Category Archives: Diabetes

Question: How can a blood test determine if I have prediabetes? How much weight do I need to lose to bring my numbers down?

Answer: Doctors typically perform one of three blood tests to diagnose prediabetes, a condition marked by blood sugar (glucose) levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to qualify as diabetes. While prediabetes often leads to full-fledged Type 2 diabetes, many people can hold the condition in check if they lose a relatively small amount of weight and increase their physical activity, said Dr. Rhonda Bentley-Lewis, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

I stress to my patients that were not talking about a huge amount of weight. Just 5 to 7 percent of ones body weight she said. Thats 10 to 14 pounds for someone who weighs 200 pounds.

Two of the tests require fasting, which helps prevent results being distorted by a prior meal and provides an even baseline, Bentley-Lewis said.

One, the fasting plasma glucose test, checks blood glucose levels after an 8 to 10 hour fast; results of 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter indicate prediabetes. The other, the oral glucose tolerance test, is the most sensitive. It checks blood glucose levels after fasting and then two hours after you consume a sweetened drink; levels of 140 to 199 after the drink indicate prediabetes.

A third test, the A1C test, may be the most convenient because it doesnt require fasting. It measures your average blood glucose levels over the past two to three months; results of 5.7 percent to 6.4 percent, which indicate the percentage of red blood cells that have glucose attached to them, indicate prediabetes.

Though doctors often repeat a test to confirm a diabetes diagnosis, they do not always do so for a prediabetes diagnosis, Bentley-Lewis said.

Doctors can treat prediabetes with medication, but many patients prefer to try weight loss and exercise first, she said.

Among thousands of people with prediabetes who participated in a national study called the Diabetes Prevention Program, those who received counseling about lifestyle changes, like losing a modest amount of weight, stepping up physical activity and reducing the amount of fat and calories in their diets, were able to reduce their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent.

Roni Caryn Rabin writes for The New York Times.

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How much weight should you shed to avoid diabetes? - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Novant Health Inc. has recently launched several community health initiatives, putting its main focus on the heart and diabetes preventive care.

The health-care system has set a goal of discussing the reality with at least 10,000 individuals within its four-state network that there can be a significant difference between a persons actual age and their heart age.

A 2015 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that three out of every four U.S. adults between the ages of 30 and 74 have a prematurely aging heart. That can signify they are at higher risk for a heart attack and/or stroke.

The CDC defines heart age as the calculated age of a persons cardiovascular system based on his or her risk factor profile. The risks include high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, diabetes status and body mass index as an indicator for obesity.

The CDC report shows that heart age varies by race/ethnicity, gender, region, and other sociodemographic characteristics

For example, the CDC provided a case in which a 47-year-old woman who smokes and has a systolic blood pressure (the top number) of 142 may have a heart age of 67. If the woman quits smoking and reduces the top number to 120, she may be able to lower her heart age by 23 years.

The Novant educational initiative focuses on demonstrating that diet and lifestyle changes can dramatically lower the hearts age.

More than three in four heart attacks and strokes could be avoided or delayed if people manage or control their cardiovascular risk factors, like blood pressure, diet, exercise and smoking habits.

Novant Health is committed to raising awareness of this important issue and promoting the message that taking care of your heart and living a long, healthy life go hand in hand, said Dr. Tom Zweng, Novants chief medical officer.

Novants initiative begins with an online heart disease risk assessment that analyzes cardiovascular risk factors and offers wellness tips, recipe ideas and stress management reminders.

Knowing the factors that increase your heart age reinforces the importance of healthier living and caring for your heart, said Dr. Gary Niess, lead physician for Novants Heart & Vascular Institute.

The most effective plan of action is to regularly discuss heart health with your physician, and monitor critical health indicators like blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels.

Novant also is emphasizing a sleep awareness initiative to help individuals with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression.

Lack of sleep is also responsible for a multitude of motor vehicle and machinery-related crashes every year.

When you look at the general population, self-imposed sleep deprivation is a common problem, said Dr. Lucie Lauve of Novants Winston Neurology practice.

The third initiative involves the opening of a clinic for intensive diabetes management at 1400 Westgate Center Drive Suite 130.

The clinic is open for new patients, including referrals from other providers. The clinic will provide care for patients with Type 1 diabetes, insulin-treated pregnant patients, and insulin-treated Type 2 diabetes patients with an A1C thats the measure of blood glucose greater than 9 percent. The clinic will feature specialized and expert care in diabetes and insulin management.

