside your target range can provide direction for immediate action. Ongoing blood glucose management can help you prevent or delay long-term complications, such as diabetes-related eye disease, diabetic kidney disease and nerve damage associated with diabetes. Additionally, your diabetes care team relies on timely and accurate glucose values to provide recommendations regarding your treatment plan. Personal CGM A continuous glucose monitor—typically referred to as a CGM—is a system that measures interstitial glucose levels on a continuous basis throughout the day and night. The CGM system is…

Anne Burrell’s trademark spiky blond hair, Mediterranean-inspired approach to cooking and fierce love of competition has made her an undeniable force in the culinary industry. Host of three Food Network shows, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, Chef Wanted and Worst Cooks in America, the seasoned celebrity chef has worked at several top New York restaurants and is a New York Times best-selling cookbook author. But Burrell’s passion goes well beyond the kitchen. She has an unwavering love of family and tradition and is committed to raising Type 1 diabetes (T1D) awareness in honor of her 13-year-old nephew, Luke. “My nephew Luke has Type 1 and was diagnosed when he was a year old,” says Burrell, 49. “He doesn’t know anything else other than living with diabetes.” In an effort to…

FRAGRANT HERBS AND SPICES, olives, capers and fresh vegetables turn basic meat, chicken and seafood into newfound favorites. These protein-packed, lower-carbohydrate dishes are not just delicious—they can help you better manage your diabetes and offer up other health benefits, too. Mediterranean Pita Pizzas MAKES 4 SERVINGS Nutrients per Serving: Calories 288, Total Fat 10g, Saturated Fat 3g, Protein 10g, Carbohydrates 40g, Cholesterol 8mg, Dietary Fiber 4g, Sodium 567mg Dietary Exchange: 1½ Bread/Starch, 1 Meat, 2 Fat ¼ cup feta cheese 1 cup chopped, peeled cucumber 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano 4 (6-inch) pita bread rounds, warmed ½ cup roasted red pepper hummus ½ cup chopped tomato ¼ cup sliced olives 1. Combine cucumber, lemon juice and oregano in small bowl. 2. Spread hummus evenly…