Live. Work. Play: Kelly’s Diabetes Story

Working for the American Diabetes Association^® means making a difference for millions of people and working toward a future free of diabetes and all its burdens.

We all have a story to share. Some of us live with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes or prediabetes. Others have loved ones with the disease or have lost someone to the fight.

The following are personal stories from the Association’s staff about why we are so committed to the mission to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

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The Toughest Job I’ve Ever Loved

Kelly Rawlings
Vice President of Content & Creative Solutions
Home Office (Alexandria, Va.)

Describing life with diabetes as a “24/7 job” is a common theme in the diabetes community. What with juggling healthy eating, exercise, medication, doctor visits, health insurance costs, etc.—diabetes care sometimes seems to take as much time and concentration as what one does for a living.

Wait—I live with diabetes and it is what I do for a living!

A few years ago, when I had the career opportunity to move from editing magazines about home remodeling and do-it-yourself projects to working on a magazine about diabetes, I was excited. And anxious.

On one finger-pricked hand, providing information and having conversations with readers and experts about this complex, consuming disease is a fascinating and meaningful endeavor.

On the other hand, time spent on diabetes at work would be dotted with requisite boluses, health care appointments and the inevitable glucose tablets. Would it all be too much?

Fast forward: Living with diabetes and working in diabetes is awesome. The people involved in the diabetes community make all the difference. My disease is “our” disease—we’re in this together.

There are so many people devoted to diabetes who also live with it—and that adds a richness and an underlying passion to what we do. And there are so many people working and volunteering in diabetes who don’t have it—but care very much about helping those of us burdened by it and at risk for developing it.

In my work at the Association, I’m surrounded by the people in research labs, clinics and communities who make diabetes science and care their job. I get to see the volunteers who give so much of their time—joining in our active fundraising events, serving at Diabetes Camp, providing support, participating in clinical trials, advocating about diabetes. And I get to see the donors who provide the funding that fuels innovation and excellence.

We share the vision of the American Diabetes Association: a life free of diabetes and all its burdens.

Yes, living with diabetes is work. Working in diabetes is rewarding. And even more rewarding is diving into all the ways to volunteer. For example, I Step Out, write my elected representatives, serve as the public member on the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators and spend time on Twitter participating in the diabetes online community.

Too much diabetes? Not for me, personally. But in the world? Yes. Which is why I do what I do—and am so grateful that so many others are in this fight with me.

P.S. To my nephew, Zach: awesome job on your most recent A1C.

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To learn more about nationwide employment opportunities and life at the Association, please visit diabetes.org/careers.

Source Diabetes Stops Here http://ift.tt/1TdKSaN

Your Rights, One Voice: Kiara’s Story

Safer on Her School Bus

Kerry Harrison of Bellingham, Washington, can rest a little easier now when her daughter rides the school bus. Kiara, who is 11 years old and has type 1 diabetes, recently faced an episode of low blood glucose while riding the bus. Although she keeps glucose tabs in her backpack, on that particular day, Kiara didn’t have enough available. The bus driver pulled over and a fellow student gave Kiara a juice box to help. Kerry took this as a warning sign—it might happen again, and she needed a plan to help her daughter in case it did.

In January 2016 Kerry contacted the American Diabetes Association® for guidance.

She wanted to ask the school district to keep a supply of glucose tabs or other fast-acting sugar source on its buses for similar situations of hypoglycemia. One of the Association’s legal advocates explained that students with diabetes must be allowed to carry and access their own supplies while on school buses. But, she also said that the law does not specifically require school bus drivers to carry such supplies. So with this request, Kerry would be asking the school district to go above and beyond what the law requires.

Kerry decided to push for more than the law required.

She was looking out for the best interests of her daughter, as well as other children who have diabetes. So, after she received information and guidance from the legal advocate, Kerry contacted the school district and asked them to make glucose tabs available on their buses.

After considering her request, an assistant superintendent contacted Kerry with the answer that she wanted to hear.

• At the beginning of the school year, the school district would stock the first aid kit of each school bus with a supply of individual snack-sized Skittles. The candy would be supplied by parents.

• When a student needed fast-acting glucose for medical reasons, his or her own supplies would be the first source. But, if required, the Skittles in the first aid kit would be available as a back-up.

• During medical emergencies, the bus drivers would follow appropriate procedures to ensure the safety of all students on the bus.

Kerry sent a note to the legal advocate: “Good news. We won. Thank you for your help. If anyone else has the same issue, I am happy to share and help with the process.”

Through her advocacy Kerry proved that you can win in real life, without having to win in court. She also signed up to be a Diabetes Advocate for the Association. As an advocate, she will take action and voice support for diabetes-related legislation, programs and funding. Thank you, Kerry!

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The American Diabetes Association leads the effort to prevent and eliminate discrimination against people with diabetes at school, at work and in other parts of daily life. If you need help, call 1-800-DIABETES or visit http://ift.tt/1zCIiW2.

 Through our nationwide Safe at School program, the Association is dedicated to making sure that all children with diabetes are medically safe at school and have the same educational opportunities as their peers. Visit our Safe at School website for information and resources.

Give the gift of fairness — donate now to help people with diabetes facing discrimination, just like Kiara.

