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Tell Your Members of Congress to Support the Parents' Bill of Rights!!! We at Diabetics 4 Diabetics support this bill without question or any reservations and would hope that every diabetic that reads this newsletter writes their Congressman and voices their support at seeing this bill passed.
Now is the time for Congress to pass the Parents' Bill of Rights. Our nation's largest corporations resort to extreme measures to influence our children. They invade places that were previously off-limits, like schools, to target children with ads. The ads cause children to nag and whine for products, sowing strife and stress in our homes. The ads help create an epidemic of marketing-related diseases in our children, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and eating disorders. Tell Congress to stop corporations from pitting children against their own parents and jeopardizing children's' health, safety and education. Five Ways to Rev Up Your Metabolism Introduction
Everyone has a different metabolism. Whether yours is fast or slow, one thing remains certain: The older you get the slower your metabolism becomes. So while the world is full of different metabolic rates, we all share the effect age has on metabolic function. So what do you do? I have five tips that will significantly help you speed up your body's ability to burn calories. You'll burn more calories when you exercise, eat and even sleep. No. 1 -- Eat more frequently. Instead of two to three meals per day, try four to six smaller ones. Perhaps you've heard of this before. If you eat less and more often, your body will store fewer calories as fat. You see, your body will convert calories as fat even if there is no fat in the calories. For example, fat-free ice cream and Pepsi are both fat free, but if you have them for dinner every night ... you get the idea. Both of those calorie sources are high in calories per volume. So, the more calories you have in a setting, the more they will go toward your waistline. Smaller portions mean fewer calories to convert as fat. By eating less and more often, you also increase the speed of digestion. This is another significant factor in the endeavor to increase your metabolic rate. Eating more frequently is hard work. It requires planning and convenience to make it a part of a lifestyle. This factor won't offer much if done intermittently. No. 2 -- Complete aerobic activity consistently There are three basic components of your metabolism:
No. 3 -- Complete weight training consistently. While weight training does not offer the immediate metabolic increase that cardiovascular exercise does, it does make a tremendous difference. You see, the more muscle you have, the more calories your body needs to sustain that muscle life. In other words, muscle mass helps you lose fat. With increased muscle, you burn more calories at all metabolic levels, even during your sleep! It takes a little time, but more muscle is a great booster. No. 4 -- Stand tall. You'd be surprised how many more calories you'll burn by standing tall. Not only is this great for your back health, but you will also look so much better. Think about it. Has any attractive person you've seen had poor posture? It takes some practice and effort, but it goes a long way. For best results, stay tall during exercise and throughout the day. No. 5 -- Move quickly. In our busy society it's not hard to do. Whether you're going to the mailbox or to the grocery store, do it on a mission. Keep that back tall and grab those groceries! Look at the folks who move slowly. More often than not, you'll notice slower people are not as trim as those who move at a relatively quick pace. So, get a move on ... consistently. If you do just a little bit of all five tips, you will see a difference. Now, go have a great and active life! Who is paying for Obesity? Years ago reports that smoking costs the American public over one hundred billion dollars a year -- much of it paid by nonsmokers in the form of inflated health insurance premiums, higher taxes (to cover people under Medicaid, Medicare, Veterans' benefits), etc. -- triggered a number of corrective measures to shift more of that huge burden from nonsmokers onto smokers.
People now wonder whether a recent Surgeon General's report that obesity annually costs almost as much as smoking -- and dozens of times the costs of the Enron scandal -- will precipitate similar measures to make the obese pay their fair share of these costs, and especially whether it might give rise to tobacco-like law suits against fast food companies. The answer is that two such law suits -- possible harbingers of the future -- are already doing well, and that other measures similar to those directed against the costs of smoking may well follow. Read More . . . Accelerated Healing Clinic Can Fit You For Orthotics!
