Holidays on the Islets of Langerhans

cleanse your liver

2011-08-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

(NaturalNews) If you experience major, persisting health problems, either physical or emotional, your liver may be congested with toxic compounds that are trapped within clumps of hardened bile (intrahepatic stones. Almost all health conditions, beauty problems and premature aging are closely linked with declined liver performance which most often is elusive to blood tests. Congestion in the bile ducts of the liver undermines the body's effort to make proper use of the food you eat. This, in turn, may lead to numerous physical ailments and accentuated expressions of discomfort, including fear, anger, impatience, greed, depression, dis-ease and cynicism. Cleansing the liver of existing obstructions and impurities can help restore balance, vitality and happiness in every facet of your life.

When the Body Complains…

Unlike the stomach, for example, the liver never tells you directly when it is upset or needs special attention. It tells you indirectly, though, when it starts to perform poorly. The following conditions are related to poor liver functions: skin irritation, weak eyesight, unhealthy bowel movements, irregular menstrual cycles, recurring headaches, unexplainable weight gain, loss of energy, sudden aging, elevated cholesterol levels, most allergies, constricted blood vessels, bloated abdomen, fluid retention, gastrointestinal trouble, breathing difficulties, poor memory and concentration, pain in the joints or elsewhere in the body, brittle bones and any other major illness such as heart disease, cancer, MS, diabetes or Alzheimer's disease.

The liver is responsible for processing, converting, distributing and maintaining the body's fuel supply which consists of nutrients and energy. Impeding these vital functions not only affects the body's performance as a whole, but also the health of every single cell. The liver cannot perform any of these functions properly if its bile ducts are clogged with deposits of hardened bile or "gallstones" (made of gall or bile).

Gallstones are caused by a number of factors, including the modern fast pace of living, stress, imbalanced diets, disruptive lifestyle, use of medical drugs, stimulants and alcohol, and ingestion of chemical poisons, such as food additives and artificial sweeteners. Bile duct congestion results in major impairment of digestive functions, thereby restricting the nutrient supply to the trillions of cells in the body. This makes gallstones in the liver to be a major cause of physical and emotional illness.

The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush

The liver flush mentioned in this context is a straightforward, safe and painless do-it-yourself procedure using apple juice (or malic acid), olive oil, citrus juice and Epsom salts to dispel gallstones from both the liver and the gallbladder. The actual liver flush takes place within a period of less than fourteen hours and can be taken conveniently over a weekend at home.. Although the liver flush is very easy to do, it is important to understand the process and follow all of the directions precisely.

Since introducing the liver and gallbladder flush to thousands of patients in the 1990s, I have received countless testimonies expressing total amazement about the fast and profound healing effects it produces. They encouraged me to write a book on the subject. The 200-page book, The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush, includes the exact procedure and necessary background information for conducting this simple, yet most profound cleanse. Today, the liver and gallbladder flush has helped restore the health of hundreds of thousands of people in all parts of the world.

Gallstones in the Liver—The Most Common Cause of Illness

An estimated 20 percent of the world's population will develop gallstones in their gallbladder at some stage in their lives; many of them will opt for surgical removal of this important organ. This statistical figure does not account, though, for the many more people who will develop gallstones (or already have them) in their liver. During some thirty years of practicing natural medicine and dealing with thousands of people suffering from all types of chronic diseases, I can attest to the fact that each one of them, without exception, has had considerable quantities of gallstones in his or her liver. Surprisingly, only relatively few of them reported to have had a history of gallstones in their gallbladder.

Gallstones in the liver may be the main impediment to acquiring and maintaining good health, youthfulness, and vitality. Gallstones in the liver may, indeed, be one of the major reasons people become ill and have difficulty recuperating from illness.

Medicine's Most Unfortunate Oversight

Many people believe that gallstones can be found only in the gallbladder. This is a commonly made yet false assumption. Most gallstones are actually formed in the liver, and comparatively few occur in the gallbladder. You can easily verify this assessment by giving yourself a liver flush. It matters little whether you are a layperson, a medical doctor, a scientist, or someone whose gallbladder was removed and, therefore, is believed to be stone free. The results of the liver flush speak for themselves. No amount of scientific proof or medical explanation can make such a cleanse any more valuable than it already is. Once you see hundreds of green, beige-colored, brown, or black gallstones floating in the toilet bowl during your first liver flush, you will intuitively know that you are on to something extremely important in your life.

I am repeatedly asked the intriguing question—why is there only little or no reference in mainstream medicine to the occurrence of gallstones in the liver? Standard clinical tests almost never reveal the occurrence of gallstones in the liver. In fact, most doctors don't even know they grow there. Only some of the most advanced research universities, such as the prestigious Johns Hopkins University, describe and illustrate these liver stones in their literature or on their web sites. They refer to them as "intrahepatic gallstones." The failure to recognize and accept the incidence of gallstone formation in the liver as an extremely common phenomenon may very well be the most unfortunate oversight that has ever been made in the field of medicine, both orthodox and holistic.

