This is a blog of a different nature and is done to assist my readers that do research and reading. I have kept these links because of how they have helped me in my research. Oh - yes, I have been suckered into some bad research and "fluff" as Jenny Ruhl calls it. Before these blogs, I had to learn from the college of hard knocks, but now I have experiences of others to rely on and help me.
The first information that you should find helpful is from Gretchen Becker. Please read it carefully as she packs a lot of information in her blog about the spin factor in press releases and offers excellent tips to help us from being suckered by something sounding important when if fact it is all hype.
The next two blogs are by Jenny Ruhl. The first is important as near the end of this week, June 25, the ADA will be meeting in San Diego. So wrap your brain around what she tells you here in her blog as the information will likely be coming fast and plentiful.
The last blog from Jenny is this one - "An all purpose technique for debunking worthless studies". There is a lot of information to be digested before applying what she says. I still have to go back and reread parts.
I suggest if they help you, that you bookmark them for future reference. I have them both bookmarked and printed out - just in case. I have reread each several times and always find something else to think about when reading some studies or the press releases about the studies.
I will very seldom buy the full text of a study - only have done this once, so it is often the abstract of the study I have to rely on for backup to the press release. Occasionally, the full text of the research is available for free. Then the Fun begins. Sorting out all of the relevant facts, data, and tying them to the assumptions made can be boring and tedious, but some are very rewarding and enjoyable.
So enjoy reading and researching more study press releases with the added arsenal of how-to's provided by Gretchen Becker and Jenny Ruhl.
June 23, 2011
June 22, 2011
Telling It Like It Is About Carbohydrates
This cardiologist is not afraid to speak out about issues. Dr. William Davis has stirred the soup with his blog of April 26, 2011 and he titled it “Real men don't eat carbs”. His understanding about wheat is excellent and makes one wonder why people with diabetes are told to eat so much whole grains.
The price we as men pay for eating “healthy whole grains” is indeed a dilemma. The mantra spouted at us by our physicians, certified diabetes educators, and many of the diabetes dietitians has to make us wonder why we are being called on to eat so many carbohydrates.
Dr. Davis explains it this way. The carbohydrates, and especially those contained in “healthy whole grains”, impair our maleness. If this doesn't get your attention, it certainly grabbed mine. Dr. Davis gives us four reasons for reducing or even eliminating carbohydrates from our diet.
First he says that amylopectin A from wheat because it promotes visceral fat, which increases estrogen levels. Estrogen reduces the effectiveness of the male hormone testosterone. In addition low testosterone and high estrogen can cause depression in males, weight gain, and low libido.
Second, visceral fat, which accumulates, triggers prolactin to be released which in males causes the growth of breasts. Third, the increase in visceral fat activates other chemicals, which impair endothelial functions underlying erectile dysfunction. And fourth, the increased blood sugar provokes the process of glycation, which can also affect maleness.
Read Dr. William Davis's blog here.
The price we as men pay for eating “healthy whole grains” is indeed a dilemma. The mantra spouted at us by our physicians, certified diabetes educators, and many of the diabetes dietitians has to make us wonder why we are being called on to eat so many carbohydrates.
Dr. Davis explains it this way. The carbohydrates, and especially those contained in “healthy whole grains”, impair our maleness. If this doesn't get your attention, it certainly grabbed mine. Dr. Davis gives us four reasons for reducing or even eliminating carbohydrates from our diet.
First he says that amylopectin A from wheat because it promotes visceral fat, which increases estrogen levels. Estrogen reduces the effectiveness of the male hormone testosterone. In addition low testosterone and high estrogen can cause depression in males, weight gain, and low libido.
Second, visceral fat, which accumulates, triggers prolactin to be released which in males causes the growth of breasts. Third, the increase in visceral fat activates other chemicals, which impair endothelial functions underlying erectile dysfunction. And fourth, the increased blood sugar provokes the process of glycation, which can also affect maleness.
Read Dr. William Davis's blog here.
June 21, 2011
Medicare Now Offers FREE Preventive Services
I am sorry for those not US citizens and those not yet on Medicare, but this notice is about time.
I had been hearing rumors, or what I thought were rumors, but today's announcement made it official. Guess I may have already missed some opportunities, but I still have much to take advantage of.
Medicare now offers many FREE preventive services and the best part - get this - they are free with no co-pay. The doctors and health care providers will be reimbursed for these services. Whether to their satisfaction is still the question.
