Nearly 1 in 5 adolescents aged 12-18 years, and 1 in 4 young adults aged 19-34 years, are living with prediabetes, according to a new CDC studyexternal icon published today in JAMAexternal icon Pediatrics.
Prediabetes is a health condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. The condition also increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke.
Experts say these numbers have risen over the past decade, putting young people at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other conditions down the line.
“We’re already seeing increased rates of type 2 diabetes and diabetes-related complications in youth and young adults, and these new findings are evidence of a growing epidemic and a tremendously worrisome threat to the future of our nation’s health,” said Ann Albright, Ph.D., director of CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation. “Additional research is needed to support the development of interventions for youth and increasing access to programs that we know work for young adults, like the CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program.”
We’re talking about Weight Loss Journeys & Diabetes with musical inspiration from Jennifer Hudson on November’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast. Guests include Vanessa Hunter, Dr. Wendy Rapaport PsyD, Dr. Stewart Harris, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, and Autumn Reed. Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from Jennifer Hudson’s self-titled album, ‘Jennifer Hudson’ courtesy of SONY Music.
You probably already know that your family history, along with lifestyle choices, can affect your risk for type 2 diabetes. But did you know that your sleep habits can also play a role? Sleep deprivation is an often overlooked but significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes and an increased risk of heart disease.
The primary reason that regularly skimping on shuteye can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes is because your hormone levels get thrown out of whack according to the National Sleep Foundation. Specifically, with ongoing sleep loss, less insulin (a hormone that regulates blood sugar) is released in the body after you eat. Meanwhile, your body secretes more stress hormones (such as cortisol), which helps you stay awake but makes it harder for insulin to do its job effectively. The net effect: Too much glucose stays in the bloodstream, which can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
These effects have been seen with getting between four and a half to six hours of sleep per night. In particular, a decrease in slow-wave (or “deep”) sleep—which is thought to be the most restorative stage of sleep—seems to play a major role in maintaining proper insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control.
We’re talking about ‘Sleep, Diabetes & Heart Disease’ on August’s Diabetes Late Nitepodcast with musical inspiration from the iconic Phyllis Hyman on Tuesday, August 13, 2019, 6 – 7:30 PM, EST.
Dr. Patricia Farrell PhD joins us to share new research pointing to a lack of sleep being involved in insulin resistance and the development of type 2 diabetes.
Our musical inspiration, Phyllis Hyman was a sensational singer-songwriter and actress. Deep-voiced and statuesque, Phyllis Hyman sang with a life-affirming energy and emotional intensity found in few other female vocalists.
Unfortunately Phyllis Hyman committed suicide, leaving a suicide note behind in 1995. Part of the note read “I’m tired. I’m tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you.” It has been reported that she suffered from bi-polar disorder and depression and had a history of substance abuse which involved alcohol and cocaine. Who knows what accomplishments she would have achieved if she had lived longer?
August’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Farrell PhD, Kristina Figueroa, ‘Tabouli: The Story of a Heart-Driven Diabetes Alert Dog’Author Matt Pelicano, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach with Patricia Addie-Gentle.
Everyday Health spoke with heart doctors to find out the right questions to ask to maintain heart health, and why they matter.
Question 1: What is my risk of having a cardiovascular problem in the future?
Why You Should Ask Understanding your risk for future heart disease, stroke, aneurysm and the like drives much of your care. Someone whose cholesterol is borderline but who has diabetes and a family history of heart disease will need their cholesterol treated much more aggressively than someone with a lower risk, for example. READ MORE
Question 2: What symptoms might indicate a worsening of my specific condition?
Why You Should Ask You may think you know the symptoms for some conditions, like chest pain indicating a heart attack, but a large percentage of women, and even some men, never experience these signs. That’s why it’s important that your doctor goes over all the warning signs that are personalized for you. READ MORE
Question 3: How important do you think it is to adopt new treatments and procedures?
Why You Should Ask You don’t want a doctor who just jumps on the bandwagon because every new technique needs to be studied and confirmed. But equally important, you don’t want someone so stuck in their ways that you don’t receive the benefits of medical advances. READ MORE
Question 4: Why are you recommending I take this test?
Why You Should Ask Most tests are important but patients should ask whether a test is accurate and reproducible, and will lead to a specific recommendation or change in therapy. Guidelines for appropriate tests can be found in medical journals online; if you look up a prescribed test and have questions about its value, call the office to ask more questions. READ MORE
Question 5: Why are you prescribing this medication?
