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Hearing loss  is more than twice as common in people with diabetes than in people without the condition, according to an analysis of 13 studies. However, no cause and effect was found when Japanese researchers pooled the results of studies involving nearly 8,800 people with hearing impairment, of whom more than 1,000 had diabetes, and 23,839 people without hearing impairment, of whom nearly 2,500 had diabetes.

It’s unknown why hearing loss is more common among people with diabetes, but most researchers believe that damage to the blood vessels is the main culprit, according to Pamela D. Parker, MD, of the A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Mesa, Ariz.. Autopsy studies of diabetes patients have shown that high blood sugar levels have damaged small blood vessels of the inner ear making it more difficult to hear.

For me, I just  wonder what the AGES were of those who had Diabetes and Hearing Loss? As we age, of course, the ability to hear decreases gradually and significantly. It would be interesting to see how age, diabetes, and hearing loss are related.

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Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema, a swelling of the retina that occurs in people  who suffer from diabetes retinopathy, have experienced significant  and prolonged sight improvement with injections of Roche's Lucentis. In fact,  better than 50% of the patients with DME who received monthly injections of Lucentis over 2 years improved so significantly that they would qualify for a driver's license in most states! Currently, Lucentis is indicated for wet age-related macular degeneration.

"This is a real game changer. This can give you a rapid prolonged improvement of vision and it's sustained for at least two years," Dr. David Boyer, who presented the data on Tuesday at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) meeting in San Diego, said in a telephone interview.

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Scientists in the UK, at Newcastle University, have found that Type 2 Diabetes can be cured by diet alone. In a small study, eleven people cut their food intake to just 600 calories( equivalent to two bowls of cereal) a day for 2 months. And, 90 days later, seven people  or 64% of the dieters , no longer had any symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes.

"To have people free of diabetes after years with the condition is remarkable – and all because of an eight-week diet," said Roy Taylor, professor at Newcastle University, who led the study. "This is a radical change in understanding Type 2 Diabetes. It will change how we can explain it to people newly diagnosed with the condition. While it has long been believed that someone with Type 2 Diabetes will always have the disease, and that it will steadily get worse, we have shown that we can reverse the condition."

Presented at an American Diabetes Association conference, the research demonstrated that an extremely low-calorie diet, consisting of diet drinks and non-starchy vegetables, prompts the body to remove the fat clogging the pancreas and preventing it from making insulin

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Have you seen the new graphics that will soon be appearing on each and every pack of cigarettes..both front and back? Above is one of  9 different pictures that you will see starting in September. For a non-smoker like myself, it's REALLY scary to see what smoking can do to someone's health. But the questions is, will it really help deter those who are truly addicted to smoking?

I mentioned the new labels to a smoker this morning and their response was " Oh, yes, I've seen them and I think Mexico has had warnings like this for awhile".I did not hear that the pictures were gross or horrible or made them sick. I did not hear that the pictures were an exaggeration or propaganda. And, most importantly, I did not hear that they will stop smoking any time soon.

Statistics show that since 1970, the number of Americans who smoke has fallen from 40% to 20% of the population. However, over 46 million people still smoke in ths country and the number decreasing has stalled since 2004. The FDA estimates that 213,000 people will stop smoking because of these new labels by 2013. That, my friends, is less than 0.5% of the total United States smoking population.

Let's just list some facts that decades of research have proven:

1. Each cigarette smoked shortens the user's lifespan by 11 minutes.

2. About half of cigarette smokers die of tobacco-related disease and lose on average 14 years of life.

3. Cigarette use by pregnant women has also been shown to cause birth defects including mental and physical disabilities.

4. Secondhand smoke from cigarettes has been shown to be injurious to bystanders, which has led to legislation that has banned their smoking in many workplaces and public areas.

 You can look up these facts for yourself. In the meantime, if someone you know or love smokes, please urge them to stop. For the sake of EVERBODY'S HEALTH!

