Diabetes Doubles, Cost Triples

Estimates show that in the next 25 years (by 2035) the number of people with diabetes will double and the cost of treating diabetes will triple.

This should clearly show that we have a problem. Action needs to be taken, and soon, to help relieve the care and the cost of Diabetes.

SOURCE: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/26/diabetes.projections/

Pink vs. Red

This past Tuesday was World AIDS Day. There were a few special events to celebrate the day:

• Google, Twitter, and others went (RED)


• People wore red


• Alicia Keys performed a concert on YouTube

But for the most part it was just another day. Harold Pollack, of NPR, says: Are We Bored with AIDS?

Pollack suggests that we are distracted by Tiger Woods, Afghanistan, and other current events. He also cites another "boredom" of AIDS as:

I can understand why AIDS has become boring. We've lived with it for thirty years now. Once a mysterious new and fatal disease, HIV infection is now a treatable, chronic illness, in the wealthy nations at least.

Pollack believes that because we have found a way to treat HIV most people are not as concerned about AIDS as they once were. He finishes the article with a call to action to refocus our attention on AIDS:

Still, it's foolish and disrespectful to the dead to let the day pass unnoticed

I believe the "boredom" of AIDS is not from distractions of current events or the fact that it can be treated. There is still no cure for AIDS. Similarly there is no cure for breast cancer. Far fewer people die today from breast cancer (or AIDS) than 20, or even 10, years ago. Breast Cancer has seen similar improvements to AIDS and people are still supporting the breast cancer cause. Over 2 Million people have watched the video above (as of December 4th).

I think that the people responsible for marketing pink, and the pink ribbon have done an excellent job and truly brought focus and awareness to breast cancer. This could be done for AIDS, Diabetes, or any other disease - we just need someone to step up.

LINKS

• http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121047070

Insulin Coupons & Freebies

I use Apridra as my mealtime insulin. My endocrinologist printed a coupon for me to receive $20 off my Apidra prescription. I was amazed and thankful. A quick Google search returned coupons for many other insulin brands.

Apridra, $20 off - http://www.apidra.com/apidra_100_offer.aspx
Humalog, Free Pen - http://penvoucher.humalog.com/combined.cfm
Lantus, Free Travel Kit - http://www.lantus.com/connection/TravelKit.aspx
Novolog, $25 rebate - https://www.novolog.com/offer/flexpen/Default.aspx

I feel like the International Diabetes Federation is promoting their cause across the globe. They put World Diabetes Day in the face of millions in other countries. They even dressed the Manekken Pis in a WDD T-shirt.

How is the American Diabetes Association taking steps to have this type of awareness in the United States - where Diabetes is a very large problem. Organizations like dLife are taking strong stances in the country. These start-up organizations are having a stronger influence than the long-time stable organizations (that should be creating the influence).

Remember Why It's Called Thanksgiving

Today we are meant to give thanks for all that we are blessed with. Unfortunately today may be the most difficult day of the year for a diabetic to give thanks. This national holiday has come to mean something much different today than it did in 1621 (the first Thanksgiving). Today Thanksgiving is about food and football. The latter we all can enjoy but the food may get you down. After a large plate of potatoes, pies, and stuffing your blood sugar may be through the roof.

Today, enjoy the food, family, and friends but remember what the day is about - giving thanks.

Thanksgiving Tips or Slips?

Teresa Wilson wrote an article last month offering 10 Tips for Thanksgiving. Here are the tips:

1. Have Thanksgiving at your own home
2. Eat a good breakfast
3. Eat small meals and snacks on Thanksgiving Day
4. Check your blood sugar levels several times throughout Thanksgiving Day
5. Get some exercise
6. Prepare a few sugar-free desserts
7. Avoid alcohol
8. Avoid stress as much as possible
9. Prepare extra side dishes that are healthy
10. Eat slowly, eat your favorite foods only, eat small portions

I partially agree with some of the tips, but did not find a lot of value in this list. Furthermore I disliked a few part of the article:

"Diabetics need to have a constant blood sugar level because when there are spikes, it is a very unpleasant feeling and can lead to crying and anger."

I disagree with this statement but also find it partly offensive. Another quote I completely disagree with is:

"The truth is, a diabetic who is on insulin probably shouldn't drink at all."

This is not the truth. If you have control of your diabetes and control of your alcohol consumption then it is OK to drink. It is even beneficial to have one glass of wine per day!

The key to Thanksgiving and only tip you need is:

• Do everything in moderation

5 Easy Ways to Lower BG

I am always looking for easy ways to lower my blood sugar without taking more medication. Here are five ways I have found to lower my blood glucose levels:

1. EXERCISE: exercising can greatly decrease blood glucose levels. Your body will use the glucose in your blood as energy and your muscles will absorb more glucose. Exercising also haas many other benefits.
2. DRINK WATER: when your blood sugar is high your kidneys take over and begin to process your blood to remove the excess glucose. Drinking water can help to speed up this process. Drinking lots of water will also help to dilute your blood.
3. RELAX: under stress human experience the "fight or flight" response. In preparation for the fight or flight your body undergoes a few changes - increased heart rate, dilation of blood vessels and pupils, and the "liberation of nutrients" (fat and glucose). The liberation of nutrients is to prepare your muscles for action. High stress environments may cause higher blood glucose levels.
4. SLEEP: research shows that sleep deprivation causes a lot of problems - higher blood sugar is one of the problems. Depending on your age you may need 8-12 hours of sleep (adults = 8, teens = 10, children = 11, infants = 12+)
   
5. DRINK WINE: one glass of white wine has <1g style="font-style: italic;">This is not a recommendation to binge drink. Wine has few carbohydrates and one occassional glass will not cause harm.
6. (BONUS) TAKE VITAMINS: you do not need to take special "diabetes vitamins". But regular vitamins can help improve health and lower blood sugar.