Study Finds Half Of U.S. Adults Have Diabetes Or Prediabetes

Study Finds Half of U.S. Adults Have Diabetes or Prediabetes

Recently, researchers set out to quantify just how prevalent the disease and its precursor are among American adults. In a large population-based study(jama.jamanetwork.com) published Sept. 8 in JAMA: the Journal of the American Medical Association, authors examined the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes and related disease trends in U.S. adults from 1988-2012.
One of the most startling findings in this study was that in 2012, more than half of American adults had either diabetes or prediabetes. Also of interest was the fact that more than one-third of those who met the study's criteria for diabetes were unaware they had the disease.
Breakdown of Study Methods
The study used data collected as part of the 1988-94 and the 1999-2000 to 2011-12 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), which are designed to be nationally representative of the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population. Specifically, researchers used data from 2,781 adults from 2011-12 to estimate recent prevalence and an additional 23,634 adults from all NHANES conducted between 1988 and 2010 to estimate trends.
Furthermore, the researchers used two definitions of undiagnosed and total diabetes to bolster the reliability of their results. The first of these defined undiagnosed diabetes as any participant who had
a hemoglobin A1c level of 6.5 percent or greater,
a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level of 126 mg/dL or greater, or
a two-hour plasma glucose (2-hour PG) level of 200 mg/dL or greater (i.e., the hemoglobin A1c, FPG or 2-hour PG definition).
Total diabetes was defined as any part Continue reading

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Say goodbye to type 2 diabetes in 8 weeks

If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you may be operating under a false belief about your situation…
You may believe that once you’ve crossed the line into type 2 diabetes territory, there’s no going back. You’re stuck with this disease for the rest of your life. But that’s far from the truth.
Sure, it’s not easy to get your metabolic health back in order once it’s gotten that far out of whack. But it is possible. People have done it through diet and exercise.
Or maybe you’ve known for a while that it’s possible to reverse type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise, but you still struggle to nail down (and stick to) an exact plan that will help you do so.
If that’s the case, this latest study from researchers at Newcastle University could help…
A proven diabetes-reversing diet
In a recent study, researchers from Newcastle University found that following a low-calorie diet for eight weeks reverses type 2 diabetes.
In fact, within just one week of starting the low-calorie diet, participants in the study experienced a dramatic improvement in insulin sensitivity, and their fasting blood sugar levels returned to normal.
But be warned… the low-calorie diet used in the study was extreme. Study participants only ate 600 calories per day for eight weeks. The recommended calorie intake for the average adult is between 1,500 and 2,500 calories per day (depending on sex, age and weight loss goals), so that’s quite a difference.
Of course, if you’re considering trying it anyway, you may be wondering why drastically reducing your calorie intake has Continue reading

10 Natural Substances That Could Help Cure Type 1 Diabetes

Could the long-sought after cure for type 1 diabetes be as close as your kitchen cupboard? An accumulating body of scientific research appears to point in exactly that direction.
One so-called 'incurable disease' that afflicts millions of people around the world is type 1 diabetes. Unlike type 2 diabetes, where the body becomes resistant to its own insulin, type 1 is characterized by the inability of the body to produce enough insulin, as the beta cells within the pancreas which are responsible for the production of insulin (and the proinsulin from which it is made) are either destroyed or seriously impaired. This can happen due to autoimmune issues, bacterial or viral infections, incompatible foods in the diet and chemical exposures (or a combination of any one or more of these factors), to name but a few major triggers.
And yet, plenty of peer-reviewed and published research now indicates that plant compounds, including many found within commonly consumed foods, are capable of stimulating beta cell regeneration within the pancreas, and as a result may be potentially provide a cure – truly a four letter word, as far as the profit-based model of medicine goes, which thrives on the concept of the incurability of the disease-afflicted human body in favor of symptom management.
The discovery of the beta cell regenerative potential of various food and compounds is bound to upset a burgeoning diabetes industry, with millions of dollars of public and private money continually being poured into fund-raising efforts for a future "cure"; A cure that will presumably be delivered th Continue reading

Remembering Dr. Banting on World Diabetes Day

Today is World Diabetes Day, created to stand out as a beacon calling attention to diabetes across the globe.
As we wrote at the start of November, we believe that these efforts, especially National Diabetes Awareness Month, are needed now more than ever -- given all the misinformation circling among the general public and the huge uncertainty surrounding health policy these days.
There is quite a bit happening this year for World Diabetes Day Nov. 14, topped by:
Annual #WDDchat17 Twitter chat taking place all day today, hosted by active members of the Diabetes Online Community (DOC) from across the globe
"Bluewashing," i.e. monuments being lit up in blue, PWDs (people with diabetes) wearing this color and changing their social media profiles to Blue Circles
Numerous advocacy and fundraising campaigns launched in conjunction with World Diabetes Day
Of course, all of it comes on the day marking the birthday of insulin co-discoverer Dr. Frederick Banting, who would be 126 years old if here were still alive today. World Diabetes Day has been around since 1991, thanks to the International Diabetes Federation, but this World Diabetes Day 2017 happens to be particularly noteworthy, as it also marks the 10-year anniversary since the United Nations recognized it with an official resolution -- helping to raise the public profile on this awareness day.
Here are some Banting-specific items we are aware of for this WDD 2017. If you know of anything not mentioned, please let us know in the comments below!
Banting House Historic Site
Remember hearing of the Banting House in London, Ontar Continue reading

10 of the Best Herbs and Supplements for Diabetes

Gymnema sylvestre
Talk to you doctor before adding any new pill to your regimen, especially if it has the potential to lower your blood sugar. You may need to check your blood sugar more often and possibly have your doctor adjust your medication dosage. If you don’t see results after a month or two, stop wasting your money.
Main use: Lowering blood sugar
Typical dosage: 200 to 250 milligrams twice daily
This plant's Hindi name translates as "sugar destroyer," and the plant is said to reduce the ability to detect sweetness. It’s regarded as one of the most powerful herbs for blood-sugar control. It may work by boosting the activity of enzymes that help cells use glucose or by stimulating the production of insulin. Though it hasn’t been studied extensively, it's not known to cause serious side effects. Try these healthy habits to prevent diabetes.
Bitter melon
Main use: Lowering blood sugar
Typical dosage: 50 to 100 milliliters (approximately 3 to 6 tablespoons) of the juice daily
The aptly named bitter melon is thought to help cells use glucose more effectively and block sugar absorption in the intestine. When Philippine researchers had men and women take bitter melon in capsule form for three months, they had slight, but consistently, lower blood sugar than those taking a placebo. Gastrointestinal problems are possible side effects. You can reverse diabetes with these science-backed strategies.
Magnesium
Main use: Lowering blood sugar
Typical dosage: 250 to 350 milligrams once a day
Magnesium deficiency is not uncommon in people with diabetes, and it can worsen high b Continue reading