We have briefly seen how your Dick’s erection needs 3 things to happen and one of them is the release of Nitric Oxide/cGMP chemicals in the lining in the blood vessel cells (endothelium). Their action as chemical messengers cause the surrounding penile tissue to relax and let blood to flow in.

Diabetes, with its elevated blood glucose levels, causes blood vessel and nerve damage in all parts of the body, including damage to the tiny blood vessels in your Dick. Damage to nerves and the blood vessels blocks the desired chemical messengers from doing their job. Therefore, even if you have normal amounts of male hormones and you have desire for sex, you may still not be able to get him to erect firmly.

Cousin Dickxy has identified other problems related to diabetes that can come together to cause ED Kamagra Canada:

- High blood pressure. According to the American Diabetes Association, 73% of adults with diabetes have high blood pressure or take blood pressure medication. The combination of high blood pressure and diabetes also increases the risk for blood vessel damage, further reducing blood flow.

– High cholesterol is also common in people with diabetes. LDL cholesterol, or what’s called ’bad”
cholesterol, can interfere with the ability of blood vessels to dilate. High cholesterol levels result in fatty deposits in artery walls. This build-up of fatty deposit can reduce blood flow.

– Yet hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar also has its own risk factors for ED.

After reading all this research from Mr Dickxy you may start to feel despondent. This is beginning to sound like the “Perfect Storm” – the movie with the inevitable terrible ending. They had no chance. But his research has also shown that all is not lost and there is hope.

Having diabetes means that you will probably encounter problems with your sexual functioning but, you really can turn it around.

As a man with diabetes, no doubt you will continue your diabetes treatment with your Doctor and keep tight blood sugar control. You may have to be a bit more aggressive with your blood sugar control but that is a matter for you and your Doctor. Apart from the need to keep the insulin, lifestyle, exercise, carbs, and everything else as balanced out as possible (no small feat!) your ED treatment options are the same as any other man who has ED from other causes. Lifestyle and Nutrition (Step 6), bringing the Correct Mindset (Step 8) to sex encounters, making sure your sex needs are expressed (Step 10: You Unique Situation Condition Factors) and improving awareness of your Body (Step 9) are even more relevant.

You can also access Viagra, Cialis, Levitra and Stendra which work well in many men with diabetes although the success rate is not as high as the general population and do not apply if nerve damage is the primary cause. Alternative treatments like aprostadil injections or creams may also be more appropriate.

As you would expect, diabetic socks were first produced specifically for those who suffer with diabetes, although diabetes is a disease that relates to our bodies control over blood sugar levels and our sensitivity to high sugar in take, it also incurs many other problems. One of the many problems which have been noticed is that diabetic sufferers appear to be more prone to develop foot ulcers along with other feet issues. Diabetic socks have been created to try and balance this and avoid the foot based problems.

Diabetic socks have been designed in such a way that they are able to increase circulation as well as control the moisture levels with the lower regions. This acts as an extra level of protection for a diabetic person’s foot as if they start to get infections much like any other person, they will lose feeling and not be able to realize if they get cuts or bruises.

Due to the results achieved with this problem even people without diabetes have started to purchase the products and wear them instead of an everyday sock. They can be used to protect the feet from excessive sweat and the chance of blisters which is great for anyone who spends most of the day on their feet, active gym goers or even professional athletes.

These great socks are designed specifically in a way to be similar to compression socks that are also readily available on the market. Compression socks are made more on the sole purpose of increasing blood flow throughout the legs, and diabetic socks are also made with this feature. They work by applying a significantly higher amount of pressure at the ankle or calf region of the sock, it gradually relieves us of this pressure as it moves up the leg. Like people that require compression socks, diabetes suffers can also struggle with circulatory problems in the lower regions, and as mentioned above this can lead to numbness which makes us unaware of problems within the feet.

