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  • Phife Dawg: A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Five Foot Assassin’ Dies At 45

    Phife Dawg: A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Five Foot Assassin’ Dies At 45

    The unexpected passing of the rapper Phife Dawg has certainly caused shock and grief in the hip-hop community, and numerous well-respected hip-hop artists have come out to honor his memory.

    Rolling Stone magazine recently reported that Phife Dawg – Malik Taylor in real life – died on Wednesday, March 23, of “complications resulting from diabetes.” He was 45 years old and had been struggling from Type 2 diabetes for many years, and even received a kidney transplant in 2008 courtesy of his wife.

    Born to Trinidadian immigrants in 1970 in Queens, New York, Phife Dawg joined his former high school classmates, Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad to form the iconic hip-hop group, A Tribe Called Quest. While he didn’t get as much attention as his other co-members, Phife was anything but a supporting act. Known as the “Five Foot Assassin,” he joined ATCQ during a turning point in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s when hip-hop was producing tracks that featured socially-conscious lyrics, Afrocentric ideas, and jazz sampling.

    Questlove of The Roots was among the many hip-hop artists who paid their respects to the late rapper. In a lengthy tribute he posted on his Instagram page, Questlove made a touching account of how Phife Dawg influenced his music.

    “Riq & I had this moment a few times, but the look on our faces when we 1st heard “Buggin Out” was prolly Me & Tariq’s greatest “rewind selector!” moment in our friendship,” said Questlove of the moment he and Tariq Trotter listened to ATCQ’s The Low End Theory album.

    Phife forever 1970-2016. 1991 in Sept I went to visit Tariq at Millersville U in the middle of PA (Lancaster). Miles Davis had just passed & I went on a binge to study his post jazz works. Went to Sound Of Market to purchase Nefertiti, In A Silent Way & Live Evil—the only non jazz purchase I made that day ironically was the most jazziest album in that collection: #TheLowEndTheory by @ATCQ. —it was raining that day so somehow the 1…2 punch of “Nefertiti”/”Fall” just had me in a trance that train trip—even though I suspected there was a possibility that Tribe could possibly have made a better album then their debut (the perfect @@@@@ mic Source rating would be on stands in a week so I was right)—but I knew I wanted to save that listening for when I got up to the campus w Riq.—so some 90mins later when I get to his dorm–we ripped that bad boy open (I can’t describe the frustration that was CD packaging in 1991, just imagine the anger that environmentalists feel when all that paper packaging in Beats headphone gets wasted—it’s like that)—the sign of a true classic is when a life memory is burnt in your head because of the first time you hear a song. —Riq & I had this moment a few times, but the look on our faces when we 1st heard “Buggin Out” was prolly Me & Tariq’s greatest “rewind selector!” moment in our friendship. (Back then every MC’s goal was to have that “rewind!!!” moment. As in to say something so incredible. Or to catch you by surprise that it makes you go “DAAAAAYUM!!!”& you listen over & over—Malik “Phife” Taylor’s verse was such a gauntlet/flag planting moment in hip hop. Every hip hop head was just…stunned HE. CAME. FOR. BLOOD & was taking NO prisoners on this album (or ever again) we just kept looking at the speaker on some disbelief old timey radio Suspense episode. & also at each other “Phife is KILLIN!”–by the time we got to “Scenario” I swear to god THAT was the moment I knew I wanted to make THIS type of music when I grew up–(yeah yeah dad I know: “go to Juilliard or Curtis to make a nice living at “real music”) but he didn’t know that Phife & his crew already wrote my destiny. I ain’t look back since. THANK YOU PHIFE!

    A photo posted by Questlove Gomez (@questlove) on

    Malik “Phife” Taylor’s verse was such a gauntlet/flag planting moment in hip hop. Every hip hop head was just…stunned HE. CAME. FOR. BLOOD & was taking NO prisoners on this album,” he continued.

    Questlove Remembers Phife Dawg through This Track

    Phife Dawg also featured in several classic, albeit overlooked guest appearances, including “Let the Horns Blow” by Chi-Ali, “Ghost Weed” by De La Soul, and “La Schmoove” by Fu-Schnickens.

  • Diabetes: Tips For Managing Diabetes Around The Holidays

    Dealing with diabetes can be hard any time of year, but especially around the holidays.

    Most people celebrate the holidays with feasts and special treats and regardless of how well you try, it can be hard to avoid overeating or indulging in sweets and carbs.

    Here are some tips to help you avoid losing control.

    Snack
    Before you show up for a big meal, eat a healthy snack or small meal. This will keep you full and help you avoid overeating. You can continue to snack slowly and responsibly while at the dinner or party.

    Plan
    It’s never rude to ask what will be served at a party and knowing ahead of time will help you plan for it. You can decide if you should eat or snack before the meal and even think about what you can eat at the dinner or party. Knowing ahead of time will prevent you from overeating or eating things that are not good for you and could affect your diabetes.

    Bring Your Own Food
    If you are afraid that there won’t be anything you can eat at the dinner or party, bring your own food. You can ask the host or hostess if it’s okay to bring a covered dish and then prepare something that is good for you and will not negatively affect your diabetes.