The press release was covered in WebMD and may be found here. A printable list (PDF file) of the free services with some explanations is available here, and is several pages in length. Addition explanations can be found on the Medicare site.
A series of radio, TV, and online ads will soon be out according to Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, a "Dear Doctor" letter will be sent to all health care professionals who see Medicare patients.
Those of us with diabetes will not be able to take of advantage of the free diabetes screening, but with a doctor's or other health care provider's written order, we can take advantage of Diabetes Self-Management Training.
I had been hearing rumors, or what I thought were rumors, but today's announcement made it official. Guess I may have already missed some opportunities, but I still have much to take advantage of.
Medicare now offers many FREE preventive services and the best part - get this - they are free with no co-pay. The doctors and health care providers will be reimbursed for these services. Whether to their satisfaction is still the question.
The press release was covered in WebMD and may be found here. A printable list (PDF file) of the free services with some explanations is available here, and is several pages in length. Addition explanations can be found on the Medicare site.
A series of radio, TV, and online ads will soon be out according to Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, a "Dear Doctor" letter will be sent to all health care professionals who see Medicare patients.
Those of us with diabetes will not be able to take of advantage of the free diabetes screening, but with a doctor's or other health care provider's written order, we can take advantage of Diabetes Self-Management Training.
June 20, 2011
California Rural Elders Have Highest Disease Rates
Gretchen Becker has a very excellent tongue-in-cheek blog about some California research by UCLA that deserves reading. In the article that started all this, there are some statements that are a little hard to take and that is why I like Gretchen's take on the article in ScienceDaily.
The reasoning of why the rural elderly in California are more likely to be overweight, physically inactive, and food insecure leaves a lot to be desired. Granted the risk factors from these conditions are heart disease, diabetes, and repeated falls. It seems true that many elderly in rural California are in need of better health care.
Did the researchers have some reasonable ideas for improving the situation for the rural elderly? Yes, some were acceptable, but some were clearly from fantasy land and no doubt because the authors live on Los Angeles, and do not have a clue of what rural life is like.
What also makes this a tragedy is the financial condition of the State of California. This tells me that few, if any, of the recommendations will receive any action, and there is a need. Approximately 710,000 or one-fifth of the elderly in the state aged 65 and over are in rural areas and are challenged by the lack of physicians and other medical offices and must travel long distances to get care.
Do people living in rural areas need or even want sidewalks or street lights. I doubt it as that is why people live in rural areas – to get away from these and be able to see the true stars of the sky – not the fake ones from Los Angeles.
It is true that living in a rural area can have an isolating effect – often desired – but can be to isolating for some seniors who do become “trapped” in their homes. One of the better suggestions of the researchers was bringing broadband infrastructure into the rural areas so that the elderly could have access to in-home monitoring, patient self management, and online ordering of prescriptions. They suggest increasing the size of the information technology workforce. Not mentioned is the probable need to training of many of the elderly to use this technology.
They also did right in suggesting that there be assurances that medical insurance companies will fully reimburse rural providers that use telemedicine. The last key point is the promotion of federal subsidies and assistance programs for rural areas, expanded transportation services, and better incentives for primary care providers who work in rural areas. Hopefully, this will not be in the form of “Hi, I'm from the government, and I am here to help you” nonsense that plagues much of America.
Read the health policy in a PDF file here.
The reasoning of why the rural elderly in California are more likely to be overweight, physically inactive, and food insecure leaves a lot to be desired. Granted the risk factors from these conditions are heart disease, diabetes, and repeated falls. It seems true that many elderly in rural California are in need of better health care.
Did the researchers have some reasonable ideas for improving the situation for the rural elderly? Yes, some were acceptable, but some were clearly from fantasy land and no doubt because the authors live on Los Angeles, and do not have a clue of what rural life is like.
What also makes this a tragedy is the financial condition of the State of California. This tells me that few, if any, of the recommendations will receive any action, and there is a need. Approximately 710,000 or one-fifth of the elderly in the state aged 65 and over are in rural areas and are challenged by the lack of physicians and other medical offices and must travel long distances to get care.
Do people living in rural areas need or even want sidewalks or street lights. I doubt it as that is why people live in rural areas – to get away from these and be able to see the true stars of the sky – not the fake ones from Los Angeles.
