State Health Department gets diabetes prevention funding; will focus on prediabetes detection and lifestyle changes

The state Department for Public Health has been awarded a $134,380 federal grant to help reduce high rates of prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes in Kentucky.

“Diabetes is a tremendous public health concern that is both horrific for the individual, if unmanaged, and costly in terms of medications, various complications and long-term hospitalizations that are so often associated with the disease,” Audrey Haynes, secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said in a press release.

In 2009, Kentucky's rate for diagnosed diabetes was the fourth highest in the nation at 11.4 percent of the population, compared to a national median of 8.3 percent. The rate means an estimated 366,000 adults in Kentucky have diabetes. An additional 266,000 Kentuckians are estimated to have prediabetes, according to the CFHS website.

Prediabetes often leads to Type 2 diabetes, the most common type, within a few years, but lifestyle changes promoted by the federal Diabetes Prevention Program can decrease the risk of developing diabetes by almost 60 percent, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Preventive Medicine.

“We must act now to begin reversing the devastating impact of diabetes on our state,” Haynes said. “We are excited to continue our work with the Diabetes Prevention Program to help more Kentuckians start making healthier lifestyle choices so they can avoid developing diabetes and lead longer, healthier lives.”

The DPP specifically targets individuals with prediabetes and works with them to reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The risk factors for both are: being older than 45, being overweight or obese, physical inactivity, having a family history of diabetes, ever having gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, having a history of cardiovascular disease and being African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Asian American or Pacific Islander. Click here to take the diabetes risk test.

The federal Centers for Disease Control estimates that national efforts to prevent Type 2 diabetes could save $5.7 billion in health care costs by preventing 885,000 cases in the next 25 years. Kentucky will focus on three diabetes prevention strategies that involve raising awareness among health care providers to improve detection and treatment of prediabetes and encouraging both state/local government and business to add lifestyle change programs to the list of covered services under health plans, says the news release. (Read more about diabetes and prevention in Kentucky).

Negative health impacts of bad teeth and gums

Most people are aware that they should brush their teeth and floss to keep their teeth and gums healthy, but you may be surprised to find out that taking good care of your oral health can also help to reduce your risk of other medical conditions, some of which are very serious and potentially deadly.

How does poor oral health affect general health?

Dentists often say that the mouth is a window to the rest of the body and a healthy mouth often reflects a healthy body. In recent years there have been several studies published in journals, which suggest a link between oral health and general health, with many implying that neglecting your oral health increases your risk of medical conditions. One of the most common associations is oral health and heart health, with some studies suggesting that poor oral health increases the risk of heart disease.

Experts believe that oral health has a significant bearing on general health because bacteria from the mouth can travel to other parts of the body via the bloodstream; the bacteria associated with gum disease can travel around the body, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke because they may trigger an inflammatory response. Researchers have found that people who have poor oral health are more likely to suffer from heart disease and further research in this area is being carried out.

Gum disease and diabetes

Diabetes is a very common condition and it can increase the risk of gum disease, as well as other health problems, such as foot problems and issues with vision. Dentists can often spot warning signs of diabetes in people who have not yet been diagnosed by examining the mouth.

Gum disease and pregnancy

Gum disease is more common among pregnant women because pregnancy increases the risk of gum disease as a result of hormonal changes in the body. Studies have suggested that poor oral health during pregnancy can increase the risk of premature birth and low birth weight, as well as complications during labour and birth. Pregnant women are advised to visit their dentist on a regular basis.

Vision and Eye Complications during Diabetes

Diabetes is one severe metabolic disorder which is diagnosed among millions of people all over the world. Diabetes has resulted into many additional complications and few of them are even life threatening if it is not treated at the right time. Vision and eye complications are few major problems observed in many diabetic patients. In severe cases, diabetes quite often leads to the blindness of the individual. Many major diseases like diabetic retinopathy is one severe eye disorder diagnosed in the case of diabetes. Similarly, many other risks related to the vision and eye is reported by the medical professionals. This specific article is mainly focused on highlighting some major eye or vision problems occur in diabetes condition.

