Constipation - A side effect of Metformin?

It’s almost a week now that I have had some very troubling and frustrating experience of being constipated. I was wondering what was causing it. Was it a side effect of my diabetes medication? Right now I am taking in an oral pill called Metformin, besides the insulin that I give myself a shot once a day. Or does it have something to do with my diet and the food that I eat? Besides my regular medications, I am also taking in some natural vitamins and pills.

I was reading lately an article from the internet about the causes of constipation. From the ‘Digestive Diseases’ home site, it listed down the following common causes of constipation:

* not enough fiber in the diet
* lack of physical activity (especially in the elderly)
* medications
* milk
* irritable bowel syndrome
* changes in life or routine such as pregnancy, aging, and travel
* abuse of laxatives
* ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement
* dehydration
* specific diseases or conditions, such as stroke (most common)
* problems with the colon and rectum
* problems with intestinal function (chronic idiopathic constipation)

There are also diseases that cause constipation which include neurological disorders, metabolic and endocrine disorders, and systemic conditions that affect organ systems. Under metabolic and endocrine conditions, it mentions about ‘diabetes’ illness.

From my reading I have concluded that my having this problem of constipation has something to do, or is related with my sickness. Also, it has something to do with my food and diet. Since I started my diet and changed my way of eating, maybe I was not taking in enough fibers as I have to. To supplement my fiber intake, I am taking in Metamucil (3 times a day).

As far as my suspicion that Metformin maybe causing this problem, I have read two opposing opinions about this. One writer said that Metformin does not cause constipation but it can cause diarrhea instead. Another person said that constipation can be one of the side effects of Metformin. He mentioned other side effects as well. Now I am not sure whom to believe in. I think I need to consult my doctor about this.

A lot of people had advised me to eat a lot of fruits and drink a lot of water, and to exercise. I have been trying to do just that since I was diagnosed more than a month ago today.

I am getting a sense that my trial seems to be unending. But what else can I do? I just have to face whatever may come.

Researches being currently undertaken for the cure of diabetes

The "Diabetes Monitor Website" is quite an elaborate website where you can find all possible issues related to this chronic disease, diabetes, including current studies, findings and new researches being undertaken to find a cure for this illness.

I have copied below the whole article in a summarized form all these current studies and researches being undertaken relating to this battle against Diabetes.

Researches

There are lots of ideas being investigated to help people with diabetes. The concepts discussed below are based on solid information sometimes, and/or on speculation, and/or semi-reliable rumor.
Some of the research possibilities that might come to fruition (sooner or later) include:

•New tests for insulin resistance: "The Diatest has been utilized in several clinical trials in Canada, 3 of which are completed and have been submitted for publication in peer reviewed journals to complement the study published in Diabetes Care in February 2004. In brief we have investigated the relationship between insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction, insulin resistance in school children aged 7-18 and correlations with BMI/BP etc." (e-mail from Isodiagnostika inc.) [Added 22Sep2005].

•Better lancing devices: A press release October 26, 2004, from Pelikan Technologies describes a lancing device that would be "the first fully-automated, electronically-controlled, self-contained system that allows a patient to execute the entire lancing process at the touch of a button. Lancing, an often painful act of piercing the skin in order to obtain a sample of blood for glucose measurement, is required multiple times each day for millions of people with diabetes. Pelikan’s innovative technology significantly reduces that pain and allows people with diabetes to more easily obtain a blood sample." This product is expected to be launched in the spring of 2005.

•Insulin patches: There's a very interesting webpage about this topic on the Internet: it's posted by an Israeli teenager, David Rubinstein: "My name is david and i'm 15 years old and 4 years Juvenile diabetic. This system was invented by my father who have many international patents in the drug delivery systems field and who dedicated all his time as well as his staff time to the development of this system. Today the final development of this patented system had some financial problems and I hope my father will find the way to overcome them. After overcoming this problem, the patch can be available in 2 more years..."
See New Insulin Skin Patch, Purchase puts U of S spin-off company in world leagues , and University of Saskatchewan Spin-Off Set to Become the Site of World Class Drug Delivery Research Centre for recent information about one company's proposed product.

•Pills for Type 1 diabetes: Acarbose (Precose™) might help a bit in theory, but it turns out that it really doesn't do much; insulin's still needed, of course. (Acarbose has been approved by the U.S. FDA for use in Type 2 patients.) Also, see New Drugs for more speculation about oral insulin therapy.

•Buccal (cheek) delivery of insulin: On May 11, 2005, Generex released a a press release that indicates "Oral-lyn™ has been approved for commercial marketing and sale by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Public Health for the treatment of both Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes." But it also adds that "The Company expects to be in a position to commence Phase III clinical trials of Oral-lyn™ in Europe and Canada later this year. " And a reply to an e-mail enquiry indicates that Phase III trial are not in the company's immediate plans. So, one country with a small market and minimal regulatory review of the products' efficacy and safety, but the company still must conduct the large, expensive trials that will allow regulatory approval in the US, Europe, and elsewhere. A press release dated July 14, 1998, from a Canadian company, Generex, discusses "the Company's oral insulin formulation," Oralin, but closer reading indicates it uses a "Metered Dosage Aerosol Applicator". See a more recent webpage about Oralin (http://www.generex.com/nav-noflash/04_oralin_frame.html) from Generex, which states in part: "Oralin is Generex's proprietary insulin formulation, specially engineered to be administered in a convenient new way. The Oralin formulation is delivered directly into the mouth via our RapidMist device, where it's rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream through the buccal mucosa. Oralin is designed to be used in the treatment of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. People with diabetes can continue to self-administer the insulin doses they need to manage their blood glucose levels - but without needles and without pain." [Updated 12May2005].

•Islet cell transplants: They work to control the blood sugar, and many research centers are working on making them even easier, but many people think the anti-rejection medications are worse than having diabetes! (Of course, pancreas partial transplants have been available for several years. They suffer from the same drawback as mentioned for islet cell transplants: the problem of rejection of the transplanted pancreatic tissue.)

•Minimally-invasive blood sugar testing: MiniMed has submitted FDA Notification on a Continuous Glucose Sensor For Diabetes: "MiniMed's sensor is designed to be inserted into the subcutaneous tissue, usually in the abdominal area, utilizing a soft cannula type device. The physician diagnostic device is to be worn by a patient for three days to gather and store continuous glucose readings that can then be downloaded to a personal computer for analysis. The hypoglycemia alert alarms when the patient's glucose level drops below the limit established by the administering physician. These devices measure glucose levels every 10 seconds and record averages over five minute intervals. After obtaining additional clinical experience with its initial products, MiniMed anticipates filing for FDA clearance for a third system for consumer monitoring which would be designed to replace traditional glucose meters and strips."
(There was a press release in 1995 discussing this idea; it's available on the internet at KU Researcher Reports on Promising Diabetes Monitor: "LAWRENCE - A promising device for continuously monitoring blood-sugar levels in patients with type I insulin-dependent diabetes was reported Wednesday, Dec. 20, by George Wilson, a University of Kansas researcher. The system could significantly improve the way patients with this form of diabetes monitor their blood-sugar levels and thus reduce the risk of diabetic complications such as retinopathy and kidney failure. Wilson reported on the device at the 1995 International Chemical Congress of the Pacific Basin Societies in Honolulu. In an interview before the meeting, he cautioned that it would be three to five years before the device would be available to the general public. Wilson is Takeru Higuchi distinguished professor of chemistry and pharmaceutical chemistry at KU. The system, developed by Wilson and KU co-workers, centers around a glucose-sensor implant that would continuously monitor blood-sugar levels in diabetics. An alarm warns users of hypoglycemia, a condition when sugar in the blood drops to unsafe levels. So far, the sensor system has proved safe and effective in extensive rat tests at KU and in animal and limited human trials at the Hotel-Dieu Hospital in Paris under the direction of research collaborator Dr. Gérard Reach.")
I expect MiniMed's device will be approved by the FDA soon. (Update: And it was; see The Continuous Glucose Monitoring System).

•Bloodless blood sugar meters (This section updated 13 April 2001)
One model, the Diasensor 1000, was presented to the FDA but approval was delayed (in February, 1996). It apparently was planned be available in some non-US countries. In a press release on July 6, 1998, Biocontrol announced that it was preparing to ship the Diasensor 1000 noninvasive glucose sensor to the United Kingdom. On July 2, a related press release said its product received the Conformite Europeenne (CE) Mark approval. At that time, Biocontrol said it plans to resubmit its application to the Food and Drug Administration for approval to market the device in the U.S., and announced its plans to sell the device in the Middle East and elsewhere.
As of April, 2001, a personal communication to the editor of this website from a type 1 patient in Europe indicated that the writer lived in Europe, and has tried to obtain this device there: "Personally I tried for 3 years to buy a Diasensor from BICO. I also tried to buy it from their European distributor (claiming to sell them!)... It was however always a dead end! Their US-operations explained to clients that they did not yet sell it in the US, and it was a shame that you were not located in Europe, because there they sold it already (when I explained that was very lucky, because I am based in Europe, the phone went dead.) When contacting their European office, the story was reversed. They did no longer sell their Diasensor1000 (which I also earlier tried to buy from both of their sales offices) since they only wanted to give their customers the best, and they had just launched their updated Diasensor2000 on the US-market. When contacting their US office with this reference, they said they were out of stock. When contacting any of the references they mentioned regarding trial/study activities on hospitals, everything ended up in blind alleys..."
Additionally, there is a recent news article on the Internet that discusses the financial stability of the company, and states in part that "...The Diasensor is a divining rod of sorts for diabetics. Bico promised its 40-pound contraption would conjure a bloodless blood sugar reading, sparing them painful finger pricks. Bico was so confident of the technology that in the early '90s it forecast Diasensor sales of $275 million by 1997. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration twice rejected the Diasensor. European regulators, while sparing their subjects the horrors of hormone-treated beef, have said it's OK for them to buy a Diasensor. Bico said it sold about 10 machines for $427,603 in 1998, but sales fell to $47,500 in 1999 and there were no buyers last year.." (Heard off the Street You can't make this stuff up about Bico, Monday, March 19, 2001 by Len Boselovic, Post-Gazette Staff Writer).
The company presently states on their website (www.diasensor.com) that "The current design of the Diasensor, which is not yet approved for marketing in the United States by the FDA, incorporates a modem that allows diabetics to transmit glucose readings via the Internet. This permits both a central monitoring department and the diabetic's own physician to monitor glucose levels and assist in glucose control. At this time, the company is working with Joslin Diabetes Center, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School and an international leader in diabetes treatment, to conduct FDA-approved clinical trials on the Diasensor in the U.S."
See Non-invasive Blood Glucose Meters at Children with Diabetes, and The Waiting Game: The day has yet to dawn on pain-free blood glucose tests. But it's coming, in the June 1998 issue of Diabetes Forecast, for more information about non-invasive and minimally-invasive glucose testing.

