Defeat Diabetes® E-Lerts™ Newsletter

July 2005
(Volume IV, Issue 7)

What is the difference between the lifestyle of a person with diabetes and a "normal" person? Does a diabetic need to eat different foods from the rest of the family? Are there restrictions on exercise? During the next few months we will be discussing the differences, that is, if there are any differences.

In the category of food, people with diabetes do need to follow a healthy diet, preferably one given by their doctor and/or nutritionist/registered dietitian (Certified Diabetes Educator would be ideal). Most professionals now agree that there are no foods that are absolutely forbidden, as long as they are in the proper weight and portion range.

What is the difference between diabetic recipes and tasty and healthy recipes? There isn't any difference at all. That's why we are changing the name of this section to Healthy and Delicious Recipes, that are good for diabetics too. Also, we are now offering recipes from the Duke University Diet and Fitness Center. The Duke Diet and Fitness Center's meals are low in calories, fat and sodium, but high in taste and very filling. We will continue to have recipes from Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom.

In our Latest News - Latest In Self-Management section, there is a warning from the FDA about a dietary supplement that could have serious, life-threatening consequences. Also, what food have we always been told to stay away from that lowers blood pressures and improves insulin sensitivity?

This month we have Latest News that addresses Men's Issues and Women's Issues. There is also some new and very important information concerning gastric and vascular Surgery.

Mr. Diabetes®, Andy Mandell, has been very busy walking and meeting lots of people in his travels. He has walked 6682.8 miles out of 10,000+ miles. Read more

What's the  latest perk on coffee and type 2 diabetes? In Nutrition News, Barbara Quinn, MS, RD, CDE, gives us the scoop.

We always look forward to Islets of Humor™ by Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE, and not only are her cartoons funny, but they are oh, so true.

Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE, was selected as the National Diabetes Educator of the Year by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) at their conference in August 2004. Theresa's humor (Islets of Humor™) is well known and she has written a second installment of her thoroughly enjoyable Diabetes Educator of the Year Travels.

Treatments on the Horizon include vision, heart disease and clinical trials of new drugs.

In Reader's Forum we were asked questions about a "diabetes diet" and a drug for weight loss and if it was safe. See the questions and our answers.

In the next few months you will be seeing some changes here. We are very excited about them so stay tuned.

Good Health,
Lisa M. Rasolt
Program Director
lrasolt@DefeatDiabetes.org
www.DefeatDiabetes.org
Awareness + Action = Prevention®
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Did You Know?
"Every 25 seconds someone in the United States is diagnosed with diabetes," said Vice Admiral Richard H. Carmona, the U.S. Surgeon General. "It's the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, costing thousands of lives and billions of dollars every year."
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Latest News - Latest In Self-Management
FDA Issues Nationwide Alert for "Liqiang 4" Due to Potential Health Risk Warning consumers not to take Liqiang 4 Dietary Supplement Capsules because they contain glyburide – a drug that could have serious, life-threatening consequences in some people.
Dark Chocolate May Sweeten the Way to Health Daily dose lowered blood pressure, improved insulin sensitivity, study showed.
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Mr. Diabetes® Says
It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required. Sir Winston Churchill
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Latest News - Men's Issues
Obese Men Cannot Process Carbs as Efficiently as Obese Women  Because obese men may not process carbohydrates as efficiently as obese women, it ultimately, leads to a decrease in fitness level and the development of metabolic disorders.
Bowel Cancer Risk Higher for Men with Diabetes Having diabetes apparently raises men's risk of developing colorectal cancer.
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Did You Know?
A brisk 15-minute walk is equivalent in relaxation power to taking 5 milligrams of Valium.
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Latest News - Women's Issues
Diabetes Increases Incontinence for Older Women  More than half of postmenopausal women have had a recent episode of urinary incontinence, according to new research, and the severity of symptoms increases with a history of diabetes.
Low-dose Oral Contraceptives Doubles Risk for Heart Attack or Stroke Significance for those women taking low-dose oral contraceptives who already are at increased risk for such events because of polycystic ovary syndrome, or metabolic disorder.
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Did You Know?
Spinach, rich in antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, not only fends off age-related macular degeneration, but may also protect against cataracts. Cook Once, Eat for a Week, By Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom
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Latest News - Important Surgery Issues
New Complication With Gastric Bypass: Diabetes  Patients who underwent the most popular type of obesity surgery have developed an apparent complication -- blood sugar so perilously low that it causes confusion, tunnel vision and blackouts. The condition was corrected with further surgery and no lasting effects.
Availability Of Vascular Surgeons Impacts Amputation Rate  Patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are more likely to have a foot or leg amputated if they live in a region that has few vascular surgeons.
Weight-Loss Surgeries Quadrupled In Five Years The authors estimate that future demand for weight-loss surgery could rise even more sharply as safety concerns diminish.
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Did You Know?
Each 1% change in A1c represents a change of approximately 35 mg/dl mean plasma glucose. (mean blood glucose results are 10-15% lower. Most blood glucose meters are calibrated to read as plasma glucose) Diabetes Care 27 (Suppl.1):S91-S93, 2004
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Healthy and Delicious Recipes - Good for Diabetics, Too
What is the difference between diabetic recipes and tasty and healthy recipes? There isn't any difference at all. That's why we are changing the name of this section to Healthy and Delicious Recipes, that are good for diabetics too. Also, we are now offering recipes from the Duke University Diet and Fitness Center. The Duke Diet and Fitness Center's meals are low in calories, fat and sodium, but high in taste and very filling. We will continue to have recipes from Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom.
Asian Duck Salad
Baked Thai Pork Chop
Chunky Gazpacho
Pineapple Tuna Wraps
Veggie 'n' Beef Burgers
Freezer Pineapple Pudding Mold
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Did You Know?
Monitor salt intake; sodium can damage the heart by raising blood pressure. The average American consumes 6,000 mg of sodium each day - almost three times the suggested intake. Cook Once, Eat for a Week, By Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom
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The Mr. Diabetes® WAKE UP AND WALK® TOUR mr
Mr. Diabetes®, Andy Mandell, has been very busy walking and meeting lots of people in his travels. He has walked 6682.8 miles out of 10,000+ miles. He has reached the Ohio/Pennsylvania state line. Andy's update is filled with anecdotes, interviews and his special tour of the only Mobile Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Unit in the United States. Read more
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Did You Know?
Patients treated for a deficiency of iron, B12, or folate can have an inaccurate A1c reading because this can cause a preponderance of red blood cells. Blood 59:1348-1350, 1982
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Nutrition News nutrition
By Barbara Quinn, MS, RD, CDE
July 2005
Latest Perk on Coffee and Type 2 Diabetes 
For most of us, life without coffee would be…rough. But does coffee have any benefit other than getting our eyes open in the morning? Surprisingly, several epidemiological studies over the past three years found a lower risk for type 2 diabetes in people who drank higher amounts of coffee. (Journal of the American Medical Association, July 6, 2005). Read more
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Did You Know?
Omega-3 fatty acids in tuna work as an anti-inflammatory agent, making it an excellent choice for post-workout food. Merely 2 ounces of tuna provides 13 grams protein, almost all the 16 grams needed to build 1 pound of muscle. Cook Once, Eat for a Week, By Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom
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Islets of Humor™ humor
By Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE
July 2005

