Researchers at the University of Haifa have discovered a substance called Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF) derived from yeast with hypoglycemic properties. The research has been conducted in diabetic rats and found to reduce blood glucose and lipids. The next phase of research is to conduct human testing as to the effectiveness of GTF. The research was conducted on two levels: on diabetic rats and on a molecular-cell level. The results... … [Read more...]

A crisis poses different meanings for people. Some of this has to do with our upbringing and our genetics and the environment plays a major role. Understanding how a crisis might affect one person or another might be similar to assessing pain in a patient.  Definitions of the word "crisis" as found in the Merriam-Webster dictionary are: the turning point for better or worse in an acute disease or fever; a paroxysmal attack of... … [Read more...]

At the recent annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, the results of cancer research studying the influence of obesity and diabetes on certain specific cancers were presented. Some of the research results are presented below: Women with diabetes were 1.5 times more likely to develop colon cancer versus those women without metabolic syndromeWomen with invasive breast cancer and high levels of C-peptide (marker of insulin... … [Read more...]

A just-published research study in the December issue of Diabetes Care evaluated the effects of moderate alcohol intake on blood glucose levels at fasting and postprandial states. The study used 109 type-2 diabetes patients to receive either 150 ml of wine (13 grams alcohol) or nonalcoholic diet beer (control) each day for a three-month period of time for the trial. Participants must have a history of previously abstaining from alcohol... … [Read more...]

A recent study in November's Diabetes Care found disturbed eating behaviors are far more prevalent in women than men and are more prevalent for those who have diabetes than the average population.  Disturbed Eating Behaviors (DEB), which includes sub-threshold and full-syndrome eating disorders (ED's) and mild eating disturbances, are far more common in girls and women with type 1 diabetes than their nondiabetic cohorts. DEB is... … [Read more...]

The National Institutes (NIH) of Health and National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Disorders (NIDDK) have studied and just released estimates of the incidence of type 2 diabetes in youth.  There findings coincided with World Diabetes Day. About 154, 000 youth in the U.S. have diabetes. From data originating from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2006, one in 523 youth younger than 20 years has diabetes. ... … [Read more...]

Tomorrow, Nov. 14, is World Diabetes Day. In December 2006, the United Nations passed a resolution recognizing diabetes as a chronic, debilitating, and costly disease. The resolution designates World Diabetes Day to be observed each year as an official United Nations Day.the goal of the resolution was to increase awareness about diabetes around the world.  The theme for this year is Diabetes in Children and Adolescents. Diabetes can... … [Read more...]

The European Heart Journal just released a study of 38,172 women without diabetes or cardiovascular disease by Harvard researchers to determine if over the course of 10 years whether a link exists between blood pressure and blood pressure progression and type 2 diabetes development. During the 10 years of the study, 1,672 women developed diabetes.  Further analysis found that baseline blood pressure and blood pressure progression appeared... … [Read more...]

It's Halloween time. And it's fairly obvious that Americans are not changing their preferred treat: candy.  According to the National Retail Federation, American consumers are expected to spend $1.55 billion on candy for this Halloween celebration. That amounts to an average of $19.84 per person this year compared to $18.72 in 2006. Three-fourths of consumers surveyed said they were planning on distributing candy this... … [Read more...]

The recent medical record breach with regards to George Clooney's recent hospital admission underscores how easy it might be for unwanted eyes to look at your medical records. Apparently hospital workers with electronic access to medical records accessed George Clooney's medical records to satisfy their own curiosity or to seek information that they might share with other unauthorized parties. Fear not -- your medical records are... … [Read more...]