In the last entry we outlined four ways to help you manage your diabetes. Continuing on that theme, here are four more.

Practice Good Dental Hygiene. Diabetes adversely affects your circulatory system, which can leave you vulnerable to gum infections. Compounding the problem: Diabetes also suppresses your immune system. Ultimately, this can all lead to tooth loss. Also, some studies have linked gum infections to heart disease, a particular concern for diabetics.

Keep on Your Feet. For the diabetic, the feet are especially susceptible to infection. It’s a dual threat. Diabetes can lead to nerve damage in the feet, and, as we’ve mentioned, circulation problems. Together, they make your feet an easy target for serious infection. Keep an eye on any slow-healing foot wounds.

Drink in Moderation. Excess alcohol leads to low blood sugar and can interfere with insulin. If you’re going to drink, watch your caloric intake, and make sure you drink with a meal to ensure a more consistent absorption of the alcohol.

Relax. Stress has a negative systemic effect on your body. Studies have shown that excess stress impairs your immune response and can affect your hormone levels.

By observing these primary rules of diabetes treatment, you can pursue a fulfilling, active lifestyle.

Diabetes is currently considered the fastest-growing chronic disease in the U.S. The epidemic affects millions of American adults nationwide and is an increasing concern overseas. Diabetes’ debilitating effects, such as vision problems, circulatory issues, nerve damage, kidney damage, reduce the quality of life for its sufferers and ultimately lead to a shortened life span. The grim reality is that diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.

The U.S. healthcare system takes the diabetes epidemic very seriously. The government alone spends over $700 million on diabetes-related research. The private sector, including the leading drug companies, spends millions toward mitigating the effects of diabetes and finding its eventual cure. A major component of this effort are diabetes centers.

A diabetes center is a facility, as you might guess, devoted to the research and treatment of diabetes. There are a number of such facilities located across the U.S., some of which are associated with hospitals and universities. The others, primarily, are privately owned and serve as clinical research facilities for healthcare companies looking to test innovative new treatments, pharmaceutical and otherwise.

If you suffer from diabetes or a pre-diabetic condition, it could be worth your while to see if there is a diabetes center near you. Participation in clinical trials is often free, and by participating you could be aiding the fight against this terrible epidemic. At the very least you could find relief from your symptoms.

Diabetes is a grave (and growing) chronic disease that affects over 170 million people worldwide. An increasingly sedentary lifestyle and poor dietary habits has led to what the Center for Disease Control calls “an epidemic” of diabetes here in the U.S. Because our population is aging and diabetes is more prevalent among those 60 and above, we can expect to see the numbers climb.

Diabetes treatment has come a long ways since doctors prescribed snake meat to sufferers back in the 17th century. In 1922, diabetes management took a leap forward with the introduction of insulin to the treatment regimen. Diabetes treatment has since evolved to encourage a multi-disciplinary approach that addresses diet, exercise, and weight reduction.

Understanding the scope and range of this lifestyle-altering disease, the United States healthcare industry is devoting considerable resources to stemming the diabetes epidemic. New drugs and treatment are entering the evaluation process on a consistent basis.

If you suffer from diabetes, you might look to see if there are any ongoing diabetes clinical research trials for diabetes treatments in the Orlando area. Safe and free of charge, these trials are an important tool in finding a cure for this debilitating disease. Join the fight today—and we might just find a cure for your diabetes tomorrow.

In keeping with the theme of the last posting regarding changing your diet, I thought I’d cover some smart-food principles with you. I think it’s important to post helpful tips on how to live with diabetes. Hopefully, if you find the tips helpful, you’ll know that taking part in a diabetes Orlando clinical research trial will help you and to others who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Diabetes treatments are one of the research studies we’ve been working on here in the Orlando, Florida area. Some of our investigational treatments have shown promising results, but we need to do additional research studies to test investigational methods that may help us understand your condition. If you are near our diabetes Orlando center, or the area surrounding, please call us at 386.310.1334.