Benefits of Orthotics
A balanced body is a happier body! A body that's out of balance can cause you pain anywhere from your feet all the way up to your neck. Custom-made orthotics are specially made just for your feet and for your unique postural condition. Your feet are the foundation of your body, and they serve you in three important ways: They support your body whenever you stand, walk, or run; they assist you in moving from one place to another; and they help protect your spine, bones and soft tissues from damaging shock stress as you move. Any weakness or unstable positioning in your feet can contribute to postural problems in the rest of your body. What Do Orthotics Do? Orthotics help your feet maintain their structural and functional balance as you stand, walk, or run, by keeping your feet in a stable position through out the day. Take This Test
Foot Levelers' Introduces New Line of Orthotics Exclusively for Women December 4, 2002 (Roanoke, VA) - Foot Levelers is proud to announce the introduction of their first line of orthotics designed exclusively for women. The 5th Avenue Collection for Women Only offers high-quality stabilization and support, but was designed by women specifically for a woman's comfort. The 5th Avenue Collection provides all day, pain-free wear, fast break-in, and leaves her with energy at the end of the day. The 5th Avenue Collection has three different models:
Try New Foot Levelers' New Extreme XC™ Orthotic Foot Levelers announces revolutionary comfort found in the new Extreme XC™. The newest spinal pelvic stabilizer from Foot Levelers the Extreme XC (Extra Comfort), is crafted with extremely soft and flexible materials and is available in Full Length, Ms., and Sir styles to accommodate a variety of footwear. The Extreme XC uses the Extreme Gait Cycle System™ to create a proper pedal foundation with every step you take. A cushy Propocel™ top, a generous Zorbacel® heel pad, a StanceGuard™ for full plantar support, and a SoftGrip™ bottom provide ample shock protection throughout your stride while providing an unmatched comfort zone that is easy on the feet.  The Extreme line now has four choices to satisfy the varying needs and activities of your patients. The Extreme XS, the smartest orthotic that keeps your feet warm and dry, the Extreme XT with tough durable top, the Extreme Energy with energizing magnets, and the new Extreme XC for extra comfort and support. This fabulous foursome supports all of your patients no matter what their needs may be.Foot Levelers is the exclusive provider of Extreme Spinal Pelvic Stabilizers as well as 5th Avenue custom-made orthotics for women. Call Dr. Randy Lareean, 602.439.5559 for special discounts for Diabetics. WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO AT THE D4D WELLNESS & EDUCATION CENTER?
Control your diabetes through Diabetes Education, Nutrition Education and Exercise Education.
Don't let it control you!!! Mission Statement The focus of Wellness and Education Center will be working one-on-one to educate diabetics about their disease and teach them to control their diabetes through proper nutrition, exercise and diet. The nutritional instruction will be based on proven and medically sound practices. Their meal plans will be monitored closely and adjustments made as necessary. The clients will have a customized exercise program designed to their individual limitations. This program is designed to work in conjunction with the clients' personal physicians. The progress of the clients will be provided to them and their physicians as quarterly updates. They will also have indefinite group support, advice and guidance. Read More . . . Tea Extract Can Lower Cholesterol LDL Reduced by 16% in People Taking Green, Black Tea Extract
June 23, 2003 -- It has long been suspected that tea helps lower cholesterol, and now new research offers some of the first evidence that this is true. But you probably won't see a benefit by drinking only an extra cup or two a day. The study shows that people with moderately high cholesterol who took a supplement containing extracts of green and black tea for 12 weeks had mean reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol of 16%. (LDL cholesterol is the type of cholesterol in the blood that is responsible for plaque buildup in the arteries.) While this is not as large a reduction as that typically seen with statin drugs, it is comparable to many non-statin treatments, lead researcher David Maron, MD, tells WebMD. Although an earlier study involving a green tea extract alone failed to lower cholesterol levels, Maron says it is not yet clear if the addition of the black tea extract made the difference in this trial. Protective Properties Tea is rich in polyphenols, which are believed to have antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties. Green tea has the polyphenol catechin. Black tea, which is fermented green tea, contains the pigment of polyphenols known as theaflavins that are produced during the fermentation process. Each 375-mg capsule of the combined extract used in the study contained the amount of theaflavin and catechin equal to that in 35 cups of black tea or seven cups of green tea, respectively. The extract is marketed by Nashville, Tennessee-based nutraceutical company Nashai Biotech, Inc., which funded the study. The trial included 240 men and women in China with moderately high cholesterol who were already following low-fat diets. Half the participants took the tea extract for 12 weeks and the other half took placebos. The study is published in the June 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Maron, who is an associate professor of medicine