More People Need To Know That Type 2 Diabetes Can Be Reversed, Say Experts

Not enough people know that Type 2 diabetes may be reversed through weight loss, experts have suggested.
Researchers from the University of Glasgow and University of Newcastle said both patients and doctors may not realise the condition can be reversed and called for greater awareness of ‘diabetes remission’.
“If diabetes patients are able to lose a large amount of weight they will return to normal,” Professor Mike Lean, a specialist in human nutrition at University of Glasgow, told HuffPost UK.
“We know anecdotally it happens. We’ve seen it with bariatric surgery and we’ve seen it with individuals who have not accepted the diagnosis and have got rid of it. In most cases you need to lose a large amount of weight (15kg or more). If you catch the diabetes early, there’s a chance it might reverse with less weight loss.”
Professor Lean and his colleagues have also called for better documentation and surveillance of diabetes ‘remissions’ to improve public health and reduce healthcare costs. The NHS spends almost £1 billion a year (£22 million a day) on anti-diabetes drugs, and costs are rising worldwide as diabetes rates and drug prices escalate.
Type 2 diabetes is a common long-term condition affecting 3.2 million people in the UK. It is caused when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to maintain a normal blood glucose level or the body is unable to use the insulin that is produced. This results in a person’s blood sugar levels rocketing.
Current guidelines for tackling Type 2 diabetes advise reducing blood sugar levels and cardiovascular ris Continue reading

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American Diabetes Association calls on Congress to hold hearings on insulin prices

The American Diabetes Association's board of directors is calling on Congress to hold hearings to investigate dramatic increases in insulin prices and to take action to ensure that people have affordable access to the essential drug.
In a resolution, the board asked politicians to examine the entire supply chain for insulin, ranging from the three drug companies that dominate the market to health insurers and the companies they hire to bargain for drug prices. They also called on the companies that make and provide insulin to patients to increase the transparency of pricing, which could help explain why prices have risen and which companies benefit.
The American Diabetes Association said Congress should “take action to ensure that all people who use insulin have affordable access to the insulin they need,” noting that the cost of treating diabetes has “skyrocketed” and insulin prices in Europe are about a sixth of the price in the United States. The association also launched a petition, “Stand up for affordable insulin,” asking people to sign on to let companies and Congress know that greater transparency and attention is needed to soaring insulin prices.
Robert Ratner, the chief scientific and medical officer for the organization said that the move was a follow-up to its February call for greater transparency and other moves by health care companies that could ensure the affordability of insulin.
"Nothing has changed and some things have appeared to get worse," Ratner said. "We have had disucssisons with industry -- the pharma companies are very much aware of t Continue reading

What is Pre-Diabetes?

Most of us have heard plenty about Type 2 Diabetes. It is a serious condition causing abnormal elevations in blood glucose levels. Type 2 Diabetes now affects over 29 million Americans and is costing the healthcare system over $300 billion annually.
The cause of Type 2 Diabetes is multifactorial. A high BMI with an unhealthy diet is often the main culprit, but genetics may play a role as well. Over time, diabetes leads to a host of other diseases, which is where the most considerable health damage is done. These include conditions such as neuropathies, heart disease, stroke, infections, and poor wound healing.
In terms of diagnosis, your doctor will sound the diabetes warning bell if you have an HbA1c above 6.5 and a fasting blood sugar over 125. Treatment often begins with drugs (Metformin is usually the first option) and diet and lifestyle recommendations.
But…..now more frequently we are hearing about what is termed Pre-Diabetes. Yikes, another type of diabetes? Well, sort of, but not exactly. Pre-diabetes is basically the beginning stages of blood sugar irregularities. It is a critical point where we can catch people before they become full diabetic and in many cases even reverse the progression. It is important that we all get a better understanding of this condition so we can combat the rising rates and healthcare costs of diabetes. To that end let’s review the definition of pre-diabetes, the associated health risks, and effective preventative measures.
We already reviewed the diagnostic criteria for diabetes. For pre-diabetes, the ranges are just slightly lower. Continue reading

Lifestyle & Healthy Eating Tips For Diabetes Type 2

Sometimes, we all need a little nudge of motivation towards making healthy changes to our lifestyle and our diet.
The motivation can be as simple and straight forward as losing weight, or just being healthy to live a long and prosperous life. The motivation and the desire may come easy for those who do not have the burden of keeping their blood sugar levels in constant check. But when you have type 2 diabetes, you suddenly have so much more to think about.
It can be quite overwhelming and daunting to make appropriate decisions to stay on track when it comes to your nutrition and diet.
It could also be that you have no idea what little changes to make in order to manage your diabetes.
Fear not because we asked 51 registered dietitians to share lifestyle and dietary tips for those with type 2 diabetes.
Please read below to find out what they have to say to make your life a little less complicated.
1. Ellen Ratliff, RD
Aim for a consistent amount of carbohydrates at each meal, focusing on complex sources such as whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals, brown rice, beans, whole fruit, and low-fat dairy. Remember to incorporate small snacks if you are going longer than 4 hours between meals.
I advise reading the following articles:
Also, do not underestimate the role that exercise can play in lowering blood sugar, such as brisk walking. Check your blood sugar before and after exercise to make sure it does not go too low and have a quick source of carbohydrates on hand if you are away from home, such as in your purse or in the glove box of your car. If you are having trouble cont Continue reading

Newly Discovered Link Between Sleep and Diabetes Warrants Early Bedtime for Children

Once a disease of adults, Type 2 diabetes is now affecting an increasing number of children in the United States. This disease is linked to increased insulin resistance and metabolic effects that can have devastating lifelong consequences. Doctors and scientists are struggling to discover the reason that so many children are suffering from Type 2 diabetes and other types of metabolic syndrome. New research finding links between sleep and diabetes suggests that our circadian rhythms may contribute to how sugar is processed, even at a very young age.
Diabetes in Children
There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 usually begins in childhood. In this disease, the body wages an autoimmune attack on your pancreas that leaves you unable to produce insulin. Because insulin is needed to let blood glucose into cells, this leads to cells that are starved for food even with dangerously high blood sugar in the bloodstream. This disease is usually random and unpreventable, with rates remaining stable over decades.
Type 2 diabetes also affects glucose metabolism, although in a very different way. In this form of diabetes, people’s cells become insulin resistant. Even with the pancreas working harder than ever to meet increasing insulin demands, cells simply do not let blood glucose into cells as effectively. While people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes will both have high blood glucose, Type 1 patients will have no insulin at all in their bloodstream while Type 2 patients will have very high levels. Unlike Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes is caused mainly by lifestyle f Continue reading