Major eye complications during diabetes

Many eye problems have been diagnosed in people who have got diabetes problem. Some of the major ones are described below:

• Glaucoma: This specific disease includes the development of high pressure inside the eye which further damages the optic nerve in a major way. It also leads to the appearance of blind spots in later stage of this disease. It is to be noted that no significant symptom or sign is really observed in the case of glaucoma until there is no any major nerve damage or blindness is felt by the patient.
• Cataract: It is one of the common eye disorders being noticed among many diabetic patients. The symptoms of cataract also occur by the age. It basically includes the formation of clouds over the natural lens of the eyes. As a result, it further leads to the case of blurred vision of the patient. People with diabetes are more prone to develop this specific disorder at very earlier stage of their lives.
• Retinopathy: It is considered to be one of the most serious eye complications faced by the diabetic patients. During retinopathy, the blood vessels that go to the retina actually get ruptured and start leaking blood in the eye portion. On the other side, blood vessels also do get blocked in few of the cases.
• Macula edema: Swelling in macula is one common eye problem observed in most of the diabetic patients. This specific eye problem is mostly occurred in those patients who have been already diagnosed with retinopathy. It severely affects the retina portion of the eye and quote often leads to permanent loss of vision in the patient.
• Dry eye: Diabetic patients mostly complained about the dryness of their eyes. This is because diabetes results into the lesser production of tears which ultimately dries up the surface of the eye. It also leads to a severe itchiness and burning sensation in the eyes.

It has been proven that diabetic people have got maximum risks to catch eye complications. Therefore, it is important to follow few effective ways that can actually help to lower your risk of diabetes. At the same time, the earlier diagnosis and treatment of disease and greatly help in lowering the risk of losing eye sight during diseases like diabetes.

Health Benefits from Hot Tub

Hot tubs are used for both pleasures as well as hydrotherapy purposes. They have shown positive results in the treatment for various chronic diseases like body aches, diabetes, etc. As a result, this is gradually becoming a popular means of therapy. Hot tubs are generally kept outdoors and the principles of sanitation used in swimming pools are used here also.

Stress relief

Most people these days suffer from a lot of stress and anxiety. Various factors including office pressure, academics, family life, etc. are the major reasons for the rampant stress and stress related disorders afflicting modern society. Insomnia is a direct effect of stress. Hot tubs can be effective in relieving stress and tension. The massaging jets are so relaxing that one can fall asleep quite soon. Reports suggest that relaxing in hot tubs for 15 minutes every night can improve sleep.

Muscle relaxation

Hydrotherapy can be useful for treating stressed muscles and nerves. In fact, the hot tub jets massage the body and relieve it from pressure. Because of the property of buoyancy, a relaxing time spent in a hot tub can make one feel much lighter and as a result, the joints are relieved of pain. Arthritis has a potential cure in hydrotherapy because of the reduction in muscle stiffness.

Blood circulation

Bathing in hot tubs can have enormous benefits in improving blood circulation. The high temperature in these tubs is important in opening the blood vessels. This process of vasodilation helps to decrease the blood pressure. Because of the dilated blood vessels, there is an ease of blood flow. This helps to stimulate the nerves of the circulatory system. This acts as a boost to the immune system of the body. However, patients suffering from blood pressure need to consult their doctors before taking to hydrotherapy. Also, alcohol needs to be avoided while switching from hot to cold water.

Help in Diabetes

Recent research has shown bathing in hot tubs can be very useful for patients suffering from type 2 diabetes. Soaking in the hot water for almost 30 minutes a day can be effective in losing weight, reducing blood sugar, and improving sleep cycle in people. For those who are unable to exercise regularly, hot water therapy seems to be a viable alternative. However, diabetic patients need to be cautious while undergoing therapy. As the drop in blood sugar is not clearly visible once inside the water, they must be careful while coming out of the tub. Also, the temperature needs to be controlled so that they do not get burns due to damaged nerves.

Hot tubs have a lot of health benefits. It is because of these benefits that many people are switching to this therapy for alleviating body pains and discomfort.

About the author

Grace Beckett is a blogging enthusiast and likes to write about health and lifestyle. For more information on custom pools Toronto, Ontario, Canada contact a swimming pool specialist at Bonavista Pools.

First major study of diet and strokes links fried, sugary Southern diet, low on fruits and vegetables, to increased risk

Genuine Kentucky fried platter:
Cornbread, fried catfish, fried green
tomatoes, fried apples and fried okra
(Photo from Ramsey's, Lexington)

By Molly Burchett
Kentucky Health News

People with a Southern diet, or one heavy on fried food and sugary drinks like sweet tea and soft drinks, are more likely to suffer a stroke, a new study finds.

It's the first big look at diet and strokes, and researchers say it might help explain people in the nation's "stroke belt" or southern states suffer more of them, reports Marilynn Marchione of The Associated Press.