Relying so heavily on blood tests for diagnostic purposes, as conventional medicine does, may actually be a great disadvantage with regard to assessing liver health. Most people who have a physical complaint of one kind or another may show to have perfectly normal liver enzyme levels in the blood, despite suffering from liver congestion. Liver congestion is among the leading health problems, yet conventional medicine rarely refers to it, nor do doctors have a reliable way to detect and diagnose such a condition. Liver enzyme levels in the blood become elevated only when there is advanced liver cell destruction, as is the case, for example, in hepatitis or liver inflammation. Liver cells contain large amounts of enzymes. Once a certain number of liver cells are ruptured, their enzymes will start showing up in the blood. When detected through a blood test, this increased count of liver enzymes indicates abnormal liver functions. In such an event, however, the damage has already occurred. It takes many years of chronic liver congestion before liver damage becomes apparent.

Unfortunately, unless there is a specific liver disease, this vital organ is rarely considered a "culprit" for other diseases. The majority of gallstones in the liver consist of the same "harmless" constituents as are found in liquid bile, with cholesterol being the main ingredient. A number of stones consist of fatty acids and other organic material that has ended up in the bile ducts. The fact that the majority of these stones are just congealed clumps of bile or organic matter makes them practically "invisible" to x-rays, ultrasonic technologies, and Computer Tomography (CT).

The situation is different with regard to the gallbladder, where up to about 20 percent of all stones can be made-up entirely of minerals, predominantly, calcium salts and bile pigments. Whereas diagnostic tests can easily detect these hardened, relatively large stones in the gallbladder, they tend to miss the softer, non-calcified stones in the liver. Only when excessive amounts of cholesterol-based stones (85-95% cholesterol) or other clumps of fat block the bile ducts of the liver, may an ultrasound test reveal what is generally referred to as "fatty liver." In such a case, the ultrasound pictures reveal a liver that is almost completely white (instead of black). A fatty liver can gather up to 20,000 stones before it succumbs to suffocation and ceases to function.

If you had a fatty liver and went to the doctor, he would tell you that you had excessive fatty tissue in your liver. It is less likely, though, that he would tell you that you had intrahepatic gallstones (stones obstructing the liver's bile ducts). As mentioned before, most of the smaller stones in the liver are not detectable through ultrasound or Computer axial Tomography (CT). Nevertheless, careful analysis of diagnostic images by specialists would show whether some of the smaller bile ducts in the liver were dilated because of obstruction. A dilation of bile ducts caused by larger and denser stones or by clusters of stones may be detected more readily through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). However, unless there is an indication of major liver trouble, doctors rarely check for such intrahepatic stones. Unfortunately, although the liver is one of the most important organs in the body, its disorders are also under-diagnosed all too often.

Even if the early stages of a fatty liver or gallstone formation in the bile ducts were easily recognized and diagnosed, today's medical facilities offer no treatments to relieve this vital organ of the heavy burden it has to carry.

On the other hand, a qualified iridologist, an Ayurvedic physician or a natural health practitioner who knows the signs and indications of gallstones in the liver and gallbladder, can easily determine the extent of gallstone formation in these organs. [Such indicators are listed in the book The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush,www.ener-chi.com.]Most people in the civilized world have gallstones. But even in alternative or holistic medicine, there is rarely mention of an effective therapy that can actually remove gallstones safely and without pain. Gallstones are a direct product of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. If gallstones are still present in the liver even after all other disease-causing factors are eliminated, they pose a considerable health risk and may lead to illness and premature aging. By removing these stones, the body as a whole is able to resume its normal, healthy activities.

Reaping the Benefits

People with chronic illnesses often have several thousand gallstones congesting the bile ducts of the liver. Some stones may have also grown in the gallbladder. By removing these stones from these organs through a series of liver flushes and maintaining a balanced diet and lifestyle, the liver and gallbladder can restore their original efficiency, and most symptoms of discomfort or disease in the body can start subsiding. You may find that any persistent allergies will lessen or disappear. Back pain will dissipate, while energy and well-being will improve.

Sweeping the liver clean eliminates thousands of bits of poisonous substances that have helped form the stones and block thousands of liver bile ducts. Ridding the liver bile ducts from gallstones is one of the most important and powerful procedures you can apply to improve and regain your physical and emotional health. By reopening the bile ducts, the body's energy circuits become restored and healing can take place on all levels of body, mind and spirit.

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/022271_liver_gallstones_gallbladder.html#ixzz1UTFUOetp

Coffee Benefits - Reduce Diabetes risk

2011-08-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

Coffee Benefits | Control Stress: "And now there comes word of new medical research indicating that. When compared to those who don’t drink coffee, we dedicated coffee drinkers are probably less likely to have Parkinson’s disease, dementia, or type 2 diabetes. We are also statistically less likely to have certain cancers, problems with heart rhythms and strokes."

