SAN ANTONIO -- If you're a diabetic, you know how painful it is to prick your fingers every day in order to measure your blood sugar level. But there's some research being done that could put an end to that, and it comes in the form of a tattoo.
Some love the art; others think they look tough. But what about a tattoo with a purpose, one that monitors diabetes? Researchers are working on what they call a "Nano Ink Tattoo."
"They are taking particles called nano particles with a dye inside of them, and they're inserted into a skin as would be a tattoo," explained Texas Diabetes Institute Research Associate Curtiss Puckett.
Once inserted into the skin, glucose levels are detected, and the diabetic tattoo turns yellow or orange. You can only see the tattoo by positioning a device over it that reveals its color.
"The darker the color, the more lower the sugar," said Puckett. "The lighter the color the more higher the sugar."
Forty-eight-year-old Olga Martinez says the diabetic tattoo would mean less needle pricks.
"After a while, you get tired of it. It's like 'again?' It would be a lot easier to have a tattoo," Martinez told us.
San Antonio presently has approximately 250,000 diabetics.
Although he thinks the diabetic tattoo will help, Texas Diabetes Institute Research Associate Curtiss Puckett believes it will never be as accurate as the meter.
"No one will get away from the meter," said Puckett. "The meter is tried and true. It's a more accurate measure of sugar, and it's a more reliable method."
Researchers are still finalizing the nano ink tattoo. We'll let you know when this medical break-through hits the market.
http://www.woai.com/content/news/newslinks/story/Diabetes-tattoos-may-soon-help-monitor-glucose/rNtQ4XWPAUmucCsKxAQ1Tw.cspx
Graham
Please check out our website www.lowcarbdiabetic.co.uk We created and maintain this site without any help from anyone else. In doing so, we do not receive direct or indirect funding from anyone. We do not accept money or favours to manipulate the evidence in any way. Please visit our Low Carb food and recipe blog www.lowcarbdietsandrecipes.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Health Benefits of a Low-Carbohydrate, High-Saturated-Fat Diet.
A hundred years ago, before Americans changed their diet and the calamitous events of the 20th century began, heart disease was far less common that it is now. Few Americans were overweight, and coronary heart disease was not yet recognized as an illness. Pneumonia, diarrhea and enteritis, and tuberculosis were the three most common causes of death, whereas coronary heart disease is now the most common cause of death in the United States. The medical subspecialty of cardiology was created in 1940. Since then the number of cardiologists in the U.S. has grown from 500 in 1950 to 30,000 now — a 60-fold increase.
Americans have replaced saturated fat in their diet with processed polyunsaturated vegetable oils and carbohydrates. The Average American drinks 600 cans (56 gallons) of soft drinks a year (up from 216 cans in 1971). One-third of our dietary sugar comes from sodas, which has become the number one source of calories. Each 12-ounce can contains 10 teaspoons of sugar in the form of high-fructose corn syrup.
One of the major health benefits of a low-carbohydrate diet is weight loss. It enables one to lose excess weight without having to consciously restrict calories (Ann Int Med 2004;140:769—777). A low-carb diet lowers blood glucose in diabetics (Diabetes 2004;53:2375—2382). It improves insulin sensitivity (N Engl J Med 2003;348:2074—81). Indeed, carbohydrate restriction (with fat replacing carbohydrates) is on the way to becoming the preferred method for treating type-2 diabetes and its precursor, metabolic syndrome (Scand Cardiovasc J 2008;42:256—263). Restricting carbohydrates can also lower blood pressure (JAMA 2004;292:24822—2490).
http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller33.1.html
Americans have replaced saturated fat in their diet with processed polyunsaturated vegetable oils and carbohydrates. The Average American drinks 600 cans (56 gallons) of soft drinks a year (up from 216 cans in 1971). One-third of our dietary sugar comes from sodas, which has become the number one source of calories. Each 12-ounce can contains 10 teaspoons of sugar in the form of high-fructose corn syrup.
One of the major health benefits of a low-carbohydrate diet is weight loss. It enables one to lose excess weight without having to consciously restrict calories (Ann Int Med 2004;140:769—777). A low-carb diet lowers blood glucose in diabetics (Diabetes 2004;53:2375—2382). It improves insulin sensitivity (N Engl J Med 2003;348:2074—81). Indeed, carbohydrate restriction (with fat replacing carbohydrates) is on the way to becoming the preferred method for treating type-2 diabetes and its precursor, metabolic syndrome (Scand Cardiovasc J 2008;42:256—263). Restricting carbohydrates can also lower blood pressure (JAMA 2004;292:24822—2490).
http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller33.1.html
Scrap NHS Bill, say doctors who will run reforms !
It is the first time that one of the “clinical commissioning groups” (CCGs) set up to implement the proposals has formally expressed its opposition to the Health and Social Care Bill.
The criticism, from the CCG in Tower Hamlets, east London, is led by the senior GP who hosted Andrew Lansley’s first speech as Health Secretary.
Yesterday Mr Lansley had to cancel an appearance at a local government conference to answer an emergency question on his reforms in the Commons.
During the heated debate, Mr Lansley received only minimal support from Cabinet colleagues in the chamber. Mr Clegg was among most senior ministers in remaining absent from the front bench.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9112448/Scrap-NHS-Bill-say-doctors-who-will-run-reforms.html
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Lowcarb all his life !
This guys diet is based on vegetables and fruit. Add some chicken, pork, lamb, beef and fish plus cheese, milk, cream and butter. Wholemeal high quality bread. Only fluids water and milk. Sweets, crisps, chocolate, a once per week treat. 3 years of age and growing like a weed. He keeps us going.
Eddie
FDA announces safety changes in labeling for some cholesterol-lowering drugs !
The changes to the statin labels are:
The drug labels have been revised to remove the need for routine periodic monitoring of liver enzymes in patients taking statins. FDA now recommends that liver enzyme tests should be performed before starting statin therapy, and as clinically indicated thereafter. FDA has concluded that serious liver injury with statins is rare and unpredictable in individual patients, and that routine periodic monitoring of liver enzymes does not appear to be effective in detecting or preventing this rare side effect. Patients should notify their health care professional immediately if they have the following symptoms of liver problems: unusual fatigue or weakness; loss of appetite; upper belly pain; dark-colored urine; yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes.
Certain cognitive (brain-related) effects have been reported with statin use. Statin labels will now include information about some patients experiencing memory loss and confusion. These reports generally have not been serious and the patients’ symptoms were reversed by stopping the statin. However, patients should still alert their health care professional if these symptoms occur.
Increases in blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) have been reported with statin use. The FDA is also aware of studies showing that patients being treated with statins may have a small increased risk of increased blood sugar levels and of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The labels will now warn healthcare professionals and patients of this potential risk.
Health care professionals should take note of the new recommendations in the lovastatin label. Some medicines may interact with lovastatin, increasing the risk for muscle injury (myopathy/rhabdomyolysis). For example, certain medicines should never be taken (are contraindicated) with Mevacor (lovastatin) including drugs used to treat HIV (protease inhibitors) and drugs used to treat certain bacterial and fungal infections.
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm293623.htm
Graham
The drug labels have been revised to remove the need for routine periodic monitoring of liver enzymes in patients taking statins. FDA now recommends that liver enzyme tests should be performed before starting statin therapy, and as clinically indicated thereafter. FDA has concluded that serious liver injury with statins is rare and unpredictable in individual patients, and that routine periodic monitoring of liver enzymes does not appear to be effective in detecting or preventing this rare side effect. Patients should notify their health care professional immediately if they have the following symptoms of liver problems: unusual fatigue or weakness; loss of appetite; upper belly pain; dark-colored urine; yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes.
Certain cognitive (brain-related) effects have been reported with statin use. Statin labels will now include information about some patients experiencing memory loss and confusion. These reports generally have not been serious and the patients’ symptoms were reversed by stopping the statin. However, patients should still alert their health care professional if these symptoms occur.
Increases in blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) have been reported with statin use. The FDA is also aware of studies showing that patients being treated with statins may have a small increased risk of increased blood sugar levels and of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The labels will now warn healthcare professionals and patients of this potential risk.
Health care professionals should take note of the new recommendations in the lovastatin label. Some medicines may interact with lovastatin, increasing the risk for muscle injury (myopathy/rhabdomyolysis). For example, certain medicines should never be taken (are contraindicated) with Mevacor (lovastatin) including drugs used to treat HIV (protease inhibitors) and drugs used to treat certain bacterial and fungal infections.
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm293623.htm
Graham
Big fat lies !
Posted by the bonkers one today.
"The whole thing, its not science to take bits of one study and conveniently omit other bits so it sits well with your theory, real scientists sift through all available data not just the odd bit here and there, the blog I posted is a general expose of Naughton and his bad science. And yes I did watch the whole of the first video but I am as convinced as when I watch the Taubs stuff, not at all."
Check out one of your real Scientists Sid. One of the biggest lies ever told. Your decades behind the times mate.
Eddie
Monday, 27 February 2012
Celebration time for Sid !
Say what you like about Sid but he is consistent. Never wavering from the lunatic diet promoted by his old mentor and partner in crime, the legendary Kenny boy. One mention of saturated fat and Sid’s on it like a rat down a pipe. Sid made headline news recently when he informed us his breakfast consisted on 16 grams of cornflakes with a splash of skimmed milk. Well, I am sure that could keep a Gerbil going for twenty minutes, but a healthy active adult ? Still, as promoters of wacky diets love to tell us, we are all different, ain’t that a fact.
Over the weekend, Sid gave a virtuoso performance in dietary stupidity that must have warmed old Kenny up big time. Taking on Wallycorker award winner Borofergie, there was only one way it was going to end. Sid went for his usual cop-out “Yeah, whatever” and skulked off. When will Sid and the anti saturated fat mob come up with any real and hard evidence, confirming sat fats are detrimental to our health? Saturated fat has been has been part of our diet since the beginning of time, it’s natures way of storing life saving energy in time of famine. We cannot live without saturated fats and that’s a fact.
Time after time, I have seen articles condemning saturated fats, but a very common trick is to combine trans fats in the same study. Anyone who believes, food ate since the emergence of man, is detrimental to health is bonkers, and that’s a fact ! The Medics and Boffins can argue both sides of the argument, it all depends on who’s payroll they are on, but think of this point. One area I have never seen argued with the Medics is breast milk is the best start for a child, and that’s a lot of saturated fat. So, if saturated fat is the best start for a baby, when does it become a killer ? 2 years of age, 10 years of age, 20 years of age ?
Well Sid, thanks for the entertainment, and thank you for allowing the subject to be discussed again. You and low fat brigade must have kicked fats a hundred times and to quote you “just repeating a lie over and over again in the hope that it becomes the truth, it called propaganda” I reckon you are repeating a lie over and over again, and your propaganda ain’t fooling anyone. Just to show you there is no bad feeling, I have sent over a 5lb box of your favourites.
Eddie
Over the weekend, Sid gave a virtuoso performance in dietary stupidity that must have warmed old Kenny up big time. Taking on Wallycorker award winner Borofergie, there was only one way it was going to end. Sid went for his usual cop-out “Yeah, whatever” and skulked off. When will Sid and the anti saturated fat mob come up with any real and hard evidence, confirming sat fats are detrimental to our health? Saturated fat has been has been part of our diet since the beginning of time, it’s natures way of storing life saving energy in time of famine. We cannot live without saturated fats and that’s a fact.
Time after time, I have seen articles condemning saturated fats, but a very common trick is to combine trans fats in the same study. Anyone who believes, food ate since the emergence of man, is detrimental to health is bonkers, and that’s a fact ! The Medics and Boffins can argue both sides of the argument, it all depends on who’s payroll they are on, but think of this point. One area I have never seen argued with the Medics is breast milk is the best start for a child, and that’s a lot of saturated fat. So, if saturated fat is the best start for a baby, when does it become a killer ? 2 years of age, 10 years of age, 20 years of age ?
