Breakthrough Diabetes Pill Could Be Available Within Months

Diabetes is a major health concern, with type 2 accounting for between 85 and 95% of all people with the disease. Type 2 diabetes, then, affects wellness in a big way, but a new pill looks set to change all that. The breakthrough treatment works to slash blood sugar levels and offers hope to the wellbeing millions of diabetes sufferers. And, if you’re thinking we’re talking about a “promising study” or “preliminary finding”, think again: the pill has now been launched in the UK.

 

 

According to wellness writer Jo Willey, ‘The breakthrough treatment is being unveiled at the same time that the drug watchdog has recommended it for use on the NHS. Experts say the drug, canagliflozin, which is taken once a day, is a vital new weapon in the battle against the Type 2 diabetes epidemic and its devastating complications. It reduces blood sugar levels in people for whom diet and lifestyle measures or other blood sugar-lowering medicines do not work well enough, say the manufacturers Janssen. The drug, also called Invokana, blocks the re-absorption of glucose in the kidneys, which is instead passed in the urine.’

 

Professor Anthony Barnett, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Birmingham, commented, ‘We are seeing a growing number of people with Type 2 diabetes which can have the extremely serious consequences of heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputations. Canagliflozin, which can offer patients significant reductions in blood sugar levels whilst not increasing risks of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugars), represents an important new option in the management of a major UK epidemic.’ The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has given the pill a preliminary positive recommendation, and so the medication could be available within months.

 

In the Nice draft guidance, canagliflozin was said to be “useful” and recommended for use by some NHS patients with Type 2 diabetes when used in combination with other anti-diabetic drugs. Professor Carole Longson, of Nice, pointed out that ‘Type 2 diabetes can be difficult to treat and most people will eventually require a number of drugs, often used simultaneously. Canagliflozin represents a useful addition to the armoury of anti-diabetic drugs available. Nice is pleased to be able to ­recommend its use for some people with Type 2 diabetes.’ Dr Peter Barnes, the medical director at Janssen UK, added, ‘With the relentless increase in Type 2 diabetes, there is an ongoing need for additional treatment options. Not only does canagliflozin provide a new once-a-day oral treatment to help control blood glucose levels, it offers real value to the NHS.’

 

When your wellbeing is affected by type 2 diabetes, this means that your sugar – glucose – levels in your blood have become too high. The chronic disease is associated with 24,000 excess deaths each year, mainly from cardiovascular disease. In the UK, 3.2 million people are diagnosed with diabetes, and type 2 accounts for between 85 and 95% of all people with the disease. Your body develops type 2 diabetes when it can no longer produce insulin, or when the insulin that your body does produced does not work properly.

 

Typically, type 2 diabetes is treated with a healthy diet, increased physical activity and medication, but this doesn’t always prove effective. The National Diabetes Audit found that more than one in three patients with Type 2 diabetes in England and Wales are currently failing to achieve recommended blood glucose levels. Simon O’Neill of Diabetes UK noted, ‘Developing new treatments that give people more choice about how to manage their condition effectively are really important and so we look forward to seeing the results of the Nice consultation.’

Categories: anti diabetic, Blood glucose, Blood Sugar, Blood Sugar Control, breakthrough treatment, canagliflozin, Diabetes, diabetic drugs, glucose levels, sugar levels, type, Type 2 Diabetes

Study Finds Flavonoids Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Consuming a diet rich in flavonoids might reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. This is according to a new study, published in the peer-reviewed medical journal the Journal of Nutrition, which found that women who consumed more flavonoids –found in tea, berries and, yes, red wine and chocolate – appeared to have less biological signs they were heading for type 2 diabetes. These women had lower insulin resistance and lower insulin levels than those consuming lower levels of flavonoids – but does this mean you can consume as much chocolate and red wine as you want? Probably not.