Source Diabetes Stops Here http://ift.tt/1YPY9dE

Differential Insulitic Profiles Determine the Extent of {beta}-Cell Destruction and the Age at Onset of Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from a T cell–mediated destruction of pancreatic β-cells following the infiltration of leukocytes (including CD8⁺, CD4⁺, and CD20⁺ cells) into and around pancreatic islets (insulitis). Recently, we reported that two distinct patterns of insulitis occur in patients with recent-onset T1D from the U.K. and that these differ principally in the proportion of infiltrating CD20⁺ B cells (designated CD20Hi and CD20Lo, respectively). We have now extended this analysis to include patients from the Network for Pancreatic Organ Donors with Diabetes (U.S.) and Diabetes Virus Detection (DiViD) study (Norway) cohorts and confirm that the two profiles of insulitis occur more widely. Moreover, we show that patients can be directly stratified according to their insulitic profile and that those receiving a diagnosis before the age of 7 years always display the CD20Hi profile. By contrast, individuals who received a diagnosis beyond the age of 13 years are uniformly defined as CD20Lo. This implies that the two forms of insulitis are differentially aggressive and that patients with a CD20Hi profile lose their β-cells at a more rapid rate. In support of this, we also find that the proportion of residual insulin-containing islets (ICIs) increases in parallel with age at the onset of T1D. Importantly, those receiving a diagnosis in, or beyond, their teenage years retain ~40% ICIs at diagnosis, implying that a functional deficit rather than an absolute β-cell loss may be causal for disease onset in these patients. We conclude that appropriate patient stratification will be critical for correct interpretation of the outcomes of intervention therapies targeted to islet-infiltrating immune cells in T1D.

Source Diabetes Pathophysiology http://ift.tt/1XLmK35

Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease in Type 1 Diabetes

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are well-established in type 2 but not type 1 diabetes (T1DM). We assessed risk factors in the long-term (mean 27 years) follow-up of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) cohort with T1DM. Cox proportional hazards multivariate models assessed the association of traditional and novel risk factors, including HbA_1c, with major atherosclerotic cardiovascular events (MACE) (fatal or nonfatal myocardial infarction [MI] or stroke) and any-CVD (MACE plus confirmed angina, silent MI, revascularization, or congestive heart failure). Age and mean HbA_1c were strongly associated with any-CVD and with MACE. For each percentage point increase in mean HbA_1c, the risk for any-CVD and for MACE increased by 31 and 42%, respectively. CVD and MACE were associated with seven other conventional factors, such as blood pressure, lipids, and lack of ACE inhibitor use, but not with sex. The areas under the receiver operating characteristics curves for the association of age and HbA_1c, taken together with any-CVD and for MACE, were 0.70 and 0.77, respectively, and for the final models, including all significant risk factors, were 0.75 and 0.82. Although many conventional CVD risk factors apply in T1DM, hyperglycemia is an important risk factor second only to age.

Source Diabetes Pathophysiology http://ift.tt/23Mu4Tg

Combined Insulin Deficiency and Endotoxin Exposure Stimulate Lipid Mobilization and Alter Adipose Tissue Signaling in an Experimental Model of Ketoacidosis in Subjects With Type 1 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial

Most often, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in adults results from insufficient insulin administration and acute infection. DKA is assumed to release proinflammatory cytokines and stress hormones that stimulate lipolysis and ketogenesis. We tested whether this perception of DKA can be reproduced in an experimental human model by using combined insulin deficiency and acute inflammation and tested which intracellular mediators of lipolysis are affected in adipose tissue. Nine subjects with type 1 diabetes were studied twice: 1) insulin-controlled euglycemia and 2) insulin deprivation and endotoxin administration (KET). During KET, serum tumor necrosis factor-α, cortisol, glucagon, and growth hormone levels increased, and free fatty acids and 3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations and the rate of lipolysis rose markedly. Serum bicarbonate and pH decreased. Adipose tissue mRNA contents of comparative gene identification-58 (CGI-58) increased and G₀/G₁ switch 2 gene (G0S2) mRNA decreased robustly. Neither protein levels of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) nor phosphorylations of hormone-sensitive lipase were altered. The clinical picture of incipient DKA in adults can be reproduced by combined insulin deficiency and endotoxin-induced acute inflammation. The precipitating steps involve the release of proinflammatory cytokines and stress hormones, increased lipolysis, and decreased G0S2 and increased CGI-58 mRNA contents in adipose tissue, compatible with latent ATGL stimulation.

Source Diabetes Pathophysiology http://ift.tt/1XLmK2X

Metformin Safer for Heart Than Other Common Type 2 Diabetes Drugs: Study

Title: Metformin Safer for Heart Than Other Common Type 2 Diabetes Drugs: Study
Category: Health News
Created: 4/18/2016 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 4/19/2016 12:00:00 AM

Source MedicineNet Diabetes General http://ift.tt/1MHb4xL

Eating Healthy with Diabetes Jewel Grocery Tours

As a dietitian, certified diabetes educator, and person with diabetes (PWD) for almost 50 years, I have found that healthy eating is a vital part of my diabetes management. It is also important to have a local grocery store to obtain the healthiest foods available and a pharmacy for medications and diabetes supplies. Over the last 30 years I have been a customer at the Jewel/Osco store in Mount Prospect, Illinois. I have always found this store has a variety of healthy food choices. It also has sugar-free items making diabetes management easier. On March 9, 2016, I covered the free, “Eating Healthy with Diabetes” grocery tour at my local Jewel. The tour was lead by the Jewel Dietitian, Samantha Wolfe and the Jewel Wellness Pharmacist, Emily Nuter. The team approach of dietitian and pharmacist was especially useful. The Jewel/Osco has a large section near the pharmacy for classes with a table for speakers and participants. We had eight participants so we could speak, ask questions, and share experiences. During our class the dietitian covered food label reading to determine carbohydrate contents in foods to allow balance with medications. The store tour took 90 minutes with the dietitian covering all [...]

Source Diabetic recipes, free diabetes magazine & more! http://ift.tt/1WAIYGz