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Egg consumption is up as fear of cholesterol recedes

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Egg consumption is up as fear of cholesterol recedes

Americans eating more eggs
Eggs are back on American plates. Although consumption has not rebounded to the egg-rich days of the mid 1940s, when each person averaged 404 eggs per year, the current annual per capita appetite for eggs, forecast at 279 eggs this year, shows a meaningful recovery from the low-point of 229 eggs per person consumed in 1992.Why are eggs making a comeback? In part, it has to do with the diminishing fear of dietary cholesterol, as scientists and nutrition experts grapple with a fact that has been apparent in the scientific literature for some time: the cholesterol we eat does not have much of an effect on the amount of cholesterol in our blood. In fact, the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans softened the stance on dietary cholesterol, removing it from the list of “nutrients of concern.”

The Washington Post covers the story of this egg-citing return to what we knew decades ago: eggs are a nutrient-dense, unprocessed real food and a relatively cheap source of complete protein.

The Washington Post: Why Americans are on track to eat the most eggs in nearly a half-century

There is more work to do to completely rehabilitate eggs’ reputation. Whole food diets, like keto and paleo, help to move the conversation in the right direction. But there is another regulatory stumbling block: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although many nutritionists now see the fats contained in egg yolks as a healthy part of what an egg has to offer, the FDA policies are behind the times:

…[The FDA’s] definition for “healthy” on food labels does not apply to egg producers, because eggs exceed the agency’s criteria for fat and cholesterol. The FDA has acknowledged that public health recommendations have changed, and the agency is currently reviewing public input to update its definition of “healthy” for food labeling.

Hopefully, the FDA will get crackin’ on that long overdue update, vindicating not just eggs but other whole foods that contain fat.

Earlier

Are eggs linked to higher or lower rates of type 2 diabetes?

Does cholesterol cause heart disease? New study says no

An egg is number one on Instagram

Guides

Cholesterol and low-carb diets

A ketogenic diet for beginners

Egg breakfast

Keto eggs Benedict with mug breadKeto eggs Benedict with mug bread

 

Fiber: 2 g
Fat: 88 % (59 g)
Protein: 10 % (15 g)
kcal: 601
We don't recommend counting calories. Here's why.
Nutritional information based on the USDA National Nutrient Database. Read more

<span class=”fix”></span></span></span></aside>”>

3 g

Egg butterEgg butter

 

Fiber: 0 g
Fat: 93 % (69 g)
Protein: 7 % (12 g)
kcal: 664
We don't recommend counting calories. Here's why.
Nutritional information based on the USDA National Nutrient Database. Read more

<span class=”fix”></span></span></span></aside>”>

1 g

Scrambled eggs with basil and butterScrambled eggs with basil and butter

 

Fiber: 1 g
Fat: 86 % (42 g)
Protein: 12 % (13 g)
kcal: 427
We don't recommend counting calories. Here's why.
Nutritional information based on the USDA National Nutrient Database. Read more

<span class=”fix”></span></span></span></aside>”>

2 g

The post Egg consumption is up as fear of cholesterol recedes appeared first on Diet Doctor.

A statin debate, a biased study, and classy pork rinds

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news summary March week 2
This week, we summarize the top five news articles and studies in the low-carb realm, plus some success stories.

  1. A lengthy article in The Mail on Sunday calls out three UK experts for publicly questioning the efficacy of statins. The article suggests that thousands of people who could be helped by statins are not taking them because of these “statin deniers.” But the record of statins to meaningfully protect all patients from cardiovascular disease is spotty. Cardiologist Bret Scher unpacks the bitter controversy between the pro- and anti-statin camps.
  2. A new study compared a pork cheeseburger to a plant-based burger, but with an added twist: a sugary drink was added to the pork cheeseburger but not to the other meal. This study design suggests obvious bias, yet it got through peer review. It’s just another reminder of how agendas can impact otherwise “scientific” studies and their results.
  3. You may have seen multiple online articles about the perils of “keto crotch” — a condition featuring unpleasant vaginal odors purported to be caused by the keto diet. Dr. Evelyne Bourdua-Roy, a family doctor who treats patients with low-carb diets, looks into the rumors, and concludes that “keto crotch” is perhaps misinformation or misdiagnosis, but is NOT a chronic or significant ongoing problem women experience when in ketosis.
  4. In a sweeping proposal published in The New York Times, former Federal Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. David Kessler and his coauthors call for establishing a new “National Institute of Nutrition,” to be part of the National Institutes of Health. It begins: “Poor nutrition is a leading cause of poor health and spiraling health care spending. Research… suggests that poor eating causes nearly 1,000 deaths each day in the United States from heart disease, stroke or diabetes.” An interesting read.
  5. Also in The New York Times, cardiologist Eric Topol describes undergoing an upscale, personalized analysis of his diet using a continuous glucose monitor and microbiome testing. The goal was to help him identify an individualized list of appropriate and problem foods. What did he learn? “Cheesecake was given an A grade, but whole-wheat fig bars were a C-. In fruits: Strawberries were an A+ for me, but grapefruit a C. In legumes: Mixed nuts were an A+, but veggie burgers a C. Needless to say, it didn’t match what I thought I knew about healthy eating… Bratwurst (the worst and potentially most lethal kind of food in my perception) was rated an A+!” 😏