When wearing diabetic socks or the compression alternative you can almost instantly notice the difference in circulation in the legs. It helps the calf muscle use its pump action on a more frequent basis to pump blood in and out of the feet and back towards the heart. This effectively puts an end to blood clots and blood pooling.

Whether you are suffering with diabetes and are at a higher risk of disease or you are non-diabetes patient who frequently struggles with foot fungal problems such as athlete’s foot or foot ulcers, diabetic socks could be the perfect solution to help keep your feet healthy. It is recommended that you consult your doctor if you don’t have diabetes and make sure there aren’t any easy methods that can be provided to simply get your feet back on track, but if you have diabetes you should definitely look at investing in a pair of diabetic socks.

SALT LAKE CITY — Two Utah children coping with diabetes are headed to Washington to ask Congress to help them fight the disease.

Eleven-year-old Ethan Erickson, of Taylorsville, and 12-year-old Savannah Taylor, of Lehi, are Utah’s representatives to the annual Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Children’s Congress.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports they’ll join 150 other American delegates and kids from seven foreign countries to lobby lawmakers for diabetes treatment and research funding.

Utah launched its chapter of the research foundation in 1996 and has raised more than $1 million annually.

Chapter director Laura Western says Utah has attended the every-other-year Children’s Congress since 1999.

Diabetes is a chronic illness which occurs when the pancreas can’t make enough insulin.

WCA Diabetes program receives prestigious ADA recognition

The prestigious American Diabetes Association (ADA) Education Recognition Certificate for a quality diabetes self-management education program was recently awarded to the WCA Hospital Diabetes Program. The WCA Diabetes Program was originally recognized in January, 2002. ADA believes that this program offers high-quality education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment.

Programs apply for recognition voluntarily. Programs that achieve recognition status have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide with participants with comprehensive information about diabetes management. The ADA concludes that the WCA Hospital Diabetes program provides high-quality education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment.

“Our voluntary compliance demonstrates our continued pledge to build the strongest medical community possible,” said Betsy T. Wright, FACHE, WCA Hospital President/CEO. “Certification by the American Diabetes Association inspires a high level of confidence for our patients, referring physicians and managed care organizations and assures them that only the highest quality of care is being provided at WCA.”

Christine T. Tobin, RN, MBA, CDE, President, Health Care & Education for the American Diabetes Association express her congratulations. “The American Diabetes Association is pleased to award education recognition to WCA,” said Tobin. “Adherence to the national standards has undoubtedly improved the education provided to individuals with diabetes. We are confident that those you serve appreciate your efforts, commitment, and success in providing quality diabetes education.

The Association’s Education Recognition Certificate assures that educational programs meet the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs. These standards were developed aand tested under the auspices of the National Diabetes Advisory Board in 1983 and were revised by the diabetes community in 1994 and 2000. Education recognition status is verified by an official certificate from ADA and awarded for three years.
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According to data published from the 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet (released January 26, 2011), 25.8 million children and adults in the United States – 8.3 percent of the population – have diabetes. While an estimated 18.8 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 7.0 million people are not aware that they have this disease. Seventy-nine million people are diagnosed with pre-diabetes. In 2010, 1.9 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people aged 20 years and older.

In 2007, diabetes was listed as the underlying cause on 71,382 death certificates and was listed as a contributing factor on an additional 160,022 death certificates. This means that diabetes contributed to a total of 231,404 deaths.

“People with diabetes are at increased risk for serious health complications,” adds Kathleen Krieg, R.N., BSN, Certified Diabetes Educator at WCA. “These include cardiovascular complications, heart attack or stroke and also eye, kidney, foot and nerve disease. WCA Hospital has support for people affected by these complications. Most importantly, many individuals with pre-diabetes and others at risk of developing the disease can actually prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Those with diabetes can significantly reduce the chances of developing complications and live full, healthy lives. More great news is that treatments and technology have introduced therapies that help people stay one step ahead of diabetes.”