Well Sid, thanks for the entertainment, and thank you for allowing the subject to be discussed again. You and low fat brigade must have kicked fats a hundred times and to quote you “just repeating a lie over and over again in the hope that it becomes the truth, it called propaganda” I reckon you are repeating a lie over and over again, and your propaganda ain’t fooling anyone. Just to show you there is no bad feeling, I have sent over a 5lb box of your favourites.
Eddie
Saturday, 25 February 2012
Fishing with Dad
At Eddie’s request, please indulge me in a short account of fishing with my dad.
My first fish was a small Rudd in Acklam Park Lake, Middlesbrough. I must have been 9 years old. My dad and I used to fish there on a weekly basis during the Coarse Season. Soon I was cycling 7 miles to the river Leven catching small dace and desperately (and occasionally succeeding) hoping to hook brown trout.
By the time I was 10, dad must have thought I was strong enough to cycle to the South Gare at the mouth of the Tees. It must have been August and we got there for dawn. I can still feel the aching legs, the warmth of the rising son and mounting excitement. Dad would secure the bikes and, even before assembling the rods, pour a cup of tea. On my very first trip, my very first cup of hot sweet tea poured from a flask. In my oil wool sweater from a Merchant Navy store, I felt very grown up. Dad put together a greenheart rod, Scarborough reel and a float baited with a piece of mackerel He cast out for me in the basin, told me to be careful and moved off to the block on the end of the Gare. Of course it was here that I caught my first sea fish, a mackerel. Just the one but I was hooked for life. However, the ride home was a nightmare. All those bridges on the Trunk road (A1085) and my bike had no gears.
I passed my 11+ and was promised a new bike, and hoped for a lightweight ‘racer’. However, my reward was a really heavy ‘sensible’ Raleigh! Fortunately, it did have gears. The next two years saw dad and I fish the Gare almost on a weekly basis. We would get there for low water, dig 100 lugworm, always placed in folds of damp hessian cloth and then fish either the river side or on the end depending upon the season.
Again at the Gare, I learnt respect for the sea. I suspect this will be familiar to many who fish breakwaters. High tide, but with no seemingly high swell. We were fishing the seaward side but not off the block at the end. I was walking back to the wall to rebait when I stopped and stood motionless watching the sea rolling along the deck. Dad shouted and swooped me into the air. Of course we lost the bag, the bait and the flask.
I must have been about 13 when dad got his first car. This opened up new marks to fish. Down to Greatham Creek to collect peelers and then fishing the creek for flatties. My mum would never eat them; black backed flatties never looked natural! Saltburn pier became one of our favourite spots. Shelter provided by the bandstand. However, with dad now working shifts he wasn’t always available for bait digging and lifts. A friend, John McGreevy, and I would catch the train from Middlesbrough and fish the pier all night with scraps of bait. Of course you had to fish the pier all night because you couldn’t get home until the first train in the morning! We would take it in turns to patrol the bandstand, asking the anglers who were leaving if they had any bait they were going to throw away. Over the next few years I caught a huge variety of fish from Saltburn: cod, whiting, pout, bream, billet, mackerel, scad, plaice, dabs, gurnard, and weever.
Having ditched the green heart rod and Scarborough reel I bought a glass beach caster and an Abu 7000. I’ve forgotten who told me about the Abu but I do remember that at the time it was regarded as the ‘Rolls Royce’ of reels. Dad was still using his split-cane rod and Scarborough reel. However, it became clear after a few sessions that I was outcasting and outfishing him. He was very reluctant to change and even more so to pay for an Abu. So he bought a Penn Sea Intrepid! Now if there exists a reel that will give you more ‘birds nests’ than the Intrepid it must be in another Universe. But he was so stubborn. The next few sessions were exercises in frozen fingers (mine!) attempting to untangle him. Eventually he got has Abu, mum bought him one as a Xmas present. By the next cod season (October) he also had bought a glass beachcaster. Mind, it took a few more seasons before he ditched his wire ‘paternosters’ and shark hooks.
Then came a 5 year leave of absence as I left Middlesbrough for University. Upon my return I was employed as an Operational Research analyst at Dorman Long. Through contacts I found myself fishing on a weekly basis in Ernie Fowler’s boat out of the Tees. By now bait digging was out and I used to pick up my bait from Angler’s Corner, Abingdon Road Middlesbrough and then on to Paddy’s hole. Ernie had a cabin where his brother was living and we would bring fresh food and drink. My very first trip was the stuff dreams are made of. Ernie took us to a mark, approximately four and a half miles out to where the slag from the steel works used to be dropped. I caught 27 haddock!
One trip in January resulted in tragedy. On arriving it was blowing real hard but Ernie said we would try it for a few hours. As we left Paddy’s hole, another boat followed us out and anchored with us not very far out. It was only an hour later when Ernie decided we had better return. On seeing us leave, the other boat decided to follow us in. As we made our way in, I would see the other boat intermittently as both boats rose and fell with the swell. However, after a few moments I could no longer see the other boat even when we were on the crest of the swell. Ernie confirmed and as he struggled to turn the boat round I fired off some flares. When we got back to where the other boat should have been, bits and pieces in the water and three men. It must have been a maximum of 15 minutes but the men were helpless. Ernie had to leave the tiller to help me haul them in. There was a fourth man missing. The pilot boat was the first boat to arrive and instructed us to take the men in and they would search for the missing man. We learnt later that the boat had developed engine problems and the man had been in the small cabin sounding the klaxon trying to attract our attention. The tragedy was we hadn’t heard the klaxon and as the boat had went down his leg was trapped in a rope and he went down with the boat.
Now dad and I were fishing Whitby East pier. I have some wonderful, wonderful memories of the pier. We used to park where the mussel shells had been deposited and (there must have been a lot less fishermen then) and could always get parked. Huge hauls of cod and some humorous moments. Dad had a bite and it was immediately obvious he was into something big. He was having to pump it in but remarked he couldn’t feel the typical head shake. He managed to pump it to the pier and asked me to hand line it up. I looked over the side, quietly moved to the bag and picked up a knife and cut his line. The air was blue! I merely took the torch and showed him the door floating out.
We also fished Port Mulgrave but the climb was a bit too much for dad. I was also renting a cottage along Broomhill, behind the Black Lion, Staithes. We fished the jetty and the gulley but again the walk was a bit too much for him. Later I rented the top two floors of the old Barclay’s bank. This was fishing heaven for me (and I’m sure led to my divorce), setting trats (long lines set from the shore), fishing and not having to drive. I used to buy sacks of mussels and like the cobblemen leave them in the river mouth (would you dare do that now?). On my first walk under the cliffs to Boulby (on the old ordinance survey maps it is known as Angling Wyke) to see if I could stay there over high water. I went early morning without waterproof leggings. Of course it poured down on the way back and below my waist I was absolutely sodden. Arriving back in Staithes, decision to be made, back to the cottage or the Black Lion. I walked in to the Black Lion with a roaring fire which was producing steam from my jeans. An angelic voice spoke “you look as if you could do with a bacon sandwich.” Bliss.
By the early 80’s I was fishing Sandsend Beach with John ‘Ossie’ Ayton from Guisborough. Second set of step, look at how the waves were breaking picking out the holes, 2 up hours 2 hours down, averaging 5 - 6 good cod each.
In 1984 I left the UK to teach at National University of Singapore and married Julie, Chinese from Malacca in Malaysia Then for nearly 20 years I was boat fishing again. I don’t want to upset you so I won’t list the fish species, suffice to say there was a huge variety and all with lures.
My final and fondest memory. For a few summers, Bob Graham and I had enjoyed a weeks holiday at Whiting Bay on the Isle of Arran. We took a gripe and it was like old times. Digging the lugworm was ridiculously easy and we would fish King Cross Point for cod and Black Rock in Whiting Bay for plaice (This was in the days before the sea bottom was scraped clean by boats trawling for scallops). After listening to tales of plate sized plaice, dad decides he will join us. Bob will stay at my place and dad will pick us up at about 1.00 in the morning and drive us to the ferry point. Bob and I decide to have few drinks in the Abbey. We had just got the second round in, approximately 10.00 pm when in walks dad! Suffice to say we attempted to stop at every Transport Cafe en route. We were still hours early. The disaster continued, non stop raining all week. I’d dig bait in the rain, dry off and fish in the rain. On the second day we were fishing from an hotel bar. At Lochranza there is a small jetty with a hotel. We baited up, cast out, placed the rods against the railings and hightailed it to the bar. It went downhill on the third day. Bob decided if he was going to get wet he might as well get proper wet and decided to walk to Lamlash. Drying off, in a hotel bar (naturally) he was asked if he would partake in a ‘wee half’. Bob said yes, discovered that a ‘wee half’ was half a beer and a shot of whisky. Bob’s new friend later put him in a taxi, paid the fare and sent him back to Whiting Bay. Dad had also decided to take the day off. I had decided to fish some marks on the Western side of the island. Big mistake, gales blowing in, lashing rain, no fish. Arriving back at the hotel about 5ish I found dad in friendly conversation. It turned out that dad and his new friend had been in the RAF together. They had followed Rommel across the top of Africa and then up through Italy. The rain didn’t improve, the fishing didn’t improve and Bob and I discovered Famous Grouse. On the last night, mindful of the need to catch the first ferry we decided to have a reasonable early night. We could hear boisterous laughter below from the bar. “Who the hell is that?” “John, I think it’s your dad.”
Well thank you for indulging me.
John
My first fish was a small Rudd in Acklam Park Lake, Middlesbrough. I must have been 9 years old. My dad and I used to fish there on a weekly basis during the Coarse Season. Soon I was cycling 7 miles to the river Leven catching small dace and desperately (and occasionally succeeding) hoping to hook brown trout.
By the time I was 10, dad must have thought I was strong enough to cycle to the South Gare at the mouth of the Tees. It must have been August and we got there for dawn. I can still feel the aching legs, the warmth of the rising son and mounting excitement. Dad would secure the bikes and, even before assembling the rods, pour a cup of tea. On my very first trip, my very first cup of hot sweet tea poured from a flask. In my oil wool sweater from a Merchant Navy store, I felt very grown up. Dad put together a greenheart rod, Scarborough reel and a float baited with a piece of mackerel He cast out for me in the basin, told me to be careful and moved off to the block on the end of the Gare. Of course it was here that I caught my first sea fish, a mackerel. Just the one but I was hooked for life. However, the ride home was a nightmare. All those bridges on the Trunk road (A1085) and my bike had no gears.
I passed my 11+ and was promised a new bike, and hoped for a lightweight ‘racer’. However, my reward was a really heavy ‘sensible’ Raleigh! Fortunately, it did have gears. The next two years saw dad and I fish the Gare almost on a weekly basis. We would get there for low water, dig 100 lugworm, always placed in folds of damp hessian cloth and then fish either the river side or on the end depending upon the season.
Again at the Gare, I learnt respect for the sea. I suspect this will be familiar to many who fish breakwaters. High tide, but with no seemingly high swell. We were fishing the seaward side but not off the block at the end. I was walking back to the wall to rebait when I stopped and stood motionless watching the sea rolling along the deck. Dad shouted and swooped me into the air. Of course we lost the bag, the bait and the flask.