These findings have important implications for Kentuckians because stroke accounts for 5.5 percent of Kentucky deaths each year and more than 81 percent of Kentucky adults eat fruit and vegetables fewer than 5 times a day, which is a indicator of risk for stroke:

Heart Disease and Stroke Risk Factors from federal Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System national survey	Ky.	U.S.
Eat fruits and vegetables less than 5 times/day	81.6	75.6
Overweight or obese	69.1	62.9
No moderate or vigorous physical activity	55.8	50.5
High total blood cholesterol	38.5	37.6
High blood pressure	30.0	27.8
Cigarette smoking	28.2	19.8
Diabetes	9.9	8.0

"We're talking about fried foods, french fries, hamburgers, processed meats, hot dogs," bacon, ham, liver, gizzards and sugary drinks, said the study's leader, Suzanne Judd of the University of Alabama in Birmingham.  For the study, a southern diet also included jerky, red meat, eggs, and whole milk.


Fried foods tend to be eaten with lots of salt, which raises blood pressure and sweet drinks increases risk for diabetes- both are known stroke risk factors, Judd said.

People who ate about six meals a week featuring these sorts of "Southern" foods had a 41 percent higher stroke risk than people who ate that way about once a month, researchers found.

In contrast, people whose diets were high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish had a 29 percent lower stroke risk, reports Marchione.

"It's a very big difference," Judd said. "The message for people in the middle is there's a graded risk" — the likelihood of suffering a stroke rises in proportion to each Southern meal in a week. 

These findings were reported last week at the American Stroke Association conference. The study was launched in 2002 to explore regional variations in stroke risks and reasons for them.

Stroke death rates in Kentucky vary widely among counties. Here's a county map of the rates, from KentuckyHealthFacts.org, which has a county-by county list:

The map shows stroke rates in ranges per 100,000 population from 2003 through 2007. Purple counties had rates above 69; blue counties ranged from 52 to 69; turquoise were 44 to 52; light blue were 31 to 44 (the number that is about the national average), and tan were 18 to 31.

What Causes Autoimmune Disease?

It's amazing just how many different types of autoimmune diseases there are in the medical books. The conventional medical community claims they are unaware of the cause of the body suddenly turning on itself. Doctors who take a more natural approach believe otherwise.

Here are the type 5 causes of autoimmune disease.

1. Poor Diet

Poor diet is one of the leading causes of all disease, including autoimmune disease. The Standard American Diet is also responsible for the rising obesity rate, the epidemic of cancer, and the startling array of mental and emotional disorders millions of people suffer from.

Fast food, processed food, microwavable meals, soda, candy, etc. offer little-to-no nutritional value and are chock full of chemicals, preservatives, additives, and synthetic sweeteners your body doesn't recognize. As long as you continue to ingest these foods, your immune system works overtime to fight them off and protect you.

An overworked immune system eventually exhausts itself and begins to malfunction. This is when autoimmune disease such as crohn's disease, psoriasis, and diabetes begin to take shape in your body.

If you want to stave off autoimmune disease, a whole-food diet is best. Eat as many organic vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, meat, fish, and dairy as possible. Become a label-reader and avoid eating foods if you can't pronounce their ingredients.

2. Sedentary Lifestyle

Lack of exercise is another common contributor to the development of many autoimmune disorders. A sedentary lifestyle causes poor circulation, contributes to inflammation, and weakens the immune system. Diabetes, arthritis, and thyroid disease are most commonly associated with lack of exercise.

You don't have to be a bodybuilder to get the exercise your body needs to stay healthy. Just 30 minutes three times per week of cardio and strength training is enough to start with.

3. Food/Environmental Allergies

We live in a toxic world. Think for a minute about all of the chemical products you're exposed to each day. Shampoo, conditioner, hair gel, make-up, laundry detergent, carpet cleaner, air fresheners, cleaning products, etc. all contain a host of allergens and neurotoxins that are virtually guaranteed to shorten your lifespan and contribute to autoimmune disease.

Food allergies are another serious problem. Aside from the fact that much of our food is now genetically modified, gluten intolerance affects nearly 1 in every 100 people. Gluten intolerance is characterized by the inability to digest the protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Continued ingestion of this protein causes chronic abdominal pain, diarrhea, brain fog, muscle aches, thyroid imbalance, and diabetes.

The easiest way to avoid autoimmune disorders caused by food and environmental allergies is to eliminate as many of the toxins from your life as possible. This means switching to organic cleaning products, make-up, and toiletries, and testing yourself for gluten intolerance. Eliminate all sources of gluten from your diet for a period of one month. Reintroduce these foods on the 31st day en masse to test for a reaction. If you're unable to digest this protein, you'll know.

4. Stress

Stress is a killer. It is the number one reason people visit the doctor for everything from a headache to a heart attack. Our bodies are designed to produce chemicals to protect us in life and death situations.