Why You Should Ask Doctors — not your friends or social media buddies — are best positioned to explain the pros and cons of a drug based on the science. READ MORE
Question 6: Will any changes in my lifestyle make a difference?
Why You Should Ask Cardiovascular disease is an area where changes in lifestyle — diet, exercise, stress reduction, sleep — can greatly impact the course of the condition.
For example, the Mediterranean diet — which is high in vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats, and low in saturated fats and added sugars — was shown to improve many of the risk factors associated with heart disease in a study published in December 2018 in JAMA Network. The right diet is especially important if you are overweight or obese.
Healthline created a guide outlining what treatment options are covered by Medicare for Seniors. Find out the different parts of Medicare and what services, medications, and treatment are included under each part:
We’re talking about ‘hush hush’ topics in diabetes wellness such as intimacy issues, fears and food phobias with musical inspiration from H.E.R. on Diabetes Late Nite courtesy of SONY Music.
H.E.R. chooses to keep her true identity a secret but that’s proving harder to do after winning Best New Artist and Best R&B Song Grammy Awards this past year.
Guests include Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND, Michael Priv, Cheryl Farley “Food as Medicine” Nutritionist, Dr. Dugan Maddux and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.
Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from H.E.R.’s “I Used To Know Her: The Prelude” album courtesy of SONY Music.
Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot.
Some doctors will go over lifestyle information with you, while others will refer you to dietitians, physical therapists, and other professionals they work with. Be sure to talk to your cardiologist about lifestyle changes to develop a plan that works for you. READ MORE
The article reports how a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine uncovered: That a healthy lifestyle can dramatically reduce your risk of heart disease – even if your family’s health history isn’t stellar.
The researchers found that people who don’t smoke, aren’t obese and eat a healthy diet, may still be able to beat the family odds of succumbing to heart disease.
Don’t know where to start to improve your diet? Try Whole Oats!
Research suggests that beta-glucan, a viscous soluble fiber found in oats, can help lower total and LDL cholesterol levels. When it comes to choosing which type of oats to buy, keep in mind that how they’re processed matters. According to Johnson McRorie, co-author of a recent article on the subject, the more processed the oats, the less potent the beta-glucan and its ability to lower your blood cholesterol levels. So, while old-fashioned oats take a few minutes longer to cook than instant oatmeal in the morning, they’re probably better for your heart.
Start your morning off with a bowl of oatmeal. Add a dash of cinnamon, which will add natural sweetness to your breakfast. When making meatballs or breaded chicken, swap out some of the breadcrumbs for oats.
We’re talking about ‘HEART HEALTH & DIABETES’ with musical inspiration from the rock band “Heart” on March’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast.
Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from heart disease than adults without diabetes.
People with insulin resistance or diabetes in combination with one or more of these risk factors are at even greater risk of heart disease or stroke. However, by managing their risk factors, people with diabetes may avoid or delay the development of heart and blood vessel disease.
The rock band “Heart” was started in Seattle in the 1960s. Heart’s mix of hard rock and folk yielded one of the longest lasting and most commercially successful bands of all time. The band is fronted by sisters, Ann and Nancy Wilson who wrote many of the band’s songs. Heart’s new “Love Alive” Tour kicks off this Summer with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Sheryl Crow, Brandi Carlile, Elle King, and Lucie Silvas.
Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Author of ‘Nutrition & You’ Dr. Joan Salge Blake, EdD, RDN, LDN, FAND, Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND, Glucose SOS founder Pamela Heyward and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.
Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from Heart’s “The Essential Heart” album courtesy of SONY Music
Divabetic will presenting the first-everDiabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience: Clued Innon Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019 in New York City. Currently we have over 150 pre-registered for Clued Inn but there’s still room for you and your friends to participate! Register now at CluedInn.org.
How’s your heart health? If you’re like millions of Americans—about 92 million in fact—you do have to watch your heart health due to cardiovascular disease or health effects after a stroke. That means you have to pay special attention to your heart health—to what you eat, to how you feel, to how much you’re moving. Even if don’t have some health conditions that affect your heart, you have to be conscious of how your health (mental, physical, emotional) is taking a toll on your most vital organ.
Let’s look at food for starters. If you’re like many Americans, your intake of sugar, salt, and processed food is far too high. And you might be siloing your food—eating too much of the same thing, over and over again. So how else can you keep your heart pumping, happy and healthy, even while you’re at work? This graphic helps you understand the issues.