I must have been about 13 when dad got his first car. This opened up new marks to fish. Down to Greatham Creek to collect peelers and then fishing the creek for flatties. My mum would never eat them; black backed flatties never looked natural! Saltburn pier became one of our favourite spots. Shelter provided by the bandstand. However, with dad now working shifts he wasn’t always available for bait digging and lifts. A friend, John McGreevy, and I would catch the train from Middlesbrough and fish the pier all night with scraps of bait. Of course you had to fish the pier all night because you couldn’t get home until the first train in the morning! We would take it in turns to patrol the bandstand, asking the anglers who were leaving if they had any bait they were going to throw away. Over the next few years I caught a huge variety of fish from Saltburn: cod, whiting, pout, bream, billet, mackerel, scad, plaice, dabs, gurnard, and weever.
Having ditched the green heart rod and Scarborough reel I bought a glass beach caster and an Abu 7000. I’ve forgotten who told me about the Abu but I do remember that at the time it was regarded as the ‘Rolls Royce’ of reels. Dad was still using his split-cane rod and Scarborough reel. However, it became clear after a few sessions that I was outcasting and outfishing him. He was very reluctant to change and even more so to pay for an Abu. So he bought a Penn Sea Intrepid! Now if there exists a reel that will give you more ‘birds nests’ than the Intrepid it must be in another Universe. But he was so stubborn. The next few sessions were exercises in frozen fingers (mine!) attempting to untangle him. Eventually he got has Abu, mum bought him one as a Xmas present. By the next cod season (October) he also had bought a glass beachcaster. Mind, it took a few more seasons before he ditched his wire ‘paternosters’ and shark hooks.
Then came a 5 year leave of absence as I left Middlesbrough for University. Upon my return I was employed as an Operational Research analyst at Dorman Long. Through contacts I found myself fishing on a weekly basis in Ernie Fowler’s boat out of the Tees. By now bait digging was out and I used to pick up my bait from Angler’s Corner, Abingdon Road Middlesbrough and then on to Paddy’s hole. Ernie had a cabin where his brother was living and we would bring fresh food and drink. My very first trip was the stuff dreams are made of. Ernie took us to a mark, approximately four and a half miles out to where the slag from the steel works used to be dropped. I caught 27 haddock!
One trip in January resulted in tragedy. On arriving it was blowing real hard but Ernie said we would try it for a few hours. As we left Paddy’s hole, another boat followed us out and anchored with us not very far out. It was only an hour later when Ernie decided we had better return. On seeing us leave, the other boat decided to follow us in. As we made our way in, I would see the other boat intermittently as both boats rose and fell with the swell. However, after a few moments I could no longer see the other boat even when we were on the crest of the swell. Ernie confirmed and as he struggled to turn the boat round I fired off some flares. When we got back to where the other boat should have been, bits and pieces in the water and three men. It must have been a maximum of 15 minutes but the men were helpless. Ernie had to leave the tiller to help me haul them in. There was a fourth man missing. The pilot boat was the first boat to arrive and instructed us to take the men in and they would search for the missing man. We learnt later that the boat had developed engine problems and the man had been in the small cabin sounding the klaxon trying to attract our attention. The tragedy was we hadn’t heard the klaxon and as the boat had went down his leg was trapped in a rope and he went down with the boat.
Now dad and I were fishing Whitby East pier. I have some wonderful, wonderful memories of the pier. We used to park where the mussel shells had been deposited and (there must have been a lot less fishermen then) and could always get parked. Huge hauls of cod and some humorous moments. Dad had a bite and it was immediately obvious he was into something big. He was having to pump it in but remarked he couldn’t feel the typical head shake. He managed to pump it to the pier and asked me to hand line it up. I looked over the side, quietly moved to the bag and picked up a knife and cut his line. The air was blue! I merely took the torch and showed him the door floating out.
We also fished Port Mulgrave but the climb was a bit too much for dad. I was also renting a cottage along Broomhill, behind the Black Lion, Staithes. We fished the jetty and the gulley but again the walk was a bit too much for him. Later I rented the top two floors of the old Barclay’s bank. This was fishing heaven for me (and I’m sure led to my divorce), setting trats (long lines set from the shore), fishing and not having to drive. I used to buy sacks of mussels and like the cobblemen leave them in the river mouth (would you dare do that now?). On my first walk under the cliffs to Boulby (on the old ordinance survey maps it is known as Angling Wyke) to see if I could stay there over high water. I went early morning without waterproof leggings. Of course it poured down on the way back and below my waist I was absolutely sodden. Arriving back in Staithes, decision to be made, back to the cottage or the Black Lion. I walked in to the Black Lion with a roaring fire which was producing steam from my jeans. An angelic voice spoke “you look as if you could do with a bacon sandwich.” Bliss.
By the early 80’s I was fishing Sandsend Beach with John ‘Ossie’ Ayton from Guisborough. Second set of step, look at how the waves were breaking picking out the holes, 2 up hours 2 hours down, averaging 5 - 6 good cod each.
In 1984 I left the UK to teach at National University of Singapore and married Julie, Chinese from Malacca in Malaysia Then for nearly 20 years I was boat fishing again. I don’t want to upset you so I won’t list the fish species, suffice to say there was a huge variety and all with lures.
My final and fondest memory. For a few summers, Bob Graham and I had enjoyed a weeks holiday at Whiting Bay on the Isle of Arran. We took a gripe and it was like old times. Digging the lugworm was ridiculously easy and we would fish King Cross Point for cod and Black Rock in Whiting Bay for plaice (This was in the days before the sea bottom was scraped clean by boats trawling for scallops). After listening to tales of plate sized plaice, dad decides he will join us. Bob will stay at my place and dad will pick us up at about 1.00 in the morning and drive us to the ferry point. Bob and I decide to have few drinks in the Abbey. We had just got the second round in, approximately 10.00 pm when in walks dad! Suffice to say we attempted to stop at every Transport Cafe en route. We were still hours early. The disaster continued, non stop raining all week. I’d dig bait in the rain, dry off and fish in the rain. On the second day we were fishing from an hotel bar. At Lochranza there is a small jetty with a hotel. We baited up, cast out, placed the rods against the railings and hightailed it to the bar. It went downhill on the third day. Bob decided if he was going to get wet he might as well get proper wet and decided to walk to Lamlash. Drying off, in a hotel bar (naturally) he was asked if he would partake in a ‘wee half’. Bob said yes, discovered that a ‘wee half’ was half a beer and a shot of whisky. Bob’s new friend later put him in a taxi, paid the fare and sent him back to Whiting Bay. Dad had also decided to take the day off. I had decided to fish some marks on the Western side of the island. Big mistake, gales blowing in, lashing rain, no fish. Arriving back at the hotel about 5ish I found dad in friendly conversation. It turned out that dad and his new friend had been in the RAF together. They had followed Rommel across the top of Africa and then up through Italy. The rain didn’t improve, the fishing didn’t improve and Bob and I discovered Famous Grouse. On the last night, mindful of the need to catch the first ferry we decided to have a reasonable early night. We could hear boisterous laughter below from the bar. “Who the hell is that?” “John, I think it’s your dad.”
Well thank you for indulging me.
John
Who needs disabled people ?
Check out this video, Itzhak Perlman, surely one of the finest musician's that ever drew breath.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEmbFSiJzEQ&feature=related
Embedding disabled.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEmbFSiJzEQ&feature=related
Embedding disabled.
You can't win em all.
What a fantastic day yesterday. One of the hottest February days ever recorded. Out on my club lake only three hundred members, so its always very quiet and peaceful. Five hours fishing and not one fish caught. Ask me if I care, a joy to be out in shirt sleeve's and watching nature and the ducks and geese. Maybe next time. Take some time to smell the roses, relaxation can be good for BG numbers, stress certainly raises mine.
Eddie
Friday, 24 February 2012
Cheap SD Codefree BG monitor and test strips.!
I recently purchased this meter for £9.95 from e-bay, test strips cost just £4.99 for 50, all + postage. I don't know if this a short term introductory price or not but I suspect it is, only time will tell though..
I've been comparing the test results with my Compact Plus, I've only done six tests in total but
the SD has consistently given a reading within 0.2 to 0.4mmol/L of the Compact.
As this could be of benefit to T2s I'll give a direct link:
SD Monitor:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CODEFREE-BLOOD-GLUCOSE-METER-MONITOR-mmol-TEST-TESTING-KIT-STRIPS-LANCETS-CASE-/220903935762?_trksid=p5197.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC.NPJS%26itu%3DI%252BUA%26otn%3D12%26pmod%3D310354761742%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6560720946144045172
Test Strips:
http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/310354761742?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar
Graham
I've been comparing the test results with my Compact Plus, I've only done six tests in total but
the SD has consistently given a reading within 0.2 to 0.4mmol/L of the Compact.
As this could be of benefit to T2s I'll give a direct link:
SD Monitor:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CODEFREE-BLOOD-GLUCOSE-METER-MONITOR-mmol-TEST-TESTING-KIT-STRIPS-LANCETS-CASE-/220903935762?_trksid=p5197.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC.NPJS%26itu%3DI%252BUA%26otn%3D12%26pmod%3D310354761742%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6560720946144045172
Test Strips:
http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/310354761742?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar
Graham
‘Bullying’ claims after PCT warns senior doctor over health bill opposition
The Government has been accused of ‘bullying' healthcare professionals who speak out against the NHS reforms after a senior doctor who signed a letter criticising the health bill was threatened with disciplinary action. Professor John Ashton, county medical officer for Cumbria, was summoned to a meeting by PCT bosses after he and 22 other signatories penned a letter to a national newspaper criticising the bill.
NHS Cumbria claimed Professor Ashton breached the NHS code of conduct by voicing his concerns over the plans.
An NHS Cumbria spokesperson said: ‘NHS clinicians are always free to express their opinions as individuals and NHS Cumbria has never stood in the way of anyone expressing a personal view.'
‘Every senior manager in the health service has to nonetheless be mindful of expressing their views on political issues as individuals, and not on behalf of the NHS organisations for which they work. NHS organisations must always remain non-political.'
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/newsarticle-content/-/article_display_list/13493575/bullying-claims-after-pct-warns-senior-doctor-over-health-bill-opposition
NHS Cumbria claimed Professor Ashton breached the NHS code of conduct by voicing his concerns over the plans.
An NHS Cumbria spokesperson said: ‘NHS clinicians are always free to express their opinions as individuals and NHS Cumbria has never stood in the way of anyone expressing a personal view.'
‘Every senior manager in the health service has to nonetheless be mindful of expressing their views on political issues as individuals, and not on behalf of the NHS organisations for which they work. NHS organisations must always remain non-political.'
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/newsarticle-content/-/article_display_list/13493575/bullying-claims-after-pct-warns-senior-doctor-over-health-bill-opposition
Thursday, 23 February 2012
We Had It All
Sat in the dark with only a small table light. Julie is upstairs watching the hostage drama. Reflecting on how lucky I've been, in spite of the diabetes. This is for Julie
John
John
Damn your low fat diet !
Damn your low fat diet: How a reformed vegan gorges on all the foods his granny enjoyed... and has never felt better.
As the kitchen filled with the smell of caramelised meat, my mouth watered in anticipation of the coming feast: a thick cut of tender steak, fried in butter and olive oil.
This was not a regular treat. In fact, for the previous 26 years I’d been a vegan, eschewing not just meat but all animal products.
My diet was an extreme version of the NHS Eat Well regime, which recommends lots of starchy foods and smaller quantities of saturated fats, cholesterol, sugar and red meat.
According to government advice, I was doing everything right — and yet my health had never been worse. My weight had crept up over the years, until in 2008 I was 14½ stone — which is a lot of blubber for someone who is 5ft 10in — and was classified as clinically obese.
I waddled around, sweating and short of breath, battling extremely high cholesterol and suffering from chronic indigestion. I was always tired and needed to take naps every afternoon. I had constant headaches and swallowed paracetamol and sucked Rennies like they were sweets.
Worst of all, I had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which left me feeling as if I had lead weights in my gut. My belly was bloated and distended after every meal. I was, to use a technical term, knackered.
