Diabetic Digest - September 26, 2018

Readers:

Stress has a huge affect on living with diabetes. I definitely learn this the hard way when I was in college. Working and going to school full-time really took their toll on me. I hardly had the time to eat and when I did it usually wasn't enough. My blood sugar was always like a roller-coaster and the stress of tests, term-papers, and deadlines didn't help me to stay healthy.

These days, with two kids to raise, I have a whole new rush of stress in my life. After reading the story that I have for you below I think that I better reduce my stress and relax to better my health and keep my diabetes in check.

So relax and check out the article below. Oh, and enjoy a receipe for Cheesy Frosted Cauliflower.

Regards,
Steve

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Comments? Questions? Email Steve



*-- Diabetic News --*
Stress triggers white blood cells, boosts heart attack risk for diabetics
Stress hormones and white blood cells can be good or bad -- they can join together to fight infection and heal injuries, but they also can lead to heart attacks.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine studied how white blood cells can rupture and hemorrhage in people with diabetes, because they are overactive, and cause inflammation in plaques in blood vessels.

Findings from the new study were published Tuesday in the journal Immunity.

"If the rupture occurs in the coronary artery, the person has a heart attack. If the rupture occurs in the carotid artery, it causes a stroke," Dr. Partha Dutta, an assistant professor of medicine at Pitt's School of Medicine, said in a press release.

There are more than 100 million adults in the United States living with diabetes or pre diabetes, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among this population, heart attack is a major risk and cause of death.

But the researchers found if patients were taking beta 2 blockers, they had fewer inflammatory cells -- which could limit their risk for heart attack.

"The findings suggest that diabetic patients could be treated with beta 2 blockers to reduce the number of inflammatory myeloid cells that cause plaque to rupture," Duta said. "If patients are on beta 2 blockers, the spleen will still be making the myeloid cells necessary to fight infection, but in smaller amounts."

The researchers studied stress factors in humans and mice with diabetes. When the fight-or-flight response was triggered, they saw an over-production of white blood cells, or leukocytes, being produced.

They found for the first time that stress hormones, or catecholamines, are made by a sub-group of white blood cells in the spleen. Researchers had previously only confirmed their production by the sympathetic nervous system.

But in the spleen, the stress hormones trigger granulocyte macrophage progenitor cells, which then form inflammatory myeloid cells. In the new study, these cells were found in the blood vessels.

In addition, the granulocyte macrophage progenitor cells had high levels of beta 2 receptors for stress hormones.

While the researchers caution that lowering white blood cell levels could be dangerous for patients more likely to develop infections, in the right patients -- and when the risk for other illness is properly weighed against preventing death -- they say beta 2 blockers could be effective at saving lives.



*-- Diabetic Recipe --*
CHEESY FROSTED CAULIFLOWER
INGREDIENTS:
1 med head cauliflower (take note of weight when purchased)
1/4-1/2 cup mayonnaise (low fat if desired)
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1-2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
Paprika

DIRECTIONS:
Remove woody base of cauliflower, leaving cauliflower in whole head. Pierce the core with a knife to make porous. Place in 2 quart microwave casserole and cook, covered, for 6 minutes per pound on High power (100%). Let stand a few minutes. Salt if desired. Spread cauliflower with mixture of mayonnaise and mustard. Sprinkle with cheese. Heat for 1 minute, or until cheese melts, on Medium-high power (70%). Sprinkle with paprika, slice into wedges and serve immediately.

Categories: Vegetables

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