High Fructose Corn Syrup Linked To Diabetes

High fructose corn syrup linked to diabetes

A new study by USC and University of Oxford researchers indicated that large amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) found in national food supplies across the world may be one explanation for the rising global epidemic of Type 2 diabetes and resulting higher health care costs.
According to the study, which was published in Global Public Health, countries that use HFCS in their food supply had a 20 percent higher prevalence of diabetes than countries that did not use it. The analysis also revealed that the HFCS association with the “significantly increased prevalence of diabetes” occurred independent of total sugar intake and obesity levels.
“HFCS appears to pose a serious public health problem on a global scale,” said principal study author Michael Goran, professor of preventive medicine, director of the Childhood Obesity Research Center and co-director of the Diabetes and Obesity Research Institute at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. “The study adds to a growing body of scientific literature that indicates HFCS consumption may result in negative health consequences distinct from and more deleterious than natural sugar.”
The paper reported that out of 42 countries studied, the United States has the highest per-capita consumption of HFCS at a rate of 25 kilograms, or 55 pounds, per year. The second highest is Hungary, with an annual rate of 16 kilograms, or 47 pounds, per capita. Argentina, Belgium , Bulgaria, Canada, Japan, Korea, Mexico and Slovakia are also relatively high HFCS consumers. Egypt, Finland, Germany, Greece, Poland, Portugal and Serbia are Continue reading

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This Diabetes Month, Don’t Forget About the Importance of Exercise for People with Type 1 Diabetes

November is National Diabetes Month, which means the health community will talk a lot about diabetes statistics and combining physical activity and a healthy diet to manage blood glucose. Because physical activity can help prevent – and is often a greater focus of treatment for – type 2 diabetes, the focus of conversations about diabetes and physical activity frequently zeroes in on this group. While type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, and treatment is often more focused on insulin than lifestyle measures, there are also benefits of physical activity for people with type 1—which accounts for 10 percent of diabetes cases or 1.25 million people in the United States.
People with type 1 diabetes enjoy the same mental and physical health benefits that physical activity provides to others, including improved sleep quality, reduced chronic disease risk, weight management, reduced depression risk, lower stress, and a slowing of cognitive decline. Physical activity is linked to better self-confidence and academic performance in kids, and that’s no different for kids with type 1.
Like their non-diabetic peers, people with type 1 diabetes may not be getting enough physical activity. Only about 20 percent of American adults meet the Physical Activity Guidelines recommendations, and diabetes can add a level of difficulty to pursuing an active lifestyle. A 2008 study among people with type 1 diabetes found that fear of hypoglycemia was the most common barrier to exercise, while participants in a 2014 survey reported lack of knowledge about managing type 1 diabetes and its compli Continue reading

How to Create the Right Diabetes Type 2 Diet Plan for You

The term "diabetic diet" is a thing of the past. Nowadays, people with diabetes do not have any strange food restrictions the way we once thought. It's not necessary to avoid fruit, eat zero carbohydrates or buy diet food. But, what we do know is that individualized meal plans that are fiber rich and modified in carbohydrates work best for those persons with diabetes.
We also know that meal plans do not have to be boring or monotonous.
You can say goodbye to steamed broccoli and boiled chicken and welcome a variety of foods, cuisines and diet types. Whether you are vegetarian, vegan, or trying to eat low-carbohydrate, today, you can craft a plan that works for you if you have the right tools.
Keys to a Successful Diabetes Diet Plan
Monitor Your Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the nutrient that impact blood sugars the most. If you have diabetes, it's important to monitor your carbohydrate intake so that you may discover which foods work best for your blood sugars. Some people with diabetes benefit from following a consistent carbohydrate diet for which they eat the same amount of carbohydrates at the same time daily. Ask your registered dietitian or certified diabetes educator if you'd benefit from eating a fixed amount of carbohydrates at your meals. In the meantime, start learning more about carbohydrates today:
Stock Up on Non-Starchy Vegetables
By stocking up on non-starchy vegetables, you'll increase the volume of food at your meals which can help to reduce total calorie intake. You'll also increase your fiber intake, which can help to reduce cholesterol and lose weight Continue reading

The Diabetes Drug Metformin Linked to Vitamin B12 Deficiency

If you are taking the popular diabetes medication Metformin or know someone who does, please read on. Metformin is a common orally-administered drug used to treat type 2 diabetes.
It goes by other brand and generic names such as:
Glucophage
Riomet
Fortamet
Glumetza
Obimet
Dianben
Diabex
Diaformin
Approved in 1994, the way Metformin works is by increasing the individual’s sensitivity to her/his own insulin, reducing liver glucose production, and decreasing the amount of sugar absorbed by the intestines. (1)
Side Effects of Metformin
One of the problems with Metformin’s actions is that it causes vitamin B12 deficiency.
This side effect has been known since 2006. By way of the same mechanism that blocks sugar absorption by the intestines, this essential vitamin is also blocked. The extent of the deficiency is dose- and time-dependent: the higher the amount you take and the longer you take Metformin, the greater and more critical the deficiency.
Since 2006, there have been many studies into this Metformin/B12 relationship and all have come to the same conclusion. (2, 3)
In fact, a 2016 study conducted by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NY monitored the B12 levels of people taking a placebo and metformin twice a day for 5 and 13 years. Plus “Those who used to take metformin had lower levels of vitamin B12 in comparison to those who took the placebo.”(4)
In addition to a B12 deficiency, side effects of Metformin include pernicious anemia with long-term use. (5) The anemia is often preceded by neuropathy.
See also: Reversing diabetes Type-2
The Dangers Vitamin B Continue reading

Clinical Dietitian Earns Credentials as ‘Certified Diabetes Educator’

Susan K. Ray is Second CAH Nutrition Team Member to Complete Extensive Requirements
Carthage Area Hospital Clinical Dietitian Susan K. “Susie” Ray recently earned credentials as a Certified Diabetes Educator, completing more than a year of training and education that culminated with successful passage of a rigorous credentialing exam.
A Certified Diabetes Educator is a health professional who possesses comprehensive knowledge of and experience in diabetes management, prediabetes, and diabetes prevention. A CDE educates and supports people affected by diabetes to understand and manage the condition while promoting self-management to achieve individualized behavioral and treatment goals that optimize health outcomes.
Ray joins Carthage Area Hospital Nutrition Services Director Carly R. Draper, RD, CDN, CDE, as the second Certified Diabetes Educator on the hospital’s clinical staff.
“We are proud of Susie’s latest professional success; she has worked tremendously hard on this goal,” Draper said. “An additional CDE enables our Nutrition Services team to expand its clinical care and outreach for those who face diabetes or who may be at risk for developing diabetes. The more people on staff who are qualified to help improve the lives of our patients, the better we can make a difference in the outcomes we hope to achieve.”
A grant from the North Country Initiative helped Carthage Area Hospital cover training and related expenses for Ray to complete the requirements of CDE credentialing, which include 1,000 clinical practice hours, academic materials, continuing edu Continue reading