Jacqueline Carlson, RD, WCA Hospital Certified Diabetes Educator added, “Education is they key and we have it all right here at WCA. Our outstanding recognition assures our clients that they will receive top-rated, high-quality service at WCA to help them manage their diabetes throughout their lifetime.”

More than 80% pleased with medical treatment

More than 80 per cent of residents are pleased with the treatment they receive at hospitals, a significant increase on previous years, according to a survey on patient satisfaction.

A total of 34,200 hospital patients throughout Abu Dhabi were interviewed for the study, which was commissioned to help the Health Authority – Abu Dhabi (Haad) monitor and improve services.

Hospitals were split into three regions: eastern (Al Ain), western and Abu Dhabi city. Some of the individual hospitals from each region were also given ratings.

Al Ain hospitals were the most successful, with 84 per cent of patients giving a positive response.

“We’ve focused on making the patient’s experience less traumatic by improving the parking situation dramatically,” said Dr Riad Abdelkarim, the chief medical officer at Tawam Hospital in Al Ain.

“We have given significant priority parking to patients and we’ve also taken steps to address the access needs to our clinics by implementing Saturday clinics.”

But communication remains poor at the hospital, according to the survey. Dr Abdelkarim said that was key because “it can alter the perception of the patient regarding their care”.

He said more focus had been put on improving customer service in the past couple of years in Al Ain, from the top management to the front-line staff.

Interactions with doctors and nurses were factors patients valued most, the study showed.

Prof Gerhard Schwab, the medical director of Al Ain Hospital, which had an overall patient satisfaction rate of 84 per cent, said: “You must remember the patient is a human being.”

Some 84 and 81 per cent expressed their contentment with Abu Dhabi and the Western Region hospitals.

Many complaints were made in previous years about waiting times at the Corniche Hospital, which this time had an 87 per cent rate of patient satisfaction.

“It’s still not really where the end result needs to be,” said Ronald Lavater, the chief executive of the hospital. “We’re still working on it and we still have opportunities to reduce our waiting times further.”

Common factors that determine customer satisfaction were waiting times, ease of access, critical care and communication with the patient in a way that respects their clinical needs.

“We’ve looked at every aspect of a patient’s experience within the hospital,” said Mr Lavater. “And we’re now trying to focus things on the patient – how doctors interact with him, the way the facility is organised – to put him in the centre.”

He said the hospital was looking at hiring more staff, expanding parking and reducing paperwork. Free valet parking has been introduced at Corniche Hospital.

Dr Nabil Debouni, the medical director at Lifeline Hospital in Abu Dhabi, which had a rate of 85 per cent customer satisfaction, said to a patient, good care means feeling safe.

“There are six safety goals that all hospitals should implement and in that sense, the patient can feel that he is being taken care of,” Dr Debouni said.

Those goals include proper communication, safe medication and proper checking of identification.

“This will aid the patients in their choice of healthcare facility for their own care and their families,” said Tammy Donnelly, the director of Haad’s corporate performance and operations division. But patients cited additional factors for improvement, including waiting times and the process for being discharged.

Although no statistics were provided in the study, hospitals in the Western Region were shown as particularly weak in courtesy and friendliness. Five out of seven hospitals, including Al Mirfa and Al Wagan, had the lowest ratings in terms of friendly medical staff.

Outpatients complained most about a lack of proper communication from medical staff in 11 hospitals such as SKMC (psychiatrics), Lifeline Day Care and Al Reef International.

The time medical staff spent with patients was also deemed insufficient for 13 hospitals, including Al Ahalia and Al Tawam. Outpatients also cited inadequate parking facilities at 13 hospitals and uncomfortable waiting areas in 12.

A YouGovSiraj survey commissioned by The National in 2009 found very different results, with seven of 10 respondents claiming they would rather go abroad for medical treatment.

“Although Haad is working towards improving services to allow patients to stay in the UAE for their care, many still prefer to travel abroad for medical treatment,” said Ms Donnelly.

Haad is working on incorporating the patient satisfaction measures with other healthcare indicators to develop a quality ratings system.

New Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Tradjenta Now Available in U.S. Pharmacies

The new type 2 diabetes drug Tradjenta (linagliptin) is now available by prescription in pharmacies across the United States including Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the drug on May 2, 2011. Tradjenta was approved as a prescription medication to be used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. Tradjenta should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes or for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis (increased ketones in the blood or urine). It has not been studied in combination with insulin.

Tradjenta belongs to a class of prescription medications called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors and is the first member of its class to be approved at one dosage strength (5 mg, once daily).

Tradjenta was approved based on a clinical trial program that included approximately 4,000 adults with type 2 diabetes. Included in the program were placebo-controlled studies evaluating Tradjenta as monotherapy and in combination with some commonly prescribed medications for type 2 diabetes — metformin, sulfonylurea or pioglitazone.

Many published sources have told us that carbohydrates are at the root of many of our health problems including diabetes. Carbohydrates come in two forms:

1. Complex carbohydrates consist of substances that contain three or more molecules of sugar that are bonded together forming larger molecules we know as starches. When eaten, the body’s digestive system breaks down carbohydrates to form much needed energy.

A second type of complex carbohydrates are the cellulose forms that constitute dietary fiber. Foods heavy in complex carbohydrates include various kinds of beans (legumes), and high starch content vegetables such as potatoes and corn, rice and most grains.

Vegetables with lower starch levels include green beans, broccoli and spinach, which contain smaller amounts of starch, but they have more fiber. The best complex carbs from a health standpoint come from the very foods that should be minimized in a diabetic’s diet-if not totally eliminated: legumes, breads, pasta and cereals.

2. Simple carbohydrates are those that are quickly broken down in the body. Simple carbohydrates are used as energy. They are found in foods like fruits, and dairy products. They are also found in processed and refined sugars such as candy, table sugar, syrups, and soft drinks. Among the most deadly form of a sugar is high fructose corn syrup, which has replaced refined sugar in many everyday prepared foodstuffs and drinks.

The majority of carbohydrates in our diet should come from complex carbohydrates (starches) and naturally occurring sugars rather than processed or refined sugars. But when speaking of diabetics, simple carbs, which find their way into the bloodstream with lightning speed, must only constitute a fraction of the daily diet.

Some carbohydrates are necessary for overall good health, but a diet of NO-CARBS will be more harmful over the long haul. Strike a bargain with your diabetes by eating very small amounts of simple carbs.

Now… let’s get back to the main subject in this article by taking a look at the good and bad of eating “white” foods.

Much of the current literature often makes a blanket statement that the white foods are an unhealthy way for diabetics and the population at large, to eat.

Let’s clarify that by showing you the good and the bad and what white foods are beneficial

Starting with the bad: cut out white potatoes (regardless of skin color), refined sugars, refined white flour and white rice. That isn’t too complicated-is it? And yes that includes a few of my favorites: french fries, sweet tea, pastries, donuts and rice pudding. But on the good side, here are some “White Foods” you may be over-looking.

Onions: Onions come in two primary colors-white and yellow; under the skin they are white. Onions are an abundant source of phytonutrients and vitamins. Here also is a source of micro-nutrients like quercetin, chromium and allicin.

Garlic: Many consider garlic a “Wonder Food.” It has been touted as a cure-all for many ailments like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, cardio-vascular problems and more. It contains many of the same beneficial substances as onions.

Cauliflower: This isn’t a very attractive food but it is right up there in health value with broccoli and cabbage. It is a great source for vitamin C, fiber and minerals, and helps to combat the effects of steroidal estrogens that find their way into our drinking water.

Mushrooms: Mushrooms are a good source for unique nutrients and antioxidants. The portabella mushroom is a good source for vitamin D-a vitamin that we get mostly as a result of exposure to sunlight. Some members of medical science say that diabetes is a “lifestyle” condition. We bring this dreaded illness upon ourselves by the way we live-and in particular, the way we eat.

