Inpatient diabetes teaching may reduce trips to the hospital

Outpatient diabetes teaching from your healthcare provider has shown to increase compliance to medicine regimens and improve blood glucose levels.? However, many people with diabetes may not have access to such outpatient care on a regular basis due to lack of insurance or financial issues.? Therefore, a recent study looked at how effective inpatient diabetes teaching may be in a hospital setting.? It was found that inpatient teaching that included meal planning, blood glucose tracking, and how to use an insulin pump reduced future hospital trips by about one-third in one month and nearly one-fourth in 6 months. Future studies will look at how much money such an inpatient teaching program could save both the hospital, insurance companies, and the patient.
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Magnesium may lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes
Magnesium is a mineral found in the foods you eat that helps to keep blood glucose levels and insulin levels in the body under control.? Therefore, a recent study looked at the effect of taking a magnesium supplement on those with and at risk for getting type 2 diabetes.? It was found that those at risk for diabetes who received 365 milligrams of magnesium over 6 months had greatly improved fasting blood glucose levels and improved fasting insulin.? Those with diabetes had lower fasting blood glucose levels after taking 360 milligrams of magnesium over various periods of time. Therefore, it is suggested that those with diabetes as well as those at risk make magnesium-rich foods, and perhaps a supplement part of their diabetes care.
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Blood pressure medicine may increase risk of falls in older adults

Blood pressure medicines are used to help those with high blood pressure to lower such levels and reduce heart disease risk.? Sometimes though, such medicines may make those that take them feel dizzy or unsteady, which can lead to falls.? Those at most risk for falls from blood pressure medicines are older adults, which already have a loss of lean muscle mass from the aging process.? Therefore, if you feel any changes in your movement or balance after taking your blood pressure medicines, be sure to let your healthcare provider know so that your regimen can be changed to prevent a fall from becoming the downfall of your overall health.
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Veggie diet helps lower blood pressure

You may know that eating fruits and veggies every day is good for your overall health.? A vegetarian diet, one that avoids all meat products and sometimes seafood too, has been found to improve blood pressure levels and in turn lower risk of heart disease.? A review of studies on vegetarian diets found that heart attack risk was reduced by nearly one-tenth, and stroke was reduced by a little over one-sixth.? It is suggested that the low-sodium and potassium-rich elements of a vegetarian diet may be related to improved heart health, but further studies must be done to confirm this.
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A little weight loss may go a long way in preventing sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a dangerous condition in which breathing is paused many times during sleep due to pressure on the lungs.? Being very overweight or obese gives you a 10 times greater risk of getting sleep apnea than those of a healthy weight.? A recent study has found that just a small 5-percent loss of body weight can greatly reduce your risk of getting sleep apnea.? Those with sleep apnea who maintain such a weight loss can reduce the progression of their sleep apnea by over three-fourths.
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Your diet may be hurting your memory

Burgers, fries, and sugary drinks seem to be the keystone of the Western diet as seen on tv.? The Western diet, most often eaten in the United States, includes lots of processed carbs, fatty meats, and sugary foods and drinks that can lead to weight gain and increase risk of chronic disease such as heart disease and diabetes if eaten in the long-term.? A recent study has found that such a diet may not only be unhealthy for your body, but also for your brain.? Advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, are compounds found in the Western diet that have been linked to plaques in the brain and increased risk of the memory disorder Alzheimer’s disease. It is suggested that a balanced diet, exercise, and not smoking are ways you can preserve your heart, and your memory.
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Your parenting style may affect your child’s risk of obesity

When you are a child, you tend to imitate many things that those older than you do.? In many cases, your parents are some of your biggest role models.? This may be why a recent report found that those parents that were most involved in their lives lowered their children’s risk of obesity as an adult.? A survey of adults found that those parents who were most involved in their children’s lives were more likely to pack healthy lunches, encourage fruit and veggie intake, as well as get their children involved in staying active.? It is suggested then that parents spend as much time with their children as possible to help them become healthy adults inside and out.
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A healthy kid helps make a healthy adult

It’s never too late to start leading a healthy lifestyle, but it’s easier if you start living healthy young.??Offer your child heart healthy foods such as fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy, and whole grains.??Also, be sure to take your child to the doctor often to find out if your child is at risk for any health issues and treat any health problems that may arise. Helping your child get healthy at a young age will make it easier for them to become, and stay a healthy adult for life.
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Heart disease can be a family matter

One of the things you may hear your doctor ask is if you have a family history of any diseases or conditions.??You may wonder if you lead a healthy lifestyle, why you should have to worry about what ailments your family may have.?Experts suggest that family history of heart disease can increase your risk of getting heart disease.??Therefore, those with a family history should be screened from a younger age and more often than those without a family history of heart disease to prevent onset of any serious health issues.
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Obesity levels may be improving

Obesity rates in the United States are much higher than they were decades ago. However, a recent study has found that such alarming rates may be leveling off.??By comparing data from 2011 to 2012 with that of 2003 to 2004, it was found that although there was an increase in obesity in older women, there was no change in youth or adults, and a decrease in obesity rates in very young children.??Therefore, even though there is a lot more work to be done in getting the United States healthy, these small rays of hope reveal a great chance for a brighter, and lighter, future ahead.
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New drug shows promise for healing of diabetes-related foot ulcers

When uncontrolled, diabetes can lead to health problems such as nerve damage, which in turn can cause ulcers, mostly found on the feet, that are hard to heal. Diabetes-related ulcers can be painful and prone to infection.??In addition to your normal diabetes care regimen, having ulcers on your feet can increase the amount of care you have to give yourself each day which can be physically and mentally taxing.??A recent study has found that a new drug, calledpolydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) may be the answer to speeding up diabetes-related foot ulcer healing.??Compared to those not taking any medicine for their ulcer, twice the amount of people had ulcer healing within two months.?Therefore, it is suggested that PDRN could be just the start of improved foot care to come for those with diabetes.
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