Positive Outlook On Aging Helps Senior Heal

Does seeing the glass half full mean you will be healthier later in life? A growing body of evidence suggests that positive thinking does correlate with less illness and longer lives. And, if you’re already older, having a positive outlook appears to be especially important.

A new study has found that older people who feel good about aging are more likely than those who hold negative stereotypes to recover after suffering from disability.

Researchers at the Yale School of Public Health showed that, of two groups with different views of aging, the people who felt good about older people were 44 percent more likely to recover from a severe disability than those with negative views.

The findings by lead researcher Becca R. Levy and her Yale colleagues suggest that initiatives to promote positive age stereotypes could allow people to live independently later in life.

“This result suggests that how the old view their aging process could have an effect on how they experience it,” noted Levy, director of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Division at the School of Public Health.

Recovery from disability in the new study was equated with being able to perform four routine activities: bathing, dressing, moving from a chair and walking. Doing well in these things is associated with longer life expectancy and lower use of healthcare facilities.

In general, studies show that people who maintain a positive attitude tend to make healthier lifestyle choices. According to a Mayo Clinic study, people with a positive attitude get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet and have lower rates of smoking and alcohol consumption.

Mr Divabetic shares a Behind-the-Scene look at presenting diabetes education with DAZZLE at the ADA Expo in Pittsburgh, PA for the past five years

TUNE IN: Free Diabetes Podcast Inspired by Chaka Khan celebrating National Diabetes Awareness Month with guests: Constance Brown-Riggs MSEd, RD, CDE, Pam Butler MS, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, cookbook author Holly Clegg, Mama Rose Marie and Ginger Vieira, from Burlington, VT living with type 1 diabetes

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/11/13/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-chaka-kahn

See Mr. Divabetic‘s nutrition game, Serve, Taste or Trash! You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste and which one you’d trash.

Before you decide to “trash” a veggie for good, why not try to eat it raw? Raw veggies can be more appetizing than their cooked counterparts to people who aren’t crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones.

Experience Mr. Divabetic’s wellness with a wow programming in Tucson, AZ, Santa Clara, CA, Philadelphia, PA, Savannah, GA and Bethesda, MD in 2013. Get more details at www.divabetic.org 

Alarming Rise in Food Contamination Outbreaks Across the US

The number of Americans suffering from contaminated food illness is increasing. According to a new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, tainted food outbreaks sicken approximately 48 million people every year.

As CNN reported, the group’s report highlights a growing concern among food safety advocates. Despite the signing of the 2010 Food Safety Modernization Act, which aimed to hold food suppliers responsible for foodborne illness, outbreaks are getting worse. According to the report, the FDA has not been able to keep up with the increased demands for food inspections because of budget cuts for the Food and Drug Administration.

Recent food recalls include moon pies, peanut butter, cookies and other foods linked to potential Salmonella contamination. Popcorn and some cheese products have been recalled due to possible contamination by Listeria. And in early October, a beef recall tied to potential E. coli contamination affected 30 states and Canada.

To avoid getting sick from foodborne illness outbreaks, be sure to check out our guide to keeping leftovers and view the essential tips for keeping food fresh in the slideshow above.

Mr. Divabetic plays his nutrition game, Serve, Taste or Trash! with New Yorkers at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Central Park

TUNE IN: Free Diabetes ‘PINK FRIDAY’ Podcast Inspired by Nicki Minaj saluting Breast Cancer Survivors living with diabetes and  raising awareness for Domestic Violence with guests: Connie Frazier RD, CDE, Kathy Gold RN, CDE, Catherine Schuller, Connie Elder, Mama Rose Marie and Leola C., from Grand Rapids, MI living with type 1 diabetes 
http://ning.it/PUQy9B

See Mr. Divabetic’s nutrition game, Serve, Taste or Trash!  You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste and which one you’d trash.

Before you decide to “trash” a veggie for good, why not try to eat it raw? Raw veggies can be more appetizing than their cooked counterparts to people who aren’t crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones.

Look who’s on the red tomato carpet with Mr. Divabetic at Plus Night Out -NYC

Meet Mr. Divabetic on his quest to glamorize good health at the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Expo in Pittsburgh, PA  and the Taking Control Of  Your Diabetes Conferences & Health Fairs in San Diego, CA.

Shocking Warning for Rotating Injection Sites

We covered the topic of “insulin” at September’s Divabetic Club meeting at Thomas Jefferson University Hosptial in Philadelphia, PA. but we never had the chance to discuss what could happen when you don’t rotate your insulin injections.

A 55-year-old man with type 1 diabetes shocked his doctors, after he revealed what looked like two bottom cheeks hanging below his navel.

The patient from South Africa, had been told to inject his life-saving insulin jabs into two areas of his stomach to control his blood-sugar levels.

However, he hadn’t realised that he needed to rotate the injection site around different parts of his body because the hormone insulin encourages the build up of soft fatty swellings within the layers of the skin.