You will also need to develop a daily exercise program. Your doctor can recommend someone to work with you that is specially trained to help diabetics. You will be shown how important the exercises are and how they affect your sugar levels. Again, a free glucose meter can help you remain on target to stay healthy. Diet and exercise are extremely important to get control of your diabetes and remain as healthy as possible.

Another professional that should be covered with your insurance as a diabetic is an ophthalmologist. When diabetes is not treated properly, eye problems can occur. It can result in blindness if left unchecked. A yearly exam should be conducted to assure that your eyes remain healthy.

All in all, having diabetes is a very intimidating disease that can be controlled. If you have financial worries about taking care of yourself, look into a free diabetes meter, reduced-cost medical assistance and take all of it seriously.

So where do you start? The best place is to make sure you’re monitoring your blood glucose levels every day (or as often as your doctor recommends – sometimes more than once a day).

There are places where you can get your glucose meter (and even some supplies) for free. Be careful of bait and switch websites. There are legitimate offers from great companies online that work through the hassle of your private insurance or medicare for you.

Type 1 diabetics are people who have already lost all, or essentially all of their beta-cells. Type 2 diabetics often lose all, or essentially all, of their beta-cells over time if they cannot or do not keep their blood sugar levels in control. It isn’t just people who have the classically defined Type 1 diabetes who can need a boost to their beta-cell count. Researchers believe Januvia and Prevacid may be the tool for bringing back these insulin-producing cells and maybe curing both forms of diabetes… both Type 1 and Type 2.

In laboratory studies with mice, these two drugs act together:

1. to stimulate the growth of new beta-cells, and

2. to prevent the “burn out” of the existing beta-cells that is caused when blood sugar levels go too high. Growing your own beta cells in humans would give diabetics the benefits of a transplant without the necessity of having a transplant. But that doesn’t mean there are no problems with this approach.

Januvia: Used by itself, Januvia hasn’t proven itself to be very helpful for most Type 2 diabetics. Some respond to it very well where about two-thirds of users don’t respond at all. It appears to work well for people whose beta cells are able to respond to stimulation by drugs known as sulfonylureas (these were the first oral diabetes drugs used in the United States, prescribed since the 1970’s. They were also the only oral diabetic drugs available in the United States until the mid-1990’s). Januvia has only been on the market since late 2006.

Unfortunately, changes in the hormone levels that affect the release of sugar from the liver after eating, turn out also to affect the body’s immune defenses against melanoma. A few people have had really horrific skin reactions to Januvia.

Prevacid: The drug, Prevacid is very effective for stopping heartburn. It also stops calcium absorption. Chronic use of Prevacid can endanger your bones.

So it may turn out that the combination of Januvia and Prevacid really will be a cure for diabetes, but it will be a cure for diabetes that will either cause other problems or require very careful management. One word of advice: Don’t be the first to try this! The combination is promising, but day to day use is still in the future.

THE Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is overseeing the voluntary recall of 43 Abbott MediSense Optium Blood Glucose Test Strips. But the blood monitoring device is not affected by the recall.

The affected test strips may give inaccurate results to diabetic patients, showing readings lower than their actual blood sugar level.

Patients could then fail to control and manage their actual blood glucose adequately due to the inaccurate reading.

Based on information provided by Abbott, the probable reason behind the inaccurate readings is related to the test strips taking a longer than expected time to absorb the blood from the patients’ finger, which could lead to inaccurate low readings of their blood sugar levels.

Abbott Laboratories imported 43 affected lots and each box contains 50 test strips. Globally, there may be additional lots that are affected.

The recall is expected to be completed within a week.

The skinny on diabetes and dairy fats

Could dairy be a new weapon in the war on diabetes?

A new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine (AIM) says trans-palmitoleate from dairy fat might be useful in preventing diabetes.

Diabetes means your blood glucose (GLOO-kos), also called blood sugar, is too high. Glucose comes from the food you eat and is needed to fuel our bodies. Glucose is also stored in our liver and muscles, according to the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP).

