Diabetic Live

Mayo’s New Diabetes Reference Guide: The crew aboard the Apollo 13 discovered a “Main B bus undervolt.” I don’t have to know what that means to understand that when astronaut John Swigert, Jr. said, “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” he meant every word.

Today the phrase has been recast to “Houston we have a problem” and the line has become a bit cliché, but it remains a strong reminder that when the words are uttered there are difficulties being faced.

In their own way the Mayo Clinic has uttered those words – and they were directed toward all of us in response to the epidemic that is diabetes.

A Voice Of America report quotes Dr. Maria Collazo-Clavell of the Mayo Clinic as saying, “Probably the No. 1 cause of diabetes becoming so common, [as well as] pre-diabetes, is definitely our lifestyle. Most of us are heavier than we have been in the past and less active. So definitely being conscious about our eating habits, weight and activity become very important to preventing type 2 diabetes, particularly.”

Collazo-Clavell is the medical editor for a new manual called the Essential Diabetes Book. It has been described by VOA as a, “Comprehensive and up-to-date manual on diabetes, intended for the general public.”

The book asserts that there are twice as many pre-diabetics as there are those who have actually been diagnosed with the disease. Pre-diabetes has been described as a condition where, “Blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Pre-diabetes is also dangerous because long-term damage to the heart and circulatory system might already have begun to occur.”

The book touches on diabetes as it relates to various ethnicities. For example Type 1 diabetes is more common among Caucasian youth while Type 2 is more prevalent among African American and Hispanic adults. As we’ve reported here before another primary concern for diabetics is being able to access healthy meals and exercise is often difficult to manage due to the fact that diabetes can make an individual feel very tired.

However Collazo-Clavell suggests, “Whatever physical activity someone can do, it is worth doing. What often happen is that people have so many other limitations that keep them from adhering to this perfect, beautiful 30- to 45-minute program that they are supposed to do four to five times per week. But what we learned is that short bouts of activity are just as helpful as prolonged bouts of activity.”

You may remember a recent report here that indicates short bursts of intense physical exercise may do more to flood blood sugar from your body that longer, but less intense exercise.

Collazo-Clavell even commented on President Obama’s recent decision to allow embryonic stem cell research. “Once you accomplish, for example, stem cells that can produce insulin and that are viable, often the application to a diverse population of patients becomes quite challenging. So I still feel that we have to focus on helping our patients manage their diabetes day in and day out and not wait for that cure that we have been waiting for for a long time.” The VOA report indicates she does not expect any breakthroughs from embryonic stem cell research anytime soon.

The hard cover book, Essential Diabetes Book is available for around $25 or less and provides a comprehensive look at Diabetes and it’s long-term care.

Offering her own encouragement Collazo-Clavell adds, “”It is never too late to start caring for your health and protecting your health, but the sooner somebody does it, the better a life they will lead.”

Mariners Pitching Duo Deal With Type 1 Diabetes: Many diabetics find encouragement by participating in a support group. We all tend to find comfort in engaging others who experience the same things we do. It may seem strange, but it is a notion that has brought two Seattle Mariners pitchers together.

Brandon Marrow was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes while still in high school. While he had been a starting pitcher he recently made the decision to head to the bullpen as part of the relief squad. He told Sports Illustrated his diabetes was a factor in that decision. Morrow must test his blood glucose regularly to remain at the peak of his abilities.

Little did Marrow realize his difficulties would be useful in helping someone else. In this case, Mark Lowe, another pitcher for the Mariners found help in someone who had been there before. Lowe had poked good natured fun at Morrow for all the diabetic testing he had to do, but this duo are now finding a kinship neither expected.

According to a HeraldNet.com report Lowe began experiencing some difficulties with his health. There were times when he couldn’t seem to see straight, he lost a lot of weight and when he lost energy he lost it very quickly. The diagnosis? Type 1 diabetes.

Lowe was originally diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, but the correct diagnosis was eventually made.