•Inhaled insulin, by aerosol delivery device: For additional information, see Inhaled Insulin for updated information.
Two abstracts* (which appear to have been written by the same person!) were presented on June 16, 1998 at the of the 58th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association. The first was entitled "Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus With Inhaled Human Insulin: A 3-Month, Multicenter Trial" It was by William T. Cefalu, et al. In it, the authors comment:
"...INH [inhaled insulin] was very well tolerated... Satisfaction questionnaire results favored INH, and 92% of INH patients opted for 1-yr extension of INH therapy. We conclude that anI [insulin] regimen using INH represents a well tolerated and comparably effective alternative to a conventional regimen using regular SC I [subcutaneous injections of insulin] in management of NIDDM, and that INH is liked by patients."
The second abstract, also presented on June 16, was entitled "Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus With Inhaled Human Insulin: A 3-Month, Multicenter Trial." Its lead author was Jay S. Skyler. The abstract states:
"A new dry powder I formulation and aerosol delivery device permits reproducible pulmonary delivery of rapid-acting I in therapeutic amounts with 1-2 inhalations per dose. To compare the safety and efficacy of a regimen using this inhaled I (INH) vs. a conventional injection regimen (SC), 70 patients with type 1 diabetes (IDDM) from 10 study sites were randomized, after a 1-mo run-in period, to either INH or SC (n=35 ea) treatment for 3 mo. SC continued their pre-study I regimen (2-3 injections/day), while INH received pre-meal INH plus a bedtime Ultralente I injection... INH was very well tolerated... Satisfaction questionnaire results favored INH, and 80% of INH patients opted for 1-yr extension of INH therapy. We conclude that an I regimen using INH offers a well tolerated and comparably effective alternative to a conventional regimen using regular SC I in management of IDDM, and that INH is liked by patients."
* The information presented in "abstract form," as these brief medical papers are called, is often somewhat sketchy, and less scientifically critiqued, compared to reports that are published as scientific articles in medical journals. The process of publication of a paper as a scientific article is subject to thevery time-consuming process of being thoroughly peer-reviewed, and can take months or years. Thus, abstracts are a way to present new information rapidly. The information presented in abstract form is usually considered as being probably valid; frequently, publication of the same information occurs in expanded, peer-reviewed form a few months or years later.
In an article in the Kansas City Star on June 17, by Thomas H Maugh II of the Los Angeles Times, he indicates that "the new system [was] developed by Inhaled [sic] Therapeutic Systems of San Carlos, California" (see below). Mr. Maugh also states "people intrested in participating in the study can volunteer by calling (800) 438-1985 (which is Pfizer Medical Information, and is answered between 8:45 AM and 5 PM, Monday - Friday, Eastern Time). (Information added to the Diabetes Monitor on June 17, 1998).
There's a recent announcement (1997) from Inhale Therapeutic Systems that "Pfizer announces at Analyst Meeting that pulmonary insulin is providing virtually identical control to subcutaneous injection in three-month trials with Type I and Type II diabetics." According to ITS, Pfizer and ITS are in Phase II trials of using inhaled insulin. (as of January, 1998). (It appears that the two trials announced above are those mentioned in this earlier press release. June 17, 1998)

•Inhaled insulin, by nasal spray:
It's been tried, but half the patients didn't want to stay on it during a three-month study that was published a few years ago.
Another company is trying again: in an October, 2004 press release, Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. discussed an exploratory Phase I study to examine Bentley’s intranasal insulin formulation; it demonstrated rapid onset of action and appropriate duration of action for potential use, but there's little information on how well it was tolerated (except a very broad statement that it was "generally well tolerated").

•Protected insertion of living islands of Langerhans tissue: Islet Sheet Medical is working on a "thin sheet bio-artificial pancreas containing islets of Langerhans for treatment of insulin-requiring diabetes... Like other bio-artificial devices, ISM's bio-artificial pancreas is a hybrid of living cells (insulin-producing islets of Langerhans) and a polymer matrix coating that protects the living cells. It responds to changes in blood sugar by secreting hormones just like the native pancreas. It will normalize blood sugars using normal physiology and will eliminate the vascular complications of diabetes. Life expectancy for diabetics so treated will increase to nearly that of nondiabetics and the cost of health care of treated diabetics will decrease..." That's a lot of hype for a product that hasn't yet been tried in humans, but the concept is certainly intriguing. (May 29, 1998.)


(Source: http://www.diabetesmonitor.com/research.htm)

New Pill For Type 2 Diabetes Treatment

A new pill is currently being used and marketedin the UK to help lower down A1C level..and it seemed to be working, according to the findings.

Please read the whole article below.

New Pill For Type 2 Diabetes Enhances Patients' Natural Body Process To Improve Blood Sugar
Vildaglip

Article Date: 24 Apr 2008 - 3:00 PDT

Vildagliptin, a new oral treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes is now available in the UK. Vildagliptin demonstrated additional reductions in HbA1c of 1.1% versus placebo when added to metformin1. In metformin treated patients with a baseline HbA1c over 9% the addition of Vildagliptin reduced HbA1c by an additional 1.5%2.

As reported in the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) which assessed conventional antidiabetic therapies, every 1% reduction in HbA1c is important as it reduces the risk of diabetes related death by 21%, heart attack by 14% and microvascular complications by 37%3. One in 3 patients on metformin monotherapy continue to have uncontrolled diabetes (>7.5% HbA1c)4.

Weight gain is a common side effect of traditional add-on type 2 diabetes therapies5,6,7. Unlike thiazolidinediones (glitazones) and sulphonylureas, Vildagliptin in combination with metformin has a neutral effect on mean body weight in clinical trials and, in contrast to sulphonylureas, is associated with a low incidence of hypoglycaemia1,5,6,8,9. In addition, when added to metformin in clinical studies, Vildagliptin has an overall gastrointestinal side effect profile that is comparable to placebo1,9.

"Around 80% of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight and it is a real concern that the treatments they need to take to control their blood sugar can lead to added weight gain or other harmful side effects" said Dr Eugene Hughes, GP, Isle of Wight. "As an effective treatment without weight gain when used in combination with metformin in clinical trials, Vildagliptin offered a potential solution to this very real problem."

Vildagliptin targets islet cell dysfunction, helping to restore the body's natural ability to increase insulin and decrease glucagon - the two main hormones controlling blood sugar levels10. Vildagliptin has a glucose sensitive mode of action; when blood glucose levels rise, Vildagliptin enhances the appropriate production of insulin by the pancreatic beta cells and decreases inappropriate production of glucagon by pancreatic alpha cells, resulting in improved glycaemic control11,12. Most other classes of type 2 diabetes medicines work by targeting either insulin resistance or stimulating insulin secretion11-13.

Vildagliptin is the only DPP-4 (dipeptidyl-peptidase IV) inhibitor available both alone and in a combination tablet with metformin. Used together, Vildagliptin and metformin address the two major causes of type 2 diabetes - islet dysfunction and insulin resistance10,13.

Dr Marc Evans, Consultant Diabetologist, Llandough Hospital, Cardiff, highlights the importance of this advance: "Vildagliptin helps the body respond appropriately to blood glucose levels. It offers a promising treatment for the significant proportion of patients whose blood sugar levels are above target levels and are therefore at risk of microvascular and macrovascular complications"

About Vildagliptin

Vildagliptin has been studied extensively in over 10,000 patients worldwide across diverse patient populations including patients of different ethnicity and varying age groups.

Vildagliptin is expected to be prescribed mainly for:

· dual oral therapy in combination with metformin, in patients with insufficient glycaemic control despite on maximal tolerated dose of monotherapy with metformin9But also has a license for use in9:

· dual oral therapy in combination with a sulphonylurea, where patients with insufficient glycaemic control despite maximal tolerated dose of a sulphonylurea and for whom metformin is inappropriate due to contraindications or intolerance· dual oral therapy with a glitazone in patients with insufficient glycaemic control and for whom the use of a glitazone is appropriate

Vildagliptin is marketed in the UK by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd.


(Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105194.php)

All-Natural Citrus Supplement To Help Lower Blood Glucose And Cholesterol Levels

One of those currently being studied to lower down blood glucose and cholesterol levels is the use of all-natural citrus supplements. Here below is their finding. Please read for your info and further research.

People With Diabetes May Have All-Natural Citrus Supplement To Help Lower Blood Glucose And Cholesterol
/
Article Date: 10 Apr 2008 - 0:00 PDT

Two new studies presented at the Experimental Biology Annual Meeting suggest that an all-natural dietary supplement made from citrus may help people with type 2 diabetes lower their blood glucose numbers after a meal and their LDL-cholesterol levels.