at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says he was surprised by the large reduction in LDL cholesterol levels in the tea-extract group. "These findings obviously have to be confirmed in larger studies with longer follow-up," he says. "But for centuries tea has been thought to have medicinal uses, and here is a study that shows an apparent therapeutic value." Reading the Tea Leaves Among the studies Maron would like to see are a similar trial evaluating green tea extract without theaflavins, one looking at more diverse populations, and a trial combining statins with the tea extract. He says there are plenty of apparent health benefits to drinking green or black tea, but drinking a few cups a day probably won't impact cholesterol levels. Researcher Mohsen Meydani, DVM, PhD, who is studying the anti-cancer properties of tea, says there is growing clinical evidence that drinking moderate amounts of tea can protect the heart. He cites a study from Boston University that concluded that drinking four cups of black tea a day can reverse abnormal blood vessel functioning that leads to heart attack and stroke. "At this point, I think it is most prudent to recommend drinking tea rather than taking tea extract supplements to get the benefits, because we are still very early in these studies," says Meydani, who is a professor of nutrition at Tuft University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Drinking tea is an enjoyable thing, and just about everyone can drink a few cups a day. WHAT ABOUT STRESS?!!  Feelings are very important in our lives. Your feelings may be strong when you find out you have diabetes. It's okay to let yourself FEEL your feelings and not try to pretend you're not having them. You won't be mad or unhappy forever.Any change can be stressful, depending on your reaction to it. Coping with diabetes can be stressful. Stress can make your blood glucose go up - and having high blood glucose levels can make you feel stressed! If you often feel stressed, you might want to talk to a professional about a stress management program. 
To calm down:
WALKING LOWERS THE RISK OF DIABETES June 24, 2003 -- Need another reason to put your walking shoes on and hit the pavement? Walking not only lowers the risk of developing lifelong diseases like diabetes, but a new study shows it can cut the chance of dying in half for people who already have diabetes.
Regular physical activity like walking produces healthy benefits, such as reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and death, among the general population. In addition, several studies have shown that regular physical activity can help people who already have diabetes keep their blood sugar under control. But researchers say less is known about the long-term health benefits of walking for people with diabetes. People with diabetes are at increased risk for a variety of conditions, such as heart disease and stroke that raise the risk of death. Live Longer In this study, published in the June 23 issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine, CDC researchers compared the risk of heart-related death or death from any cause among some 2,900 adults with diabetes. They found that compared with adults who didn't walk at all, those who walked at least two hours per week had a 39% lower risk of death from any cause and a 34% lower risk of heart-related death. People who were even more physically active and walked at least three hours a week had an even greater reduction in risk with a 54% lower risk of death from any cause and 53% lower risk of heart-related death. Researchers say the results suggest that one death per year may be preventable for every 61 people with diabetes who walk at least two hours a week. Best Medicine In an editorial that accompanies the study, Frank Hu, MD, PhD, of the Harvard School of Public Health and JoAnn Manson, MD, DrPH, of the division of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, say the finding has tremendous potential for reducing the risks commonly associated with diabetes. The benefits of a moderate amount of walking appear to be even greater than those achieved through current diabetes treatments, including tight blood pressure control, lowering cholesterol, and strict blood sugar control, they write. "For the vast majority of the population, the benefits of walking are enormous, with little or no harm. So far, walking is probably the 'best medicine' for both prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus," they conclude. Get up! Get Moving! Walking is the key to control! Featured Good Person! Our Thanks to Sherry McQueen!  She is an Arizona native and currently resides in Scottsdale with her two daughters, Chalyce and Tara. Family and education are a priority for her with her eldest attending Horizon High School and her youngest attending Copper Canyon Elementary School. She currently serves on the Board of Directors in her community and is a member of the Phoenix Association Of Realtors. With many years spent in Residential Property Management, she developed a strong leadership background in Customer Service, Marketing and Sales: She is committed to excellence in providing the finest client service available while maintaining these key values, Integrity, Honesty, and Loyalty. Because the real estate industry is becoming more sophisticated and challenging, you need a professional that is diligently looking out for your best interests and is 100% committed to surpassing your real estate expectations. Sherry McQueen is committed to her clients by giving consistent service as a trusted real estate advisor, and she will back up her commitment to you with these four promises.