 

The study researchers, who came from the University of East Anglia and King’s College London, commented that information from laboratory experiments suggests that several flavonoid subclasses are involved in glucose metabolism – a key part of diabetes. However, according to the NHS website, ‘This study does not give the green light to drink red wine above the recommended levels or to consume chocolate often – any potential benefits of diabetes prevention are likely to be overshadowed by the already known risks of excessive sugar, fat and alcohol consumption, including liver disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer… A proven method of reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes is to maintain a healthy weight, and contrary to media reports, a diet rich in wine and chocolate is not going to help you with that.’

 

The researchers used food questionnaires filled in by a group of 1,997 women aged 18 to 76 who were taking part in the Twins UK registry. From these results, they calculated the women’s intake of flavonoids and a range of flavonoid sub-classes from food and drink, and compared them to a number of markers of type 2 diabetes that were measured during a clinical assessment between 1996 and 2000. These markers included fasting blood glucose, insulin, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, plasminogen activator inhibitor and adiponectin. Tea was the main source of total flavonoid (81%), flavan-3-ol (91%), flavonol (63%), and polymer (83%) intake. Grapes, pears, wine and berries contributed >10% of anthocyanin intake, and oranges, wine and peppers to >10% of flavone intake.

 

The researchers found that those who had a high intake of anthocyanins were significantly more likely to have lower insulin resistance and lower fasting insulin levels. Therefore, the investigators came to the conclusion that ‘the findings of the current study provide an insight into the potential mechanisms by which anthocyanins may act to reduce type 2 diabetes risk and are consistent with previous studies investigating intake of specific flavonoid subclasses and type 2 diabetes risk.’ They added, ‘It is plausible that increasing intakes of anthocyanin-rich foods, such as grapes, berries, and wine, would lead to greater improvements in insulin resistance because in vitro [in the laboratory] studies have shown previously that this is dose-dependent relation.’

 

However, the NHS website warns, ‘The bottom line is that this study only highlights a possible link and cannot prove cause and effect. A clinical trial is needed before these results can be believed. We would have no problem promoting a diet rich in fresh fruits such as berries and oranges. However, care should be taken with tea; excessive amounts of caffeine may trigger symptoms of irritability and insomnia in some people. As with chocolate and wine, it could be the case that any potential benefit is outweighed by the risk, such as liver disease and obesity.’ Again, however, this is not an excuse to overdo it on more than the recommended levels of chocolate and red wine – or at least, not until a larger study comes to the same conclusions.

Categories: Diabetes risk, diet rich, flavonoid subclasses, flavonoids, insulin levels, insulin resistance, nhs website, recommended levels, Red Wine, reduce type, Research, Type 2 Diabetes

ACE Advice: Safe and Effective Exercise for Type 2 Diabetics

Whether you’ve only just found out that your wellness is affected by diabetes, or you’ve known about it for years, you face a certain challenge: exercising safely without having to stress about your blood sugar. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says you need to ‘check your blood glucose about every 45 minutes after a hard workout and gauge whether your blood glucose is going down, going up, or levelling off.’ But don’t let the faff get in the way of the fitness; here’s why it’s so important to get it right.

 

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), “Type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to lifestyle factors, especially diet and exercise. People at highest risk of developing type 2 diabetes have a family history, as well as other cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. However, the same techniques that are used for prevention of this disease—a healthy diet and regular exercise—can be used to control and possibly reverse its progression.”

 

The reason why regular exercise is so effective is that it lowers your insulin resistance, helping your body respond in a healthier way to glucose. Plus, fitness reduces your risk of heart disease due to the ways in which it promotes weight loss and reduces your cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Still, you still need to be careful when engaging in exercise, and check your glucose levels before and after your workouts. It also important to exercise with a friend, and wear your diabetes ID bracelet – just in case.

 

So if you want to improve your well-being and fitness levels, what should you be aiming for? George Griffing, MD, professor of endocrinology at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis, notes that your goal should be 30 minutes total of exercise each day, and several brief workouts are fine. He comments, ‘We need people with diabetes up and moving. If you can do your exercise in one 30 minute stretch, fine. But if not, break it up into increments you can manage that add up to at least 30 minutes each day.’ Remember; you should always consult your doctor before starting any exercise programme.

