Diabetes Treatment Enters A New Phase

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New guidelines for treating Type 2 diabetes call for the use of one of the newer diabetes medicines rather than Metformin in order to help reduce weight and protect the heart and kidneys.  Many people suffer from hypertension, kidney disease and obesity along with Type 2 diabetes so this should be welcome news that these new drugs can help with that.  “It’s a fundamental departure from the classical approach of trying to fix the blood sugars, which is what we used to focus on because it’s all we could really do,†Dr. Marie McDonnell, director of the diabetes program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, told the Wall Street Journal.   The new drugs belong to two classes known by the acronyms SGLT-2 and GLP-1.  The changes are being made so doctors can tailor the drug to the patient, rather than have a one-size-fits-all strategy, according to Dr. Nuha Ali El Sayed, an endocrinologist at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.  He is also VP of healthcare improvement at the American Diabetes Association.

Diabetes Drug Ozempic In High Demand

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Some people with diabetes are finding that their pharmacy is out of their prescription for Ozempic.  This is due to the fact that the drug has been found to cause weight loss, and many physicians are prescribing it for this off-label use.  “The clock is ticking to preserve kidney and heart health and the longer patients are without these therapies, the more risks they are accruing,†Katherine Tuttle, an executive director for research at Providence Medical Research Center, told The Wall Street Journal.

Diabetes Drugs In Short Supply

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Drugs like Ozempic are in short supply for diabetics as physicians have found new “off-label†uses for the drug such as weight loss.  Although the drug was not originally designed for the use of weight loss, this has become a very effective side effect and many weight loss clinics are aggressively pushing the off-label prescription drug.  “The clock is ticking to preserve kidney and heath health, and the longer patients are without these therapies, the more risks they are accruing,†Katherine Tuttle, Executive Director for Research at Providence Medical Research, told the Wall Street Journal.

Medicare Savings On Drugs And Immunizations Will Kick In During 2023

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A number of changes have been made to Medicare which hopefully will save you money!  For instance, as of January 1, the Shingrix vaccine to prevent shingles is free for those with a Part D prescription drug plan, a significant relief since it cost almost $200 last year.  If you are diabetic, your copay for a 30-day supply of insulin for Part D enrollees is capped at $35.  During the pandemic, the cost for a month’s supply was hundreds of dollars.  Public awareness of many of these changes are low because they were passed as part of a massive legislation.  However, you will definitely notice it at your pharmacy’s cash register!

Scientists Discover Ways To Eat Healthier

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Researchers on the nutrition front are discovering that setting a couple of rules are more helpful than getting people to commit to more broader resolutions such as to eat healthier foods.  These can be simple things like eating with other people and remembering that grocery shopping online can be better than going to the store  Clearly something must be done.  One in 7 Americans has Type 2 Diabetes and nearly three quarters of Americans fit the official definition of being overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC.  Some recent surveys showed that obesity rates rose even faster during the pandemic than they have historically.  Making a grocery list of healthy foods and then ordering them online is a much better idea than in-store buying, which often results in impulse purchases of junk food, said the researchers.  Studies have also shown that when eating with friends or family, we tend to make more rounded meals including vegetables, dietitian Barbara Mayfield told the Wall Street Journal.  Also, make sure that you get at least six and a half hours of sleep.  The more hours you are awake the more time you have to eat and researchers found that people who didn’t sleep enough gained weight.

Diabetes A Huge Problem In The United States

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Despite numerous advances in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes over the past five decades, the disease has grown at an alarming rate.  One in seven Americans have the disease, up from one in 20 in the 1970’s.  Researchers have come to the sad conclusion that there is no drug powerful enough to counter the impact of poverty, pollution, stress, and a broken food system.  “Our entire society is perfectly designed to create Type 2 Diabetes,†Dr. Dean Schillinger, a professor of medicine at University of California, San Francisco, told The Wall Street Journal.  “We have to disrupt that,†he said.  He was part of a team of experts who gave Congress a road map of how to address the growing number of diabetics earlier this year, the first since 1975.  Hopefully, Congress will act on the report which was issued in January.

Diabetics Have New Medical Option : Bionic Pancreas

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A wearable device that automatically regulates blood-sugar levels was found to help Type 1 diabetics better manager their condition, according to a new study which was reported in the Wall Street Journal September 29 (Page A3).  The wearable “iLet bionic pancreas†made by Beta Bionics helped people reduce their average blood-sugar levels more effectively than other treatment methods, according to a study which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.  Although the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to approve the iLet for distribution in the U.S., the agency in 2019 granted it breakthrough-device designation to speed up the review process.  The FDA has already cleared other automated insulin-delivery systems so the outlook for receiving approval looks good.

Monterey, CA Seniors Need To Stick To A Healthy Diet Or Risk Alzheimer’s, Dementia

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We all know that processed foods aren’t good for you.  More proof of this come from the Alzheimer’s Association, which did a presentation at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in San Diego to show the audience proof from various studies which showed that food like instant noodles, sugary drinks and frozen meals all play a role in cognitive decline.  “It’s no secret that physical and mental cognitive health are intimately involved with each other, so it’s no surprise that this latest research suggests brain impairment too,†Rafael Perez-Escamilla, a professor of public health at Yale University, told the audience.  “Just 100 calories of processed foods can affect your physical health.  So, that’s two cookies,†he continued.  Other research has linked ultra-processed food consumption to health problems such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancers.  Try the Mediterranean Diet, it’s great for your health and delicious.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  If you need information or just someone to talk to, there are some wonderful people at the Monterey branch of the Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan Ranch.  They also have a 24-hour hotline at 1-800-272-3900.

Obesity Is A Growing Problem In This Country

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Obesity can lead to a number of health problems including diabetes, heart disease and strokes.  One issue that can easily be tackled is to stop drinking sugary beverages.  A 20-ounce bottle of cola contains 65 grams of sugar—five times as much as a typical glazed donut.  Even things that you think are healthy might be a bad choice.  Store-bought orange juice has as much sugar as soda!  Try switching to sparkling water with lemon or making your own iced tea.

AARP Tips For Those With A Diabetes Diagnosis

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Getting a diabetes diagnosis can be very frightening, but with the right healthy living changes, you can still lead a normal life.  Read this AARP Article, which explains their seven recommendations for dealing with the disease including:

Losing weight

Watering down blood sugar

Exercise snacking

Muscling up with protein

Get vaccinated against COVID-19

Don’t focus on sugar

Let the meds come as needed.

https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2021/tips-for-managing-diabetes.html