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Novant begins preventive-care push for heart disease, diabetes and sleep deprivation - Winston-Salem Journal

LIHUE Malia Bever is no stranger to Type 1 diabetes.

The Koloa teen was 4 years old when she was diagnosed, after her mom noticed Malias eating patterns and weight had changed.

During the next few years, there were ups and downs as the family adjusted to her diagnosis and navigated the questions that came with it.

Theres this sort of angry stage people go through after theyre diagnosed, and that happened with me when I was younger, Bever said. Ive experienced every stage of it, up to now.

The Southern California native is now 17. She moved to Kauai with her family in 2014. She was involved in Type 1 diabetes-centered youth outreach programs in California, and shes still using her time in Hawaii to find ways to connect people who have been diagnosed.

In 2016, Bever started a support group for people with Type 1 diabetes on Kauai, focused on connecting teens and tweens. She held a summer bash that year, and is repeating the Type 1 Kauai Family Retreat at Makanalani Estates in Kilauea June 9-11. It is free.

The retreat is about being together with people like you, Bever said. We share our stories and we have some information about Type 1 diabetes, because for the longest time I didnt even really know what it was.

One story Bever shares is getting a service dog when she was 9 as a way to help manage the emotional swings and changes in her body.

Everything got a little easier when we got Nick Jonas thats his name, Bever said. He used to go everywhere with me, but now he stays home quite a bit.

She said its important for kids with the diagnosis to know about tricks to live well with Type 1 diabetes, like getting a service animal.

In 2010, Bever attended Camp Sweeney in Texas. Thats where she got the inspiration for the Kauai retreat, which is her own smaller-scale version.

The Texas camp convenes each year for three weeks. Its a traditional summer camp with games, arts and crafts, and a paddle out, all for kids with Type 1 diabetes. But it also has medical staff and trained dietitians, so kids can focus on fun.

Its such an epic camp, Bever said.

For the Kauai retreat, Bever is including everyone in the family.

Bevers mom, Jessica, and grandmother, Diana, will be lending a hand with the event, and will share how they coped with Malias diagnosis as shes grown up.

My mom let me go to sleepovers and stuff, Bever said. A lot of kids with Type 1 dont get to do that kind of stuff because of the insulin, but she let me be more free.

In addition to Makanalanis open space with donkeys, sheep and horses, Bever plans to set up a slip-n-slide and have an evening where adults and kids can play separately.

Last year, we had a movie night downstairs and a nice dinner for the adults upstairs, Bever said. Were going to do something like that this year, too.

Info: email type1kauai@ yahoo.com or call 278-8765.

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Type 1 diabetes group throws bash - Thegardenisland.com

With Promising Potential

No matter how modern the world has become, there are certain ailments that continue to persist. One of these is diabetes, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are now over 422 million people in the world suffering from it. Generally characterized as a problem in blood sugar levels, diabetes has two variants an insulin-dependent one, known as type 1 diabetes (T1D), and type 2 diabetes thats non-insulin-dependent.

In the United States, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation reports that about 1.25 million people have T1D. The cause of this particular diabetes variant still remains unknown, and treatments generally involve pumping insulin daily into the patients body. As such, theres still no known cure for T1D. However, researchers from the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine in Florida may have just made it possible to develop one.

In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the researchers described how clinical trials involving pancreatic islet cell implants to the omentum the tissue covering organs in the abdomen shows promise in treating T1D. Islet transplantation can restore euglycemia and eliminate severe hypoglycemia in patients with [T1D], the researchers wrote. The omentum has a dense vascularized surface for islet implantation, drains into the portal system, and is easily accessible.

Pancreatic islets are endocrine cell clusters found throughout the organ, which is normally involved with insulin and glucagon production in healthy individuals. The researchers found that using donor islets combined with a T1D patients own blood plasma makes for effective islet implants into the omentum. This works better than previous attempts to implant islets in the liver, which could cause inflammation. The omentum then becomes sort of a mini-pancreas that could produce insulin for T1D patients. The results thus far have shown that the omentum appears to be a viable site for islet implantation using this new platform technique, lead author David Baidal told Endgadget.