Categories: Benefits, Blood glucose, blood pressure, Diabetes, exercise, Exercise Goals, regular exercise, Type 2 Diabetes

New Way to Curb Type 2 Diabetes

A team of researchers has shown good progress while studying a new way to treat people with Type 2 Diabetes by using a barrier that is able to block some harmful foods. Experts have thought for a long time that there is a strong link between diabetes and obesity. It’s so strong some have coined a new word for it: “diabesity”.

There is no doubt that diabetes is one of the biggest health concerns in the world right now. It has been previously worried about as only a problem the highly developed nations, but as cheap, sugar-filled food and drinks spreads across the world there are increasing problems with the condition everywhere.

The researchers, who are based at the University of Colorado Anschutz campus, are getting ready to test the new potential treatment for those who are struggling with their weight and diabetes. The new medical device that it is hoped will deal with part of the problem resembles a tube-shaped plastic bag and is called the Endobarrier.

There is no need to cut into the body and no medication is involved. The device is simply inserted through the mouth and down the oesophagus and stomach and into the intestine. The barrier is able to help with weight loss.

Some studies show that it improves Type 2 Diabetes. Now researchers in the U.S. have decided to put it to the test. A clinical trial will include around 500 patients with up to 25 in Colorado. It will be free to participate.

The year-long study does have some risks including possible pain where the barrier attaches and possible bleeding. The device will be removed the same way it was put in.

New Way to Curb Type 2 Diabetes

Categories: endobarrier, treatment, Type 2 Diabetes

Add Walnuts to your Diet to Reduce the Risk of Diabetes

Adding walnuts to diet could reduce an older woman’s risk of developing diabetes, according to US research.

The study, by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, built on previous research which had revealed a potential correlation between nuts and the prevention of diabetes. The Harvard study pinpointed walnuts as the nut most likely to reduce middle-aged women’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Nuts have a high fat content and this would seem to make them an unlikely aid to preventing diabetes, one of the causes of which is known to be obesity. However, the Nurses’ Health Studies I and II, which has been monitoring women’s diet and health for three decades, looked at middle-aged women who had been consuming walnuts over a 10-year period and discovered a possible link between eating walnuts regularly and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

The Harvard study did note that eating too many nuts could be a health concern because nuts are high in fat and also have a high energy content. However, the research showed that women who ate a lot of walnuts didn’t put on weight and now more research is planned to explore exactly how walnuts stop an individual gaining weight.

Walnuts are rich in a fatty acid known as polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFAs, and have many other nutrients, antioxidants and compounds that are beneficial to health. PUFAs help with cognition and brain function and the Harvard team believe PUFAs may hold the key to diabetes prevention.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the blood disorder, in which the body fails to produce enough insulin or any insulin at all to convert the glucose in food into fuel for the blood cells. It is considered one of the major worldwide health problems, usually affecting people over the age of 40.

Add Walnuts to your Diet to Reduce the Risk of Diabetes

Categories: aged women, Diabetes, harvard, harvard study, health, Middle-Aged, nuts, reduced risk, Type 2 Diabetes, Walnuts

Why are Asian Americans at High Risk of Type 2 Diabetes?

There’s no denying that Diabetes is a worldwide epidemic – the condition was found to affect the wellbeing of 370 million people across the globe last year – but 50% of these cases came from Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. According to a study conducted in New York City, Asian Americans have the highest prevalence of having diabetes or pre-diabetes, with one in every two adults of Asian descent having diabetes or at risk of the disease.

If your body is unable to produce insulin, or unable to properly use and store glucose, this is what’s known as diabetes. Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas, which is important for your wellness as it helps glucose get into your cells and turn into energy. Usually, your body turns the food you eat into glucose, and the glucose is then used as energy. However, when you have diabetes, this glucose isn’t absorbed but instead builds up in your bloodstream, reaching dangerously high levels.

Diabetes breaks down into two major types; type 1 and type 2. In the case of type 1 diabetes, which is often caused by genetic factors, your body completely stops producing insulin. With type 2 diabetes, which is more related to lifestyle factors, your body is unable to produce insulin and/or it cannot use insulin properly.  Of those of Asian American descent with diabetes, up to 95% of cases are type 2.

