Includes Art: cartoon of dancing fruits and vegetables.
Includes eight photos: One of each of the members of the new Diabetes Action Network Board. We invite blurbs and tidbit articles for inclusion in this column. Materials received may be edited and used as space permits. Products and services included in this column are for information only and do not imply endorsement by the Diabetes Action Network of the NFB.
What is the Glycemic Index?
When you're meal planning, dealing with all those exchanges, calories, carbs, and so on, you'll also encounter references to the Glycemic Index (GI). This number is simply a way of rating the speed at which a given carbohydrate food will raise your blood sugar. The higher the number, the quicker a given food will act to raise your sugars.This value has no relation to calories -- and indeed a chocolate bar, loaded with calories, will have a lower GI than white bread. Note also the GI has no relation to amount of food consumed -- it is just a rating of velocity.If your sugars are too low, high GI foods will get them back up quickly. The calories in a lower-GI food, like most vegetables, or foods containing fat, will take longer to be absorbed -- and are less likely to produce a spike in your sugars. Knowing and using the index can help you avoid post-meal spikes (a big problem for people with type 2 diabetes).Consult with a dietitian knowledgeable in diabetes, to work out the best use of the Glycemic Index in your own meal plan.
2003 Raffle Winners
At the keynote banquet for the 2003 annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind, in Louisville, Kentucky, the winning ticket was drawn in the Diabetes Action Network raffle. Winning ticket holder was Mike Gloppen, of Chicago, Illinois. Lots of people helped sell tickets, and the following folks each sold 50 or more. In descending order of tickets sold: Karen Mayry, of Rapid City, SD; Ken Staley, of Chicago, IL; John Stroot, of Clinton, IN; Lois Williams, of Huntsville, AL; Janet Triplett, of Tulsa, OK; Ed Bryant, from Columbia, MO; Sally York, from Castro Valley, CA; Tom and Eileen Ley, of Baltimore, MD; Mimi Winer, of Wayland, MA; and Pat Rivera, of San Benito, TX. Truly a winning performance -- See you next time!
New Diabetes Action Network Board
At this year's NFB national convention in Louisville, Kentucky, elections were
held for the 2003-2004 Diabetes Action
Network Board. Here are the results:
President: Paul Price, Valley Center,
CA
First Vice President: Eric Woods, Denver, CO
Second Vice President: Sandie Addy, Prescott Valley, AZ
Secretary: Lois Williams, Huntsville, AL
Treasurer: Bruce Peters, Akron, OH
Board Members: Ed Bryant, Columbia, MO, Joyce Kane, Stratford, CT, and Josie Armantrout, Auburn, WA
We congratulate our new board!
Pills, Pills, Pills
NDC Health reports that in 2002, Americans filled 3,340,000,000 outpatient prescriptions -- about 12 prescriptions for every man, woman, and child in the U.S.A. And that doesn't include over-the-counter ("non-prescription") or "alternative." U.S. drug sales reached $219 billion in 2002, up 12 percent from 2001. As 2001 figures were an 18 percent rise, and 2000 figures a 15 percent rise, we're talking HUGE.
Distance Learning
We have been asked to announce: Hadley School for the Blind, located in Winnetka, Illinois, has been educating blind individuals, people of all ages, since 1920. Today, they offer more than 90 courses, like "Independent Living," "Braille Writing," or "You, Your Eyes, and Your Diabetes," free of charge. The Hadley School has a distance education program. Students can take courses, from their own home, and communicate with instructors via email, fax, or Hadley's toll-free number. Each year they serve more than 8000 blind students. Contact: Hadley School for the Blind, 700 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL 60093-0299; telephone: (847) 446-8111; fax: (847) 446-9916; Web site: www.hadley-school.org
Diabetes Screening Guidelines Not Followed
Many people, for many different reasons, are considered "at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes." Being overweight, having a family member with the condition, and being a member of certain ethnicities are three such risks. These people are supposed to get tested, so there can be intervention before diabetes complications have time to develop -- but too often they are not receiving the needed screenings. Statistics suggest approximately one-third of all diabetes cases in the U.S. remain undetected - which means too many people are waiting for overt diabetes to develop -- and by that time, complications can be well established. Follow the guidelines -- if you're "at risk," get checked out.