Morrow recalls that the friendship between the two happened quickly, “He’d just gotten his glucometer, and we were messing around pricking ourselves and sharing numbers.” The HeraldNet.com report indicates the two would wager over who could come closest to guessing their own personal glucose readings.

Lowe manages his diabetes by injecting insulin as needed while Morrow relies on an insulin pump to regulate his blood glucose.

Team Physician Mark Storey indicates this is the first time the Mariners have had two players who were diabetic. “Mark is new at this and he’s not as comfortable as Brandon is. The diabetes is affected by their activity level, so they have to be a lot stricter on their blood sugar monitoring. If it drops, it can affect their performance.” This might be why both have taken on roles as relief pitchers instead of attempting to maintain starting status. Both pitchers will rely on multiple tests during games to ensure they are ready to play.

According to HeraldNet.com Lowe said, “It was not fun knowing it’s something you’ll have to do the rest of your life, poking yourself with a needle forever, but you get over it and know it could be way, way worse. In the longrun, it’s something that will help you — staying in shape, eating right. You have to look at it in the big picture, and I think it’s going to be a very positive thing.”

The report indicated that both Lowe and Morrow are serious about the care they receive in connection with their diabetes, but they are also serious about living life. Morrow offers this advice, “Don’ t let it [diabetes] hold you back. It’s a serious condition but if you take care of yourself and monitor it, you can be as healthy as anybody else.”

Where Morrow has been through the diabetes trenches Lowe still needs help coping from time to time. When he has questions he knows where to go. Lowe concluded, “Fortunately, when I was diagnosed I had somebody right next to me every day to ask questions to.”

That’s the value of connection when you have diabetes. A support group can be a big help when you’re struggling to make sense of diabetes.

Once Weekly Blood Glucose Control: Once a week glucose control shots are what some drug manufacturers are hoping for. In the most recent phase of testing the results seem to indicate it may be possible. These possibilities would have great meaning for Type 2 diabetics.

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company and Alkermes, Inc. have been working together to determine if the drug exenatide is superior to other diabetes drugs sitagliptin or pioglitazone, which are both oral medications.

According to a press release by the manufacturers of exenatide, “This 26-week clinical study compared exenatide once weekly to maximum doses of sitagliptin or pioglitazone in 491 patients with type 2 diabetes taking stable doses of metformin. After completing 26 weeks of treatment, evaluable patients randomized to exenatide once weekly experienced a statistically significant reduction in A1C, a measure of average blood sugar over three months, of 1.7 percentage points from baseline, compared to a reduction of 1.0 percentage point for sitagliptin and 1.4 percentage points for pioglitazone. Treatment with exenatide once weekly also produced statistically significant differences in weight, with weight loss of 6.2 pounds at 26 weeks, compared with a loss of 1.9 pounds for sitagliptin, and a weight gain of 7.4 pounds for pioglitazone.”

The combination of improved blood glucose control and a swing of over 13 pounds between patients who used exenatide verses pioglitazone caused Dr. Jim Malone, global medical director for exenatide to declare, “The results of this study provide us with more insight into the potential profile that may be achieved with exenatide once weekly. As we continue to progress through the series of DURATION studies, our goal is to clearly understand how exenatide once weekly compares to other diabetes therapies and be able to articulate, through the data, these differences to patients and their healthcare providers.”

Eighty percent of patients who started this study went on to complete the 26-week trial. The most common side effect among those who used the exenatide injections was nausea and diarrhea. These were the same side effects common among patients using sitagliptin. In pioglitazone the common side effects included fluid retention and accompanying swelling in the lower limbs along with upper respiratory tract infections.

Richard Bergenstal, M.D., executive director of the International Diabetes Center commented on the findings by saying, “Recognizing the importance of A1C control, it has become clear that health care providers need comparative data to better understand the relative value of therapeutic options. A once-weekly therapy that helps patients achieve A1C targets, with the added benefits of weight loss and no major hypoglycemia, could provide patients with an important option to improve their diabetes care.”