    Don’t stress out about the holidays or your diabetes.

    There are plenty of ways you can enjoy holiday meals, parties and get-togethers without making yourself sick or harming your health.

  • Diabetes: Surprising New Research Revealed

    Lack of exercise and obesity are high risk factors for people with type 2 diabetes. In order to help patients manage the disease, doctors recommend that they watch what they eat and do some form of physical activity every day. However, a new scientific review by Lauren M. Sparks and her colleague Natalie A. Stephens reveals some very surprising information.

    Sparks, Ph.D. of the Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes at Florida Hospital and the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute in Orlando, believes that genetics may play a bigger role in what helps patients manage their type 2 diabetes. According to the research published by Sparks and Stephens in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, one in five patients do not benefit from physical activity.

    “But at this stage, we do not know who will and who will not respond to an exercise program,” said Sparks who believes that more research needs to be done in order to find out why some patients benefit from exercise and some do not. She added, “We can then ultimately develop novel strategies, while still using exercise, to help them in their quest to either prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes or to get their diabetes under control.”

    The research monitored 45 adults in their mid-50s with type 2 diabetes. All the participants exercised for nine months, some used treadmills three or four days a week. However, about 20 percent saw no changes in key measurements like HbA1c (a measure of blood glucose concentration over long periods of time), fat burning ability, Body Mass Index (BMI), and body fat.

    “We now know that about 15 to 20 percent of individuals do not respond to supervised exercise interventions – at least in terms of glucose control and muscle metabolism,” Sparks said. “And for many, it’s not from a lack of trying. They are making an effort.”

    Sparks believes that doctors should continue to tell their patients to exercise. There are clearly positive health benefits that come from regular physical activity. She hopes that her study sparks more research into determining why so many patients do not respond to exercise.

  • Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity Linked to Fast-Food Proximity, Shows Study

    It should come as no surprise that unhealthy foods such as those commonly served at fast-food restaurants are related to medical problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. A new study has gone even further, however, finding that the number of fast-food restaurants in a community can be seen as a predictor of such symptoms.

    The study, published in the journal Public Health Nutrition, found that an individual’s proximity to fast-food restaurants could be linked to their risk of type-2 diabetes and obesity. More specifically the study’s authors found that for every two additional fast-food restaurants in a neighborhood, that neighborhood could expect one additional person with diabetes.

    “This work has several notable strengths; namely, it is the first study, to our knowledge, to look at the association between the number of neighbourhood fast-food outlets and type 2 diabetes in a multi-ethnic population,” said Patrice Carter, a co-author of the study and a research associate at the University of Leicester. “Although it is not possible to infer causal effect, our study found that plausible causal mechanisms exist.”

    Another disturbing trend seen in the study’s data is that poorer, non-white communities were more likely to have a greater number of fast-food restaurants. People of non-white ethnicity were found to have more than twice the number of fast-food restaurants in their neighborhood compared to white Europeans.

    “We found a much higher number of fast-food outlets in more deprived areas where a higher number of black and minority ethnic populations resided,” said Dr. Kamlesh Khunti, a co-author of the study and a professor of primary care diabetes & vascular medicine at the University of Leicester. “This in turn was associated with higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes. The results are quite alarming and have major implications for public health interventions to limit the number of fast-food outlets in more deprived areas.”

    Khunti and his colleagues believe that this study could have a significant impact on future health policy, diabetes prevention, and community zoning laws. In the U.K. data from the study, which looked at over 10,000 people, has already been used to inform NHS Health Checks Programme recommendations.

  • Diabetes Awareness Month Kicks Off

    Diabetes Awareness Month Kicks Off

    Diabetes Awareness Month kicked off today as events across the nation were held to raise awareness of diabetes and the prevention of it.

    For example, one of the largest diabetes awareness walks in the nation was held today in Philidelphia.

    It was a cold and rainy day, but that didn’t stop the thousands of brave supporters who came out to walk a mile and try and help raise diabetes awareness. Those participating and watching were able to get valuable diabetes information and were also treated to a free concert when the diabetes awareness walk was over.

    “I’m so proud of the people that showed up today, despite the bad weather,” said one of the walkers.

    “It feels wonderful to be so supported by such a wonderful community.”

    Ann Meredith, the executive director of the American Diabetes Association, said, “Today, Philadelphia is officially declaring its independence from the diabetes epidemic.”

    Epidemic is definitely a fitting description.

    29.1 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and many people are still unaware that diabetes can sometimes be delayed or even prevented.

    According to the CDC website,

    “Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use for energy. The pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of our bodies. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use its own insulin as well as it should. This causes sugar to build up in your blood.”

    Type 2 diabetes can be sometimes be prevented or delayed by losing weight, eating right, and maintaining a good exercise program.

    Hopefully, Diabetes Awareness Month will help to spread the word about how important diet and exercise is to maintaining a healthy life!

  • Diabetes in Adolescents Linked to Antipsychotics

    As the prevalence of diabetes around the world rises, more researchers are turning their attention to the disease and its possible causes. Some medical researchers are focusing their efforts on juvenile diabetes, research that may help to curb rising diagnoses of type 2 diabetes among adolescents.

