A brief note: This is a combined Spring 2006 E-Lerts™ Newsletter due to the launch of our new website. There will be more information about the new site in future issues, but we welcome you to visit us at www.DefeatDiabetes.org.

 

"Mission Possible: Prevent and Control High Blood Pressure" is the theme of the 2006 May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month Campaign.

 

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. When that force stays too high, it becomes a life-threatening condition—high blood pressure (also called hypertension). It makes the heart work too hard, hardens the walls of arteries, and can cause the brain to hemorrhage or the kidneys to function poorly or not at all.

A blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high. (Other sources say over 130/80 is high.) Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHg. More than 65 million American adults — 1 in 3 — have high blood pressure.

Anyone can develop high blood pressure. But these factors increase the risk: being overweight or obese, being physically inactive, high salt and sodium intake, low potassium intake (due to not eating enough fruits and vegetables), excessive alcohol consumption, and diabetes. NIH

 

Latest News - Self-Management - Lifestyle - Reverse Diabetes & Pre-Diabetes?: 50% reversal of type 2 diabetes after three weeks? A diet that controls diabetes without weight loss or medication? Reggenerate nerve fibers? Metformin: A wonder drug? Read More

 

Latest News - Self-Management - Save Dire Complications: Learn how to save lower limbs from amputation and cut postoperative infections. Read More

 

Latest News - Shocking New Diabetes Information: Words we often hear with diabetes are deficiency, heightened risk, increased mortality, and numbers doubled. They are all connected in the following articles. Read More 

 

Latest News - Cardio and Coronary Disease Predictors - Not Only for Diabetics: A1c, HDL cholesterol, postprandial blood glucose testing, pad and renal impairment. Knowing these predictors could save your life! Read More

 

Healthy and Delicious Recipes - Good for Diabetics, Too: It's time to broaden our palates and taste some wonderful flavors we haven't presented before from America's Healthiest Mom, Jyl Steinback. Recipes

 

Islets of Humor™: Theresa Garnero has reminded us that there is humor in the Olympics, exercise and diabetes. See Theresa's cartoon

DIABeducation™: Now that spring is here, we don't have the excuses to go out and exercise. But how do us couch potatoes get motivated and stay motivated. Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE gives a practical approach. Read More

 

Because we have combined the April and May issues of E-Lerts™, we have two Updates from The Mr. Diabetes® Wake Up and Walk® Tour:

April 2006: Okay, everybody, THE WALK™ has resumed!!! After a long, hard winter in Buffalo, NY, Mr. Diabetes® started his first walking day on April 17. This update will give you the blow-by-blow of his fantastic first re-walking weeks. It also includes so many things Andy Mandell had to go through this winter and the people who have really helped make the physical part of THE WALK™ possible. Read More

Nutrition News: There is so much nutrition information on the internet. How do you know if it is accurate? Barbara Quinn, MS, RD, CDE, answers that: “Ten Red Flags of Junk Science”  Read More

 

Treatments on the Horizon: There are so many wonderful research developments being reported that we've decided to split this month's Treatments on the Horizon into Trials being conducted and Research. Read More

 

Kevin's Tech Tips: This month Kevin McBride tackles renaming multiple files, like pictures and problems with graphics in email after installing SP2 (Service Pack 2). Read More

 

P. S. I guess everyone has noticed that this isn't April. We have been working hard on our new website and wanted all to be going smoothly. So, please bear with us if there are a few little bumps in the road on the way. We'll be telling you more about it very soon.

 

Good Health,

Lisa M. Rasolt

Program Director

Defeat Diabetes Foundation

Awareness + Action = Prevention®

---

Did you know?
75% of type 2's do not know their A1c number. Explain to them what their number means by converting 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.

---

Latest News - Self-Management - Lifestyle - Reverse Diabetes & Pre-Diabetes?
Three-Week Diet/Exercise Study Shows 50% Reversal in Type 2 Diabetes  "The study shows, contrary to common belief, that type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome can be reversed solely through lifestyle changes." "This regimen reversed a clinical diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome in about half the participants who had either of those conditions."
Low-Carb Diet Controls Diabetes Without Weight Loss Or Insulin Use A new study released in the scientific journal Nutrition & Metabolism found that type 2 diabetes can be managed and controlled simply by minor changes in the diet alone without the need for weight loss or the use of insulin medications. “The protein in the low-carb diets that aided the production of insulin in the study participants because protein actually stimulates the production of insulin.”
Lifestyle Changes Regenerate Nerve Fibers in Prediabetics In patients with diabetes, nerve fiber damage that causes diabetic neuropathy is irreversible. Researchers have found that with weight loss and exercise in patients with impaired glucose tolerance neuropathy -- so-called prediabetes -- the affected nerve fibers can be reinervated, causing a reduction in the patients' pain.
Once Daily ER Metformin Safe and Effective in Type 2 Diabetes One daily dose of a new extended-release formulation of metformin is as safe and effective in treating type 2 diabetes as a conventional twice-a-day dose of immediate-release metformin, researchers report.
Metformin and Lifestyle Intervention Prevents Metabolic Syndrome "The metabolic syndrome is a high-risk state for diabetes and cardiovascular disease." Lifestyle intervention is better then any drug and along with metformin works to prevent the metabolic syndrome (MS).