The patients involved in the clinical trials were weaned off from their usual dose of insulin 17 days after the transplant. Their glucose levels subsequently showed improvements. At 12 months, in response to a 5-hour mixed-meal tolerance test, the 90-minute glucose level was 266 mg per deciliter (14.6 mmol per liter); this level decreased to 130 mg per deciliter (7.1 mmol per liter) at 300 minutes, according to the study.

While this isnt the only research out there that tries to solve the problem of diabetes, its certainly the first thats given patients a steady supply of insulin from inside their bodies, setting them free from their insulin injections. Similar studies have also been conducted to remove the dependence of type 2 diabetes patients from their usual medicines.

It would still take some time, however, before the actual feasibility of this treatment is determined. Data from our study and long-term follow up of additional omental islet transplants will determine the safety and feasibility of this strategy of islet transplantation, but we are quite excited about what we are seeing now, Baidal said.

Link:
A New Clinical Trial Just Made Diabetes Patients Insulin Independent - Futurism

Yadira Lopez @yadiralopezht

The number of K-12 students with diabetes in Sarasota County schools has increased by 50 percent since 2011, according to figures from the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County.

In 2011, 83 students were identified as diabetic in county schools. That number jumped to 128 in the current school year. The steadily growing rate has put increased pressure on school health services, said Suzanne DuBose, a registered nurse and supervisor of health services in Sarasota County schools.

Having a student with diabetes frequently increases the number of health room visits since these students typically visit the school clinic two to three times per day, DuBose said.

Type 1 diabetics, who make up the bulk of the countys diabetic students, require lifelong daily insulin injections. In schools, the shots are required to be administered by registered nurses. But Sarasota County does not have a full-time RN at every school, relying instead on RNs that travel throughout the district.

There are few recent studies on the prevalence of diabetes in kids, but according to the National Institutes of Health, as obesity rates in children continue to soar, type 2 diabetes, a disease that used to be seen primarily in adults age 45 and older, is becoming more prevalent among children.

A study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and the NIH found a 20 percent jump in type 2 cases between 2001 and 2009. Researchers called the increase substantial, and most experts agree that growth is due to weight and sedentary lifestyles.

While studies have shown an increase in the number of children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, most researchers agree that there is no single cause, DuBose said. Genetics plays a role, but exposure to certain environmental factors may also trigger the disease.

The most important thing parents can do is to watch for symptoms of type 1 diabetes such as frequent urination, thirst and weight loss, she added. The earlier its detected, the better.

See more here:
Diabetes steadily increasing in Sarasota schools - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

New York Times

How Much Weight Do I Need to Lose to Prevent Diabetes? New York Times While prediabetes often leads to full-fledged Type 2 diabetes, many people can hold the condition in check if they lose a relatively small amount of weight and increase their physical activity, said Dr. Rhonda Bentley-Lewis, an assistant professor of ...

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How Much Weight Do I Need to Lose to Prevent Diabetes? - New York Times

Insulin typically saves the lives of those with diabetes, but it can also be a way for some people to kill themselves, a new review warns.

People with the blood sugar disease tend to suffer higher rates of depression, the researchers explained. And suicide or suicide attempts using insulin or other diabetes medications that lower blood sugar levels may not always be an easy-to-spot attempt at self-harm, they added.

"Some suicides with insulin are likely missed in people with diabetes, just as [suicide may be missed] in people without diabetes using other medications or after a car accident. Could a suicide using insulin be missed? Absolutely," said Alicia McAuliffe-Fogarty, vice president of lifestyle management at the American Diabetes Association.

Insulin is a natural hormone produced by the body. Its job is to help usher the sugar from foods into the body's cells to provide fuel for those cells. But insulin is also a complex medication.

People with type 1 diabetes no longer make enough insulin and must give themselves insulin to stay alive. People with type 2 diabetes don't use insulin efficiently -- this is called insulin resistance -- and eventually don't make enough insulin to keep up with the body's demands. At this point, people with type 2 diabetes also need to take insulin.

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Some diabetes patients are begging doctors for free samples of life-saving insulin because of costs. Between 2002 and 2013, the price of insulin ...

Insulin can be given by multiple injections every day or via an insulin pump. Insulin pumps deliver insulin through a small tube that's inserted under the skin. The site of the insulin pump must be changed every few days. But once the tube is in, someone who uses an insulin pump only needs to push a few buttons to deliver a dose of insulin.

