New device designed to eliminate diabetic finger prick

For many patients with diabetes, pricking the finger to measure blood sugar levels is a constant, yet irritating, task.

Abbott has invented a device designed to eliminate those routine finger pricks, the FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System, and it is now approved to be sold in Europe, the company said Wednesday.
The device was developed by the Illinois biotechnology company’s diabetes arm, Abbott Diabetes Care, which is in Alameda.
The technology works like this: the user wears a small, round sensor on the back of the upper arm, for example, and through a tiny tube inserted just under the skin, it measures the blood sugar levels of tissue fluid. A reader is scanned over the sensor to get a readout in less than one second — one that shows the real-time result, a historical trend and the direction the glucose is heading, so the user can adjust his or her insulin intake accordingly. Disposable and water-resistant, the sensor can be worn on the back of the upper arm for up to two weeks, Abbott said.
So no finger pricks are needed, even to calibrate the system.
More than 382 million people worldwide have diabetes, including 56 million in Europe, and that number is projected to increase by more than 20 percent by 2035, according to the International Diabetes Federation. Wells Fargo analysts noted in an Aug. 21 note that Abbott’s technology could bring in $1 billion in revenue.
“The FreeStyle Libre System fulfills a major need for people living with diabetes,” said Robert Ford, Abbott Diabetes Care’s senior vice president, in a statement. “Our customers told us that the pain, inconvenience and indiscretion of finger pricking were the key reasons they weren’t managing their diabetes as well as they should.”
If you or someone you love struggles with diabetes, please call (206) 909-8022 to go beyond diabetes as an identity and move on with your life. www.RameyNutrition.com

Diabetes Is Already Psychologically Demanding, So Cut the Stigma Too

 

By Matt Petronzio

When Rachel Kerstetter woke up the morning of Aug. 11, 2011, she knew something was wrong. She had risen multiple times during the night. She was extremely thirsty and her vision was blurry. She needed to go to the bathroom more often than usual.
She could trace some of the symptoms back a couple of weeks, but she thought it was just stress. She and her husband, Brad, had just married that May, and were adjusting to life as newlyweds; they were both searching for jobs right out of college; and Kerstetter was dealing with family drama, all while her father was hospitalized with cancer.
But after she experienced nausea and vomiting that particular night, Brad made her go to the doctor — and it ended up saving her life.
Kerstetter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that causes a person's pancreas to produce little or no insulin — a hormone that converts sugar into the energy we need to survive. Doctors found high glucose and ketones in her urine, and after a three-night stay in the hospital, she was released with basic instructions for insulin shots, along with some dietary guidelines. For the past few years, she has used an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor to keep her blood sugar in check.
But even after her third "diaversary" earlier this month, Kerstetter, now 25, continues to deal with a less talked-about side effect of diabetes: stigma.

See also: 7 Mobile Apps to Help Manage Diabetes

As with other diseases, such as mental illness, a general lack of information causes many to misunderstand and judge those with diabetes. People often combine the disease's different types under one umbrella term, and hold various misconceptions, like the idea that diabetes results from unhealthy eating habits.
"People assume I have type 2 because I was diagnosed as an adult, or they ask if I used to be fat and if that's why I have diabetes," Kerstetter, who weighs 95 pounds and has always been small, tells Mashable.

People often ask her if she has "the bad kind of diabetes."

People often ask her if she has "the bad kind of diabetes." To which she says, "There is no good kind."
Type 1 diabetes used to be called "juvenile diabetes," because diagnoses usually (but not always) occur in young children and adolescents. The term drives Kerstetter crazy.
"Many people have the idea that it can be outgrown, and I have been asked if my diabetes will ever go away when I'm 'done growing' ... [It] puts type 1 diabetes into a neat little box called 'childhood illness,'" she says.

An insulin pump, like the one pictured, delivers insulin through a catheter In a steady dose and as directed. A small needle allows the catheter to be inserted in fatty tissue, and it's taped in place.

Image: Flickr, Alan Levine

In contrast, type 2, formerly known as "adult onset diabetes," occurs when a person's body resists the effects of insulin or doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain a normal blood glucose level. Obesity and diet, which come with their own stigmas, are risk factors that can trigger type 2 diabetes; however, genetics, ethnicity and age play a larger role. With both type 1 and type 2, a person inherits a predisposition to the disease, while environmental factors, such as viruses or obesity, can trigger it. Latinos, American Indians and Asian-Americans are more at risk for type 2 diabetes than whites are, and the risk increases with age.
There's also gestational diabetes, surgically induced diabetes, chemically induced diabetes and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA, or type 1.5).
According to the latest National Diabetes Statistics Report,

29.1 million Americans had diabetes in 2012. Of those 29.1 million people, only 21 million were diagnosed

29.1 million Americans had diabetes in 2012. Of those 29.1 million people, only 21 million were diagnosed (5% of whom had type 1).
That means 8.1 million were undiagnosed. Martin J. Abrahamson, medical director and senior vice president at Harvard's Joslin Diabetes Center, attributes this to the fact that many people don't know they have type 2, as the disease often doesn't have visible symptoms.
But stigma can prevent people from getting diagnosed and seeking proper treatment, too. Some diabetics may avoid taking shots and tests in public (a very dangerous negligence) in fear of being different. Patients routinely face challenges in their social lives, prejudice in the workplace (employers may think people with diabetes are unfit to perform certain tasks) and an increased risk of depression.
And in the digital age, people easily spread misinformation and stigma online with ignorant memes, though people with diabetes often fight them with blogs and Facebook pages with memes of their own.

