December 19, 2018

Readers:

Christmas is under a week away so "Merry Christmas" to you all and a Happy New Year, too!

I'm sure that you're rushing to get things ready for next week so I'll be short. Please, check out today's article concerning those with type 2 diabetes might be over-testing their blood sugar. And if you're looking for a tasty treat for your next holiday party, look no further because I've got a delicious recipe for Holiday Cheese Ball. It's loved by all!

Have a safe and happy holiday and I'll see you in the new year!

Regards,
Steve

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*-- Diabetic News --*

People with type 2 diabetes may be testing blood sugar too much
People with type 2 diabetes might be testing their blood sugar levels too much, a study says.

Researchers at the University of Michigan say that roughly 14 percent of people with diabetes, but who don't require insulin, are spending hundreds of dollars per year and using thousands of test strips to check something that is not necessary.

New research published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine, based on insurance information for more than 370,000 people with Type 2 diabetes but who did not take insulin, suggests that these tests are unnecessary.

"One of my patients who didn't need to be testing daily told me that her previous doctor had told her to test her sugars two or three times a day," Kevin Platt, the internal medicine resident in the Department of Internal Medicine at University of Michigan and study lead investigator, said in a press release. "These data show that over-testing is quite common -- and with the appropriate guidance can be reduced significantly."

About 23 percent of people in the study refilled prescriptions for test strips at least three times a year, getting 90 strips at a time. Another 43 percent of participants filled prescriptions exclusively for metformin or other medicines that don't have a risk of hypoglycemia. Once patients established the proper dosage of medication that didn't cause a blood sugar spike, they no longer needed daily testing.

But those two groups kept testing their blood sugar, even though they didn't need to.

The researchers say many patients needlessly test daily to see how well exercise, dieting and their medicine regimens are actually working.

Plus, the cost for doing so doesn't seem too high. The average cost for test strips, according to insurance data, is $18 per year in co-pay and $325 annually for insurance companies. Though the study does acknowledge that the cost for patients who don't have insurance could run a lot higher.

"Healthcare costs and access to care are an important issue for many Americans," said A. Mark Fendrick, a professor in General Medicine at University of Michigan and study senior author. "The savings that result from reducing the use of unnecessary care - such as needless home blood sugar testing -- can create 'headroom' to spend more on those clinical services that we need to buy more often".

*-- Diabetic Recipe --*

HOLIDAY CHEESE BALL
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoon finely chopped pecans
1 package (8 ounces) Neufchatel cream cheese (room temperature)
3 green onions (finely chopped with tops, 1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup minced parsley

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spread out the pecans in a small pan. Bake, tossing once, for 8 minutes or until toasted. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, place the cream cheese, onions, mustard, red pepper sauce, and garlic. With an electric mixer at moderate speed, beat for 3 minutes or until well blended. Stir in the cheddar cheese. Wrap the mixture in plastic wrap, shape into a 4-inch ball, and chill for 15 minutes. On wax paper, toss the toasted pecans with the parsley. Unwrap the cheese ball and carefully roll it in the parsley mixture, coating it completely. Rewrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until time to serve. Place the ball on a serving platter and surround with an assortment of crackers.

Yield: 24 Servings
1 tablespoon has: Calories 50, Saturated Fat 2g, Total Fat 4g, Protein 2g, Carbohydrate 1g, Fiber 0g, Sodium 72mg, Chol 12mg

Categories: Appetizers, Holiday
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