Defeat Diabetes^® E-Lerts™ Newsletter

April 2004
(Volume III, Issue 4)

It's that time of year and most of us are experiencing a bit of Spring Fever. So who wants to talk about hospital stays? Diabetics must be especially aware when they are in the hospital. I was in the hospital recently and as a Type 2 diabetic, I wrote Helpful Hints For Your Hospital Stay. A committee has issued new guidelines for how hospital physicians and staff should treat patients who have diabetes, and how monitoring blood sugar pre and post surgery is cost effective.

In this month's DIABeducation™, our favorite CDE, Theresa Garnero, also addresses Hospitalization: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.  She has also outdone herself this month in Islets of Humor.

Along with spring fever is outdoor activities which leads to our second topic, the care of your feet. April is also National Foot Care Month. Feet are particularly vulnerable to people with diabetes and foot care is very crucial. Two of the challenges are foot ulcers and neuropathy.

When I think of spring, I think of travel, so with that in mind, we have some great recipes from Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom, that have a wonderful "international" flair.

In Treatments on the Horizon we found some great ones including: cinnamon might be a natural insulin; a pain-free insulin patch; researchers are one step closer to creating oral insulin; and new treatments for insulin resistance accompanying obesity.

In our Readers' Forum is one question that is typical of the many I receive from adolescents each month. I've also included a very important question concerning good blood ranges for diabetics.

Mr. Diabetes^® is on his way. The kickoff was April 25th and you can follow his daily progress on www.vegasbuzzz.com. Meet his new Tour Manager, Steve Hopf. Steve has great experience that will complement Andy Mandell, Mr. Diabetes^®.

Good Health,
Lisa M. Rasolt
Program Director
lrasolt@DefeatDiabetes.org

Awareness + Action = Prevention™
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WE NEED YOUR HELP to continue our highly recognized and well received programs, but we would like to do more. Defeat Diabetes Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  Our web site is secure and all donations are tax-deductible.
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Latest Newsnnewews
Helpful Hints For Your Hospital Stay Having surgery can be a traumatic experience for anyone. For a diabetic, the consequences can be more serious. If you take certain steps ahead of time and know what to expect during and after surgery you will be better prepared to handle your situation.
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Did You Know?
African Americans are nearly three times more likely than whites to be hospitalized when diabetes is the principal diagnosis.
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Blood Glucose Monitoring Pre and Post Surgery Is Cost-Effective  Researchers have found monitoring blood sugar of diabetes patients before and after surgery protects their health and does not increase costs.
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Did You Know?
In a recent Pennsylvania study, about 7.5 percent of the hospitalizations were the direct result of diabetes.  The report suggested that rising rates may indicate failures in diabetes case management, including "access to health care, inadequate care by health providers, and poor patient adherence to needed lifestyle and behavior changes."
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Guidelines Issued for Treating Diabetes in Hospitals A committee convened by ADA has issued new guidelines for how hospital physicians and staff should treat patients who have diabetes and hyperglycemia, even when those conditions are not the primary reason for admission to the hospital. The committee has developed a detailed list of recommendations calling for such measures as intensive insulin therapy, follow-up testing, diabetes education and medical nutrition therapy for people whose blood sugar levels become elevated while hospitalized.
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Did You Know?
The number of hospitalizations for Type 1 diabetes, which represents fewer than 10 percent of all diagnosed cases, has declined in recent years. But the number for Type 2 has grown by 72 percent since 1997.
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High Mortality Among Young Hospitalized Diabetics People under 30 who are admitted to hospital for diabetes type 1 are at substantially increased risk of dying from natural causes and suicide.
Foot Care In Diabetes Two risk factors come together to make the feet particularly vulnerable in people with diabetes. Injury to your feet can come from many different sources. If your daily foot inspection shows anything you are not comfortable with (a new sore, an irritated spot that isn't getting better, a break in the skin) see your doctor or health care professional.
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Did You Know?
One of the most common difficulties a diabetic will experience with his or her feet involve toenails. Often a diabetic's toenails will grow in an irregular shape and if the patient has difficulty reaching his or her feet, it may be difficult to cut the nails properly. This can result in a fungal infection or skin irritation. So, they should always try to cut the nail straight across and gently file sharp corners with an emery board.
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Foot Ulcers A foot ulcer is an open sore on the foot. Some foot ulcers are a superficial, shallow, red crater that involves only the surface skin. Other foot ulcers are very deep and produce a crater that extends through the full thickness of the skin, sometimes involving tendons, bones and other deep structures. In vulnerable individuals, especially those with diabetes or poor circulation, even a small foot ulcer may become infected if it is not treated quickly and effectively.
Helping Your Feet Last a Lifetime One of the biggest of those challenges is the fact that many people with diabetes eventually develop a condition called diabetic neuropathy.That's the technical name for the nerve damage that seems to be caused in part by high blood glucose.If you have lost some or all protective sensation, you really have to pamper your sweet feet.
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Diabetic Recipes recipes
Spring is in the air and it's a wonderful time to be outside and see nature blossoming anew. It also gives me the itch to go traveling again (for those who know me, they know that travel is my passion). In honor of spring and travel, here are some great recipes from Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom, that have a wonderful "international" flair.