Please write or call her and tell her thank you, she deserves it. Coffee May Help Prevent Diabetes But Tea, Decaf Don't Seem to Do the Trick
June 18, 2003 (New Orleans) -- A jolt of java may do more than get you going in the morning. Drinking four or more cups of coffee a day appears to help prevent diabetes, Harvard researchers report.
It's not the first time that a study has suggested that the popular brew may protect against the blood sugar disorder that affects at least 17 million Americans. Last year, Dutch doctors reported that heavy coffee drinkers are half as likely to develop diabetes as people who consume two cups or less a day. "If it was really true, maybe we could just forget about exercise and sit in front of the TV and sip coffee all day," researcher Frank Hu, MD, PhD, says in jest. Hu, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, presented the research Tuesday at the American Diabetes Association 63rd Scientific Sessions. Hu wasn't convinced that coffee could help prevent diabetes because short-term studies suggest that caffeine interferes with the body's ability to handle blood sugar -- by reducing the body's sensitivity to insulin. Insulin is one of the main hormones that keeps blood sugar in check. So the researchers set out to see if they could replicate the findings in the 100,000-plus men and women whose health they have been following for about two decades. It's Good for Men and Women The more coffee the men and women drank, the more it seemed to help prevent diabetes. The findings held true even after accounting for other risk factors linked to diabetes, including age and weight. For men:
Caffeine might be coffee's best-known ingredient, but it's not the only one, Hu notes. Coffee houses dozens of other substances that could affect disease risk. There's magnesium, niacin, potassium, and even such antioxidants as tocopherol. Hu's team reasoned they could tease out the effects of caffeine on diabetes prevention by also looking at tea and decaf coffee. "Decaf has the same amount of these other substances, but less caffeine," Hu says. "Tea has other substances and is relatively low in caffeine." Four or more cups of decaf coffee a day was associated with a modest effect on diabetes prevention. But the findings could have been due to chance, Hu says. Tea had no impact on diabetes prevention, the researchers found. The researchers then looked at total caffeine intake from coffee, sodas, and other foods, and found it, too, appeared to help prevent diabetes. Men and women who the most caffeine were about 25% less likely to develop diabetes compared with those who consumed the least. I'm a Believer The new findings have made a believer out of at least one former skeptic, and a key one at that: Terry E. Graham, PhD, who performed one of the studies showing caffeine reduces the body's ability to handle blood sugar. "When the Dutch study came out, I was shocked," says Graham, chairman of human biology & nutritional sciences at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Canada. "But now, with this second study that shows the same thing, you start to believe it." The Harvard study is more thorough, he says, with more accurate data about the participants' coffee habits over 10 to 15 years. "Plus, they evaluated tea and decaf, which the first study didn't." Some clues into why the short-term and long-term studies arrive at such different results might come soon, he says. Vanderbilt University researchers who are studying compounds produced when coffee beans are roasted appear to have homed in on some with disease-fighting properties. In the meantime, Hu says he is not yet ready to recommend coffee to help prevent diabetes. "We still need more study," he says. "But it's intriguing. And it's not detrimental -- one thing coffee lovers don't have to worry about." Ginseng May Help Treat Diabetes Popular Herb Normalizes Blood Sugar Levels