    A new study published in this month’s issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found a peculiar link between diabetes and commonly used psychiatric drugs. Researchers at the Aalborg University Hospital in Denmark have uncovered what appears to be a link between type 2 diabetes and antipsychotics.

    The study found that adolescents diagnosed with psychiatric disorders were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if they were also prescribed antipsychotic drugs. The risk of developing diabetes in children who were prescribed antipsychotic drugs was found to be 0.72 percent. This compares to just a 0.27 percent chance of developing diabetes for children who were diagnosed with a psychiatric condition but not exposed to antipsychotics. The type of psychiatric condition the children were diagnosed with was found to have no impact on their risk of developing diabetes.

    The study looked at 48,299 Danish youth who were diagnosed with psychiatric conditions between 1999 and 2010.

    The study’s authors believe their findings raise concerns about the use of antipsychotic drugs for non-psychiatric conditions, such as behavioral disorders. They advocate only prescribing antipsychotics to adolescents when other treatment options have been exhausted. The researchers also suggest that cardiometabolic monitoring should be standard when prescribing antipsychotics for adolescents, including fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1C testing.

    “The use of antipsychotic drug treatment can be necessary for some of the psychiatric disorders diagnosed in children and adolescents,” said Dr. Rene Ernst Nielsen, lead author of the study and a psychiatry researcher at Aalborg University Hospital. “This study underscores the importance of following the current guidelines that antipsychotics should only be used in children and adolescents when other evidence-based and safer treatment options have been exhausted.”

  • Mental Health Coaching Affects Depression And Diabetes

    In a pilot study presented at the American Association of Diabetes Educators Annual Meeting & Exhibition yesterday, researchers showed that mental health coaching has not only the capacity to reduce depressive symptoms in patients but to help lower the concentration of glucose in the blood for those diagnosed with depression and diabetes.

    According to the article, which was republished on Science Daily, many people diagnosed with diabetes also suffer from depression, which oftentimes saps a patient’s ability to maintain a high level of self-care. Self-care includes activities such as monitoring of symptoms, staying active, eating healthily, and taking medication, four areas crucial for managing diabetes.

    Diabetes educators developed a program to provide mental health coaching for those who suffered from depression and diabetes. The program took place in a rural portion of North Carolina, where the rate of diabetes (nearly 16 percent) was higher than the national rate (10 percent) and depression afflicted 30 percent of the population.

    In the study, 182 patients with Type 2 diabetes received mental health coaching for an average of three visits. The mental health coach gave the patients a questionnaire that rated them on their anxiety and depression levels, and then helped the patients find tools to best address the stressors and challenges in their lives. The mental health coach then reassessed the anxiety and depression levels of the patients at the end of the period.

    After three months, patient scores for anxiety and depression decreased on average 49 percent. Furthermore, A1C, which measures glucose in the blood, decreased from 8.8 percent to 7.7 percent. All patients also received diabetes education to help them learn how to manage their disease and be as healthy as possible.

    “The program was to be piloted for a two year period but has been so powerful, we have continued it,” said Melissa Herman, RD, certified diabetes educator and program director of the Diabetes & Nutrition Education Center of FirstHealth of the Carolinas, Pinehurst, N.C. “While healthy coping is an essential part of diabetes education, mental health coaching takes it to another level for people who struggle with depression. Those who had mental health coaching said it was life-changing, life-saving and helped them feel better and happier than they had in a long time.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Diabetes Diagnosed Using New Microchip Technology

    Diabetes is quickly becoming more prevalent in many parts of the world, even among the young. Part of the problem can be traced to the expanding waistlines of people in western countries, but preventative health programs to battle obesity are still just beginning to make a dent in the rising numbers. With doctors having to deal with the rise in diabetes diagnoses in the present, a new technique promises to quickly diagnose the type-1 diabetes even without access to expensive lab equipment.

    Researchers at Stanford University this week published a study in the journal Nature Medicine that outlines the new technique. The field test is described in the study as both inexpensive and portable – perfect for doctors outside traditional healthcare settings. The test uses microchips to distinguish type-1 diabetes from type-2 diabetes, detecting the antibodies only present in type-1 diabetes.

    According to the study’s authors, the distinction between the two types of diabetes is important due to the more aggressive treatment needed for type-1 diabetes. The new test is even more important now that more children than ever are being diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. In the past children were simply assumed to have type-1 diabetes, since doctors only saw type-2 diabetes appear in older, obese patients.

    “With the new test, not only do we anticipate being able to diagnose diabetes more efficiently and more broadly, we will also understand diabetes better – both the natural history and how new therapies impact the body,” said Dr. Brian Feldman, senior author of the study and an assistant professor of pediatric endocrinology at Stanford.

    Feldman and his colleagues are hoping that the new test, which doesn’t yet have a marketable name, will soon be approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In contrast to expensive lab tests, the microchips for the new test are estimated to cost around $20 each and last for up to 15 separate tests. The new test also uses just a finger-prick worth of blood compared to the vials of blood needed for older tests.

