Diabetic Digest - Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Readers:

My physical went very well. I got nothing but good news from my doctor. My health is much better than I expected.

My liver and kidney are functioning perfectly. My chest x-ray and EKG were nothing short of fantastic. My A1C was an excellent 5.7! My doctor so proud of me. Also, I lost 20 lbs. in the last year. Great news, right?

The only thing that I didn't get high marks for was my cholesterol, well, my "bad" cholesterol. My "good" cholesterol was great, but I need to work on my "bad" cholesterol. Don't worry, it wasn't bad, but it could use a little work. I'm just saying. A little room for improvement is always good.

Regards,
Steve

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Questions? Comments? Email Steve


*-- Diabetic News --*
Diabetes link to breast cancer in older women
Post-menopausal women with type 2 diabetes have a 27% increased risk of breast cancer, a study finds
By: Peter Russell
WebMD UK Health News
Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Sheena Meredith

Post-menopausal women with type 2 diabetes have a 27% higher risk of developing breast cancer, say researchers.

Experts who analysed 40 separate international studies say that being overweight or obese - a factor behind diabetes - may also contribute to the higher rates of breast cancer.

The review was carried out by researchers at the International Prevention Research Institute (i-PRI) in Lyon, France. The studies involved over 56,000 cases of breast cancer among women across four continents.

Breast cancer: Most common UK cancer
More than 48,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. More than eight out of 10 women who receive a breast cancer diagnosis are aged 50 or over.

Writing in the British Journal of Cancer, the authors say that the increased risk of breast cancer found in the studies they reviewed were restricted to post-menopausal women with type 2 diabetes, as their research found no link between women of pre-menopausal age or those with type 1 diabetes.

They say the underlying reason why type 2 diabetes is linked to breast cancer is not understood. However they say that having a high Body Mass Index (BMI) may be a risk factor for breast cancer as well as diabetes.

Obesity risk
According to Cancer Research UK, overweight post-menopausal women have a 10% to 20% increased risk of developing breast cancer, while the risk increases to 30% for those who are obese.

Professor Peter Boyle, president of i-PRI and lead author of the study, said in a statement: "Our study found a significantly increased risk of breast cancer in women who had diabetes, which was restricted to those of post-menopausal age.

"We don't yet know the mechanisms behind why Type 2 diabetes might increase the risk of breast cancer. On the one hand, it's thought that being overweight, often associated with Type 2 diabetes, and the effect this has on hormone activity may be partly responsible for the processes that lead to cancer growth. But it's also impossible to rule out that some factors related to diabetes may be involved in the process."

Commenting on the latest research in a statement, Martin Ledwick, head information nurse at Cancer Research UK, said: "From this study, it's not clear whether there's a causal link between diabetes and the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women.

"But as we know that having a high BMI can contribute to an increased risk of both type 2 diabetes and breast cancer, it makes sense for women to try and maintain a healthy weight.

"Anyone who is concerned should consult their GP for advice and consider changes to their lifestyle, such as increasing their level of physical activity and changes to their diet, to keep the risks as low as possible."

Original Article: Diabetes link to breast cancer in older women


*-- Diabetic Recipe --*
Stir-fry Pork with Rice
Servings: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 large mushroom caps, cleaned and sliced
4 scallions, white part and 4 inches green, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pounds boneless center-cut pork loin chop, trimmed of all fat and cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups hot cooked long-grain rice
sprigs of fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions
1. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok over high heat.
2. When hot, add garlic, ginger, onion, mushrooms, and scallion. Stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until vegetables are limp.
3. Transfer to a heated platter; keep warm.
4. In a small cup, stir together the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and cornstarch until cornstarch dissolves.
5. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and distribute the pork over the bottom of the skillet. Stir-fry until pork is browned on both sides (about 4 minutes). Return onion-mushroom mixture to the skillet.
6. Add the broth to the skillet, then stir in the soy sauce-cornstarch mixture. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until mixture comes to a boil and sauce thickens slightly.
7. Serve over rice with a spring of cilantro for garnish, if you want.

Nutrition Information
Per serving: 226 calories (27% calories from fat), 26 g protein, 10 g total fat (2.7 g saturated fat), 32 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 59 mg cholesterol, 326 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 1/2 carbohydrate (1 1/2 bread/starch), 2 vegetable

Original Recipe: Stir-fry Pork with Rice

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