---

Defeat Diabetes® Public Awareness Programs
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

---

Latest News - Self-Management - Lifestyle - Save Dire Complications
Glycemic Control Cuts Postoperative Infection in Diabetics Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels less than 7% prior to surgery are associated with a significantly lower rate of postoperative infections in diabetic patients.
Some Diabetes Patients Lose Lower Limbs Because of Skin Changes Researchers have discovered why patients with diabetes develop a condition which leads to amputation of the lower limbs. It is caused by an alteration in their skin tissue before leg ulcers develop. The best way to prevent an ulcer complication is to lower the patient's blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol. The problem is the condition is often undetected at its early stages. So, effective treatment can sometimes arrive too late.

---

Did you know?
If you are going to freeze fresh fish, buy prepackaged frozen fish instead. It is usually better quality because it is frozen immediately after it is caught and preserved at its peak. On the average, it also costs less than fresh fish. Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom

---

Latest News -- Shocking New Diabetes Information
Diabetes Drug Use by Children Doubled in US Over 3-Year Period Between 2002 to 2005, the use of agents to prevent or treat type 2 diabetes among US children, 5 to 19 years of age, increased from about 0.3 to 0.6 per 1000, which could have "enormous implications" for long-term healthcare needs and expenses.
Diabetes Associated With Increased Mortality From Peptic Ulcer Complications Among patients with bleeding or perforated peptic ulcers, those with diabetes appear to be at substantially increased risk of dying.
Intensive Insulin Beneficial For Those With Long ICU Stays Intensive insulin therapy administered from admission onwards in patients in the medical intensive care unit reduced morbidity among all patients and mortality among those who remained in the ICU for at least a third day.
Vitamin Deficiency Common in Diabetics Three out of every five patients with type 2 diabetes show signs of vitamin D deficiency, Italian researchers report. Because a lack of vitamin D can negatively affect bone health and have other adverse effects "widespread screening for vitamin D deficiency or routine vitamin D supplementation should be seriously considered" for people with diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetics’ Acidity Heightens Risk for Kidney Stones People with type 2 diabetes have highly acidic urine, a metabolic feature that explains their greater risk for developing uric-acid kidney stones.

---

---

Latest News -- Cardioand Coronary Disease Predictors - Not Only for Diabetics
A1C Is Coronary Disease Predictor Even for Those Without Diabetes Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) is a useful and reliable risk indicator for developing CHD, even in people without diabetes whose A1C levels are in the high normal range.
Postprandial Blood Glucose Predicts Cardiovascular Events "Our study supports the conclusion that it should be carefully considered in type 2 diabetic patients, because it plays a relevant predictive role for cardiovascular events, especially in women."
HDL Cholesterol Independently Predicts Major Adverse Coronary Events HDL cholesterol predicts major adverse coronary events independent of other cardiovascular risk factors. A 10mg/dL. decrease in HDL increases risk by 11%.
Renal Impairment Linked to Mortality in Women Mild to moderate renal impairment is associated with increased risk of death from all causes in women and increased risk of coronary artery disease in men and women.
Peripheral Artery Disease Predicts Cardiac Death in Patients With Diabetes PAD is common in patients with type 2 diabetes and predicts cardiac death, supporting the role of regular screening for PAD in

these patients.

---

Mr. Diabetes® Says
Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.               James A. Michener

---

 

 

See a Collection of our Healthy and Delicious Recipes that are Good for Diabetics Too!

---

Did you know?
Contrary to popular belief, shrimp does not dramatically raise blood choesterol levels. A 4 ounce serving has 112 calories and only 1.2 grams of fat. Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom

 

 

---

Did you know?

Diabetes Soars Among Youths: Twice as many youngsters and teens are taking medication typically used to treat or prevent Type 2 diabetes than four years ago, according to a study by Express Scripts Inc., one of the nation’s largest pharmacy benefit managers. Researchers reviewed the prescription records of at least 3.7 million Express Scripts members, all between 5 and 19. They found the number of prescriptions for anti-diabetic medication rose to 0.6 per 1,000 children from 0.3. The use of these medications was most prevalent in older teens. By 2005, slightly more than 1 out of every 1,000 15- to 19-year-olds had been prescribed medication to treat or prevent Type 2 diabetes, in which people respond abnormally to the insulin their bodies produce.

---

DIABeducation™ diabeducation
By Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE

Spring has sprung and it’s time for new beginnings. Now that we have more daylight hours, it’s a good time to look at being more active. That’s right, exercise—one of the best ways to manage diabetes and stay healthy in general (providing your doctor hasn’t given you exercise restrictions).