Recently TODAY Show’s co-host Carson Dalyshared memories of his mother, who died of a heart attack in September 2017, to help raise awareness about the connection between Type 1 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Nearly two-thirds of people with diabetes have high blood pressure, and, according to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die of heart disease or have a stroke than people who don’t have the condition.
The connection between diabetes and heart disease starts with high blood sugar levels according to the Everyday Health website. Over time, the high glucose in the bloodstream can damage the arteries, causing them to become stiff and hard. Fatty material that builds up on the inside of these blood vessels, a condition known as atherosclerosis. This can eventually block blood flow to the heart or brain, leading to heart attack or stroke. Your risk of heart disease with diabetes is further elevated if you also have a family history of cardiovascular disease or stroke.
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 25: Carson Daly and his mother Pattie Daly Caruso arrive at the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on August 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
“I never would have guessed that my mom was going to die of a heart attack,” writes Carson Daly. “She had some health issues — nothing in the heart. No symptoms. Never saw it coming. So I find myself this month being hyperaware about women and their health, as it pertains to the heart. Heart disease is the most common cause of death in American women. And I have been directly impacted by that.”
If you believe you are at a higher risk for heart disease, don’t despair. Learning more about the link between heart disease and diabetes can help you take steps to help protect your heart and manage your diabetes.
Start by working with your doctor to keep your blood glucose level within the target range. You can check on your efforts by having A1C tests at least twice a year; these reveal your average blood sugar level for the past three months. A normal A1C level should be below 5.7.
Clued Inn: Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Rooms
Join us for Clued Inn: Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Rooms! Complete either the 60 second Diabetes Risk Test or the Heart IQ Quiz and register for free for the first-ever Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience scheduled for National Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 5- 10PM in New York City. Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Space Limited. BOOK NOW
Drinking two or more of any kind ofartificially sweetened drinks a day is linked to an increased risk of clot-based strokes, heart attacks and early death in women over 50, according to a new study by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.The risks were highest for women with no history of heart disease or diabetes and women who were obese or African-American.
Previous studies have focused on the bigger picture of cardiovascular disease,” said lead study author Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani, an associate professor of clinical epidemiology and population health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York. “Our study focused on the most common type of stroke, ischemic stroke and its subtypes, one of which was small-vessel blockage. The other interesting thing about our study is that we looked at who is more vulnerable.”
After controlling for lifestyle factors, the study found that women who consumed two or more artificially sweetened beverages each day were 31% more likely to have a clot-based stroke, 29% more likely to have heart disease and 16% more likely to die from any causethan women who drank diet beverages less than once a week or not at all.
The analysis then looked at women with no history of heart disease and diabetes, which are key risk factors for stroke. The risks rose dramatically if those women were obese or African-American.
“We should be drinking more water and natural beverages, such as unsweetened herbal teas,” Mossavar-Rahmani said. “We can’t just go all day drinking diet soda. Unlimited amounts are not harmless.”
Clued Inn: Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Rooms
Join us for Clued Inn Escape Room, the first-ever, free Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience on National Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 5- 10PM in New York City. Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Space Limited. BOOK NOW
Heart attack, panic attack, and hypoglycemic reaction (low blood glucose) have symptoms which are common to all three conditions. However, treatment for all three are very different.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack:
Shortness of breath
Pressure, tightness, pain, or a squeezing or aching sensation in your chest or arms that may spread to you neck, jaw, shoulder, or upper back. (Note: women may have a heart attack without chest pain.)
Indigestion, heartburn or abdominal discomfort
Nausea or vomiting
Cold sweat
Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
Unusual fatigue
Symptoms of a Panic Attack:
Sensations of shortness of breath or being smothered
Over-breathing (hyperventilating)
Nausea or abdominal distress
Dry heaving and/or gagging
Sweating
Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded or faint
Feeling of choking
Palpitations and/or accelerated heart rate
Chills or hot flushes
Trembling or shaking
Numbness or tingling sensations
Fear of losing control or going insane
Feeling that death is imminent
Symptoms of a Hypoglycemic Reaction (Low Blood Glucose):
Rapid heartbeat
Blurry vision
Sudden nervousness
Unexplained fatigue
Pale skin
Headache
Hunger
Shaking
Dizziness
Skin tingling
Sudden mood changes
Trouble thinking clearly or concentrating
Loss of consciousness, seizure, coma
What You Should Know About a Heart Attack
Heart disease is the most common cause of death for both women and men in the United States. However, of the nearly 500,000 heart attack deaths that occur each year, more than 239,000 are in women. Women’s symptoms may occur more often when women are resting. Mental stress may trigger heart attack symptoms in women. Sweating is typical for a heart attack, as is nausea, especially for women. Women of all ages should take heart health seriously. Women under the age of 65, and especially those with a family history of heart disease, need to pay close attention to heart disease risk factors. A heart attack is dangerous, and requires prompt medical attention.