Glucagonoma - Glucagonoma Causes, Risk Factors, Testing & Treatment

2011-07-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

Glucagonoma - Glucagonoma Causes, Risk Factors, Testing & Treatment: "Glucagonoma is extremely rare, and occurs when a tumour forms in the islet cells of the pancreas, releasing insulin and glucagon.

This type of tumour is usually cancerous, and also usually spreads and becomes more serious over time. Glucagonoma influences the pancreatic islet cells, causing them to produce too much glucagon.

How is glucagonoma caused?

The causes of glucagonoma are currently unknown. In most cases it is suspected that genetic factors play a strong role. Having family members with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is also regarded as being a risk factor."

foodconsumer.org - Alzheimer's disease linked to depression, diabetes and high blood pressure

2011-07-24T15:04:00.000-07:00

foodconsumer.org - Alzheimer's disease linked to depression, diabetes and high blood pressure: "health observer suggested so-called risk factors like depression, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity are actually symptoms. What really causes risk of Alzheimer's disease would be what is causing these symptoms or health conditions. "

FDA Data Mining Uncovers Harmful Drug Interaction -- InformationWeekFDA Data Mining Uncovers Harmful Drug Interaction - healthcare Blog

2011-07-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

FDA Data Mining Uncovers Harmful Drug Interaction -- InformationWeekFDA Data Mining Uncovers Harmful Drug Interaction - healthcare Blog: "Tatonetti, a PhD candidate in 2012, was lead author of a study that appeared in May in the online version of the journal Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics that found an interaction between the antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil) and the cholesterol-lowering drug pravastatin (Pravachol) that could put patients at risk of developing diabetes. Taking the two drugs together, Tatonetti and fellow researchers from Stanford, Vanderbilt University, and Harvard University reported, could cause blood glucose levels to spike."

Surgeons pioneer new ways to treat di... JPost - Health & Science

2011-07-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

Surgeons pioneer new ways to treat di... JPost - Health & Science: "NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia is using techniques from weight-loss surgery to improve blood glucose levels and correct a major complication of the disease."

writings on the Islets of Langerhans

2011-07-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

Writings on the Islets of Langerhans want to read my next novel? I am unveiling the draft plannings in my writing block. Pop along and have a read. It is raw, the grammer is awful, the spellings could be wrong, but the plot is developing day by day. Would love feedback !

Daily Nation: - Opinion |Fast foods blamed for spread of diabetes epidemic

2011-07-03T00:42:00.000-07:00

Daily Nation: - Opinion |Fast foods blamed for spread of diabetes epidemic The view from Kenya. Truly a worldwide problem

Type 2 Diabetes: From Old Dogmas to New Realities - Part 2 - Diabetes Health

2011-07-01T00:09:00.000-07:00

Type 2 Diabetes: From Old Dogmas to New Realities - Part 2 - Diabetes Health

BBC News - Type 2 diabetes in newly diagnosed 'can be reversed'

2011-06-23T23:44:00.000-07:00

BBC News - Type 2 diabetes in newly diagnosed 'can be reversed'

Bristol Diabetes Pill Faces Safety Hurdle After Early Drugs Tied to Risks

2011-06-23T06:29:00.000-07:00

EAV_BLOG_VER:79843941c6db5c8a

Bristol Diabetes Pill Faces Safety Hurdle After Early Drugs Tied to Risks

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) and AstraZeneca Plc. (AZN)’s new diabetes pill will probably face increased scrutiny from regulators and doctors after two rivals were tied to cancer and heart risks.

The drug, dapagliflozin, works differently than Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.’s Actos, linked to cancer last week, and GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK)’s Avandia, tied to heart risks in 2007. While those drugs adjust the hormone that regulates sugar, the new pill helps patients excrete sugar through their urine.

“Increasingly, people are on the lookout for problems with these drugs,” said Laurence Kennedy, chairman of Cleveland Clinic’s department of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism, in a telephone interview. “There will always be a market for finding newer and different ways to help control blood sugar, but the newest ways will be under increasing scrutiny.”

Some analysts say they won’t project sales for dapagliflozin because of the risks posed by Avandia and Actos. Even if approved after a regulatory panel next month, doctors say they will be slow in using the new drug until more is known about long-term safety. A one-year study reported last year found no cancer or heart risks. Two years of data will be reported June 26 at the American Diabetes Association meeting.

An estimated 25.8 million Americans have diabetes, mostly the Type 2 variety linked to being overweight and sedentary, according to the National Institutes of Health. The disease is caused by an inability to use insulin to break down blood sugar into energy and can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney damage. Medicines are used to lower sugar levels.

Patients Lost Weight

The new drug is being developed jointly by New York-based Bristol-Myers and London-based AstraZeneca. The earlier trial showed it worked better than insulin plus a placebo, and that patients using it lost weight. This is particularly noteworthy because insulin drugs frequently trigger weight gain.