Do you have an emotional readiness or mental commitment to take the next step with a physical fitness plan? It’s never too late to rethink your approach towards being or staying active. more

---

Did you know?
Buy milk and cheese when they are on sale and freeze for up to a month. Frozen cheese may crumble when thawed, so plan to use in casseroles and other cooked dishes, rather than whole. Jyl Steinback, America's Healthiest Mom

---

Okay, everybody, THE WALK™ has resumed!!!! After a long, hard winter in Buffalo, NY, Mr. Diabetes® started his first walking day on April 17. This update will give you the blow-by-blow of his fantastic first re-walking weeks. It also includes so many things Andy Mandell had to go through this winter and the people who have really helped make the physical part of THE WALK™ possible.

 

As a preview, the thanks go out to: Kevin McBride and family, The Robert (Bobby) Krulls, including Barb, the twins and a special thank you to Jennifer.

 

Welcome to our new Tour Manager(s): Shirley and Russ Barriger, from Unionville, MI. As Andy wrote, "after spending a VERY active week (plus)  together it is clear to me they have the heart and soul necessary to handle the extraordinary demands that come with the territory, as well as the personality(ies), intelligence and work ethic necessary to deal with the various aspects of this gig."

 

This is an update you will not want to miss:  Read More

---

Did you know?

Exercise causes cells to become more sensitive to insulin, so sugar is taken out of the blood, and exercising muscles use more sugar. The result is a more normal blood sugar level.

---

Mr. Diabetes Wake Up and Walk Tour May 2006 tour2
May 1 was a mini-landmark day.  This day, as I walked through New Hartford, NY I reached the 7000 miles mark. This city is just west of Utica. Another perfect day with the weather!!!! Read More

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

---

Nutrition News nutrition

Beware from whence you find nutrition information. The internet is a great tool but the accuracy of its information is not well-regulated.

The following “Ten Red Flags of Junk Science” are clues to possible encounters with food and nutrition misinformation, according to a recent position paper from American Dietetic Association: Read More 

---

Treatments on the Horizons
There are so many wonderful research developments being reported that we've decided to split this month's Treatments on the Horizon into Trials being conducted and Research:
Trials
Diabetes Reversed: FDA Authorizes Human Trials After successfully demonstrating that a groundbreaking treatment strategy can reverse type 1 diabetes in animal studies, the FDA has given the go-ahead for researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to begin a phase I trial evaluating the treatment in humans.
Oral-lyn Results for Type 1s: Results demonstrate metabolic control in diabetes showed a significant improvement when compared to standard therapy.
Byetta Update Eleven months later, Byetta is meeting expectations for better glucose control and weight loss in type 2 diabetics.
Preserving Insulin Production In Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetics A drug used to treat lymphoma, rheumatoid arthritis and other immune disorders may enable newly-diagnosed type 1 diabetics to save some of their pancreas function and thereby reduce their susceptibility to long-term complications.
Research
Blood Sugar Readings In A Painless Blink Of The Eye by Oculir, Inc. Oculir™ is developing a non-invasive glucose meter that measures glucose from the white of the eye (the conjunctiva). No contact with the eye is required; simply point the sensor at the eye and click.
Gene Protects Against Diabetes, Heart Disease People lucky enough to carry a variant in a single gene get added protection against both type 2 diabetes and heart disease, a new study finds.
Little Difference Between Human Insulin And Analogs Fast-acting artificial insulin drugs work just as well as regular human insulin, but it’s unclear how they could affect the health of people with diabetes over the long run.
FDA’s Approval of Continuous Glucose Sensor Accelerates Development of Artificial Pancreas "This technology should greatly improve glycemic control -- which research has shown to be the key to reducing or even eliminating both short and long-term complications of diabetes."

---

Did you know?
Sick Day Management: Common illnesses can cause problems for people with diabetes. When you are sick, check your blood sugar every few hours. If your blood sugar remains over 250 or is repeatedly below 70, contact your healthcare team or go to the hospital. Take your insulin or diabetes pills unless you cannot take any food or liquid. Drink liquids every hour to avoid dehydration. Diabetes Self-Management Health Tips, VA Employee Education Service in cooperation with the Offices of Quality & Performance and Patient Care Services and Department of Defense

---

April 2006
direcway@the1solution.com
http://the1solution.com
(716)926-8531 Fax

 

You used to be able to do this at the DOS command line with wild card commands, etc (I think). How do you do it in XP? - Stephen N.  For Kevin's Answer

 

Can't see graphicsin email after installing SP2
QUESTION:
I have Windows XP and I use Outlook Express for email. I installed Service Pack 2 (yes, finally) and now I can't see pictures in HTML email messages. There's a box with a red X where the pictures are supposed to be. Can you help? - Julie P. For Kevin's Answer

---

Did you know? 

There are currently more than 194 million people with diabetes worldwide.  If nothing is done to slow the epidemic, the number will exceed 333 million by 2025. IDF Diabetes Atlas 2nd Edition

---

 

 

This concludes the Defeat Diabetes® E-Lerts™ Newsletter.

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

If you're not already receiving E-Lerts™ each month, please join us and subscribe to the Defeat Diabetes® E-Lerts™ Newsletter.

To unsubscribe, please go to our unsubscribe form.

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