Mal Evans, DVM, MSc, PhD, KGK Synergize Inc.'s Scientific Director, said, "Our scientifically validated testing has consistently shown that Diabetinol(TM) improves blood glucose numbers. This time we saw a sizeable change in glucose intolerance in just a short time. This is good news for many of the 21 million Americans with diabetes. Tighter blood sugar control may mean less diabetic complications like nerve pain and kidney disease. And, that could mean less disability and expense from complications and associated medications and certainly less stress for the patient."

Although there were no statistically significant changes in fasting blood glucose levels in either group, the Diabetinol(TM)-treated subjects demonstrated an excellent favorable downward trend in their hemoglobin A1C levels. These results suggest that when administered to people with type 2 diabetes over a longer treatment period, Diabetinol(TM) significantly improves glucose tolerance or the blood glucose numbers following a meal."

Additionally, the Diabetinol(TM)-treated group showed improvements in LDL-cholesterol levels. An elevated LDL-cholesterol level is a risk factor for heart disease, and having type 2 diabetes increases an individual's risk for developing heart disease two to four times. In fact, sixty-five percent of deaths from diabetes are related to cardiovascular causes such as heart attack and stroke," said Evans.

Hemoglobin A1C is an indicator of average blood glucose control over two to three months and is correlated to an individual's risk of developing diabetic complications such as diseases of the eye, kidney and nerves.

In a pilot study, twenty adults with diabetes who were taking oral diabetes medications were randomly assigned to receive either Diabetinol(TM) or a placebo twice per day for three months. Each subject had mildly to moderately elevated cholesterol levels at the start of the study as well.

After 84 days, the group receiving Diabetinol(TM) showed a significant 19 percent reduction in glucose intolerance measured as peak changes in blood glucose over the four hours of a standard oral glucose challenge. The placebo group showed no significant improvements in glucose intolerance. A standard glucose challenge involves ingesting 100 grams of glucose and having blood glucose measurements after 30 minutes and hourly for four hours. Neither the investigators nor the volunteers knew who was receiving the Diabetinol(TM) or the placebo.

The number of Americans with diabetes has been increasing as obesity rates continue to rise. At least 90% of Americans with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, the body either produces too little insulin or the cells do not respond properly to the insulin and leave the cells starved for energy while raising the blood glucose level.

Earlier animal studies led researchers to test Diabetinol(TM) in humans. Twelve hamsters were treated with a special high-fructose diet to induce diabetes-like symptoms including increased blood glucose, insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Half of the animals were then given Diabetinol(TM) for 42 days. The other six hamsters were given no anti-diabetic treatment. At the end of the study, the Diabetinol(TM)-treated animals showed improvements in each blood glucose, insulin, and cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Taken together, these studies suggest that Diabetinol(TM) may help lower blood glucose levels and be beneficial in lowering the risks of heart disease and diabetic complications in people with type 2 diabetes.

An additional six-month study is underway to evaluate Diabetinol(TM) treatment in a larger sample of people with type 2 diabetes.


(Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/103436.php)

A Door Closes, Another Door Opens Up

Today I went bike riding in the park. I have not ridden my new bike in a long time. I haven’t been walking in the last few days as well because I always excused myself of being busy. This time I decided to go and went. Initially, for the last month, I have been exercising quite very religiously. But, for the last few days, I found myself making excuses all the time. That’s what happens sometimes. At times we are so eager to start up with something, then after a while our enthusiasm just fades away like a mist. I really have to make a commitment to exercise. This is a key for losing weight. Right now I need to lose another ten pounds so I could be in a better shape. But this involves dieting and exercise. I hope I will have the will to pursue this regimen regularly.

When I was bike riding in the park this morning, it just dawned on me of how fortunate I was in some way because I had some time to enjoy myself and had some fun. I was talking with myself that if I was not stricken with this disease, maybe I would not have had the opportunity to go to the park and enjoy the beauty of nature, to hear the chirping of birds in the surrounding, to see the beautiful white flowers starting to grow in the meadows. While bike riding around the park, I stopped at some spots and just sat down and closed my eyes for a moment – trying to feel the soft ‘kiss’ of the wind on my face, and just silently listening on the murmurs from my own heart. I told myself, when was the last time I had the opportunity to commune with myself and to enjoy the presence of God in the beauty of nature? Do we ever have time to enjoy ourselves, relax a bit, and appreciate God’s wonderful creation? Many of us go through life with a rush, and often we do not have time to sit down, relax, and enjoy our life and everything around us. Our life is often on the go, always trying to catch up with something. So we are stressed up all the time. At the end of the day, we feel so tired and exhausted. The next day, the same routine and cycle happen all over again. When will we ever enjoy ourselves? This was the question that I asked myself at that moment. On my part, I want to live life to the fullest, and enjoy every moment I have in this life. For me, every moment now is important. From here on, I do not want to take things for granted. I do not want to lose any opportunity that I have for grace. Now I am able to see that even the most insignificant things in life can have an important meaning for us. But I think such a realization was only perceived after I have been stricken with this sickness. So, in some way, after “a door closes up” in my life, a new door and opportunities open up in another way. As I said previously, being stricken with this sickness was not too bad after all. This can also be a blessing in disguise. You know I am always a positive person. I want to discern more at the positive aspects of life, more than its negative elements. And I think, because of my positive attitude, this has kept me going and spurred me on to face my own trials and challenges. Does not psychology speak so much about having positive attitude in life? In every trial or challenges that we face in life, we need and must have a good attitude in order to overcome our hurdles. If, from the beginning of our struggles, we already feel beaten down and have surrendered, then we will naturally be defeated as well. In this kind of battle, good attitude and perseverance are important to win our fight. We cannot have a defeatist attitude, nor can we be complacent or condescending.

I must have spent an hour bike riding around the park. It was a bit tiring and exhausting, but I felt so good about myself afterwards. The sun was brightly shining. The weather was wonderful. And I haven’t felt so much at peace and contented for a while except today. I looked at my watch and it was almost 1 pm in the afternoon, and I haven’t had my lunch yet. As I was heading home, I decided to go back again tomorrow to continue my exercise regimen. I just have to really commit myself for it.

SRT501 Lowers Glucose in Twice-Daily Dosing Clinical Trial

I was browsing the internet this morning when I read this recent news about a clinical trial being conducted by Sirtris Pharmaceutical about a drug called SRT501 which, when administered twice daily to type 2 diabetic patients, found that the patient's group receiving 2.5 grams twice a day had significantly lower blood glucose levels(both fasting blood glucose and glucose levels after meals. This is the result of the Phase 1 of their study.

I am posting here the result of their study for your info and further reading.


Sirtris Announces SRT501 Lowers Glucose in Twice-Daily Dosing Clinical Trial; Study Suggests Dose Response for Proprietary Formulation of Resveratrol in Type 2 Diabetics

Clinical Trial Further Demonstrates Efficacy of SIRT1 Activation In Humans
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRT), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing small molecule drugs to treat diseases of aging such as Type 2 Diabetes, today announced positive top-line data from its twice-daily dosing study of SRT501, the company’s proprietary formulation of resveratrol. The Phase 1b clinical trial, which tested either 1.25 or 2.5 grams of SRT501 given twice daily to Type 2 Diabetic patients, found that the patient group receiving 2.5 grams twice a day had significantly lower blood glucose levels as determined through an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at the test’s two-hour time point, as compared with the placebo group.

At 2.5 grams twice daily, the study also found that SRT501 had a statistically significant lowering of both fasting blood glucose and glucose levels after meals, known as the postprandial period, an important timeframe for Type 2 Diabetics who need better control of blood sugar levels after eating. While not at the level of statistical significance, this dose level also showed a strong trend in lowering postprandial insulin levels.

At 1.25 grams given twice daily, SRT501 also showed strong trends. While not at statistical significance, SRT501 at 1.25 grams given twice per day lowered fasting and postprandial glucose, and glucose when challenged with an OGTT at the two-hour time point on day 27 of the trial as compared to the placebo group. The data suggest a dose response.

The company plans to present the full data at the American Diabetes Association annual meeting in June.

“With this study, and the Phase 1b once daily dosing study data that we announced in January of this year, we have now observed a lowering of glucose in Type 2 Diabetic patients in two clinical trials with SRT501,” says Peter Elliott, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Development at Sirtris. “The two Phase 1b clinical trials tested SRT501 at different dosage levels and dose time points. While the primary focus of each study was safety and blood levels of SRT501, by developing the studies as we did, we are also able to see signs of efficacy and dose response.”

“Our clinical trial program with SRT501 further validates our approach in targeting the SIRT1 enzyme for the development of a potential new treatment for Type 2 Diabetes,” says Christoph Westphal, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and Vice Chair of Sirtris. “Today’s Phase 1b announcement is the second time we’ve seen a translation of the positive results from preclinical studies carry over to humans.”

The current multi-center, blinded and randomized Phase 1b study included approximately 100 Type 2 Diabetic patients divided into three groups. The first patient group received 1.25 grams of SRT501 twice daily for a total daily-dose level of 2.5 grams. The second patient group received 2.5 grams twice daily for a total daily-dose level of 5.0 grams. The third group received placebo twice daily.

The study was designed to assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of twice-daily, orally administered dosing of SRT501 at 2.5 and 5.0 total grams. In both patient cohorts receiving SRT501, the drug was found to be safe and well-tolerated, with no evidence of drug accumulation. The study also indicates that suitable pharmacokinetics, a measure of drug levels in the blood, was achieved.