The manufacturers provide their own disclaimer on the findings of this DURATION-2 study. [These findings], “contain forward-looking statements about Amylin, Lilly and Alkermes and the investigational drug, exenatide once weekly. Actual results could differ materially from those discussed or implied due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the risk that exenatide once weekly may be affected by unexpected new data; safety and technical issues; and clinical trials, not being completed in a timely manner, not confirming previous results, or not achieving the intended clinical endpoints; the DURATION-2 superiority study results potentially not being predictive of real world use including results relative to other diabetes medications; pre-clinical trials not predicting future results; label expansion requests or New Drug Application (NDA) filings, including the NDA filing for exenatide once weekly, not being submitted in a timely manner; regulatory approval being delayed or not received; or manufacturing and supply issues. The potential for exenatide once weekly may also be affected by government and commercial reimbursement and pricing decisions, the pace of market acceptance, or scientific, regulatory and other issues and risks.”

Diabetic Eye Care: A Possible Prescription Link: Is it possible that the medicine you are currently taking for diabetes may have links to the development of eye disease? One new research report indicates it’s possible.

The American Journal of Ophthalmology suggests a class of diabetes drugs known as glitazones may increase the risk of vision complications in diabetics. The vision complication noted in the report is Diabetic Macular Edema (DME).

MedicineNet.com defines DME as the, “Swelling of the retina in diabetes mellitus due to leaking of fluid from blood vessels within the macula. The macula is the central portion of the retina, a small area rich in cones, the specialized nerve endings that detect color and upon which daytime vision depends.

“As macular edema develops, blurring occurs in the middle or just to the side of the central visual field. Visual loss from diabetic macular edema can progress over a period of months and make it impossible to focus clearly.

“Macular edema in common in diabetes. The lifetime risk for diabetics to develop macular edema is about 10%. The condition is closely associated with the degree of diabetic retinopathy (retinal disease). Hypertension (high blood pressure) and fluid retention also increase the hydrostatic pressure within capillaries which drives fluid from within the vessels into the retina.”

The research conducted relied on findings from nearly 1,000 patients who were diabetic, but also had DME. The findings showed that patients who relied on glitazones were, “2.6 times more likely to develop DME than those who didn’t take the drugs. Even after adjusting for other factors, the risk of DME remained 60 percent higher for patients who took glitazones”.

Dr. Thomas J. Liesegang, editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Ophthalmology was quoted as saying, “Ocular (eye) complications are an overlooked safety issue of systemic drugs. Long-term safety is not currently monitored, because the [FDA] approval process is based on smaller, shorter-term clinical trials. Safety necessarily requires monitoring of treatment in larger groups of people over longer periods of time. This monitoring is often neglected and should be required of all therapies.”

In January of this year German researchers expressed concern over the glitizones based drug, pioglitazone. The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, a German based organization wrote, “There is so far a lack of scientific evidence that glitazones are better than alternative therapies at reducing mortality or complications caused by blood vessel damage in people with type 2 diabetes. As long-term studies are lacking, reliable conclusions on the long-term benefit or harm of these oral antidiabetics are presently possible only to a limited extent. Available studies provide indications that patients could benefit from one of the two currently approved active substances (pioglitazone); however, these studies also provide indications of potential disadvantages, including an increased risk of heart failure.”

One recent clinical trial suggests pioglitazone may cause weight gain and water retention in patients and was less effective in managing blood glucose levels.

While laser eye surgery is available to diabetic patients the recent body of research seems to imply that eye disease in diabetic patients should be strongly considered in the diabetic medications prescribed to patients.

The two primary glitazones generally prescribed to diabetic patients include pioglitazone (Actos) and rosiglitazone (Avandia). Evidence continues to suggest a link between these drugs and issues affecting the vision of diabetic patients who use them.

Decisions Made While Young Impact Diabetes Potential: We’ve all heard that small changes in your lifestyle and eating patterns can pay big dividends. Two recent studies provide the actual statistics involved in change.

The first findings are related to Latino youth. Those who participated in the study were all overweight and were an average of 15 and 16 years of age. A Forbes.com report discusses the three groups studied; “A control group; a group that received nutrition classes once a week, and a group that received nutrition education plus strength training twice a week.”