But that was about to change. In 2010, I decided to give up my supposedly healthy lifestyle and embrace good old-fashioned meat.
From that day on, I ate red meat four or five days a week. I gobbled the fat on chops, chicken skin and pork crackling. I feasted on everything we’re told to avoid. The effects were instant.
Twenty-four hours after eating meat again, all my IBS symptoms had gone. As the weeks and months passed, every aspect of my health improved dramatically. I became leaner, shedding body fat and becoming stronger and fitter. My headaches went away, never to return. Even my libido increased.
It felt like being young again, like coming back to life. But though I felt energised, I was also furious. Furious with myself for sticking to the ‘healthy’ eating advice, which was actually far from a sensible diet. But also furious with the so-called experts who have been peddling this low-fat, high-carbohydrate claptrap for so long that no one thinks to question it.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2105132/Damn-low-fat-diet-How-reformed-vegan-John-Nicholson-gorges-foods-granny-enjoyed--felt-better.html#ixzz1nDdssRQw
As the kitchen filled with the smell of caramelised meat, my mouth watered in anticipation of the coming feast: a thick cut of tender steak, fried in butter and olive oil.
This was not a regular treat. In fact, for the previous 26 years I’d been a vegan, eschewing not just meat but all animal products.
My diet was an extreme version of the NHS Eat Well regime, which recommends lots of starchy foods and smaller quantities of saturated fats, cholesterol, sugar and red meat.
According to government advice, I was doing everything right — and yet my health had never been worse. My weight had crept up over the years, until in 2008 I was 14½ stone — which is a lot of blubber for someone who is 5ft 10in — and was classified as clinically obese.
I waddled around, sweating and short of breath, battling extremely high cholesterol and suffering from chronic indigestion. I was always tired and needed to take naps every afternoon. I had constant headaches and swallowed paracetamol and sucked Rennies like they were sweets.
Worst of all, I had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which left me feeling as if I had lead weights in my gut. My belly was bloated and distended after every meal. I was, to use a technical term, knackered.
But that was about to change. In 2010, I decided to give up my supposedly healthy lifestyle and embrace good old-fashioned meat.
From that day on, I ate red meat four or five days a week. I gobbled the fat on chops, chicken skin and pork crackling. I feasted on everything we’re told to avoid. The effects were instant.
Twenty-four hours after eating meat again, all my IBS symptoms had gone. As the weeks and months passed, every aspect of my health improved dramatically. I became leaner, shedding body fat and becoming stronger and fitter. My headaches went away, never to return. Even my libido increased.
It felt like being young again, like coming back to life. But though I felt energised, I was also furious. Furious with myself for sticking to the ‘healthy’ eating advice, which was actually far from a sensible diet. But also furious with the so-called experts who have been peddling this low-fat, high-carbohydrate claptrap for so long that no one thinks to question it.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2105132/Damn-low-fat-diet-How-reformed-vegan-John-Nicholson-gorges-foods-granny-enjoyed--felt-better.html#ixzz1nDdssRQw
A one way walk up to Beachy Head, or a bottle of pills and a bottle of Jack Daniels.
Spend some time on a NHS website re. diet for anyone, let alone diabetics, and starchy carbs figure big time. The same recommendations apply on DUK and other diabetes sites. Check on diabetes forums, and time and time again, we see posters reporting their diabetes advisers from dietitions to diabetic nurses, are pushing the eat starchy carbs with every meal, diet of slow death. After a while you get to understand why. All you have to do is follow the money, and big pharma and multinational food companies have the money. Big money brings power and influence. Most of the food agencies advising governments in Europe are funded by global food outfits. Big pharma controls most of the medics. Politicians are bought and sold, and far too many Scientists, well those that want to stay employed, are controlled by the money. All in all, it’s money for old rope. Big pharma can test it’s latest wonder drugs on poor people in third world countries, and the Global food mobs can exploit the same poor people for raw materials. Call the rip-off fair trade and everyone’s happy. The people working 12 hours a day, very often in back breaking work, are very poorly paid, but hey they can afford a tin hut to live in now, things are looking up. These people are slaves in all but name. Out of sight and out of mind most of the time, but not anymore !
Slavery is coming to a high street or retail park near you. We have seen the like of Tesco et al taking on unemployed workers who’s only payment has been the return of their unemployment benefit. The benevolent vampire squid also gets a nice fat cheque from the government. I fully expect to hear these unfortunates will be taken off the official unemployment numbers, let’s face it, they are ‘trainees’. Sounds like slavery to me. Work hard for a pittance and you might be able to afford to eat. The Universities will be charging an average of £9000 per year from this autumn. A youngster on a five year course as many are, will leave University with a millstone of debt wrapped around their neck for life. Many will never repay the money owed, because many will never find a job, and those that do find a job, will never earn enough to make a dent in the capital plus interest at commercial rates. Welcome to the future, slavery for almost all.
What’s this got to do with diabetes you may be asking yourself ? Well, the NHS as we know it will soon be gone. Doctors lists are being pruned of people that cost money. Drugs available to almost all a few months ago are now on banned lists. Test strips are being withdrawn from almost all type two’s, and being drastically reduced for insulin dependent diabetics. We read about newly diagnosed diabetics having to fight to see their own Doctor, and essential tests being denied to hundreds of thousands of diabetics, and it’s going to get far worse, far worse than most want to imagine. So, what’s the answer ? A one way walk up to Beachy Head, a bottle of pills and a bottle of Jack Daniels, obviously not. The answer is to become your own diabetes expert. Let’s be brutally frank here, most medics and dietitions, are not only clueless in the correct way to control diabetes, they are down right dangerous. While they believe diabetes is always progressive, nothing is going to change. What a cop out they have, diabetes is always progressive, and if that fails, the patient did not comply. And why is diabetes very often progressive ? Because the treatment and dietary information given to most diabetics, almost guarantees an early grave and serious complications. It gets worse. Obesity and type two diabetes is expected to double in a few decades, and there is insufficient money now.
There has never been a more urgent need for all diabetics to take control of their diabetes. If you do not accept the fact, you are responsible for good blood glucose control and take charge, you have had it. The days of expensive drugs being dolled out like sweets are coming to an end. Three monthly full bloods tests are going to become a thing of the past. Test strips for all who need them, already gone. All over the world big pharma are laying off tens of thousands of workers, they know the writing is on the wall. The NHS is being dismantled, and diabetes is the largest single cost to the NHS, become your own diabetes expert, or Beachy Head may get you yet.
Eddie
Slavery is coming to a high street or retail park near you. We have seen the like of Tesco et al taking on unemployed workers who’s only payment has been the return of their unemployment benefit. The benevolent vampire squid also gets a nice fat cheque from the government. I fully expect to hear these unfortunates will be taken off the official unemployment numbers, let’s face it, they are ‘trainees’. Sounds like slavery to me. Work hard for a pittance and you might be able to afford to eat. The Universities will be charging an average of £9000 per year from this autumn. A youngster on a five year course as many are, will leave University with a millstone of debt wrapped around their neck for life. Many will never repay the money owed, because many will never find a job, and those that do find a job, will never earn enough to make a dent in the capital plus interest at commercial rates. Welcome to the future, slavery for almost all.
What’s this got to do with diabetes you may be asking yourself ? Well, the NHS as we know it will soon be gone. Doctors lists are being pruned of people that cost money. Drugs available to almost all a few months ago are now on banned lists. Test strips are being withdrawn from almost all type two’s, and being drastically reduced for insulin dependent diabetics. We read about newly diagnosed diabetics having to fight to see their own Doctor, and essential tests being denied to hundreds of thousands of diabetics, and it’s going to get far worse, far worse than most want to imagine. So, what’s the answer ? A one way walk up to Beachy Head, a bottle of pills and a bottle of Jack Daniels, obviously not. The answer is to become your own diabetes expert. Let’s be brutally frank here, most medics and dietitions, are not only clueless in the correct way to control diabetes, they are down right dangerous. While they believe diabetes is always progressive, nothing is going to change. What a cop out they have, diabetes is always progressive, and if that fails, the patient did not comply. And why is diabetes very often progressive ? Because the treatment and dietary information given to most diabetics, almost guarantees an early grave and serious complications. It gets worse. Obesity and type two diabetes is expected to double in a few decades, and there is insufficient money now.
There has never been a more urgent need for all diabetics to take control of their diabetes. If you do not accept the fact, you are responsible for good blood glucose control and take charge, you have had it. The days of expensive drugs being dolled out like sweets are coming to an end. Three monthly full bloods tests are going to become a thing of the past. Test strips for all who need them, already gone. All over the world big pharma are laying off tens of thousands of workers, they know the writing is on the wall. The NHS is being dismantled, and diabetes is the largest single cost to the NHS, become your own diabetes expert, or Beachy Head may get you yet.
Eddie
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Kidney Damage Greatly Raises Diabetics' Risk for Death !
Control of blood sugar, catching early signs of damage may help prevent advanced kidney disease
TUESDAY, Feb. 21 (HealthDay News) -- People with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of death than people without the disease, but a new study suggests that if they also have kidney damage their risk of dying is even greater.
In an analysis of 22 studies, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found that the annual risk of death for people with type 2 diabetes ranged from 0.28 per 100 patient years to 8.24 per 100 patient years. And, in studies with those with more advanced kidney disease, the risk of death was between 5.9 per 100 patient years to 8.24 per 100 patient years.
"It's no surprise that those with kidney disease have a higher mortality risk," said Dr. Vivian Fonseca, president of medicine and science for the American Diabetes Association. "People with type 2 diabetes often don't know they have the disease, and have many years of poor blood sugar control before they're diagnosed. That means they're likely to have nerve damage and visual damage, which make managing kidney disease more complicated."
The current analysis is published online Feb. 21 in the journal Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease.
There were almost 92,000 people and nearly 7,000 deaths included in the new analysis. All of the studies were randomized clinical trials including people with type 2 diabetes. The trials had to last at least a year to be included.
Overall, there was approximately a 30-fold difference in the annual risk of death across the various trials, suggesting that people with type 2 diabetes are very diverse, and that some people are at much higher risk of complications and death than others.
The researchers found that those with the lowest risk of death were people under the age of 59 with fewer signs of kidney damage.
Those with the highest risk of death were older, had diabetes for a longer period of time (average of about 15 years), had high blood pressure and signs of kidney disease. The authors found that presence of chronic kidney disease was associated with the highest mortality rates.
"This analysis shows that having a high creatinine level is a very high marker for mortality," said Dr. Joel Zonszein, director of the clinical diabetes center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.
Creatinine levels indicate the health of your kidneys. The higher this level is, the less effectively your kidneys are working.
Both experts said it's important to try to prevent kidney damage, because the more it progresses, the harder it becomes to control.
Controlling blood sugar and blood pressure levels are essential to keeping the kidneys healthy, Zonszein said.
"I see much less progression to late-stage kidney disease in patients who are treated aggressively for high blood pressure, especially with ACE inhibitors or ARBs. Patients need to get the proper amounts of these medications to bring their blood pressure to normal," he said.
ACE inhibitors and ARBs are two different types of blood-pressure lowering medications.
"We really can slow the progress of kidney disease, but we have to treat patients correctly early in the disease," Zonszein said.
Fonseca agreed. "Do everything you can to prevent late-stage kidney disease. Get good control of your blood pressure and good control of your diabetes. Make sure you have screening for kidney problems," Fonseca said.
Both also agreed that once late-stage kidney disease has set in, it becomes much harder to control blood pressure and other complications. "This group is a huge challenge and we haven't really found the answers yet. We need new therapies for this particular patient population," Fonseca said.
http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=662002
TUESDAY, Feb. 21 (HealthDay News) -- People with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of death than people without the disease, but a new study suggests that if they also have kidney damage their risk of dying is even greater.