It is true that living in a rural area can have an isolating effect – often desired – but can be to isolating for some seniors who do become “trapped” in their homes. One of the better suggestions of the researchers was bringing broadband infrastructure into the rural areas so that the elderly could have access to in-home monitoring, patient self management, and online ordering of prescriptions. They suggest increasing the size of the information technology workforce. Not mentioned is the probable need to training of many of the elderly to use this technology.
They also did right in suggesting that there be assurances that medical insurance companies will fully reimburse rural providers that use telemedicine. The last key point is the promotion of federal subsidies and assistance programs for rural areas, expanded transportation services, and better incentives for primary care providers who work in rural areas. Hopefully, this will not be in the form of “Hi, I'm from the government, and I am here to help you” nonsense that plagues much of America.
Read the health policy in a PDF file here.
June 17, 2011
FDA Warns About Risks With Victoza
On Monday, June 13, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to all healthcare professionals to closely monitor all diabetes patients receiving laraglutide (Victoza) injections for thyroid C-cell tumors and acute pancreatitis.
This also is supported by Novo Nordisk in their letter stating that a recent assessment has showed that some primary care providers are not fully aware of the serious risks involved with the use of Victoza.
Even though the the evidence is from animal studies that prompted this alert, it is considered serious enough to warrant extra attention by healthcare professionals. The FDA recommends that patients with thyroid nodules noted by physical examination or imaging for other reasons be referred to an endocrinologist for additional evaluation.
The FDA urges physicians to observe patients carefully after initiation of Victoza therapy or dose increases for signs of pancreatitis. This includes ongoing severe abdominal pain that can sometimes radiate to the back, and which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting.
Read this important warning about Victoza (laraglutide) here. And if you have read my blog about Victoza here, also heed the warning.
This also is supported by Novo Nordisk in their letter stating that a recent assessment has showed that some primary care providers are not fully aware of the serious risks involved with the use of Victoza.
Even though the the evidence is from animal studies that prompted this alert, it is considered serious enough to warrant extra attention by healthcare professionals. The FDA recommends that patients with thyroid nodules noted by physical examination or imaging for other reasons be referred to an endocrinologist for additional evaluation.
The FDA urges physicians to observe patients carefully after initiation of Victoza therapy or dose increases for signs of pancreatitis. This includes ongoing severe abdominal pain that can sometimes radiate to the back, and which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting.
Read this important warning about Victoza (laraglutide) here. And if you have read my blog about Victoza here, also heed the warning.
June 16, 2011
Is Corn the Culprit for the Rise of Diabetes?
Corn not only is part of the rise of diabetes, but the dramatic increase in obesity. Corn is in just about every food we consume. Whether it is corn sugar, corn solids, corn alcohol, cornstarch, corn oil, or just plain ole high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), we are exposed to corn based foods every day. Consider the corn that the beef, the pigs, the lamb, the chickens, or the turkey consumed. We just can't get away from corn.
Most of us would use a lot less sugar if it was cane sugar or beet sugar, but the corn industry has convinced food manufacturers that people will not consume their product unless HFCS or corn sugar sweetens the product. Even the USDA promotes corn-based products. This is as bad as the promotion of “healthy whole grains”. If the farmers produce it, it has to be good for us. Phooey, and double phooey! It is harmful to our health and healthy well-being.
People are beginning to worry about all this packaged concealed sugar. This has given the corn industry cause for worry as HFCS has taken to blame, and now they have petitioned the USDA for renaming HFCS as “corn sugar”. If it is true that HFCS is just sugar and ours bodies cannot tell the difference, as their advertising proclaims, we as consumers need to be as concerned and careful about it as we are of sugar.
Since corn is present in most packaged foods and fast foods, we should attempt to avoid these foods when possible. It may not be possible to avoid all corn products, but most products should not be on our grocery lists. The products like HFCS sweetened soda drinks and most packaged foods should not be on the menu if you are trying to lose weight.
If you doubt what others and I are writing about, do some earnest label study for a few months. Take some of the foods you have on hand at home and read the labels. Many will have HFCS, corn solids, corn oil, or other corn products listed as an ingredient on the label.
Read the following articles for discussions even more definitive that mine. Read this one, and this article. To read what the corn industry is saying and view some of their video ads here.
Most of us would use a lot less sugar if it was cane sugar or beet sugar, but the corn industry has convinced food manufacturers that people will not consume their product unless HFCS or corn sugar sweetens the product. Even the USDA promotes corn-based products. This is as bad as the promotion of “healthy whole grains”. If the farmers produce it, it has to be good for us. Phooey, and double phooey! It is harmful to our health and healthy well-being.