Emily Ventura, from the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, an author of the recent report said, “Latino children are more insulin-resistant and thus more likely to develop obesity-related chronic diseases than their white counterparts. To date, only a few studies have examined the effects of a high-fiber, low-sugar diet on metabolic health in overweight youth, and to our knowledge, none have tested the effects of this type of intervention in a mixed-sex group of Latino youth.”

A Los Angeles Times report states, “Researchers found that 55% of all participants cut their sugar consumption by 47 grams per day — the equivalent of one can of soda — and 59% of all teens upped their fiber by an average of 5 grams a day—the amount in about half a can of beans. That decreased sugar intake accounted for an average 33% decrease in insulin secretion. More fiber resulted in an average 10% less visceral fat, which is known to increase the risk of diseases such as diabetes.”

Researchers report that the majority of the test subjects saw improvement no matter what group they were in. They believe the reason has to do with the teen’s knowledge of what the study was intended to show. Researchers believe that provided the motivation needed for the teens to make meaningful changes that provided beneficial health outcomes.

The official report was recently released in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine and piggybacks another finding related to youth and self-control.

This secondary report indicates, “Obesity in childhood and adolescence appears to track into adulthood, increasing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and certain cancers in adulthood. To mount effective preventive efforts, we need better information regarding the factors involved in the etiology of childhood overweight and obesity. Self-regulation failure is one such factor that has been implicated in the development of obesity.”

Children were subjected to studies that tested their willingness to wait to gain gratification from foods they really liked. In virtually all cases researchers used candy and other treats known to be favorites of the children involved. This report seems to indicate that most children have little motivation to wait to fulfill hunger or they have not been taught how to wait. This tends to lead to eating when there is no biological need to do so. In turn, this leads to weight gain and medical complications that may accompany this gain including diabetes.

The authors from Pennsylvania State University report, “Our findings support recent studies showing that obesity is a problem that has its roots early in life and that early self-regulation failure may play a role in predicting overweight and obesity in the adolescent years. Already at ages 3 and 5 years, children who exhibited signs of self-regulation failure had higher BMI z scores and rapid weight gain into early adolescence. Failure to self-regulate energy balance in the early years is likely to be stable over time. Findings from studies on the same sample of children used in this study showed that 60% of children who were overweight at any time during the preschool years and 80% of children who were overweight at any time during the elementary period were overweight at age 12 years.”

Diabetic Heart Screenings – How Important Are They: It seems that every disease confronting mankind is met with the medical warning to get screenings now and then keep getting regular screenings in order to arrest the potential of life altering difficulties.

That is, until now.

A recent report in The Journal of the American Medical Association indicates that, “Routine screening for coronary artery disease …did not result in a significant reduction in heart attacks or death from cardiac causes among patients with no symptoms of heart or artery disease followed for an average of five years,” according to WebMD.

Study participants had a very small percentage of “cardiovascular events” leading Lawrence H. Young, MD, of Yale University School of Medicine to tell WebMD, “There are about 20 million people living with type 2 diabetes in the United States. While patients with [cardiovascular] symptoms certainly should be screened, as an overall public health measure, generalized screening doesn’t appear to be appropriate.”

For many this news could alleviate separate stress symptoms that may not be necessary in most instances. Individuals who fear heart disease may be able to relax a bit knowing that consistent screenings may not be needed.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) indicates that adults with diabetes have a risk similar to that of a heart attack victim for a “fatal or life-threatening cardiovascular event.”

The Yale inspired study did not corroborate this finding. They did, however, conclude that more proactive care in responding to symptoms of potential heart disease might be having an impact in management. WebMD posted the following findings.

• Just seven nonfatal heart attacks and eight cardiac deaths occurred among patients who were screened (2.7%), compared to 10 nonfatal heart attacks and seven cardiac deaths among patients who were not screened (3%).
• Based on MPI (myocardial perfusion imaging) testing, fewer than one in four screened patients (23%) showed evidence of cardiovascular disease, and just 6% had evidence of advanced coronary artery blockages.
• Just over 5% of screened patients had surgery to restore blood flow to the heart over the course of the five-year study, compared to 7.8% of patients in the unscreened group.