So why is the disease so prevalent among this population group? Asian Americans who are overweight, have a family history of diabetes, or have a personal history of pre-diabetes or gestational diabetes (diabetes occurring only during pregnancy) are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. More and more Asian Americans have adopted a less active lifestyle and diet of Western food that is low in fiber, high in fat and calories, which has further contributed to the epidemic of type 2 diabetes in Asian Americans.

The problem that then arises is that language barriers and a lack of culturally appropriate diabetes materials make it more difficult for some Asian Americans to achieve good diabetes control. More needs to be done to produce health care providers who understand their cultural values and the unique cultural challenges that Asian Americans may face. That way, this high risk population group can receive individualised treatment, as well as better prevention strategies.

Why are Asian Americans at High Risk of Type 2 Diabetes?

Categories: Americans, Asian, Asian Americans, Diabetes, Epidemic, high risk, population group, Pre-Diabetes, produce insulin, type, Type 2 Diabetes

How a Change of Lifestyle Can Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

The rising epidemic of diabetes worldwide is of major concern to health professionals. Type 2 diabetes, once referred to as late onset diabetes, is a form of the blood disorder where the body fails to produce any or enough insulin to convert the sugar in the blood into glucose that the body’s cells can use.

Like type 1 diabetes – which is less common and is usually diagnosed in early years or before an individual reaches 40 – there is no cure for type 2 diabetes. However, it is possible to prevent the condition from developing.

Following a healthy diet, losing weight and exercising more to control blood sugar levels are all ways in which people can avoid developing diabetes. The majority of those who become diabetic are overweight or clinically obese; they are also likely to display hypertension or high blood pressure; while a history of diabetes in the family will increase an individual’s risk of developing the condition.

If you are concerned that you are at risk of type 2 diabetes or have a history of the disease in your family, you can follow some simple steps to reduce that risk.

To start, find out more about the condition – talk to your doctor and seek out information from charities dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes. Screening can reveal if you are at risk. Becoming more aware of the risks and symptoms of diabetes is a good start to avoiding the disease.

Where necessary change your diet to a healthier one that encourages good glycaemic control and also helps you to lose weight and maintain that weight loss. Again you can get professional advice on nutrition and on following a specific weight loss program. Eating the right amounts and in the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and sugar will help.

Exercise is crucial and should be incorporated into everyone’s daily routine. Even a gentle stroll will help make you more active while housework and gardening where you work up a sweat and get your heart rate up are ideal.

If you are unfortunate enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you can learn to manage and control your condition so that you continue to live a happy, fulfilling life.

How a Change of Lifestyle Can Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Categories: Blood, Diabetes, prevent, risk, type, Type 2 Diabetes, weight, Weight Loss

How to Reduce Your Risk of Post-Pregnancy Type 2 Diabetes

If you develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, you have a significant wellness risk of getting type 2 diabetes either soon after giving birth or within the next ten or more years. However, according to a new study, which appears in the Archives of Internal Medicine, you can greatly reduce that risk by eating certain healthy diet options.

Gestational diabetes can affect your baby’s and your wellbeing in a number of ways, including having a large baby (which has several associated risks during labour and delivery) and your baby having very low blood glucose levels and/or breathing problems. Notably, gestational diabetes increases your risk for type 2 diabetes later on in life, but until now few studies have examined modifiable risk factors which could help you prevent the disease. For the new research, 4,413 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study II, and who had a history of gestational diabetes, were followed from 1991 through to 2005 using a food frequency questionnaire which was completed every four years.

Using a point system, the researchers evaluated three dietary patterns; the alternate Mediterranean diet (aMED), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and alternate Healthy Eating Index (aHEI). These dietary approaches were chosen because they have been shown to reduce risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the general population, and all are based on a good intake of fruits and vegetables, low consumption of red and processed meats, carbohydrate quality, and low intake of saturated fats.