In January of this year, Sirtris announced positive Phase 1b trial results of its once-daily dosing of SRT501 at 2.5 and 5.0 grams. In that study, SRT501 was also found to be safe and well-tolerated and to significantly lower glucose as compared to the placebo group in an OGTT at the two-hour time point as part of the 28 day trial of patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

SRT501 is currently being tested in patients with Type 2 Diabetes in a Phase 2a study in combination with metformin, the current first-line therapy for Type 2 Diabetes. Results from this trial are expected in the second-half of this year.

Sirtris has also identified new chemical entities (NCEs) that are chemically distinct from resveratrol, and in in-vitro tests are up to 1,000 times more potent. In preclinical models of Type 2 Diabetes, Sirtris’ NCEs have lowered glucose and improved sensitivity.


(Source: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080417005169&newsLang=en)

Prayer on Healing

Prayer on Healing

Great God, through Jesus Christ You have revealed Yourself to be a God of the suffering. The Lord Jesus showed us ever so clearly that You are not a Divinity who watches suffering from the safety of some heavenly clime. Rather, You have proven beyond any doubt that You are near to those who suffer.

And someday You will explain to me and all of humankind of every age the “why” and the purpose and the necessity of all suffering. Of every little pain. Of every serious illness. Of every heartrending loss.

Our Lord Jesus Christ caused the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the lame to walk. He cast out evil spirits, giving His own in their place. He forgave sins, giving sinners His grace so that they would sin no more. It was the same Jesus in whom You were well pleased.

This is my assurance that I, too, shall be healed. The time and the place of my healing are hidden from my eyes. That knowledge is part of the mystery of suffering itself.

Until my healing comes, Lord, give me Your grace so that I may accept my suffering. Give me Your strength so that I will not despair. Give me Your love so that my suffering may bring me closer to You, the origin and source of all love. Amen.


Jesus, The Divine Physician

Invocation: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
(Pray Invocation after each petition)

(1) For all the sick and lonely people, that they may experience the healing hands of the Lord Jesus.
(2) For those who are ill among my family and friends, that they be restored to full health: physically, mentally and spiritually.
(3) For the well-being of all who care for the sick: doctors, nurses and caregivers.
(4) For the homebound, the bedridden and those in wheelchairs, who have to rely on others for their needs.
(5) For those who suffer serious diseases, that God’s loving Spirit may radiate within them.
(6) For those with disabling handicaps, that they reach out in faith to touch the hem of the Lord’s garment and know His power.
(7) For those who are physically fit but suffering from mental anguish or depression, that the Lord grant them His peace and give them courage to become whole again.
(8) For legislators, that they will pass laws to provide for research and dignified care for the indigent, the elderly and those with catastrophic illness.
(9) For the grace of God to accept my suffering and that of my beloved ones as a way to draw closer to Him.

Jesus, You are God’s Gift of Healing love. While on earth, You healed the sick who came for help. I believe you continue to heal the sick today. Heal me and those for whom I pray. Amen.


Sacred Scripture Accounts of Jesus Healing in the New Testament

(Before praying to Our Lord, you may want to look up scriptural passages dealing with His healing power. An important message is that it is best to approach Him humbly)

The nobleman’s son – John 4:46

Peter’s Mother-in-law – Matt. 8:14; Mark 1:29; Luke 4:38

The Paralytic – Matt 9:2; Mark 2:1; Luke 5:17

The Paralytic – John 5

The many persons – Matt. 12:15; Mark 3:7

The centurion’s servant – Matt 8:5; Luke 7:1

The woman who touched Jesus’ cloak – Matt 9:18; Mark 5:22; Luke 8:41

The two blind men – Matt. 9:27

The demonic daughter of the Gentile woman – Matt. 15:21; Mark 7:24

The dumb man – Matt. 15:29; Mark 7:31

The ten lepers – Luke 17:11

The blind man – John 9



(Source: Apostolate of the Printed Word; Sacred Heart League, Walls, Mississippi 38686)

From The Eye of a Skeptic

Throughout my life I have encountered a significant number of people who had been sick and suffering from all forms of ailments like cancer, aids, heart and nerve problems, diabetes, blindness, etc., just to name a few. And for those who were afflicted with such or any kind of disease, even in hopeless cases, there was always a great longing for them to be cured and to be healed. Surprising as it may seem for some, but most if not all these people afflicted with these diseases will do anything possible to find a cure for their sickness, even if they had to submit themselves and resort to what we call magical healings, faith healings, and superstitions – if only to satisfy their desires. Yes, the “hurts” of life for which people seek healing are many and varied. We maybe hurting from poor personal health, from family problems, or from injustices inflicted upon us. Some of us maybe experiencing some pain due to broken relationships, or maybe we are in grief and in despair, weary and bruised due to the loss of a loved one. Indeed, our prayers and thoughts are directed to the scourge of human sickness in all its forms. If it’s not physical ailment, it can be emotional, psychological, or even spiritual problems.

Since I have been diagnosed with my illness just more than a month ago today, I have been praying so hard to find a cure for this illness, although I know for a fact that at this time, there is no permanent cure of this illness. But I have not lost hope. I believe in my heart that someday our medical scientists and researchers will find a cure for this illness to end the human tragedy caused by this disease. But as to when will that be, I don’t know.

The other day, Tuesday, the 15th of April, I attended a Faith healing mass conducted by a Filipino priest, Fr. Fernando Suarez, a “faith healer” priest who is becoming world renowned because of his apparent healing gifts. Fr. Suarez conducted this healing mass at St. Mary’s Church in Rahway, New Jersey, where there were about two thousand people or more who attended this healing session. The gymnasium and the Church were packed with people, some with crutches and sitting in wheelchairs. Some were standing outside because there was no place else to stay. I haven’t seen so many people for a while who attended a mass so devoutly and fervently. After the concelebrated solemn mass, Fr. Suarez began his healing session.

At the outset I would like to say it here that I am a person who is not easily taken or convince with such faith healing performances and activities, unless I find any solid basis why I have to believe that such activities are not contrary to reason and faith. Because of this, some of my friends sometimes call me a “doubting Thomas,” or a “skeptic,” whatever that means. So when I was invited by a friend to attend the healing session of Fr. Suarez, I found myself being skeptical. But, for whatever reason, I agreed to go. Now I understand why I went in spite of my skepticism. Because I was such in a desperate need for healing. Right now, I would do anything and submit myself to anything as long as I would be cured from my illness.

What I have observed and experienced in that healing session changed my belief completely. When Fr. Suarez started his healing session, he began by simply touching and praying over the sick people. It was for me reminiscent of how Jesus was touching the sick people as he cured them. At this time, I have witnessed people who were instantly cured of their illnesses. People in wheel chairs got up and started to walk; people who were deaf, now they could hear; people who were blind, now they could see. It was an amazing and emotional experience for me watching these people being cured instantly. Some were crying, some were jumping up with joy, and others were just simply dumbfounded because of their overwhelming experience. I myself was dumbfounded and unable to speak. I thought at first that what I was seeing was not real. I stood there silently for more than two hours just observing and watching what was going on. But I said to myself later, if you read the Scriptures you will find the numerous miracles of Jesus, especially of how he was curing people of their illnesses. If you believe in those miracles performed by Jesus, what I was seeing at that healing session were also miracles being performed through the instrumentality of this unassuming priest, who always claims that Jesus is the healer and not himself. Are miracles do still happen today? Yes indeed. Every time we celebrate the mass, it is our belief that Jesus performs a miracle by changing the bread and wine into becoming his body and blood. Everyday we hear about stories after stories of “miracles” which are happening around us –whether it pertains to physical healing, or healing of broken relationships, or an unexpected triumph over some difficulties, etc. Yes, miracles still do happen. We just have to believe in God that he has the power to heal us. God is the great healer, and he can use anyone as his instrument, even like the person of Fr. Suarez, to bring about healing and wholeness in our tattered bodies and in our broken world.

In our own lives, perhaps we too have experienced times when we needed the healing power of Jesus. Perhaps we had a sick relative, or colleague, or perhaps we had a problem, which we could not find a solution. We naturally tend to pray for complete healing and alleviation of our problems. But when we lose patience, or it is not solved the way we expected it to be, do we end up disappointed and angry?

During these times, it is difficult to acknowledge that God’s will is being done, but perhaps we need to look deeper. Maybe the sick friend, colleague or relative’s suffering was minimized after we offered prayers. Maybe we found an alternative solution that minimized the problem. We must always remember that even through difficult times, God has done something for us.

We have to remember always that Jesus is aware of the host of ailments. In the scripture we read that He cured many but did not abolish sickness altogether. Sickness and suffering, he taught, are part and parcel of human existence. As someone said, sickness can make us bitter or better persons. Pain can lead to despair, anger and sometimes acts of emotional or physical violence. But for some of us it can make us better human beings. It can also deepen our faith in God.

As I sit here thinking about the healing session of Fr. Suarez, it makes me realize more and more how God loves us. That we need to trust him constantly and believe that he can change us and make our bodies whole again. I for one have to dispel my skepticism and doubt and just trust him because I know he can heal me. Jesus once asked the blind man: “What would you like me to do for you?” And the blind man said, “Lord, make me see.” This is also my prayer today. “Lord, make me see your goodness. Heal me from all my infirmities.”

The Art of Being Well

I was browsing the internet and I saw this beautiful message written by Dr. Drauzio Varella and is titled: "The Art of Being Well." I AM POSTING IT HERE FOR YOUR OWN REFLECTION & CONVENIENCE. It is also accompanied with a short slide video(at the side bar).


