Diabetes out of control in many countries

March 2, 2011, 5:36pm

CHICAGO (Reuters) – People with diabetes in the United States and several other countries do not get effective treatment to control their disease, US researchers said on Tuesday, and health insurance, not personal wealth, plays a big role in determining which diabetics get good care.

The findings suggest millions of people with diabetes are undiagnosed or poorly treated, putting them at risk of an early death from heart disease or significant complications of diabetes, such as blindness, chronic kidney disease and foot problems that can require amputations.

"Too many people are not being properly diagnosed with diabetes and related cardiovascular risk factors. Those who are diagnosed aren't being effectively treated," Dr. Stephen Lim of The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle said in a statement.

"This is a huge missed opportunity to lower the burden of disease in both rich and poor countries," said Lim, who worked on the study published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization.

Diabetes is reaching epidemic levels. An estimated 280 million people, or 6.4 percent of the world's population, are suffering from it, according to the researchers.

Overweight people have an increased risk of developing it, and cases are predicted to rise swiftly in coming decades as obesity rates increase.

The research team used data from national health surveys to study diabetes diagnosis and treatment rates in the Colombia, England, Iran, Mexico, Scotland, Thailand and the United States and found widespread rates of undiagnosed and poorly treated diabetes.

In the United States, nearly 90 percent of adult diabetics - or more than 16 million adults aged 35 and older - fail to meet widely accepted targets for healthy levels of blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.

In Mexico, 99 percent of adult diabetics are not meeting those targets.

In Thailand, up to 62 percent or more than 663,000 men surveyed are either undiagnosed or untreated for diabetes.

Of those who had been diagnosed with diabetes, many are not getting the treatment they need, the team found.

Diabetics have higher risk of death from cancer

By KATE KELLAND and GENE EMERY

March 3, 2011, 2:53pm

LONDON (Reuters) – Doctors know that diabetics have a higher than normal risk of dying of heart attacks or strokes, but new research on Wednesday showed that having diabetes also ups the risk of dying from many cancers and other diseases.

The findings shed light on the potential burden of disease that will build in the future as the number of cases of diabetes is predicted to rise dramatically in coming decades.

"These findings highlight even more the need to prevent diabetes and to understand it better," said Emanuele Di Angelantonio of Britain's Cambridge University, who worked on the study as part of an international collaboration.

"They show that diabetes is not only a cardiovascular risk factor, but is linked as well to other conditions."

The research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), collated and analyzed data from 97 previous studies involving more than 820,000 people worldwide.

It found that being a diabetic hiked the odds of dying from cancer by 25 percent, and also heightened the risk of death from infection, kidney and liver disease.

The risk of death was only higher in people with poorly controlled diabetes, however, as indicated by high blood sugar levels after a fast.

Among the biggest cancer risks for diabetics were liver and pancreatic cancer, colorectal or bowel cancer, and lung cancer.

Diabetes is reaching epidemic levels with an estimated 280 million people, or 6.4 percent of the world's population, suffering from it and numbers predicted to rise further as obesity rates also increase.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says up to a third of U.S. adults could have diabetes by 2050 they continue to gain weight and shun exercise.

Another study published this week found that millions of people with diabetes are undiagnosed or poorly treated, raising their risk of early death from heart disease and of serious complications like blindness and chronic kidney disease.

The Cambridge-led study found that aside from cancer and vascular diseases such as stroke, diabetes was also associated with deaths from many other causes including renal disease, liver disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, mental disorders, pneumonia, other infectious diseases.

"A 50-year-old with diabetes died, on average, six years earlier than a counterpart without diabetes," said Cambridge University's John Danesh, who also worked on the study.

The study did not look at why these death rates were higher among diabetics, so the researchers could not say whether diabetes link was simply a proxy for generally poorer health.

"Preventing diabetes becomes that much easier when we have a complete picture of the debilitating effect it has across the body and we know what steps to take to mitigate the damage," said Stephen Holgate of Britain's Medical Research Council, which part-funded the study.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/g5guqz The New England Journal of Medicine, online March 2, 2011.

Fatty liver increases risk of type 2 diabetes

February 26, 2011, 9:26am

LOS ANGELES (PNA/Xinhua) -- Individuals with fatty liver are five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those without fatty liver, researchers at Stanford University in California said.

This new finding was published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

The researchers examined 11,091 Koreans who had a medical evaluation including fasting insulin concentration and abdominal ultrasound at baseline and had a follow-up after five years.

Regardless of baseline insulin concentration, individuals with fatty liver had significantly more metabolic abnormalities including higher glucose and triglyceride concentration and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sometimes called "good cholesterol") concentration, according to the study.

"Many patients and practitioners view fat in the liver as just 'fat in the liver,' but we believe that a diagnosis of fatty liver should raise an alarm for impending type 2 diabetes," said Sun Kim of Stanford University in California.

"Our study shows that fatty liver, as diagnosed by ultrasound, strongly predicts the development of type 2 diabetes regardless of insulin concentration."

This new study shows that fatty liver may be more than an indicator of obesity but may actually have an independent role in the development of type 2 diabetes, the AAAS said.