Want more?

Are we living in a golden age of classy pork rinds? Have you read The Nutrition Coalition’s take on the new advisory committee for the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans? What is the evidence behind “healthy whole grain” claims? What do doctors Phinney and Volek have to say about the importance of fiber in a well-formulated ketogenic diet? Why are eggs back on America’s plates? Should you be added to this list of low-carb doctors? Have you heard Dr. Rob Lustig speak about his latest public health projects?

  • TODAY co-anchor and weather specialist Al Roker announces he has lost 40 pounds (18 kilos) with keto since September. And he is making delicious keto meals on-air!
  • When a champion pie-maker converts: “Discovering low-carb has made me realize that it’s the carbs and the sugar in food that actually debilitates you.”
  • How does Leonie manage her type 1 diabetes? Very carefully… but now with a ketogenic diet, too. “Hearing how type 1 doctors manage their diabetes has given me the confidence to pretty much fly solo and take control of my health.”
  • How does 48-year-old Antonietta wake up feeling like she’s 25? With her ketogenic lifestyle, she’s lost a total of 150 pounds (68 kilos)! “The feeling of being in ketosis is one that surpasses anything I have ever experienced. I say keto is like the perfect vacation, and that experience you would want to share with everyone you meet.”

Tune in next week!

About

This news gathering is from our collaborator Jennifer Calihan, who also blogs at Eat the Butter. Feel free to check out the keto meal-idea-generator on her site.

More with Jennifer Calihan

Top 10 ways to eat more fat

How to eat low carb and keto when dining out

Living low carb in a high-carb world

Earlier

A stellar op-ed, keto vs. WW, and the ‘Doritos towel bag’

Post-PREDIMED, midlife inflammation, and ‘Ay, chihuahua!’

Keto news highlights: PCOS, individuality, and ‘drinkable’ potato chips

Low-carb basics

  • Keto for beginners: Introduction

  • My success story with Katrin Crum

  • Living low carb with Jill Rieder: Finding her way to health

  • The 5 common mistakes on LCHF

  • My success story with Carole Freeman

  • 7 tips to make low carb simple

  • Cereal Killers

  • Women's questions introduction

  • My success story with Mitzi Champion

  • Pie-making champion goes low carb

  • My success story with Chuck Hicks

  • A global food revolution

  • Carb-Loaded

  • The cause of obesity

  • How to stay low carb on a budget

  • My success story with Kenneth Russell

  • Everything in moderation?

  • How to formulate a low-carb keto diet

Advanced low-carb topics

  • Can fasting be problematic for women?

  • Can low carb make menopause easier?

  • Can exercise be problematic for women?

  • Diet and exercise for a healthy heart

  • Women's questions introduction

  • Common mistakes on low carb

  • Why more protein is better

  • Exploiting cancer metabolism with ketosis

  • Diet Doctor Podcast #11 with Amber O'Hearn

  • A new life with a keto diet

  • Framingham and the Muddy Waters – part 1

  • Weight control – calories or insulin

  • Low-carb ketogenic diets for athletes

  • Grass based health and the ruminant revolution

  • The truth about low-carb performance

  • How to break a weight plateau

  • The latest science behind a keto diet

  • Do you have to count calories to lose weight?

The post A statin debate, a biased study, and classy pork rinds appeared first on Diet Doctor.

Inaccurate news stories suggest low carb causes atrial fibrillation

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Atrial Fibrillation
I tried to ignore it, but I just can’t anymore. The misinformation being publicly touted needs clarification.Popular news articles are covering an observational study linking “low-carb” diets to atrial fibrillation, a potentially dangerous heart-rhythm disorder.NBC News: Study: Low-carb diet could lead to AFibEurekAlert: Low-carb diet tied to common heart rhythm disorder

For starters, this study is not published yet, and it hasn’t even been presented at a scientific meeting. It looks like it will be presented next week at the American College of Cardiology’s annual meeting. Scientific integrity, but apparently not journalistic integrity, dictates that one should not discuss the details of a study until it is published. The reasons for this are clear, one of which is that we may draw false conclusions without having the actual data available to review.