People are beginning to worry about all this packaged concealed sugar. This has given the corn industry cause for worry as HFCS has taken to blame, and now they have petitioned the USDA for renaming HFCS as “corn sugar”. If it is true that HFCS is just sugar and ours bodies cannot tell the difference, as their advertising proclaims, we as consumers need to be as concerned and careful about it as we are of sugar.
Since corn is present in most packaged foods and fast foods, we should attempt to avoid these foods when possible. It may not be possible to avoid all corn products, but most products should not be on our grocery lists. The products like HFCS sweetened soda drinks and most packaged foods should not be on the menu if you are trying to lose weight.
If you doubt what others and I are writing about, do some earnest label study for a few months. Take some of the foods you have on hand at home and read the labels. Many will have HFCS, corn solids, corn oil, or other corn products listed as an ingredient on the label.
Read the following articles for discussions even more definitive that mine. Read this one, and this article. To read what the corn industry is saying and view some of their video ads here.
June 15, 2011
Ignorance Is Not Bliss in Diabetes Care
Many people do ignore the treatment and care of diabetes. Many people rely on holistic care for a disease that needs medical care and intervention on the physicians’ side and by the patient. Diabetes has surpassed HIV in mortality rate and together with other non-communicable diseases has become the major cause of mortality in the world.
Diabetes affects the metabolism of the body, the eyes, heart, and kidneys and causes severe foot problems which is estimated to result in 50,000 lower limb amputations every year. This is expected to become 100,000 amputations per year in the near future. Diabetes not only affects the quantity, but the quality of life. Therefore, why do so many people continue to ignore the care and treatment of diabetes?
While the statistics can tell the story, people often chose to ignore them, thinking they can avoid the disease. Many people have the potential to do just that by changing their lifestyle and exercising to lose weight. For some this will work and they will avoid the disease, but for others, diabetes will creep into their lives and can affect them in ways they have not thought possible.
While the main concern of this article is about foot care, this is just a fraction of the problems that face people with diabetes. Unmanaged diabetes can end the quality of life for these individuals. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the physicians to intervene and educate people with diabetes and provide follow-up care to see that they understand the severity of diabetes.
There is a need for patients and the public to know about the importance of diabetes care, wearing the correct footwear, and what ignoring the doctors orders can mean to poor health. Experts can emphasize the importance of counseling by trained personnel, but the patients must learn to adhere to the training and also learn how to care for themselves.
Depression therapy needs to be implemented and the patient needs to learn how to manage diabetes and feel happy about life in general. It can be hoped that ignorance can be wiped out in the future. To assume that everything is okay today is just deluding ourselves.
Diabetes affects the metabolism of the body, the eyes, heart, and kidneys and causes severe foot problems which is estimated to result in 50,000 lower limb amputations every year. This is expected to become 100,000 amputations per year in the near future. Diabetes not only affects the quantity, but the quality of life. Therefore, why do so many people continue to ignore the care and treatment of diabetes?
While the statistics can tell the story, people often chose to ignore them, thinking they can avoid the disease. Many people have the potential to do just that by changing their lifestyle and exercising to lose weight. For some this will work and they will avoid the disease, but for others, diabetes will creep into their lives and can affect them in ways they have not thought possible.
While the main concern of this article is about foot care, this is just a fraction of the problems that face people with diabetes. Unmanaged diabetes can end the quality of life for these individuals. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the physicians to intervene and educate people with diabetes and provide follow-up care to see that they understand the severity of diabetes.
There is a need for patients and the public to know about the importance of diabetes care, wearing the correct footwear, and what ignoring the doctors orders can mean to poor health. Experts can emphasize the importance of counseling by trained personnel, but the patients must learn to adhere to the training and also learn how to care for themselves.
Depression therapy needs to be implemented and the patient needs to learn how to manage diabetes and feel happy about life in general. It can be hoped that ignorance can be wiped out in the future. To assume that everything is okay today is just deluding ourselves.
June 14, 2011
Initial Reactions to Diabetes Diagnosis
How did you react when you were told you have diabetes? Were you shocked? Did the stress level head for the stratosphere? If you did not have these reactions, then you were probably one of the minority who was able to take it in stride and step right in to managing diabetes.