    “There is great potential to capture people before they develop the disease, and prevent diabetes or prevent its complications by starting therapy early,” said Feldman. “But the old test was prohibitive for that type of thinking because it was so costly and time-consuming.”

    Image via Thinkstock

  • Diabetes, Obesity Linked by Missing Protein

    It’s been clear now for decades that obesity is somehow linked to the development of diabetes. As Americans have grown to staggering proportions, diabetes diagnoses have risen accordingly, even among teens. Exactly why this is the case isn’t fully understood, but researchers are now closing in on some answers.

    A new study published in the journal Cell Reports suggests that the link between obesity and diabetes could be related to the absence of a specific protein integral to insulin signalling. Researchers from the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have found that a protein dubbed NUCKS is simply missing in the bodies of obese people.

    The NUCKS protein is part of a process that allows the human body to respond to insulin hormones. Without it, the body has a more difficult time of regulating blood glucose levels, leading to insulin resistance and consistently high blood glucose levels associated with the development of diabetes.

    “It is alarming that obesity is a huge risk factor for many ailments, including diabetes,” said Vinay Teraonkar, lead scientist on the study and a researcher at the IMDB. “Having identified this protein, we are now a step closer towards removing one of these complications from individuals suffering from obesity.”

    According to the study’s authors, the NUCKS discovery is the first direct molecular link found between obesity and the risk of diabetes. The finding could also eventually lead to treatments for obese people such as drugs or prescribed lifestyle therapies that could raise the prevalence of NUCKS in their bodies, cutting their risk for developing diabetes.

    “IMCB is now focusing research on molecular mechanisms underlying diseases, which is important in developing future treatments for prevailing human diseases,” said Hong Wanjin, executive director for the IMCB. “We are excited to be a pioneer in uncovering a molecular link between these two common health problems. The incidence of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity has been rising over the years, and these findings will prove valuable in further developing therapeutic approaches for them.”

    Image via Thinkstock

  • Inhaled Insulin Afrezza Receives FDA Approval

    Could this be the end of daily insulin shots for some of the nearly 25.8 million people in the United States — 8.3 percent of the population — who suffer from diabetes?

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday the approval of Afrezza, a rapid-acting inhaled insulin used in the treatment of diabetes.

    The medicine is meant be used at the beginning of a meal or within 20 minutes after the start of a meal to control glycemic levels in adults with diabetes.

    “Afrezza is a new treatment option for patients with diabetes requiring mealtime insulin,” said Dr. Jean-Marc Guettier, director of the Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Today’s approval broadens the options available for delivering mealtime insulin in the overall management of patients with diabetes who require it to control blood sugar levels.”

    This is the third time the maker of Afrezza, MannKind Corporation out of Danbury, Connecticut, has tried to seek FDA approval for the drug. The company conducted additional safety studies after the first two attempts failed.

    During the approval process, the drug was tested in 3,017 patients, 1,026 with type 1 diabetes and 1,991 with type 2.

    “Today’s FDA action validates the years of clinical research and commitment that powered the development of this unique therapy,” said company founder Alfred Mann in a statement. “(Afrazza) has the potential to change the way that diabetes is treated.”

    The FDA said Afrezza is not a substitute for long-acting insulin and must be used in combination with long-acting insulin for patients with type 1 diabetes and with oral medication for people with type 2 diabetes.

    Afrezza has a warning that it may cause “a sudden tightening of the chest.” It is not recommended for people with asthma or COPD. It also shouldn’t be used to treat diabetec ketoacidosis or by patients who smoke.

    Image via YouTube

  • Diabetes Management Goes ‘Bionic’ With New Device

    Researchers involved in two National Institutes of Health-funded studies have developed a ‘bionic’ pancreas that monitors a patient’s blood sugar levels and makes Type 1 diabetes more manageable.

    Created by researchers at Boston University and Massachusetts General Hospital, the experimental device is not actually an organ or something transplanted within a patient’s body.

    It involves three parts: two pager-sized hormone pumps, connected to the body through thin tubes inserted under the skin, and a small “brick,” combining an iPhone and continuous glucose monitor, to coordinate when each hormone should be delivered, co-author Edward Damiano of the Boston University Department of Biomedical Engineering told the USA Today.

    One pump delivers insulin, a hormone that lowers blood sugar, and the other deliver glucagon, which raises blood sugar. Glucagon is often used as a “rescue” drug or an antidote for insulin, as almost 10 percent of diabetes-related deaths are due to hypoglycemia, or accidental insulin overdose, according to CBS News.

    Results, which are published in the New England Journal of Medicine, that the device did a better job of monitoring and managing blood sugar levels than the patients who monitored levels on their own. The device kept blood sugar levels more consistent than those without the device.

    Additionally, researchers found patients in the study needed 37 percent fewer interventions for hypoglycemia.

    “What we’re building is a system that uses glucagon like a brake in a car,” Damiano told CBS News. “The insulin is like the accelerator and the glucagon is like the brake system.”

    The device would allow for people with Type 1 diabetes to do away with the standard stick-your-finger testing for blood sugar levels and manual insulin injections, as well as the worry of keeping up with unpredictable blood sugar changes after meals or daily activity.