The Art of Being Well
Dr. Dráuzio Varella

...Speak your feelings.
Emotions and feelings that are hidden, repressed, end in illnesses
as: gastritis, ulcer, lumbar pains, spinal.
With time, the repression of the feelings degenerates to the cancer.
Then, we go to a confidante, to share our intimacy, ours "secret", our errors!
The dialogue, the speech, the word, is a powerful remedy and an excellent therapy!

If you don’t want to be ill...

...Make Decisions.
The undecided person remains in doubt, in anxiety, in anguish.
Indecision accumulates problems, worries and aggressions.
Human history is made of decisions.
To decide is precisely to know to renounce, to know to lose advantages
and values to win others.
The undecided people are victims of gastric ailments, nervous pains
and problems of the skin.

If you don’t want to be ill...

...Don’t Live By Appearances.
Who hides reality, pretends , poses
and always wants to give the impression of being well.
He wants to be seen as perfect, easy-going, etc.
but is accumulating tons of weight.
A bronze statue with feet of clay.
There is nothing worse for the health than to live on appearances and facades.
These are people with a lot of varnish and little root.
Their destiny is the pharmacy, the hospital and pain.

If you don’t want to be ill...

...Accept.
The refusal of acceptance and the absence of self-esteem,
make us alienate ourselves.
Being at one with ourselves is the core of a healthy life.
They who do not accept this, become envious, jealous, imitators, ultra-competitive, destructive.
Be accepted, accept that you are accepted, accept the criticisms.
It is wisdom, good sense and therapy.

If you don’t want to be ill...

...Find Solutions.
Negative people do not find solutions and they enlarge problems.
They prefer lamentation, gossip, pessimism.
It is better to light a match that to regret the darkness.
A bee is small, but produces one of the sweetest things that exist.
We are what we think.
The negative thought generates negative energy that is transformed into illness.

If you don’t want to be ill...

...Trust.
Who does not trust, does not communicate, is not opened, is not related,
does not create deep and stable relations,
does not know to do true friendships.
Without confidence, there is not relationship.
Distrust is a lack of faith in you and in faith itself.

If you don’t want to be ill...

...Do Not Live Life Sad.
Good humor. Laughter. Rest. Happiness.
These replenish health and bring long life.
The happy person has the gift to improve the environment wherever they live.
“Good humor saves us from the hands of the doctor". Happiness is health and therapy.


(Source: http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:Ajr5iUBWGxEJ:www.nmg-tv.eu/TheArtOfIllness_(Rev).pps+The+art+of+being+well+by+dr.+drauzio+varella&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=10&gl=us)

The Food Guide Pyramid

Have you ever heard about the Food Guide Pyramid? According to K. Carol and A. Henry in their book ‘The Everyday Meal Planner For Type 2 Diabetics,” the Food Guide Pyramid was established by the United States Department of Agriculture to provide the general public with a tool to maintain a sound, nutritionally sufficient diet.

According to the said authors, the pyramid emphasizes five food groups and also includes a group for foods that are not nutritionally dense, like sugar. The tip of the pyramid is for the group that should be consumed the least (hence, it is the smallest). There are no specific recommendations for this group, which contains fats, oils and sweets. These items should be consumed sparingly. As you progress down the pyramid, the food groups contain nutrient-dense foods that are recommended in order to fulfill your daily needs for vitamins, minerals and fibers.

On the second level of the pyramid, you will see the milk, yogurt, and cheese group as well as the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group. It is recommended that you consume two or three servings per day from the milk, yogurt, and cheese group, and two to three servings per day from the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group. This will ensure that you receive adequate levels of calcium, protein, zinc, and iron.

On the third level, the vegetable and fruit groups are found. It is recommended that you consume three to five servings from the vegetable group and two to four servings from the fruit group. Finally, the base of the Pyramid recommends the foods that should be consumed the most. This group is the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group, for which six to eleven servings are recommended per day. These groups contain vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber, which is critical to your digestion.

In summary, the following are the amounts of servings per food group per day that you should consume.

1) Fats, oils, and sweets------------------------------------------sparingly
2) Milk, yogurt, and cheese--------------------------------------2-3 servings
3) Meat, poultry,fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts--------------2-3 servings
4) Vegetables------------------------------------------------------3-5 servings
5) Fruits------------------------------------------------------------2-4 servings
6) Bread, cereal, rice, and pasta--------------------------------6-11 servings

The triangles and squares in the tip of the pyramid represent sugar and fat, respectively. You’ll notice that these symbols are also found in various groups, one example is the group at the base of the pyramid. While it is recommended that you consume grains, some are high in both fat and sugar. While a serving of whole grain bread is healthy, a butter croissant—which is refined and full of fat---is not. Again, you should make yourself aware of the various foods and their respective amounts of fat and sugar.

So what constitutes a food serving? Some examples are given here below:

1) Milk, yogurt, and cheese------------1 cup milk, 1 cup yogurt, 1-1 ½ oz cheese
2) Meat, etc.------------------------------3 oz chicken, 1 egg(1 oz), 1 oz nuts
3) Vegetable-----------------------------1/2 cup cooked or raw broccoli
4) Fruit----------------------------------- 1 small to medium apple, ½ cup of fruit salad
5) Bread, etc.---------------------------1 slice bread, ½ cup pasta, ½ bagel

With the glycemic index in mind, we suggest that you choose whole, unrefined foods whenever possible. There is no question that whole grain bread is more nutritious than a muffin or croissant that has been made from refined grains. We should also note that there are several camps that believe in the benefits of restricting carbohydrates, especially for weight loss. It is up to you, in conjunction with your physician or dietitian, to determine what works best for you. Your emphasis should always be on two essential things: keeping you blood sugars in control and maintaining a nutritionally sound program that provides all the essential nutrients.



(Source: Caron, Kristen, L. and Aaron Henry. The Everyday Meal Planner for Type 2 Diabetes. Mc-Graw Hill. New York, 2002)

I am not alone in this Journey

Since I was diagnosed with my illness, and came out in the open, I have met a number of people, some very close acquaintances, who told me that they are also suffering with the same illness. But what surprised me really was the fact that I have been with many of these acquaintances and friends, and yet I had no clue whatsoever that they also had this same illness, and had been suffering very quietly. My heart sank with pain as I listened to some of their stories. Maybe because I am now able to empathize with them, and share with them personally in their sufferings, as I am suffering myself in the same way.

A deacon I met this weekend told me that he had been suffering with this illness for more than ten years already. What is important, he said, is that he checks his sugar regularly, at least three times a day, takes insulin(with four different kinds) four times a day, plus he takes in some added oral pills for diabetes. His story is very inspiring and encouraging. He has such great determination and optimism in spite of his illness. There was also another person I met this weekend, a lady medical doctor, whom I am acquainted with for the last ten years, and yet I never knew that she had been suffering from diabetes. She told me that this illness runs in her family. Both her parents are diabetic, and four of the children are now suffering with the same illness. This lady doctor assured me that everything will be alright, as long as I take care of myself. She said that I just have to comply with my medications, watch my diet, exercise- and everything will go well. I was amazed by the way she is handling her illness. She was so calm and uncomplaining. Another friend whom I knew had diabetes has been very supportive and reassuring to me as well. He was diagnosed with this illness just about two years ago. He explained to me how he lost so much weight in dieting. He watches his diet very strictly and counts the carbs of what he eats daily. Two weeks ago he sent me a lot of good materials about meal planning, dieting and what kind of food I can eat and not eat. All these materials that he gave me have been very helpful. A lady friend of mine whom I met some years ago, and who now works at a national bookstore, just informed me that she had been herself suffering from diabetes too, for the last 27 years. If you see her, you would not find any clue whatsoever that she is also suffering from this illness. She is always smiling and jolly. She knows how to carry herself even in this very difficult situation. Her story about how she was handling herself with this disease throughout these years had been very inspiring too. The other day, a lady friend from the Philippines, who is a nurse, sent me an email and told me that she has been praying for me. But she asked me to pray for her too. A year ago she had been diagnosed with “endometrial cancer,” but what I didn’t know was that she had been suffering from diabetes too , since 2001. But what really moved me was what she wrote in her email. She said, “Please accept my apology because i really forgot to great you on your birthday. … But even if I was not able to greet you we still include you in our prayers and will continuously do it as long as we live. We go to Our Lady of Manaoag when Ramon is here in Manila, especially on my crucial time now with ENDOMETRIAL CANCER. I too never question God why I have this kind of illness. I just cry and pray and have faith in God who gave me life and He is the only who can also take my life . I clearly remember Fr. Soc Villegas told us" We are only created by God, only He who knows How and When we die, so let us prepare ourselves, ready always to enter the kingdom of heaven. With my 2 illness (diabetes and Cancer) i trust everything to God and He will do the rest.” My friend’s ordeal is nothing compared to what I am currently going through. In spite of battling 2 illnesses, diabetes and cancer, her faith and trust in God never wavered. What an inspiration she is. How I wish I could have the same courage and strength to face my own trials. Maybe, some people are just gifted with such great faith. Nothing could ever shake them down – not even the tragedy of cancer, or the suffering of having diabetes, or even the anxiety of impending death. I call these people the “chosen angels” because they know what human suffering really is, and they are not afraid to face it. God bless their strength and souls.

As I sit here today mulling over my sickness and trying to decipher of what to do next, I feel a certain sense of calmness because I realize that I am not alone in this journey, that there are also other people who are traveling with me in this same difficult road. And when you know that you are not alone in your journey, the weight of your burdens becomes lighter.

I pray that all people who are suffering with this illness may not lost faith but continue to trust and abide in God’s love and mercy.

A Surgical Cure for Diabetes

A very interesting and promising news came out yesterday, April 13, 2008, Sunday, published by ABC News titled " A Surgical Cure for Diabetes," a new and experimental surgery which could make type 2 diabetes disappear. Maybe it's worthwhile reading.