However, getting the right amount of insulin is no easy task. Many factors affect the body's need for insulin. Exercise decreases the need. Foods that are higher in carbohydrates increase the need. Stress and other moods can affect the need for insulin, as can illness or hormonal shifts, such as those that occur with menstruation.

People with diabetes often have to make adjustments to their insulin doses. If they make a mistake and take too much, an extremely low blood sugar level (hypoglycemia) can occur. If they give themselves too little insulin, their blood sugar levels rise (hyperglycemia). Either condition can be very dangerous.

According to Dr. Alyson Myers, director of inpatient diabetes at North Shore University Hospital, in Manhasset, N.Y., "If someone comes in with hypoglycemia, you think, 'Oh, they overdid it.' And, sometimes when people come in with hyperglycemia or DKA (a complication of hyperglycemia), the intention to self-harm can be missed."

Myers is also the lead author of the review, published recently in the journalCurrent Diabetes Reviews.

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Researchers are testing Botox injections to see if the drug could help ease depression and social anxiety. CBS News' Weijia Jiang reports.

It's not clear exactly how high the rates of suicide are in people with diabetes, though Myers said the rates are higher than in the general population.

Plus, an attempt at suicide using insulin or other blood sugar-lowering medications may ultimately fail. "The body is a resilient thing," Myers said, explaining that the body has ways to protect itself, such as releasing a natural form of sugar from the liver.

Instead of automatically assuming there was an error in care, Myers recommended that physicians consider the possibility of a suicide attempt or self-harm through the use of insulin and other medications.

She suggested that doctors follow the guidelines from the diabetes association on psychosocial care for people with diabetes that includes a multi-disciplinary team, including a behavioral health specialist.

McAuliffe-Fogarty agreed that when doctors see patients -- whether it's in the hospital or for an office visit -- they should screen for psychosocial concerns.

If a doctor identifies a potential concern, "refer to a mental health care provider so people can get the help they need to live a full and happy life," she said.

Given that 20 percent to 25 percent of people with diabetes screen positive for depressive symptoms at some point, people may need help sometimes.

"If you see signs of depression, changes in people's sleep patterns or eating behaviors, a loss of interest in things they once enjoyed; if they say things like, 'when I'm not here things will be better,' or express an intention to self-harm, make an appointment with a mental health-care provider. People often need some help coping and figuring out how to deal with things," McAuliffe-Fogarty said.

"If you're very nervous that they might harm themselves, call their doctor or bring them to the hospital. Or call 911 if you think they're in immediate trouble," she advised.

If you're concerned that a loved one or friend may be considering suicide, McAuliffe-Fogarty said it's OK to ask, though some people consider the word suicide to be taboo. "Ask, 'Are you thinking of hurting yourself or thinking of not being here?' Sometimes people are relieved and will open up."

But McAuliffe-Fogarty also cautioned that every misuse of insulin may not be a deliberate act of self-harm.

"It's not always self-harm or a suicide attempt," she stressed.

One such example, "Some people use insulin omission to lose weight. It's a type of disordered eating, but they're not trying to hurt themselves," she explained.

Original post:
Suicide by insulin a risk in people with diabetes - CBS News

by The Press and Standard | May 20, 2017 5:00 am

Last Updated: May 17, 2017 at 12:27 pm

By JULIE HOFF

widdleswife@aol.com

Cameron Shephard has Type 1 juvenile diabetes, but it doesnt have her.

She tackles the disease with matter-of-fact confidence, and has since she was diagnosed at age 7.

Cameron, now 13, is the daughter of David and Lisa Shephard of Givhans. Lisa is a nurse at Colleton Medical Center.

Theres no family medical history [of diabetes] whatsoever, as far back as we know, Lisa said. Cameron has two older brothers, Kaleb and Blake, neither of whom has diabetes.

Cameron, who attends Gregg Middle School in Summerville, doesnt let the disease slow her down. Shes maintained a place on the honor roll while taking advanced classes in elementary and middle school. Shes in the Gifted And Talented Education (GATE) program and a member of the Junior Beta Club. She plays tennis at Gregg, and I like to play outside with my brother Blake basketball or football, she said.

In the six years since her diagnosis, Cameron has had more than 15,000 needle injections and eight hypoglycemic seizures, Lisa said.

Counting carbs and testing her blood sugar several times a day is just a fact of life, and she doesnt complain.

