Mary Tyler Moore Proved Living Well With Type 1 Diabetes Is Possible

The actress and diabetes advocate died Wednesday at age 80.
Actress and activist Mary Tyler Moore passed away today at the age of 80. No cause of death was immediately available, but Moore spoke publicly for many years about her struggle with type 1 diabetes, with which she was diagnosed at age 33.
In a statement, Moore’s rep referred to her as “a groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.” She had served as International Chairman for the foundation, now known as JDRF, since 1984.
"Mary Tyler Moore’s legacy is that of a woman who tirelessly committed herself to helping the millions with T1D," said JDRF in a statement. "Over the past 30 years, Moore educated about and increased awareness of T1D around the world and raised millions of dollars for research that will one day lead to a cure. Among her efforts, Moore was actively involved in JDRF Children’s Congress, sitting alongside children diagnosed with T1D to share their stories with elected officials on Capitol Hill and demonstrate the importance of continued T1D research funding."
According to the National Institutes of Health’s MedlinePlus magazine, Moore’s frequent lobbying visits to Congress over the years helped increase JDRF’s research budget to more than $1 billion.
Moore became active in diabetes advocacy after she was diagnosed with the lifelong disease herself. In 1997, she told the Archive of American Television that her diabetes was discovered when she was in the hospital after suffering a miscarriage.
“While normal blood sugar leve Continue reading

Rate this article

Total 1 ratings

Ultraviolet Radiation Suppresses Obesity and Symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome Independently of Vitamin D in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

The role of vitamin D in curtailing the development of obesity and comorbidities such as the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes has received much attention recently. However, clinical trials have failed to conclusively demonstrate the benefits of vitamin D supplementation. In most studies, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] decreases with increasing BMI above normal weight. These low 25(OH)D levels may also be a proxy for reduced exposure to sunlight-derived ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Here we investigate whether UVR and/or vitamin D supplementation modifies the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes in a murine model of obesity. Long-term suberythemal and erythemal UVR significantly suppressed weight gain, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease measures; and serum levels of fasting insulin, glucose, and cholesterol in C57BL/6 male mice fed a high-fat diet. However, many of the benefits of UVR were not reproduced by vitamin D supplementation. In further mechanistic studies, skin induction of the UVR-induced mediator nitric oxide (NO) reproduced many of the effects of UVR. These studies suggest that UVR (sunlight exposure) may be an effective means of suppressing the development of obesity and MetS, through mechanisms that are independent of vitamin D but dependent on other UVR-induced mediators such as NO.
Obesity has significant effects on our health and well-being: obese people have increased comorbidities resulting from cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, breast and colon cancers, dementia, and depression. Vitamin Continue reading

12 Silent Diabetes Complications You Need to Know About—and How to Avoid Them

Diabetes complications: Serious, but preventable
Purestock/Thinkstock
Everyone knows about the worst-worst-worst case scenarios. But the experts Reader’s Digest interviewed assured us that they’re rare—and very preventable. “Just because you have diabetes doesn’t mean you will lose your sight or your kidneys or your legs,” says Aaron Cypess, MD, PhD, investigator at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. “None of these things has to happen. You can stop or reverse the progression and get back your quality of life.”
The key is to be aware of the risks that can happen when diabetes isn’t well controlled (these everyday habits can ruin diabetes control)—and work with your doctors to make sure yours is.
iStock/Thinkstock
People with diabetes don’t have as much saliva, which can lead to dry mouth and a greater risk of cavities and gum disease, says George L. King, MD, research director at Joslin Diabetes Center, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and author of The Diabetes Reset. And you need a normal blood sugar to maintain proper oral health, says Dr. Cypess. “It’s very important for people with diabetes to have regular evaluations of their teeth and gums, or else they could lose them. People with diabetes need to be more vigilant about brushing, flossing, and seeing a dentist than a person ordinarily would be.” Here are some things your dentist wishes you would do differently.
Fuse/Thinkstock
Almost 10 percent of people with type 2 diabetes get urinary tract infecti Continue reading

Apple reportedly working on noninvasive diabetes sensors

Apple is reportedly working on an initiative that may one day make diabetics' frequent and painful finger pricking a thing of the past.
The tech giant has a team of biomedical engineers working on sensors that will allow diabetics to monitor their blood sugar levels noninvasively, CNBC reported Wednesday. Diabetes is said to be one of the fastest growing diseases in the world, affecting one in 11 adults around the globe, according to the World Health Organization.
The efforts have been going on for at least five years, with Apple already conducting feasibility trials at clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area, sources told the business news channel.
In order to keep blood sugar levels in check, diabetics must give themselves multiple finger prick blood tests throughout the day. These tests can be time consuming and painful. But they're crucial -- if glucose levels get out of control, diabetics risk damage to their eyes, kidneys and heart.
Other tech companies have tried and so far failed to develop a testing procedure that avoids piercing the skin. Google said three years ago that it was working on contact lenses with sensors "so small they look like bits of glitter" to help diabetics monitor their glucose levels, but so far no product has been released.
Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Updated at 5:50 p.m. PT Continue reading

Diabetes Without Symptoms Is Still Diabetes

An estimated 24 million Americans have diabetes, but according to the CDC, one-quarter to one-third don’t know it. How can so many individuals be unaware that they have diabetes? Certainly, one major factor is the absence of symptoms. This is a hallmark of both prediabetes and the early stages of type 2 diabetes.
Signs and Symptoms
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes share such symptoms as unquenchable thirst with frequent urination, unexpected weight loss, fatigue, extreme hunger and blurred vision.
Another symptom experienced by people with type 2 diabetes is increased frequency of infections and cuts, or bruises that do not heal quickly. The onset of symptoms tends to be more gradual for people with type 2 diabetes than for those with type 1.
The gradual nature of prediabetes—often a precursor to type 2 diabetes—can disguise actual diabetic symptoms and prevent early diagnosis. As a result, it is especially important for individuals who have some diabetes risk factors to be aware of the symptoms and to watch for their appearance.
The appearance of any of these symptoms is a good reason to see a health care professional.
Risk Factors
Diabetes, particularly type 2, has a hereditary component. If an individual with diabetes has a family member with the disease, that individual has an increased chance of developing it as well. Other major risk factors include smoking, being overweight or inactive, or having high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Age, ethnicity (of European descent for type 1, and of African, Asian, Hispanic, American Indian or Pacific Islander descent fo Continue reading