I copied here the whole article for your info.

A Surgical Cure for Diabetes?
Doctors Think Cutting Off Part of the Small Intestine May Regulate Blood Sugar
By JUJU CHANG, TRACEY MARX and IMAEYEN IBANGAApril 13, 2008

A new, experimental surgery could make type 2 diabetes disappear in some patients. While doctors have refrained from calling it a cure, some believe a duodenal jejunal bypass may be the first step in finding a surgical solution to the country's diabetic epidemic.

"We have started the ball rolling as far as surgical treatment of diabetes, and I think [it's] going to pick up speed," said Dr. Mahdu Rangraj of Sound Shore Medical Center in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Rangraj and Dr. Leonard Maffucci performed the surgical procedure as a part of a clinical trial on type 2 diabetes patient Rocco Turso.

For more than six years, Turso couldn't go anywhere without a lot of medicine to treat his condition, which included three insulin shots daily and digesting several pills. Still, his condition continued to worsen.

"I could see my vision was getting a little blurry. I saw in my feet that my toenails, some got a little bit yellow," he said. "The diabetes was winning, not me."

Turso fought back by becoming the first man in America to undergo the surgery for diabetes.

As part of the procedure, Rangraj and Maffucci cut off the first foot of Turso's small intestine and then reattached the rest.

The procedure redirects the digestive track in order to prevent food from coming in contact with the first part of the small intestine.

"We're stopping the food from coming in contact with the intestine and that is what seems to work," Rangraj said.

The small intestine is where some hormones that control blood sugar levels are secreted, and Rangraj said the bypass is reversible.

The 62-year-old Turso saw dramatic results almost instantly following his March 17 surgery. The day after his surgery, Turso's blood sugar levels dropped, and since then they have stabilized to normal levels.

Turso said he has more energy than before.

"Having your life back again is really something. To be able to do what you want to do, when want to do it, so that's gonna be a good one, he said.

To date, the Sound Shore surgeons are the only ones in the U.S. offering the surgery, but doctors in India and Mexico also are conducting their own studies, and one Brazil surgeon already has performed 70 surgeries.


(Source: http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/Story?id=4642912&page=1)

I Have No Right To Complain

Henry David Thoreau once wrote: “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” One such person comes to us in the name of Job, a person whom you’ve all heard references to his story in the Old Testament, I am sure.

We enter his story finding Job as a successful businessman, enjoying good health, great wealth, at the peak of happiness, surrounded by a loving family and married to a good wife.

But good fortune is like the wind. Suddenly everything changes. Savage bandits who slaughter his servants, steal his flocks away from him. A dreadful desert storm takes the lives of all of his children. Under terrible stress his health fails and his entire body is covered with sores, the medical consequence of unendurable inner pain, pressure and stress.

In the end his beloved wife tells him to “curse God and die.”

What was the reaction of his friends? “Well, obviously God is punishing him for some horrible secret sins in his life.” We hear the same judgment today when we find people saying, “Well, people with AIDS deserve to have it for the sins they have committed.”

But while most of us have not suffered to the extend that Job did, some of us have experienced similar suffering in some way…never-ending sleepless nights filled with fear, anxiety, guilt, and self-punishment. Some of us may have felt tempted to literally curse God and die. Certainly a number have cursed the Church and died.

And then there are the days that follow those nights…long, long days filled with drudgery, pain and hopelessness, days that appear one after another without end. Some of us may have experienced this, when every moment we see nothing else but those dark days and nights ahead of us.

Then there’s the loss of people whom we love and care for through sudden death, or loss through lingering illness and finally a merciful death. I am not sure which is more painful, the sudden losses or the long, long lingering sickness followed by a final merciful death beyond the point of exhaustion. Living life over the long haul carrying a load of hidden pain and loss that few realize we carry is a daunting challenge to faith. The temptation to curse heaven, blame God, or blow God away, and then die in nothingness is a very real temptation for all too many people.

Finally there was Job’s wife – the woman he lived with and loved throughout the entire ordeal. In the end he suffered a pain worse than being impoverished, suffering horrible losses of ones that he loved, even his children. And the one he trusted, loved and depended upon, the one he cherished, walked out on him, advising him to “curse God and die.”

Jesus, whom we find in the Gospel awash in human pain, suffering, neediness, and loss, sets out in the face of it all to pray. In the face of it all He goes directly to God. Indeed, in the Garden of Gethsemani he directly and personally experiences all of human pain – Job is a shadow of Christ before Christ’s light came to earth. Job, in the end, keeps his faith in God. When all of his friends had tempted him to give up on God, Job’s response was “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Jesus, in his lifetime, cried out to us: “You have eyes to see and ears to hear!” He challenges us to see God and find Him, to hear God and love his Word. Jesus challenges us to do that in the midst of whatever life throws at us, in success and in failure, in gain and in loss, in sickness and in health, in happiness and in suffering. Jesus reveals to us that God is in it all, in spite of our petty and pathetic judgments about God’s absence, about why we suffer, and finally about who is damned and who is saved.

When I was diagnosed with this illness, my first initial feeling was despair. I found myself at a lost and didn’t know what to do. In the beginning, I was blaming everyone, including myself and God, about my condition. I was telling myself, how could this happen to me? Why me? Why do I have to suffer now for life? Is there any escape to this life-long suffering? Then I began to read and seek answers from the Holy Scripture. I started to read the book of Job, a person who knows what real suffering is. Then, one day, while praying in Church, I directed my attention to the man who was hanging on the cross. Jesus was hanging so helplessly, his head bowed down, his hands and feet are nailed down to the cross, and water and blood flowed from his side. In a moment of silence, I began to understand that my little suffering is nothing compared to what Job and Jesus have undergone. In truth, I have no right to complain. Then I began to see that there are people out there who are suffering more than I am. With them, I share and participate in the suffering of humanity.

So when you are tempted to despair, remember the story of Job and receive Jesus, a man acquainted with suffering and whose life not even death itself could take.

Massage as Complementary Health Care for Diabetes

Therapeutic Massage Complementary Health Care for Diabetes
by Mary Kathleen Rose, C.M.T.

As more and more Americans incorporate alternative therapies into their program of health care, people with diabetes, too, are looking to the usefulness of different therapies to complement their lifestyle measures and medical care. One such alternative therapy is massage.

The therapeutic use of touch might be seen as a new development in health care, but there are traditions of touch therapies that date back through the centuries in cultures around the world. The Chinese have written records of therapeutic massage dating to 3000 BC, and there are ancient Egyptian pictographs showing the practice of foot massage.

In recent times, the field of massage has gained prominence in the areas of athletic training, medical massage, and spa and fitness centers. So a person with diabetes seeking to optimize his health care may well wonder whether massage therapy might be useful to him.

Benefits of massage therapy

There are many benefits of massage therapy for people with diabetes. Most of these would be similar to the benefits of massage for the general population, but the following are of particular interest for people with diabetes.

Relaxation.

The value of basic relaxation cannot be overemphasized. Living with diabetes is inherently stressful. Fluctuating blood sugar levels put tremendous strain on the body's systems. The practical demands of balancing intake of insulin or oral medicines, blood glucose monitoring, nutrition, and exercise can seem like a daunting task for many. Worry about diabetic complications or anxiety relating to work or interpersonal relationships can add to the picture of stress.

By sedating the nervous system, massage can bring a much-needed rest and an assuring sense of well-being to the body. Skillfully applied touch can have a profound effect on body chemistry, decreasing the production of stress hormones, with resulting beneficial effects to blood sugar levels. (Stress hormones generally raise blood sugar levels.)

Increased circulation.

Massage increases the circulation of blood and lymph, facilitating the transport of oxygen and other nutrients into the body's tissues. Improved circulation allows for more efficient uptake of insulin by the cells. Circulation is often impaired in people with diabetes due to the damaging effects of elevated blood sugar levels on the cells of the body.

Myofascial effects.

Massage works directly with the muscles (myo) and connective tissues (fascia) in the body, helping to facilitate greater mobility in the body. This is especially important for people with diabetes, because elevated blood sugar causes a thickening of connective tissue, which affects the mobility and elasticity of the myofascial system. This may be experienced as stiffness in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments or as a decreased range of motion in the joints.
Stress hormones also contribute to chemical changes in the connective tissue, causing a stickiness between the layers of fascia. Massage therapy can significantly counter this effect. Stretching and regular exercise are also important to help encourage flexibility and health of the myofascial system.


An integral part of management

Massage can give a wonderful psychological boost to someone who is living with diabetes and striving to balance all the factors involved in maintaining a healthy lifestyle—proper nutrition, adequate exercise, blood glucose monitoring, appropriate use of medicines, and stress management. Massage therapy contributes an important piece to my diabetes regimen of care. I hope that as other people with diabetes understand and experience the benefits of massage therapy, they can consider it a valuable part of their own integrated health-care program.


(Source: http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/articles/Alternative_Medicine_Complementary_Therapies/Therapeutic_Massage/All)


Addendum: Here's a wonderful site to learn the art of doing massage. Instruction and video are provided.

Please click: http://www.massagefree.com/masbehearnec.html

To Fly Like A Seagull

Since I was a child, I always loved to dream and try to get hold even the so called impossible and difficult. You may not believe it, but I always dreamt of hiking someday the highest mountain of the world, the famous Mt. Everest in Tibet. I dreamt that someday I would be given the chance to explore the wild rainforest of Peru, and live and get lost in the exuberant vegetation of the Amazon jungle. I would love to go canoeing at St. Croix River, a 150 mile stretch of flowing curves and rapid running water, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. I would love to go to Alaska and Siberia and ski dive on the highest glaciers, and play among the Siberian bears. If given the chance, I would love to fly into the moon and explore the mystery of the universe and understand the movements of the heavenly bodies. I would love to see what is beyond the sunset, and understand why the sun rises up from the east and sets in the west. Believe me, I always want to fly like a Seagull, dream like Plato, in order to reach the highest heights.