Another New Insulin
Aventis, makers of Lantus insulin, just announced completion of work on Insulin Glulisine, a new rapid-acting insulin analog and competitor for Lilly's Humalog and Novo Nordisk's Novolog. In June of this year, Aventis filed for marketing/regulatory clearance from both the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It will be up to these two regulatory agencies to determine how soon we see this new insulin on the shelves. Stay tuned; the Voice will report when Insulin Glulisine becomes available.
BAKED STUFFED TURKEY
When I found this recipe I thought it was perfect for people, like me, who just are not sure how to tell when poultry is cooked thoroughly but not dried out. Give this a try.
10 to 12 lb. Turkey
1 cup melted butter
1 cup stuffing
1 cup uncooked popcorn
salt/pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush turkey well with melted butter, salt and pepper. Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn. Place in baking pan with the neck end toward the back of the oven.
Listen for popping sounds. When the turkey blows the oven door open and flies across the room, it is done.
And, you thought I couldn't cook.
New Class of Diabetes Drugs
The online diabetes journal Diabetes in Control (www.diabetesincontrol.com) reports Roche is developing a new class of oral medications for the treatment of type 2, non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Called glucokinase enzyme activators, these new meds will (a bit like the sulfonylureas) stimulate the body to produce more insulin. There is some hope they might help ward off the progression into full-blown type 2. And note, it appears a deficiency in the glucokinase enzyme, the same one this drug targets, is responsible for the diabetes variant called MODY, "maturity onset diabetes of the young."
The researchers caution the new drugs will only be effective in the presence of endogenous insulin, and will not be a substitute for insulin injections, where such are necessary.
The first member of this new class, called RO-28-1675, has just successfully completed animal tests, and Roche hopes to start testing on human subjects within the year.
The Neuropathy Association
The Neuropathy Association is a national, patient-based, non-profit organization established to help people suffering from peripheral nerve disorders. They provide patient support and information, advocate for patients' interests, and promote research into causes and cure of peripheral neuropathy. Founded in 1995, they have over 60,000 members and 216 self-help groups, and run a doctors' Web site: www.neuropathymd.org
This year, the Neuropathy Association is sponsoring a research conference. It will be held November 6 through 9, at the Denver Marriott Southeast, in Denver, Colorado. The conference is open to association members, medical professionals, members and leaders of support groups, family members, and people interested in learning more about the condition. For information, contact: The Neuropathy Association, Inc., P.O. Box 26226, New York, NY 10087-6226; telephone: (212) 692-0662; fax: (212) 692-0668; email: [email protected]; Web site: www.neuropathy.org
Research Findings
ArcaMax (UPI) reports new research from Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota, into the role aging plays in a body's loss of insulin sensitivity (read: "increase in insulin resistance"), and thus one's increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It appears that although aerobic exercise raises insulin sensitivity/cuts insulin resistance, younger people maintain that increase in sensitivity longer, up to four days after a good workout. Older individuals, to obtain the same degree of benefit, need to exercise on a near-daily basis. If you are over 40, and dealing with type 2 diabetes, frequent exercise is a really good idea.
Kidney Disease Reversible
A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (June 5, 2003; 348: pages 2285 to 93) highlights how a high level of albuminuria (a common measure of kidney disease) "can be a marker of dynamic, rather than fixed, kidney damage." Researchers found that in about 60 percent of cases, healing took place, and the test results improved with time and intervention -- shattering the old stereotype that elevated albuminuria means permanent and irreversible damage.
What does this mean? It means, if you catch it early enough, damaged kidneys can heal. Since, without intervention, kidney damage can readily become permanent, early detection and prompt action are ever more critical. People with diabetes need regular microalbuminuria screenings, and aggressive early intervention.
Articles Needed
If you have diabetes, are a family member or friend of a diabetic, or a health professional with an interest in diabetes, we invite you to submit an article for publication in the Voice of the Diabetic.
Our philosophy regarding diabetes is positive. Do you have an inspiring, enlightening story? We, the Diabetes Action Network of the National Federation of the Blind, seek to show people they are not alone, and do have options, regardless of diabetic complications. If you have experienced ramifications, others, who may be facing the same side-effects, could benefit from what you have to say.
Perhaps you have not experienced complications -- your unique insight, coping strategies, and lifestyle can still inspire others. Are you a relative, a friend, or a health professional? More than 325,000 Voice readers could benefit from your story.
For information and article submission guidelines, contact: Voice of the Diabetic, 1412 I-70 Drive SW, Suite C, Columbia, MO 65203; telephone: (573) 875-8911.