Just found this online…

If you’re doing serious research on diabetes, or just want to kept abreast of the latest literature, check out AccessMyLibrary this month.  They have a great program going for National Diabetes Month, with lots of recent articles concerning all aspects of the disease available and easily sorted for both the casual and serious researcher.   I’ll bring up more of the info that I find there, but for now just wanted to share the link.

Now back to homework… (despite high blood sugars and a caffeine headache.  Isn’t that the life?)

Just read an article in the IndyStar about a whole truckload of insulin that was stolen somewhere along route Ind. 267 in Indiana. Seriously, $1 million dollars worth of insulin stolen. Beyond the question of how on Earth do you actually steal that much insulin, beyond the question of who would do that, you get to why would someone (or a group of someones) actually attempt this?

I can think of two possible (perhaps over-thought and over-blown) reasons. First, because insulin can be deadly if too much is taken, it can be used as a dangerous weapon. Many a murderer has found an insulin overdose to be a handy, and less obvious way to kill someone. Not a pleasant thought, eh?

Second, there are millions of people around the world who desperately need insulin, but do not have access to proper care because of distance, money or simple availability. Even in this country (almost especially in this country), thousands of people do not receive the medical supplies they need, like insulin, because of a near defunct healthcare system. Without private insurance, insulin is extremely expensive – and people without insurance or medicare or medicaid (which are actually quite difficult to qualify for), often must go without or resort to the insulin black market. And that is a dangerous thing. Once insulin goes on the black market, it loses all credibility in terms of effectiveness, safety and even regulated dosing. Each year, each day, people die from ineffective insulin that has been irregularly diluted, exposed to heat and cold, and sold on the black market to people with no other option. A complete, and total tragedy.

So, in light of this crazy story, I would like to make a plea for all readers to at least check out the IDF’s Life for a Child program. The program uses generous private and corporate sponsorship to provide supplies and education to nearly 1000 children with diabetes in developing countries.

Over 3000 visitors!  Yay!

Don’t mind me and my over-blown excitement caused by the visitor ticker.  I just hope that my words only continue to grow.

An article today at MSNBC.com describes a University of Minnesota study wherein researchers were able to conclude that healthier school lunches were, against conventional wisdom, popular among kids, easy to make and cost nearly the same as traditional fat-and-grease-laden cafeteria foods.  This really shouldn’t come as a surprise, but somehow it does.

Why are we surprised when kids actually like food that is healthy for them?  This study somehow contradicts a previous study done at Stanford that showed kids are more likely to eat pretty much anything if it has that ubiquitous M*Donald’s label on it.

“I think people underestimate the willingness of kids to eat healthier foods,” said Margo Wootan of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

The debate just keeps raging in both directions: will they?  Won’t they?  How about we just make the healthy food all that more available and palatable, and forgo the question to begin with?

The world lights up for World Diabetes Day

In a good way, that is. Over 240 monuments around the world were lit up in a festive blue to commemorate World Diabetes Day, including:

• The Sydney Opera House, Australia
• the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, UAE
• Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janiero, Brazil
• Banting House, London, Ontario, Canada
• Rhine Tower, Dusseldorf, Germany
• Hellenic Parliament, Athens, Greece
• Tour Eiffel, Paris, France
• Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
• Tokyo Tower, Japan
• Torre Mayor, Mexico City, Mexico
• Globe Arena, Stockholm, Sweden
• London Eye, London, UK
• Sears Tower, Empire State Building, LAX and others in United States

Also, huge human blue circles were formed around the world, including the one I participated in at the United Nations building in New York City:

In the interest of keeping posts relatively readably short, I’ll write more on that later.

For more photos of the day’s events around the world see: http://www.flickr.com/groups/wdd

Here are some of the videos we produced during the youth advocacy summit at World Diabetes Day in New York.  Two are based at the Novo Nordisk Changing Diabetes Bus, while the third shows the big WDD advertisement in Times Square.

World Diabetes Day – NYC 2007

World Diabetes Day – Unite for Diabetes

World Diabetes Day, Times Square, NYC

In the spirit of World Diabetes Day, on Sunday, 18 November, the Discovery Health channel will premier a new full length documentary on diabetes.

“DIABETES: A GLOBAL EPIDEMIC follows Francine Kaufman, MD, former American Diabetes Association president and head of the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, as she tours the world.”

This new documentary is the first of its kind, finally bringing the issues relating to diabetes around the world to the mainstream viewer.  Discovery has a history of making hugely popular documentaries (shark week anyone?), but generally only on the “sexy” subjects.  Through this documentary, diabetes can be seen as an actually important issue that must be taken by force.

“During my travels, I realized that while diabetes is a worldwide issue, it often affects different cultures in different ways,” said Kaufman. “It became clear to me that in order to effectively address the disease globally, we need to apply culturally sensitive solutions locally.”

Dr. Kaufmann is here helping with the youth summit workshops, and I can say that I am truly impressed by all that she – and her wonderful family -  do for the diabetes community.   It is truly inspirational.

Anyways, everyone tune in to see the documentary.  I won’t be home then, but my TV will certainly be set to record!!  Also check out the website where you can test your diabetes IQ.

Just a quick update now…

Today, so far, in the Youth Advocacy summit has been relatively short (in comparison to yesterday’s list of activities).  We began the day with a workshop on the DAWN Youth program, which is an extension of the original DAWN program.  Essentially, the program (DAWN stands for Diabetes Attitudes, Wishes and Needs) works to research and then address the more psychosocial aspects of life with diabetes.  With the DAWN Youth program, one of the main issues of focus is diabetes in children at school.  So, we discussed how we can work to raise awareness of diabetes issues in schools and help school-age children by setting up appropriate support networks around the world.

I must run, but more later!

This week, I am writing to you from New York City, where we are at the United Nations building participating in celebrations and workshops and I am one of the US representatives for a youth summit on diabetes advocacy.  While we are here, there are several exciting activities happening on Wednesday for World Diabetes Day.  First, after deliberations on the current worldwide state of diabetes in the UN assembly, we will be forming a “human circle” (the blue circle is the symbol of the Unite for Diabetes campaign) with blue umbrellas on the lawn of the UN building, then a symbolic 246 step march down 1^st Avenue – each step representing 1 million people worldwide affected by diabetes.  Finally, monuments around the world, including the London Eye, the Sydney Opera House, the Sears Tower and the Empire States Building will be lit up in blue (the symbolic color of the campaign) on WDD.  This is where each of you come in.  If you would like, light up your home or your window or such on Wednesday in celebration of World Diabetes Day.  Then, take a picture and email it either to myself or directly to communications@idf.org (might take longer).  Then, we will display pictures of places all around the world lit up in blue in celebration.

Once I return to Fairbanks, I would love to share more of my experiences here in New York with all of you, and hearing all your ideas and thoughts for how we can unite for diabetes.  Take care, and if anyone has any questions,  please email me!

Thanks!

Obesity doesn’t necessarily cause type 2…actually it’s inflammation.  A new article describing interesting research into the causes of type 2 diabetes.  If it weren’t for lack of time, I’d write more – so here’s the intro for the actual article:

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 7 (UPI) — A U.S. study has determined inflammation — and not obesity — initiates insulin resistance that is the major cause of Type 2 diabetes.

University of California-San Diego School of Medicine researchers discovered inflammation provoked by immune cells called macrophages leads to insulin resistance. The scientists said that discovery might lead to new drug therapies to fight the disease, the most prevalent metabolic disease in the world.

Go here for the rest of the article.