If approved, dapagliflozin would be the first in a new class of medications, called SGLT2-inhibitors. Similar drugs are also being developed by Johnson & Johnson, of New Brunswick,New Jersey, Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) and the German drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc., Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc., based in Carlsbad, California, and Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., of The Woodlands, Texas.

The companies, analysts and investors will be closely watching the safety results and a panel of Food and Drug Administration advisers that is set to review dapagliflozin on July 19, said Les Funtleyder, a portfolio manager at Miller Tabak in New York, in a telephone interview.

No Modeling

Concerns about potential side effects of all diabetes medications leave analysts little room to assess the sales potential of dapagliflozin, he said.

“With these type of drugs, we don’t model until they’re approved because so much can go wrong,” Funtleyder said. “We know it’s a new class in diabetes, which is often not well- controlled. The downside is people are nervous about possible infections and other side effects, and you have to take the good with the bad.”

Bristol-Myers referred comment to AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca’s spokeswoman Kirsten Evraire declined to comment.

In May, U.S. regulators restricted use of London-based Glaxo’s Avandia, ordering the drug to be pulled from pharmacy shelves and made available only through a special program. Sales of Avandia fell to $680 million last year from $1.8 billion in 2007 after a study that year showed a 43 percent increased risk of heart attacks among patients taking the medicine.

On June 15, a five-year analysis from a decade-long company-sponsored study of Takeda’s Actos showed an increased risk of bladder cancer. Actos is the world’s biggest-selling diabetes drug. The FDA had required the study under new guidelines for diabetes drug approvals.

$1.6 billion by 2017

Bristol-Myers’s and AstraZeneca’s Onglyza and Kombiglyze, a version of the drug combined with metformin, a standard treatment, generated $158 million last year. Those two drugs are projected to make $1.6 billion by 2017, according to estimates from Seamus Fernandez, an analyst for Leerink Swann.

Even after approval, “we still have an obligation to conduct studies carefully and properly just to make sure nothing major has been missed” said Kennedy, of the Cleveland Clinic.

Since its original warning on Avandia, the FDA has required an aftermarket study of heart risks for all diabetes drug applications, said Karen Riley, a spokeswoman for the FDA, in an e-mail.

‘New Lessons’

“Not all programs are identical and development isn’t static so as these data come in, we have to apply new lessons learned to the interpretation of risk assessment for subsequent programs,” she wrote.

The number of Americans with diabetes is expected to rise to as many as 1 in 3 adults if trends continue, according to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This explosion in cases has spurred the development of at least nine classes of diabetes drugs, some oral and some injectable. Today there are more than 39 diabetes drugs on market, generating about $16.8 billion in U.S. sales in 2010, according to data from research firm IMS Health.

Only half of diabetes patients have their blood sugar under control, so there’s a need for new medications, said Martin Abrahamson, the chief medical officer of Joslin Diabetes Center, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School in Boston.

“Type 2 diabetes being a progressive disease, one drug, a single drug, is unlikely to be a control for glucose levels over many years,” Abrahamson said in a telephone interview. “Usually you add more medications to achieve glucose targets.”

First-Line Therapy

Metformin, approved for use in the U.S. in 1995, is almost universally accepted as a first-line therapy for diabetes, because it has a long safety record and is cheap, Abrahamson said. Often, though, it’s not enough.

Many people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese, and have co-existing conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure, Abrahamson said. Complications associated with the disease also make prescribing tricky, he said.

Given the difficulty in controlling the disease, doctors remain eager for new medications, even though they are “becoming more gun shy” as dangerous risks are uncovered after the drugs are approved, said Robert Rushakoff, medical director for inpatient diabetes at the University of California, San Francisco.

“Given the reality of diabetes and how difficult it is, endocrinologists will be using it right away,” he said in an interview. “I know I’ll be using it right away. It’s easier than teaching someone to inject a medication. It’s a matter of once the drug moves out of studies, how those side-effects appear. More common, more severe or not a big deal?”

Diabetes Association Meeting

The data presented at the American Diabetes Association meeting in San Diego is expected to provide new details on dapagliflozin’s safety profile, said Tony Butler, an analyst with Barclays Capital in New York. He, like Miller Tabak’s Funtleyder, is unwilling to project sales at this point.

In the one-year study, dapagliflozin was linked to an increased likelihood of urinary tract and genital infections. While that’s a lesser concern than heart or cancer, it has raised red flags.

Rita Rastogi Kalyani an assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, said the infections probably occur because the urinary tract is a more hospitable environment for bacteria when patients excrete more sugar in their urine.

“I think as much as we’re excited about new classes of medications, we’re still looking at the older medications first because they’ve been tested over time,” Kalyani said, referring to metformin. “We’ve seen an explosion of classes but we still don’t know about long-term risks.”

