Look at What the Look AHEAD Study Reveals
We all know the Henny Youngman line: “I don’t get no respect.” This line rings true regarding research on the effectiveness of healthy lifestyle changes (eg: behavior changes for healthy eating and physical activity) to prevent or treat diseases – among diseases impacted: prediabetes and type 2. Yet the impressive role of lifestyle changes (along with a hefty among of expert-led support) in preventing or delaying type 2 or slowing the progression of type 2 has and continues to be reinforced by research studies over and over again. These results, however, don’t seem to have the media sizzle to attract headlines like the studies of costly drug therapies (to name one, the famed diabetes ACCORD Trial). So the public continues to have their tax dollars spent on these lifestyle-fcoused studies without quickly hearing about their findings.
Great Carb Debate – Can Glucose Control and Healthy Eating Coexist?
I appreciate Diabetes Forecast’s effort at tackling the great carbohydrate debates in: Are Carbs the Enemy? (March 2011). How appropriate! It’s National Nutrition Month with the theme – Eat Right with Color (it’s hard to create a color palate without fruits and vegetables!).
I also appreciate the dual challenges, for people with prediabetes and diabetes, of glucose control and healthy eating. Goals which can often seem at odds.
Riff on Diabetes Rift
Diabetes’ Civil War appeared in the Chicago Tribune late November. I had my eyes out for it because I was interviewed by the author. (My words seem to have ended up on the proverbial cutting room floor. Perhaps because they were way more educational vs. sensational – yes sizzle does sell.)
I’ve been stewing about the article for a couple of months wanting to react but in ways feeling it wasn’t my place because I don’t have diabetes. It’s now time from my vantage point as a diabetes educator.
I was quite taken aback by the anger and venom voiced by several quotees.
Book Review: Diabetes The New Type 2
This is one in a series of book reviews. You may find these books beneficial you if you: manage prediabetes or diabetes, follow a diabetes meal plan and/or try to eat healthier to stay healthy. These reviews also appear on amazon.com. The books can be found in my amazon a-store. Please check them out.
Type 2, Weight Loss and Control – Stop Dreaming, Act NOW
Do you (or a loved one) have type 2 diabetes and you’re under the impression that your blood glucose would rapidly fall into control if only you could just lose weight? Have you heard this promise from your healthcare provider (HCP)?
As a dietitian and diabetes educator nothing would please me more than to be able to say this is true. But it’s often not the case and particularly so as type 2 progresses over the years. My message to you, stop dreaming and act NOW!
The main mantra to people with type 2 diabetes, especially early on, used to be lose weight. Though losing 10 to 20 pounds can, especially early on after diagnosis, cause blood glucose to plummet and other medical problem to improve, research shows the continually pounding about weight loss that people often get from their health care provider needs to change. We know much more now about the progression of type 2.
Oprah Does Diabetes, But the Diagnosis? Fair to Poor
Oprah was finally to take on America’s Silent Killer – diabetes. YES! I first heard this from a diabetes educator colleague with the inside scoop. Soon the diabetes online community was buzzing with morsels of info leaking out about how Oprah and her producers would present diabetes. It wasn’t sounding good – heavy on scare tactics about complications and bold orders for behavior changes from Oprah’s famed health gurus.