She does great with it. She never lets it get her down, Lisa said

I dont really remember before [the diagnosis], Cameron said. Its just my life.

Lisa became an advocate for diabetes research and education. She and Cameron met with Congressmen James E. Clyburn and Mark Sanford and participated in a 100-mile fundraising bike ride to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. In addition, Cameron has organized a JDRF Walk Team for five years.

Now Cameron has been selected to represent South Carolina in the JDRF Childrens Congress this summer in Washington, D.C. Approximately 1,500 youths applied for 155 slots, Lisa said. Two other S.C. delegates, from Greenville and Columbia, were also selected.

They fill out an application and write a letter to their congressman, and they look at their grades and any work theyve done to support advocacy and research, Lisa said.

During the Congress, which is held every other year, kids learn leadership skills, make friends and talk to elected leaders about the importance of government funding for juvenile diabetes research.

Cameron began to exhibit classic symptoms of the disease at age six. She was drinking a lot of fluids and having to use the bathroom constantly. Then she started getting extremely sleepy we were in denial, Lisa said.

They went to Dr. Benjamin Rogers at Edisto Pediatrics, and I packed a suitcase for her before we even left. I knew she wasnt coming back home that night, Lisa said. When Cameron was weighed, her parents realized how much weight shed lost. And her blood sugar was over 800 dangerously high.

Rogers sent the family to the Medical University of South Carolina, where Cameron quickly learned the routines associated with her disease.

Before we even left the hospital she was able to stick her own finger and get her blood sugar numbers, Lisa said.

Today Cameron checks her blood sugar three or four times a day. She wears a device called a CGM, a continuous glucose monitor, which downloads her blood sugar levels every five minutes to her phone.

Every three or four days, we have to change the insulin pump to a new site, and once a week we change CGM sites, Lisa said. The pump constantly infuses insulin 24 hours a day. It tells her if she needs insulin or not. When she eats, she has to count how many carbs shes eating and she has to enter those numbers into the pump.

None of it fazes Cameron. Shes focused on two things: Finding a cure for those who have been diagnosed, and early diagnosis for those who have it.

We are very proud of Cameron for being selected to represent our state, and of how well she lives with this chronic disease that has no days off, Lisa said.

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Local girl tapped for diabetes event | News | The Press and Standard - Walterboro Live

Richard Fink was an All-High first baseman who weighed about 165 pounds when he played for the Bennett High School baseball team during the mid-1970s. He spent the 1980s and 90s playing Muni and suburban hardball with teams based near his Getzville home, as well as pickup basketball up to three times a week.

Im very competitive, he said.

Fink, 62, has worked the last three decades as a legal process server. Over the years, he spent a growing amount of time behind a desk or the wheel of a car. He ate lots of food on the go and enjoyed his share of the standard Buffalo diet: breakfast sandwiches, chicken wings and pizza.

The nearly 6-foot-tall Fink weighed 215 pounds when a case of pneumonia knocked him off his feet for two months early last year. He packed on another 15 pounds as he recovered.

Meanwhile, his blood sugar level crept into the diabetes range.

Ive played sports my whole life, so when youre diagnosed with diabetes its a shock, he said.

[BELOW: Diabetes ABCs, key prediabetes and diabetes test levels]

Fink was not at all comfortable joining the legion of 115 million Americans roughly one in three with diabetes or prediabetes. His primary care doctor put him on the oral medication Metformin and helped him understand the dangers unaddressed high blood sugar levels can bring: poor circulation that boosts the risk of blindness and kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and limb amputation.

Fink was floored.

If scientists tell you that you can go blind looking at the sun during an eclipse, you dont look. Its an immediate reaction, he said. But if it comes down to eating or other choices, its OK, because nothing happens immediately to you. But then, 20 years later, that accumulation of poor eating habits and behavior, it catches up with you. The bill comes due.

Fink decided to beat back diabetes. Heres how.

Start with a plan

Richard Fink, left, pledged to amp up his weekly workout regimen and change his diet after he was diagnosed with diabetes. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Fink started his Type 2 diabetic journey last spring after lab tests showed his fasting blood sugar level at 338 milligrams per deciliter, more than three times the normal level. His A1C reading an average blood sugar percentage over two to three months stood at 7.2, also in the diabetes range.

The best thing someone can do when they get diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes is to lose weight, he said. Its the essential key to ridding yourself of diabetes.

