Diabetes-Mall.com

I’ve noticed that’s it’s getting harder and harder to find high-quality health information on the internet. Lots of sites are just selling products or have ads all over them.

So I will soon be launching a 100% health search engine. It will use Google’s custom search option to build a better way to find health information. Only the best health sites will be included in the search index.

There will be several different search engines apart from the main search, including customized engines for each of the following areas of health: alternative, news, message boards/forums, pediatrics, and professionals.

So stop by soon, and check us out! We plan to launch healthfind.com by mid-January 2007. I really think it will be a better way to find health information.

The latest news on diabetes.

Japan’s Ministry of Health has issued an official request for workers to use stairs instead of elevators.  The government effort aims to reduce energy consumption, while improving the health of citizens.  My wife actually did this at her job with some other people, and they walked up 6 flights of stairs 3 times a day.  Most only lasted a week, while my wife and one of her friends did it for about a month.

Motivation is a tricky beast =)

Sounds like a great idea, but will it work?  Hard to say.  Years ago I remember reading that Japan’s Prime Minister started wearing short sleeve dress shirts with his suits, to inspire people to do the same.  The goal was to save energy by reducing air conditioning costs.  I hope it works, but am skeptical.

A new poll by Pew Research indicates that Americans realize that as a country, we are overweight.  Ninety percent of 2000 people polled believe that most Americans are overweight.  However, only 40 percent believe they are overweight themselves.

Government statistics estimate that 60% of Americans are overweight.  That means that 1/3rd of those people are either in denial, or just not being truthful.  Being in denial about health problems can delay treatment for dangerous conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and other various cardiovascular related problems.

That was the headline that I read, anyways… And it scared me a little.  But the article was about a Dutch study that looked at older men who ate 1/3rd of a chocolate candy bar a day versus men who did not eat any chocolate.  Apparently the men who ate 1/3rd of the bar had a lower incidence of high blood pressure and cardiovascular related death.

However, I don’t find this study very realistic.  How many people actually eat one third of a candy bar?  In America we usually eat half a pint of Ben and Jerry’s or a King Size Twix bar.  However, maybe they’ll come out with some cocoa supplements that only have the good parts of the chocolate in them.  That would be a step forward.

I just read an article which stated that 20% of the population of Kuwait has diabetes, which came as a surprise.  I think that’s higher than the percentage of Americans who have diabetes.

In news reports, diabetes and obesity are sometimes portrayed as American or western problems, which are affecting other parts of the world like an infectious disease.  It is true that Kuwait is one of the more rich and Westernized Arab countries, but it is interesting and a little scary to realize that diabetes is a worldwide problem that’s going to keep getting worse, and worse in the coming generations and years.

Here is the original story, courtesy of the Arab Times.

A study by Irish researchers shows an alarming increase in the number of cases of blindness.  They believe the increase can be largely attributed to the rise in diabetics in the country.  Compared to the population growth, cases of blindness have increased 5x more in past years.

Cases of diabetes have also increased dramatically.  Colm O’Brien, one of the study’s authors, stated the importance of blood sugar control, and reiterated that diabetes is treatable.  In most cases, with proper treatment, blindness should be able to be avoided.

Italian researchers at the University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milano, think they may have discovered a link between sexual dysfunction and distress and type one diabetes in women.  In particular, the research seems to indicate that the sexual problems occur during the second part of the menstrual cycle.  They studied 50 women with type 1 diabetes, and a control group of 47 women who are not diabetic.

I remember an article a few weeks ago, stating that men with diabetes are almost more likely to have sexual problems like erectile dysfunction.  I believe the researchers said it was related to the blood pressure and cardiovascular problems the males experienced.

Potassium is one of the most important nutrients.  It plays important roles in maintaining healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels.  Fortunately, potassium is available in many commonly eaten foods.  Here are some great foods that are rich in potassium:

• Orange Juice
• Tomato Products
• Spinach
• Bananas
• Avocados
• Milk & Yogurt
• Potatoes (try baked, avoid french fries)
• Bananas
• Raisins
• Prunes
• Lima Beans
• Winter Squash

Talk to your doctor about your diet and any medications you are taking.

When Kris Freeman’s doctor diagnosed him with type 1 diabetes six years ago, he told him that his competetive cross-country skiing days were over.  Kris refused to listen, and continued to train while following his diabetes treatment regimen.  Kris is going to compete in the 15 kilometer cross country ski race in Torino, Italy this year.

After competing in college, Freeman went to join the U.S. team.  However, a blood test showed his blood glucose level as two times the normal level.  Now he follows a strict insulin injection regimen and trains almost like any other athelete would.  He’s a true inspiration to diabetics everywhere.

Learn more about Kris Freeman here.