Diabetes-Related Eye Diseases Expected to Soar

The number of Americans with major eye diseases is expected to drastically increase over the next several decades as more Americans are diagnosed with diabetes, according to a new study.

"Vision loss related to eye disease among people with diabetes is an important disability that threatens independence and can lead to depression, reduced mobility and reduced quality of life," the study's authors wrote. Diabetic retinopathy -- damage to the small blood vessels in the retina -- is the leading cause of blindness among American adults. In 2004, for example, more than $500 million was spent on direct medical costs for diabetic retinopathy. Diabetics are also more likely to suffer from eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma than the general population. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention used published data from the 2004 National Health Interview Survey and the U.S. Census Bureau to estimate the number, age, sex and race/ethnicity of Americans with diabetes that will suffer from the following eye conditions in 2050: diabetic retinopathy, vision threatening diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts. They estimated that from 2005 to 2050, diabetic retinopathy cases will increase from 5.5 million to 16 million and vision threatening diabetic retinopathy cases will rise from 1.2 million to 3.4 million. Also, cataract cases among whites and blacks age 40 and older with diabetes will likely rise 235 percent; cataract cases among people with diabetes who are over 75 will increase 637 percent for black women and 677 percent for black men, the researchers said. The number of glaucoma cases among Hispanics who are 65 and older with diabetes is expected to increase 12-fold. "Efforts to prevent diabetes and to optimally manage diabetes and its complications are needed," the study's authors said.

Diabetics With Low Blood Sugar - A Must Read For Them

-By Tehmina Mazher

Sugar, honey, sweetie-pie. These terms of endearment reflect the desirability of sweet tastes. Sugar is surprisingly prevalent in dishes you may least suspect: For example soups, cured meats, salad dressings, and sauces. One tablespoon of regular ketchup contains a teaspoon of sugar. Hoisin sauce, which you often find in Chinese cooking, has just as much sugar, if not more. A can of soda pop contains several tablespoons of sugar. Even diet foods contain large amounts of rapidly acting carbohydrates or alternative sweeteners like aspartame (which has been linked to cancer).

If you're surrounded by sugar, how can anyone possibly be suffering from low blood sugar? That's precisely the point and is the reason that make understanding of hypoglycemia very difficult. Because everything is so sugar-laden, keeping a steady level of blood sugar has become difficult.

If someone is suffering from low blood sugar, the general advice from a lay man could be to incorporate sugary things in your diet. This is wrong. It doesn't mean that he/she should eat sugar. This statement may, at first, appear to be a contradiction. The paradox is that the more sugar you eat, the less sugar you have in your blood.

Your body can easily obtain the blood sugar it needs to function through unrefined carbohydrates, protein, and fats. The truth is that even if you eat absolutely no glucose or refined sugar, you'll still have plenty of blood sugar as long as your body is functioning properly.

Always remember that refined carbohydrates are harmful, but unrefined carbohydrates are OK (they should also be taken in moderate quantities).

In order to maintain a steady blood sugar level, the first thing you need is the proper understanding of hypoglycemia. Take your first step to understand it by checking Diabetes Cure. Here you will find the most worthy and valuable information about the causes, symptoms and secret tips for controlling Hypoglycemia. Also get an e-book "How To Reverse Diabetes" for free.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tehmina_Mazher

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A Comprehensive Guide To Beating Diabetes - Dramatically Improve Your Blood Sugar Control, Reduce And Eliminate Your Need For Insulin Shots

What was supposed to be the happiest day of my life quickly turned into my worst nightmare.

My name is Julia Hanf and this is the true story of my wedding night disaster, my personal war against diabetes… and how
I cured my husband of diabetes -- that’s right cured-- with an unusual strategy...........

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New Drug for Diabetes Causes and Treatments

A drug that fights aging and halts the onset of diabetes, cancer and heart disease, may hit market shelves in another five years, claim researchers.

According to scientists, the magical drug can be used to prevent Alzheimer's and can also reinvigorate patients giving them more stamina. The drug is made up of chemicals that mimic resveratrol, a compound which is found in the skin of red grapes.

Earlier studies have shown that resveratrol cuts the impact of a high-fat diet, doubles stamina and extends lifespan in mice. However, to get the same benefits, a human would have to drink around 1,000 bottles of wine.

Now, Sirtris, a pharmaceutical firm has developed a pill based on two chemicals that act in the same way. In one study on mice, which was published last year, the drug was found to undo diabetes symptoms.

The first clinical trials on humans are now under way and the developers believe it could also help prevent diseases including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's.

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Prediabetes

Prediabetes is known as Chemical Diabetes, Borderline Diabetes, Impaired Fasting Glucose, Subclinical Diabetes, Impaired Glucose Tolerance, IFG, Latent Diabetes, IGT.