    “It’s a fully autonomous soup-to-nuts solution,” Damiano said. “You enter the patient’s body weight. That is it, and then it just starts controlling blood sugar. Basically, it takes the burden of day-to-day diabetes management off your shoulders.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Bret Michaels Updates Fans After Canceling Show

    On Thursday, May 29, Bret Michaels had to stop performing during the middle of a concert in Manchester, N.H., after suffering from a medical emergency.

    As previously reported by Webpronews, Michaels was three songs into the show when he had to rush off of the stage. Bret is normally always on top of his sugar levels, since being diagnosed with diabetes as a child, but this night he didn’t realize that his sugar levels had dropped incredibly low.

    Before leaving the show, 51-year-old Michaels took to the stage one final time to apologize to his fans and then he was taken to his bus, where Michaels’ guitarist Pete Evick said he could barely speak. Despite his condition, Michaels asked Evick to apologize again to his fans.

    Now, nearly a week later, Michaels is taking the time to update his fans on his condition. Michaels shared a selfie on his personal website and captioned it by saying: “Apologies for the pale white face. It’s the first day I’ve been able to fly to the kids. There is not enough thanks that I can send to the awesome fans, friends, family and medical staff for their help and well wishes. You all rock!”

    Post by Bret Michaels.

    Michaels also had to miss his concert on Friday at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., due to being “under strict medical direction.” “Doctors have ordered him to let the flu virus run its course and let his blood sugar rebalance and remain consistent,” his website said at the time.

    Michaels is now feeling better, and is hoping to get back to performing soon.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Bret Michaels Suffers Medical Emergency At Concert

    On Thursday, singer Bret Michaels had to stop performing during a New Hampshire concert, due to a medical emergency.

    According to Michaels’ guitarist Pete Evick, Michaels was three songs into the show when he had to rush off stage. Michaels was diagnosed with diabetes as a child, and a crew member explained that his blood sugar levels had dropped incredibly low.

    Michaels hated to have to cancel the show and took the stage one final time to apologize to his fans. He was then taken to the bus, where Evick said he could hardly speak. Despite his condition, Michaels begged Evick to apologize again to his fans.

    Evick then took to Michaels’ Facebook page to detail the incident, and let fans know what exactly happened.

    Breaking News: Message From Pete Evick Regarding Bret Michaels’ Medical Emergency

    This is a message I never imagined I’d have to post. Tonight in Manchester, NH 3 songs into the set Bret had me sing a song as he rushed off stage. In the 9 years I’ve stood next to him, I’ve never seen a look like the one on his face as if I was a complete stranger. One of the crew returned instantly to notify me that Bret’s blood sugar was extremely low.

    He returned to the stage only to announce that he could not continue. As you all know he is a health fanatic and fiercely monitors his blood sugar, he basically had to be dragged off the stage in his sickest of conditions. When I rushed to the bus he could barley speak, but begged me to apologize to the fans and seemed only concerned for them.

    As of now he is with paramedics being evaluated. We will keep you posted throughout the evening.

    Pete Evick

    Team Michaels later posted a post of Michaels’ Facebook account, thanking the paramedics for helping him through his emergency. “Sending a huge shout out to all the paramedics both on and off duty who have assisted Bret tonight,” the post read. “No words can thank you enough for your help. – Team Bret.”

    Post by Bret Michaels.

    Post by Bret Michaels.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Mary Tyler Moore Going Blind, Says Betty White

    For years Mary Tyler Moore entertained America on shows such as The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Now the 77 year-old Moore is struggling in her fight against diabetes and, according to friends, is currently in poor health. More has struggled from the effects of diabetes for decades and in 2011 underwent brain surgery to remove a non-cancerous tumor.

    Closer Weekly this week published a report on Moore, interviewing several of her famous friends about her health status. Unfortunately, it seems that the actress’ health has deteriorated in recent months, forcing her to stay close to her home and to her husband, cardiologist Robert Levine.

    Betty White, who played Sue Ann Nivens in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, said that Moore’s eyesight is fading and is a “big problem.” White stated that Moore is almost to the point of not being able to see at all.

    Moore’s longtime TV husband Dick Van Dyke told Closer that he talks to Moore often and that she “hasn’t been too well.” As he phrased it, Moore is “really having a battle with it.”

    Valerie Harper, who played Rhoda Morgenstern in The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the series spin-off Rhoda, contends that Moore “stays healthy,” though diabetes “does ravage her body.” Harper herself is suffering from serious health issues, having announced last year that she has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.

    Moore was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 33, just as she was beginning The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Since that time, Moore has become a spokesperson for diabetes awareness and research. She is currently the international chairman of the JDRF, a charity dedicated to funding diabetes research.

    Moore spoke out about her struggle with diabetes in her second memoir, Growing Up Again: Life, Loves, and O Yeah, Diabetes. The book revealed that Moore has been struggling with vision impairment caused by diabetes for years.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Type 2 Diabetes Rises 30 Percent In Youth

    Type 2 Diabetes Rises 30 Percent In Youth

    Diabetes is a disorder of the metabolism, the way our bodies use digested food for energy, according to WebMD. Most of our food is converted into glucose, the type of sugar in the blood, where it is used by cells for growth and energy. For glucose to get into our cells there must be insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. But for people with diabetes, the pancreas produces little or no insulin.