This study is a perfect example. The headlines state this study determined those who ate a “low carb” diet were at higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation. Once again, however, the definition of low carb was less than 40% of calories from carbohydrate. That’s 200 grams on a 2,000-calorie diet. I have seen responses on social media such as, “I eat fewer carbs than that on my biggest cheat days!”

While 40% may be low carb by Standard American Diet (SAD) standards, it is a far cry from the less than 50 or even 20 grams of carbs to which most low-carb eaters adhere. There is a reason for differentiation. At 40% carbs, our bodies are still burning carbs and glucose for fuel. So what happens to the fat? It gets stored. Or worse, it gets oxidized and stored. Either way, the combined high-carb and high-fat diet is the one that is most prone for health problems.

But the problems with the study don’t stop there. This is the same poor quality of evidence that we point out time and time again. Observational trials can suggest an association, but do not prove causation. The food frequency questionnaires used to record participants’ diets are notoriously inaccurate at capturing what people really eat, and they miss dietary changes that happen after the questionnaire was completed. Last, there are numerous potential confounding variables. Did people decrease their carb intake from very high to slightly high (from more than 60% to less than 40%) because they were obese and wanted to lose weight? Did they have diabetes or hypertension and wanted to improve them?

Obesity, sleep apnea, hypertension and diabetes are all risk factors for atrial fibrillation. It turns out that a low-carb diet (the real low carb diet, not the fake one in this study) improves obesity, sleep apnea, hypertension and diabetes. It’s my guess that a higher-quality, better designed study would likely show that low-carb nutrition prevents atrial fibrillation. That’s what I see in my practice, and that is how I am going to continue to use low-carb nutrition. When followed correctly, low-carb nutrition is as a powerful tool to improve health.

Thanks for reading,
Bret Scher, MD FACC

DD_ketofood_mobile_blue3

A ketogenic diet for beginners

Guide Here you’ll learn how to eat a keto diet based on real foods. You’ll find visual guides, recipes, meal plans and a simple 2-week get started program, all you need to succeed on keto.

 

Earlier

The bitter statin debate

High-fat diets raise blood pressure! (in rats)

Low-carb diets don’t accelerate coronary calcification

Heart disease

  • Cereal Killers

  • Diet and exercise for a healthy heart

  • The pathways of insulin resistance

  • "My doctor urged me to take statins"

  • Statin Nation

  • Framingham and the Muddy Waters – part 1

  • 200 pounds lost and a health journey for the family

  • Should you worry about high cholesterol?

  • "I have been following the wrong advice!"

  • Is cholesterol the cause of heart disease?

  • The highway to poor health

  • "Lifestyle changes are much more powerful"

  • Diet Doctor Podcast #9 — Dr. Ron Krauss

  • Statin Nation II

  • Nutrition nuggets to combat conventional dietary advice

  • Diet, health and an epidemic of misinformation

  • Solving health problems like an engineer

  • Action on sugar

The post Inaccurate news stories suggest low carb causes atrial fibrillation appeared first on Diet Doctor.

’Keto Crotch’: the latest myth?

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Unhappy woman’s form double exposed with paint splatter effect
Recently, numerous articles have appeared simultaneously in popular women’s magazines about what has been called “keto crotch.” Many of those articles were accompanied by a picture of fish, just in case, the readers’ virtual olfactory system needed some inspiration. What is this thing, “keto crotch”? Is this even a thing?At first, I just brushed it off, laughing. I thought, “Is this their new invention to scare people off keto?” But then it occurred to me that if it concerns vaginas, as a woman, and as a family doctor who treats female patients, I should pay attention. And if my vagina was about to give off scents of bacon or organic churned butter, I would like to know! So, I decided to take a deeper dive into this new phenomenon.“Keto crotch” actually refers to a temporary change in vaginal odor in women who are on a ketogenic diet. Intrinsically, it’s neither positive nor negative. It’s just a change of odor. But that wouldn’t get much attention, would it? All of the articles I have read actually used more pejorative descriptive terms, like “stinky side effect”, “smelly vagina”, “fragrant vagina”, “gnarly smell”, or “unfortunate odor”; some even calling it a “pretty major downside” of the keto diet, to be expected along with the “keto breath”, the “keto flu”, and the “keto diarrhea.” They make it sound like your vagina, on keto, might become totally disgusting.Nearly every article cites a specialist, like an OB/GYN or a nutritionist. Most of those specialists are more nuanced and remind readers that any significant change in the diet may have an impact on the pH of the vagina, which may be perceived as a change of scent. One nutritionist, however, explains that not only can keto change the pH of the vagina, but that pH change can result in bad bacteria growth, irritation, odor, and infections. Basically, she was suggesting that keto will give you a bacterial infection called bacterial vaginosis.

