Diabetes Review: July 2008 Diabetes Products and News Review

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GeorgeBounacos
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Jonas Brother Talks Diabetes and Lots Of Equipment and Book News

news hound, diabetic, avid reader

Pros

Insulin pumps now covered in Canada, New Diabetes for Dummies is out!

Cons

Gestational diabetes may increase risk

JUL

2008

July 2008 Diabetes Review
New Products, Myths Debunked and Maybe Some Science

Pop Star Dishes on Diabetes

Nick Jonas, 15, has the world by a string as part of the million-selling, multi-platform Jonas Brothers. Nick also has Type 1 diabetes and publicized his condition well this month. Props to the teenager and his media team for helping a teen favorite show that normalcy (and maybe even pop stardom) is certainly possible with diabetes.

Cumin or Curry: The New Cinnamon?

You may not know the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, but you likely know Columbia University Medical Center, which is home to the the diabetes treatment and research facility. Researchers there are working with a spice related to cumin that they say shows promise in helping control glucose levels. Meanwhile, in a Wall Street Journal article this month, the Center also said it was carefully examining leptin as a possible culprit in causing a person's body to regain weight. Their theory is that changing leptin levels cause the body to become more efficient after extreme weight loss. Because of this efficiency, even fewer calories than previously expected might cause people to quickly regain weight.

You're No Dummy

I wrote on July 20 that Diabetes for Dummies' 3rd edition was due out month, and the book was released with a day to spare. The Dummies series has really done a good overcoming its off-putting title to sell well to folks who just need a basic introduction or primer to the subject. If you have Type 2 Diabetes, however, your first stop continues to be Becker and Goldfine's The First Year. Then you need to ask your immediate family to read the book.

Gestational Diabetes May Increase Mother's Risk

Big news circling endocrinology circles is a study showing that gestational diabetes can lead to Type 2 diabetes later in life. A study of Toronto mothers showed that women who had diabetes while pregnant, already known to be an indicator of increased risk of birth defects, also were 6 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes later in life. Moms-to-be, you need to be talking with your OB-GYN now about this issue, and you need to spend time with your primary care physician after baby is born. More likely doesn't mean "will happen" and just like every cigarette smoker doesn't develop lung cancer, every pregnant woman with gestational diabetes will not develop Type 2 diabetes. In fact, about 80% didn't so rest a little easier and just plan to take good care of yourself and your little one(s) after the birth.

Just In Time For Tailgating Football Season

Whether high school, college or pro, folks love tailgating before the game. The American Diabetes Association has just added a new item to its Gift of Hope site -- a bright red wine carrier. Your favorite bottle will fit in this sleek carrier, which includes a nice handle. The case comes in ADA red and even stands upright.

Canadian Health Authority Begins Approving Insulin Pumps

Insulin pumps can be a real life-saver, especially for young Type 1 diabetics who face multiple daily injections. While still controlling the qualification process (read: not every one who wants one will get one), this is a huge step forward. Every person who has a pump I have ever spoken with tells me they would never trade the experience. If you're in Canada and reading this, go get the form.

Speaking Of Pumps, Yours May Talk To A Glucometer

One Touch Ping, a brilliant name, is a LifeScan meter that will work with an Animas insulin pump to automatically administer insulin based on a OneTouch reading. You don't even have to touch the pump. That's some pretty slick technology. LifeScan's meters have become much better in most recent years. The OneTouch Ultra 2 is now my meter of choice and even the new Freestyle Lite I have been testing hasn't dislodged it yet. Talk with your doctor about whether this makes sense for you and then call your insurer.

Be sure to subscribe to my ViewPoints reviews as well because I'll be writing about my Top Meter Choices in August, as well as how to Things Diabetics Should Do When Going Away To College and 10 Home Remedies Your Doctor May Actually Like.

As always, remember that I am a consumer like you who is interested in sharing news and opinons about diabetes and medical equipment. You should always talk with your physician before making any changes to your treatment plan.

Diabetes Review: July 2008 Diabetes Products and News is recommended by GeorgeBounacos

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Comments about GeorgeBounacos’s Review

PattyTherre wrote on Aug 1, 2008 at 2:52PM

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Love the info you are giving people. Bret Michaels from the 80's band Poison is diabetic and has to have seven shots a day. He hid it for years until he went into "sugar shock" on stage and he finally told people it wasn't drugs - it was his diabetes. Now he is very open about it and he has shown that you can be a rocker (or anything you want) and have diabetes. You just have to watch your diet, sugar levels, and take your insulin. I look forward to more from you. Diabetes runs in our family and both Laurie and I have low blood sugar which sometimes is a precursor to it.

Nikro wrote on Jul 31, 2008 at 7:45PM

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I'm not shocked by the gestational diabetes stats....just saddened by them. I predict the stats will increase as years go by. George, what saddens me the most is those who have Type I or II and don't take it seriously. You, on the other hand---- I would have loved to have come to my Diabetes education classes when I taught them. What an inspiration you would have been to those who were scared, depressed and/or unconcerned by their new diagnosis. Keep up what you are doing. I can't wait till your next review. What you are doing here on Viewpoints is wonderful!

GeorgeBounacos wrote on Jul 31, 2008 at 7:17PM

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In response to Nikro's comment from Jul 31, 2008 at 6:26PM:

Thanks for the nice words. It's so liberating to go from positions where you know your condition will cause discrimination to a world where you say, "This is what I have, and I aim to help shout out things from the rooftops"

And isn't the gestational study interesting? I'm not sure how well the group was adjusted for lifestyle, genetics and other variables beforehand. What I do know is that 3% of women in the group (and it was a big sample) developed Type 2 vs. 19% who developed Type 2 after having gestational diabetes. The good news, of course, is that the 19% still means that 81% didn't, but I dislike that 1 in 5 number. It gets awfully close to the 1 in 3 number the ADA is using as a projection for children born in the year 2000 or later.

Nikro wrote on Jul 31, 2008 at 6:26PM

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Another great review, George. I like to read what you are using to control and other informative information such as the gestational diabetes warnings.