Diabetes

Eye disorder common among diabetic adults

By Lynne Peeples

NEW YORK | Tue Aug 10, 2010

(Reuters Health) - Nearly 30 percent of U.S. diabetics over the age of 40 may have a diabetes-related eye disorder, with 4 percent of this population affected severely enough that their vision is threatened, suggests a new study.

The condition, known as diabetic retinopathy, involves damage to the eye's retina and is the leading cause of new cases of legal blindness among U.S. adults between 20 and 74 years old. It also costs the U.S. approximately $500 million every year.

"The number of people with diabetes is increasing in this country," lead researcher Dr. Xinzhi Zhang, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, told Reuters Health.

Yet, he added, estimates of how many Americans suffer from diabetic retinopathy remain more than a decade old. Is this condition on the rise too? Or is screening and treatment keeping it under control?

For some updated answers, Zhang and his colleagues looked to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a large national study conducted between 2005 and 2008. They identified about 1,000 older adults with diabetes who had undergone diagnostic eye imaging.

Of the patients studied, 29 percent were found to have diabetic retinopathy, and 4 percent had developed vision-threatening cases of the disorder.

The rates were about 40 percent and two and a half times higher, respectively, than estimates dating back to an earlier NHANES study from 1988 to 1994.

"But we don't know if the increase is due to an actual rise in prevalence or if it is due to using a more precise method of assessing damage to eyes in the most recent study," noted Zhang, pointing out that the new study included two digital images of each eye compared to the previous study's single image of one eye.

The researchers found that men had a significantly higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy compared to women. Other risk factors included a longer duration with diabetes, use of insulin, high systolic blood pressure (the top number in the reading) and high levels of a protein called hemoglobin A1c used to measure blood sugar.

Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic blacks also had significantly higher rates of the condition compared to non-Hispanic whites, report the researchers in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

As the U.S. population ages and the proportion of racial minorities grows, it is important for the health care system to be prepared for the increasing demand, said Zhang. "With early detection and timely treatment, people have a good chance of preventing or reducing vision loss."

As of 2007, 17.4 million Americans had diagnosed diabetes, with the highest percentage of cases found among people over 65, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Zhang added that it is also crucial for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure to help prevent complications such as diabetic retinopathy in the first place, and for those who don't already have diabetes, to stave off the condition by losing weight and exercising.

SOURCE: link.reuters.com/wat34n Journal of the American Medical Association, online August 11, 2010.

Bitter Sweetener

June 2010

YESTERDAY- Americans constantly obsess over the latest diet fads and skinny trends, yet we’re one of the unhealthiest nations on the planet. According to the US Surgeon General, obesity plagues more than 30% of Americans- killing over 300,000 people every year.

Heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are also on the rise, with one of the main culprits in this disturbing trend being sugar. Almost 20% of our daily calorie intake comes from refined white sugar, working out to about 150 pounds of sugar per person per year.

Consumed in small amounts, sugar actually helps your metabolism and supplies a quick boost of energy. In excess, sugar adds nothing but empty calories to your body. Many people have recognized this and now opt for sugar free alternatives, allowing for the rise of the artificial sugar industry.

The most prevalent artificial sugar in our food supply today is called aspartame, which is also recognized as Equal or NutraSweet. Aspartame has made its way into more than 6,000 products including almost all diet sodas, chewing gum, frozen desserts, yogurt, and even vitamins and cough drops. 200 hundred times sweeter than sugar, aspartame is a combination of two amino acids: aspartic acid and phenylalanine.

   

Although aspartame is affirmed as safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they receive more complaints about adverse reactions to aspartame than any other food ingredient in the agency’s history.

At least 30% of the US population is sensitive to even moderate doses of aspartame and may suffer symptoms such as severe headaches, dizziness, attention difficulties, memory loss, throat swelling, and seizures. Long term effects include blood sugar problems, insomnia, diabetes, ovarian cancer, and brain tumors.

