Broccoli Reduces Heart Damage Caused by Diabetes

BBC News reports that a study conducted by the University of Warwick suggests that a compound found in broccoli called sulforaphane encourages production of enzymes which protect the blood vessel. People with diabetes are five times as likely to develop cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks, and both of these are directly linked to damaged blood vessels.

The team at Warwick tested the effects of sulforaphane on damaged blood vessels and they recorded a 73% reduction Reactive Oxygen Series (SOS), which can damage human cells. Researchers also noted that sulforaphane activated a protein called nfr2, which protects cells and tissue from damages.

The “Exercise” Pill

According to this article in the NY Times researchers at the Salk Institute in San Diego reported that they have engineered two pills that trick the muscles into thinking that they have been working out furiously. For now, testing has been only done on lab mice. These drugs have shown up to 75% increase in endurance in mice, and the results will likely apply to people as well since muscle tone from human and mice are similar.

Dr. Ronald M. Evans, leader of the Salk group, mentions:

“It’s a little bit like a free lunch without the calories.”

The pills should be able to help people who are too frail to exercise, and those who suffer from diabetes and obesity. Diet and exercise are crucial to the treatment of diabetic patients, so there is a possibility that this drug could become widely used if it passes FDA guidelines. More testing and research is still needed in order to finalize the drug before it reaches consumers.

Obesity in the Maternity Ward

Over the past couple of decades, we have seen the obesity epidemic spread through every demographic group, but now according to this article in the NY Times, 1 out of every 5 women who give birth in the U.S. is obese, ranging from 400 to sometimes 600 pounds. Pregnancy is made riskier with this excess weight, and obese women are more likely to develop diabetes, hypertension, and to deliver prematurely. Dr. Mark Chames, an obstetrician at the University of Michigan Health System at Ann Arbor, has directed a new center for Bariatric Obstetric Care to address this problem.

New treatment and procedures are needed in care for obese women. For example, an ultrasound signal can not penetrate through the tissue so instead Dr. Chames uses a vaginal probe. Weight loss is even encouraged in this center, as evidence suggests that women who maintain or lose weight during pregnancy experience fewer complications and deliver healthier babies. Still, much more research is needed to make this approach more popular in other hospitals.

FDA Urges Longer Testing Periods for Diabetes Drugs

The NY Times reports in a recent article that Diabetes drugs must face tougher safety standards that protect patients from heart risks associated with these drugs. The FDA has voted 14-2 to prolong trial study time to assure that diabetic drugs do not carry risks of heart problems.

This concern on diabetic drugs came about shortly after the FDA was criticized for handling the release of the GlaxoSmithKline pill. The drug was released in 1999, but only last November was a warning issued about potential heart risks. The problem lies in the testing phase; it takes nearly five to seven years to complete. Studies should begin way before drugs are submitted to the FDA, and finished shortly after its release.

Insulin Injections Help Decrease Progression in Early Diabetes

According to a Chinese study conducted which is mentioned in this article in BBC News, patients with type 2 diabetes who had an initial course of insulin injections did better than those who only received oral diabetes tablets.

During the trial, one group was administered daily insulin injections for a period of two weeks while the other group only received anti-diabetic tablets. After a year, 45% of those given insulin injections were able to maintain a healthy glucose level, but only 27% of those who took the tablets were able to maintain a healthy glucose level.

Pav Pank, care advisor at Diabetes UK mentions:

"The research shows that considering using insulin early when people are first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes might be an additional way to achieve good diabetes management. Nevertheless decisions about treatment need to be made on an individual basis for each patient."

More research will have to be done though, before any conclusions and practices begin to be advocated.

How are you preparing Your Vegetables?

It’s a common fact that we should eat more vegetables, but this latest article in the NY Times explains that how we prepare the vegetables is just as important.

Studies show that a diet rich in vegetables have attributed to decreasing rates in heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. A study down on 198 Germans who adhered to a strict raw food diet showed that even though they had normal levels of Vitaman A and a high level of beta carotene, they fell short on their lycopene levels. There are several techniques that can either stimulate the growth or lessen the amount of vitamins in vegetables. For example, boiling carrots increases the carotenoid levels while boiling broccoli caused a 22 to 34 percent loss of vitamin C.

Read the full article to see how different methods of preparing your vegetables can affect your health.

New Help for Diabetes Patients: Your cell phone

As reported by ABC News, Diabetes doctors have found a new way to help their patients: cell phones. Since people in every age range are affected by this disease, this new technical development works well for those who are young and affected by the disease.

The system for the most part consists of texting. Patients text their doctors with their blood sugar levels. This way when someone forgets to text in their blood sugar level, the doctor’s office will respond with a text to notify the patient that they need to test their blood.

This new technology will benefit teenagers the most. As most of them today are always connected with their cell phone, they’ll never forget to take their blood sugar.

Declining Life Expectancies Across the U.S.

Today the NY Times released an article that highlights how life expectancy has been dropping in different regions of the United States, and how a new study proves a disparity in deaths depending on income, geography, and race.

According to this information released by National Center for Health Statistics, counties whose life expectancies declined were predominantly in the southeast, Texas, the southern Midwest, and counties along the Missippi River. Counties whose life expectancies actually rose were mainly in the Northeast and the Pacific coast.

The NY Times points out that when 2.5 percent of the counties with the lowest life expectancies were compared with 2.5 percent of counties with the highest expectancies, the difference between years shot up to 11 years for men and 6.7 years for women. Also, the majority of people who resided in counties with lower life expectancies were African American.

Increases in HIV infection, lung cancer, diabetes, and homicide for men also contribute to lower life expectancies we are experiencing across the board.