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Just saw this ad and could not believe it. It's almost like having people save up enough Raleigh Cigarette Coupons (remember them?) so they could get a treatment for lung cancer!  It would be a whole lot better if they just donated $1.00 to JDRF with every  combo meal or every chicken sandwich. But to promote a  HUGE cup of soda ( I realize it could be a "diet soda") is not very P.R. smart.

And what's more, The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation defends it by saying the following:

 “JDRF supports research for type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that results when the immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, therefore requiring a child or adult with the disease to depend on insulin treatment for the rest of their lives. It is a common misconception that type 1 diabetes is caused by obesity or eating too much junk food or sweets.”

Okay, they may be right but a bucket of regular soda sure isn't going to help a person who may be pre-diabetic or have diabetes.  Why not give a dollar for each half gallon of ice cream  or each box of Oreo cookies sold then?

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As we enter the Summer months, here are some  important warning signs for Melanoma to be aware of  from the American Academy of Dermatology.

A Melanoma is a skin cancer that frequently develops in a mole or appears suddenly as a new dark spot on the skin. As you thoroughly examine your skin periodically, check for these warning signs:

A- stands for ASYMMETRY: One half of the mole or spot is unlike the other half.

B- stands for BORDER; irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined border.

C- stands for COLOR: varied from one area to another; shades of tan and brown, black; sometimes white, red or blue.

D- stands for DIAMETER; while melanomas are usually greater than 6mm (the size of a pencil eraser), when diagnosed, they can be smaller.

E- stands for EVOLVING; a mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape, or color.

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Now that Summer is here and we're all interested in getting that perfect tan at the beach or the pool, please understand that "The Sun is NOT your friend". Please use sunblock and cover your head if you are exposed to the sun for long periods of time. Please take 10 minutes and check your skin for any new lesions  or any changes to existing skin moles or sores.

Please click here and watch this video and then send it to everyone you know and especially to everyone you love.

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The Mercy Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center, a National Healing Corporation Wound Healing Center, offers these exercise tips:

• Before starting an exercise program, talk with your health care professional regarding the presence of vascular complications that could worsen with exercise and orthopedic or musculoskeletal conditions that may exempt certain exercises.

• Check your blood glucose before and after exercise to learn how your body responds. Those at risk for low blood glucose should have a source of carbohydrates nearby while exercising.

• Since dehydration is often an issue with diabetes, it is important to drink water early and frequently when exercising.

• For diabetics with reduced sensation, prolonged walking, jogging, using a treadmill and step exercises are not recommended. Instead, try swimming, bicycling, rowing, chair and arm exercises and other non-weight bearing activities.

• Proper footwear is essential. The use of silica gel or air midsoles as well as polyester or cotton/polyester socks will help prevent blisters and keep feet dry.

• The American College of Sports Medicine has demonstrated that resistance training can improve insulin sensitivity to about the same extent as aerobic exercise. The American Diabetes Association recommends that exercising with weights is acceptable for younger individuals but not recommended for older people with long-standing diabetes.

• There are many ways to increase physical activity besides formal exercise, such as: gardening, housecleaning and even marching in place or walking around the house during TV commercial breaks.

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Much has been written about the benefits of the antioxidant Lycopene which is found in tomatoes. Research has shown that Lycopene protects against a wide range of cancers, may help prevent heart attacks (by lowering cholesterol) and may even increase bone mass.

However, new research has found another nutrient in tomatoes, 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid , will fight Dyslipidemia, lowering cholesterol and fat in the bloodstream and thus possibly preventing arteriosclerosis and type-2 diabetes. 

“Finding a compound which helps the prevention of obesity-related chronic diseases in foodstuffs is a great advantage to tackling these diseases”, concluded research leader Dr. Teruo Kawada of Kyoto University in Japan, “It means that the tomato allows people to easily manage the onset of dyslipidemia through their daily diet.”

 

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