2010-02-04T14:49:00.000-08:00

WARNING

Dihydrogen monoxide:

is called "hydroxyl acid", the substance is the major component of acid rain.
contributes to the "greenhouse effect".
may cause severe burns.
is fatal if inhaled.
contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape.
accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals.
may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes.
has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients.

Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used:

as an industrial solvent and coolant.
in nuclear power plants.
in the production of Styrofoam.
as a fire retardant.
in many forms of cruel animal research.
in the distribution of pesticides. Even after washing, produce remains contaminated by this chemical.
as an additive in certain "junk-foods" and other food products.

You MUST avoid this dangerous substance. It is found in domestic kitchens and bathrooms, swimming areas and bathing locations, and also comes in bottles from shops and other retail outlets, rarely if ever is a caution label attached, it may be labelled as '"Sparkling", "Still", or "Flavoured".

2010-01-26T23:58:00.000-08:00

Very Interesting topic reported by the BBC. Interestingly I had read reports that indicated that a lower blood glucose level was target to achieve. I think that this adds a bit od 'sense' - the right blood sugar level is what we should aim for. I aim for around 7, but achieve around 7.5

Diabetes sugar 'can go too low'

Diabetes disrupts blood sugar levels
Intense treatment to lower blood sugar in patients with diabetes could prove nearly as harmful as allowing glucose levels to remain high, a study says.
Cardiff researchers looked at nearly 50,000 patients with type 2 diabetes and found the lowest glucose levels linked to a heightened risk of death.
Significant differences in death rates between patients on insulin and those taking tablets are also flagged up.
But there could be various explanations for this, experts noted.
Patients taking insulin-based treatments have been urged not to stop taking their medication as a result of the Cardiff University study, which is published in The Lancet.
Changing treatments
Using data from GPs, the team identified 27,965 patients with type 2 diabetes whose treatment had been intensified to include two oral blood glucose lowering agents - metformin and sulphonylurea.
It is crucial to remember that blood glucose targets should always be agreed by the person with diabetes and their healthcare team according to individual needs and not according to a blanket set of rules
Dr Iain FrameDiabetes UK
A further 20,005 patients who had been moved on to treatment which included insulin were added to the study.
Patients whose HbA1c levels - the proportion of red blood cells with glucose attached to them - were around 7.5%, ran the lowest risk of dying from any cause.
For both groups this risk went up by more than half if levels dropped to 6.4%, the lowest levels recorded. For those with the highest levels the risk of death increased by nearly 80%.
But the risks appeared to be particularly pronounced among those on the insulin-based regimen than those on the combined treatment.
Irrespective of whether their HbA1c levels were low or high, there were 2,834 deaths in the insulin-taking group between 1986 and 2008, nearly 50% more than in the combined group.
'Don't stop'
The authors acknowledged there could be various factors associated with this, such as these being older patients with more health problems, who perhaps had had diabetes for a longer period of time. They also make reference to a possible link between use of insulin and cancer progression that had been reported in a different study.
"Whether intensification of glucose control with insulin therapy alone further heightens risk of death in patients with diabetes needs further investigation and assessment of the overall risk balance," wrote lead author Dr Craig Currie.
"Low and high mean HbA1c values were associated with increased all-cause mortality and cardiac events. If confirmed, diabetes guidelines might need revision to include a minimum HbA1c value."
Dr Iain Frame, head of research at Diabetes UK, described the study as "potentially important" but stressed it had limitations.
"It is not clear what the causes of death were from the results reported. Furthermore, when it comes to the suggestion made in this research that insulin could increase the risk of death, we must consider important factors such as age, the duration of their diabetes and how the participants managed their condition.
"It is crucial to remember that blood glucose targets should always be agreed by the person with diabetes and their healthcare team according to individual needs and not according to a blanket set of rules."
While people would be able to manage their condition for a period with diet, exercise and even tablets, many would eventually have to move on to insulin, he noted.
"We would advise people with type 2 diabetes who use insulin not to stop taking their medication. However, if they are worried about blood glucose targets, they should discuss this with their healthcare team."

2010-01-07T23:51:00.000-08:00

Obvious to some, but perhaps not to all. Here is some very good advice from Yahoo Health on handling illness when you already have diabetes