You can’t deep-breathe your way out of a heart attack, but you can deep-breathe your way through a panic attack. If you feel your heart is racing, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth several times in a row. If it helps, you’re probably just panicking. If it’s a heart attack, that deep-breathing is going to hurt.
What You Should Know About a Panic Attack
A panic attack is very sudden in onset and includes an intense fear and anxiety. Panic attacks will be over within 10 minutes (and often less), while heart attacks can last much longer. During a panic attack your body goes into fight or flight mode – your breathing rate increase, muscles tense, and heart rate quicken. A panic attack imposes no immediate danger; it is not going to cause a heart attack. Though it can feel like it, a panic attack won’t kill you.
What You Should Know About a Hypoglycemic Reaction (also known as an Insulin Reaction)
The American Diabetes Association defines hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose, in terms of two levels. Level 1 is when the blood glucose level is lower than 70 mg/dL. Level 2, known as severe hypoglycemia, is when the blood glucose level is lower than 54 mg/dL and requires the assistance from another person to treat. Severe hypoglycemia is classed as a diabetes emergency. If you experience any of the symptoms of hypoglycemia, even if you suspect anxiety, you should check your blood glucose. If you have low blood glucose and it causes symptoms, do not ignore it. Low blood glucose can be potentially life-threatening.
How to Treat a Heart Attack:
Call 911 or your local emergency number. Whenever you’re in doubt about your symptoms, seek care without delay. Only medical tests can rule out the possibility of a heart attack.
Chew and swallow an aspirin, unless you are allergic to aspirin or have been told by your doctor never to take aspirin.
Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed.
Begin CPR if the person is unconscious.
Lifestyle Changes to Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease:
Quit or don’t smoke.
Exercise regularly.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Eat a healthy diet that includes whole grains, a variety of fruits and vegetables, low fat or fat-free dairy products, and lean meats. Avoid saturated or trans fat, added sugars, and high amounts of salt.
How to Treat a Panic Attack:
Use deep breathing. While hyperventilating is a symptom of panic attacks that can increase fear, deep breathing can reduce symptoms of panic during an attack.
Close your eyes. Some panic attacks come from triggers that overwhelm you. To reduce the stimuli, close your eyes during your panic attack. This can block out any extra stimuli and make it easier to focus on your breathing.
Find a focus object. Some people find it helpful to find a single object to focus all of their attention on during a panic attack. Pick one object in clear sight and consciously note everything about it.
Picture your happy place. What’s the most relaxing place in the world that you can think of and picture yourself there; try to focus on the details as much as possible. This place should be quiet, calm, and relaxing.
Lifestyle Changes to Manage Panic Symptoms:
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, smoking and recreational drugs. All of these can trigger or worsen panic attacks.
Practice stress management and relaxation techniques. For example, yoga, deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation may be helpful.
Get physically active. Aerobic activity may have a calming effect on your mood.
How to Treat a Hypoglycemic Reaction:
Early symptoms can usually be treated by following the 15-15 rule. Eat or drink 15 grams of a fast-acting carbohydrate. Fast-acting carbohydrates are foods that are easily converted to sugar in the body, such as glucose tablets or gel, fruit juice, or regular soda (not diet soda).
Check your blood glucose again in 15 minutes. If it is still low (below 70 mg/dL) repeat the step above.
If your next meal is more than an hour away, you will need to eat one carbohydrate choice as a snack (along with protein) to keep your blood glucose from going low again.
If you have type 1 diabetes and your blood glucose drops too low, you may pass out. If you do, a drug called glucagon should be injected into your skin, like you do with insulin This can be done by a family member or friend who has been taught how to do it. Since glucagon may cause you to vomit, you should be placed on your side when the injection is given. If no one knows how to give the injection, you should be taken to a hospital. You need a prescription for a glucagon kit. You should awaken about 10 minutes after the glucagon is injected. If you do not, you should be taken to a hospital at once.