The results of the study were that all three dietary approaches were associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but with varying degrees of effectiveness. The aHEI diet pattern, which was distinct from the others in advocating long-term use of multivitamins, greater fibre intake from cereals and an emphasis of white over dark meat, was associated with a 57% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The DASH diet, on the other hand, was linked to a 46% lower risk, and aMED to a still significant 40% lower risk.

Therefore, the researchers concluded that a healthy diet can help women with a history of gestational diabetes reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future, noting that a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and select white meat, seafood, legumes, and nuts for protein, is preferable. The authors also encouraged reducing your intake of red and processed meats and avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages.

Google+
How to Reduce Your Risk of Post-Pregnancy Type 2 Diabetes

Categories: diet, Gestational Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

How to Reduce Your Risk of Post-Pregnancy Type 2 Diabetes

If you develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, you have a significant wellness risk of getting type 2 diabetes either soon after giving birth or within the next ten or more years. However, according to a new study, which appears in the Archives of Internal Medicine, you can greatly reduce that risk by eating certain healthy diet options.

Gestational diabetes can affect your baby’s and your wellbeing in a number of ways, including having a large baby (which has several associated risks during labour and delivery) and your baby having very low blood glucose levels and/or breathing problems. Notably, gestational diabetes increases your risk for type 2 diabetes later on in life, but until now few studies have examined modifiable risk factors which could help you prevent the disease. For the new research, 4,413 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study II, and who had a history of gestational diabetes, were followed from 1991 through to 2005 using a food frequency questionnaire which was completed every four years.

Using a point system, the researchers evaluated three dietary patterns; the alternate Mediterranean diet (aMED), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and alternate Healthy Eating Index (aHEI). These dietary approaches were chosen because they have been shown to reduce risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the general population, and all are based on a good intake of fruits and vegetables, low consumption of red and processed meats, carbohydrate quality, and low intake of saturated fats.

The results of the study were that all three dietary approaches were associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but with varying degrees of effectiveness. The aHEI diet pattern, which was distinct from the others in advocating long-term use of multivitamins, greater fibre intake from cereals and an emphasis of white over dark meat, was associated with a 57% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The DASH diet, on the other hand, was linked to a 46% lower risk, and aMED to a still significant 40% lower risk.

Therefore, the researchers concluded that a healthy diet can help women with a history of gestational diabetes reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future, noting that a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and select white meat, seafood, legumes, and nuts for protein, is preferable. The authors also encouraged reducing your intake of red and processed meats and avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages.

Google+
How to Reduce Your Risk of Post-Pregnancy Type 2 Diabetes

Categories: diet, Gestational Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

How To Manage Diabetes With Bitter Melon

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common health problems found across the UK. It can be caused or exacerbated by an unhealthy diet that is packed with sugar. Unfortunately, that type of diet is now increasingly common in this country and has led to a huge increase in the number of cases of type 2 diabetes. This has left many people suffering with the conditions to look for an easy way to manage it. And for more and more this means using the bitter melon.

If you’ve never heard of a bitter melon, it is also known as bitter gourd, is referred to as both a vegetable and as a fruit of the Momordica charantia plant. Whichever you go for, bitter melon only grows in tropical and subtropical regions and lives up to its name because of its very bitter taste.

Bitter melon is a surprisingly popular natural remedy for type 2 diabetes. This is especially true among traditional medicine practitioners and it now the subject of various research studies that have presented varying and inconsistent results.

These numerous studies, which have used both animals and humans, have indicated that bitter melon could be extremely useful in the management of blood sugar levels among sufferers of type 2 diabetes. One reason for this increased interest in bitter melon is the finding of research published in 2008. This research looked at four bioactive components identified in bitter melon.

In that study, the team of investigators reported that the bitter melon seemed to activate a protein which is known to be involved with metabolism and with the ability of the body’s cells to take in glucose. The study’s authors stated that bitter melon was not associated with any side effects and that Chinese medicine practitioners had been using the vegetable for hundreds of years with impressive results.