What happens when you are sick
When you are sick, your body reacts by releasing hormones to fight infection. But these hormones raise blood sugar levels and at the same time make it more difficult for insulin to lower blood sugar. When you have diabetes, even a minor illness can lead to dangerously high blood sugar. This may cause life-threatening complications, such as diabetic ketoacidosis or a hyperosmolar state.
Plan ahead
Work with your doctor to make a sick-day plan for you or your child with diabetes. Discuss your target blood sugar goal during an illness, how you should adjust your insulin dose and timing (if you take insulin), and when you need to contact your doctor for help. Also, make sure you know how often to check blood sugar and urine ketone levels. Keep your plan in a convenient place, and include contact information in case you need to reach your doctor at night or on the weekends.
Steps to take during an illness
Here are some general sick-day guidelines:
Continue taking your pills for diabetes (if you have type 2 diabetes) or insulin, even if you are vomiting and having trouble eating or drinking. Your blood sugar may continue to rise because of your illness. If you cannot take your medicines, call your doctor and discuss whether you need to adjust your insulin dose or other medicine.
Try to eat your normal types and amounts of food and to drink extra fluids, such as water, broth, carbonated drinks, and fruit juice. Encourage your child to drink extra liquids to prevent dehydration.
If your blood sugar level is higher than 240 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), drink extra liquids that do not contain sugar, such as water or sugar-free cola.
If you cannot eat the foods in your regular diet, drink extra liquids that contain sugar and salt, such as soup, sports drinks, or milk. You may also try eating foods that are gentle on the stomach, such as crackers, gelatin, or applesauce. Try to eat or drink 50 grams (g) of carbohydrate every 3 to 4 hours. For example, 6 saltine crackers, 1 cup (8 fl oz) of milk, and ½ cup (4 fl oz) of orange juice each contain approximately 15 g of carbohydrate.
Check your blood sugar at least every 3 to 4 hours, or more often if it is rising quickly, even through the night. If your blood sugar level rises above 240 mg/dL and your doctor has told you to take an extra insulin dose for high blood sugar levels, take the appropriate amount. If you take insulin and your doctor has not told you to take a specific amount of additional insulin, call him or her for advice.
If you take insulin, do a urine test for ketones every 6 to 12 hours, especially if your blood sugar is higher than 300 mg/dL. Call your doctor if you have more than 2+ or moderate ketones in your urine. Check your child's urine for ketones at least every 6 hours, even through the night.
Weigh yourself and check your temperature, breathing rate, and pulse frequently if your blood sugar is higher than 300 mg/dL. If you are losing weight and your temperature, breathing rate, and pulse are increasing, contact a doctor. You may be getting worse.
Don't take any nonprescription medicines without talking with your doctor. Many nonprescription medicines affect your blood sugar level.
When to call your doctor
Minor illnesses in people with diabetes—especially children with type 1 diabetes—can lead to very high blood sugar levels and possible emergencies. When children are sick, watch them closely for signs that they need immediate medical attention. Call 911 or other emergency services if you or your child has:
Symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), such as abdominal pain, vomiting, rapid breathing, fruity-smelling breath, or severe drowsiness.
Symptoms of dehydration, such as a dry mouth and very yellow or dark urine. Dehydration is particularly dangerous in children and may be caused by vomiting and diarrhea.
A low blood sugar level that continues.
It may not be necessary to call your doctor every time you or your child with diabetes has a mild illness, such as a cold. But it is a good idea to call for advice when you are sick and:
Your blood sugar level is higher than 240 mg/dL after taking the adjusted amount of insulin in your sick-day plan.
You take oral diabetes medicine and your blood sugar level is higher than 240 mg/dL before meals and stays high for more than 24 hours.
You have more than 2+ or moderate ketones in your urine.
You still have a fever and are not feeling better after a few days.
You are vomiting or having diarrhea for more than 6 hours.
When you are sick, write down the medicine(s) you have been taking and whether you have changed the dosage of your diabetes medicines based on your sick-day plan. Also note changes in your body temperature, weight, blood sugar, and urine ketone levels. Have this information handy when you talk to your doctor.

Credits
Author
Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Editor
Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor
Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor
Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer
Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics
Specialist Medical Reviewer
Stephen LaFranchi, MD - Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology
Last Updated
December 3, 2008

2009-12-28T22:32:00.000-08:00

Don't lose your feet! A report from the BBC shows that there is an increase in the number of amputations through diabetes type 2. It is so important to keep on top of your diabetes and to get your blood sugar and cholesterol under control. If you don't then you are at best self mutilating or at worst committing very slow suicide.

2009-12-14T22:49:00.000-08:00

It seems that just a few cups of tea or coffee a day can help stave off diabetes.

