Defeat Diabetes® E-Lerts™ Newsletter

December 2005
(Volume IV, Issue 12)

'Tis the Season...sometimes you have stress. Relax, you'll get through it!
Here's a true story that probably isn't over yet. On Thanksgiving a woman was flying to meet her family and her ride forgot to show and she missed the plane. She got there. On the way back, the traffic was so bad she missed her return flight and had to stay overnight. That night she spilled scalding soup on her and had 3rd degree burns that just would not heal.

She got home and was getting ready for her winter vacation and finally received her flu shot. That same day, she had an emergency root canal. Three days later she was so sick she wasn't going anywhere. Her tooth bothered her, fever, shakes, everything. The following week she had to return to the endodontist because she had an infection. And after a week, she wasn't getting better from whatever illness she had, so she saw her primary care physician again, because if she wasn't better there was no way to travel on this much anticipated vacation. There was more (but I will refrain)....

Now, why do I bother to tell you all this? Not one of these incidents by itself would necessarily be difficult to handle and they do happen all the time. But when you are a person with diabetes, wounds take much longer to heal, risk of infection is much higher and risk of additional complications is greater.

But another crucial element, when any type of stressful incident happens to people around this time of year, is how they react to whatever is thrown their way. That's important for them and for those around them. For me, (the woman in the story), I try to take care of myself, consult with my medical team and then I just sit back, shrug my shoulders and laugh and be grateful knowing I'll still be around family and friends.

I'm determined to make this December 2005 issue of E-Lerts an upbeat one. We have so many articles to share with you that it was difficult to eliminate some. In our Latest News - Self-Management - Diet section, there are foods to help fight diabetes, hypertension and have a lower glycemic index. There's a great report on Health Food Claims: What's Real, What's Not?

In Latest News - Self-Management - Self-Care, you will read new information about how foot ulcers and amputations are preventable, the internet and self-care, and and when and how often to weigh yourself for best results.

And in Latest News - Self-Management - Important Information, there is so much information that is new or updated including: Updated emergency care CPR guidelines, artery peripheral disease (PAD) guidelines, and information about a diabetes drug, our tongue and artificial sweeteners.

There are numerous ongoing medical needs by individuals with diabetes and these individuals will have medical issues throughout their life. In many cases individuals with diabetes may lose their health coverage by employment changes, not qualify for health coverage or simply not be able to afford the high cost of insurance.  Defeat Diabetes® Professional Services can save up to 50% on medical, dental, chiropractic, medicine, lab services, hearing aids and more for only $19.95 per month for the entire family.

Holidays Galore: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year and happy family and friends time. Have a relaxing time with these great brunch recipes for the day after the night before from Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom.

Ho, ho, ho - does that bring anyone to mind? Well, Theresa Garnero has come up with another really funny and oh so appropriate cartoon in Islets of Humor™.

There are few new drugs that are welcomed with as much anticipation as Byetta (exenatide). And its source: A Gila Monster!?!? Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE gives the rundown of this new drug and the positives and disadvantages in this month's DIABeducation™.

The Mr. Diabetes® Wake Up and Walk® Tour has come across some early winter snows, but Mr. Diabetes®, Andy Mandell, has some news he'd like to share with you.

For you techies out there (and even if you are not!), Kevin McBride has two new Tech Tips that concern the security of your computer. You wouldn't believe what hackers could have access to on your computer!

" Rimbrandts by j" still have commemorative ornaments of The Mr. Diabetes® Wake Up and Walk® Tour. Defeat Diabetes Foundation receives a very generous donation from every ornament sold.

There are so many "new" items in Treatments on the Horizon: New plant source for insulin, new test to fend off type 1 diabetes, new test predicts heart problems in women, first non-injectable insulin released plus more.

We at Defeat Diabetes Foundation are well on our way to building a new website. While this isn't the final version, we are very proud of what we have to date. Please visit at www.DefeatDiabetes.org and let us know what you think.

We at Defeat Diabetes Foundation wish everyone relaxing and less stressful Happy Holidays and the Best Wishes for a Healthy New Year.