  

One 2002 study from Kings College found that the more NutraSweet is consumed, the more likely it is for brain tumors to develop. A Washington University School of Medicine report from 1996 found aspartame to be the “most likely suspect” for the striking increase in malignant brain cancer in the years following its approval. Disturbingly, the FDA ended up approving this chemical poison as unequivocally safe for human consumption despite alarming evidence to the contrary.

Aspartame was first patented in the mid 60s by drug company G.D. Searle, which was later bought by Monsanto and then spun off into the NutraSweet Co. Initially, the FDA approved aspartame, but after finding glaring inconsistencies in Searle’s testing data, the administration revoked its approval. The FDA commissioner at the time declared the tests “at best… sloppy,” saying that they revealed a “pattern of misconduct which compromises the scientific integrity of the studies.”

Dr. Erik Millstone, food safety expert at the University of Sussex, details how flawed Searle’s tests really were. For example, rats had died during the course of an experiment for reasons that were never explored, and tumors that appeared in the rats during the study were simply “cut out and discarded.” According to Dr. Millstone, the tests were so inconsistent that there is no way to be sure of aspartame’s safety.

The flurry of debate about Searle’s tests incited the FDA to establish a Public Board of Inquiry, comprised of independent scientists to rule on safety issues surrounding aspartame.  In 1980, the Public Board of Inquiry concluded that NutraSweet should not be approved, pending further investigations of brain tumors in animals. Searle then sued the FDA for retracting its approval of the product.

When Ronald Reagan became President the following year, his transitional team included Donald Rumsfeld, CEO of Searle, the company that manufactured aspartame. Reagan  then handpicked Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes Jr. to be the new FDA Commissioner.  In one of his first official acts, Hayes overruled the Public Board of Inquiry’s recommendations and authorized aspartame in dry foods and carbonated beverages.

 

In 1983, aspartame quickly flooded the market despite urges by the National Soft Drink Association to delay its approval for carbonated beverages because of its instability in liquid form. When liquid aspartame reaches temperatures above 85 degrees Fahrenheit, the heat breaks down known toxins, and side effects become worsened. There is an enzyme that converts the methyl alcohol into toxic formaldehyde in both the human brain and breast, causing symptoms that mimic multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. Even in low doses, aspartame can damage the brain’s memory proteins.  

FDA commissioner Arthur Hull Hayes ended up leaving the FDA under allegations of impropriety and took a position with Burson-Marsteller, the chief public relations firm for both Monsanto and G.D. Searle, revealing his blatant ties with aspartame’s manufacturer.

Even in the face of its sordid past, weight-conscious Americans will still likely opt for products containing aspartame because it’s marketed as a weight loss aid. Ironically, studies have shown that it actually increases appetite and sugar intake because the empty sweetness from artificial sugars makes your body expect food and you end up craving more.

Recently, many people are jumping on the sucralose, or Splenda, bandwagon. Splenda is a competing artificial sugar that claims it is made from “real sugar.” This is true- to an extent. Sucralose is produced by adding three chlorine atoms to a sugar molecule. The FDA maintains the position that your body doesn’t actually digest the chlorine, but studies from Japan have shown that your body can digest up to 27% of it. Other potential effects of sucralose consumption include cancer, limb paralysis, infertility and breathing difficulties.

You are probably wondering what your options are once you remove refined white sugar, aspartame, and sucralose from your diet. The good news is that there are natural and healthier options. Honey and agave are two natural sweeteners that can be found in any local supermarket.

However, if you are still looking to cut calories then Stevia is the way to go. Stevia is a sweet herb that has been used as a natural sweetener in South America for the past 1500 years. It is non caloric and is 25 times sweeter than sugar. Tests have shown that Stevia intake actually helps regulate blood sugar, inhibit tooth decay, aid mental alertness, improve digestion, and users of Stevia even report less desire to smoke tobacco and ingest alcohol! Today, Stevia is finally on the market after a decade long FDA ban due Aspartame’s heavy lobbying influence.