I may sound weird, but I love to face challenges. I love adventure, and I am not scared to face any danger. I am not easily turned down by crises and difficult situations. Why is this so? Maybe it has something to do with the way I was brought up in my family. I am now 47 years old and I have gone through hardships and many difficult situations in life. But, as they say, a crisis can either break you or make you. I guess every crisis that came along into my life, I passed them with flying colors. Since then, I am not afraid to face anything anymore. Now, at this time, I am face to face with a new and difficult challenge. Just a month ago today, I have been diagnosed with this chronic disease called diabetes. Should I feel scared? Should I just stop and surrender myself? Should I just drown myself with loneliness and pain? Or, am I ready to face this challenge? Can I do something about it? What should be my attitude about it? What road should I take? The choice is in my hands.

I said so in the beginning that I am not easily taken up by crises or difficult situations. In any given fight, I don’t easily surrender. As they say, as long you are still breathing, you have hope. From the beginning, I already made my choice. I intend to fight this disease until the end. I know this will be a difficult battle. But I am ready to face this battle whatever it costs. Retreat is never in my game plan. But in order for me to win the battle, I need to be strong and courageous. I know what I am facing. I am not kidding myself that this will be an easy task, nor am I making any presumption that this sickness will just go away on its own. As I already said previously, I have to face the existential truth that this disease has no permanent cure, so far. Therefore, I just have to live with it for the rest of my life.

This existential reality of my life now leads to some basic question: What is life all about? How can one have a fulfilling and meaningful life in this world? Is it enough that we have a family we can call our own, go to work everyday and earn a living, eat three meals a day, do our family and social obligations, and on Sunday we go to mass and then we say we fulfilled our religious obligation? How many of us realize that there are more important things in life than just mere living and existing. Remember that our values, our character, our faith, our love for our family, neighbors, and country, etc. are core values imbedded in the recesses of our souls, and they are more important and significant which we need to attend to. Our life and our material possessions are just lent to us by God. They can be taken away from us at any given moment. Therefore, if we are smart, we should work for something that is lasting. And that is, for the salvation of our souls. Yes, I do not want to sound here very religious. But that is the given truth. As I now face my own mortality, I realize that there are more important things in life that I need to attend to. And I cannot be complacent about it. As we know, when our time comes, it will come suddenly and unexpectedly. Would we be prepared when that time comes?


As I am sitting here inside my car, I see these Seagulls flying around me. They are flying and diving, up and down, trying to pretend that they own the world. They are so care free and unassuming. They can fly anywhere and reach any destination of their desire. As I watch them, I said to myself, I also want to fly like a Seagull. I know that even with this sickness, I would be able to achieve my dreams and reach my destination- with God’s help. It is my desire and hope.

Water Treatment and Therapy

I just received this email yesterday from the Philippines - it's about Water Therapy. I have heard so much talk about this in the past, but I have never really taken any serious thought about it. So, when this email came in, I was kind of surprised. Does this so called 'water theraphy' really cure sickness? So far, I have not seen or read any scientific evidence that this really works, nor have I seen any contrary opinion to disprove it. So, I am willing to try it out, for curiosity's sake. Let's see what happens.

Below is a brief instruction on how to go about this.

DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our health.

For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases: Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water.

2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minutes.

3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.

4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours.

5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.

6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/ reduce main diseases:

1. High Blood Pressure - 30 days
2. Gastric - 10 days
3. Diabetes - 30 days
4. Constipation - 10 days
5. Cancer - 180 days
6. TB - 90 days
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards - daily.

This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times. It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life. Drink Water and Stay Healthy and Active.

This makes sense.... the Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals.. not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain... For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.

Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer.
It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks: Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to everyone they know, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.

(source: email forwarded from a friend:
From: Agsluv_01@Yahoo.com
To: frab07@aol.com
Date:Fri, 11 Apr 2008 5:12 am)

Hope For New Diabetes Treatment

US scientists have shown that a single protein plays a central co-ordinating role in the development of diabetes.

A Stanford University team found that calcineurin is key to the health of the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells that are defective in diabetes.

A study on mice showed the protein regulates 10 genes that had already been associated with the condition.

The Nature study raises hope of new treatments for a condition which affects millions worldwide.

In diabetes, the beta cells produce too little insulin or none at all, which prevents cells of the body from being able to take in sugar after a meal.

Sugar accumulates in the blood, damaging the blood vessels, kidneys and eyes.

The fact that immune-suppressing drugs, such as those taken by people undergoing transplant operations, greatly increase the risk of diabetes alerted the Stanford team to calcineurin.

The drugs are known to put a stranglehold on the protein.

Protein production stopped

The researchers worked with mice bred to produce calcineurin in the pancreas only until they were born.

After birth, the pancreas in each mouse stopped producing the protein.

By 12 weeks of age, the mice, which had been born with a normal number of beta cells, were severely diabetic.

Cutting the supply of calcineurin was found to prevent the beta cells from increasing their numbers as the mice grew - more body mass requires more beta cells to keep blood sugar in check.

It also reduced the amount of insulin made by the existing beta cells.

Researcher Dr Jeremy Heit said: "This work has led us and others to think in entirely new ways about diabetes.

"Until now people had identified individual genes or processes that were involved in diabetes.

"The new findings show that these lines of research are connected through a common regulator in calcineurin."

Next, the Stanford team bypassed calcineurin by artificially activating its protein sidekick, called NFAT.

Beta cells lacking calcineurin but with active NFAT behaved normally, multiplying as the mice aged and producing normal amounts of insulin.

Many avenues

The researchers said drugs that enhance the activity of calcineurin or NFAT could become a new treatment for type-2 diabetes, in which the beta cells do not produce enough insulin.

Drugs that inhibit calcineurin or NFAT may also treat diseases in which the beta cells produce too much insulin, such as hypoglycaemia or some pancreatic tumours.

Treating isolated beta cells with drugs that enhance calcineurin could make those cells divide, producing more cells for transplantation.

And activating calcineurin could potentially enable scientists to direct embryonic stem cells to become insulin-producing cells.

Dr Scott Campbell, vice president of research for the American Diabetes Association, said: "This work has the potential to be big.

"This is a step in the right direction and a major leap forward, but now we need to take it into humans."

Dr Angela Wilson, director of research at Diabetes UK, said: "This is a very interesting study.

"The prospect of novel drugs that could help to treat type 2 diabetes is welcome news given the epidemic numbers of people now developing the condition.

"This research is, however, at an early stage and the findings relate to mice. We look forward to seeing its relevance in humans."


(Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5363150.stm)

Stem-cell Treatment for Diabetes

There was a very promising article that came out in ‘Timesonline’ titled “Diabetics cured in stem-cell treatment advance” written by David Rose dated April 11, 2007. This is in regard to Stem Cells treatment for diabetes.

The whole article is copied below for your info.

Diabetics cured in stem-cell treatment advance
April 11, 2007
David Rose

Diabetics using stem-cell therapy have been able to stop taking insulin injections for the first time, after their bodies started to produce the hormone naturally again.

In a breakthrough trial, 15 young patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes were given drugs to suppress their immune systems followed by transfusions of stem cells drawn from their own blood.

The results show that insulin-dependent diabetics can be freed from reliance on needles by an injection of their own stem cells. The therapy could signal a revolution in the treatment of the condition, which affects more than 300,000 Britons.

People with type 1 diabetes have to give themselves regular injections to control blood-sugar levels, as their ability to create the hormone naturally is destroyed by an immune disorder.
All but two of the volunteers in the trial, details of which are published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), do not need daily insulin injections up to three years after stopping their treatment regimes.

The findings were released to reporters yesterday as the future of US stem-cell research was being debated in Washington.

Stem cells are immature, unprogrammed cells that have the ability to grow into different kinds of tissue and can be sourced from people of all ages.

Previous studies have suggested that stem-cell therapies offer huge potential to treat a variety of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and motor neuron disease. A study by British scientists in November also reported that stem-cell injections could repair organ damage in heart attack victims.

But research using the most versatile kind of stem cells — those acquired from human embryos — is currently opposed by powerful critics, including President Bush.

The JAMA study provides the first clinical evidence for the efficacy of stem cells in type 1 diabetes. Sufferers of the chronic condition, which normally emerges in childhood or early adulthood, have to inject themselves at least four times a day.

Type 2 diabetes, which tends to affect people later in life, is linked to lifestyle factors such as obesity. There are almost two million type 2 diabetics in Briton, most of whom control their blood-sugar levels with pills or through diet.

The new study, by a joint team of Brazilian and American scientists, found that one of the first patients to undergo the procedure has not used any supplemental synthetic
insulin for three years. “Very encouraging results were obtained in a small number of patients with early-onset disease,” the authors, led by Julio Voltarelli, from the University of São Paulo in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. write. “Ninety-three per cent of patients achieved different periods of insulin independence and treatment-related toxicity was low, with no mortality.”

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s own immune system malfunctions and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, causing a shortage in the hormone.
By the time most patients receive a clinical diagnosis, 60 to 80 per cent of their beta cells have been wiped out. The disease progresses from this point very quickly, and can result in serious long-term complications including blindness, kidney failure, heart disease and stroke.

Dr Voltarelli’s team hoped that if they intervened early enough they could wipe out and then rebuild the body’s immune system by using stem cells, preverving a reservoir of beta cells and allowing them to to regenerate.