In an analysis of 22 studies, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found that the annual risk of death for people with type 2 diabetes ranged from 0.28 per 100 patient years to 8.24 per 100 patient years. And, in studies with those with more advanced kidney disease, the risk of death was between 5.9 per 100 patient years to 8.24 per 100 patient years.
"It's no surprise that those with kidney disease have a higher mortality risk," said Dr. Vivian Fonseca, president of medicine and science for the American Diabetes Association. "People with type 2 diabetes often don't know they have the disease, and have many years of poor blood sugar control before they're diagnosed. That means they're likely to have nerve damage and visual damage, which make managing kidney disease more complicated."
The current analysis is published online Feb. 21 in the journal Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease.
There were almost 92,000 people and nearly 7,000 deaths included in the new analysis. All of the studies were randomized clinical trials including people with type 2 diabetes. The trials had to last at least a year to be included.
Overall, there was approximately a 30-fold difference in the annual risk of death across the various trials, suggesting that people with type 2 diabetes are very diverse, and that some people are at much higher risk of complications and death than others.
The researchers found that those with the lowest risk of death were people under the age of 59 with fewer signs of kidney damage.
Those with the highest risk of death were older, had diabetes for a longer period of time (average of about 15 years), had high blood pressure and signs of kidney disease. The authors found that presence of chronic kidney disease was associated with the highest mortality rates.
"This analysis shows that having a high creatinine level is a very high marker for mortality," said Dr. Joel Zonszein, director of the clinical diabetes center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.
Creatinine levels indicate the health of your kidneys. The higher this level is, the less effectively your kidneys are working.
Both experts said it's important to try to prevent kidney damage, because the more it progresses, the harder it becomes to control.
Controlling blood sugar and blood pressure levels are essential to keeping the kidneys healthy, Zonszein said.
"I see much less progression to late-stage kidney disease in patients who are treated aggressively for high blood pressure, especially with ACE inhibitors or ARBs. Patients need to get the proper amounts of these medications to bring their blood pressure to normal," he said.
ACE inhibitors and ARBs are two different types of blood-pressure lowering medications.
"We really can slow the progress of kidney disease, but we have to treat patients correctly early in the disease," Zonszein said.
Fonseca agreed. "Do everything you can to prevent late-stage kidney disease. Get good control of your blood pressure and good control of your diabetes. Make sure you have screening for kidney problems," Fonseca said.
Both also agreed that once late-stage kidney disease has set in, it becomes much harder to control blood pressure and other complications. "This group is a huge challenge and we haven't really found the answers yet. We need new therapies for this particular patient population," Fonseca said.
http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=662002
Practice run by private firm to deregister 166 elderly patients less than six months after taking them on !
But the move has caused concern among GPs. Dr Paul Roblin, chair of Buckinghamshire, Berks and Oxon LMCs, said vulnerable patients had been ‘treated badly' and that he was in discussions to start a new care home LES to ensure quality of care was not compromised.
‘We believe it has behaved badly in messing around this group of vulnerable patients. We want practices who are going to take back these patients to receive additional funding for them because otherwise they won't receive appropriate care.'
The shape of things to come ? Goodbye NHS.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/newsarticle-content/-/article_display_list/13474127/practice-run-by-private-firm-to-deregister-166-elderly-patients-less-than-six-months-after-taking-them-on
Dr Roblin said: ‘The Practice took on patients originally outside its practice area because the care could be funded by pilot funding. Now it has implied all the patients it took on only six months ago need to be re-registered with local practices, having six months ago canvassed to register those very patients.
‘We believe it has behaved badly in messing around this group of vulnerable patients. We want practices who are going to take back these patients to receive additional funding for them because otherwise they won't receive appropriate care.'
The shape of things to come ? Goodbye NHS.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/newsarticle-content/-/article_display_list/13474127/practice-run-by-private-firm-to-deregister-166-elderly-patients-less-than-six-months-after-taking-them-on
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
Tesco dump slavery ?
Supermarket chain Tesco was forced to act ahead of expected protests outside its shops on Wednesday by campaigners who have described it as “slave labour".
Argos said it wanted assurances that young people who do not take part will keep their benefits. Other leading high street names including Burger King and Pizza Hut are also reported to be reviewing their involvement in the scheme.
The interventions threaten to blow a hole in the Government's work experience scheme, as the threat to withdraw benefits is a key part of encouraging people to take part.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9096927/Tesco-offers-to-start-paying-young-people-on-Government-work-experience-scheme-as-row-grows-over-unpaid-placements.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9096927/Tesco-offers-to-start-paying-young-people-on-Government-work-experience-scheme-as-row-grows-over-unpaid-placements.html
Carbo aka Tubolard.
I like this guy, he never gives up. Fired as a forum mod for ludicrous dietary information, and trying to push misinformation. Set up his own forum and failed due to a err.. ludicrous dietary information, but he never gives up the fight. He says he is “simple carb loving person with diabetes, struggling with managing the condition and living a normal life” Well he doesn’t live a normal life. He is obsessed with what is said on this blog. Many years on, and he is still morbidly obese. His latest post re. a recipe had to include, “Who says you can't enjoy a low carb/low fat meal? Oops, that's right...the Canuck, the master baker, and the duck!”
As so often, he lies. We have never said this. What we have said is once weight reduction has been achieved, a lowcarb, low calorie, low fat diet is unsustainable.
The big question ? If he knows the answers, why is he still morbidly obese after years of trying to get to a safe weight ? Why can he not post an item on his blog, that does not encouraged comments from members of his blog, to comment on members of this blog ? I am beginning to think, without this blog, he would not have a blog. Just a thought. Like I said, I like this Guy, a great example to the eat carbs with every meal road to health disaster. Uncontrolled diabetes is a one way ticket an early grave, as is long term morbid obesity. I hope Carbo gets the message soon.
Eddie
As so often, he lies. We have never said this. What we have said is once weight reduction has been achieved, a lowcarb, low calorie, low fat diet is unsustainable.
The big question ? If he knows the answers, why is he still morbidly obese after years of trying to get to a safe weight ? Why can he not post an item on his blog, that does not encouraged comments from members of his blog, to comment on members of this blog ? I am beginning to think, without this blog, he would not have a blog. Just a thought. Like I said, I like this Guy, a great example to the eat carbs with every meal road to health disaster. Uncontrolled diabetes is a one way ticket an early grave, as is long term morbid obesity. I hope Carbo gets the message soon.
Eddie
Why the weight is so hard to shift: guidelines have been wrong all along !
Scientists say unrealistic weight loss targets issued because of a failure to allow for changes to metabolism as weight drops off
National guidelines that advise people how to lose weight are seriously flawed and grossly overstate how quickly they will reach their targets, scientists say.
Researchers found people lost only half as much weight as expected in a year if they followed the advice given by the NHS and US health organisations.
The problem came to light when government scientists at the US National Institutes of Health in Maryland realised standard weight loss advice – including its own – failed to account for changes in metabolism as people lost weight.
The rule of thumb used by the NHS and other health services assumes that if a person cuts 500 calories from their daily diet, they will lose about 450g (1lb) each week, regardless of how long they adhered to the regime.
But as people lose weight, their metabolism slows until they reach a new stable bodyweight. Their weight loss is further complicated by how much body fat and muscle they have when they start dieting.
"Dietitians and physicians have used this rule of thumb for a long time, but it turns out to be completely wrong. It doesn't account for metabolic changes that happen when people change diet," said Kevin Hall, who led the research.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/21/weight-loss-guidelines-wrong-vancouver
National guidelines that advise people how to lose weight are seriously flawed and grossly overstate how quickly they will reach their targets, scientists say.
Researchers found people lost only half as much weight as expected in a year if they followed the advice given by the NHS and US health organisations.
The problem came to light when government scientists at the US National Institutes of Health in Maryland realised standard weight loss advice – including its own – failed to account for changes in metabolism as people lost weight.
The rule of thumb used by the NHS and other health services assumes that if a person cuts 500 calories from their daily diet, they will lose about 450g (1lb) each week, regardless of how long they adhered to the regime.
But as people lose weight, their metabolism slows until they reach a new stable bodyweight. Their weight loss is further complicated by how much body fat and muscle they have when they start dieting.
"Dietitians and physicians have used this rule of thumb for a long time, but it turns out to be completely wrong. It doesn't account for metabolic changes that happen when people change diet," said Kevin Hall, who led the research.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/21/weight-loss-guidelines-wrong-vancouver
More than 1.3 million diabetes patients not offered vital tests !
An estimated 1.3 million diabetes patients are missing out on vital and potentially life-saving health checks, the BBC has learned.
NHS figures reveal fewer than 10% of patients are offered the full series of tests in some areas of England.
Health Minister Paul Burstow said the situation was "outrageous" and "unacceptable".
Primary care trusts in low test areas said they were working to improve services for diabetes patients.
According to National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines, primary care trusts (PCTs) should ensure all diabetic patients are given a series of nine different health checks every 12 months.
These include blood pressure, blood glucose levels, cholesterol, and examinations of the eyes and feet.
The tests are designed to spot the early signs of complications linked to diabetes such as infection leading to gangrene, blindness, kidney failure and heart problems.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17014480
Monday, 20 February 2012
DAFNE Get those carbs down ya !
The DAFNE training programme is designed to make it possible for you to have a much greater choice with food. DAFNE will enable you to eat largely as you want, while still keeping your blood glucose levels under control. DAFNE provides you with the skills necessary to estimate the amount of carbohydrate in each meal and to inject the right dose of insulin.
This is primarily a social event to give people the opportunity to catch up with other DAFNE grads and informally swap information. The renewal of contact with the graduates also serves as a reminder that the diabetes team are available as a resource should people wish to make appointments. A 'party bag' is given out which contains various bits and pieces on DAFNE, diabetes and a carbohydrate counting theme.
Here is a picture from last year's event:
http://www.dafneonline.co.uk/news
This is primarily a social event to give people the opportunity to catch up with other DAFNE grads and informally swap information. The renewal of contact with the graduates also serves as a reminder that the diabetes team are available as a resource should people wish to make appointments. A 'party bag' is given out which contains various bits and pieces on DAFNE, diabetes and a carbohydrate counting theme.
Here is a picture from last year's event:
http://www.dafneonline.co.uk/news
Sunday, 19 February 2012
No Diabetes Educator Role for Laboratorians !
A certified diabetes educator (CDE) is a professional who is board certified to deliver education about diabetes-to the public, and especially to diabetics and their family. A CDE is supposed to be an expert on the basics of diabetes as well as the latest trends in treatment and the most recent protocols from organizations like the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
Last Saturday I attended a workshop for new diabetics. The presenter, a registered dietitian, was very personable and patient. She used a PowerPoint presentation, had life-like models of common food items and spent a great deal of time on reading food labels, as well as giving tips on preparing favorite meals in a more healthy way. I certainly got a lot from the workshop.
She was a lovely woman but some of her explanations were overly-simplistic -or just plain wrong. She claimed for instance that when the blood glucose level is too high, "your blood looks like molasses: dark and thick and struggling to move." She said cholesterol is a fat that floats on the surface of blood (really?). Also her distinction between diabetes 1 and 2 was not very clear. She essentially said Type 1 diabetes occurs in younger individuals and requires insulin; while Type 2 is brought on in older people due to poor lifestyle, but requires insulin only if it is not taken care of. That is an over simplification.
She reviewed individual laboratory results and did a fair job indicating "desirable values," but struggled when asked about issues like the values in brackets (reference intervals), difference between calculated and direct LDL as well as a definition of hemoglobin A1c. Her definition made glycated hemoglobin sound like just another chemical in the blood (like glucose) that diabetics should monitor. Again, maybe that was partly to avoid confusing a lay audience.