Written by Abby Martin

Source : http://www.mediaroots.org/bitter-sweetener.php

How Does Diabetes Affect My Body?

by Amy Adams, MS

People with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are at a much higher risk than the general population for damage to the eyes, kidney, nerves, and blood vessels. Because of these serious risk factors, the American Diabetes Association recommends regular screening for early signs of damage. Many of these side effects can be delayed or avoided altogether through careful blood sugar control. In addition, a recent study has found that lowering blood sugar levels also lowers treatment costs for people with Type 2 diabetes.(For news about addition risks associated with high blood sugar levels, see Related News below.)

How does Blood Sugar Cause Damage?

I n people with diabetes, sugar (glucose) accumulates in the blood to very high levels. The excess glucose can attach toproteins in the blood vessels and alter their normal structure and function. One effect of this is that the vessels become thicker and less elastic, making it hard for blood to squeeze through.

Measuring Long-Term Blood Sugar Levels

Doctors can measure how much sugar has bound to proteins over a three to four month period using a glycated hemoglobin test. This test measures the amount of sugar that is attached to hemoglobin — a protein in red blood cells. Hemoglobin circulates in the blood for about three months, so by looking at the amount of sugars that have attached to hemoglobin, doctors have a good indication of how much sugar has bound to other proteins. This is an indication of your overall blood sugar control for that period of time. If the hemoglobin carries a lot of glucose, then there's a good chance that proteins in blood vessels have suffered some damage as well. On the other hand, hemoglobin without much bound sugar means that you had good blood sugar control and have a lower risk of tissue damage. Individuals with diabetes should have their hemoglobin screened several times a year to make sure their treatment plan is working.

Eye Damage

Diabetic eye disease starts when blood vessels in the back of the eye (the retina) balloon out into pouches. Although this stage — called nonproliferative retinopathy — generally does not affect vision, it can progress to a more serious form called proliferative retinopathy. This occurs when damaged blood vessels close off and new, weaker vessels take their place. These new vessels can leak blood, which blocks vision. They can also cause scar tissue to grow and distort the retina.

Because the retina can be irreversibly damaged before you notice any change in vision, and because retinopathy can be effectively treated with lasers to minimize vision loss, the American Diabetes Association recommends screening for retinopathy yearly.

Kidney Disease

Kidney disease starts when the blood vessels in the kidney become leaky. These leaky vessels allow protein from the blood to be excreted with urine. (It's this protein that doctors detect when they test for kidney function.) Eventually, some vessels collapse and place more pressure on those that remain. Under this increased load, the remaining blood vessels are also damaged and the kidney may fail. If the disease progresses to this point, a person may have to go on dialysis — where a machine performs the role of the kidney — or receive a kidney transplant.

Because of the serious consequences of kidney disease, the American Diabetes Association recommends screening for protein in the urine every year starting at the time of diagnosis, or five years after the diagnosis in Type 1 diabetics.

Heart and Blood Vessel Disease

High blood sugar damages blood vessels and can lead to blockage. In the heart, this blockage can cause heart attacks. In fact, people with diabetes have two to four times the risk of developing heart disease or stroke than the general population. Blocked vessels in the legs can cause pain and can also impair circulation. With poor circulation, small cuts or infections are less likely to heal. Eventually, 0.6 percent of all diabetics have lower limb amputations because of damage to the feet or lower legs.

Nerve Disease

In diabetes, the nerves that become damaged are the ones that allow you to sense temperature, pressure, texture, or pain on your skin. In most people with diabetes, nerve disease (neuropathy) effects the feet and lower legs, causing numbness or tingling. The real problem arises when numbness allows injuries to the foot to go unnoticed. For this reason, the American Diabetes Association recommends that all people with diabetes have a thorough foot exam every year.

Source : http://www.genetichealth.com/dbts_consequences_of_diabetes.shtml

Reviewed by Jeremy Walston, MD

Last updated September 20, 2000

Forwarded by Dr. Muhammad Danish Janjua, Sahiwal

Dr. Danish is engaged in research on diabetes with a team of Bulgarian doctors.