[RELATED: Type 1 diabetic from WNY touts little-used inhalable insulin]

Fink had long been interested in the training regimens of top athletes, even though he didnt always follow them himself, so he started from a place he understood: He needed to burn off more calories than he consumed.

Research shows that losing 15 percent of your body weight can lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes by more than 50 percent, according to the American Diabetes Association.

That kind of weight loss needed to start with a new mental approach, Fink reasoned. He started to make better, more educated health and fitness choices going forward every day and not get too discouraged if he slipped up occasionally.

The problem most people have is they want instant gratification, he said. You dont get out of shape overnight. You dont get in shape overnight. Its a process.

Nutrition is key

A Mediterranean diet including plenty of chicken and fish has been part of Richard Fink's nutrition plan. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Diet and exercise has to be part of any diabetic regime, no matter what, said Dr. Howard Lippes, a Williamsville endocrinologist.

Fink was determined to add more exercise to his weekly regimen. For him, the remnants of his past made this the easier part. The more important thing to remember is that you cannot out-train a bad diet, he said.

He pretty much knew how to eat right, but the new numbers in his life underlined that he didnt make the best choices often enough. He turned decidedly to a Mediterranean diet. He gave up cereal, white breads and other processed foods made with simple carbohydrates and added sugars. Simple carbs as opposed to their more complex kin, found mostly in vegetables raise blood sugar levels, which promote body inflammation that fuels many chronic diseases, including diabetes, the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S.

Fink fed his better habits with information gleaned from books, magazines and (shameful plug intended) WNY Refresh. He tends to eat eggs for breakfast, a light, chicken-based meal for lunch and dinners rich in chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables. He drinks plenty of water. He has never smoked anything and doesnt drink alcohol, which in excess also promotes disease.

Do I still love wings? Absolutely, he said. Do I still have them once in a while? Sure, but I have changed to a lot of healthy eating. You need to have chicken and fish and salads, and be careful on dressings and toppings. Youve got to read labels, too. I never thought I needed to. The more informed you can become, the better.

Exercise counts

Each member who takes group classes at Orangetheory wears a heart rate monitor to let them know when they approach their maximum heart rate. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

There are plenty of days I dont want to work out, Fink said, but those are the days that are most important. You have to force yourself to do what you need to do to burn calories, and drive by places where you shouldnt be eating.

[RELATED STORY: Falls Memorial studies new wound treatment]

Fink turned to Orangetheory in Amherst to burn calories. He takes a late afternoon class five to six days a week in which workouts vary, keeping things interesting and targeting different muscle groups. Trainers help guide his fitness and exercise form during hourlong workouts split between challenging treadmill work and circuit training that includes rowing machines, free weights and TRX resistance bands. The workouts focus on splat points one point for every minute in the Orange zone, 84 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. You want you to get 12 to 20 points per session to develop an afterburn that keeps you shedding calories for a day or so after your workout.

When I go for my workout, I burn 800, 900 calories, Fink said, so technically, after my workout, I havent eaten because Ive burned off breakfast and lunch.

Your heart is a muscle that Fink compares to a Lamborghini. If you walk every day, thats good, but its like driving that car at 25 miles an hour, he said. Youve got to open that up, raise that heart rate every once in a while, to make sure youre working it.

Its important to check with your doctor before starting an exercise routine.

A new way of life

Fink has learned since last spring that hard, consistent work can pay off. Being healthy is a second job, he said.

He has lost 30 pounds since last year and his A1C level is down to 5.4 below the prediabetic and diabetic range. He is taking a quarter the dose of his original diabetes prescription and looks to soon get off it completely. He aims to stay this way.

You cant say, I got rid of it, so I can eat doughnuts again. You dont want to do that, he said. You can blow a whole workout with foods like that. You have to combine exercise with diet. People say they cant lose weight. Dont say you cant. Say youre not going to make the effort. If youre not making the effort, who are you cheating?

The ABCs of diabetes

Type 1 diabetes:Normally diagnosed in children and young adults. The body does not produce insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy the bodys cells need for daily life. Only 5 percent of people with diabetes have this form of the disease, which is treated with insulin therapy.

Type2diabetes:Almost 30 million Americans have Type 1 or 2 diabetes; Type 2 is by far the most common form. The body does not produce enough insulin, or the cells ignore the insulin, and glucose builds up in the bloodstream instead.