June 16, 2003 (New Orleans) -- The herb red ginseng may help normalize blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, two new studies suggest. But before you rush to health-food stores to stock up on the popular herb, be aware that there is no way to know if the product you buy will be as effective as the preparation used in the studies, researchers caution. University of Toronto investigators presented both studies here this weekend at the American Diabetes Association's 63rd Scientific Sessions. Since normalizing blood sugar levels is a critical goal of diabetes treatment, ginseng could someday be an important strategy in managing patients, says Fran Kaufman, MD, president of the American Diabetes Association. Better Blood Sugar In one study, people with type 2 diabetes who consumed ginseng and a highly viscous fiber similar to pectin had a notable reduction in blood sugar levels, reports Alexandra Jenkins, a PhD candidate at the University of Surrey, U.K. The study enrolled 30 people with diabetes in whom medication helped to control -- but did not normalize -- blood sugar levels. The participants received either capsules containing ground, North American-grown ginseng and a highly viscous fiber, or dummy capsules, three times a day for 12 weeks. After a four-week break, the participants switched to the alternate regimen; those who had received the ginseng capsules then took placebo and vice versa. Blood samples taken before and after each 12-week period showed that hemoglobin A1C -- a standard measure of blood sugar levels -- dropped into the normal range when participants were taking the ginseng capsules, but not when they were taking placebo, the study showed. The herbal preparation appeared to be safe, with no adverse effects. Moreover, ginseng appears to have an effect beyond medication, the American Diabetes Association's Kaufman says, suggesting the two approaches are complementary in treating es. The Chinese, who use ginseng root to treat a variety of ailments, have been in medicine for 5,000 years, she says. "Just as acupuncture has been proven to have a role in Western medicine, so, too, will ginseng. We need to think globally." Improved Insulin Performance In the second study, Korean red ginseng improved insulin sensitivity when compared with placebo, says John L. Sievenpiper, a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto. One of the key abnormalities behind type 2 diabetes is that the body's tissues are not responsive enough to insulin so they don't process it properly. Ginseng, he says, appears to help the patients process better the insulin they have. "There is no doubt that natural products such as ginseng have a role in controlling the body's defective response to insulin," says Kaufman, who is also head of the Center for Diabetes at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles. According to the American Diabetes Association, poor control of blood sugar can lead to severely debilitating and even fatal complications including heart disease, stroke, blindness, and kidney disease. Not Standard Treatment -- Yet But exactly how best to incorporate ginseng into diabetes treatment still needs to be determined, Kaufman says, noting that both trails were small. Sievenpiper agrees. "These are preliminary, short-term studies that indicate a need for more research. They are not a reason to take ginseng," he said. And because of poor regulation, standardization, and labeling in the herbal industry, there is no way to know if one product will work as well as another, Sievenpiper says. Most importantly, he says, people with diabetes should be sure to tell their doctor if they are taking ginseng because lowering blood sugar too much can be dangerous. Sidebar Information
Doctor of the Month
Need a good physician? How about our choice, Dr. James L. Gross? He cares. He's a nice person. He knows diabetics needs. He's our choice for all your health needs. You can reach Dr. James L. Gross at 10250 North 92nd Street, Scottsdale, Arizona. Call and set up an appointment at 480.614.2242. You'll be very happy with this doctor, we guarantee it! Fitness Centers D4D Certified For our female patients in the Scottsdale/Fountain Hills area we recommend Curves, 13215 North Verde River Drive, Suite 5, Fountain Hills, AZ. 85268, Phone: 925.586.5236. Ask for Linda Nickey or Kitch Bertram. Both are fully certified, will provide you with programs that are designed with whatever limitations you may have and assist you in reaching your goals. They are very good people and we enjoy a strong safe relationship with them as you will as well. For our Central Phoenix patients we recommend Fitness West, 5150 North 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ. 