Good Health,
Lisa M. Rasolt
Program Director
lrasolt@DefeatDiabetes.org
www.DefeatDiabetes.org
Awareness + Action = Prevention®
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Did You Know?
Preliminary research indicates that 8 to 10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80 percent of sufferers. Supermarket Gourmet, Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom
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Latest News - Self-Management - Diet
Some Foods And Beverages Could Hold Clues For Future Diabetes Treatment Tea fights cataracts, boosts insulin activity. Cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels. Buckwheat decreases blood glucose. Cherries may help lower blood sugar.
Walnuts Improve Lipid Profile in Type 2 Diabetes "Walnuts are distinguished from other nuts by virtue of their higher polyunsaturated fat content (and importantly their a-linolenic acid [ALA] content) combined with antioxidants in the form of tocopherol."
Skimmed Milk Cuts Hypertension Risk  Drinking skimmed milk can cut the risk of high blood pressure by half, according to a large new study from Spain. “A diet rich in low-fat dairy products resulted in a greater decrease in blood pressure than did a low-fat comparison diet, which supports the beneficial effect of low-fat dairy consumption for the prevention of hypertension.”
Cold Potatoes Have A Lower Glycemic Index Cold storage of potatoes and the addition of vinegar reduced acute glycemia and insulinemia in healthy subjects after a potato meal.
Health Food Claims: What's Real, What's Not? There are so many health claims being made on food nowadays. In fact soon enough Whoppers and Big Macs will probably be called heart healthy. But what do those designations really mean? Our research partners at NPR have shared their report with us. Health Food Claims: What's Real, What's Not? unveils how the food industry has manipulated health claims.
High-Carbohydrate Diet Increases Blood Pressure in Diabetics In patients with type 2 diabetes, 14 weeks of a high-carbohydrate diet modestly raises blood pressure compared to a diet high in cis-monounsaturated fat.
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Did You Know?
Do not use potatoes that are damaged, have turned green, or are sprouting; they may contain a toxic chemical called solanine that increases when the potatoes are exposed to light. Supermarket Gourmet, Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom
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Latest News - Self-Management - Self-Care
Researchers Show Traditional Chinese Exercises Can Help Combat Diabetes The team from The University of Queensland found that by performing the Chinese exercises Qigong and Tai Chi, participants significantly improved several indicators of metabolic syndrome including HbA1c, blood pressure, bodyweight and waist circumference.
Internet Boards Benefit Diabetics Nearly 75 percent of respondents said the boards helped them cope with diabetes, while 71 percent said participation helped them feel more hopeful.
Diabetic Foot Ulcers, Amputations Are Preventable For a condition that is largely preventable, the costs of treating diabetic foot disease is over 10 Billion dollars a year. To prevent amputations, all that is required is a 10-gm monofilament that cost less then fifty cents!
Evidence Supports First Non-Injectable Insulin as Alternative Treatment for Diabetes The article concludes that “current evidence suggests that Exubera is an alternative to short-acting subcutaneous insulin therapy providing a further choice for the treatment of patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes,” and that “a major benefit of Exubera…appears to be the improvement in patient treatment satisfaction which is related to its ease of use, leading to better adherence to treatment.” Caution: the first week that Exubera is released, you will need to stay off the roads!
Daily Weighing Helps People Lose Weight, Prevents Gain The research team evaluated self-weighing practices of more than 3,000 people participating in either a weight-loss or a weight-gain prevention program. The study's key finding: “Higher weighing frequency was associated with greater 24-month weight loss or less weight gain.”
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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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Latest News - Self-Management - Important Information
American Heart Association Announces Updated Emergency Care CPR Guidelines New emergency care guidelines include dramatic changes to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emphasis on chest compressions. Topics include CPR, the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and recommendations for advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) and pediatric advanced life support (PALS).
Peripheral Arterial Disease Guidelines Push Early Diagnosis  In an effort to increase PAD awareness among clinicians and patients, a coalition of medical and surgical vascular specialists, led by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, unveiled a document on PAD from A to Z. The guidelines addresses prevention, diagnosis and management of lower extremity PAD, renal arterial disease, mesenteric arterial disease, as well as aneurysm of the abdominal aorta, its branch vessels and the lower extremities.
How Hypertension Can Lead To Kidney Failure High blood pressure means that the force of blood against the walls of your blood vessels is too high. High blood pressure can injure the blood vessels in your kidneys so that they aren’t able to properly filter your blood and remove waste and extra fluids from your body.
Actos® Reduced Heart Attacks In People with Type 2 Diabetes ACTOS®, an oral antidiabetic medication, significantly reduced the combined risk of heart attacks, strokes and death by 16 percent in high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes.
Artificial Sweetener Causes Cancer in Rats at Levels Approved for Humans  The authors wrote that the study has shown that aspartame is a multipotential carcinogenic compound whose carcinogenic effects are also evident at a daily dose of 20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg), notably less than the current acceptable daily intake for humans. Currently, the acceptable daily intake for humans is set at 50 mg/kg in the United States and 40 mg/kg in Europe.
Why Our Tongues Our Are Worst Enemy in Controlling Diabetes  New research has shown that the tongue may indeed have a taste for cheesecake, french fries and butter cookies. The tongue has built-in taste for fatty food. French scientists identified a receptor on the tongue that appears to detect dietary fat. This counters the traditional view that the taste buds pick up only five basic flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and "umami," — a flavor associated with the food additive monosodium glutamate (MSG).
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Did You Know?
If you get your calcium in small doses, you'll absorb twice as much.
Recommended: Take four small doses of calcium supplements throughout the day,
rather than one big dose in the morning.
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Defeat Diabetes® Professional Services  services