I noticed from the slides and her badge that she was a certified diabetes educator and that got me thinking. Wouldn't this be a great career option for a medical lab scientist (MLS)?
It seemed logical to me that with our background in physiology and biochemistry we would be a natural to explain the fundamentals of diabetes. The treatment choices could be easily learned. So could the dietary part of the program.
So I went on the website of the National Certification Board of Diabetes Educators (NCBDE) to see their eligibility requirements. I could not find route that remotely included laboratory science.
Surprise! This is not even the typical "only a doctor or nurse is qualified" claim. In addition to registered dietitians (that one makes sense), the allowable professions included pharmacist, podiatrist, occupational therapist, exercise physiologist and even social work. MLS, however, is nowhere in sight.
I have no burning desire to be a CDE myself, but I am always exploring career options to advise my laboratory colleagues who ask me for advice. I am just a little bit irked that NCBDE is bone headed enough not to think that MLS practitioners have the requisite knowledge and education to be board certified.
According to ADA statistics, there are 25.8 million diabetics in the US- 8.3 % of the population. Type 2 diabetes is growing among the young. It seems like we should be drawing on all the resources we have to ensure good, solid education of diabetics and their families.
http://community.advanceweb.com/blogs/mt_2/archive/2012/02/19/no-diabetes-educator-role-for-laboratorians.aspx
Graham
Last Saturday I attended a workshop for new diabetics. The presenter, a registered dietitian, was very personable and patient. She used a PowerPoint presentation, had life-like models of common food items and spent a great deal of time on reading food labels, as well as giving tips on preparing favorite meals in a more healthy way. I certainly got a lot from the workshop.
She was a lovely woman but some of her explanations were overly-simplistic -or just plain wrong. She claimed for instance that when the blood glucose level is too high, "your blood looks like molasses: dark and thick and struggling to move." She said cholesterol is a fat that floats on the surface of blood (really?). Also her distinction between diabetes 1 and 2 was not very clear. She essentially said Type 1 diabetes occurs in younger individuals and requires insulin; while Type 2 is brought on in older people due to poor lifestyle, but requires insulin only if it is not taken care of. That is an over simplification.
She reviewed individual laboratory results and did a fair job indicating "desirable values," but struggled when asked about issues like the values in brackets (reference intervals), difference between calculated and direct LDL as well as a definition of hemoglobin A1c. Her definition made glycated hemoglobin sound like just another chemical in the blood (like glucose) that diabetics should monitor. Again, maybe that was partly to avoid confusing a lay audience.
I noticed from the slides and her badge that she was a certified diabetes educator and that got me thinking. Wouldn't this be a great career option for a medical lab scientist (MLS)?
It seemed logical to me that with our background in physiology and biochemistry we would be a natural to explain the fundamentals of diabetes. The treatment choices could be easily learned. So could the dietary part of the program.
So I went on the website of the National Certification Board of Diabetes Educators (NCBDE) to see their eligibility requirements. I could not find route that remotely included laboratory science.
Surprise! This is not even the typical "only a doctor or nurse is qualified" claim. In addition to registered dietitians (that one makes sense), the allowable professions included pharmacist, podiatrist, occupational therapist, exercise physiologist and even social work. MLS, however, is nowhere in sight.
I have no burning desire to be a CDE myself, but I am always exploring career options to advise my laboratory colleagues who ask me for advice. I am just a little bit irked that NCBDE is bone headed enough not to think that MLS practitioners have the requisite knowledge and education to be board certified.
According to ADA statistics, there are 25.8 million diabetics in the US- 8.3 % of the population. Type 2 diabetes is growing among the young. It seems like we should be drawing on all the resources we have to ensure good, solid education of diabetics and their families.
http://community.advanceweb.com/blogs/mt_2/archive/2012/02/19/no-diabetes-educator-role-for-laboratorians.aspx
Graham
Saturday, 18 February 2012
New potato targets diabetics, dieters!
Brunswick are creating a tuber to help diabetics and dieters.
The Fredericton branch of the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has developed 13 new potato selections and sent them for industry trials.
One of the potatoes has a lower glycemic index (GI) than ordinary potatoes. John Morrison, spokesman for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, said research has shown low-glycemic diets help to manage diabetes and weight loss.
Dr. Benoit Bizimungu, a breeder at the Potato Research Centre, said a low-glycemic potato could create a niche market for farmers.
"The benefit of lower GI, in potatoes and other foods, is that they don't cause spikes in blood glucose levels. Instead, you have a steady release into the bloodstream," he said.
Mary McKenna teaches nutrition at the University of New Brunswick. She said a diet with low-glycemic index food has benefits for everyone.
"If blood glucose levels go up too high, then the glucose starts participating in reactions that it shouldn't be participating in. Having that blood glucose level go up slowly, then insulin gets released, then it goes back down — nothing is jarring the system. That is better for all of us," she said.
Industry to test potatoes
The next step is for the potato industry to test the new spuds and see what they think.
Other new breeds include potatoes for the chip and french fry business, a red-flesh potato, and one high in starch for industrial starch use.
Bizimungu is using new technologies to speed the development of potato variety.
A near infrared spectrometer and a rheometer at the Potato Research Centre allow scientists to measure starch content and composition of potatoes with a simple test, cutting years of trial-and-error that was required to identify desirable characteristics.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2012/02/15/nb-potato-for-diabetics.html
Graham
The Fredericton branch of the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has developed 13 new potato selections and sent them for industry trials.
One of the potatoes has a lower glycemic index (GI) than ordinary potatoes. John Morrison, spokesman for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, said research has shown low-glycemic diets help to manage diabetes and weight loss.
Dr. Benoit Bizimungu, a breeder at the Potato Research Centre, said a low-glycemic potato could create a niche market for farmers.
"The benefit of lower GI, in potatoes and other foods, is that they don't cause spikes in blood glucose levels. Instead, you have a steady release into the bloodstream," he said.
Mary McKenna teaches nutrition at the University of New Brunswick. She said a diet with low-glycemic index food has benefits for everyone.
"If blood glucose levels go up too high, then the glucose starts participating in reactions that it shouldn't be participating in. Having that blood glucose level go up slowly, then insulin gets released, then it goes back down — nothing is jarring the system. That is better for all of us," she said.
Industry to test potatoes
The next step is for the potato industry to test the new spuds and see what they think.
Other new breeds include potatoes for the chip and french fry business, a red-flesh potato, and one high in starch for industrial starch use.
Bizimungu is using new technologies to speed the development of potato variety.
A near infrared spectrometer and a rheometer at the Potato Research Centre allow scientists to measure starch content and composition of potatoes with a simple test, cutting years of trial-and-error that was required to identify desirable characteristics.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2012/02/15/nb-potato-for-diabetics.html
Graham
Frank Sinatra.
Eddie
Braised beef with celeriac dauphinoise and mashed swede.
Ingredients serves two.
400 grams diced braising steak
400 grams diced braising steak
1 red onion
2 beef stock cubes
Half a medium size Swede
Half a medium size celeriac
Butter, Salt, pepper and mixed herbs to taste
Method:
Place diced beef in a casserole dish, cover with roughly chopped onion. Place two stock cubes in a jug and add boiling water. Pour the stock over beef and add salt, pepper and mixed herbs. Cover with lid or foil. Cook at 180c for two hours.
Peel and dice the swede, boil for twenty minutes. Drain off water and mash with lot’s of butter, add a little salt, pepper and dried mixed herbs, to taste. Peel the celeriac and cut into slices. Salt and pepper to taste and cover with double cream. Cook at 180c in an oven proof dish for one hour.
A great meal, very easy and around ten carbs, enjoy !
Eddie
Beantipper enquiry in disarray !
At four am this morning Chief Superintendent Fred Knacker lead a pre-dawn raid at Lord Beantipper’s 50,000 acre weekend retreat. Knacker lead a team of over 40 armed officers. One hour after the raid started Monty was seen being placed in handcuffs into a police van.
In an informal press conference, Knacker refused to confirm or deny a horse box was seen leaving by a rear entrance, as Monty was taken away under heavy guard to Paddington Green police station, believed to be the most secure in the UK. Monty’s long term mentor and lowcarb compatriot Roger ‘Keto Warrior’ Jenkins stated over a video phone link “this is not the first time lowcarb anti’s had tried to besmirch Monty’s good name and a he was 100% certain he had been fitted up”
After a short remand hearing at Bow Street Magistrates Court, Monty was remanded in custody at HM Prison Brixton. It is believed Beantipper has fired his long time Lawyer Smithson Grovel, Senior Partner. Bullshite Whitewash and Koverupp of New York, and appointed Thelonius P. Wilderbeast to handle his defence.
Thelonius P. Wilderbeast or the Beast as he is more commonly known, became Internationally famous when he successfully fought off The British Dietetics Association in the case that came to be known as the LOL case. The beast had stated on many occasions he believed the BDA’s advice re diet for diabetics bordered on mass murder. In a case expected to last months, the Beast was aquitted within 3 hours, when he ate a standard meal as recommended by the BDA, taking his nomally stable blood glucose from 4.3 to 27 within an hour. He was awarded undisclosed but very substantial damages and purchased an island in the Caribbean.
In an informal press conference, Knacker refused to confirm or deny a horse box was seen leaving by a rear entrance, as Monty was taken away under heavy guard to Paddington Green police station, believed to be the most secure in the UK. Monty’s long term mentor and lowcarb compatriot Roger ‘Keto Warrior’ Jenkins stated over a video phone link “this is not the first time lowcarb anti’s had tried to besmirch Monty’s good name and a he was 100% certain he had been fitted up”
After a short remand hearing at Bow Street Magistrates Court, Monty was remanded in custody at HM Prison Brixton. It is believed Beantipper has fired his long time Lawyer Smithson Grovel, Senior Partner. Bullshite Whitewash and Koverupp of New York, and appointed Thelonius P. Wilderbeast to handle his defence.
Thelonius P. Wilderbeast or the Beast as he is more commonly known, became Internationally famous when he successfully fought off The British Dietetics Association in the case that came to be known as the LOL case. The beast had stated on many occasions he believed the BDA’s advice re diet for diabetics bordered on mass murder. In a case expected to last months, the Beast was aquitted within 3 hours, when he ate a standard meal as recommended by the BDA, taking his nomally stable blood glucose from 4.3 to 27 within an hour. He was awarded undisclosed but very substantial damages and purchased an island in the Caribbean.
Thelonius P. Wilderbeast
Tesco Exploitation “Every little bit helps”
How many people realise the likes of Tesco, pay minimal wages and set hours per week worked, that allows the poorly paid to claim tax credits, this means we pay the wages through taxes to keep Tesco in profit. Clearly Tesco and the other squids are not in the charity business and exist to make profit. Where does a fair and honest profit become exploitation ? Let’s look at it another way, the poorly paid pay income tax and many stay poverty stricken. But if you can work the system, and register your business in Jersey in your wife’s name, and live in Monaco, you can trouser over a billion pounds at the expense of the poor. For this stunt you get a knighthood, just ask Philip Green.
And we think the world of diabetes is crazy.
Eddie
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/02/18/tesco-closes-after-protests_n_1286224.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cuk%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk1%26pLid%3D96917
Friday, 17 February 2012
‘No good evidence’ for self-monitoring in non-insulin diabetes.
Self-monitoring of blood glucose is of limited use in patients with type 2 diabetes who are not using insulin, finds a new analysis.
The Cochrane review looked at 12 randomised controlled trials including 3,259 patients with diabetes not using insulin who self-monitored their blood glucose.
They found only a small statistically significant decrease in HbA1c at six month follow-up - of 0.3% - compared to control groups of patients who did not monitor at all. By 12-months, there was no significant decrease (0.1%) and self-monitoring of blood glucose also showed no significant effects on measures of patient satisfaction, general well-being or health-related quality of life.