Many people are not prepared, not even wanting to accept the diagnosis and panic panels look out! These people are angry and often denial is next with possibly a dose of depression thrown in. These people are not ready to learn management techniques and make the changes necessary to manage diabetes so that they may live a healthy life.
Then there are the people that know diabetes is serious, but even though they are not prepared, dive into the education, adapt to the lifestyle changes that must become permanently part of their lives. They search out sources of reliable information, glean everything they can from the educators and dietitians, and adapt the information to their lives to be able to successfully manage diabetes.
Then we come to those that ignore what the doctor, educators, and dietitians tell them and search out the nearest health food store for answers. They will try anything to return to the life, as they knew it. If they are early in the diagnosis stage or have prediabetes, they may not have severe problems for a few years, but eventually if they don't change their lifestyle, they will either be back in the doctors office, or in the emergency room and possibly admitted to the hospital. They will wonder what went wrong and will be blaming everyone but themselves.
If they haven't been convinced about the seriousness of diabetes, they will again head for the holistic healers looking for the non-existent cure, convinced that they can be healed without the medications from the doctor. Some will take up exercise and may get by for a few more years before the complications start to take their toll and put them back in the doctor’s office. Then they will wonder from doctor to doctor trying to find the cure they know has to be out there.
Since they are people with Type 2 diabetes, they will continue to look for the cure and become more and more depressed when they cannot find it. I know one of these people, I am constantly being asked who to see, and who has the cure because they see me living a life as I go about my business. I am not running from doctor to doctor looking for the cure, but taking my medications and managing my diabetes to the best of my abilities. I have explained that I am on medications and that there is no cure, but they do not believe me. They say that there has to be a pill that will cure their diabetes and allow them to live a normal life.
I can only tell them that I wish this was so, but until there is a cure, they had better learn how to manage diabetes. Then they trot out that this is the twenty-first century and there has to be a cure. I finally say that the only cure I am aware of may be when I am put six feet underground, but until then, I will continue to read, research, and look for things that I can do to improve my management of diabetes.
I am very disappointed for this person, as this person now has chronic kidney disease and has been denied a place on the kidney transplant list. This alone should be a lesson that you need to manage your diabetes to the best of your abilities. There are other types that chose to ignore diabetes and they all have their motives.
Many people are not prepared, not even wanting to accept the diagnosis and panic panels look out! These people are angry and often denial is next with possibly a dose of depression thrown in. These people are not ready to learn management techniques and make the changes necessary to manage diabetes so that they may live a healthy life.
Then there are the people that know diabetes is serious, but even though they are not prepared, dive into the education, adapt to the lifestyle changes that must become permanently part of their lives. They search out sources of reliable information, glean everything they can from the educators and dietitians, and adapt the information to their lives to be able to successfully manage diabetes.
Then we come to those that ignore what the doctor, educators, and dietitians tell them and search out the nearest health food store for answers. They will try anything to return to the life, as they knew it. If they are early in the diagnosis stage or have prediabetes, they may not have severe problems for a few years, but eventually if they don't change their lifestyle, they will either be back in the doctors office, or in the emergency room and possibly admitted to the hospital. They will wonder what went wrong and will be blaming everyone but themselves.
If they haven't been convinced about the seriousness of diabetes, they will again head for the holistic healers looking for the non-existent cure, convinced that they can be healed without the medications from the doctor. Some will take up exercise and may get by for a few more years before the complications start to take their toll and put them back in the doctor’s office. Then they will wonder from doctor to doctor trying to find the cure they know has to be out there.
Since they are people with Type 2 diabetes, they will continue to look for the cure and become more and more depressed when they cannot find it. I know one of these people, I am constantly being asked who to see, and who has the cure because they see me living a life as I go about my business. I am not running from doctor to doctor looking for the cure, but taking my medications and managing my diabetes to the best of my abilities. I have explained that I am on medications and that there is no cure, but they do not believe me. They say that there has to be a pill that will cure their diabetes and allow them to live a normal life.
I can only tell them that I wish this was so, but until there is a cure, they had better learn how to manage diabetes. Then they trot out that this is the twenty-first century and there has to be a cure. I finally say that the only cure I am aware of may be when I am put six feet underground, but until then, I will continue to read, research, and look for things that I can do to improve my management of diabetes.
I am very disappointed for this person, as this person now has chronic kidney disease and has been denied a place on the kidney transplant list. This alone should be a lesson that you need to manage your diabetes to the best of your abilities. There are other types that chose to ignore diabetes and they all have their motives.
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