The man went on to develop ‘firm and pendulous’ masses on his stomach – a condition known as lipohypertrophy. Mild cases are surprisingly common, however this patient had a severe case as he hadn’t changed his injection sites for three decades.

Dr Stan Landau, from the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Joannesburg, was part of the team who treated the patient.

He told Mail Online: ‘We are a group of five senior doctors with many years experience between us and have never seen such a case before.

‘We felt we needed to publish the picture in a journal because it was such an extreme case.’

Dr Landau said the patient had continued to inject himself in his stomach because he thought the lumps were normal in insulin users.

‘He had seen others with similar, but smaller masses in the same location. Sadly the lumps, though painless, had never been inspected,’ the expert said.

Daily jab: Insulin can be injected into the stomach, arms, bottom and thighs

Dr Landau added that although the lumps may shrink slightly the disfiguration would be permanent without plastic surgery.

The patient was encouraged to rotate the injection-site and use a smaller needle. He was also given a different type of insulin.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic rolls out the red tomato carpet at NY Fashion Week with a behind the scenes look at hat designer, Evetta Petty‘s Spring 2013 Hat Collection.

Register now for ’Divabetic – Makeover Your Diabetes’ - our largest free diabetes outreach event of the year promoting a diva attitude for living well with diabetes scheduled for Saturday, October 13, 2012 in Philadelphia, PA.

‘Divabetic – Makeover Your Diabetes’, mixes free beauty and fashion services, a Plus Size fashion show and music with interactive diabetes education in a fun, comfortable setting to broaden the appeal of diabetes educational outreach for women. Our goal is to make every woman feel more beautiful inside and out through the help of a team of certified diabetes educators, registered dietitians, and beauty and fashion experts.

Saturday, October 13, 2012, 11 AM – 4 PM

Jefferson Alumni Hall , First Floor Eakins Lounge 10th and Locust Streets

Philadelphia, PA 19107

FREE ADMISSION

Register: 1-800-JEFF-NOW

BORED BY DIABETES EDUCATION? Check out our Free Diabetes Podcast inspired by Taylor Swift featuring a frank, fashion forward discussion on a the shocking diet trend called ‘diabulimia’ that has young women living with type 1 diabetes skipping or shortchanging their insulin to lose weight and risk a coma and an early death.  Plus, we’re learning healthy ways to eat BBQ, playing games and hearing more great ‘diagnosis to DIVA’ stories 
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/09/11/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-mystery-diva

Look who’s on the red tomato carpet with Mr. Divabetic at Plus Night Out -NYC

Meet Mr. Divabetic on his quest to glamorize good health at Divabetic – Makeover Your Diabetes outreach event in Philadelphia, PA, the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Expo in Pittsburgh, PA  and the Taking Control Of Your Diabetes Conferences & Health Fairs in San Diego, CA and Austin, TX.

For sponsorship opportunities and upcoming outreach event details visit:  www.divabetic.org and Divabetic’s Facebook’s Group and Fan pages.

How Private Are Your Medical Records?

What if you learned your medical records containing your private history, family history and medication history weren’t private after all?

ABC News investigated this alarming trend and found out some disturbing news.

Julie, a lawyer from Boston, discovered that her sensitive health information was available to anyone who worked at the hospital.

“My expectation was that my records were going to be private, especially my therapy records,” Julie said. “And if another doctor wanted to see my records, they’d ask me and then I’d give my authorization for them to view my records if they needed to see them.”

Julie, who requested her last name not be used, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her late teens and began seeing a psychiatrist in 2002 after speaking with her primary care physician.

She, like millions of Americans, thought her conversations with her psychiatrist were confidential.

“I thought I had protection under HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) for my psychotherapy notes to be private and I thought only my psychiatrist could see those,” the 42-year-old said, adding that she noticed over the years her physician started entering them electronically.

What she didn’t realize was that her physician’s notes could be accessed by doctors and other health-care providers who worked in the same health-care system (6,000 doctors and nine affiliated hospitals) to have access — information she learned after going to see an on-call physician for a stomach issue and realizing he knew about intimate relationship information only disclosed to her psychiatrist.

Concerned, she requested a copy of her medical records from the health care system.

Within those records she saw every note, every meeting, every conversation she had with her psychiatrist.

“It was pretty traumatic because I felt that, you know, this man read without — against my wishes — without my consent,” Julie said. “He read private information that I disclosed to a therapist that I didn’t even tell my best friends about.”

And while most hospitals have rules about who may access medical records, compliance for the most part is not strictly regulated.

In fact, an ABC News investigation found that often medical information is so unprotected, millions of records can be bought online. Because so many people have access, the entire system is vulnerable to theft, experts told ABC News

Free Diabeetes Podcast inspired by Taylor Swift 
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/09/11/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-mystery-diva

 Look who’s on the red tomato carpet with Mr. Divabetic at Plus Night Out -NYC

Meet Mr. Divabetic on his quest to glamorize good health at Divabetic – Makeover Your Diabetes outreach event in Philadelphia, PA, the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Expo in Pittsburgh, PA  and the Taking Control Of Your Diabetes Conferences & Health Fairs in San Diego, CA and Austin, TX.

