Diabetes Costing Americans More Than Any Other Disease

Diabetes costing Americans more than any other disease

About half of all health-care spending in the United States goes to treat a small group of diseases, according to new research. And diabetes is leading the pack, far outpacing other conditions in total dollars spent.
Researchers from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation tracked the costs associated with 155 diseases for 18 years. Of that 155, a mere 20 were found responsible for over half of all medical expenditures.
Diabetes is the most expensive condition in terms of total dollars spent nationwide, costing $101 billion in diagnosis and treatment in 2013. Ischemic heart disease, the second-largest source of expenses, cost a total of $88 billion that year. The survey shows that diabetes-related costs have grown 36-times faster than those for ischemic heart disease, which kills more people than any other condition.
There are a variety of factors that drove diabetes spending up over that period, said lead author Joseph Dieleman, in an interview with CNBC. First, older people are more susceptible to the disease, and America's population is aging. It is also more prevalent overall, due to dietary and lifestyle changes, and health professionals are treating the condition more aggressively than they were in the past.
Dieleman told CNBC that the study is an attempt to map out the specific conditions that are driving spending, and identify the areas where efficiency or quality of service can be improved.
"So often the total amount money we spend on health care gets thrown around, and our sense was there is not as much information on what that money is actually spent on," Continue reading

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Diabetes & Eczema (Itchy Skin): What’s the Connection, Complications & Treatment

Diabetes is today affecting a large population of people across the world. There are two things which are mainly responsible for the disease. The first is the lack of proper production of insulin by the pancreas or due to the improper use of insulin in the human body. This, in turn, gives rise to the blood sugar level or the glucose level in the body. Insulin is a very important hormone to keep the body running and is hugely responsible for the energy that is utilized by our cells.
Diabetes is something that should be handled with great care. There are several precautions which need to be maintained along with the disease. It is only through a proper lifestyle, a healthy diet, and other measures that the disease can be kept under control. Not only this, what makes the disease highly complicated and feared for is the numerous other adverse health effects that it brings along with it. A few of them include heart and kidney disorders. Skin disorders like eczema are also very common in patients with diabetes. Eczema causes a lot of skin irritation and itching and hence should be avoided in all circumstances.
In this article, we will try to find out the answer to the relation between diabetes and eczema. We will first try to understand the meaning, causes, and symptoms of eczema and then deeply analyze the close interconnection between diabetes and the skin disorder. We shall further deep dive into understanding the complications and the treatment which can help cure eczema. Hence, let us now explore the article: ‘Diabetes and Eczema: What’s the connection, complications, an Continue reading

The Best Diabetes Apps of the Year

We’ve selected these apps based on their quality, user reviews, and overall reliability as a source of support for people living with diabetes. If you want to nominate an app for this list, email us at [email protected]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes impacts 29 million Americans, about 9 percent of the population. Someone with diabetes may experience complications such as kidney problems, blindness, or heart failure, according to the CDC.
The good news is that with increased education, people are recognizing symptoms, like going to the bathroom often, having blurry vision, losing weight, experiencing tingling or numbness in lower limbs, and feeling very thirsty, hungry, or tired. Thanks to earlier diagnoses, improved treatment tools, and better self-care, people are living better with diabetes. Part of that care includes eating healthy foods, exercising, taking medicines like insulin, sticking to your treatment plan, and being proactive about colds and other sicknesses.
Keeping all the pieces of your care plan straightforward can be a challenge, but several apps have emerged to help you track your day and your health. While some of these apps are specifically for diabetes and some are geared for general diet, they can all help you take control of your health.
Here are this year’s top picks for the best diabetes apps.
iPhone rating: ★★★★★
Android rating: ★★★★★
Price: Free
Fooducate promises to be your weight loss coach. This app has a grading system designed to help Continue reading

British doctors trial simple gut operation that 'cures or controls' diabetes

A simple gut operation that sees a plastic film inserted into the stomach could cure or control diabetes, British doctors have found.
Patients taking part in trials at King's College Hospital and University College Hospital in London and City Hospital in Birmingham found their diabetes had disappeared or become much milder after the operations.
Francesco Rubino, professor of metabolic surgery at King's, told The Sunday Times: "About 50 per cent of patients are diabetes-free after these procedures.
"The remaining people demonstrate big improvements of blood sugar control and can drastically reduce their dependence on insulin or other medication.
"In many patients, blood sugar levels go back to normal within days, long before declines in fat levels or weight."
The treatments stem from a new view of the causes of diabetes, a condition in which there is too much glucose in the blood.
Diabetes has previously been blamed on the pancreas not secreting enough insulin, the hormone that controls glucose levels - but Rubino and his colleagues believe the gut is the key player.
Andrea Midmer, 59, a nurse, took part in the trial, in which a plastic liner or "endobarrier" was fitted into her stomach to stop the walls of her upper gut coming into contact with the food she ate.
How to | Manage and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
Six tips from Dr David Cavan, the UK's leading expert on diabetes self-management and author of Reverse Your Diabetes: The Step-by-Step Plan to Take Control of Type 2 Diabetes.
Limit yourself to two standard alcoholic drinks a day. Alcohol is high in calories an Continue reading

The Best and Worst Foods to Eat in a Type 2 Diabetes Diet

Following a type 2 diabetes diet doesn’t mean you have to give up all the things you love — you can still enjoy a wide range of foods and, in some cases, even help reverse type 2 diabetes. Indeed, creating a diet for diabetes is a balancing act: It includes a variety of healthy carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. The trick is ultimately choosing the right combination of foods that will help keep your blood sugar level in your target range and avoid big swings that can cause diabetes symptoms — from the frequent urination and thirst of high blood sugar to the fatigue, dizziness, headaches, and mood changes of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
The Basics of the Type 2 Diabetes Diet: What Should You Eat?
To follow a healthy diet for type 2 diabetes, you must first understand how different foods affect your blood sugar. Carbohydrates, which are found to the largest degree in grains, bread, pasta, milk, sweets, fruit, and starchy vegetables, are broken down into glucose in the blood faster than other types of food, which raises blood sugar, potentially leading to hyperglycemia. Protein and fats do not directly impact blood sugar, but both should be consumed in moderation to keep calories down and weight in a healthy range.
To hit your blood sugar level target, eat a variety of foods but monitor portions for foods with a high carbohydrate content, says Alison Massey, RD, CDE, the director of diabetes education at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. “[Foods high in carbohydrates] have the most impact on blood sugar level. This is why some people with diabetes count their carbo Continue reading