Stabilizing Your Blood Sugar

Blood sugar (glucose) is the fuel for every single cell in your body. Stable blood sugar level helps prevent complications like diabetes, heart disease, memory problems and fertility problems. It is also key to feeling energized throughout the day as well as controlling hunger. Your blood sugar levels are linked to the type and amount of food you eat, and your body's ability to create and use insulin - a hormone which regulates the energy and glucose metabolism in your body.

Glucose levels or blood sugar concentration needs to be regulated as part of the metabolic homeostasis (balance) because it affects how the body distributes glucose. The normal blood glucose or sugar level for humans should be around 90 mg/100ml, or 5mM (mmol/l). Of course there are numerous medicines in the market which can help to lower blood sugar, but many of these have side effects like weight gain, hypoglycemia and gastrointestinal discomfort. 


So here are some natural ways to stabilize blood sugar:

1.              Have Cinnamon (dalchini): Cinnamon moderately lowers blood sugar by increasing insulin sensitivity. Cinnamon contains a natural water-soluble polyphenol compound called MHCP that mimics the effect of insulin, and works synergistically with insulin in cells. But the effect still remains a debate among researchers as several studies have shown this positive result while others have shown no significant effect. To include cinnamon in your diet, just sprinkle it over your coffee, cereral, and tea.

2.              Eat often: In order to stabilize blood sugar you must eat small, frequent, and balanced meals/snacks every 2-3 hours. This will help avoid a blood sugar surge and a big release of insulin that results after a large meal, and will allow the blood sugar less time to drop between meals. The sizes of the meals should be reduced accordingly so that the total caloric intake doesn't change.

3.              Eat high fiber food: Fiber is the undigested part of grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits. When high fiber (particularly soluble fiber found in beans, oats, apples, citrus fruits and barley) foods are eaten, the sugar/glucose is absorbed more slowly, thus preventing the sharp spikes and lows of blood sugar. A diet that includes insoluble fiber (found in wheat bran, nuts and whole wheat flour) has been associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

4.              Stay away from bad carbs: Perhaps the single most influential food group to your blood glucose is carbohydrates, which causes the levels to rise. Stay away from foods comprising of bad carbohydrates like soft drinks, pastries, cookies, cakes, candy, pies, table sugar, jellies, and jams. These foods can cause your blood sugar levels to spike. On the other hand, good carbs are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber, causing minimal impact on your blood sugar levels.

5.              Exercise: Physical activity helps the body control blood glucose as well. Here, regularity is also the key. According to a new study done by CDC, brisk walking on a regular basis can lengthen the lives of people with diabetes as walking makes cells more receptive to insulin, which leads to better control of blood sugar. Along with about an hour of aerobic exercise four to six times a week, lifting weights two to three times a week can dramatically improve blood sugar regulation. Muscles not only helps absorb sugar and lower blood sugar levels, but it also increases your metabolism and overall insulin sensitivity.

6.              Have lemon juice: Lemons contain vitamin C, rutin and limonene that can lower the glycemic index of a meal considerably. Squeeze lemon juice over your food or have a glass of lemon juice after every meal. Avoid adding sugar in it.

7.              Black Tea: According to a report in the Journal of Food Science, black tea contains a substance that mimics some of the type 2 diabetes drugs to reduce blood sugar. The researchers found that black tea contain polysaccharides that can inhibit an enzyme called alpha-glucosidase, which turns starch into glucose.  Green or oolong tea also contain this polysaccharide compound, but black tea has more of this substance.

8.              Don't miss Chromium: Chromium may help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar. Chromium is an active component of glucose tolerance factor (GTF), which helps insulin improve its action. Several studies report that chromium supplements may improve diabetes control. However, benefit of chromium for diabetes has been debated for several years and more studies are needed to know how well it really works. The best sources of chromium are eggs, beef and grains.

9.              Laugh: A study conducted by Japanese researchers found that people with type 2 diabetes who watched a comedy show and laughed soon after eating had significantly lower blood sugar levels than those who attended a boring lecture.

By keeping your blood sugar levels in a healthy range you can slash your risk of developing complications and live a long and healthy life.

Source : http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/stabilizing-your-blood-sugar-26408436#ixzz0tN10FwK5