However, when stress is chronic and unrelieved, the glands responsible for producing these chemicals became overtaxed and begin to malfunction. Adrenal fatigue is a real and serious condition that affects millions of people and can lead to the development of autoimmune disease.

Even if you're the burn-the-candle-at-both ends type, you owe it to your health to find time to relax. Even just twenty minutes of sitting quietly in a darkened room and doing deep breathing exercises is enough to slow your heart rate, boost your immune system, and prevent the development of serious illness.

5. Lack of Sleep

Sleep is not a luxury, it's a necessity. Unfortunately, most people do not get the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep per night. A lot of us are up tossing and turning from emotional stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise. Chronic sleep deprivation causes a boost in the fight-or-flight hormone cortisol, which can lead to obesity, mood swings, neurological distress, and autoimmune disease.

If insomnia is a problem for you, try adding some chelated magnesium to your daily supplement regimen. Magnesium is responsible for over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body and millions of people are deficient in it. You can also improve your quality of sleep by darkening your room, using earplugs to block out noise, and kicking your pets out of bed.

You don't have to be among the millions of people struggling everyday with chronic pain, anxiety, and digestive problems. Just a few small steps in a more healthful direction can truly work miracles. Get started today.

Jaime A. Heidel is a professional freelance writer with a passion for natural health. Her website, I Told You I Was Sick.com, is dedicated to helping people suffering from mystery symptoms find natural ways to heal.

By Jaime A. Heidel

Children with TVs in their bedrooms are twice as likely to have extra fat, three times greater risk of heart disease and diabetes

Kids who have TVs in their bedrooms are twice as likely to be fat and nearly three times as likely to be at risk for heart disease and diabetes as those who don’t, according to a new study that elevates concerns about health and screen time. The research, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, studied 369 children, 5 to 18, who have TVs in their rooms and watched more than five hours of television a day. They showed dramatic evidence of extra belly fat, bigger waists, greater risk of heart disease and diabetes and elevated triglycerides, or fat in their bloodstream, said Amanda Staiano, a scientist with the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. (Getty Images photo)

A 2010 study cited by Staiano indicated that 70 percent of American children have a TV in their bedroom. In the Pennington study, 66 percent of the kids had a TV in the room and the precise relationship between TV and health, as measured by height, weight, waist measurements, blood pressures, fat deposits and other exams, revealed the stark disparity between the groups with and without their own TV. (Read more)

British researchers say a simple calculation can predict likelihood of a baby's chance of becoming obese during childhood

If only we knew from the start which babies were predisposed to becoming diabetic and hypertensive and overweight . . . News out this week suggests we can. NBC News reports that British researchers have published findings in the journal PLOS ONE saying that a simple assessment can predict at birth a baby's likelihood of becoming obese during childhood. The formula, available as an online calculator here, estimates the child's obesity risk based on its birth weight, the body mass index of the parents, the number of people in the household, the mother's professional status and whether she smoked during pregnancy.

The hope is to help families will take steps to control the weight of babies and small children before medical problems arise. Philippe Froguel of Imperial College London, who led the study, explained that teaching parents about the dangers of over-feeding and bad nutritional habits at a young age is much more effective than having to teach children how to lose weight. Froguel's team developed their formula following 4,000 Finnish children since 1986. Childhood obesity is a leading cause of early type 2 diabetes, as well as various types of cardiovascular disease. (Read more)

One S.C. county serves as incubator for state's efforts to battle weight problems, with some good results

PE teacher Sharon Williams, right,
leads morning exercises before
classes start at Bells Elementary.
(The State photo by Tim Dominick)

With nearly two-thirds of South Carolina deemed overweight or worse, lucky Colleton County got picked to be a test case for doing better. That is, for improving its chances to beat the state's already overwhelming rates of diabetes, heart disease and stroke and for helping to lower the state's $1.2 billion dollar medical bill. Lucky, because in 2010, the county was awarded almost a half million Eat Smart Move More grant by the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation to see if it could promote health eating and more physical exercise countywide. Joey Hollerman of The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., reports that "the results have been striking," though he notes that changing obesity numbers is "like turning an aircraft carrier, it's a slow process." Mostly, he's talking about attitude and perseverance.

How does the county-wide program work on a daily basis? First, of course, you have to have buy-in, which this county did. Hollerman explains that now when children arrive at Bells Elementary School in the county seat of Walterboro, "they go straight to the gym and walk laps before heading to classrooms. Worshipers at Power of Faith Delivery Ministry harvest collards as well as souls, and fried chicken is discouraged at church dinners. The local farmers market has a sparkling new home and a system set up to accept cards from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program." The Let’s Go, Eat Smart program and exercise programs are posted in schools, workplaces, grocery stores and churches.

