Battling Diabetes

Check this out: Young Voices Unite, national online video campaign, is inviting people affected by type 1 diabetes to submit a 1-minute video message with 1) their personal story and 2) how our next president can help change the future of diabetes. Discovery Health will give the videos national exposure and for each video submission, Novo Nordisk will donate funds to Junior Diabetes Research Fund JDRF (up to $25,000).

The top video will be featured during the World Diabetes Day Young Voices: Life with Diabetes Forum in New York City. Submitting videos is absolutely free, so take advantage of this opportunity to get your desires, attitudes, wishes and needs about diabetes heard! The deadline is October 24th! More information is available here.

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World Diabetes Day is almost here.

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The September Diabetes Forecast discusses 10 Ways to Get Healthy Right Now; a really informative article by Tracey Neithercott that also discusses the sleep and diabetes connection.

Big Idea #2 Get More Sleep

…in a 2006 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers found that people with type 2 diabetes who reported shortened periods of sleep or poor sleep quality had higher A1C’s than those who had long, restful slumber.

U.S News & World Report article, January 3, 2008. Lack of Deep Sleep Raises Diabetes Risk

According to the researchers, three nights of interrupted sleep effectively gave people in their 20s the glucose and insulin metabolisms of people three times their age.

Sleep–Here’s The Big Picture

The sleep cycle consists of four stages, going from light to deep sleep and finally REM (Rapid Eye Movement). The sleep cycle takes about 90 minutes. Per SleepDex, “infants spend almost 50% of their time in REM sleep. Adults spend nearly half of sleep time in stage 2, about 20% in REM and the other 30% is divided between the other three stages . ”

So what do you think? Are you sleep deprived?

Find out.

Test your reaction time at Sheep Dash.

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November is American Diabetes Month.
Are you ready to raise awareness in your community?

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Our thoughts are with those affected by Hurricane Ike, Gustav and Hannah, many of whom are diabetics.

PRNewsWire, Sept. 11, 2008.

Feeding America Issues Urgent National Plea for Funds to Feed Hurricane Gustav Victims in Baton Rouge and Throughout Louisiana

The public is urged to visit feedingamerica.org to make a financial donation to the disaster relief fund.

 In the days before the storm hit, an estimated 2 million people evacuated coastal towns. Some of the most pressing needs are not directly related to storm damage, but rather the effect of the mass evacuation. Thousands of at-risk families were forced to spend their limited resources on transportation, lodging, dining out and other expenses. Many have returned to homes without electricity, meaning that all food left in refrigerators and freezers had spoiled. Many are without the funds to replenish their food supplies — or even the ability to access groceries.

 Donations made to Feeding America are used to secure and distribute easily prepared food such at canned and shelf-stable goods such as soups, peanut butter, and tuna, which required no refrigeration or preparation; meals: ready-to-eat (MREs); and hand-held snacks like granola bars. The organization also secures frequently requested items such as bottled water, baby formula, disposable diapers and cleaning supplies, which are more difficult to acquire following a disaster.

 

From the American Red Cross:

Prepare for Disasters Before they Strike: Build A Disaster Supplies Kit

 There are six basics you should stock for your home in the case of an emergency:

water, food, first aid supplies, clothing and bedding, tools and emergency supplies, and special items for medical conditions.Or purchase your emergency kit at the Red Cross Store.

How You Can Help Hurricane Relief

When people are victims of a hurricane, the American Red Cross is ready to provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance. You can help people affected by the Hurricanes of 2008, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Go online to www.redcross.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS to donate today! You can also use your cell phone to donate $5 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by text messaging the keyword “GIVE” to “2HELP” (24357). Donations will appear on monthly bills or be debited from a prepaid account balance. All applicable text rates apply.If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, you should call 1-800-REDCROSS. To learn more about hurricane preparedness, visit RedCross.org.

More Diabetes News:

 The Financial Express, September 12, 2008. Novo Nordisk Launches New Diabetic Device. The new generation Flex Pen needs 30 percent less force, making it more comfortable for patients and encouraging more compliance.