85016, Phone: 602.241.0022. Ask for Tina-Marie LaBarre. She is the Wellness Director over there and very attentive to the needs of our diabetic patients referred there. She will review your special requirements and get you started on your path to better health through exercise. We were quite impressed with Tina at the time we certified this facility and you will be as well. (NOTE: Certified D4D Wellness Center charge Diabetics 4 Diabetics members and patients a flat fee of $350.00 per year for full use of all their facilities. All trainers for diabetics are fully certified and follow our limitations, if required, on our patients using the facilities.) Orthotics For orthotics, there is one main place we recommend that treats diabetics very nicely and that place is the Accelerated Healing Clinic, 13704 North 51st Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85304, Phone 602.439.5559. Ask for Dr. Randy, a great and caring man who we trust without question, to take care of our diabetics by giving them a 15% discount on all orthotics. http://www.dr-randy.com/. Podiatric Care For the very best in foot care we recommend Valley Foot Surgeons, in particular, Dr. Richard P. Jacoby, D.P.M. He is well aware of the special needs diabetics sometimes have in foot care and health. You can contact Dr. Jacoby at Valley Foot Surgeons, 7301 East 2nd Street, Suite 202, Scottsdale, AZ. 85251, Phone: 480.994.5977. This man cares about you and your needs. Chiropractic Care We recommend Dr. Randy Leraaen, 13704 North 51st Avenue, Glendale, AZ. Phone 602.439.5559. We have been referring all our diabetic patients to Dr. Randy for the past few months and all have told us of his attentiveness and sensitivity to the needs of diabetics. He takes most insurance plans and for those diabetics without insurance, he will work with you. You simply cannot ask for more. http://www.dr-randy.com/. Shoes and Sports Gear Foot Express, need I say more. We like the store located at 6714 North 64th Place and can assure you, we looked at them all for the best deals on everyday shoes, and a good inventory of New Balance, the shoes we most recommend for diabetics. You will get the best deals here on them all overall. Real Estate Needs For your real estate needs, we recommend Sherry McQueen, of the Mimosa Group. She is a great supporter of Diabetics 4 Diabetics, a sponsor of Diabetics who cannot afford our program and a darn good person. You can reach her at 480.905.1843, or her cell, 602.672.0872. And if you should want any more information, email her at: smcqueen25@cox.net. For more information on Sherry and what she can do for you, we also recommend her website which will answer most your questions: http://www.mcqueenrealty.com. We trust her. You can as well. For your real estate needs, we recommend Dennyne McPhee, WEST USA Realty. She is a great supporter of Diabetics 4 Diabetics, a sponsor of Diabetics who cannot afford our program and a darn good person. You can reach her at 480.694.0881. Her office address is: 2266 S. Dobson Road, Mesa, AZ. She cares and will take care of all your real estate needs. We trust her, so should you. Legal Assistance If you, as a diabetic, find yourself in need of legal assistance then we would highly recommend the law firm of Kimerer & Derrick, P.L.C. They are located at 221 East Indianola, Phoenix, Arizona 85012. Phone: 602.279.5900 Ask for either Michael Kimerer or Clark Derrick. They are very good attorneys, honest, fair and care about their clients with the same intensity as we do here at Diabetics 4 Diabetics. Automotive Repair Ok, here is the big one. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to find someone to fix your darn car when it breaks down without getting ripped off. Believe in or not, I found a company that is honest! Accurate Diagnostic and Auto Repair, 2637 East Bell Road, Phoenix, AZ. 85032, Phone 602.393.0773 and ask for Jim or Nina Holt. I am telling you, from personal experience, they were the most wonderful people I have ever dealt with, bar none. They are small enough to make you feel important and big enough to handle any automotive concern. And mention that you are a diabetic and they will give you a nice discount to boot! accurateauto43@msn.com by Diabetics 4 Diabetics. With the exception of consumer discount coupons, no content may be copied or reproduced in any form without prior written permission. All rights reserved. |