28 Experts Answer Questions About Diabetes T2 & Prediabetes

A1: Diabetes is not on the decline, but rather type 2 diabetes is on the increase. The increase in T2DM correlates with our populations increase in obesity. Now, more than 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese, and while the rate of rise may have plateaued a bit, incidence of T2DM has not. In addition, T2DM increases with age. As we are living longer, we are likely to see more diabetes.
A2: I think the biggest diet mistake patients make is thinking by refraining from eating sugar, their diabetes will get better.
While eating sugar or sugary products isnt great, the most important factor is weight loss. While there is varying evidence on different types of diets, in general, a calorie is a calorie. For example, a patient might eat a few pieces of candy a day, and think that if she stops this, it will improve her diabetes.
In fact, it is unlikely that refraining from a few pieces of candy a day will promote enough weight loss to improve diabetes. Patients need to know that they should both eat healthy, and decrease portions . You can have an extremely healthy diet, but if your calorie content is too high because of portion sizes, then you are unlikely to lose weight and improve diabetes.
I think one of the biggest management mistakes made is use of finger stick glucose monitors. The public seems to generally know about diabetics checking their sugar, and because insurance usually covers glucose monitors, they are often highly promoted by the industry. However, if you are Type 2 diabetic and are not taking insulin or a sulfonylurea, then there is no need to check your Continue reading

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The Juicy Bits of the CBO Report for People with Diabetes

We’ve highlighted three passages from the report, which appraises the Senate bill that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
Today, you are probably seeing a slew of headlines that include the words “CBO score”. That’s because the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its report on the impact of the Senate bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The bill in question, known as the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, is the Senate’s version of the Affordable Health Care Act, which the House of Representatives passed in May. The Senate has been expected to vote on its health care bill this week.
Read more: What the CBO Grade of the AHCA means for people with diabetes.
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After a CBO score is released, it becomes the prize in a tug of war of spin between politicians for and against the bill being graded. We thought it might be helpful to focus on what the CBO report actually says, and so we’ve pulled out three passages that might be particularly important to people with diabetes.
Passage #1 – “CBO and JCT* estimate that, in 2018, 15 million more people would be uninsured under this legislation than under current law—primarily because the penalty for not having insurance would be eliminated. The increase in the number of uninsured people relative to the number projected under current law would reach 19 million in 2020 and 22 million in 2026. In later years, other changes in the legislation—lower spending on Medicaid and substantially smaller average subsidies for coverage in the nongroup market—would also lead to increa Continue reading

Bowls Full of Diabetes-Compatible Goodness

As I sit here writing to you there is, simmering on the stove, a huge French country pot roast. My local “stupidmarket” had a sale on the one of the cuts of meat that I like for slow cooking.
It is cool and I crave something hearty and with a stick to your ribs goodness. Yesterday I made a big pot of my favorite (which child do I love most?) soup for dinner tonight and three buckets full for the freezer.
For many of you, cooking is a chore. Something you have to do. Many of you have realized that the best way to control the carbohydrates in your meals is by preparing them yourselves. But all that work. All that chopping. Who wants to do that? Other than me, I mean.
For those of you that don’t really enjoy cooking as much as I do, I want to share with you that it takes no more work to make a big pot roast, stew, pot pie filling, or batch of soup than it does to make it for one or two servings. Cooking these kinds of foods in advance and in big batches has the benefit of you having it ready to re-heat when you need it.
Another thing is that letting this foods sit overnight in your fridge enhances their flavor. Want a scientific explanation? I am not sure that I have one. There are a few theories about this. One is (and it is the one I favor) that the flavors have a chance to meld into one another. The tomato gives some of its flavor to the stock and vice versa. Another theory is that reheating reduces the liquid a bit more and concentrates the flavors. Both make sense, but who cares? It works and makes life a lot easier.
Soup is one of my favorite foods. Unless you are Continue reading

U.S. SENIOR OPEN Verplank, Battling Diabetes, Finishes Strong and Keeps His Spirits High July 2, 2017 | PEABODY, Mass. By Dave Shedloski

Scott Verplank was pleased that he got the opportunity to play, and play well, in the U.S. Senior Open at Salem Country Club. (USGA/Joel Kowsky)
Scott Verplank endured a wild ride over his final 36 holes in the U.S. Senior Open Championship. It was a ride that he preferred to not take, and not just because his play wasn’t up to his standards.
Winner of the 1984 U.S. Amateur Championship, Verplank gladly took a seat in the clubhouse following a roller-coaster final-round 70 Sunday at hot and breezy Salem Country Club. He was wrung out from four exhausting days, but at least he was able to complete 72 holes.
At the behest of his doctors, Verplank requested and was granted the use of a golf cart by the USGA for the championship so he could manage the aching in his feet and other health issues connected to a near life-long battle with diabetes. Verplank had no choice but to ride along the rolling terrain of this Donald Ross-designed course. His caddie, Kevin Flewellin, still had to walk and carry Verplank’s clubs.
“I would rather not take a cart, but I also would rather not be dealing with all the things I’ve had to deal with for 44 years as a diabetic,” said Verplank, 52, who posted his first top-10 finish in the championship. “Even with the cart, I’m pretty exhausted. My feet are terrible. I’ve played a lot of golf recently. I’m not sure if I could have survived the week without it, but that’s what the accommodation is there for. It just helped level the playing for me a little bit, that’s all.”
After starting with consecutive rounds of 66, Verplank st Continue reading

Diabetes-Friendly Spring Rolls to Make at Home

Heat a nonstick skillet to medium and add 1 tsp. of canola oil. Add shrimp and saut until curled and pink. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Submerge 1 rice paper round in bowl of water. Let stand for about 30 to 60 seconds. Rice paper should be soft and pliable, but not limp. Place softened roll on dampened cutting board. Place 3-5 pieces of shrimp, cut side down, in a single layer. Place 1/2 cup vegetable mix on top of the shrimp. Fold in the left and right ends of the round, and then roll from bottom to top tightly into a cylinder. Repeat with remaining ingredients to form 2 to 3 more rolls with shrimp.
Cut rolls diagonally in half. Arrange on plate, and serve with peanut sauce.
Nutrition info: 186 calories, total fat: 4 g, saturated fat: 1 g, sodium: 487 mg, total carbohydrates: 28 g, fiber: 2 g, sugar: 3 g, protein: 9 g
Serving size: 1 spring roll with 1/4 of the peanut dipping sauce (2 1/2 teaspoons)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until blended. Pour into small ramekin and set aside.
Thinly slice bell pepper lengthwise, and slice avocado into 8 slices. Set aside.
Submerge 1 rice paper round in bowl of water. Let stand for about 30 to 60 seconds. Rice paper should be soft and pliable, but not limp. Place softened roll on dampened cutting board.
Place 2 slices avocado in single layer. Place 1/4 cup of bell pepper slices on top of the avocado. Fold in the left and right ends of the round, and then roll from bottom to top tightly into a cylinder. Repeat with remaining ingredients to form 3 more rolls with avocado.
Cut rolls diagonally in half Continue reading