The actual numbers may seem insignificant, but they are statistically important because spread over the 20 million Type 2 diabetics in America those small statistics may mean improved lives for thousands of patients.

Dr. Young continued by saying, “People with type 2 diabetes certainly have an increased risk for coronary artery disease, but the doom-and-gloom message of recent years may have been overstated. Patients receiving contemporary [preventive] treatment who are closely followed seem to do pretty well.”

The two key elements to making protracted screenings less necessary seem to be early diagnosis and proactive treatment of diabetes and related symptoms.

WebMD reported, “Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke, and diabetes patients have twice the incidence of heart disease as the general population.”

However, if the medical profession can catch patients before they begin to develop heart disease they may be very effective at reducing the overall number of diabetic patients who have heart attacks or need angioplasties or heart bypass operations.

The study this report is based on followed more than 1,100 patients to determine their ultimate findings. It should be noted that medical organizations like the ADA changed some of their guidelines after the study began. In all cases these organizations began calling for more, “aggressive treatment of cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol,” according to WebMD.

The collective wisdom seems to suggest better health in proactive medicine.

Diabetics Can Live Longer By Laughing More: There is an ancient proverb that reads, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Many have long believed that a positive outlook on life can improve personal health, but new research points to the fact the humor really is good medicine – and that medicine can be especially important to diabetics.

Depression and diabetes often go hand in hand and the cycle of ineffective control and weariness can place patients on a negative course that could proverbially “dry the bones”.

According to a recent report by HealthDay the study’s author, Lee Berk of Loma Linda University said, “Laughter may be as valuable as the diabetes medicines you are taking.” Berk has research data to back up this claim.

Twenty study participants with an average age of fifty participated in the study. They were assigned to one of two control groups. One encouraged laughter while the other did not.

The HealthDay report indicated, “All had high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Both groups were taking standard diabetes medications, high blood pressure medicines and cholesterol-lowering drugs.”

Those involved in the laughter group were encouraged to select a means of producing personal laughter. This was often accomplished by watching a sitcom or movie. No participant was told what to watch or how to come up with laughter. They were simply encouraged to find a way to laugh for a minimum of 30 minutes a day.

Speaking of the laughter participants, Berk told HealthDay, “Once they got into it, they really liked it.”

This study was conducted over a year long period. The findings were significant. “The laughter group had an increase in “good” HDL cholesterol of 26 percent, compared to just a 3 percent increase in the good cholesterol of the control group, Berk said. Harmful C-reactive proteins declined by 66 percent in the laughter group but just 26 percent for the control group,” according to HealthDay.

Berk explained the reasons for the dramatic improvements this way, “You are decreasing the bad chemicals in the body with laughter and increasing the good chemicals, which help you stay well, may prevent disease and may well have [additional] value relative to the therapies you are taking.”

One of the greatest benefits for patients is that laughter does not cost anything. However, if you do not seek humor you may not find it. The study participants were encouraged to find forms of humor that would encourage laughter. It may seem to some either a waste of time or quack science, but the Loma Linda study showed a dramatic difference between those diabetic patients who laughed and those who did not.

To intentionally find ways to smile and laugh a bit may provide some motivation to engage in improved managed care for diabetes. It takes some effort and energy to laugh and that may supply the motivation to improve other aspects of personal care.
The HealthDay report included a comment from Sue McLaughlin, president of health care and education for the American Diabetes Association (ADA). She said, “It is encouraging to know that something like laughter, which is cost-free and can be shared and promoted by many, has beneficial effects on the well-being of a chronic disease that affects 24 million Americans. People with diabetes are at a two- to fourfold increased risk for cardiovascular disease, compared to their non-diabetic counterparts.”
Maybe finding a reason for laughter is more important to longevity than you thought.

Alexis Pollak: Diabetes Evangelist: Pollak lives with Type 1 diabetes. She was diagnosed when she was 10. She has embraced the fact that she must test daily, count carbs, regulate insulin and try to fit life in there somewhere.