    Children with diabetes are on the rise, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. According to the study, researchers found a 21 percent rise in type 1 diabetes in youth from the ages of birth to 19 years. They also found a 30.5 percent rise in type 2 diabetes in youth ranging from 10 to 19 years.

    The study is being published in the May 7 issue of JAMA, an issue with the theme of child health. It is being released early to coincide with Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting.

    In the study, the researchers wanted to see if there had been a legitimate rise in cases of diabetes among the youth from 2001 to 2009, and if the rise was associated with gender, age, and race or ethnicity.

    They write, “Understanding changes in prevalence according to population subgroups is important to inform clinicians about care that will be needed for the pediatric population living with diabetes and may provide direction for other studies designed to determine the causes of the observed changes.”

    The study population came from five centers located in California, Colorado, Ohio, South Carolina, and Washington State. Data was also taken from selected Indian reservations in Arizona and New Mexico.

    Researchers found that in 2009 6666 of 3.4 million youth were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes compared to 4958 of 3.3 million youth in 2001. The prevalence rate for 2009 was 1.93 per 1000 youth. It increased across all demographic barriers, with the lone exception of the 0 to 4 age group for American Indians.

    For type 2 diabetes researchers found in 2009 819 of 1.8 million youth were diagnosed, compared to 588 of 1.7 million youth in 2001. The prevalence rate for 2009 was 0.46 per 1000 youth. The researchers write, “Significant increases occurred between 2001 and 2009 in both sexes, all age-groups, and in white, Hispanic, and black youth, with no significant changes for Asian Pacific Islanders and American Indians.”

    Although researchers in the discussion section speculated on causes of the rise of both types of diabetes amongst the youth of the population, they declined to offer a firm conclusion of causality, simply saying, “Further studies are required to determine the causes of these increases.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Diabetes Risk Lowered With Mediterranean Diet

    Diabetes Risk Lowered With Mediterranean Diet

    Millions of people worldwide are diagnosed with diabetes everyday. While many cases can be managed with insulin and a strict diet, some people still suffer.

    A new study, scheduled to be presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 63rd Annual Scientific Sessions today, reveals a new diet, called the Mediterranean Diet, that may help the people who are already diagnosed, or are at a high risk of developing diabetes.

    The findings came from 19 studies which included over 162,000 people in different countries. They followed the studies for 5.5 years, and saw extreme improvements in those who strictly followed the Mediterranean Diet.

    The Mediterranean Diet is composed of primarily fish, nuts, vegetables and fruits, and was associated with a 21 percent lower risk of diabetes. For people who were also at a high risk of developing heart disease, the diet helped lower the chance of developing diabetes by 27 percent.

    “Adherence to the Mediterranean diet may prevent the development of diabetes irrespective of age, sex, race or culture,” said lead professor Demosthenes Panagiotakos, Ph.D. “This diet has a beneficial effect, even in high risk groups, and speaks to the fact that it is never too late to start eating a healthy diet.”

    Over the past 30 years, the number of diabetes cases has increased dramatically, essentially doubling in number. Researchers blame this on the obesity epidemic that is currently affecting Western civilizations.

    “A meta-analysis captures the limitations of individual studies, and this type of study is important to help inform guidelines and evidence-based care,” Panagiotakos said. “Diabetes is an ongoing epidemic and its relation to obesity, especially in the Westernized populations, is well known. We have to do something to prevent diabetes and changing our diet may be an effective treatment.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Diabetes And Pregnancy Raises Risk of Heart Disease

    There’s bad news for females who get gestational diabetes, a form of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy. The disease typically goes away after childbirth. However, a new research study by Counsel & Heal which analyzed the long term effects of gestational diabetes is reporting that pregnant women with diabetes have an increased risk of heart disease. The study was published in The Journal of the American Heart Association.

    The 20-year research study followed 898 participants between the ages of 18 and 30. The initial part of the study assessed each female before she got pregnant in order to determine her risk of developing heart disease. Researchers factored in aspects like race, age, body-mass-index, insulin, lipids, fasting blood glucose and blood pressure. Then the participants were tested again for diabetes and heart disease after they had children.

    The study stated that women who have had gestational diabetes typically developed thicker carotid arteries compared with pregnant females who did not have gestational diabetes. Senior research scientist Erica P. Gunderson spoke about the findings. “Our research shows that just having a history of gestational diabetes elevates a woman’s risk of developing early, sub-clinical atherosclerosis before she develops type 2 diabetes or the metabolic syndrome. She added, “Pregnancy has been under-recognized as an important time period that can signal a woman’s greater risk for future heart disease. This signal is revealed by gestational diabetes, a condition of elevated blood sugar during pregnancy.”

    Of the 898 participants in the study, 119 of them or 13 percent, suffered from gestational diabetes. These females had carotid artery intima-media thickness that was 0.023 mm larger than the females without the disease.