If you or someone you love struggles with diabetes, please call us at (206) 909-8022, or visit www.RameyNutrition.com to go beyond Diabetes as an identity and regain your life!

Arizona siblings hike 221 miles for diabetes research

PHOENIX -- Fifteen-year-old Haley Maurice and her 22-year-old brother Ethan embarked on a 221-mile trek across the Sierra Nevada to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

 The siblings set out on July 16, following the John Muir Trail from the Yosemite Valley to the summit of Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the continental United States.

They hiked an average of 10 miles a day for three weeks and encountered extreme weather conditions.

"We were up on the top of Mount Whitney at the end of our hike, a little above 14,000 feet, and we got stuck in about two feet of snow," Ethan said. "We're up there in rain jackets and shorts and yeah, it was pretty extreme."

Haley also experienced 77 high blood sugar levels and 56 low levels, pricking her finger 103 times throughout the trip and using 1,598 units of insulin.

She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes eight years ago and has been involved with JDRF ever since.

"Ethan was up at NAU this past year ... and we were Skyping, and he was telling me about this trail that he wanted to hike," Haley said. "And the next day I'm like, 'Ethan, I want to hike this with you,' and then the day after that I said, 'Ethan, we're raising money for JDRF.' "

Haley consumed almost two liters of honey over the three-week trip to keep her blood sugar up.

"So much physical activity, intake of carbohydrates -- it gets pretty difficult to manage," she said. "It was a lot of work and just walking every day. Just keep going."

The Maurices returned home a couple weeks ago but are still working hard to reach their goal of raising $221,000 for JDRF, which represents $1,000 per mile of the hike. They have raised about $7,000 so far.

If you or someone you love has diabetes, and wants to live life free of it, please call Ramey Nutrition at: (206) 909-8022 or visit us at www.rameynutrition.com

5 Superfoods to Add to Your Diet

Lara Rondinelli-Hamilton RD,CDE

Are you trying to eat healthy at the start of the New Year? If so, make sure to include these Superfoods in your daily diet. These foods are referred to as superfoods because they contain high levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, or omega-3 fatty acids, which can help decrease cancer risk, improve heart health — they may even help improve blood sugar control (since many of these foods are low in carbohydrates, too).

1. Beans and Lentils

Beans and lentils are an excellent source of fiber, with ½ cup of black beans or lentils providing 8 grams of dietary fiber. Plant foods rich in dietary fiber can may help protect against cancer, specifically colorectal cancer. Beans and lentils are a healthy carbohydrate with a lower-glycemic index, and they provide some extra protein too.

TIP: Add beans to soups, salad or tacos. If using canned beans, try to buy ones with no added salt or rinse canned beans well with water. Try making a meatless meal with lentils, such as a soup or veggie casserole.

2. Green Veggies

If you eat green, you will eat clean. You can't really go wrong with broccoli, Brussel sprouts, spinach, kale, and greens. These veggies are great sources of vitamin C, folic acid, Beta-carotene, fiber, and they contain nutrients that fight against cancer. In regard to diabetes, these veggies are especially good because they are low in carbohydrates and won't raise blood sugar levels.

TIP: Roasting veggies brings out their natural flavor and can't get any easier. Drizzle a little olive oil on the veggies and add minced garlic. Toss to coat and roast in the oven around 400-450 degrees for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally.

3. Walnuts

Walnuts contain a significant amount of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is the plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help lower total and LDL cholesterol, therefore possibly decreasing risk of coronary heart disease.

Walnuts, like other nuts, are low in carbohydrates and don't raise blood sugar levels. One ounce of walnuts is approximately ¼ cup shelled halves and contains 190 calories, 4 grams carbohydrate, and 2 grams dietary fiber.

TIP: Eat walnuts by themselves as a snack or add to oatmeal, muffins, or salads. You can also crush and add as a light coating on fish, chicken or pork chops.

4. Berries

Berries are a great source of vitamin C and fiber. One cup of berries provides approximately 15 grams carbohydrates and 3 grams dietary fiber. Strawberries and raspberries are high in ellagic acid, which is a phytochemical that may help prevent cancers of the skin, bladder, lung, esophagus, and breast.

Remember to be aware of how many carbs are in the different fruits. Here's a list of the lowest carb fruits to help you.

TIP: Add berries to oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothies or just eat them for a refreshing treat.

5. Fish – tuna, salmon, mackerel

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish, such as salmon, albacore tuna, or mackerel at least two times a week. Fish can be good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which may decrease triglyceride levels and decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque – which leads to heart disease.