Keto Crotch a Personal Story

Along those lines, another article cites a Reddit writer who said that her “keto crotch” was so bad, she had to keep panty liners in her bag and keep changing them every couple of hours because the vaginal discharge was so significant.

I have been eating low carb/keto myself for three years now, and I’ve been offering nutrition as a therapeutic option to my patients for almost as much time. I have never encountered such issues. But since there’s nothing in the scientific literature about the infamous “keto crotch,” I decided to ask around, as unscientific as that can be.

I polled the Facebook group I created for people who are interested in low-carb and ketogenic ways of eating, Keto Experts Qc, which is moderated by my multidisciplinary team and myself. Dozens of people reported either no change or a temporary change of scent that lasted a few weeks but couldn’t be described as smelly or pungent. Even a few same-sex partners confirmed that odor was practically unchanged.

I also asked Kristie Sullivan, who said:

In nearly six years of following a strict low-carb diet, and interacting with literally hundreds of thousands via social media and my Facebook groups (over 250,000 people like Low Carb Journey — Cooking Keto with Kristie), I have interacted in nearly every discussion imaginable regarding personal health and low carb or keto. Not once has the issue of foul vaginal odor been part of that conversation. Bad breath or changes in body odor are not uncommon concerns, but those tend to be experienced early in the adaptation phase and are not long term or ongoing issues. When compared to struggling with obesity and metabolic dysfunction, dealing briefly with body odor changes is pretty simple.

Megan Ramos, CEO of Intensive Dietary Management in Toronto, also replied:

We’ve treated over 10,000 patients at this point. Approximately 65% of them are females. Not once did I have a woman bring up this issue with me. As a matter of fact, we’re seeing the opposite: women have less and less yeast infections and bladder infections, in particular our diabetic patients who normalise their blood sugars, and who stop taking their SGLT2 inhibitors (which is a drug that makes people pee out sugar).

Less Vaginal Issues on Low-Carb Keto Diet

Dr. Ken Berry, in his Youtube video on the subject, also confirmed that he treats a lot less vaginal and bladder infections in his patients on low carb.

Just as I was about to conclude that it was just a new myth, I received a few private messages from a handful of women who admitted that at some point in their keto journey, they experienced a less than pleasant odor emanating from their vagina, which lasted a few weeks, and went away on its own. None consulted their physician for this issue.

Keto is great for many things. It has helped many of my patients reverse their metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, etc. It can definitely help people achieve better metabolic health, but as I often tell my patients, it isn’t a cure-all. You can still catch or develop diseases and illnesses while on keto, like the common cold, glaucoma, or cancer. In a study on the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV), it was found that 29.2% of the more than 4,000 women surveyed and tested had a BV, but 84% of them were completely asymptomatic. So BV is quite frequent.

The poor lady who had to change her panty liners every two hours and the women who took the time to write privately to me had likely been suffering from something other than “keto crotch.” Perhaps they had bacterial vaginosis? In any case, any woman who notices a significant change in her vaginal odor or discharge should seek medical attention and get a proper diagnosis. And please do not douche!

What amazes me is the fact that these articles about the keto crotch are all over the place, at the same time, going viral, and all are negative. It seems to me that it could possibly even be a concerted effort, cleverly orchestrated. But why?

Every article I have read had a common take-home message:

  • “keto is a fad weight-loss solution”
  • “if you’re interested in trying this high-fat, low-carb diet, hearing about keto crotch may be a deterrent”
  • “it might actually make you rethink a low-carb diet”
  • “another excellent reason not to cut out carbs”
  • “the good news is that there are foods that can combat offensive odors and actually add a sweet smell or taste to the vagina, like fresh fruit, fruit juices, whole grains, and Greek yogurt”
  • “carbs never sounded and smelled so delicious”
  • “it may be the strongest argument for eating carbs yet”
  • “experts have also warned about how the high-fat food intake could be damaging to someone’s health”
  • “it is ‘common sense’ for everyone to avoid the keto diet,” and of course
  • “your doctor may advise you to go back to a balanced diet.”

The reason this campaign of fear is centered around the vagina is pretty simple. According to an article in Psychology Today, while men’s biggest concern with their genitalia is the size of their penis, for women, it’s an odor. Women worry that what’s between their legs smells like (in descending order): fish, vinegar, onions, ammonia, garlic, cheese, body odor, urine, bread, bleach, feces, sweat, metal, dirty feet, garbage, and rotten meat.