So how, if the numbers aren't clear yet, how to measure if it's working? Well, only one fried chicken basket showed up at a recent church supper and the member who brought it ended up apologizing for her breach. On the day the reporter visited only the elementary school only one child in the entire first grade tried to slip through without selecting a fruit or vegetable. He was sent back and grabbed a plastic container of grapes from the Go (instead of the Slow or Whoa) food options, Hollerman reports. There are also anecdotes galore, including those of children, once on insulin, who are now fine without it.

South Carolin's BlueCross BlueShield recently awarded another grant to Eat Smart Move More, in part to continue the work in Colleton County but also to for expand it to other communities. (Read more)

Reasons Of Testosterone Deficiency And Their Remedies

Testosterones are the sub type of human growth hormones often referred to as male or sex hormones. It is actually testosterones that impart male characteristics in men. Furthermore, they are also vital for immaculate performance of sexual system. Testosterones are also indispensible for overall well being of the body.

Disadvantages of Testosterones Scarcity:

The deficiency of testosterones in the body can create many problems for your health. For instance,

• Dearth of testosterones can result in reduced libido and erectile dysfunction
• Testosterones deficiency can cause obesity
• Testosterone deficient body will have lean muscles lacking any real strength
• Weak bones with low bones density
• A spree of diseases can attack your body like diabetes, all sorts of heart problems and cancers
• Insomnia may also drop in your body due to shortage of testosterones
• Testosterone deficiency can cause stress, anxiety, depression and curtailed performance of brain
• Total degeneration of body

Reasons of Testosterone Deficiency:

There are many reasons that can lead to dearth of testosterones.

• One of the most obvious reasons is the process of aging. Testosterone decline naturally as you age.
• Obesity due to any reason can also force testosterone reserves to decline
• Mental stress is another major factor for testosterones to shrink in number
• High cholesterol levels in the body adversely affect the production of testosterones
• Lack of physical activity also makes testosterone levels to deplete
• Imbalanced diet that is rich in fats is another apparent reason
• Smoking and alcoholism also have devastating consequences for testosterone secretion

Remedies:

There are many methods that can be brought into the use to restore testosterone levels in the body.

• Regular exercise can cause testosterone levels to shoot up
• Use of balanced diet can also help
• You should take ample sleep as production is maximum during sleep
• Avoid stress and mental depression
• Keep weigh in control

Testosterone Therapies:

As most people especially senior citizens cannot sustain all the above mentioned requirements, they can undergo testosterone treatment therapy to regain what they have lost. In these therapies, artificial testosterones are inserted to replace lost natural testosterones.

Conclusion:

Testosterones regulate almost every function and organ of human body and thus adequate levels should be present in the body all the times. You need to follow above mentioned tips to alleviate the symptoms of low testosterones where testosterone treatment therapy can especially help. Furthermore, avoid anything that can inflict some damage to your testosterone reserves.

By Ali Ahmed

Study: Raising cigarette taxes does curb even heavy smoking

The more you raise cigarette taxes, the less people smoke. That presumption was confirmed this week in a study by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. This has some resonance in Kentucky, where just last week the state’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Tax Reform told Gov. Beshear the state should raise taxes on tobacco, to $1 per pack from 60 cents. Other forms of tobacco would get a corresponding tax hike, reports Beth Musgrave of the Lexington Herald-Leader. The changes would raise an estimated $120 million in revenue and, if the research is right, cut down on long-term health care costs.

The researchers are the most adamant about the last point. “Most clinicians and researchers thought these very heavy smokers would be the most resistant to price increases,” says study author Patricia A. Cavazos-Rehg, PhD. “But our study points out that, in fact, change can occur. And that’s very good news.” In fact, in states where taxes on tobacco products rose by at least 35 percent, heavy smokers -- who averaged 40 cigarettes a day or more -- lowered their daily smoking by 14 cigarettes, on average.  In real numbers, the price for a pack of cigarettes increased from an average of $3.96 in 2001 to $4.41 in 2004. (Read more)

In Kentucky last year, almost 30 percent of residents said they were smokers, the highest in the nation. The state also has the highest rates of diabetes and lung cancer, reports Jim Malewitz of Stateline News. Kentucky’s cigarette tax is also among the country's lowest.

The world is getting fatter, but Kentucky's rate of obesity is two and a half times the world rate

Take no solace from The Economist, which proclaims in its yearly analysis-and-prognostication issue that this is the year world leaders will take on worldwide obesity because, writes Charlotte Howard, "they will realize something must be done."