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Unbelievable weather here in the Rockies. Temperatures hovered at 48 degrees. Can snow be far off?

Here’s what’s going on in the world of diabetes…

• September 24-26 is the 4th annual Joslin Under the Stars presented by Walgreens. Whether you are fitness fanatic, an avid golfer, corporate executive or long time Joslin friend; this three-day event has something for everyone. Come celebrate Joslin’s 110 years of excellence. As the world’s preeminent and largest diabetes institution devoted to diabetes research, treatment and education, Joslin is uniquely positioned to lead an extensive international campaign to prevent and cure the disease and its complications.

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Statistics are helpful.

Check out these from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse:

Prevalence of Diagnosed and Undiagnosed Diabetes in the United States, All Ages, 2007

Total: 23.6 million people—7.8 percent of the population—have diabetes.

Diagnosed: 17.9 million people

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I hope you’re having a great weekend, where ever you are in the world. Here in Denver, we are now post Democratic National Convention. There is a nice breeze in the foothills and we have a three-day holiday weekend.

Diabetes Events From Around the World and Coast to Coast:

Enter the Walk in Nick’s Shoes Sweepstakes-Nick Jonas and The Bayer Diabetes W.I.N.S Sweepstakes

Meet Nick in Los Angeles on November 1st

Winners get to meet Nick in L.A. Flights and hotel included. And the opportunity to be part of Team Jonas at the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes. Plus, you’ll receive your own personal diabetes coach for 1 year who will help you simplify your life with diabetes through one-to-one support.

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Hope your weekend is great. Here’s what is going on in the world of diabetes.

The Diabetes Action Team is running to conquer diabetes.

By joining the Diabetes Action Team, you can participate in any event you choose and gain the satisfaction of knowing you did it not just for yourself, but to help prevent, treat, and cure diabetes.

The Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation is committed to the prevention and treatment of diabetes and to the funding of innovative, promising research aimed at finding a cure for diabetes and diabetes related complications.

The focus of The Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation:

• Alternative and complementary research
• Grants for nutritional research
• Promising research to find a cure for diabetes
• Innovative research to prevent and treat diabetes
• American Indian diabetes prevention and treatment programs
• International medical assistance
• Children’s camp scholarship program
• Education and prevention programs

The Diabetes Action Team will be participating in the Marine Corps Marathon October 26, 2008.

The Marine Corps Marathon, or The People’s Marathon, is the 4th largest marathon in the United States. The course moves through Washington, DC, past monuments, the Capitol, and the National Mall, and finishes in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial where a Marine will place your medal around your neck.

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Diabetic neuropathies, or nerve damage, can be a serious health issue for diabetics and in fact affects up to 50 percent of all diabetics, because it can involve nerves of any organ of the body.

Per the Mayo Clinic:

“Diabetic neuropathy has no known cure. Treatment for diabetic neuropathy focuses on:

• Slowing progression of the disease
• Relieving pain
• Managing complications
• Restoring function

Consistently keeping blood sugar within a narrow target range can help delay the progression of peripheral neuropathy and may even cause an improvement in symptoms you already have. In some people, intense glucose control may reduce the overall risk of diabetic neuropathy by more than 60 percent.”

The most common type of diabetic neuropathy is Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.

DPN is nerve damage that causes numbness, tingling and pain and or a burning sensation in the extremities.

The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse defines DPN:

Peripheral neuropathy, also called distal symmetric neuropathy or sensorimotor neuropathy, is nerve damage in the arms and legs. Your feet and legs are likely to be affected before your hands and arms. Many people with diabetes have signs of neuropathy that a doctor could note but feel no symptoms themselves. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may include

• numbness or insensitivity to pain or temperature
• a tingling, burning, or prickling sensation
• sharp pains or cramps
• extreme sensitivity to touch, even light touch
• loss of balance and coordination

These symptoms are often worse at night.

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