My personal belief is that someone out there isn’t liking how the low-carb and ketogenic diets are helping hundreds of thousands of people regain their health, stop certain medications, and achieve a healthy weight. And since science is backing low-carb and keto diets, dealing with this inconvenient situation might be best accomplished with a well-orchestrated viral campaign of fear, preying on women’s insecurities and biggest intimate concerns, setting up anxiety and doubt, to deter them from even trying the keto diet.

Sadly, the underlying message seems to be, “Food as a therapeutic option is dangerous; better stick with medications and long-established commercial weight-loss programs, which are much safer for your vagina, and therefore, for you.”

I am not laughing anymore. This possibly misogynistic campaign of fear is causing harm. My advice is simple: don’t fall for this. Denounce this potentially orchestrated misinformation.

And now, we can all sit and wait for the other side’s next move. What will it be? Keto causes unibrows, or will make you die four years sooner (oh wait, this has been done already), or attracts spiders in your bedroom while you sleep? All bets are off!

—
Dr. Èvelyne Bourdua-Roy

 

Keto crotch articlesImage from John Zahorik, on Twitter

 

DD_ketofood_mobile_blue3

A ketogenic diet for beginners

Guide Here you’ll learn how to eat a keto diet based on real foods. You’ll find visual guides, recipes, meal plans and a simple 2-week get started program, all you need to succeed on keto.

 

Male doctor using his digital tablet

Low carb & keto for doctors

GuideAre you a doctor or do you know a doctor? Are you interested in low carb and keto diets? Then this resource could be something for you to use or share!

 

doctors hand on patients shoulder

Helping patients adopt low carb

Guide How to decide which of your patients will benefit most from adopting an low-carb or keto diet? How to introduce it in a supportive and respectful way? This guide helps answer those questions.

 

Earlier with Dr. Bourdua-Roy

Do you want to read more by Evelyne? Here are her three most popular posts:

  • ’Keto Crotch’: the latest myth?

    ’Keto Crotch’: the latest myth? 

  • Lab tests

    Lab tests 

  • How fat is your liver?

    How fat is your liver? 

All earlier posts by Dr. Bourdua-Roy

Low-carb doctors

  • A ketogenic diet and fewer vegetables

    A ketogenic diet and fewer vegetables

     

    Should you NOT eat your vegetables? An interview with psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede.

  • Who benefits from eating LCHF?

  • "I make a difference every day"

  • Challenging the dogma

    Challenging the dogma

     

    Dr. Priyanka Wali tried a ketogenic diet and felt great. After reviewing the science she started recommending it to patients.

  • The human body needs good saturated fats — Dr. Ken Berry

    The human body needs good saturated fats — Dr. Ken Berry

     

    In part 2 of this interview with Dr. Ken Berry, MD, Andreas and Ken talk about some of the lies discussed in Ken's book Lies my doctor told me.

  • Kristie cooking keto with Dr. Georgia Ede

  • Motivating people to change their lives

    Motivating people to change their lives

     

    How do you help and motivate people to start and stay on a low-carb diet?

  • Tim Noakes on trial

    Tim Noakes on trial

     

    In this mini-documentary of the Tim Noakes trial, we learn what led up to the prosecution, what happened during the trial, and what it has been like since.

  • Why more protein is better

    Why more protein is better

     

    Dr. Ted Naiman is one of the individuals who believe more protein is better and recommends a higher intake. He explains why in this interview.

  • The perfect treatment for diabetes and weight loss

    The perfect treatment for diabetes and weight loss

     

    Do doctors treat type 2 diabetes completely wrong today – in a way that actually makes the disease worse?

  • What's it like being a low-carb doctor on TV?

    What's it like being a low-carb doctor on TV?

     

    What’s it like working with patients and giving controversial low-carb advice in front of a TV audience?

  • Launching the Diet Doctor podcast

  • A global food revolution

  • "Humans are not broken by default"

    “Humans are not broken by default”

     

    What is it like practicing as a low-carb doctor in Germany? Is the medical community there aware of the power of dietary interventions?

  • How to formulate a low-carb keto diet

  • Can low carb make it fun to be a doctor?

  • A low-carb story with Dr. Campbell Murdoch

  • How to help patients reverse type 2 diabetes

The post ’Keto Crotch’: the latest myth? appeared first on Diet Doctor.

Resistance may prevent type 2 diabetes

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A new study points to the benefits of exercise, especially resistance training (RT), for preventing Type 2 diabetes.