The NDEP says more than 23.6 million people, almost 8 percent of the population, have diabetes.

About 186,300 young people under 20 years of age are battling the disease.

Diabetes can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

A balanced diet is key to managing the illness.

Researchers in the AIM set out to discover if blood levels of trans-palmitoleate, a closely related fatty acid derived predominantly from whole-fat dairy products, might have beneficial health effects for people facing diabetes.

3736 men and women aged 65 years or older were interviewed about the foods they ate and blood samples were repeatedly taken to measure fatty acid levels (including trans-palmitoleate). Participants were evaluated annually for health problems.

What scientists found was a correlation between people who said they ate more whole-fat dairy products and higher levels of trans-palmitoleate in their blood 3 years later. Further, participants who had higher levels of trans-palmitoleate in their blood had better levels of chemicals associated with good health, such as certain types of cholesterol, and were less likely to have developed diabetes.
Researchers point out the blood levels of trans-palmitoleate measured several years later may have no longer been related to the types of foods participants originally reported eating.

Fatty acids come from animal and vegetable fats and oils. An essential fatty acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid needed by the body that is synthesized by plants but not by the human body and is a dietary requirement. Omega-3 fatty acids are a class of fatty acids found in fish oils, especially in salmon and other cold-water fish, that lowers the levels of cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoproteins) in the blood. Trans fats are made through hydrogenation to solidify liquid oils. They increase blood LDL “bad” cholesterol levels and raises the risk of coronary heart disease.

Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. In 2009, only Colorado and the District of Columbia had an obesity rate less than 20%, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

According to the American Diabetes Association, Milk has a low glycemic index so choose lower-fat dairy products to fit into your meals.

Fat-free or low-fat (1% milk)
Plain non-fat yogurt
non-fat light yogurt without added sugar
unflavored soy milk

WebMD says ommon symptoms of diabetes include:
Excessive thirst and appetite
Increased urination (sometimes as often as every hour)
Unusual weight loss or gain
Fatigue
Nausea, perhaps vomiting
Blurred vision
In women, frequent vaginal infections
In men and women, yeast infections
Dry mouth
Slow-healing sores or cuts
Itching skin, especially in the groin or vaginal area

The “Chance of a Lifetime” gala benefitting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation always can be summed up into one word: enormous.

To wit: the 31st annual event Saturday drew more than 3,000 guests to McCormick Place’s sprawling Lakeside Ballroom, featured big-time entertainment by Hall & Oates and raised a whopping $3.25 million — a record for the organization. One big reason: JDRF officials say Type 1 diabetes affects 14 million Americans.

Partygoers — many with their little ones in tow — began the evening perusing the extensive silent auction at the family-friendly event. Boasting more than 650 packages, the auction included a weeklong trip to Provence, France, with lux accommodations and in-demand sports memorabilia such as a Patrick Kane autographed jersey.

Following dinner of beef tenderloin and chicken breast, guests were directed into the Arie Crown Theater for the lengthy program filled with emotional videos and serious fund-raising emceed by WMAQ-Channel 5 anchors Allison Rosati and Rob Stafford. Newly appointed JDRF President and CEO Jeffrey Brewer, along with board president Rich Poulton, spoke briefly and remembered former Chicago Cub and longtime JDRF champion Ron Santo with a moment of silence for his recent death from complications of Type 1 diabetes. “Ron was a tireless fighter for JDRF,” Poulton explained, “and over the course of three decades, he helped to raise over $60 million for the organization.”

The evening’s Fund-a-Cure campaign was dedicated to Santo, and attendees reached deep into their pockets to donate. Some of the most generous: Mesirow Financial CEO Jim Tyree (who taped a video) and his wife, Eve, who gave $50,000, and Trish and Glenn Tullman (CEO of Allscripts), who pledged $100,000 to JDRF’s Artificial Pancreas project.

