Jo's Cafe

Good news for me is that I have not had an over 200 reading in weeks. Most mornings I’m around 130 to 140, which can be attributed to Dawn Phenomenon, because usually within a few hours, my sugar levels are down within normal ranges. I have found that getting below 95 makes me sick though. My doctor wants me between 90 and 110, but I feel better around 100 to 120. I am learning now when I’m too high how my body reacts and when I’m too low. I’m enjoying more foods I haven’t been able to eat until now, like potato chips (in moderation). I bought some Ruffles Light Chedder & Sour Cream. They only contain 16 carbs per serving, which is about 15 chips. Oh, and those 15 chips taste like heaven! Anyway, on to the notes for today.

Drug May Cut Risk of Diabetes Vision Loss

An experimental drug may help some people with diabetes avoid vision loss.

The drug, from Eli Lilly, is still going by its generic name, ruboxistaurin or RBX. It’s being tested in a large-scale clinical trial.

Results of a smaller trial, reported in the July issue of Diabetes, bring both good and bad news. The study looked at 252 people with severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy. That happens when tiny blood vessels in the retina — the eye’s projection screen — become damaged and leaky, causing small hemorrhages, swelling, and scarring of the retina.

Health Advice to Children Crucial As UK Diabetes Rates Increase

Omar Ali, a formulary development pharmacist and a member of the National Obesity Forum, told the RCN practice nurse association conference, that the UK experience may mirror that of the United States.

Figures show that 15 years ago only 3 per cent of cases of type 2 diabetes in the US were among children, but now the proportion is a staggering 45 per cent, he added.

Higher numbers of children who are overweight or have poor eating habits have contributed to the problem. ‘Practice nurses can play an important role in monitoring obesity and giving advice on diet, and helping patients to avoid getting type 2 diabetes,’ Mr Ali said.

Gene Variants May Increase Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes

Bethesda, Maryland — International research teams studying two distinct populations have found variants in a gene that may predispose people to type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. The researchers, who collaborated extensively in their work, report their findings in companion articles in the April issue of Diabetes.