In the randomized controlled trial, 172 people who were 55 to 75 years old and had prediabetes were assigned to a control group, anaerobic training (AT) group, an RT group, or an AT plus RT group.

Supervised exercise programs were completed for 60 minutes per day, three non-consecutive days per week for 24 months.

What were the Results?

Follow-up data were available for 137 participants. The incidence of Type 2 diabetes was decreased by 74 percent, 65 percent, and 72 percent with AT plus RT, RT, and AT, respectively, compared with control.

After 24 months, the cumulative diabetes incidences were significantly lower in the AT plus RT, RT, and AT groups compared with the control group (21 percent, 26 percent, and 22 percent versus 69 percent, respectively).

“This study showed that RT and RT plus AT were as effective as isolated AT in preventing overt Type 2 diabetes in patients with prediabetes,” the authors write.

“We showed that RT is a viable option for patients seeking to prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes. This finding further expands established paradigms of a lifestyle change for preventing Type 2 diabetes and can inform clinician-patient discussions about delaying disease onset,” they conclude.

The study has been published in Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews.

Wily.

Source:

  1. Resistance training may help prevent type 2 diabetes. (2019, March 6) EurekAlert! Retrieved: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-03/w-rtm030519.php

The post Resistance training may help prevent type 2 diabetes appeared first on dLife.

Diabetes and Your Hearing

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Did you know that diabetes can also affect your hearing? You heard right:

According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 30 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, and an estimated 34.5 million have some type of hearing loss, and it appears there is a lot of overlap between the two.

Researchers don’t exactly know how diabetes is related to hearing loss, and more research needs to be done.

However, experts speculate that high blood glucose levels associated with diabetes cause damage to the small blood vessels in the inner ear, just as damage can occur to the eyes and the kidneys.

Hearing loss can happen slowly, and so patients may often not even notice the symptoms.

We speak to Shweta Gupta, an ENT specialized PA-C based in Southern Calif., to learn more about hearing and diabetes and what you can do to prevent hearing loss.

Common Questions about Diabetes and Hearing Loss

1. How common is it to come across diabetes patients with hearing problems?

It is very common to come across patients with diabetes who also have hearing loss. Studies have shown a correlation between diabetes and hearing loss.  In 2008 an NIH study showed that more than 50% of diabetics had hearing loss.

2. What should someone with diabetes do to make sure they are taking care of their ears?

Foremost, make sure to have your blood sugar level under control through diet. A regular exercise routine will help improve circulation and blood flow. Also, be sure to avoid scenarios where there is excessive noise.

3. Is hearing loss possible in someone with diabetes? How?

Yes, it is. This is due to high blood glucose levels associated with diabetes which causes damage to the small blood vessels in the inner ear. This impacts the circulation to the inner ear. Without a good blood supply, the hair cells that help translate noise do not regenerate causing sensorineural hearing loss.

 4. Are there any specific ear infections that someone with diabetes is prone to getting?

Yes, patients with diabetes have an increased risk of having malignant otitis externa, which is an infection of the outer ear. It can sometimes spread to surrounding tissue, including the bones of the jaw and face. Unlike swimmer’s ear, malignant otitis externa isn’t due to water remaining in the ear canal. It is often caused by bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Over 90 percent of people who develop malignant otitis externa have diabetes.

5. What age do such infections typically affect diabetes patients?

This can be at any age depending on the type and severity of diabetes the patient exhibits.

6. What are signs someone with diabetes should look for when it comes to ear health?

Be sure to monitor your hearing. Other signs of hearing loss may be asking others to repeat themselves frequently, trouble following conversations that involve more than two people, and feeling people are mumbling when they are speaking to you.

Other signs may be trouble hearing in loud places such as restaurants or airports. Turning up the TV volume when the sound is fine for others may be another sign.

7. How should one (with or without diabetes) best take care of their ears?

Avoid putting anything in your ear, avoid extremely loud noises. Also, make sure to have your ears checked on a routine basis. Make sure you have a conversation with your doctor and have a full hearing exam. If he/she suspects a problem, you may see a hearing specialist who specializes in hearing problems.

The post What You Need to Know about Diabetes and Your Ears appeared first on dLife. #Hearing Loss

Artificial Intelligence and Risk Factors in Type 1 diabetes

· ·

In combination with conventional statistical methods, artificial intelligence (AI) has now been used to study risk factors in Type 1 diabetes. The objective was to identify the most important indicators of elevated risk for cardiovascular disease and death.