As a rocking wrap-up to the event (chaired by Karen Case), longtime pop duo Daryl Hall and John Oates performed hits spanning more than three decades, including “Maneater,” “Kiss on My List” and “Out of Touch.”

Diabetes risk to pregnant women greater in Pacfic regions

A study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has found that diabetes in pregnancy is linked to poorer outcomes for mothers and babies.

Mothers born in high-diabetes-risk regions, such as Polynesia, are more likely to have diabetes in pregnancy than mothers born in Australia.

The disease can cause a number of complications during pregnancy, labour and delivery and it’s also been linked to stillbirths.

Gestational diabetes can develop during pregnancy even when a woman has no prior history of the disease.

Dr Glynis Ross from Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital in Sydney says both types of diabetes can cause complications.

22 Mena countries sign diabetes declaration

TWENTY-two countries from the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) as well as five international organisations have forged a pact to fight diabetes and other non-communicable diseases linked to it.

The pact is now known as the “Dubai Declaration on Diabetes and Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in the Middle East and North Africa Region.”

It is a result of the two-day “Mena Diabetes Leadership Forum” which concluded on Monday afternoon, part of the five-day “Dubai 6th International Conference on Medical Sciences,” hosted by the UAE Ministry of Health and under the auspices of the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences.

The October 2010 Novo Nordisk regional research study on the prevalence and seriousness of diabetes, was conducted using 3,000 respondents from 22 signatory-countries including the UAE, Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen.

The five international organisations are the World Health Organisation, World Diabetes Foundation, International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and World Bank, including the Health Ministers’ Council for the Gulf Cooperation Council States.

UAE Health Minister Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim urged all of the signatories to adopt and implement the agreement: “Addressing this pandemic is urgent and important. Non-communicable diseases like diabetes will be a burden on the economies in the region.”

Saying in his speech on Sunday afternoon that “diabetes knows no borders nor boundaries” therefore everyone must address this issue as it has affected 300 million in the world. Reaffirming the UAE’s commitment to agreements stipulated in the United Nations Resolution on Diabetes, the Riyadh Declaration, and the Gulf Executive Plan for Diabetes Control,Al Qassim on Monday said: “Diabetes and other non-communicable diseases impose huge indirect costs on the economy, such as lost productivity among people of working age, premature retirement and costs of family members giving up employment to care for relatives.”

Denmark Crown Prince Frederick Andre Henrik Christian who has been always been involved humanitarian work, said the forum “is just the beginning” and “the challenge” is for the realization of the inputs gathered from the 550 participants.

He said Denmark has been battling diabetes for many years and through preventive measures, it has been proven that this could be won, such that the dim future of diabetics could be reversed.

There are three important issues from the Dubai Declaration.

These are: that all Mena countries be represented and take an active role in the Moscow June 2011 United Nations International Conference on Non-Communicable Diseases and the New York September 2011 UN Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases so that regional concerns may be heard in this international platform which will hopefully lead to more concrete actions and results, with the help of the international community as well as provide comprehensive care to diabetics including: encouraging diabetics to lead a normal life; and the introduction of preventive measures such as healthier living which eradicates diabetes and its related NCDs.

On the need for active Mena participation in the global arena, IDF chief executive officer Ann Keeling has also been calling for concerted action for the reduction of tobacco and alcohol consumption, since this is also linked to diabetes and other NCDs: “I urge you to have your heads of government to attend the summit because it is better that they would be talking about this on the table,” she said.

Speakers at the two-day forum said diabetes and other NCDs could at least be minimized.

This, however calls for everyone, specifically families and individuals, to be pro-active in keeping themselves healthy.

Former United States President Bill Clinton, advocating the fight against diabetes since 2004, mentioned at the forum on Sunday: “People do want to live. They do not want to shorten their lives. They want their children to live a long life.”

1. Feed your flu, but make sure you are eating protein.

There’s an old adage about feeding a cold and starving a fever. There’s some physiological sense to the saying.