Perhaps it’s fortunate that Alexis has a natural gift for public speaking because she has been busy promoting Tour de Cure. This event specifically benefits the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and government programs designed to help find a cure for diabetes.

Her blog IrunOnInsulin is filled with her missives on life with diabetes. Consider some of these thoughts…

“Weight and diabetes – they go together like pumps and infusion sets. In fact, whenever you see a story in the news about diabetes, it’s almost a guarantee that weight will be mentioned too. Part of that rests on the fact that the vast majority of people with diabetes have Type 2, which is closely correlated with being overweight. To put it in perspective, about 24 million people have diabetes in the United States, and about 21 million of those are Type 2 cases. Since our country has a weight problem, it makes perfect sense that Type 2 diabetes has followed suit. One well-known endocrinologist even coined the term “diabesity” to describe this troubling trend.”

“Though people with Type 1 diabetes are often underweight at diagnosis because their bodies cannot process their food, as many as 60% of Type 1s end up overweight as they manage their disease. Taking artificial insulin, chasing low blood sugars with excess calories, and the fact that Type 1s are also missing the hormone amylin (which sends satiety signals to the brain) are all reasons that many Type 1 diabetics struggle with their weight.”

“It’s so funny with diabetes. As soon as you have a connection to it, its like you discover this whole world of people whose lives have been affected by diabetes somehow. You know, the fact that you are aware that it runs in your family is a huge step towards prevention. In fact, just knowing that gives you more information than most people who are at risk!”

“Having a chronic disease that demands 24/7 attention also demands having its own language, and many people with diabetes start to forget what “diabetes words” mean in their “real life” context – I’ll never forget the time my friend Christina said she was going home to cook a big pasta meal for her husband and mentioned she didn’t think she had enough basil – which I took to mean that she didn’t have enough basal insulin and I sat there wondering how the heck she was able to eat pasta on basal insulin alone – don’t most ‘betics have to bolus for that? I realized after a few minutes that she was referring to the ingredient, but can you blame a girl for thinking with her diabetes brain?”

While Alexis Pollak works to promote a diabetes event in San Diego she inspires others to live life better as a Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic or figure out how they can become involved in finding a cure for the disease.

It’s refreshing to read some stories from one who has chosen to embrace her chronic disease and bring hope to others in the process.

I’ll conclude with something Alexis said in one of her blog entries, “I find diabetes connections every day that I never suspected I would have. The fact is, this disease is so pervasive these days, it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t have a diabetes story to share.” So she spends her days listening and sharing in hopes that some of her attention to the disease might either bring a cure – or understanding.

Brown Fat and Pancreatic Islets: Did you know that you have a type of fat in your body that works to burn calories instead of hording them? This substance is known as brown fat and it is exciting researchers looking for ways to reduce obesity and, in turn, the incidence of diabetes.

CNNHealth reports, “Brown adipose tissue (called brown fat) helps babies, young children, and other small mammals stay warm by burning calories when activated by low temperatures. Scientists have been skeptical that adults retain significant amounts of brown fat on their bodies. But the new research shows that many of us — perhaps even most — do.”

What may be most interesting to diabetic researchers is that this previously elusive brown fat (discovered in most patients below their collarbone or in their upper chest) seems to kick into calorie burning mode when the environmental air around the body dips. The activity observed through PET-scans show that winter is the most productive time for brown fat while summer is the least productive.

To put this in perspective consider a study conducted in Sweden by Dr. Sven Enerback, of the University of Goteborg, “Participants spent two hours in a room kept at 63° F to 66° F. During the scan, they submerged one foot in ice water, alternating five minutes in the water and five minutes out. The cold conditions boosted the amount of glucose the study participants’ brown fat consumed by a factor of 15.”

The total of bonus calories burned by brown fat on a daily basis was around 500 in optimum conditions. In order to benefit you would physically need to be colder. Some researchers argue it may be more beneficial to simply follow a healthier diet and exercise a bit more.