So, no, it is not just you, Kentucky. In fact, Howard, the health-care correspondent for the magazine, writes that 30 percent of Mexico's adult population is obese. That is precisely the same percentage of Kentuckians that were considered obese by a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Trust for America's Health analysis released in August. (We ranked sixth fattest state nationwide.) It is also the same percentage of Chinese adults that are, as Howard put it, "too wide" -- a term that Howard uses here to include the overweight as well as the obese.

But there is no room to crow here. Kentucky is far ahead of the trend. Only 12 percent of the world counts as obese today. We beat that two and half times over. (The number of Kentuckians who were merely overweight was not calculated or included in the figures in the study.) A study released in September by the same group found that if trends continue, 60 percent of Kentuckians will be obese by 2030. The World Health Organization's estimate of the world's obesity was at 15 percent by 2020.

The Economist folks favors an approach that a democratic path to better health and fiscal sanity, given the health care cost ramifications of obesity. They like a tax on soda -- it's pure sugar, no real nutrition. They like subsidies to make fresh produce cheaper. And they like better school lunches and labeling, labeling, labeling so consumers will make better choices.

Botox helps with urinary incontinence

U.S. scientists have proposed the use of Botox for the treatment of urinary incontinence.

What is urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is one of the major urological diseases in women, which significantly affects the quality of life. The following types of urinary incontinence:

• Stress incontinence occurs when coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercise, and due to the weakening of the sphincter of the bladder. Sphincter is a circular muscle that prevents the leakage of urine. The weakening of the sphincter in women can be caused by pregnancy, childbirth and menopause, and men - removal of the prostate.
• Urge incontinence manifests sudden urge to urinate followed by an involuntary release of urine. Urge incontinence can be caused by a urinary tract infection, Parkinson's disease , Alzheimer's disease, trauma, multiple sclerosis .
• Overflow incontinence due to bladder manifested inability to empty the bladder. This type of incontinence can be caused by an obstacle in the way of the ureter urine flow, nerve damage from diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, in men it is often found in diseases of the prostate.

The essence of the study
The study involved 250 women with urge incontinence of urine. Only one injection of Botox into the bladder led to an understanding that it is not inferior to oral drugs that are currently used for the treatment of urinary incontinence. In contrast, a single injection of Botox freed women from urinary incontinence at 6 months, whereas oral medications must be taken daily.

But we should not forget about the side effects of Botox: some women experience urinary retention, which required a catheter and urinary tract infection. However, Botox can be a great alternative to oral medication.

Share of Kentuckians reporting they had been diagnosed as diabetic nearly tripled from 1995 to 2010

We're not just getting fatter, Kentucky, we're becoming chronically ill because of it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of diagnosed diabetes in Kentucky has increased dramatically in the last decade and a half.

In Kentucky, 9.3 percent of adults reported having been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2010, up from just 3.6 percent in 1995, according to response to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an ongoing national telephone survey. (Data from 2011 were not compared because the survey methodology changed.)

The figure is undoubtedly less than the actual percentage of Kentuckians with diabetes; nationally, 18 million people say they have been told they have the disorder, and another 7 million are estimated to have it but not be diagnosed. In 1958, the national rate of diagnosed diabetes was 1 percent; now it's 8.2 percent. Not surprisingly, Mississippi, the state with the largest proportion of residents who are obese, has the highest diabetes rate, at nearly 12 percent.

The biggest jump in diagnosed diabetes from 1995 to 2010 was in Oklahoma, where it more than tripled. The South, as a region, had the most frightening numbers, almost one in 10 adults. That was more than double the rate in 1995. Several Northern states saw rates more than double, too, including Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Maine.

"The rise in diabetes has really gone hand in hand with the rise in obesity," CDC report lead author Linda Geiss told The Associated Press. Diabetes is a disease in which the body has trouble processing sugar. Even with medications to help control it, it can cause damage to the kidneys, circulation and nervous system. It is the nation's seventh leading cause of death. (Read more) To read the CDC report, go here. 

Good sleep will save from diabetes

U.S. researchers have found that a 7-hour night's sleep can prevent the development of diabetes in adolescents.

What is diabetes
Diabetes - a disease in which there is a persistent increase in the level of glucose in the blood. Distinguish type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. With type 1 diabetes is a destruction of the pancreatic cells, which produce insulin . Insulin is needed by the body to lower blood glucose. The remaining cells of the pancreas can not meet the body's need for insulin, so most of the glucose does not enter the cells, and stays in the blood.

With type 2 diabetes, pancreatic cells do not suffer, and the body is enough insulin. However, the cells lose their sensitivity to insulin - is developing the so-called insulin resistance . If we imagine that insulin - is a key that opens the cell for glucose, insulin resistance is at a key does not fit the lock and can not open the cage. As a result, glucose does not enter the cells, and stays in the blood.