Google+
How To Manage Diabetes With Bitter Melon

Categories: bitter melon, Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

How Diet Pill Can Aid Weight Loss in Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes, sometimes referred to as late onset diabetes, is a lifelong condition where the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin to function properly or the body’s cells don’t react properly to the insulin. This causes the blood sugar level in the body to become too high. The condition usually affects people over the age of 40 but is becoming increasingly common in younger people, something the medical profession is attributing to weight.

One of the first things a doctor will advise a patient diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is to try to lose weight – even losing around 5% of your weight can improve the management of blood sugar levels, known as glycaemic control. However, many diabetics find it difficult to shift weight with diet and exercise alone and so there has been a move towards prescribing drugs that can help them achieve the desired weight loss.

Now new research has revealed that a diet pill has helped type 2 diabetes patients lose weight successfully. Reporting in the journal Obesity, the researchers say lorcaserin, a drug that targets the appetite signals in the brain, is not only safe for use in patients with type 2 diabetes but is actually highly effective in helping them achieve a significant weight loss.

The researchers, drawn from various academic institutions and members of the Obesity Society, embarked on a study entitled BLOOM-DM (Behavioural Modification and Lorcaserin for Obesity and Overweight Management in Diabetes Mellitus) involving more than 600 obese and overweight participants over the course of a year. The participants were divided into three groups, one of which received lorcaserin twice a day.

Those participants who took lorcaserin while also taking part in a weight loss program lost an average 5.5% of their body weight while also seeing improved glycaemic control.

The next step for any research would involve testing lorcaserin on the wider diabetic population to see if the same weight loss can be achieved.

Google+
How Diet Pill Can Aid Weight Loss in Type 2 Diabetes

Categories: diet pill, Type 2 Diabetes, Weight Loss

Why Pharmacists Are Important In The Fight Against Diabetes

While there’s no doubt that diabetes patients need a doctor’s care, they also directly benefit from a having a team approach. Pharmacists, with their accessibility and medication expertise, can play a vital role in treating diabetes and making life easier for the sufferer. There are more diabetes cases than ever before and with costs on the rise there is a need to deliver more cost-effective and worthwhile diabetes management and support through existing healthcare resources.

A recent study found that pharmacists make a very positive contribution to the treatment of patients who have Type 2 diabetes. The authors based their study on 17 articles that evaluated interventions delivered by a pharmacist either alone or as part of a team, in order to treat diabetes.

While the researchers found that pharmacists help produce improvements in controlling the blood sugar level, their study suggested that pharmaceutical care for Type 2 diabetes can have a positive impact on health-related quality of life. The research actually suggests that pharmacists have a greater effect on mental rather than physical health.

Prescription medicine is only a small aspect of what a pharmacist can provide. They can be spoken to about complex medical problems without having to make an appointment and they can often give excellent insight into health problems and offer suggestions to help.

Through regular and less formal contact than that with doctors, pharmacists are able to build important relationships with patients and become a reliable source of information. Pharmacists in both the community and clinics can also have on-going relationships with other health care professionals and bridge the gap between health care providers and the patients.

Google+
Why Pharmacists Are Important In The Fight Against Diabetes

Categories: pharmacists, team, Type 2 Diabetes

Why Early Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes is Essential

Undiagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes number an estimated 850,000 cases in the UK. People who have the blood disorder but don’t yet know it are putting themselves at risk of health complications, such as stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputation.

Type 2 diabetes, sometimes referred to as late or adult onset diabetes, is a chronic condition that is most prevalent in those who are obese or overweight, those who are not physically active, older people and those with a family history of developing diabetes. If you have a large waist, you are also in the high-risk category.

Failing to have the condition diagnosed can lead an individual to be exposed to higher risks of developing other dangerous health conditions. The charity Diabetes UK is trying to raise awareness of the risk factors associated with the condition, encouraging those in the high-risk categories to examine their lifestyles and current health for signs of the disorder, which can go undetected for a number of years. Typical symptoms include a strong feeling of thirst, urinating more frequently, feeling tired and weight loss.

Diabetes UK wants those at risk of type 2 diabetes to seek an early diagnosis because the earlier the condition is diagnosed, the quicker patients can get the necessary treatment and so avoid further health complications.