In other news, Forbes.com reports that, “Pancreatic islets, which are hormone-producing cells, are becoming more prominent in diabetes research and could play a major role in future treatments.” These findings were derived from an American Medical Association (AMA) report.

The AMA suggests, “Perhaps the most prominent clinical application of this research is currently in the form of cell replacement therapy. With the exception of one report in a type 2 diabetes cohort, islet transplantation has been used exclusively for a subset of individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus and was shown, at least temporarily, to improve glucose control and, in a few cases, to lead to insulin independence.”

This is good news for patients who are currently tied to insulin therapy. If control can be achieved without the need for insulin then Type 1 diabetics could potentially see greater stability in their diabetes management and may not need to regulate by eating more food and gaining additional weight just to manage their condition.

The authors of the AMA report indicate, “The importance of human pancreatic islets, clinically or for basic science research, is substantiated by the number and quality of studies being performed that rely on these preparations. Data available through the ICR as of August 2008 indicate that a total of 151 national and international scientists received human islets for use.” This means scientific labs are banking pancreatic islets for research and therapy purposes.

The American Diabetes Association describes the process this way, “In pancreatic islet transplantation, cells are taken from a donor pancreas and transferred into another person. Once implanted, the new islets begin to make and release insulin.”

Brown fat and pancreatic islet transplantation provides two more potential targets in finding treatment options for diabetic patients.

Diabetes Management May Come in Steps: Jean Pillat was 70 years old when he learned he had Type 2 diabetes. He survived cancer and was living with the effects of arthritis, but the diabetes diagnosis was different.

According to AmericaOnTheMove.org Jean took the diagnosis as a wakeup call, “He began eating healthy meals. He carefully monitored his blood sugar, which enabled him to learn how his body responds to certain foods. Jean also modified his physical activity routines. Initially, he took up swimming. But when a back injury prevented him from continuing, he started walking.”

At the time of diagnosis Jean weighed 325 pounds. The weight combined with arthritis caused Jean to say, “My main challenge when I left the house was to find a handicap parking space.”

AmericaOnTheMove.org indicates, “The lifestyle changes Jean has adopted have helped him lose around 60 pounds. And now only his grandchildren use the scooter when they’re playing games in the backyard. For a while he tried to sell it, but having the scooter is another source of motivation — just seeing it reminds Jean that he doesn’t want to use it again.”

Jean has found that steady and consistent walking has opened up a new world for him. He admits there are days he’d rather not walk, but in the end he affirms, “If I don’t walk, it feels like I’m cheating myself.”

Jean understands there is an awareness that must be present in order for control of any chronic disease to be effective. He told AmericaOnTheMove.org, “You don’t get rid of them, you control them,” when talking about high blood pressure, arthritis and diabetes.

For the Type 2 diabetic control begins with education. Blood glucose must be monitored to correctly identify what immediate alterations need to be made. A diet needs to be put in place with an understanding of what certain foods can do to blood glucose levels.

Jean also understands the value of motivation and exercise. America On The Move is an organization dedicated to encouraging individuals to use a pedometer to monitor their every step. Jean works to increase his total step count and uses the digital display to motivate him to work a little harder to reach established goals.

The site features cyber trails that participants can use to push themselves. They may only be able to walk 3,000-5,000 steps a day, or they might be able to walk more than 14,000. The site features a trail that they should be able to complete in around 40 days with a log in location to track daily step totals.

Members can ask for regular emails that provide additional motivational tools. They can also request a ‘buddy’ that can contact them by email to encourage them and help them remain accountable to their walking goals.

The site promotes small, but meaningful change because they realize most individuals feel ill equipped to manage significant and far-reaching change immediately. The site offers tips on ways to burn an extra 100 calories per day along with ways to decrease the total amount of food eaten each day. In many instances the extra 100 calories burned may require as little as 2,000 extra steps walked per day, which could be accomplished by taking your pet out for a short walk after dinner.

Jean Pillat has learned a lot about diabetes and now insists on being the cook in his home. He knows what is best for him and concludes, “If I go a little overboard, I’m only shooting myself in the foot… I can’t blame my wife!”