Lifestyle Changes to Manage Blood Glucose:
Pay attention to feelings of hunger and give your body what it needs to function properly.
Always carry a fast-acting carbohydrate with you in case you need to treat an insulin reaction.
If you can’t figure out why you have low blood glucose, call your healthcare provider, as your medicine may need to be adjusted.
Understanding the symptoms for heart attack, panic attack, and hypoglycemia is important so you can receive the right treatment. In addition, it’s also important to make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of heart attack, manage panic symptoms, and manage blood glucose.
Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE
Dr. Beverly S. Adler, aka “Dr. Bev”, is a clinical psychologist and Certified Diabetes Educator with a private practice in Baldwin, NY. She was honored in 2016 with the “Certified Diabetes Educator Entrepreneur of the Year Award.”
She is the author/editor of two diabetes self-help books which include insightful lessons of empowerment written by successful men and women with diabetes. She has published articles in print and online about diabetes management – always with the focus on emotional adjustment. Dr. Bev has been quoted in numerous magazines and contributed to a monthly diabetes advice column online. She is a frequent contributor to the Divabetic Diabetes Daily Wire, where she blogs about diabetes topics from the psychological perspective.
Dr. Bev has lived successfully with type 1 diabetes for 42 years. You can connect with her on her website www.AskDrBev.com and on Twitter @AskDrBev.
Join us for Clued Inn Escape Room, the first-ever, free Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience on National Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 5- 10PM in New York City. Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Space Limited. BOOK NOW
Divabetic hosts a sneak peek of Clued Inn: The First-Ever Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience at Hale Organic Salon in New York City scheduled for National Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019 sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Guest presenters: Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Susan WeinerMS RDN CDE CDN FAADE, Catherine Schuller and Joe Murray will be discussing how your body shape relates to your risk for heart disease.
Does your Body Shape signal Heart Problems?
Having an apple shaped body – one where too much fat is stored around the middle (waist) – may be a warning sign that you are at risk for heart disease and other health problems, including Type 2 diabetes and cancer states Dr. Tony Hampton, an obesity expert at Advocate Trinity Hospital in Chicago and a member of the Obesity Medicine Association.
A clue to your risk is where your body stores excess fat. So, paying attention to the size of your waistline may be a more effective strategy for good health than focusing strictly on your Body Mass Index (BMI), or your overall weight.
Body types shaped like a carrot, a pear or an hour glass tend to carry lower risk for heart disease, even when carrying extra fat.Divabetic’s Sneak Peek for Clued Inn: Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room features Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE (author of MY SWEET LIFE: Successful Men with Diabetes and MY SWEET LIFE: Successful Women with Diabetes), Susan Weiner MS RDN CDE CDN FAADE (author of The Complete Diabetes Organizer, Diabetes: 365 Tips for Living Well) Hale Organic Salon owner and Master Stylist Joe Murray. The program is hosted by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek.
Don’t miss Clued Inn, the first-time Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience scheduled for Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019 in New York City sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Free Admission. Space Limited.BOOK NOW
The New York City Health Departments wants to help NYCers get ‘CLUED IN’ about their risk for heart disease by using the Heart Age Calculator to determine your heart age.
The Heart Age Calculator asks eight questions including height, weight, blood pressure and whether you smoke, to come up with the result. Users learn their heart age compared to their actual age.
Health officials say the average New Yorker has a heart age nearly six years older than their actual age, which puts them at a higher risk for heart disease and stroke.
“New Yorkers are famously young at heart, but heart disease and stroke remain leading causes of death in New York City,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. “Using the Heart Age Calculator is a simple, easy first step that lets New Yorkers check on their heart age and takes steps toward heart health.”
The Health Department said residents of the Bronx had a heart age 7.2 years older than their actual age, compared to residents of Staten Island (6.9 years), Queens (6.0 years), Brooklyn (5.9 years), and Manhattan (3.8 years).
But not everyone is happy with their results judging by the comments posted on Facebook. Many people are outraged over the lack of questions about exercise routines and diets to determine the results.
The Heart Age Calculator also provides resources for managing factors that increase heart disease and stroke risk, such as high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, diabetes, and smoking. It is designed for people ages 30 to 74 who do not have a history of cardiovascular disease.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. with 1 in 4 deaths caused by heart disease each year.
Don’t miss Clued Inn Escape Room, the first-ever Escape Room Experience with a Heart Health twist on on National Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 5- 10PM in New York City. BOOK NOW