There are numerous ongoing medical needs by individuals with diabetes and these individuals will have medical issues throughout their life. In many cases individuals with diabetes may lose their health coverage by employment changes, not qualify for health coverage or simply not be able to afford the high cost of insurance.  Defeat Diabetes® Professional Services can save up to 50% on medical, dental, chiropractic, medicine, lab services, hearing aids and more for only $19.95 per month for the entire family.  We do not know of any other program that offers this much for so little.  Just one example of a significant cost savings is the DDS Wellness Profile which provides testing and analysis and written lab report of the following:

•   Liver             •   Kidney                •   CBC's
•   Electrolytes      •   Glucose               •   Bones
•   Minerals          •   Thyroid with TSH      •   Lipid Panels itself is valued at $350 to $400

At this price, anyone can afford to enroll and save on these critical services. http://defeatdiabetes.org/professionalservices.html
advertisement
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Healthy and Delicious Recipes - Good for Diabetics, Too
December 2005
It's that time of year again. Holidays Galore! Have a relaxing time with these great brunch recipes for the day after the night before from Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom.
Sugarless Berry Muffins
Lemon-Ginger Muffins
Potato Pancakes/Latkes
French Toast Sticks
Carrot-Zucchini Quiche
Papaya-Peach Smoothie
Sweet and Spicy Banana Smoothie
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Mr. Diabetes® Says
You can't hold a man down without staying down with him. Booker T. Washington
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Islets of Humor™ humor
By Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE
December 2005

See more of Theresa's cartoons
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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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DIABeducation™ diabeducation
By Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE
December 2005

CREATURE FEATURE: THE GILA MONSTER

What reptile eats only a few times a year, has a poisonous venom that causes humans to have an exaggerated insulin response when bitten, and can help people with type 2 diabetes? If you guess the Gila Monster, a lizard native to the southwest, you are correct!

Researchers figured out how to derive the active ingredient from the saliva of the Gila Monster, and in June 2005, the FDA approved Byetta (exenatide), a new class of drug called an incretin mimetic (a hormone released in the gut in response to ingested food).

After decades of research, Amylin Pharmaceutical and Eli Lilly Company developed Byetta which restores first phase insulin response. Normally, the pancreas releases insulin immediately after food is ingested, a response that is diminished with diabetes. Byetta is used for people with type 2 diabetes who are no longer successful at managing glucose levels with oral medications (for example, a sulfonylurea like Glipizide and Glyburide, or a biguanide like Metformin).

Byetta has many positive effects: Read more
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Did You Know?
Red peppers have 9 times as much vitamin A, and twice the vitamin C, as their green cousins! Men's Health Special Issue, 1998, page 6
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The Mr. Diabetes® Wake Up and Walk® Tour tour
Not  much to report.  The early winter snows here in central/northern New York have prevented me from walking.  So, it looks like I’m on hold till the snow thaws in the Spring, as far as THE WALKä is concerned.  However, this gig is about a lot more than walking………………Read more
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Did You Know?
An HbA1c of above 7% is a strong predictor of diabetes-related health complications.
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Kevin's Tech Tips kevin
December 2005

These beautiful custom glass ornaments are painted in the Rimbrandts Seriglass® process and are for the Christmas 2005 season only. for more information
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Treatments on the Horizon
New Plant Source for Insulin Developed SemBioSys Genetics Inc., a biotechnology company reported preclinical results of plant-produced insulin and will publish the results in the January 2006 edition of the Plant Biotechnology Journal in an article titled, "Transgenic expression and recovery of biologically active recombinant human insulin from Arabidopsis thaliana seeds". The study demonstrates bio-equivalence of purified insulin from Arabidopsis seeds when compared with commercial insulin products in an animal model. If it comes to market, it will reduce the cost of insulin by 40%.
Break-Through in Low-calorie Sweetener for Diabetics A low-calorie sweetener that tastes like sugar and could help control diseases like diabetes and obesity may be closer to reality thanks to new research.
Exercise Test Predicts Death in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease VO2max is the maximum amount of oxygen a person can take in during exercise. Exercise capacity, as measured in terms of VO2max, is a powerful predictor of death in patients with coronary artery disease, not just patients with heart failure.
New Test to Fend Off Type 1 Diabetes Scientists at the Pacific Northwest Research Institute (PNRI) will be part of a national effort to see if they can stop type 1 diabetes — or at least delay its progression — by derailing the immune cells that attack the body's insulin producers.
New Test Predicts Heart Problems in Women  New research may give doctors a way to predict life-threatening heart problems in women. The team studied middle-aged diabetic women who underwent dobutamine stress echocardiography tests and concluded the test could help doctors predict fatal heart problems.
Oral-lyn Insulin: First Non-Injectable Insulin Gets Released this Month Generex has escalated manufacturing capabilities to meet expected demand for the first ever commercially available non-injectable insulin product, to be launched in Ecuador at the end of November 2005.
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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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Defeat Diabetes Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  Our web site is secure and all donations are tax-deductible.