Diabetes is a chronic blood disorder in which an individual’s blood sugar levels are too high. Type 2 diabetes develops when the body does not produce enough or any insulin to turn glucose in the blood into cells.

In the UK, the NHS Health Check programme is used for early detection of type 2 diabetes with the government aiming to prevent more than 4,000 people every year from developing diabetes.

Google+
Why Early Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes is Essential

Categories: diagnosis, risk factors, Type 2 Diabetes

Stressed? You May Be at Higher Risk of Developing Diabetes

There are many things that can stress you out. Whether your boss is demanding too much of you at work or your kids start bugging you as soon as you walk in the door, there’s a reason why so many of us are reporting feeling permanently stressed. Even worrying about your wellness can further tax your emotional wellbeing, but, unfortunately, a recent Swedish study on stress has, ironically, given you something else to worry about.

According to researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, if you are a permanently stressed man, you are significantly more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than men with no stress in their lives. This is the result of a study of almost 7,000 men who were taking part in a long-term population-based health study.

At the beginning of the research, none of the men had any history of diabetes, stroke or heart disease and 15.5% reported experiencing permanent or chronic stress related to conditions at work or home during the past one to five years. 899 of these men developed type 2 diabetes over the 35 years they were followed, and the researchers concluded that there was a link between the metabolic condition and your level of stress.

The specific results were that, when compared to men who reported feeling no stress or only periodical stress, those who said that they were permanently stressed were discovered to have a 45% greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes. Even when the researchers took other risk factors into account, such as age, levels of physical activity, body mass index, blood pressure and use of high blood pressure medication, for example, the connection between stress levels and diabetes remained statistically significant.

According to Masuma Novak, lead author of the study, which is published in the journal Diabetic Medicine, ‘Today, stress is not recognised as a preventable cause of diabetes. However our study shows that there is an independent link between permanent stress and the risk of developing diabetes, which underlines the importance of preventive measures.’ If you feel like you’re permanently stressed, consult your doctor or look online for ways to relieve your stress, and improve your health.

Google+
Stressed? You May Be at Higher Risk of Developing Diabetes

Categories: men's health, Permanent Stress, Type 2 Diabetes

You are What You Taste: Can Your Sweet Tooth Cause Diabetes?

Everyone has their dietary vices, especially when it comes to foods that you know are bad for you, but just tastes so good. However, different people find joy in different kinds of junk. You might be inclined to a caramel doughnut every now and then, whilst your friend may prefer to grab a bag of salt and vinegar crisps, but, as it’s all bad for you, your taste preferences don’t matter right?

Unfortunately, if your taste buds do tingle for something sweet, your wellbeing could be more at risk of serious health concerns. A study the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has found that if you have a super sweet tooth and a high aversion against bitter flavours, your more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, increasing your risk for type 2 diabetes, as well as stroke and coronary artery disease.

For the study, which was published in the Journal of Food Science, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill looked at how two tasting profiles, known as sweet likers (SL) and supertasters (ST), interact and affect your dietary intake and health, particularly with regard to metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is a term for a group of risk factors that increase your chances of developing certain life-threatening diseases.

When it came to analysing the results, the team of researchers found that if you have both of the two taste profiles or neither taste profiles, you are more likely to have an increased risk of metabolic syndrome. However, people who are only an SL or an ST are less likely to develop the syndrome.

The scientists also discovered that the interaction between the two taste profiles was significantly linked to your intake of fibre and beverages. This suggests that not only do your tasting patterns have an effect on your risk of certain diseases, they may also influence your dietary intake.

Before you throw away the tub of ice-cream in your freezer, bear in mind that the researchers concluded by saying that more research needs to be done in exploration of testing these tasting profiles. However, they added that they hope this further research can help doctors to tailor dietary interventions to prevent and treat metabolic syndrome.

Google+
You are What You Taste: Can Your Sweet Tooth Cause Diabetes?

Categories: Researchers, Sweet Tastebuds, Type 2 Diabetes