The authors concluded that while self-monitoring of blood glucose was effective for patients with type 1 diabetes, and those with type 2 diabetes who are using insulin, there was little to support wider use.
NICE guidelines currently recommend self-monitoring is offered only as an ‘integral part' of self management education.
Study lead Dr Uriëll Malanda, a GP researcher at the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, Netherlands said: ‘More research is needed to explore the psychological impact of self monitoring blood glucose and its accompanying demands on diabetes specific quality of life and well-being.'
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/newsarticle-content/-/article_display_list/13460483/no-good-evidence-for-self-monitoring-in-non-insulin-diabetes
Full Text
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD005060.pub3/full
Graham
The Cochrane review looked at 12 randomised controlled trials including 3,259 patients with diabetes not using insulin who self-monitored their blood glucose.
They found only a small statistically significant decrease in HbA1c at six month follow-up - of 0.3% - compared to control groups of patients who did not monitor at all. By 12-months, there was no significant decrease (0.1%) and self-monitoring of blood glucose also showed no significant effects on measures of patient satisfaction, general well-being or health-related quality of life.
The authors concluded that while self-monitoring of blood glucose was effective for patients with type 1 diabetes, and those with type 2 diabetes who are using insulin, there was little to support wider use.
NICE guidelines currently recommend self-monitoring is offered only as an ‘integral part' of self management education.
Study lead Dr Uriëll Malanda, a GP researcher at the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, Netherlands said: ‘More research is needed to explore the psychological impact of self monitoring blood glucose and its accompanying demands on diabetes specific quality of life and well-being.'
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/newsarticle-content/-/article_display_list/13460483/no-good-evidence-for-self-monitoring-in-non-insulin-diabetes
Full Text
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD005060.pub3/full
Graham
NICE guidelines will be a disaster for many !
Trotted out by a forum mod at diabetes.co.uk to newbie’s are the highly dangerous HbA1c and blood glucose numbers recommended by NICE. A newly appointed mod posted a far more realistic set of numbers required to stay long term complication free.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
The reality from new mod.
Pretty much as soon as your HbA1c is above 5.5% then you risk increased chance of complication.. These increased risks are minimal between 5.5 - 6.5% but then grow rather rapidly above 6.5%.
Pretty much whenever your blood glucose rises above 7.8mmol/l then you are doing damage to your body.. the odd spike above this level is not going to do much harm but over a period of a number of years the damage can slowly build up. Keep in mind if you have an HbA1c of above 6.1% then your average blood glucose is 7.8 mmol/l or higher. The body can repair some damage but consistent abuse will cause complications.
Maybe the time has come to change the advice for newbie’s and for people who have been convinced the NICE guidelines are a safe place to be.
Eddie
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
The reality from new mod.
Pretty much as soon as your HbA1c is above 5.5% then you risk increased chance of complication.. These increased risks are minimal between 5.5 - 6.5% but then grow rather rapidly above 6.5%.
Pretty much whenever your blood glucose rises above 7.8mmol/l then you are doing damage to your body.. the odd spike above this level is not going to do much harm but over a period of a number of years the damage can slowly build up. Keep in mind if you have an HbA1c of above 6.1% then your average blood glucose is 7.8 mmol/l or higher. The body can repair some damage but consistent abuse will cause complications.
Maybe the time has come to change the advice for newbie’s and for people who have been convinced the NICE guidelines are a safe place to be.
Eddie
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Diet, physical activity and obesity statistics 2006
Temporal trends
had declined (Table 1.5 and Figure 1.5c).
http://www.bhf.org.uk/search/results.aspx?m=simple&q=coronary+heart+disease&p=51&subcon=BHF_main_site
This adds more detail to the above, the statistics on saturated fat are of particular interest.
Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet: England, January 2008
http://www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/opan08/OPAD%20Jan%202008%20final%20v7%20with%20links%20and%20buttons%20-%20NS%20logo%20removed%2020112008.pdf
Graham
Data from the National Food Survey (up to 2000) and the more recent Expenditure and Food
Survey (2001/02 onwards)
8 allow us to look at general trends in the British diet over time.
The percentage of total energy derived from total fat in the British diet is decreasing, but only
gradually, from around 40% in 1975 to just less than 37% in 2004/05. The type of fat eaten has
changed more significantly. The proportion of total energy derived from saturated fat fell from
around 19% in 1975 to just less than 15% in 2004/05. Consumption of both non-milk extrinsic
sugars
9 and fibre has not changed markedly in the last ten years (Table 1.3 and Figure 1.3a).
The Expenditure and Food Survey included food purchased outside of the home for the first time
in 2001/02, so only short term trends are available for such foods. The data showed that there
had been a slight decrease in the consumption of total fat and salt in foods purchased outside
the home over the past four years (Table 1.4).
The trends in fat consumption are associated with changes in food purchasing patterns. Since the
1970s there have been falls in the consumption of many different types of foods with a relatively
high total fat and saturated fat content, including whole milk and butter. There have also been
increases in the consumption of foods which are relatively low in total fat and/or saturated fat
such as reduced fat milks and spreads (Table 1.5 and Figures 1.5a, 1.5b, 1.5d and 1.5e).
Data from the Expenditure and Food Survey showed that between 1975 and 2004/05 the combined
consumption of fruit and vegetables rose only slightly (Fig 1.3c)
10. Data from the National Food
Survey and the Expenditure and Food Survey suggested that the total consumption of fresh fruit
had increased around fourfold since the early 1940s, but total consumption of fresh vegetables
had declined (Table 1.5 and Figure 1.5c).
http://www.bhf.org.uk/search/results.aspx?m=simple&q=coronary+heart+disease&p=51&subcon=BHF_main_site
This adds more detail to the above, the statistics on saturated fat are of particular interest.
Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet: England, January 2008
Table 6.1 Page 127 Household food and drink purchases, 1974, 1995, 2002/03, 2004/2005 and 2005/06
http://www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/opan08/OPAD%20Jan%202008%20final%20v7%20with%20links%20and%20buttons%20-%20NS%20logo%20removed%2020112008.pdf
Graham
Nullius in verba
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
A US No-Carb Diet from 2004
The old ones are the best!
No Cheney
No Ashcroft
No Rumsfeld
No Bush
and, of course, no RICE
John
Inflammation markers and metabolic characteristics of subjects with one-hour plasma glucose levels !
Abstract
Objective: To assess the association of 1-h plasma glucose (1hPG) and inflammation with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and pre-diabetes (pre-DM).
Research Design And Methods: A cohort of 1062 subjects was enrolled. After oral glucose load (OGTT), we compared NGT and pre-DM subjects above and below the 1hPG cut point (155 mg/dl). Fibrinogen and leucocytes count (WBC) for subclinical inflammation, lipid ratios, insulin sensitivity (Matsuda Index), were determined.
Results: NGT and pre-DM patients 1hPG>155 mg/dl showed a significant increase of inflammatory markers and lipid ratios (for all, p<0.05). In age-sex-BMI-adjusted analysis, 1hPG is associated with a significant higher WBC count and fibrinogen (p<0.05). Patients with elevated 1hPG showed a highly significant lower insulin sensitivity than subjects below 1hPG (p<0.01).
Conclusions: Elevated 1hPG in NGT and pre-DM subjects is associated to subclinical inflammation, high lipid ratios and insulin resistance. Therefore, 1hPG >155 mg/dl could be considered a new “marker” for cardiovascular risk.
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2009/11/12/dc09-1342.abstract
Full Text PDF
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2009/11/12/dc09-1342.full.pdf
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
American Diabetes Association in massive turnaround re. Lowcarb !
The ADA have pushed a diet for years very similar to our NHS and DUK. High carb low fat. This has lead to a situation bordering on genocide. Over the top ? Well what word would you use to describe millions of people having their lives cut short, blinded, and maimed ? Just check out the NHS published data, the stats get worse every year. But is there some light at the end of a very dark tunnel ?
So what's the best diet for people with diabetes? There is no one diet, whether it's a Mediterranean, low-carb or low-fat diet, that is consistently better at helping people manage diabetes, says Stephanie Dunbar, director of nutrition and medical affairs for the ADA She is one of the authors of a new review of the research on diabetes diets published in February's Diabetes Care.
People need to do what works for them. There are people who do well on a lower-fat diet and others who do well on a lower-carb diet." One thing that helps in keeping blood sugar under control is losing weight, even as little as 5% to 10% of body weight, Dunbar says.
Well, reading the article linked below was looking good until I saw this statement.
People with diabetes need to be counselled by a capable registered dietitian who can tailor their meal plan to their taste, says Ann Albright, director of the diabetes division for the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
No one with any common sense could disagree with that article, could they?
Well, it depends on your point of view I suppose. If you are the sort of person that feels Lions make good house pets, or a Kalashnikov assault rifle is a suitable present for a ten year old, maybe it makes sense. If you accepted and believed the advice from Hope Warshaw et al and based your diet on carbs, such as boxes of chocolates, chocolate digestives and toast, as so many lowcarb anti’s do, getting the picture ? If you were addicted to med’s and carbs, wouldn’t it be great to be backed by a registered dietition who “tailor their meal plan to their taste, says Ann Albright”. It’s a win-win situation, the dietition has kept to the rule book and diet of death, and the diabetic can “fill her face with carbs, an supplement her winter fuel bill by burning Bernstein’s books”*
Dietitions should be tailoring a diabetics diet for a long and healthy life, to minimize complications, and minimize (at times highly dangerous) drugs. Not acting as shills for junk food companies and big pharma.
Welcome to the crazy world of diabetes, it’s a mad house, and I fit right in.
Eddie
* Quotes by fired diabetes forum mod, forum signature “a balanced diet is a cake in each hand” and she meant it.
http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/diabetes/story/2012-02-12/No-single-diet-will-work-for-all-diabetics/53065646/1
So what's the best diet for people with diabetes? There is no one diet, whether it's a Mediterranean, low-carb or low-fat diet, that is consistently better at helping people manage diabetes, says Stephanie Dunbar, director of nutrition and medical affairs for the ADA She is one of the authors of a new review of the research on diabetes diets published in February's Diabetes Care.
People need to do what works for them. There are people who do well on a lower-fat diet and others who do well on a lower-carb diet." One thing that helps in keeping blood sugar under control is losing weight, even as little as 5% to 10% of body weight, Dunbar says.
Well, reading the article linked below was looking good until I saw this statement.
People with diabetes need to be counselled by a capable registered dietitian who can tailor their meal plan to their taste, says Ann Albright, director of the diabetes division for the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
No one with any common sense could disagree with that article, could they?
Well, it depends on your point of view I suppose. If you are the sort of person that feels Lions make good house pets, or a Kalashnikov assault rifle is a suitable present for a ten year old, maybe it makes sense. If you accepted and believed the advice from Hope Warshaw et al and based your diet on carbs, such as boxes of chocolates, chocolate digestives and toast, as so many lowcarb anti’s do, getting the picture ? If you were addicted to med’s and carbs, wouldn’t it be great to be backed by a registered dietition who “tailor their meal plan to their taste, says Ann Albright”. It’s a win-win situation, the dietition has kept to the rule book and diet of death, and the diabetic can “fill her face with carbs, an supplement her winter fuel bill by burning Bernstein’s books”*
Dietitions should be tailoring a diabetics diet for a long and healthy life, to minimize complications, and minimize (at times highly dangerous) drugs. Not acting as shills for junk food companies and big pharma.
Welcome to the crazy world of diabetes, it’s a mad house, and I fit right in.
