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The first story is a bit on the squeamish side, but read it all. It may sound gross, but nature has a way of doing stuff that really is amazing.

Michigan doctor uses maggots to help save foot of diabetes patient

BAY CITY, Mich. — Barbara Enser wasn’t very comfortable at first with the idea of using maggots to clean the wound on her right foot.

But if it meant saving it from amputation, she was willing to give it a try.

The 57-year-old Bay City woman was diagnosed with diabetes 40 years ago and subsequently lost her left leg to the disease. She also suffers from neuropathy, meaning she has no feeling in her foot or leg, and ulcers or wounds can develop from constantly putting pressure on the foot.

Protein Could Lead to New Diabetes Drugs

“We have found a molecule not previously known to have any role in insulin action and demonstrated that this protein can contribute to the development of diabetes by blocking the action of insulin,” said study co-author Dr. Barbara B. Kahn, chief of the division of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

Type 2 diabetes develops as the result of insulin resistance, a condition defined by the body’s inability to properly utilize naturally produced insulin for the breakdown of sugars, starch and other glucose-rich foods into energy. The resulting dangerous buildup of glucose and insulin in the blood is also associated with a high risk for cardiovascular disease.

Metformin a Top Diabetes Drug

Metformin used alone is still the best for lowering blood sugar and preventing complications of type 2 diabetes in people who are overweight or obese, according to a new review.

Researchers analyzed 29 major trials of metformin (brand name Glucophage).

“Our review of the literature suggests that metformin is a good first-line therapy for overweight or obese people with type 2 diabetes,” researcher Antonio Saenz, MD, concludes.