For The Last Time, I Have Type 1 Diabetes, Not Type 2 Diabetes! There’s A Big Difference

For the Last Time, I Have Type 1 Diabetes, Not Type 2 Diabetes! There’s a Big Difference

Here I go. But first, to all my brothers and sisters struggling with and managing Type 2 diabetes, my hat is off to all of you. As you endure the daily grind of judgment, fluctuating blood glucose levels, pain, diet, exercise, and scrutiny from society and loved ones, we, as Type 1s, empathize with you, but as you know, we are not you. Since you are strong in numbers, and we are not, (about 5 percent of the diabetes population), we ask that you stand with us and help us spread the word about the difference between your plight and ours. Remember that we are not trying to differentiate from you because we don’t understand what you go through on a daily basis, we just need a different set of diabetes social awareness and education.
That being said...
It was 1994 — I was a newly-hired diabetes sales representative, and I had an interesting conversation with a clinic doctor who was a month away from retirement at that time. Our conversation went something like this:
Well-Meaning Doctor: “You know, Peg. If you loose 10 pounds, you could go off insulin.”
Peg: “No. I have Type 1 diabetes.”
Well-Meaning-But-Now-Defensive Doctor: “That doesn’t matter. All you need to do is lose some weight and then you wouldn’t be on insulin.”
Peg: “No, Doc. I have Type 1 diabetes, not Type 2. It doesn’t matter how much I weigh, or what I eat, my kind of diabetes is always insulin-dependent, and I need it to stay alive.”
Appallingly-Uninformed-Doctor-Who-In-My-Personal-Opinion-Needed-To-Go-Back-To-Medical-School interrupts here: “You’re wrong! Just lose some weight and y Continue reading

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Type 2 diabetes may be reversible with weight loss, study finds

A British study has found that type 2 diabetes could potentially be reversed through weight loss and with the long-term support of a medical professional.
The initial findings come from an ongoing trial study called DiRECT (Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial), which aims to find an effective accessible way to put type 2 diabetes into remission long-term.
Led by Prof. Roy Taylor, from Newcastle University, and Prof. Mike Lean, from Glasgow University, the study recruited 298 people and gave half standard diabetes care from their GP, while the other half were placed on a structured weight management program which included a low calorie, nutrient-complete diet for three to five months, food reintroduction, and long-term support to maintain weight loss.
The team found that diabetes remission was closely linked with weight loss, with almost nine out of 10 people (86 per cent) who lost 15kg or more putting their type 2 diabetes into remission.
Over half (57 per cent) of those who lost 10 to 15kg also achieved remission, along with a third (34 per cent) of those who lost five to 10kg.
In comparison, only 4 per cent of the control group, who received standard care, achieved remission.
Prof. Taylor commented on the first year results saying, "These findings are very exciting. They could revolutionise the way type 2 diabetes is treated."
"The study builds on the work into the underlying cause of the condition, so that we can target management effectively. Substantial weight loss results in reduced fat inside the liver and pancreas, allowing these organs to return to normal function. W Continue reading

What is Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Test for Diabetes?

In order to effectively manage diabetes, it is said that you need to keep the blood sugar level and the HbA1c levels under check. So, what is this HbA1c level? Is there a test for the same? The answers to all such questions shall be answered in the article that will follow. Join in for the article “What is Hemoglobin or HbA1c Test for Diabetes?”
What is the Test About?
Let us understand first why such a test is needed for diabetes patients in the first place. Well, as we know, it is very important for diabetes patients to continuously monitor their blood glucose levels. This test helps to monitor the blood glucose levels over the last two to three months. This test is not only useful in analyzing whether you have diabetes but also helps in understanding if any extra medication is required by the diabetes patient.
The test is known by different names such as HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin test, as well as glycohemoglobin.
What Does the HbA1c Test Tell You?
As per the results of the test, one can find out whether one is diabetic or not.
For healthy people, the hemoglobin A1c levels should be between 4% and 5.6%.
If your A1c levels are somewhere around 5.7% to 6.4%, it signifies that you have a higher risk of contracting diabetes.
Anything above 6.4% of the A1c level will mean that you already have diabetes.
Let’s understand the good and bad level of hb(A1C) by below chart:
For conducting the test, a sample of the blood is usually taken from the patient’s arms. Also, in a few known cases, a sample of a single drop of blood may also be taken in order to check the level of h Continue reading

Obesity-Linked Diagnoses On The Rise Among Kids And Teens

It's no secret that American children have gotten heavier in recent decades.
Now an analysis released Thursday by the nonprofit Fair Health, a national clearinghouse for claims data, joins earlier research showing the consequences of that extra weight. The study found a sharp rise in health insurance claims filed on behalf of young people who have high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and other conditions more typically associated with older adults.
Claims for Type 2 diabetes — formerly known as adult-onset diabetes — among people younger than 23 years old more than doubled between 2011 and 2015, according to the analysis of a large national database of health claims paid by about 60 insurers.
At the same time, claims for prediabetes among children and youth rose 110 percent, while high blood pressure claims rose 67 percent. Sleep apnea, a condition in which a patient temporarily stops breathing while sleeping, rose 161 percent.
The findings "not only raise quality-of-life questions for children, but also the ... kind of resources that will be necessary to address this emerging situation," said Robin Gelburd, president of Fair Health. The company offers free medical cost comparison tools to consumers, and sells data to insurers and health systems.
Fair Health's analysis is certainly not the first to note a rise in obesity or Type 2 diabetes in this age group, nor does it explore the possible reasons behind the apparent increase in claims. One factor in the rise could simply be an increased awareness of the problem and testing for it, while variations among s Continue reading

Doctors' message to Asian Americans: Watch out for diabetes even if you're young and thin

The Silicon Valley techies visiting his office were typically slender Asian Americans in their 30s who worked out regularly and ate healthy meals. But, as Sinha repeatedly found, they either already had or were about to get diabetes.
It wasn't. What Sinha noticed a decade ago is now supported by a growing body of scientific research: Asians, in part for genetic reasons, are disproportionately likely to develop diabetes. They get the disease at younger ages and lower weights than others, experts say.
Diabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, often remains undiagnosed until it's too late, especially in Asians who haven't historically been considered high-risk. It's the seventh most common cause of death nationwide and can lead to blindness, amputations and strokes.
To prevent the insidious disease from gaining ground among the country's fastest-growing minority group, doctors and health advocates are trying to increase diabetes testing and treatment for Asian Americans, including Chinese, Indians and Filipinos. Diabetes is largely preventable, experts say — but only if people know they are at risk.
"We began with diabetes is not a big problem in the Asian community" to now thinking "simply being Asian is a risk factor," said Dr. Edward Chow, an internist who has worked in San Francisco's Chinatown since the 1970s.
In Los Angeles County, Asian American adults have the lowest obesity rate of any ethnic group, at 9%, compared with 18% of whites and 29% of Latinos and blacks.
But 10% of Asian Americans in L.A. County are diabetic, compared with 7 Continue reading