Sushi Dipping Sauce
Refried Beans
Spanish Snapper Olé
Chinese Chicken Bake
Ratatouille For Pizza, Pasta or Potatoes
Almond Biscotti
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Islets of Humor
April 2004
By Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE

to see more of Theresa's cartoons
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Treatments on the Horizon
Cinnamon A Natural Version Of Insulin  Cinnamon might be a natural -- and inexpensive -- treatment for diabetes because of its molecular similarity to insulin, scientists report. "Cinnamon itself has insulin-like activity and also can potentiate the activity of insulin," said Don Graves of UCSB. "The latter could be quite important in treating those with type II diabetes. Cinnamon has a bio-active component that we believe has the potential to prevent or overcome diabetes."
Pain-Free Insulin Patch For Diabetes Starbridge Systems of Swansea, the company behind a "diabetes patch" which will allow insulin-dependent patients to take the hormone painlessly hopes that within five years the patch - which looks like a cross between a credit card and a first-aid plaster - will be helping thousands.
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Mr. Diabetes^® Says
The most gladsome thing in the world is that few of us fall very low; the saddest that, with such capabilities, we seldom rise high. Sir James Matthew Barrie
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Researchers One Step Closer To Creating Oral Insulin University of Toronto researchers have shown that "designer molecules" can interact with the body's insulin receptor, a step toward the development of an oral medication for diabetes.
ERI Patents Treatments For Insulin Resistance In Diabetes Accompanying Obesity Type II diabetes occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin, preventing it from storing glucose. Because melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) causes the pancreas to secrete glucagon, MSH must be present for type II diabetes to develop. The new process is for treatment of diabetes by administering an antagonist of MSH. Previous treatments for type II diabetes have focused on altering the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. Brennan and Hochgeschwender instead focused on regulating insulin resistance in genetically engineered mice by manipulating the amount of MSH in the bloodstream.
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DIABeducation™ DIAB
April 2004
By Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE

Hospitalization: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
No one likes hospitalization, but being prepared makes a difference. Did you know people with diabetes have higher rates of hospitalization, an average stay of 5.4 days, and require more services than for people without diabetes?
According to a landmark review, “Management of Diabetes and Hyperglycemia in Hospitals” published in Diabetes Care at least 25% of hospitalized adults have diabetes. That’s a lot of people! to read more
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Readers' Forum
Q - What is a good blood sugar range for a person with diabetes? How do I check my blood sugar? When should I check my blood sugar? What is my A1c Test? What do the results of the A1c test mean? - Mary - for our answer

Q - Hello, My name is Sarah and I am almost 13 years old. My family has a long history of diabetes and recently I have been excessively thirsty, I am overweight, and I have been going to the bathroom alot. I took your test and I got a 75. I don't want to talk to my parents about it because if I am wrong, it will meake me look stupid, and they have so much going on, I don't want to worry them. What should I do? How do I know if I may have diabetes? - Sarah
for our answer
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This concludes the Defeat Diabetes^® E-Lerts™ Newsletter.

If there are specific questions you have, you may reach us at info@DefeatDiabetes.org.

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The Defeat Diabetes Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  Our web site is secure and all donations are tax-deductible.

Important Notice: The opinions and statements expressed in the Defeat Diabetes^® E-Lertsä Newsletter are directed at a general audience. Its intent is solely for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes and is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. Please consult a health professional on any matters regarding your health and well-being, or if you are interested in anything mentioned in the Defeat Diabetes^® E-Lertsä Newsletter. The information presented here is believed to be accurate, based on the best judgment of the Program Director, but the reader is responsible for consulting with his/her own health professional on any matters raised within.