It is important to make changes in your life once you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes. One of those important changes needs to be your diet, and in many cases, this is big change. Healthy eating helps keep the blood glucose, also known as blood sugar, in the range your doctor has targeted for you. By keeping this level you’ll help prevent health problems later on in life.

Finding a diabetes support group in your area is helpful. Through a support group like this, you can find out about good foods and trade good recipes for your diet. Some of these groups will have a weekly pot luck supper where everyone brings their own dish and tells why it is good for their blood sugar, and how it has helped them lose weight. Sometimes the dish is just plain good; a nice healthy alternative to sugary snacks.

There are diabetes Orlando support groups that can help you. It’s important to normalize your world and not feel isolated. They feel powerless to do anything about it, so they sit still, which is the worst thing they can do. Many people live incredibly active lives once they’ve been diagnosed, they just need to find the right support group.

Another great way to make a difference in your life and the lives of others is by taking part in a diabetes clinical trial right here in the Orlando area.

Diabetes treatments are one of the research studies we’ve been working on here in the Orlando, Florida area. Some of our investigational treatments have shown promising results, but we need to do additional research studies to test investigational methods that may help us understand your condition. If you are near our diabetes Orlando center, or the area surrounding, please call us at 386.310.1334.

Simply referred to as diabetes, diabetes mellitus is when the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin through the pancreas or the body doesn’t properly respond to the insulin being produced, and a high blood sugar level is the result. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas and is needed to turn sugar and other food into energy.

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor has possibly prescribed changes in eating habits, weight control and exercise programs. You might also have started medication to keep your fasting blood glucose level in check. Some medications have side effects, so be sure to ask your doctor what they are. Keeping the surprises to a minimum will help you maintain a healthier lifestyle.

In addition to this, ask your doctor about diabetes clinical trials in your area. They are designed specifically to test the safety and efficacy of treatments on humans. And think about this…you could be part of a study that discovers a new diabetes treatment medication.

In the third quarter of 2009, the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index reported that diabetes was on the rise in the United States. Compared to the first quarter of 2008, there was an 11.3% increase, which means 26 million American adults now have diabetes. Their estimates predict an increase of another 15% by the end of 2015, which is 37 million American adults will have diabetes. Clearly this is a disturbing trend.

Diabetes treatments are one of the research studies we’ve been working on here in the Orlando, Florida area. Some of our investigational treatments have shown promising results, but we need to do additional research studies to test investigational methods that may help us understand your condition. If you are near our diabetes Orlando center, or the area surrounding, please call us at 386.310.1334.

Metformin is one of the leading treatment medications for people with type 2 diabetes, and it typically becomes the first line of drug choice for people who are overweight, obese, and also for those with normally functioning kidneys. Studies have shown, even in our diabetes Orlando center there are some additional benefits to using this medication; weight loss being one of them. As a diabetic, you most likely understand how after you eat sugar goes from your intestines into your blood stream, and then right to your liver. You might even know that the sugar is then released, which causes your blood sugar to rise, and the higher it rises the more insulin your pancreas releases.

But did you know that the release of insulin is what triggers your brain to tell you that you’re hungry, your liver needs to manufacture fat, and also tells the fat cells in your belly to fill with fat? Metformin reduces the sugar released from your liver and prevents blood sugar levels from rising too high, therefore not allowing your brain, liver, and belly to communicate incorrectly. However, Metformin should not be used as a weight loss product. It’s a ‘benefit’ of the medication. If you’re an athlete you should be aware that this drug will hamper your competitive performance because it lowers your blood sugar.

There are side effects of Metformin, gastrointestinal upset, including diarrhea, cramps, nausea, vomiting, and flatulence, and if you have kidney disease, heart failure, or any medical condition that could make your blood acidic, Metformin is not for you.

Diabetes treatments with Metformin are one of the research studies we’ve been working on here in DeLand, Florida. Some of our investigational treatments have shown promising results, but we need to do additional research studies to test investigational methods that may help us understand your condition.