Eddie
* Quotes by fired diabetes forum mod, forum signature “a balanced diet is a cake in each hand” and she meant it.
http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/diabetes/story/2012-02-12/No-single-diet-will-work-for-all-diabetics/53065646/1
Monday, 13 February 2012
Halle Berry lowcarb diabetic.
According to the renowned actress, that she started on this new regimen which is the Fat Flush Diet a few years back. Due to her condition, Halle needs to give up foods that can be harmful for her such as refined sugar or fried foods. She does not eat carbs that much. She can only consume nutritious foods like fresh fruit and clean veggies and natural sugar. Keep reading below to know if how this helpful diet works and how it helped Halle Berry deal with her body condition.
Now, let us go ahead and find out what Halle Berry eats. Starting with her breakfast, Halle eats Vegetable scramble (parsley, spring onions, green pepper, spinach and two scrambled egg. And for lunch, she eats salmon salad or a large tomato filled with tuna and celery. For snacks, she eats grapefruit and a glass of non sugar cranberry juice diluted with clean water, and for dinner, she eats chicken baked with garlic and lime and mashed cauliflower with pepper and onion. Or grilled lamb chopped with dried mustard, baked squash and sautéed cabbage.
http://www.skinnycelebrities.net/halle-berry-on-a-new-food-regimen/
Now, let us go ahead and find out what Halle Berry eats. Starting with her breakfast, Halle eats Vegetable scramble (parsley, spring onions, green pepper, spinach and two scrambled egg. And for lunch, she eats salmon salad or a large tomato filled with tuna and celery. For snacks, she eats grapefruit and a glass of non sugar cranberry juice diluted with clean water, and for dinner, she eats chicken baked with garlic and lime and mashed cauliflower with pepper and onion. Or grilled lamb chopped with dried mustard, baked squash and sautéed cabbage.
http://www.skinnycelebrities.net/halle-berry-on-a-new-food-regimen/
Dupuytren’s disease and diabetes.
Dupuytren’s is another complication that can effect us diabetics. Dr. Richard Bernstein has stated elevated blood glucose can effect every tissue in the body, so obviously the hands are not immune. In his excellent book Diabetes Solution, he says on page 64, glycation of tendons occurs in such common diabetic complications as Dupuytren’s Contractures of the fingers, frozen shoulders, trigger fingers, carpel tunnel syndrome, and iliotibial band /tensor faceplate syndrome of hips and upper legs. All of these conditions are easily treated if caught early and blood sugars are controlled. As I have had Dupuytren’s for many years before type two diagnosis, and have held non diabetic BG numbers for three and a half years, I do not consider diabetes to be a major factor in my condition. What other factors could be involved. Could it be 50 years of playing golf, in later years often every day of the week, sometimes two rounds per day. Hitting 100’s of balls down practise ranges. Could it be 50 years of playing drums, often for 2 and 3 hours per day. A huge genetic factor is also involved. I think it is impossible I will ever know. As I said in a comment on the grip and rip post. Surgery is best left until the problem becomes advanced. As up to 50% of the time the condition returns.
In some cases, the chance of Dupuytren’s contracture reoccurring after surgery is as high as 50%. However, more extensive surgery is possible if the condition returns. Further treatments are currently being researched. Dupuytren’s disease (DD) is an ancient affliction of unknown origin. It is defined by Dorland as shortening, thickening, and fibrosis of the palmar fascia producing a flexion deformity of a finger. Tradition has it that the disease originated with the Vikings, who spread it throughout Northern Europe and beyond as they travelled and intermarried.
In his 1963 book, the Australian hand surgeon John Hueston wrote, “Dupuytren’s contracture is virtually confined to people of European descent” Its highest incidence is recorded in Iceland. As expected, the incidence is also high in Scandinavia: In a Norwegian study of 15,950 citizens, DD was present in 10.5% of men and in 3.2% of women. In a large 1962 review of published figures, P. F. Early arrayed the countries of European stock in order of incidence of DD: Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States. He also commented that the incidence in Australia, Canada, England, and Wales was similar since their populations are of basically English stock, which may itself represent a diluted strain of Danish (Viking) stock.
In 1985, Robert McFarlane of Canada published a preliminary report of the activities of the committee on DD of the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand. In 812 patients, the family origin was Northern European in 68%, Southern European in 3%, black African and American Indian in 0.2%, Chinese in 2%, and Japanese in 16%. Northern European ancestry can hardly apply to Japan, where DD appears to be a different condition, in that 95% of cases occur in men and only 6% of cases occur in families with a history of DD—compared with 26% in other countries. I understand that an update of this massive study will be published shortly.
Drummer's Health - Dupuytren’s Contracture
There’s been a certain amount of talk on the forum about carpal tunnel syndrome but I’m afraid there is another affliction sent to make life difficult for us drummers: Dupuytren’s Contracture. It’s named after Baron Guillaume Dupuytren’s the surgeon who first suggested an operation to correct the affliction.
Dupuytren's Contracture and Climbing
This is not the first time a link between high-level rock climbing and Dupuytren’s has been suggested. In 2005 the British Journal of Sports Medicine published the results of a questionnaire-based study carried out amongst members of the Climbers Club, asking individuals to report on potential symptoms of the condition, as well as any possible contributory factors, such as age, alcohol consumption, etc. Whilst not exactly scientific, the report concluded that climbers were several times more likely to develop Dupuytren's than members of the general public.
Eddie
http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=1312http://www.mikedolbear.com/story.asp?StoryID=2753http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1305903/http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Dupuytrens-contracture/Pages/Introduction.aspx
In some cases, the chance of Dupuytren’s contracture reoccurring after surgery is as high as 50%. However, more extensive surgery is possible if the condition returns. Further treatments are currently being researched. Dupuytren’s disease (DD) is an ancient affliction of unknown origin. It is defined by Dorland as shortening, thickening, and fibrosis of the palmar fascia producing a flexion deformity of a finger. Tradition has it that the disease originated with the Vikings, who spread it throughout Northern Europe and beyond as they travelled and intermarried.
In his 1963 book, the Australian hand surgeon John Hueston wrote, “Dupuytren’s contracture is virtually confined to people of European descent” Its highest incidence is recorded in Iceland. As expected, the incidence is also high in Scandinavia: In a Norwegian study of 15,950 citizens, DD was present in 10.5% of men and in 3.2% of women. In a large 1962 review of published figures, P. F. Early arrayed the countries of European stock in order of incidence of DD: Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States. He also commented that the incidence in Australia, Canada, England, and Wales was similar since their populations are of basically English stock, which may itself represent a diluted strain of Danish (Viking) stock.
In 1985, Robert McFarlane of Canada published a preliminary report of the activities of the committee on DD of the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand. In 812 patients, the family origin was Northern European in 68%, Southern European in 3%, black African and American Indian in 0.2%, Chinese in 2%, and Japanese in 16%. Northern European ancestry can hardly apply to Japan, where DD appears to be a different condition, in that 95% of cases occur in men and only 6% of cases occur in families with a history of DD—compared with 26% in other countries. I understand that an update of this massive study will be published shortly.
Drummer's Health - Dupuytren’s Contracture
There’s been a certain amount of talk on the forum about carpal tunnel syndrome but I’m afraid there is another affliction sent to make life difficult for us drummers: Dupuytren’s Contracture. It’s named after Baron Guillaume Dupuytren’s the surgeon who first suggested an operation to correct the affliction.
Dupuytren's Contracture and Climbing
This is not the first time a link between high-level rock climbing and Dupuytren’s has been suggested. In 2005 the British Journal of Sports Medicine published the results of a questionnaire-based study carried out amongst members of the Climbers Club, asking individuals to report on potential symptoms of the condition, as well as any possible contributory factors, such as age, alcohol consumption, etc. Whilst not exactly scientific, the report concluded that climbers were several times more likely to develop Dupuytren's than members of the general public.
Eddie
http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=1312http://www.mikedolbear.com/story.asp?StoryID=2753http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1305903/http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Dupuytrens-contracture/Pages/Introduction.aspx
Sunday, 12 February 2012
Grip and rip.
I played golf on and off for around 50 years. I absolutely love the game. The history, the heart ache, the challenge, has been a major part of my life. I have thousands of great memories. From ‘bummin on’ as a kid, with my kid brother, that’s what we called going onto private courses in the evening, without permission, and playing, and as an adult, and a member of great and ancient golf clubs. I can’t play anymore due to a serious hand condition, Dupytrens, but I still follow the great game. Only after close on 50 years, did I learn to play without fear of outcome. I learned to stand on a par 5, 570 yard hole and grip and rip. Sometimes I hit a shot great professionals would have been proud of, on other times (many times) my ball disappeared into the sea. Did it matter, in the great scheme of things, not a jot.
For me diabetes, as life, is no more than a game, to be won and lost. But most of all enjoyed. For me diabetes is a life sentence, not a death sentence.
I try to play it without fear of outcome. But at the end of the day I am a percentage player. Many golf percentage players have done very well and earned a very good living. But the great ones, the Seve’s the Arnold Palmer's are the ones we will always remember. These guys never knew the meaning of, it can’t be done, they never ever knew when they were beat. If you can’t be a star, be a percentage player. Be guided by your weight scales, be guided by your BG meter and tape measure, take notice of your HbA1c tests. If you feel good, you probably are good. We can’t all be superstars, but we can be percentage players, and percentage players, often do very well.
Eddie
For me diabetes, as life, is no more than a game, to be won and lost. But most of all enjoyed. For me diabetes is a life sentence, not a death sentence.
I try to play it without fear of outcome. But at the end of the day I am a percentage player. Many golf percentage players have done very well and earned a very good living. But the great ones, the Seve’s the Arnold Palmer's are the ones we will always remember. These guys never knew the meaning of, it can’t be done, they never ever knew when they were beat. If you can’t be a star, be a percentage player. Be guided by your weight scales, be guided by your BG meter and tape measure, take notice of your HbA1c tests. If you feel good, you probably are good. We can’t all be superstars, but we can be percentage players, and percentage players, often do very well.
Eddie
Lord Beantipper to head Wallycorker enquiry !
The world of diabetes blogs and forums is in turmoil today, when news leaked on the recent Wallycorker prize fiasco. There was uproar, the moment news broke of the award going to long term ‘pro-active’ low carber Eddie Mitchell. For a long time, the diabetes forum and blog world has been awash with rumours and half stories. Behind closed doors, talk of trustee bribery, corrupt reporters, cash filled brown envelopes, bent police officers, and all night bunga-bunga parties in isolated country mansions.
The new police investigation is to be run by the Mets. Chief Superintendent Fred Knacker. Knacker believed to be un-corruptible, is no stranger to the diabetic world. It was Knacker that investigated the infamous Carbo case, a case that rocked the forum community to it’s very foundations.
The Wallycorker prize, the most prestigious award in the world of diabetes, and regarded by many above a Nobel prize, has always been highly controversial. Set up by the highly secretive Roger ‘Keto Warrior’ Jenkins to honour the legendary Wallycorker, the first man to be banned twice from d.co.uk under the same name. Recent award winners include type two diabetic and lowcarb expert Dr. Jay Wortman. Jay was also banned twice under the same name.
The enquiry start date has yet to be announced.
The new police investigation is to be run by the Mets. Chief Superintendent Fred Knacker. Knacker believed to be un-corruptible, is no stranger to the diabetic world. It was Knacker that investigated the infamous Carbo case, a case that rocked the forum community to it’s very foundations.
The Wallycorker prize, the most prestigious award in the world of diabetes, and regarded by many above a Nobel prize, has always been highly controversial. Set up by the highly secretive Roger ‘Keto Warrior’ Jenkins to honour the legendary Wallycorker, the first man to be banned twice from d.co.uk under the same name. Recent award winners include type two diabetic and lowcarb expert Dr. Jay Wortman. Jay was also banned twice under the same name.
The enquiry start date has yet to be announced.
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