If you have a cold… or the flu… you have clogged breathing passages filled with phlegm. If you eat more food, your body burns it. When your body metabolizes food, your lungs have to get rid of the carbon dioxide, so you breathe more deeply. When you breathe more deeply, you are more likely to cough or sneeze and get your airways clear.

There’s just one caveat to this old advice for diabetics. If you have Type 2, your body doesn’t do a great job of actually burning carbohydrates. On the other hand, your body probably does just fine with protein, which it slowly turns into the amino acids it needs, converting the rest into glucose.

Type 2 diabetics don’t get a fast response to a hearty protein meal when they are in the bed with the flu, but they do get a response. Just be sure to avoid:

• canned fruit juices
• soft drinks
• sugar-sweetened teas, and
• sweets

You might even try chicken or chicken-free soup.

2. Chicken soup really is good for colds and flu:

Scientists at the University of Nebraska, in the USA, tested chicken soup as an immune stimulant. They found that tiny particles of herbs and vegetables that “melted” into chicken proteins during a long simmering process actually stimulate the white blood cells known as neutrophils, to fight bacteria. The secret to a healing soup was simmering the broth with the chicken and the vegetables for at least four hours. Then you could actually throw away the chicken and your body gets the same immune stimulation.

Not everybody eats meat, of course.

Fortunately, there is also an easy chicken-less chicken soup that is also good for colds and flu. Just stir up some miso soup (even instant will work), and add a few scallions. The combination stimulates tears and runny nose, which carry off infection and phlegm. It’s high in salt, so no more than one or two bowls a day.
Growth hormone Mexico
3. When your temperature goes up, your sugars usually go up, too:

Infection is a stressor, and stresses raise blood sugar levels. Don’t forget to take your blood sugar levels even when you have the flu, and call the doctor if they run unusually high. Make sure the doctor who is treating you for influenza knows you have Type 2 diabetes.

The first thing you should know about custom diet for diabetics is that they are tailored to give you a healthy weight. All the servings are low in fat and won’t increase your cholesterol levels. To some extent, it’s a diet that can help you lose weight, but not exponentially if it’s used in isolation. Diabetic diets are usually comprised of 3 main servings, which are breakfast, lunch and dinner. Including mid-morning, afternoon and evening snacks is important, to ensure your glucose levels stay somewhat constant.

The best diets for diabetic will consist of a variety of fruits, vegetables and high starch foods, and discourage the consumption of fats, more so unsaturated fats. Try to reduce your meat intake. It is a never ending debate as to whether carbohydrate is beneficial or bad for blood glucose management. While it’s true that eating carbohydrates can elevate your blood sugar reading, some diets encourage this, but with some conditions.

One example is the Pritikin Diet which emphasizes on the intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and regular servings of carbohydrates as well. A lot of roughage has to be included in the diet as well as exercise. The extra energy from the carbohydrates is expended this way. There are low carb diets that encourage on the replacement of carbohydrates with healthy fat (unsaturated fat is highly discouraged as it increases cholesterol levels in the body) sources like nuts, fish, eggs, and high intake of fruits and vegetables.

It’s hard to draw a conclusion on which precise diet for diabetics to follow. The best plan is to however understand your requirements. You should take more carbohydrates if you lead an active lifestyle. On the other hand, if you are less active, a diet with lower carbohydrates would be better. The constant thing in all the diets is the requirement for fruits and vegetables, more preferably those rich in fiber and roughage. These will help to keep your digestive system to perform better, while at the same time slowing the rate at which glucose is absorbed into the body.

As far as the unhealthy junk foods and snacks are concern, they have to be reduce as much as possible. Everything you eat, more so if it is rich in carbohydrate and sugar, will have an impact on your blood sugar. But if your cravings are too much, you can try an exchange scheme as a way of compromising. For instance, if you want to take a piece of dessert, you can take half a serving of rice or pasta during the main course. Following a diabetic diet is not rocket science, just a simple routine that you will get used to pretty fast.