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Editor's
Note
Spring and summer
usually mean that plans are afoot to enjoy outdoor leisure activities, entertaining,
and travel. Whatever way you choose to spend the long, balmy days, people with
diabetes do need to remember that their health doesn't take a holiday. Oh sure,
you can still join in the fun - you just need to think a little ahead before
you lace up your runners, have a few cocktails, or set out on a road trip. Luckily,
we've got just the expert advice to help you manage your diabetes while you fill
up your summer itinerary. And technology lends a hand too by making it easier
and less painful to keep a good, close watch on your blood sugar [see "Quick
Draw" for the latest product innovation in glucose monitoring]. Find out
what you need to know to keep your summer plans and blood sugar on track.
Angela
Pirisi |
Living
Fit with Diabetes
How
to put on the right moves -- safely
Travel-Proofing
Your Diabetes Plan
Whether
you're going abroad, on a cruise, or high-tailing it to cottage
country this summer season, there's some planning you'll need
to do.
Smart
Sipping
How to keep
drinking and blood sugar under control
Quick
draw
7 lucky innovations for glucose monitoring
|
Butt
Out for Blood Sugar
Smoking can almost triple your risk of type 2 diabetes, suggest
the latest findings from a 5-year study over 900 American adults,
ages 40-69.
News
About Nightcaps
If you use insulin or insulin secretagogues, you should
know that delayed hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can
occur up to 14 hours after drinking alcohol.
Hey
Sleepy Heads
New research offers one more reason why some people
are dozing off at work -- daytime sleepiness may be a
sign of undiagnosed diabetes.
|
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Depression
may mean diabetes
Feeling down? Don't rule out diabetes. Researchers at the University
of Alberta found that those newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are
23 per cent more likely to have a history of depression. It's possible
that people with depression may experience a biochemical imbalance
that can result in hyperglycemia, which can potentially lead to type
2 diabetes. (Although previous studies suggest that there may be a
similar link between depression and type 1 diabetes, statistics from
type 1 diabetes weren't included in this study.) Also, most people
with depression are inactive, which can result in weight gain and increase
their risk of diabetes. More research is required to discover the exact
reason behind such a link, including whether depression medication
has an impact on glucose levels. |
Keeping
bones strong may prevent diabetes
Strong bones can prevent fractures as we age, and now US scientists
suggest that they may someday help prevent and treat type 2 diabetes
too. How? Findings show that bones secrete a hormone that helps regular
sugar and fat, and certain bone cells produce osteocalcin, which controls
the metabolism of blood sugar, or glucose. In studies on mice, bone-forming
cells called osteoblasts released osteocalcin, which in turn increased
both the secretion of insulin and insulin sensitivity. It also boosted
the number of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, and reduced
fat stores. Researchers at Columbia University, New York, suspect that
bone loss may explain age-related weight gain. How the bone-hormone
link can lead to obesity and diabetes isn't clear yet, but these findings
suggest one more reason to keep bones healthy. |
Exercise
combo best for managing diabetes
Studies
have already shown that regular exercise can help prevent or delay
the development of certain diabetes-related conditions, such as heart
disease and stroke. But what kind is best—aerobic training (such as
walking or running) or resistance training (such as lifting weights)?
New findings suggest that a fitness combo may be best. Published in
the Annals of Internal Medicine, the study involved 251 previously
inactive adults (ages 39 to 70 years) with type 2 diabetes, who were
randomly assigned to do 45 minutes of aerobic training, 45 minutes
of resistance training, or 45 minutes of both kinds of exercise three
times a week for 22 weeks. The result? Patients in the combined exercise
group had better glycemic control than those who only did one kind
of workout. So kudos to you if you're already exercising—just make
sure you mix it up.
|
Can
Multivitamins Help Manage Weight?
Findings from Laval University in Quebec suggest that multivitamins and minerals
could help weight loss efforts. How? Results from a study that involved 267 men
and 320 women, aged 20-65, showed that regular multivitamin use reduced appetite
in women aiming to lose weight, and was linked with lower body weight and fat
mass in men. The Canadian study, published in the British
Journal of Nutrition,
seems to suggest that food restriction, the basis of many diets, also reduces
the body's intake of essential nutrients, which can affect hunger. It could be
because some vitamins and minerals are involved in the synthesis of various hormones
and signalling pathways in the brain that that control food intake, the authors
speculate. |
TASTE
GOOD HEALTH
Read about healthy eating in the latest Nutrition
Journal.
A special supplement of the Health Journal. |
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