Cancer And Diabetes: Often More Than A Chance Encounter

Cancer and diabetes: Often more than a chance encounter

Like familiar faces in a crowd, cancer and diabetes seem to bump into each other often. At first blush, the two diseases appear to be strangers, but scientists have found they have multiple connections and often are found together in the same patients. The results of a new study, conducted at the University of Toronto and published this summer in the American Cancer Society's Cancer magazine, conclude that patients with diabetes have an increased chance of being diagnosed with cancer just months later.
Although most research supports a link between cancer and diabetes, finding the root of that connection has proven elusive. The Toronto study offers no direct physiological connection between the two diseases, but it suggests the dual diagnosis may be explained by "increased health care visits and screening tests following a diagnosis of diabetes," says co-author Dr. Iliana Lega, in an interview with medicalxpress.com.
Cancer and diabetes are two of the most damaging and prevalent diseases in the United States, and the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 30 million Americans—more than 9 percent of the population—have diabetes. The CDC also estimates that 86 million Americans have pre-diabetes. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), nearly 14 million Americans have a history of cancer and 1.6 million new cases will be diagnosed each year.
The numbers alone suggest it's inevitable that some patients will develop both diseases. But research shows the connection is more than just happenstance. In 2010, the American Diabete Continue reading

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Statins linked to 46-percent increased diabetes risk for men

The use of statins can increase diabetes risk by 46 percent in men, according to new research published in Diabetologia.
Even after accounting for various factors like age, body mass index, waist circumference or physical activity, the study revealed that patients treated with statins were more likely to develop diabetes, especially if they were taking higher doses of these medications.
The statins mentioned in the study were simvastatin (Zocor) and atorvastatin (Lipitor).
Insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion decreased
The study included 8,749 non-diabetic men between the ages of 45 and 73 who were tracked for a period of 5.9 years.
Overall, statin treatment was associated with a 24 percent decrease in insulin sensitivity and a 12 percent decrease in insulin secretion.
"Statin therapy was associated with a 46% increased risk of type 2 diabetes after adjustment for confounding factors, suggesting a higher risk of diabetes in the general population than previously reported," the researchers wrote.
Type 2 diabetes is different from type 1 diabetes in many ways. As its alternate name of adult-onset diabetes implies, it is usually only found in adults. However, the rate of children acquiring the disease is going up.
Type 2 diabetes is also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes due to the fact that, unlike type 1, insulin injections are not always required for treatment.
In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas either doesn't produce any insulin, or the insulin that is produced is not properly utilized. This is due to a condition known as insulin resistance, which prevents key par Continue reading

Meal Planning Quick Start Guide

Figuring out what a healthy meal looks like can be confusing to LOTS of people, but the truth is that it’s just not that complicated. This handy “Quick Start Guide” will make it a lot simpler… choose two vegetables from the list of veggies on the left, some protein and a serving of whole grains or starchy vegetables and you’re all set!
Print out this page and tape it to your refrigerator or a cabinet so that you can refer to it whenever you need to. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to plan a delicious and nutritious meal with your eyes closed! You can download it by clicking here!
And if you’d like to see some actual examples of healthy meals using this approach, click here. Continue reading

Five Diabetes-Friendly Recipes for Peanut Butter Lovers

Peanut butter not only tastes great but also can help to control blood sugar levels and appetite, according to research.
Enjoy this delicious and nutritious spread with these five diabetes-friendly recipes:
3.1 grams of carbohydrate per cookie
4.4 grams of carbohydrate per serving
10 grams of carbohydrate per slice
12.6 grams of carbohydrate
13.5 grams of carbohydrate
Type 2 diabetes is different from type 1 diabetes in many ways. As its alternate name of adult-onset diabetes implies, it is usually only found in adults. However, the rate of children acquiring the disease is going up.
Type 2 diabetes is also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes due to the fact that, unlike type 1, insulin injections are not always required for treatment.
In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas either doesn't produce any insulin, or the insulin that is produced is not properly utilized. This is due to a condition known as insulin resistance, which prevents key parts of the body (such as muscle, fat and the liver) from responding to insulin as they should.
Insulin resistance means that sugar never makes it into the cells where it can be used for the body's energy needs. Instead, massive levels of it build within the bloodstream.
Type 2 diabetes has a gradual onset
Type 2 diabetes also differs from its younger counterpart in that onset can be very slow, lasting for years. The gradual progression is typically not noticed by the individual until the condition becomes full-blown. Being overweight helps the disease to develop faster.
Genetics can also play a part in the likelihood of diagnosis. If a pa Continue reading

Can yogurt ward off type 2 diabetes?

The health-promoting properties of yogurt have been linked to better gut flora, lowered blood pressure and even mood improvement - and now research suggests it can also help lower risk for type 2 diabetes.
Data from the Health Professionals' Follow-Up Study, which included 41,497 participants, indicates that yogurt may have diabetes-fighting abilities, even when other factors like body mass index and diet are taken into account.
According to the study, people who consume 28 grams of yogurt per day may have up to an 18-percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
The dairy dilemma
Similar to results found in a study earlier this year, the current research shows that yogurt - but not other dairy products - is linked to lower diabetes risk.
Scientists still aren't clear on why, but it could have to do with a number of different factors: the fact that yogurt is high in protein, which leads to satiety and perhaps healthier body weight; the calcium and minerals in yogurt, which could improve metabolic health; or simply the fact that people who eat yogurt have healthier diets overall.
Study author Frank Hu also suggests that probiotics in yogurt could be the reason for its healthy profile.
"The mechanisms are not well understood at this point," Hu told Forbes. "One hypothesis is that the probiotics in yogurt may help to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation, but this hypothesis needs to be tested in randomized clinical trials.”
Diabetics looking to include yogurt into their diets may need to opt for sugar-free, low- or non-fat versions, as these will generally be lower i Continue reading