The Story of Insulin
If you weren't able to watch last night's episode of dLifeTV, you missed a good one. In a special documentary presentation, dLifeTV traced the evolution of the most important advancement in diabetes treatment to date - the discovery of insulin. Watch it online now.
Comments (7) | Digg This! | Send to Newsvine | Add to del.icio.us
Kris Freeman dLife Exclusive
dLife correspondent Janis Roszler recently had a chance to speak with U.S. Olympic cross-country skier Chris Freeman live in Torino. Hear the podcast and see streaming video of Chris now.
Comments (1) | Digg This! | Send to Newsvine | Add to del.icio.us
Funny Stuff
Diabetes isn't fun and games, but let's face it -- sometimes you just have to laugh. And studies have shown that laughter may actually be good for diabetes control.
So in that spirit, here are a few of our favorite funny spots that deal with the lighter side of diabetes:
- From the best twenty-something Aussie site around, Reality Check, we get Lambo's weekly top 7 list (don't miss "Top 7 Dumb Things Said While Having a Hypo").
- Award-winning CDE and author Theresa Garnero, who is also a dLife columnist, is a gifted cartoonist. Check out her diabetes cartoons.
- For a little poetic fun, read "Dr. Seuss's Fun with Diabetes" by the always insightful and inspired Amy Tenderich of Diabetes Mine. (Amy also authors "Straight Up With Amy" here at dLife.com.)
- From Diabetes Monitor, a little tongue-in-cheek humor that debuted on April Fool's Day a few years back: "Managed Care Finds Cure for Diabetes."
Have a favorite diabetes site that makes you smile or a story of your own to share? Let's hear your comments!
Comments (2) | Digg This! | Send to Newsvine | Add to del.icio.us
Hospitals No Place for Sick People?
S.N. has had type 1 diabetes for 46 years, since the age of two, and she manages her diabetes carefully with good results. Yet during a recent hospitalization in a facility that is known worldwide for its cutting-edge medical care, she found that attitudes towards inpatient diabetes management leave a lot to be desired. She writes:
"The protocol was to test blood sugars every four hours or so and make adjustments. While not a bad idea, it never allowed for meals. If a meal came and your blood sugars were 120 they would not allow for the meal. I kept asking and asking for insulin. Finally I just ate the meal to prove my point. Later, when it was testing time and the sugars were 400, instead of seeing that I was right, I would get comments like "you sure are brittle." So from then on whenever food was placed in front of me I took my own insulin to compensate for the carbs. I can look at any plate of food and know exactly how much insulin to take. Later, with comments like "see how good your sugars are," I confessed to taking my life in my own hands. I was severely scolded for having a "stash" of insulin as though it was a narcotic or something...I feel that not matter how hard I try, the medical system doesn't try for me..."
Unfortunately, S.N.'s experience is not an isolated one. Despite the evidence that controlling high blood sugars in hospitalized patients with and without diabetes saves lives and shortens hospital stays, patients often have to push their inpatient care providers for aggressive blood glucose management.
The good news is that several major healthcare organizations have now brought the issue into the spotlight. Last month, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) jointly issued a new position statement recommending more aggressive management of diabetes for hospitalized patients. The guidelines suggest an upper limit of 110 mg/dl for patients in ICU, and a preprandial (fasting) upper limit of 110 mg/dl for patients in non-critical-care units (the recommended postprandial, or after meal, upper limit for non-critical-care patients is 180 mg/dl).
RELATED: Avoiding Hospital Jeopardy
Comments (3) | Digg This! | Send to Newsvine | Add to del.icio.us
Tonight on dLifeTV
dLife looks at communities at risk for type 2 diabetes. Dr. Julian Naylor of the Alaska Area Diabetes Program talks about the rise of ‘diabesity’ in Native Americans, and dLife visits the Arizona reservation of one Pima Indian tribe. Plus, overweight kids and diabetes – how you can help. Tune in tonight at 7PM ET, 4PM PT.
Comments (0) | Digg This! | Send to Newsvine | Add to del.icio.us
Making Valentine's Day Special
Looking for ways to celebrate Valentine's Day with the special people in your life? dLife has sweet gift and date ideas that will make them smile without raising their blood sugar.
Comments (0) | Digg This! | Send to Newsvine | Add to del.icio.us
Inhaled Insulin Exclusives
The media has been abuzz this week with the story of Exubera inhaled insulin. But will it make a difference in your diabetes life? Get past the hype with our comprehensive coverage of inhaled insulin.
Comments (3) | Digg This! | Send to Newsvine | Add to del.icio.us