For sponsorship opportunities and event details visit:  www.divabetic.org and Divabetic’s facebook pages.

Will Adele Need Artificial Vocal Chords?

A team of medical experts is on the verge of  creating artificial vocal cords, which would not only benefit singers, but also cancer patients and those who have lost their voices to aging or disease.

A group of patients, including famous singers such as Steven Tyler, Julie Andrews and Roger Daltrey, have even gone so far as to create a non-profit fundraising organization called The Voice Health Institute, founded in Boston in 2003, which supports the development of the artificial cords.

Steven Zeitels, one of the most renowned vocal surgeons in the world and one of the leading researchers on the project told HuffPost that the cords are made of a “highly elastic gel,” which flutters just like healthy vocal cords do. He said earlier tests have been successful and that his team could begin trials on cancer patients as early as next year.

“Soon, this could just be an office procedure,” Zeitels predicted. “An injection. You’d be done in 15 minutes.”

It may still be a few years before artificial cords can help singers. Repairing a hoarse voice damaged by years of overuse is much easier than repairing the voice of a belting singer with a multi-octave range, Zeitels said. But as the technology of the cords improves, they will be able to stretch further and work harder.

“Once you prove a human being can be restored, then this will become such a valuable tool to society,” said Zeitels. “This will take lost voices and everything they would have done with their voice, and let them recontribute again.”

Let Mr. Divabetic help to inspire you overcome aversions to fruits and vegetables you think you don’t like, and even learn to love them with his new food game, Serve, Taste or Trash.  

LISTEN NOW: Free Diabetes Roundtable Inspired by Whitney Houston hosted by Mr. Divabetic   
http://ning.it/NcR3ug

Meet Mr. Divabetic on the red tomato carpet at  Fashion’s Night Out in New York, NY, Central Farm Market in Washington, DC,  Divabetic – Makeover Your Diabetes outreach event in Philadelphia, PA, the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Expo in Pittsburgh, PA and the Taking Control Of Your Diabetes Conferences & Health Fairs in San Diego, CA and Austin, TX in  2012. Watch more of Mr Divabetic‘s  videos, enjoy over 75 free diabetes podcasts and get expert advice on diabetes and diabetes self-care at: www.divabetic.org

FCC Approves Channel for Wearable Monitors

The Federal Communications Commission yesterday voted to approve a channel to accommodate wearable electronic devices that will free patients now tethered to hospital beds.

New rules will allow healthcare providers to use wireless spectrum for “medical body area networks“–or MBANs–which can transmit information from, and between, mobile medical devices both in the hospital and at home. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski predicted last week that the expansion will allow providers to monitor patients vital signs throughout the continuum of care, prevent adverse events and hospital readmissions, and ultimately lower healthcare costs.

The FCC is dedicating 40 MHz of spectrum in the 2360-2400 MHz band for these MBAN devices. Interestingly enough, hospitals will share this band with commercial test pilots..

LISTEN NOW:  Studio d hosted by the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic and featuring Sébastien Sasseville  
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2011/12/06/diabetes-spotlight-featuring-sbastien-sasseville

Metformin May Help Fight Cancer

New research shows that a commonly prescribed diabetes drug, metformin, may help fight cancer. The drug helps diabetes patients keep their blood sugar in check and makes them more sensitive to insulin. But several new studies examined the effect of metformin on cancerous tumors, based on previous findings that metformin increases the activity of an enzyme involved in tumor suppression.

The latest findings were presented this month in the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) meeting in Chicago.

Researchers studied the effect of metformin on patients affected with a variety of cancers, including melanoma, pancreatic, lung, and prostate cancer. The studies found metformin inhibits the growth of most tumor cells.

Pancreatic patients prescribed metformin had a 32 percent reduced risk for death compared to those not prescribed the drug, according to a study led by Dr. Dongui Li, professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Li and colleagues observed 302 patients with diabetes and pancreatic cancer- 117 of the patients were prescribed metformin.

Is Weight-Loss Surgery The Cure for Diabetes?

Two new studies produced strong evidence that weight-loss surgery can, according to a recent Associated Press story, “reverse and possibly cure diabetes” better than medicine alone for Type 2 diabetes, whose sufferers are generally obese.

“Doctors don’t like to say ‘cure’ because they can’t promise a disease will never come back, but in one study, most surgery patients were able to stop all diabetes drugs and have their disease stay in remission for at least two years. None of those treated with medicines alone could do that.”

In addition, the use of cholesterol-lowering and other heart medications dropped among patients following surgery.

Currently at $15,000 to $25,000, weight-loss surgery is expensive and not without risks of its own. Even at that price, however, it could be attractive compared with the long-term cost of treating an obese person with diabetes who takes insulin and requires medical care because of the disease.