“What’s unique about this study is that we’ve included machine learning analyses — that is, algorithms for AI — to assess the strength of association for cardiovascular risk factors,” says Dr. Aidin Rawshani, of Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. Rawshani is the corresponding author of a new article in the journal Circulation.

Type I Diabetes Risk Factor Study?

The study is based on register data comprising 32,611 people with Type 1 diabetes for whom the mean duration of the disease had been 18 years.

Follow-up time averaged just over 10 years. Along with traditional statistical analysis, AI was also used. Specifically, autonomous learning enabled computer software to improve its ability to predict death and cardiovascular events.

When the relative contribution of 17 risk factors was studied, five emerged as the strongest predictors: high long-term blood sugar (glycated hemoglobin) levels, kidney dysfunction, duration of Type 1 diabetes, high systolic blood pressure (the first, higher figure of the two measured) and an excess of what is popularly known as “bad cholesterol” (low-density lipoprotein, LDL).

Long-term high blood sugar a crucial factor

For three variables — blood sugar, systolic blood pressure, and LDL — levels below those currently recommended in national guidelines proved to be associated with lower risks of cardiovascular disease and death.

Another finding in the study was the association between albuminuria (elevated levels of protein in the urine) and two- to fourfold risk elevation for the outcomes studied. Along with long-term high blood sugar, albuminuria was the factor that most clearly predicted these outcomes.

According to machine learning models, high blood sugar is believed to contribute to the development of other cardiovascular risk factors.

In addition, the researchers found a clear interaction effect between risk factors that cannot be influenced (age and duration of diabetes) and those that can (long-term high blood sugar, systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol and albuminuria).

Focus on factors subject to influence

The research group behind the study has previously shown that individuals with Type 1 diabetes who succeed in keeping more than one risk factor under control are at lower risk of myocardial infarction and stroke, but that their risk of death and heart failure is still elevated.

The present study shows that the key predictors of cardiovascular disease and death in the patient group are mainly conventional risk factors that, except for age and duration of diabetes, can be influenced.

“An increased clinical focus on these risk factors should result in the largest relative risk reduction for death and cardiovascular disease,” says Rawshani.

The study has been published in the Journal, Circulation.

University of Gothenburg.

Source:

  1. AI study of risk factors in type 1 diabetes. (2019, March 6). EurekAlert! Retrieved: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-03/uog-aso030619.php

 

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Counseling May be Effective in Changing Habits

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A new Italian study finds that sedentary patients with Type 2 diabetes who received regular counseling from an exercise specialist made lasting changes when it came to their health habits, compared those who only received advice about physical activity from their doctors at their annual checkup.

The researchers, from La Sapienza University in Rome, Italy and coauthors conducted a randomized clinical trial of 300 physically inactive and sedentary patients with Type 2 diabetes at three outpatient diabetes clinics in Rome.

They examined whether a behavioral intervention that included counseling sessions with diabetes and exercise specialists was more effective than standard care with general physician recommendations in producing a sustained increase in physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior.

The counseling intervention involved a two-step behavior change: First it decreased sedentary time by substituting it with a wide range of light-intensity physical activities and/or interrupting prolonged sitting with brief bouts of light-intensity physical activity.

The other step of the intervention was to slowly increase the amount of purposeful moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity.

The study tested an intervention that targeted both physical activity and sedentary time across various settings including leisure, transportation, household, and occupation, based on theoretical grounds and using behavior change techniques.

Is Counseling Worth it?

nn300 sedentary patients with Type 2 diabetes from three outpatient diabetes clinics in Rome were randomly put into either the intervention group or a control group.

150 patients were enrolled in each group; 133 patients in the intervention group and 134 patients in the control group completed the study.

Each year for 3 years, patients in the behavioral intervention group received a one-on-one counseling session from a diabetologist and eight biweekly, one-on-one theory and practice counseling sessions about physical activity/sedentary time from an exercise specialist.

Those in the control group only received annual advice about physical activity/sedentary time from their general physician.

Researchers conclude that for patients with Type 2 diabetes, a behavioral intervention of more than 3 years’ resulted in a sustained increase in physical activity and a decrease in sedentary time compared to standard care.

The study was supported by the Metabolic Fitness Association, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy. Authors of the study received personal fees from AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Takeda. Full financial relationships are disclosed here.

The findings from the study are were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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CGM Integrates with Glooko Diabetes Management Platform

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Senseonics Holdings, Inc. announced the integration of Eversense CGM data into the Glooko diabetes data management platform.

Senseonics is focused on the development and commercialization of a long-term, implantable continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system for people with diabetes.

This integration will allow Eversense CGM data to be synced into Glooko’s platform directly from the Senseonics cloud.