The essence of the study
The study involved 245 healthy students. Average duration of a night's sleep during the week was 6.4 hours, and during the week of sleep was significantly less than the weekend.

The less sleep a student, the more pronounced was insulin resistance. As researchers found, the extra hour of sleep for teens who usually sleep at 6:00, will reduce insulin resistance by 9%. Since insulin resistance leads to diabetes, the more sleep to prevent the disease.

Report: Two-thirds of Kentuckians obese by 2030 if trends continue; cost to nation's future unquestionably high

Nearly two-thirds of adults in Kentucky will be obese by 2030 if rates continue to climb as they are now, an analysis reported Tuesday. The level of obesity, defined as being roughly 30 or more pounds overweight, is projected to reach 60.1 percent in Kentucky in 2030, up from 30.4 percent in 2011, according to an analysis commissioned by the nonprofit Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Nancy Hellmich and Laura Ungar of The Courier-Journal in Louisville report that if states’ obesity rates continue on their current trajectories, the number of new cases of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke, hypertension, and arthritis could increase 10 times between 2010 and 2020, and double again by 2030. Medical costs associated with treating preventable obesity-related diseases could increase by up to $66 billion per year by 2030, and the loss in economic productivity could be as high as $580 billion annually. (Read more)

The joint report also shows that states could prevent obesity-related diseases and dramatically reduce health care costs if they reduced the average body mass index (BMI) of their residents by just 5 percent by 2030. Doing so would spare millions of Americans serious health problems, and the country could save billions of dollars in health spending. See the interactive map showing how much improvement could be made if that small change were made here.

The report also features a series of joint policy recommendations from TFAH and RWJF, including full implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, protection of the federal health reform law's Prevention and Public Health Fund, and inclusion of additional physical education and activity components in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. To download the full report, go here. 

Type 2 diabetes boosts death risk from breast cancer

Sunday Sept 16, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study in Cancer Causes and Control suggests that being type 2 diabetic potentially increases risk of death from breast cancer. Because having type 2 diabetes also means to have diabetes treatment, diabetes treatment can potentially be linked to higher risk for breast cancer death.

M. T. Redaniel of University of Bristol in Bristol, UK and colleagues conducted the case-control study and found women with breast cancer who also suffered type 2 diabetes mellitus were 40 percent more likely to die from all causes, compared with those with breast cancer only.

The association, which was derived already after adjustment for age, period, region, smoking status, body mass index, alcohol drinking and deprivation, was based on data from 52,657 women with type 2 diabetes diagnosed between 1987 and 2007 and 30,210 randomly selected women without type 2 diabetes.

This association can be easily understood. Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients have insulin insensitivity or insulin resistance and tend to produce more insulin than people without diabetes type 2 do. When insulin is produced, insulin-like growth factor-1 is also produced, which is known to promote cancer growth.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus was also associated with 29 percent increased overall risk for developing breast cancer. This association was attenuated after adjustment for other factors like age, period of cohort entry, region, and BMI. That is, women with type 2 diabetes were 12 percent more likely than those without the disease to develop breast cancer.

Diabetes treatments may make some difference in the risk of developing breast cancer. Compared with sulfonylurea, metformin monotherapy and insulin therapy were associated with 4 and 33 percent increased risk of developing breast cancer among women with diabetes. From the study report abstract, it is unknown whether using sulfonylurea would increase risk of breast cancer.

Of all the associations, the one between being diabetic and risk of breast cancer was the strongest, suggesting that it is important to maintaining adequate glycemic control alongside cancer treatment, the researchers concluded.

The findings suggest that type 2 diabetes may increase risk of developing breast cancer and death from the disease.

By David Liu, PHD

Is there a correlation between food-stamp use and obesity? Some say yes, and that corporations are getting fat in the process

"Who's getting fat off food stamps?" asks ABC News' Alan Farnham, reporting that a record number of Americans -- 46.7 million, or nearly 1 in 7 -- now uses the benefit, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It cost $72 billion last year, up from $30 billion four years earlier. Budget hawks have targeted the program's swollen size and cost, helping prevent passage of a new Farm Bill. Now Farnham reports, "There are those who say SNAP is making two different constituencies fat -- big corporations and the poor -- the first, figuratively; the second, literally."

In Kentucky -- with its extraordinarily high rate of obesity and, as of June 2012, its 406,689 households on food stamps -- the correlation between those two bears close scrutiny.  Many health advocates who are concerned about Americans' increasing obesity argue that "food stamp purchases should be disallowed for items high in salt or fat or sugar," Farnham notes. Consumer watchdog groups such as Eat Drink Politics similarly argue that food and beverage makers are making a mint from SNAP, and are spending equal portions to oppose legislation antithetical to their interests.

