Category Archives: Uncategorized

May 27, 2013 · 4:55 AM

A U.S.A. Memorial Day Poem

It is the Soldier, not the minister

Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter

Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet

Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer

Who has given us freedom to protest.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer

Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician

Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,

Who serves beneath the flag,

And whose coffin is draped by the flag,

Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

 —Charles M. Province

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May 25, 2013 · 9:41 AM

FDA Advisory Panel to Look at Rosiglitazone Once Again

Larry Husten writing at Forbes has the details. For example:

Battle lines are being drawn two weeks before a highly unusual two-day FDA advisory committee meeting to discuss the contentious diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline). This will be the second time an FDA panel has wrestled with the fate of the drug and expectations have been that the discussion will once again be heated.

 

But at least one source of fierce criticism won’t be participating in the panel. Steve Nissen, who originally raised concerns about the drug and who has remained the most consistent critic of the drug, will not participate in the deliberations or present to the committee. Early on Thursday Nissen contributed a blog post on Forbes accusing the FDA of stacking the committee in favor of rosiglitazone. The FDA leadership, he says, is trying to use the meeting to “whitewash” its reputation…

Are they considering lifting the heavy restrictions on the drug? I see very few rosiglitazone users these days.

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May 22, 2013 · 2:05 AM

Carbohydrate Restriction Improve Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

MedPageToday reports that women cutting carbs from 55 to 41% of total calories see improved insulin sensitivity, lower testosterone levels, lower blood sugar levels, and improved lipid numbers.

Learn more about PCOS at UpToDate.com. It affects 5 to 10% of U.S. women.

From MedPageToday:

“A moderate reduction in dietary carbohydrate reduced both insulin and testosterone,” Gower told MedPage Today. “There is no reason not to recommend reduction in dietary carbohydrate, particularly processed carbohydrate, for women with PCOS. It may have tremendous benefit, and there is certainly no downside.”

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May 19, 2013 · 11:37 PM

You Got Sleep Apnea AND Prediabetes? Kill Two Birds With One Stone By Using CPAP

See MedPageToday for details.

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May 19, 2013 · 7:12 AM

Excellent Advice For Women Approaching Menopause

…and struggling with weight gain and other hormonal issues. Visit Franziska Spritzler’s blog for details. A quote:

While the aging process is inevitable and to some extent dependent on your genes, there are ways to make the transition easier in terms of weight management, loss of muscle mass, and blood sugar control. My advice is to cut back on carbs to a level that allows you to achieve a healthy weight and optimal glycemic levels, keeping in mind that this is highly individualized and may change over time. Some women at this stage may be able to continue the same moderate-to-high-carb diet they’ve always consumed without any issues, but after looking into the research and hearing many anecdotal accounts, I know that many are simply not. It saddens me to hear about  ladies in their mid-40s to mid-50s eating low-fat diets and continuing to struggle with food cravings and weight. I feel many would benefit from the hunger-reducing, hormone-altering, blood-sugar-stabilizing effects of carb restriction.

Franziska recommends women consult their doctors before starting a low-carb diet or exercise program.

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May 16, 2013 · 1:38 AM

Dr. Richard Bernstein on Insulin Pumps

Click for details at DiabetesHealth. He starts like this:

I spent a month in a major insulin pump center and saw several things. Many of the female patients seemed to have wings on their sides where the pump tubing was inserted and they got lipohypertrophy from localized injections, but that was the least of it. None of them actually had remotely normal blood sugars. 

 

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May 15, 2013 · 1:17 AM

Smaller Breakfast May Help With Waist Management

…according to an article at MedPageToday. In a study of overweight and obese folks, those who ate larger breakfasts ended up eating 270 calories more per day than those eating a smaller breakfast. It’s too soon to know for sure, but eating a smaller breakfast may help with weight loss or maintenance of weight loss. Calories count.

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May 5, 2013 · 2:35 PM

Are Diabetes Camps For Kids Worthwhile?

Victoria Cumbow sings their praises. A quote:

As a teenager, diabetes was a bitter subject mainly because it made me different and sometimes caused me to stand out. I resented diabetes for several years and even ignored it at times. But these friends have been an amazing part of my life for 15 years now and have gotten me through some tough times.Camp was special for each of us in different ways, and for me, it helped me gain ownership of my diabetes. It was no longer an excuse or something I resented. I took responsibility and it changed my perspective completely. It’s hard to wallow in something when you are no longer the only one struggling.

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April 24, 2013 · 11:09 PM

Dietitian Melanie Thomassian on Cooking With Oils and Fats

If you want to heat a fat or oil, it is really important that it can withstand the temperature you will be heating it to, and therefore that it will remain stable while you cook.

I recommend keeping some oils exclusively for cooking, while others should only be used as finishing oils, and for cold dressings.

You will see that I have listed the smoke point and the fatty acid percentages below. This is to help you understand why some options are good for one style of cooking, but perhaps not so much for another.

Remember, a higher smoke point is important, if you are cooking to a high temperature. But you also need to consider the fatty acid composition. A higher saturated fat percentage equals a more stable fat or oil, as we’ve already learned above 🙂

Read the rest. Fortunately, she spared us the bits about omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio.

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April 24, 2013 · 2:00 AM

New Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Guidelines

…from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. I haven’t digested them yet, but didn’t want you to have to wait for that. Keep in mind they’re written for healthcare providers, so they may be difficult to understand.

Overweight and obesity are addressed without mention of specific diet recommendations.

You’ll find a nice table summarizing diabetes drugs and their effects on weight and various organ systems. It even includes the brand new SGLT2 inhibitor.

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