    “This finding indicates that a history of gestational diabetes may influence development of early atherosclerosis before the onset of diabetes and metabolic diseases that previously have been linked to heart disease,” Gunderson stated. “Gestational diabetes may be an early risk factor for heart disease in women.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Weight Loss: What Is That One Weird Trick Anyway?

    Weight loss is still the pot of gold at the end of the Internet rainbow. If a casual perusal of offers on the Internet is to be believed, Al Gore’s invention is mainly useful for selling three things:

    – Penis pills
    – Get rich plans
    – Weight loss

    No, porn is not on the list. The porn is free.

    Not long ago, there was a spate of squiggling little ads on almost every other webpage promising to show you – for a cost – that “one weird trick” for several different ailments. Slate did a nice exposé on this phenomenon.

    Among these was diabetes – that turned out to be cinnamon; there, I saved you $39.95.

    Another “weird trick” ad was for penis enlargement. That was a “male formula” supplement that costs $90 a month on auto-renew. You’re welcome, again.

    And finally, weight loss. The weight loss “one weird trick” was extracts of gardenia cambogia and acai – which are now disproven.

    Even though all these things come and go, new ads for weight loss pop up again and again. We might not believe the “get rich with ___________ (fill in the blank),” but we know in our heart of hearts that we can lose the weight. We’ve seen them do it on Biggest Loser. We’ve sat through the YouTube videos of people slurping down smoothies and shedding time-lapse pounds while inspirational music plays. We’ve seen the Instagram photos of celebrities who claim to be using the same program that you can use, with no special add-ons.

    And weight loss is legitimately a big deal. We know we need to do it. We hear the warnings about strokes from high blood pressure; the injections and blindness from Type 2 diabetes; heart attacks from clogged arteries. That kind of thing spins horrific images through your mind when you’re flopping in bed, trying to find a position to breathe better.

    It has long been thought that PT Barnum coined the phrase “There’s a sucker born every minute.” But it is likely that this was not Barnum at all but one of his critics, poking fun at Barnum and his customers. Barnum’s dictum was “There’s a customer born every minute.”

    Either way, someone willing to shell out cash is born “every minute.” And with the access to each other that the Internet now provides, that number has likely increased exponentially.

    Some say that weight loss is simple – not easy, but simple. They say it is a matter of “calories in, calories out”, and that what we eat plays a much bigger role than trying to exercise that back off. They acknowledge some variations in methods for restricting calories in, but in the end still claim that formula is the Golden Rule of all Dieting. Everything else is variations on the theme.

    Some say that the kinds of calories matter, when you eat them matters. That makes sense on some levels. Does it matter whether you eat 1200 calories spread over an entire day vs. eating them all in one meal right before going to bed?

    And why is everything is always measured in days? What if you eat 1200 calories before bed, then another 1200 when you wake up? Does the act of sleeping draw some demarcation between calorie intakes?

    Don’t believe that can even be done? The Daily Mail showed that KFC’s 10-piece bag of Original Chicken Bites is 1300 calories. McDonalds Big Breakfast with syrup and margarine is 1350. And these are not outliers.

    The fact is, we don’t have some of these answers. And there is always someone to prey on that uncertainty, to tell us that they know something that you don’t know, that hardly anyone else knows. And they will tell you that secret – whether it is weird, mystical, or clinical – for a price.

    Well, except me. I told you three “weird tricks” for nothing.

    Image via Instagram

  • Diabetic Diet: Healthy Equals Happy

    Diabetic Diet: Healthy Equals Happy

    Living with diabetes can be difficult and some people who are suffering from the illness find it difficult to lose or maintain a healthy weight. While there are many diets that claim to be perfect for people with diabetes, they tend to leave you hungry or can be classified as crash diets, which allow you to lose weight in a short amount of time, but prevent you from keeping it off.

    Instead of looking for a specific diet that tells you exactly what foods you should and shouldn’t eat or gives you a strict daily menu to follow, concentrate on eating healthy and replacing your unhealthy food choices with healthy ones. While certain foods are better for people with diabetes than others, it’s not only about taking bad foods away, but knowing with which healthy foods to replace them.

    One of the best things diabetics can do to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight without causing their blood sugar to drop is eat several small meals a day instead of two or three large ones. Your small meals should be balanced and consist of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Make sure you are eating lean proteins and unsaturated fats. Eat your meals every three hours to stay full and keep your blood sugar levels on track.

    Avoid simple sugars and carbohydrates and replace them with healthy sugars and carbs. Fruits can help satisfy your sweet tooth without causing a blood sugar spike. If you are craving bread, choose a bread that is made of whole grains.

    Make a list of the healthy foods you like and the ones you want to try. Also keep track of the foods you eat each day so you can see a pattern in your eating habits. When you are aware of how much food you are eating and the types of foods you are eating, you will be more likely to eat healthier. If you notice a rise or drop in your blood sugar, take note of when it occurred and what foods you ate to lead up to it. This will allow you to determine which foods affect your blood sugar in negative ways and positive ways.

    Don’t cross your favorite foods off the list, even if they aren’t necessarily healthy. If you love brownies or chocolate chip cookies and just can’t resist eating them, go ahead a take a few nibbles. Just don’t overeat and monitor your blood sugar carefully so you know what your limit is for each of your favorite foods.