Hard numbers about what the program buys are hard to come by, says the report, in part because the U. S. Department of Agriculture either doesn't have or does not release certain crucial data: "It lacks the legal authority, for example, to require retailers to report what products SNAP participants are purchasing. It knows the dollar value of transactions, but not whether the customer bought Cheesy Puffs or broccoli."

As for the increasing obesity of the poor, data on that problem are readily available, but food stamps' complicity in it is the subject of much debate. Julian Alston, professor of agricultural and resource economics at the University of California, Davis, has studied the question in depth. Alston and his co-authors conclude that food stamp participants are more likely than non-participants to be overweight or obese. Farnham writes that "they don't say food stamps are making them fat. The authors then go on to analyze whether the exclusion of certain food items from program eligibility might make participants healthier." (Read more)

The Great Perks of Being Healthy

Ignoring the fact there is something wrong with your current way of eating will lead to awful lot of health challenges. This is one of the worst mistakes that today's people unknowingly commit. Sure eating tender and succulent steak, mouth watering burgers, and getting your daily dose of sweets may prove to be satisfying, but all of these will soon have a 180 degree plunge into a physiological nightmare sooner or later, not to mention the heavy toll one will have to bear regarding their self confidence.

Living in a world wherein the dangers of new epidemics are just lurking around the corner, many people nowadays have taken necessary actions to prevent these from affecting them. Thus, the sprouting of more health conscious individuals. It couldn't be helped because with what the media is saying regarding health, there is a dire need for man to start putting his acts together in order to actually be healthy.

If one wants to live longer, now is the time to choose to be healthy, not any minute later. It should always be remembered that being healthy is not something that one just shrugs their shoulders at. There are already many people experiencing the many benefits of choosing the healthy life.

Many organic stores have now sprouted like wild mushrooms because of the high demands of consumers. There are already many healthy foods to eat, unlike the greasy fish and chips we grew accustomed to. Foods naturally grown without the use of insecticides and other artificial help really do wonders to our health. Thus, we are assured that every food that we put in our mouths have nutrients that are not affected by these harmful substances.

For the weight conscious, a low carb diet plan will also do the trick. Not only does it help you in loosing those extra pounds but it also has positive effects on the body such as reducing blood glucose for those who have diabetes, decreasing the blood pressure, and give you that feeling of a greater well-being.

One added tip: always keep a healthy food list and a healthy grocery list. This will save you time in picking the right products for your family. When you already have a grocery list that only focuses on the healthy stuff, you will see the great change in your family's health.

Being healthy can do wonders for you and for the people around you. When you are healthy, you become more productive and thus, you are able to help other people.

But being in the pink of health is not that easy. It requires certain sacrifices especially if you are already accustomed to a certain lifestyle of not eating right and not getting enough exercise.

One thing you should always remember is that it doesn't happen overnight. It is a step by step process that should be properly observed. So don't get frustrated if you can't see immediate results. Just be extra patient and over time you will see that your sacrifices were all worth it.

By NovieJean Casilang @dietingdirection.com

More bad news about childhood obesity: Study finds it can change some kids' brains and damage their mental 'flexibility'

It's not news that Kentucky is lagging in child fitness. In fact, the Truth for America's Health "F as in Fat" report found that the state has the third highest childhood obesity rate in the country. This is bad news, alright, and it's about to get worse. Dr. Claire McCarthy writes in The Boston Globe that a new study in the current issue of Pediatrics and shows that obesity can hurt kids' brains.

"Researchers looked at 49 adolescents with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome, a consequence of obesity, is the triad of insulin resistance (pre-diabetes or diabetes), high blood pressure and high blood lipids," McCarthy writes. "The researchers compared the adolescents with 62 adolescents who had the same socioeconomic background but didn't have metabolic syndrome. The kids with metabolic syndrome had more trouble with arithmetic, spelling, attention and mental 'flexibility' than the ones who didn't have metabolic syndrome. Even more frightening, the researchers saw actual changes in their brains, in the hippocampus (which plays a crucial role in memory) and the white matter (which passes messages through the brain). It was only a small study, and not all kids with obesity have metabolic syndrome. But this study is alarming -- especially since we don't know if losing weight can make the brain go back to normal."

In her column tagged "MD Mama," McCarthy goes on: "Given that brains are still developing in adolescence, it's very possible that the changes could be permanent. What else do we need before we take the problem of childhood obesity really seriously?" (Read more) To read the study in Pedatrics, go here.