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Defeat Diabetes® Public Awareness Programs donate
Defeat Diabetes Foundation needs your financial support for all of our Defeat Diabetes® Public Awareness Programs. Defeat Diabetes Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  Our web site is secure and all donations are tax-deductible. Please Donate Now
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Diabetes Educator of the Year Travels travels
Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE, was selected as the National Diabetes Educator of the Year by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) at their conference in August 2004. Theresa's humor (Islets of Humor™) is well known and she has written a second installment of her thoroughly enjoyable Diabetes Educator of the Year Travels.
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Did You Know?
Eighty-three percent of Medicare beneficiaries have at least one chronic condition, such as congestive heart failure, Alzheimer's disease or diabetes. Two-thirds of Medicare spending is incurred by the 9.5 million beneficiaries with five or more chronic conditions. These percentages suggest that the Medicare program needs to address chronic conditions rather than the acute, episodic illnesses that have been the focus of the Medicare program since it began in 1966. CDC
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Treatments on the Horizon
New Diabetes Vision Treatment The initial results of the Phase III clinical trial demonstrated 32 milligrams daily of ruboxistaurin (RBX) might reduce the risk of moderate vision loss, especially in patients with diabetic macular edema.
A New Risk Factor for Heart Disease  An ordinarily benign fat that coats blood vessels can turn into a risk factor for heart disease when it combines with oxygen. The finding could lead to new ways of preventing heart disease.
Metaglidasen Controls Diabetes and Lipids Without Side Effects  The diabetes drug metaglidasen was shown to control blood glucose levels without causing weight gain or edema, according to a mid-stage clinical trial.
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Did You Know?
Tomatoes are one of the best sources of lycopene, a potent antioxidant that has been shown to prevent certain types of cancer. Cook Once, Eat for a Week, By Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom
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Readers' Forum forum
Q - We know the body is a biochemical factory. Food is chemically broken down and absorbed. The body recognizes only chemicals, not the source of the chemicals. So why do I hear stuff from so-called experts about how we should never eat chocolate or sweet snacks every day, but only on rare special occasions? If our A1c is in line, our cholesterol numbers are okay, and we are not overweight, isn't it okay to eat such things, as long as they are included in our daily carb count? If one eats a bowl of rice containing 60g of carbs, the body doesn't know if it was rice or apples or chocolate that was eaten. All it knows is that 60g of carbs must be processed. So, why do the experts continue to scare us into nearly never eating certain foods, always neglecting to mention that if all our statistics are okay and we eat healthy food at almost every meal, it shouldn't make a difference? - George - for our answer

Q - My mother in law has told me about Topomax. I was wondering, well I have n problems with the reasons why people take them, she said it has helped her lose weight, and I am at a stand still with weight loss. I need to lose about 20-30 more lbs. and I was just wondering could I take this to lose Weight? I have read the side effects, but I need something to help lose these last pounds. - Doris - for our answer
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Did You Know?
75% of Type 2's do not know their A1c number. Convert the A1c number into a number they can understand like a 6% A1c is equal to them having a BG reading of 135mg/dL every second of the day for the last 90 days. If they are only checking their fasting readings, they will see that it is much higher then what they thought it was.
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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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