Imagine being able to self diagnose your symptoms at a drug store Kiosk and then get your medications without a prescription? The FDA is considering a proposal that would do just that.
It sounds like an airport, where you print your boarding pass and then get on the plane. Let's take 2 very different conditions:
Continue reading "Prescription Meds Without a Prescription?" »
A recent study from the UK found that people with diabetes who used Metformin were twice as likely to have a deficiency in Vitamin B12. If you or a loved one is being treated with Metformin, either have your level checked or consider taking a supplement of B12 or one that has several B vitamins in it. This also applies to women with PCOS who are using Metformin.
B vitamins are found in meat, turkey, tuna, potatoes, beans, brewer's yeast, bananas and molasses.
The Alpha Plan aims to help students make healthy choices in college and throughout their lives.
Every college bound teenage, and their parents dread the Freshman Fifteen: the plus-or-minus 15 pounds that many students gain in their first year of the college experience. The cause may seem obvious - many are living on their own for the first time, and are exposed to stress, alcohol, and greasy cafeteria food - but the cure often seems harder to find. I recently interviewed Dr. Mariam Manoukian, a physician who practices in Silicon Valley, who has just the prescription: Her book, The Alpha Plan.
Carbohydrates are foods packed with energy. As our bodies digest and metabolize carbohydrates, sugars are released into the bloodstream and this blood sugar races to our cells providing energy so that we can think, walk, run and function. There's another key factor here, Insulin. Our bodies produce insulin in response to eating foods with carbohydrates, becasue insulin's job is to help transport the glucose to the cells. Insulin is like the friend who knocks on the door and helps the glucose gain admission to the cells. The 2 work together, Insulin and blood sugar.
If you're a diabetic or you know someone with diabetes, please consider increasing the number of times per day that you check your blood sugar. Yes, I know it's a pain, literally and that checking takes time out of your day, but the more you check, the more you'll start to see patterns in how your own unique body handles the food you eat and the medications that you use. When people check their blood sugar 5-7 or more times/day, they actually have fewer long term health problems from diabetes.
If you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes or you're worried that you might be headed in that direction, please do ask your health care provider for 3 things:
I have many patients who have lost 20, 40 and even 70+ pounds on Metformin. Every pound of weight loss reduces their risk of developing diabetes and all the complications that can ensue.
There are 350 million diabetics worldwide. OMG!
There are 138 million people in China with diabetes and close to 9.5% of Americans are diabetic. Many of us are focusing our efforts on prevention, especially in people who are considered pre-diabetic and others who seem to have an insulin resistance.
Here's one way that I screen my patients for an underlying insulin resistance. When I check their fasting cholesterol levels, I play close attention to the triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are an indicator of how well the body metabolizes carbohydrates. High levels can indicate an increased insulin resistance which over time can lead to Type 2 diabetes. When I see those levels, I encourage patients to re-think their carbohydrate intake and we work on making manageable changes in their diet.
A Featured Article on Caring.com by Staywell Custom Communications
FRIDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Increasing daily soluble fiber intake may help you lose dangerous visceral fat, which produces hormones and other substances linked to a host of chronic diseases, according to a new study.
Unlike the subcutaneous fat found just under the skin, visceral fat is located deep in the belly and wraps around a person's vital organs. Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center found the way to hone in on this deep belly fat is to get moderate amounts of regular exercise and to eat more soluble fiber from vegetables, fruits and beans.
Continue reading "Soluble Fiber Appears Key to Trimming 'Bad Fat'" »
Ever notice how some workouts leave you feeling just so - so? And others make you feel that you can do anything? Cope with the demanding boss or never ending To Do List, cranky family, stack of bills? New research is pointing to the feel good factor and what it takes to get there from exercise. And, it's just what you'd guess. Working out for at least 20 minutes at a moderate to high intensity is what our brains and bodies crave for the feel good neuro chemicals that put a smile on your face.
Treating the underlying depression that afflicts most diabetics helps them get their diabetes under control, decrease blood pressure and helps with the depression. In the 3 year study, people with Type 2 diabetes had regular telephone follow up with specially trained nurses who first addressed depression and later added advice about walking and increasing their physical activity.