Green leafy vegetables reduces diabetes risk-----study

Agence France-Presse

PARIS – Tucking into more spinach and other green leafy vegetables can reduce the risk of Type 2diabetes, a study published on Friday by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) said.

The research wades into a controversial area, and its authors caution more investigation is needed to confirm the findings.

A team led by Patrice Carter at the University of Leicester, central England, reviewed six studies involving 220,000 people that explored the link between fruit and vegetable consumption and Type 2, or adult-onset, diabetes.

Eating one and a half extra servings of green leafy vegetables cut the risk of diabetes by 14 percent, but eating more fruit and vegetables combined had negligible impact, they found.

Type 2, the commonest form of diabetes, has spread fast from rich countries to fast-developing economies as fatty, sugary diets and sedentary lifestyles take hold.

More than 220 million people worldwide are afflicted with the disease, which kills more than one million people every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). As obesity rates increase, the number of deaths could double between 2005 and 2020, the WHO has said.

Nutrition and exercise are known factors in prevention, but which foods work best and why remain disputed because so few good-quality studies have been carried out.

Carter's team suggests that green leafy vegetables are useful because they are high in antioxidants and magnesium, but more work is needed to bear this out.

In a separate study published on Wednesday in the British Journal of Pharmacology, Chinese scientists said a compound extracted from various Chinese herbs helped reduce the impact of Type 2 diabetes in mice.

The product, known as emodin, inhibits an enzyme called 11-Beta-HSD1, which plays a role in resistance to insulin, the hormone that helps clear excess sugar from the blood.

Emodin can be extracted from Chinese rhubarb (Rheum palmatum) and Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) among others, the paper said.

"Researchers would need to develop chemicals that have similar effects as emodin, and see which if any of these could be used as a therapeutic drug," said Ying Leng of the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica.

Diabetes is controlled by injections of insulin and blood-sugar levels. If unchecked, the disease can lead to heart disease, vision loss, limb amputation and kidney failure.

Published in Philippine Daily Inquirer August 20, 2010.

Managing stress helps prevent diseases

By Cory Quirino
Philippine Daily Inquirer

HERE IS A YEAR-ENDER ON WELLNESS.

Body

You are exactly what you eat. For every morsel of live green food, as in vegetables, the more life you put into your body.

Keep it fresh and raw. Uncooked vegetables and fruits are packed with life-giving enzymes. The more raw food you eat, the more energy you will have. Remember that raw food is your best defense against lifestyle diseases like cancer, hypertension and diabetes.

Keep calories down by not drowning your salad with dressing. Try a simple mixture of 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, squeeze of lemon, 1 anchovy fillet (or one tsp bagoong isda run through the blender, optional) and sprinkle of herbs.

Anti-aging simply means you can delay the aging process by avoiding toxic food with chemicals, preservatives, coloring or artificial seasoning. And one of the surest ways to become young-looking and vibrant is to exercise.

Go easy on your exercise program. Slow but sure is better than quick and intense (unless you’re an athlete). Know that exercise produces free radicals. This is why you need to load up on antioxidant-rich foods.

Wherever you dine, one can never be too sure about the way food is prepared—overcooked/undercooked, reused oils, hygiene, kitchen presentation/sanitation, etc. So always remember your Vitamins A, B, C, E and minerals zinc, calcium, magnesium, selenium. These basics can fortify one’s immune system.

Sleep the sleep of angels, as they say. Nothing can replace a good night’s sleep. And never forget that one night’s sleep lost is difficult to make up for. You can literally age overnight. Practice the art of napping twice a day—it’s rejuvenating.

Make probiotics a part of your daily regimen. Two tablespoons of kefir daily is all you need to ensure great health.

Overeating, alcohol consumption, antibiotics and unclean food can cause hyperacidity and amoebiasis (bad bacteria in the gut). Try kefir power from Bukidnon with 14 strains of good bacteria. Call World of Wellness at 7233878, 3323864.

Green blood is in. Taking wheatgrass everyday will fortify one’s body with iron, magnesium, calcium, fiber and enzymes. Its high-alkaline benefits cut stomach acidity instantly and restore balance to one’s system. It is super food. Weight-conscious people should take one sachet of tea 30 minutes before meals to control appetite. Call 8901111, Easy Phamax.

Mind

The mind is so connected to the brain that most experts do not know where their boundaries belong. Is there an overlap?

Stress-free—If you can manage stress, then half if not most of your illnesses will disappear. Doctors believe stress is a major cause of disease. The mind is directly connected to the body. Therefore a stressed mind will depress the immune system. Thus, if you can adopt a calm and positive attitude in life, chances are your vitality and strength are guaranteed. Stress management should be a major component of many health/wellness regimens. Take deep, long deliberate breaths to ease pressure on the mind and heart.

Adopt a “tomorrow will be better” attitude. Reciting this in your head is enough. If you want to magnify its power, read it out loud then watch the good things come your way.

Spirit

There is no discounting the power of a prayerful heart. When the spirit moves you, it also moves mountains. Make time for meditative prayer everyday. If you can achieve harmony in all its aspects, then you have discovered the true meaning of wellness.