    Being diabetic and dieting doesn’t have to be difficult and it doesn’t mean depriving yourself from the foods you love. Make smart choices and pay attention to your body and you will be on the right track to living a healthy and happy lifestyle.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Diabetes, Alzheimer’s Research May Yield Cures

    A new research project valued at roughly $230 million may yield the answers for curing Alzheimer’s, diabetes, lupus, and arthritis.

    Eight of the largest U.S. pharmaceutical companies are collaborating on the project with the National Institute of Health and the U.S. government to conduct extensive research on Alzheimer’s patients.

    Pfizer Inc., Eli Lilly & Co., Merck, Sanofi, Johnson & Johnson, Abbvie Inc., Biogen Idec Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., GlaxoSmithKline, and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. are all participating in the joint effort, dividing the $230 million project costs evenly between themselves and the NIH.

    Upon the estimate that Alzheimer’s victims will triple in numbers by 2015, the U.S. government decided to try and eradicate the crippling illness once and for all. The treatments for – and costs incurred from – the debilitating disease cost the country billions of dollars each year, currently affecting more than 5 million people in the U.S.

    All research for determining an Alzheimer’s cure conducted previously has proven fruitless. Scientists at the top drug companies say that technology and science have not advanced far enough yet for a cure to be feasible. In the last two years, alone, two of the nation’s top companies each lost a substantial amount of funds from unsuccessful ventures into potential treatments for curing the disease.

    Now, the evidence pointing to a possible solution for ending Alzheimer’s has become available, with researchers being able to pinpoint common “biomarkers” in tissue samples taken from Alzheimer’s patients, the keys to finding possible drug targets.

    The NIH says that this first round of research – on Alzheimer’s – is expected to last about three to five years; should it end successfully, there is a very good chance that lupus, diabetes, and arthritis will also be explored.

    However, new advancements in diabetes research has potentially slowed the severe need for studies to be conducted on diabetic patients to attempt to find a cure.

    An associate professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University, Ed Damiano, has joined together with Harvard Medical School assistant professor, Dr. Steven Russell, to develop a bionic pancreas that allows diabetics to live normal lives. The pancreas, which has been tested in groups of both adults and children, has been a success in regulating blood sugar levels without the patient having to inject insulin and keep a constant check on their own levels.

    The “pancreas” has now been developed into something as small as a playing card, according to USA TODAY, checking and regulating blood sugar on its own through a continuous glucose monitor.

    The monitor, which was first controlled by a laptop, is now controlled through an app on the iPhone, which is alerted when blood sugar levels need to be adjusted. The app then signals to the monitor that it needs to calculate how much of the blood sugar-regulating hormones, insulin and glucagon, the patient needs. The pancreas then releases the hormone on it’s own, after being given the necessary amount(s) needed by the monitor.

    Type 1 diabetic Scott Scolnick, who participated in the trials, says that the device has “changed his life,” proving that no matter what or when he eats, his blood sugar will remain at a safe and healthy level.

    Says Scolnick, “It’s been the most freeing experience I ever had in my life.”

    Damiano, whose son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he almost a year old, vowed to his child that by the time his son left for college, his dad would have created a bionic pancreas. Damiano’s son, now a teenager, is about four years away from leaving for college. Damiano says that a promise is a promise, and that his vow to his son is one in which he intends to keep.

    Damiano and Russell hope to have the pancreas approved by the FDA by 2017.

    Main image courtesy @WSJ via Twitter.

  • Diabetes Awareness: Focus on Black Community

    Diabetes is a serious problem for many Americans, but an especially serious one among the African-American community, where there is a much greater risk for the disease than any other, according to Market Wired.

    26 million people in the U.S. are living with diabetes, 4.9 million of adult-aged sufferers are African American. During Black History Month, the American Diabetes Association is calling special attention to the disease and providing educational materials to raise awareness and prevention of Type 2 Diabetes.

    Elizabeth R. Seaquist, MD, President, Medicine & Science, American Diabetes Association said,”Diabetes affects every community, yet the rate of diabetes among African Americans is 1.8 times more likely than non-Latino whites. This month, we want to draw attention to the seriousness of diabetes among the African American community. We want the community to get educated about their risk for type 2 diabetes and encourage them to learn about the Association’s African American program called Live Empowered.”

    Surprising studies have concluded that Type 2 Diabetes can often be prevented or delayed by losing just 7 percent of body weight, as well as participating in regular physical activity, like 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Of course, healthier eating can go a long way to prevent many health issues, especially Diabetes.

    The Association is also teaming up this month with cyclist Chris Carmichael for the Tour de Cure in which 65,000 cyclists are expected to participate in 90 cities throughout the country in 2014. All Tour de Cure funds raised through the nationwide cycling events will go to the American Diabetes Association.

    These funds will help with research and actions taken to prevent and find a cure for Type 2 Diabetes and to help improve the lives of those who suffer from the disease. The funds will also help raise awareness, especially for the 79 million Americans who are teetering on the edge with Pre-diabetes.

    Image via wikimedia commons