Battling Diabetes

Music has the amazing ability to turn emotions on and off, to transport us to another place and yes, to heal.

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What exactly is a retina?

The retina is the area at the back of your eye that receives light. Impulses are then transmitted by the optic nerve to the brain. In order to do its job the retina utilizes a system of small blood vessels.

Diabetic retinopathy is progressive damage to the blood vessels that supply blood to the retina.

Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in the United States. Source: Mayo Clinic.

“Your chances of developing retinopathy increases the longer you have diabetes. If you have had diabetes for 10 years, you have a 50 percent chance of having retinopathy; if you have had diabetes for 20 years you are almost certain to have background retinopathy….it may just mean that there are early signs of damage to your retinal blood vessels.”

Source: Diabetes: A Practical Guide to Managing Your Health by Rosemary Walker & Jill Rodgers

The good news is that according to the American Diabetes Association, while diabetics are at greater risk for retinopathy, “most people who have diabetes have nothing more than minor eye disorders. ”

Types of Retinopathy:

Nonproliferative: per Merck Manual: produces increased capillary permeability, microaneurysms, hemorrhages, exudates, and macular edema and causes vision loss if untreated.

Proliferative:per Merck Manual: is characterized by abnormal new vessel formation, which occurs on the vitreous surface of the retina and may extend into the vitreous cavity and cause vitreous hemorrhages. Vision loss with proliferative retinopathy may be severe.

Some Complications of Retinopathy:

Glaucoma: is a group of conditions resulting in optic nerve damage. High pressure inside your eye is usually what causes this damage.

Cataracts:Is a clouding of the lens. It is a slowly progressive disease.

Retinal Detachment: This is considered a medical emergency and occurs when the retina detaches from the blood vessels that support the retina itself.

Vitreous Hemorrhage: per Mayo Clinic: The new blood vessels may bleed into the clear, jelly-like substance that fills the center of your eye. If the amount of bleeding is small, you might see only a few dark spots or floaters. In more severe cases, blood can fill the vitreous cavity and completely block your vision. Vitreous hemorrhage by itself usually doesn’t cause permanent vision loss. The blood often clears from the eye within a few weeks or months.

Macular Edema: Caused when amaged blood vessels leak fluid and lipids onto the macula

Resources:

Diabetic Eyes . com: The website of Dr. A. Paul Chous; eye doctor, diabetes educator, and author of the highly-acclaimed book Diabetic Eye Disease: Lessons From A Diabetic Eye Doctor.

Take Dr. Chous’ Eye-Q-Test.

And remember to protect your vision with controlled blood sugar levels and yearly eye exams.

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It may be July, but many savvy shoppers are already preparing for the holidays by shopping now.

No groaning.

I do not happen to be one of them. I shop in the middle of December;however there are lots of very organized people who are starting to make their lists and they are already checking them twice.

If that’s you, consider supporting diabetes research as you plan your 2008 gift giving.

Check out these sites and cool gift ideas.

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There are only four months until World Diabetes Day. Here at Battling Diabetes we will keep you updated on the events leading to this November 14, 2008 event, celebrated world wide to encourage awareness of diabetes. It includes the 200 member organizations of the International Diabetes Federation and 160 countries, all members of the United Nations. The date, November 14, was chosen to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, first conceived the idea which led to the discovery of insulin in 1922.

The logo of World Diabetes Day was adopted in 2007 to mark the passage of the United Nations World Diabetes Day Resolution.

The themes for World Diabetes Day present, past and future include:

2004: Diabetes and Obesity
2005: Diabetes and Foot Care
2006: Diabetes in the Disadvantaged and the Vulnerable
2007-2008: Diabetes in Children and Adolescents
2009-2013: Diabetes Education and Prevention

Global events are already being registered on the World Diabetes site. One in particular is the World Diabetes Day 2008 Monument Challenge.

The World Diabetes Day 2008 Monument Challenge aims to illuminate more than 500 monuments and iconic buildings in blue around the world on November 14. Helping to ‘Bring Diabetes to Light!’

See the map of currently listed monuments, ready to be lit up in blue, including the Empire State Building.

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Diabetes Events and News for the week:

New Game Plan Targets Pre-Diabetics. Check out this news video at CBC Evening News, from July 23. It includes information on diet, exercise and weight loss meds all targeted at the 57 million pre-diabetics in the United States.

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Known as Gurmar and Merasingi, gymnema sylvestre is a member of the milkweed family. It is a woody plant that grows in the tropical regions of central and south India. The leaves are used as an herbal extract to slow the absorption of glucose.

Gurmar means sugar destroyer.

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Patient: Doctor, if I give up wine, women, and song, will I live longer?

Doctor: Not really. It will just seem longer.

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Ever wonder if diabetics can safely donate blood?

General Guidelines of the American Red Cross updated 5/5/2008:

To give blood for transfusion to another person, you must be healthy, be at least 17 years old or 16 years old if allowed by state law. You must weigh at least 110 pounds, and not have donated whole blood in the last 8 weeks (56 days) or double red cells in the last 16 weeks (112 days).

“Healthy” means that you feel well and can perform normal activities. If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, “healthy” also means that you are being treated and the condition is under control.

Additionally information:

Donors with diabetes who since 1980, ever used bovine (beef) insulin made from cattle from the United Kingdom are not eligible to donate. This requirement is related to concerns about variant CJD, or ‘mad cow’ disease

More information on eligibility requirements are available at the American Red Cross site or check your local blood donation facility.

Ready to Donate?

Here’s a Little Info on the Donation Process:

Individuals can donate blood every eight weeks. It’s an ongoing need as red blood cells can only be stored for 42 days and platelets for 5 days.

From 1995-1999 the U.S. government put into place regulations to increase the safety of donated blood including testing to identify genetic viruses such as HIV and HCV.

Blood donating is considered a safe process. Bags and needles are used once and then disposed of. The FDA regulates all blood banks.

Do you have concerns about donation safety? The American Red Cross provides a presentation to answer all your questions about donating and giving the gift of life.

What do you know about blood? Take the quiz.

Test your knowledge here.

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We Have Winners here at Battling Diabetes!!!

The 30-Day Diabetes Miracle: Lifestyle Center of America’s Complete Program to Stop Diabetes, Restore Health and Build Natural Vitality (January 2008)

Won by Missy !!

and the companion cookbook-

The 30-Day Diabetes Miracle Cookbook: Stop Diabetes with an Easy-to Follow Plant-Based, Carb-Counting Diet (May 2008)

Won by Mary !!!

Congratulations, ladies.

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Nothing is forbidden to a diabetic. The mantra continues to be all about wise choices.

A recent question and answer in the L.A. Times discusses whether diabetics can eat fruit.

Dr. Adrienne Youdim, medical director of the Cedars-Sinai Center for Weight Loss, disses the idea that diabetics should avoid fruit, instead encouraging it as being part of a healthy daily meal plan, but with the awareness that some fruits have a higher glycemic index.

Ann Albright, president of healthcare and education for the Alexandria, Va.,-based American Diabetes Association further discusses fruit. “A diabetic’s response to eating fruit and other carb-rich foods will vary depending on time of day, current glucose levels, what else is or was being eaten, how the food was prepared and any medications being taken.”

She further states, “Be a bit more careful about non-fresh fruits, such as ones that are dried and canned in syrup — both have higher sugar contents. Unsweetened fruit juice is fine, but again, keep portion size in mind. Juice is not verboten, but don’t think that drinking a 32-ounce glass is OK because it’s healthy. The carb content is not that far off from a soda.”

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