As part of the theme day here at the health and wellness channel, my post is all about mental health. For more, Alicia at Mental Health Notes has the complete line up.

Depression. Ahh, the taboo topic that isn’t so taboo anymore. As I have written before depression affects so many people across the board. Diabetics are no exception.

Researchers found that depression alone, and not lifestyle factors like being overweight, can trigger Type 2 diabetes in adults 65 and older, a population with a high prevalence of diabetes and depression.

Researchers measured depressive mood and thoughts at a particular point in time as well as over the long term. By doing this, they were able to get a more conclusive and accurate view of depressive symptoms.

By measuring depressive symptoms before diabetes developed, researchers were able to investigate the causal effect between mood and diabetes.

We know that high stress hormones like cortisol can decrease insulin sensitivity and increase fat deposits around ones waist. The ol’ spare tire if you will. Oh joy!

“When you’re depressed or under stress your body is trying to keep glucose in the bloodstream because it needs it for immediate energy. So, it’s blocking insulin action. And you may even be producing more glucose because your body thinks it needs the sugar,” Carnethon said.

The bottom line is that doctors need to take depression type symptoms in patients, especially over 65, very serious. Seeing what it could lead to, it would be both health and cost effective.

via Daily India

Archives of Internal Medicine

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Please join in and help make a difference. Go check out Amy at Diabetes Mine as she announces the 2nd Annual Diabetes Mine Design Challenge…

2nd Annual DiabetesMine Design Challenge

* a competition designed to foster innovation in diabetes design and encourage creative new tools that will improve life with diabetes *

Two of the most enticing design concepts will win a package of prizes to help further their creative efforts: $1,000 in cash, some pro-bono professional advice from world-renowned design experts, and free access to the next Health 2.0 conference for one adult winner.Submissions can be made beginning April 30, 2008, until Monday, May 26st, 2008, at 11:59 pm PST. The winners will be announced on Friday, May 30th, 2008.

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I have to admit that this is the first I have seen of this subject matter…

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), which results in a baby having a low weight at birth, has been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes in adulthood. It has been suggested that this is because the expression of key genes is altered during fetal development and that this affects disease susceptibility later in life.

What do you think about this? This particular study showed that the expression of Pdx1, a gene, was found to be reduced in pancreatic beta-cells throughout life following intrauterine growth retardation and therefore increased the risk of type 2 diabetes.

I will have to keep my eye on this material.

via Science Daily

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Oh boy, it has been a while since I journaled on here. First, the big change. I have now started checking my blood sugars twice a day- in the morning and before bed. My sugars have been so good as of the last few months that I feel confident in my decision. My readings have all been between 80-110, so I feel good about that.

Food wise is another small change. I have re-introduced some whole grain carbs back in that I was not allowing previous. FiberOne cereal, Grape Nuts and some whole wheat pasta. I figured it was worth a try to see what response my body gave, and it loved it! My blood sugars are actually lower 2 hours post a whole grain then after say a yogurt and half an apple. Amazing! And I am a heck of a lot less hungry- I have also started eating a small breakfast everyday. Big difference.

I have lost 2 more pounds- nothing earth shattering but it is small progress. My blood pressure, just for your reference, was 100/58 the last time I checked it last week and my A1c was 4.9. So I will keep on with what I am doing. Next up.. get my thyroid checked.

Exercise…. this is where I have slacked. I am sorry to report this bu as life got really busy mt activity dwindled a bit. I am still running around at lacrosse practice twice a week and walking 2 other times, but I have not used my weights. I will make this my goal o get back on it! Have a great day and how have you been doing?

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Researchers and scientists out of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis discovered a very distinct and precise action of the immune cells that can cause diabetes.

Researchers were able to examine the immune cells from isolated insulin-making structures in the pancreas known as the islets of Langerhans. They caught the immune cells, known as dendritic cells, “red-handed”: Carrying insulin and fragments of insulin-producing cells known as beta cells. This can be the first step toward starting a misdirected immune system attack that destroys the beta cells, preventing the body from making insulin and causing type 1 diabetes.

Due to dendritic cells being very tiny and minimal in numbers, only about 5 to 10 of them per islet, each of which contains a thousand cells, it has been tough to isolate this in the past.

The findings here that are distinct…

“We think these dendritic cells aren’t in the pancreas by accident,” says Unanue. “We believe that in the normal individual they help maintain the health of beta cells. But in a person with autoimmune diabetes, they appear to start the problems that destroy beta cells.”

These findings are a big deal and will further research in the treatment of diabetes.

via Washington Univ. School of Medicine

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