Affirmation: “I am fit to live and fit to love.”

Love and light!

Vitamin D versus cancer

By Dr. Philip S. Chua

THE ROLE of vitamin D as a cancer-preventing and fighting agent has been on the forefront of medical news these days. Medically known as calciferol, this vitamin was discovered in 1918, in cod liver oil, and popularly called today as the Sunshine Vitamin (HTH column, Cebu Daily News, 7-27-06).

New studies revealed that “vitamin D regulates cell proliferation and can hold in check the sort of wild cell growth that leads to cancer.”

Several studies showed that among people taking high dose of vitamin D there was a decrease in the rate of at least 18 types of cancer and autoimmune diseases, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and 40% less risk for multiple sclerosis. Statistical analysis estimates that “thousands of caner deaths could be avoided in the United States each year if everyone gets enough vitamin D.”

Vitamin D is the only vitamin humans can produce on their own, when exposed to the ultraviolet B from the sun. In 15 minutes, a fair-skinned person, outside on a sunny day, can generate as much as 10,000 to 20,000 IU of vitamin D. This vitamin is recently in the limelight for being a “blockbuster” nutrient that confers even greater health benefits than previously recognized by the medical community. This “re-discovery” has put vitamin D in an altogether new perspective and importance.

Which vitamin D is preferred?

Vitamin D3 (choleciferol) is the recommended form since it is better absorbed and better utilized by the body compared to vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol).

What foods contain vitamin D?

Not many foods contain vitamin D. Milk is fortified with 125 IU of vitamin per glass. The following contain some vitamin D, but in themselves, do not provide the minimum daily requirement: organ meats, eggs, fish like tuna, mackerel, sardines, salmon, and herring. Having a balanced diet with enough calcium (1000-1500 mg) and vitamin D (400 IU daily) will prevent osteoporosis (thinning of the bones, a common cause of fractures). Exposure to the sun for about 5-10 minutes, 2-3 times a week is enough help in the body’s production of vitamin D.

How different is D from the other vitamins?

Besides being unique in the sense that it is the only vitamin our body can make on its own, vitamin D is also the only vitamin that influences the entire body, as the findings have shown. Receptors that respond to vitamin D have been discovered in almost all the various kinds of human cells, from the brain to the bones.

What else is vitamin D good for?

Besides the old role vitamin D was popular for (boosting absorption of calcium which is essential for bone health), vitamin D has also been found over the past decades to have a broad range of added benefits. This includes the ability to help fight cancers and diabetes. Sixty-three independent studies showed that high normal level of vitamin D reduced the risk of developing colon, breast and ovarian cancer by 50 percent. It is also a “pivotal feedstock” for a hormone that protects muscles, and inhibits autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, lupus and inflammatory bowel illnesses. It also helps in easing some body aches and pain.

Can the anti-cancer properties of vitamin D be isolated?

Since it has been proven that the higher the dose of vitamin D, the greater its anti-cancer effect is, and since taking high doses of vitamin D might lead to elevation of the blood calcium to a toxic level, it would be ideal of the anti-cancer properties of vitamin D was separated from its other functions and effects. A promising reports on this issue comes from Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, as published in the journal Molecular Cell.

“We found that we might be able to separate the two functions at the molecular level, and this raises the possibility that vitamin D can be chemically modified into a drug that will only have anticancer effects,” said Professor Stephen Byers, Ph.D., who, with Salimuddin Shah, Ph.D., spearheaded an international group of scientists in this research.

How does one prevent vitamin D deficiency?

Health education and awareness are essential. Human breast milk does not have enough vitamin D (40 IU/L), unlike fortified cow’s milk (400 IU/L). Babies who are breastfed should have a physician’s advice for possible oral supplement of vitamin D (300 IU per day) from birth to 6 months, Dr. Michael F. Hollick of the Boston University School of Medicine stated in their NIH-funded study, which involved 16,500 subjects, they have “found that lactating women need about 6,000 IU a day to transfer enough vitamin D into their milk to supply adequate amount to a nursing infant.” In more urgent cases, like the studies done among adolescents in the Far East, one does of intramuscular injection of 2.5 mg (100,000 IU) of ergocalciferol given in the Fall has increased the plasma level of vitamin D that lasted till Spring the following year.

Experts now say that, together with normal sun exposure, 1,000 IU is the amount of vitamin D3 tablet we all should be getting daily. While researches have also shown the safety of the daily intake of up to 2,000 IU, studies are still underway to determine if the intake of 5,000 IU daily is better, is safe, and is devoid of the potential toxic side-effect (dangerous increase of blood level of calcium). I strongly recommend that you check with your physician first before starting yourself on this regimen.

The wonders of science are indeed amazing. They alone are not enough to ward off diseases, like hypertension, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, etc. We still have to do our share by not abusing our body with an unhealthy diet of saturated fat and high carbohydrates, lack of exercise, smoking, and alcohol and/or drug abuse, and lack of stress reduction program (R&R, mini-vacation).

There is, indeed, no substitute for a healthy lifestyle to maintain good health and maximize a happy and rewarding longevity.