They enrolled Brazilian diabetics aged between 14 and 31 who had been diagnosed within the previous six weeks. After stem cells had been harvested from their blood, they then underwent a mild form of chemotherapy to eliminate the white blood cells causing damage to the pancreas. They were then given transfusions of their own stem cells to help rebuild their immune systems.
Richard Burt, a co-author of the study from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, said that 14 of the 15 patients were insulin-free for some time following the treatment. Eleven of those were able to dispense with supplemental insulin immediately following the infusion of stem cells and have not had recourse to synthetic insulin since then, he said. “Two other patients needed some supplemental insulin for 12 and 20 months after the procedure, but eventually both were able to wean themselves from taking daily shots,” he added. One patient went 12 months without shots, but relapsed a year after treatment after suffering a viral infection, and resumed daily insulin injections. Another volunteer was eliminated from the study because of complications. The therapy, known as autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, has already shown benefits to individuals with a range of auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and lupus.

There are still question marks about exactly how the treatment works, and further studies will be required to fully evaluate it’s safety and efficacy. “As a research scientist I am always hesitant to speak of a cure, but the initial results have been good and show the importance of conducting more trials,” Dr Burt said.

Given the right funding opportunities, university hospitals in London could be conducting research into the therapy within the next 12 months, he added. “It will probably be five to eight years before we see a treatment being widely available,” he said. In an accompanying editorial in JAMA, Dr Jay Skyler, of the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami, wrote: “Research in this field is likely to explode in the next few years and should include randomised controlled trials, as well as mechanistic studies."


(Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article1637528.ece)

Fruit Juice For Diabetics

A friend of mine sent me these fruit juices drinks info for my diabetes treatment’s consideration. I have no scientific data to present here whether they work or not. From my reading, however, I have found out for myself that these herbs and fruit juices seem to be very good in helping regulate our blood sugar. Therefore, I have considered using them myself as supplementary.

If you plan to use them for yourself, please consult first your doctor or physician.

Here are some of the fruit juices for diabetics:

1.) Ingredients: 3 bitter melons. Cut them into pieces and then put them in the juicer. Add 1 and half bowl of water. Blend and liquefy.

2.) Ingredients: waky pumpkin or wax gourd or winter melon(1). Cut it into pieces and then put the cut pieces in the juicer. Add 1 bowl of water. Blend and liquefy.

3.) Ingredients: 3 carrots. Cut them into pieces and then put them in the juicer. Add 1 and a half bowl of water. Blend and liquefy.

4.) Ingredient: tomatoes (5). Cut them into pieces and put them in the juicer. Add 2 bowls of water. Blend and liquefy.

5.) Ingredient: celery (300 grams). Cut them into pieces and put them in the juicer. Add one bowl of water. Blend and liquefy.

6) Mixed drink: cucumber(1), bitter melon(1), green apple(1), celery(3), and green pepper(1). Blend and liquefy.

7.) You eat cucumber. No salt.

Instructions:
You drink 3 combinations of juice everyday (from # 1-6), plus #7(not everyday).
Make a juice only for a day.

Changes

Here's a very moving short poem written by a grieving mother for her daughter, Sierra, who was just 6 years old, and was diagnosed with diabetes.

Changes

all our yesterdays seem so carefree
and our tomorrows look so dim

your big brown eyes bright with tears
reflected in the glimmer of needles

holding you in my arms as your body shakes
feeling so damn helpless

not knowing where to turn
seeing your confusion

feeling your anger
screaming inside

hiding my pain
my baby will never be the same.

-------------
My daughter, 6 year old Sierra, was diagnosed on May 27, 2003. I wrote this poem her second night in the hospital.
Jen Thibodeau jenthib[@]hotmail.com.


(Source: http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/art/changes.htm)

Natural Herbs Leads To Lower A1c, 190-lb Weight Loss

I just read this letter from the internet by Ms. Lassie McClellan. I am copying it here because I find her letter interesting and worth investigating. In her account, she is a personal testimony of how Natural Herbs helped to lower down dramatically her A1c and helped her loss so much weight as well.

This is the full text of her letter.


I am a diabetic and was taking four insulin shots per day and still had problems with my sugar. I did two months of research on the Web because I had to find a way to get off the shots. I hate needles I was astonished at what I found on natural herbs!
My Hemoglobin A1c was a 10 percent and my doctor was really worried about me. After one month of taking the natural herbs that I discovered (I chose to do this experiment without telling my doctor), my hemoglobin A1c went down to a 6 percent!

When I went back to the doctor, she was in shock and wanted to know what I did. I didn’t tell her until a year later and 190 pounds lighter. I believe that these herbs can help any diabetic. I also changed my diet by eating multi-grain breads and drinking green tea, low-carb veggies and plenty of water. I didn’t even exercise!

I think the news needs to get out that there is hope for diabetics. Doctors don’t have the time to research like a housewife does. Now my doctor has companies coming in and leaving herbal samples and info for her to read. It’s nice to know that my experiment has piqued the curiosity of so many people that I have spoken to. Here is what I took:

Gymnema sylvestre
Fenugreek seed
Chromium picolinate
Full-spectrum cinnamon
Super Citrimax
Fat Burner

Thanks for allowing me to share my story. I still have 50-75 more pounds to go to be at a more healthier weight that will prevent diabetes complications. Thanks again.

Sincerely,
Lassie McClellan


(Source: http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2008/03/19/5685.html)

Looking Out From My Window

It’s already spring season and yet it still feels like winter. I was looking out from my window this morning, facing east, towards New York City. There was a thick fog that was hovering over some of the houses in the neighborhood, and so trying to get a glimpse of the great city of New York from a distance was near impossible. The wind was blowing hard and whistling like a roaring lion. From inside the comfort of my home, I felt very cold and my bones were shivering. The winter has not left us. I was hoping that it would get warmer this time, considering that spring is already here, and summer is just around the edge. With such an atmosphere, I felt a sense of emptiness and my spirit just drooped down momentarily. I said to myself that life can sometimes turn into winter. When an illness strikes a person, for example, there comes about a feeling of sadness, coldness, loneliness, depression and even a sense of abandonment. We hear this sigh too often, Why me? I have tried my best to live a good life. I haven’t committed any wrongdoing to anyone. I have so many dreams that I want to do with my life. Now everything is changed or on hold due to this illness. What happens now?

When I was initially diagnosed with my illness, I felt shocked and depressed- a natural reaction I guess. I have not expected this, nor did I consider, even in a remote way, the possibility of contracting this disease. My family has no history of diabetes. Yes, I admit, I was a little overweight – but there are people who are much heavier than I am, and yet enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Then I started to think deeply of why I have now this disease. Why me and not someone else? Was this an outcome of my lifestyle, or this is simply a punishment from God. From here, I began to ask many questions about myself, about my faith, my destiny and even my mortality. And the recurring question that was popping out in my mind was, what should I do now? It took me a while to realize and accept that this illness has no cure, no permanent treatment. What I can only do is to regulate my blood sugar – and that’s about it. Now I have to deal with this illness for the rest of my life.

If you believe in destiny, maybe this is a classic example of it. Could it be that I was destined to acquire this disease, so with the seventeen or so million Americans who are suffering the same fate, in order to teach us all a great lesson of what life really is. Until something happens like this in one’s life, we too often take life for granted. How many of us get the chance to reflect why we are here, who we are, and the purpose of our existence. As I now reflect about my life and its fragility, it makes me realize how important and sacred life is. Whether I accept this truth or not, I know now that this disease, if not regulated, could result to many complications, and even the possibility of immediate demise. So here I am now face to face with my own mortality. But, hopefully, it will still take a while. But I know that sometime or the other, I have to face this existential truth that my mortality is coming nearer everyday. Do I fear about it? Of course, yes. As a human being, we cannot eliminate fear, especially when we speak of our own mortality. But at the same time, I console myself with the fact that, up to this time, even with this illness, God has blessed me and continue to bless me with so many good things. In spite of this illness, I still thank Him for everything. I do not feel any sense of anger or hate from my heart. I know that God has given me my life and everything I have, and He is the only one who can take them back.

This difficult journey that I am currently facing is teaching me a lot of lessons especially about life. It is making me see and appreciate more how important life is, but at the same time, in some good way, I am able to share in the sufferings of humanity as well. I know for a fact that there are people out there who are suffering with the same or maybe different kind of illness, who are far worse than what I have, and yet they suffer silently and still with a great smile on their faces. Their courage, perseverance, and strength in the face of their sufferings are truly an inspiration for me and maybe for all those who are traveling on the same road. The lesson is clear. We all have our own trials in life. Some just happens to be bigger and heavier, others maybe smaller and less heavy. But whatever our trails maybe- we cannot just give up. We need to be strong. We need to face our trials head on. Retreat is never in my game plan.

Although I know that this disease has no permanent cure now, I am not giving up that someday, hopefully, a permanent cure will be discovered. If it does not happen in my lifetime, I hope in the next. In the meantime, however, I do not want to just sit in my coach and cry and be depressed. I would not let my illness stifle my life, nor would I allow it to make me a slave of it. My life is still ahead of me. I want to enjoy life to its fullest. Even with this illness, one can still have a fulfilling and meaningful life, according to many great medical scientists. But there is a catch. In order for one to have a fulfilling and meaningful life with this illness, we need to continue to attend to our medical treatments. We need to eat rightly and exercise daily. We need to have a regular visits with our doctors and specialists, so they could evaluate our condition, and we can act appropriately.

I am still standing here looking out from my window. After a while, the fog began to clear itself. And as the sun rises from the east, I now get a glimpse of the great city of New York. There was a smile on my face. I knew that the darkness that covered the earth for the night is gone. A new dawn is beginning to appear. Life is gradually unfolding itself. I know that spring is already here, and maybe the advent of summer is not too far away.