Patients who use Eversense will be able to view historical glucose and related data both in Glooko’s Mobile and Web Apps while continuing to get real-time readings from their Eversense Mobile App.

Healthcare professionals can now view their patients’ data in the Glooko Population Tracker in interactive reports alongside other data residing in Glooko.

“Glooko has a large database of millions of users who are now able to see a clearer picture of their glucose profiles by integrating Eversense CGM data,” said Tim Goodnow, President, and CEO of Senseonics in a statement.

“With personalized medicine at the forefront of health care, data integration between Eversense CGM and Glooko helps provide customized data for users, as well as healthcare providers.”

Goodnow said this information can empower our community to help manage their diabetes with new insights and actions and, ultimately, improve lives.

“We are excited to launch support for the breakthrough Eversense CGM on the Glooko platform,” said Russ Johannesson, CEO of Glooko. “Eversense is an innovative solution for making glucose data more accessible, and we feel users will get tremendous value out of seeing this data correlated with food, activity, and medication information they log in Glooko to help them make treatment decisions.”

What is the Eversense CGM System?

The Eversense CGM System consists of a fluorescence-based sensor, a smart transmitter worn over the sensor to facilitate data communication, and a mobile app for displaying glucose values, trends, and alerts.

In addition to featuring the first long-term and first implantable CGM sensor, the system is also first to feature a smart transmitter that provides wearers with discreet on-body vibratory alerts for high and low glucose and that can be removed, recharged and re-adhered without discarding the sensor.

The sensor is inserted subcutaneously in the upper arm by a health care provider via a brief in-office procedure.

Patients who are interested in getting started on Eversense can sign up at www.eversensediabetes.com/get-started-today.

Source:

  1. Senseonics Eversense® CGM Launches Integration with Glooko. (2019, March 5). BusinessWire. Retrieved: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190305005289/en

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Multi-Tasking May Not Be Good For Your Mental Health

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multitasking

Does multitasking affect your health? It may seem like it is increasing productivity and saving you time and energy, and many women are proud of their multi-tasking abilities. However, ongoing research has confirmed that multitasking can have negative effects on levels of productivity and overall brain health in some cases.

Use variable stimuli when multitasking

Experts agree that multitasking is safer if the tasks involved do not use the same stimuli, such as reading a message from the laptop while listening to music. Our brain is not designed to deal with the same stimulus challenge at the exact same time.

That is why driving a vehicle and texting on a phone at the same time is considered extremely dangerous. You are using the same visual stimulus. They are both competing for the same limited focus. Although it appears you are multi-tasking, you can only be actively engaged with one or the other.

So instead of doing two things at once, you are actually rapidly switching from one to the other, and back again. If your attention is attracted to the phone for a second too long, the job of consciously controlling the vehicle ceases, and catastrophe can follow.

Another example is when you are attempting to listen to multiple conversations around you. It is impossible to listen to two people who are talking to you simultaneously because your auditory stimulus becomes overwhelmed.

Multitasking can reduce your memory's ability.

If you find yourself multitasking, each task that your mind is engaged in will drain a part of your mental energy. As your mental energy drains, you become more absent-minded. This is because your mind begins to drift.

Even if you could complete the two tasks successfully, you will quite probably not recall how you completed the tasks. This is because our brain does not have the ability to fully focus on two or several tasks at the same time.

Each time you multitask, your mind becomes a juggling act.  When you multitask, you are diluting your mind’s investment towards each task.

You may not be as good as you think.

A study headed by Zheng Wang of Ohio StateUniversity showed that people who were text messaging while being asked to focus on the images displayed on a computer monitor had decreased levels of performance.

What makes this finding even more troubling is that those subjects who were asked to multi-task using the same visual stimulus, believed they performed better, although the results showed the opposite.

Their ability to focus on images displayed on their computer monitor plummeted up to 50% even though they thought they were performing perfectly. The same study participants were asked to multi-task using different stimuli, such as visual and auditory, and were found to have reduced levels of performance as much as 30%.

Professor Wang stated that performance level perception when multi-tasking is not the same, as the results proved. Researchers have also found that media multi-tasking increases your risks of developing impaired cognitive control.

The most current research is confirming that multi-tasking means“performing multiple tasks sub-optimally”. Unfortunately, in addition, to productivity losses, there is a compounding, taxing burden placed on the mental and emotional faculties. This results in accumulated stress, which is already a very real problem for many, if not most, to some degree.

Although technology today makes it difficult for us to avoid multi-tasking, just make yourself more aware of when it is happening and try to remove the overload on your mind as much as possible.

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