A patient is diagnosed as having prediabetes when glucose (blood sugar) is higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. At least 43 million Americans have this condition, according to estimates by the government. Prediabetes is almost always present in an individual before type 2 diabetes develops.

Screening for prediabetes is an effective strategy for identifying individuals who are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. By identifying the individuals with prediabetes, physicians can intervene sooner with a plan of treatment. Changes in lifestyle, such as diet, weight loss and exercise, are usually included in the treatment. These interventions have been successful in delaying or preventing type 2 diabetes.

Detection and treatment of prediabetes also may reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and other complications. The damage that occurs to organs and body systems from type 2 diabetes, such as diabetic neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy, can actually start during prediabetes. Treatment of prediabetes promotes a healthier lifestyle, which in turn can prevent type 2 diabetes and medical complications.

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FDA approves Repaglinide Plus Metformin HCl tablets for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved repaglinide plus metformin HCl tablets for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus reducing A1c by 1.4%. This combines the effect of reducing fasting and postprandial blood sugars.

On June 23, the FDA approved a fixed-dose combination of the meglitinide, repaglinide, with the biguanide, metformin HCl (PrandiMet; Novo Nordisk, Inc, and marketed by Sciele Pharma) for use as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are already being treated with a meglitinide and metformin or who have not achieved adequate glycemic control with either component alone.

The repaglinide/metformin tablets at 1 mg/500 mg and 2 mg/500 mg are bioequivalent to corresponding doses of co-administered individual components and will be available by prescription during the second half of 2008.

According to a company news release, only 57% of people with diabetes in the United States are meeting recommended blood glucose levels (hemoglobin A1c ≤ 7%). "We've seen that many patients need more than one therapy to control their type 2 diabetes," noted Patrick Fourteau, chief executive officer of Sciele Pharma, Inc.

By combining the insulin secretagogue repaglinide (Prandin; Novo Nordisk) with the sensitizer metformin, the combination tablets conveniently address 3 abnormalities of type 2 diabetes: impaired insulin secretion, insulin resistance, and excessive hepatic glucose production.

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Type 2 Diabetes and Memory Loss

Adults with type 2 diabetes who eat high-fat meals may experience memory declines immediately afterward, but this can be offset by taking antioxidant vitamins with the meal, according to new research.

There is already growing evidence linking diabetes to cognitive complications in humans. Adults with type 2 diabetes are especially vulnerable to acute meal-induced memory deficits after eating unhealthy foods.

This latest study, published in the July issue of Nutrition Research, suggests that taking high doses of antioxidant vitamins C and E with the meal may help minimize those memory slumps.
"Our bottom line is that consuming unhealthy meals for those with diabetes can temporarily further worsen already underlying memory problems associated with the disease," said lead author Michael Herman Chui, who conducted the research as a University of Toronto.

"We've shown that antioxidant vitamins can minimize oxidative stress from the meal and reduce those immediate memory deficits."

Type 2 diabetes is associated with chronic oxidative stress, a major contributor to cognitive decline and Alzheimer disease. Consuming unhealthy foods can induce this type of stress which is triggered by acute elevations of free radicals -- unstable molecules that can damage tissue, including brain tissue. These destructive molecule reactions typically occur over a one-to-three hour period after food ingestion.

Dr. Carol Greenwood, senior author of the study and a nationally recognized expert in how diet impacts brain function, cautioned that relying on antioxidant vitamins at meal time is not a quick fix. "While our study looked at the pill form of antioxidants, we would ultimately want individuals to consume healthier foods high in antioxidants, like fruits and vegetables," said Dr. Greenwood, a KLARU senior scientist at Baycrest.

In the study, 16 adults (aged 50 years and older) with type 2 diabetes participated in an unblinded trial where they attended three weekly sessions that involved consuming a different test meal. One meal consisted of high fat products -- a danish pastry, cheddar cheese and yogurt with added whipped cream; the second meal consisted of only water consumption; and the third test meal was the high-fat meal plus high doses of vitamins C (1000 mg) and E (800 IU) tablets.

Fifteen minutes after starting meal ingestion, participants completed a series of neuropsychological tests lasting 90 minutes that measured their recall abilities for words they had heard and paragraph information they had read. These cognitive skills are associated with the brain's memory centre -- the hippocampus.
Researchers found that vitamin supplementation consistently improved recall scores relative to the meal alone. Participants who ate the high fat meal without vitamin supplements showed significantly more forgetfulness of words and paragraph information in immediate and time delay recall tests, relative to those who had the water meal or the meal with antioxidant vitamins. Those on water meal and meal with vitamins showed similar levels in cognitive performance.

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