It is more common as a percentage among African-Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and Asian Americans. Roughly one in four Americans age 65 and older has diabetes.

More than 80 percent of those with Type 2 diabetes are overweight.

Complications, which can vary widely and by degree, include glaucoma, cataracts and other eye problems; numbness in the feet; skin infections and skin disorders; hearing loss; depression; and high blood pressure, which raises your risk for heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.

High blood sugar can overwork the kidneys, causing them to stop working properly. When diagnosed early, kidney disease can be slowed with treatment; when diagnosed later, kidney failure usually results.

Prediabetes:An estimated 86 million Americans have prediabetes. Before people develop Type 2 diabetes, they almost always have prediabetes, or blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.

Recent research has shown that some long-term damage to the body, especially the heart and circulatory system, may already be occurring during prediabetes.

Key tests

A1C: Measures the average blood sugar (glucose) level percentage over 2-3 months.

Results of A1C:

Normal:less than 5.7 percent

Prediabetes:5.7 to 6.4 percent

Diabetes:6.5 percent or higher

Fasting Plasma Glucose: Levels of milligrams per deciliter of blood glucose after fasting at least 8 hours.

Results of FPG:

Normal:less than 100 mg/dl

Prediabetes:100-125 mg/dl

Diabetes:126 mg/dl or higher

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test: Levels of milligrams per deciliter before and 2 hours after a sweet drink; most often used to test for diabetes during pregnancy.

Results of OCTT:

Normal:less than 140 mg/dl

Prediabetes:140-129 mg/dl

Diabetes:200 mg/dl or higher

Prevention and treatment

Exercise and a healthy diet are key to preventing prediabetes and diabetes, as well as better managing them. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Regular exercise and a healthy diet void of processed foods can help.

Smoking, high blood pressure, abnormal blood cholesterol levels, being overweight and being sedentary can worsen diabetes.

Medications and dialysis are treatments that may be required.

Sources: American Diabetes Association (diabetes.org), Seneca Nation of Indians Diabetes Foundation

Resourcesfrom the Buffalo & Erie County Public Libraries

What to Expect When You Have Diabetes: 170 tips for living well with diabetes, American Diabetes Association

Whole Cooking & Nutrition: An everyday superfoods approach to planning, cooking, and eating with diabetes, Katie Cavuto

Your Type 2 Diabetes Action Plan: Tips, techniques, and practical advice for living well with diabetes, American Diabetes Association

The Diabetes Reset: Avoid it, control it, even reverse it a doctors scientific program, George King

Diabetes Without Drugs: The 5-step program to control blood sugar naturally and prevent diabetes complications, Suzy Cohen

For more information, visit buffalolib.org.

email: refresh@buffnews.com

Twitter: @BNrefresh, @ScottBScanlon

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Floored by diabetes diagnosis, Richard Fink fought back - Buffalo News

The American Diabetes Association Education Recognition Certificate for a quality diabetes self-management education program was recently awarded to the Magnolia Regional Medical Center program.

ADSA believes that this program offers high-quality education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment.

The Associations Education Recognition Certificate assures that educational programs meet the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs. These Standards were developed and tested under the auspices of the National Diabetes Advisory Board in 1983 and were revised by the diabetes community in 1994, 2000, 2007 and 2012.

Programs apply for recognition voluntarily. Programs that achieve recognition status have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide participants with comprehensive information about diabetes management.

The process gives professionals a national standard by which to measure the quality of services they provide, said Rex Jones, CEO. And, of course, it assures the consumer that he or she will likely receive high-quality service.

Education Recognition status is verified by an official certificate from ADA and is awarded for four years.

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 29.1 million people or 9.3% of the population in the United States who have diabetes. While an estimated 21 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 8.1 million people are not aware that they have this disease. Each day more than 3,900 people are diagnosed with diabetes.

Many will first learn that they have diabetes when they are treated for one of its life-threatening complications heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and nerve disease and amputation.

About 1.4 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people aged 20 years or older in 2014 in the U.S. Diabetes contributed to 234,051 deaths in 2010, making it the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is 50% greater than that of people of similar age but without diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association is the nations leading non-profit health organization supporting diabetes research, advocacy and information for health professionals, patients and the public. Founded in 1940, the association conducts programs in communities nationwide.

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MRMC's diabetes education program receives certification - Magnoliareporter