Diabetic Digest - April 13, 2016

Readers:

For the last few weeks I've been weighing myself every
Saturday morning to see if cutting back on my insulin and the amount of food I've been eating has been having any effect on my weight... and it has!

I've lost about 8 pounds in the last month. Wow! I can't believe it. For me, portion control seems to be the key. And now that the weather is improving outdoor exercise is really going to help to speed up the weight loss.

It seems that I have all my ducks in a row. This summer is sure to be the healthiest one yet!

Wish me luck.

Regards,
Steve

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Comments? Questions? Email Steve


*-- Diabetic News --*
Study: Diabetes increases years with disability, reduces lifespan

ATLANTA - The threat to health posed by diabetes is well known, however the effects during life may be just as significant, based on a study showing the number of disabled years of a person's life increase significantly because of the condition.

People with diabetes develop disabilities seven years earlier than those without it, and die nearly five years earlier, according to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with researchers at Emory University in Atlanta.

The CDC reports that, as of 2014, an estimated 9.3 percent of the U.S. population, or 29.1 million people, have diabetes, with more than a quarter of them not diagnosed. On top of this, 86 million people have prediabetes, with 15 to 30 percent expected to develop the condition within five years if they do not lose weight and increase physical activity, the agency said.

Researchers in the new study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, reviewed health records collected as part of the Health and Retirement Study between 1998 and 2012 for 20,008 people over age 50.

Diabetes and disability status were used to estimate the incidence of disease-related disability, remission to nondisability, and mortality from diabetes, all of which was self-reported by participants. Disability was defined as mobility loss, difficulty with instrumental activities of daily living, and difficulty with activities of daily living.

The researchers found adults with diabetes died 4.6 years earlier than those without diabetes, developed disabilities six to seven years earlier, and spent one to two years more in a disabled state than people without diabetes. As baseline age increased, further reductions in life expectancy and disability-free years were seen than in those at younger ages.

Men with diabetes also spent twice as much of their remaining life -- 20 to 24 percent -- disabled than men without the disease, who experienced disability for 12 to 16 percent of their remaining lives. Similar associations were found among women, researchers reported.


*-- Diabetic News --*
PEPPERONI PIZZA DIP
INGREDIENTS:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup pizza sauce
2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
2 ounces pepperoni sausage, chopped
2 tablespoons sliced black olives

DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, oregano, parsley, and basil. Spread mixture in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate, or a shallow microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese on top of the cream cheese mixture. Spread the pizza sauce over all. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, then top with green pepper, pepperoni and olive slices. Cover, and microwave for 5 minutes. Serve hot with crackers or baguettes.

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