This is from the BBC
Tea and coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a large body of evidence shows.
And the protection may not be down to caffeine since decaf coffee has the greatest effect, say researchers in Archives of Internal Medicine.
They looked at 18 separate studies involving nearly 500,000 people.
This analysis revealed that people who drink three or four cups of coffee or tea a day cut their risk by a fifth or more, say researchers.
The same amount of decaffeinated coffee had an even bigger effect, lowering risk by a third.
Type 2 diabetes usually starts after the age of 40 and develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly. Type 2 diabetes is treated with a healthy diet and increased physical activity. In addition to this, medication and/or insulin is often required.
The identification of the active components of these beverages would open up new therapeutic pathways for the primary prevention of diabetes mellitus
The study authors
If the findings prove true, doctors may well start advising people to put the kettle on as well as take more exercise and watch their weight, say the researchers.
When the authors combined and analysed the data, they found that each additional cup of coffee consumed in a day cut diabetes risk by 7%.
Lead researcher Dr Rachel Huxley, from the University of Sydney in Australia, said because of the finding with decaffeinated coffee, the link is unlikely to be solely related to caffeine.
Instead, other compounds in coffee and tea - including magnesium and antioxidants known as lignans or chlorogenic acids - may be involved.
Special brew
"The identification of the active components of these beverages would open up new therapeutic pathways for the primary prevention of diabetes mellitus.
"If such beneficial effects were observed in interventional trials to be real, the implications for the millions of individuals who have diabetes mellitus, or who are at future risk of developing it, would be substantial."
Dr Victoria King, of Diabetes UK, said: "Without full information about what other factors may be influencing the type 2 diabetes risk of the studies' participants - such as their physical activity levels and diet - as well as what the active ingredient in tea or coffee appears to be, we cannot be sure what, if anything, this observed effect is down to.
"What we can be sure of is that the development of type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to lifestyle, which means that many cases could be prevented by keeping active and eating a healthy balanced diet that is low in fat, salt and sugar with plenty of fruit and vegetables."

This press release is an announcement from the Archives of Internal Medicine

CHICAGO - Individuals who drink more coffee (regular or decaffeinated) or tea appear to have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to an analysis of previous studies reported in the December 14/28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. A previously published meta-analysis suggested drinking more coffee may be linked with a reduced risk, but the amount of available information has more than doubled since.
By the year 2025, approximately 380 million individuals worldwide will be affected by type 2 diabetes, according to background information in the article. "Despite considerable research attention, the role of specific dietary and lifestyle factors remains uncertain, although obesity and physical inactivity have consistently been reported to raise the risk of diabetes mellitus," the authors write.
Rachel Huxley, D.Phil, of The George Institute for International Health, University of Sydney, Australia, and colleagues identified 18 studies involving 457,922 participants and assessing the association between coffee consumption and diabetes risk published between 1966 and 2009. Six studies involving 225,516 individuals also included information about decaffeinated coffee, whereas seven studies with 286,701 participants reported on tea consumption.
When the authors combined and analyzed the data, they found that each additional cup of coffee consumed in a day was associated with a 7 percent reduction in the excess risk of diabetes. Individuals who drank three to four cups per day had an approximately 25 percent lower risk than those who drank between zero and two cups per day.
In addition, in the studies that assessed decaffeinated coffee consumption, those who drank more than three to four cups per day had about a one-third lower risk of diabetes than those who drank none. Those who drank more than three to four cups of tea had a one-fifth lower risk than those who drank no tea.
"That the apparent protective effect of tea and coffee consumption appears to be independent of a number of potential confounding variables raises the possibility of direct biological effects," the authors write. Because of the association between decaffeinated coffee and diabetes risk, the association is unlikely to be solely related to caffeine. Other compounds in coffee and tea-including magnesium, antioxidants known as lignans or chlorogenic acids-may be involved, the authors note.
"If such beneficial effects were observed in interventional trials to be real, the implications for the millions of individuals who have diabetes mellitus, or who are at future risk of developing it, would be substantial," they conclude. "For example, the identification of the active components of these beverages would open up new therapeutic pathways for the primary prevention of diabetes mellitus. It could also be envisaged that we will advise our patients most at risk for diabetes mellitus to increase their consumption of tea and coffee in addition to increasing their levels of physical activity and weight loss."

2009-12-12T00:16:00.000-08:00

Have diabetes and fed up with people who don't have diabetes 'sticking their oar in' whether in a kind meaning way or not? Yeah, so was Dr Polonsky and he came up with some diabetes etiquette which I am happy to share with you. Feel free to share with your non diabetic friends :)

Here are Dr. Polonsky's 10 etiquette tips for people without diabetes, written from the perspective of someone with diabetes:

1 - DON'T offer unsolicited advice about my eating or other aspects of diabetes. You may mean well, but giving advice about someone's personal habits, especially when it is not requested, isn't very nice. Besides, many of the popularly held beliefs about diabetes ("you should just stop eating sugar") are out of date or just plain wrong.
2 - DO realize and appreciate that diabetes is hard work. Diabetes management is a full-time job that I didn't apply for, didn't want, and can't quit. It involves thinking about what, when, and how much I eat, while also factoring in exercise, medication, stress, blood sugar monitoring, and so much more - each and every day.
3 - DON'T tell me horror stories about your grandmother or other people with diabetes you have heard about. Diabetes is scary enough, and stories like these are not reassuring! Besides, we now know that with good management, odds are good you can live a long, healthy, and happy life with diabetes.
4 - DO offer to join me in making healthy lifestyle changes. Not having to be alone with efforts to change, like starting an exercise program, is one of the most powerful ways that you can be helpful. After all, healthy lifestyle changes can benefit everyone!
5 - DON'T look so horrified when I check my blood sugars or give myself an injection. It is not a lot of fun for me either. Checking blood sugars and taking medications are things I must do to manage diabetes well. If I have to hide while I do so, it makes it much harder for me.
6 - DO ask how you might be helpful. If you want to be supportive, there may be lots of little things I would probably appreciate your help with. However, what I really need may be very different than what you think I need, so please ask first.
7 - DON'T offer thoughtless reassurances. When you first learn about my diabetes, you may want to reassure me by saying things like, "Hey, it could be worse; you could have cancer!" This won't make me feel better. And the implicit message seems to be that diabetes is no big deal. However, diabetes (like cancer) IS a big deal.
8 - DO be supportive of my efforts for self-care. Help me set up an environment for success by supporting healthy food choices. Please honor my decision to decline a particular food, even when you really want me to try it. You are most helpful when you are not being a source of unnecessary temptation.
9 - DON'T peek at or comment on my blood glucose numbers without asking me first. These numbers are private unless I choose to share them. It is normal to have numbers that are sometimes too low or too high. Your unsolicited comments about these numbers can add to the disappointment, frustration, and anger I already feel.
10 - DO offer your love and encouragement. As I work hard to manage diabetes successfully, sometimes just knowing that you care can be very helpful and motivating.

2009-12-06T23:25:00.000-08:00

Understanding Blood Glucose levels

So you are newly diagnosed as a diabetic and you know that you have to monitor your blood sugar levels, and you know this because the Doctor told you that.

But what you don’t know is what it actually means. This should help.

Blood sugar concentration, (or in reality glucose level), refers to the amount of glucose present in your blood. Normally the blood glucose level is maintained at a reference range between about 3.6 and 5.8 mM (mmol/l). It is tightly regulated as a part of metabolic homeostasis.

WTF? Exactly what does that mean?

metabolic homeostasis basically means keeping (or regulating) the internal systems so as to keep a stable condition.

Mmol/L is the standard unit of measurement and refers to micro moles per litre and you don’t need to understand the chemistry but in case you want to know:

SCIENCE BIT:
Average normal blood glucose levels in humans are about 5mM (mmol/l) this is because the molecular weight of glucose, C6H12O6, is about 180 g/mol). The total amount of glucose normally in circulating human blood is about 3.3 to 7g – because an average human contains about 5 litres of blood. (That is just over a gallon in old money). Glucose levels vary a little during the day, rising after meals for an hour or two by a few grams and are usually lowest in the morning, before the first meal of the day (unless you are a secret midnight snacker).

So, what is this GLUCOSE stuff? Well it is carried by the bloodstream from the intestines or liver to body cells, it is the primary source of energy for body's cells, fats and oils (ie, lipids) being primarily a compact energy store, kind of like a battery. It really doesn’t mean that you should stop eating sugar, it means that you need to better control the type of food that you eat. But that is a separate story.

Failure to maintain blood glucose in the normal range leads to conditions of persistently high (hyperglycemia) or low (hypoglycemia) blood sugar. And that means that your body is not maintaining metabolic homeostasis.

A diabetic fails to maintain metabolic homeostasis and normally is hyperglycaemic and has very high glucose levels and this is often characterised by a constant thirst, with the resultant frequent trips to the loo.

Earlier on in treatment, a diabetic may also start to suffer hypoglycaemic attacks. This is often because the medication has not returned the body to stability and may well be over compensating.

So, at first, you really need to monitor your blood glucose levels, and map it against the food that you eat. That way you can see the effects of what you eat and the medication that you take.

As Alexandr would say ‘Simples’

2009-12-06T02:50:00.000-08:00

More on the drug scare - a good explanation I thought

A group of drugs commonly used for diabetes carry an increased risk of heart problems and death when compared with a different type of diabetes drug, researchers have found.

Their study found that people taking drugs called sulphonylureas are more likely to have heart attacks, heart failure or die, compared to people taking another popular diabetes drug called metformin. Doctors should choose metformin when treating people with diabetes, unless they can't take it or it doesn't work for them, say the researchers.

What do we know already?

If you have type 2 diabetes, it means you have too much glucose in your blood. This can damage your blood vessels, causing heart attacks and strokes, as well as damage to smaller blood vessels in your kidneys, feet, and eyes. Some people with type 2 diabetes control their blood glucose through diet and exercise, but most people need diabetes medicines.

The most commonly used drugs are metformin (brand name Glucophage), and a group of medicines called sulphonylureas. Sulphonyureas include the medicines chlorpropamide, glimepiride (Amaryl), glipizide (Glibenese, Minodiab), tolbutamide, glibenclamide (Daonil, Euglucon), and gliclazide (Diamicron).

Another group called glitazones (also known as thiazolidinediones) are also used. There are two types: rosiglitazone (Avandia) and pioglitazone (Actos).

These medicines all help keep your blood glucose under control, although they work in different ways.

Lately, there's been concern that some of these drugs might increase your chances of having a heart attack or getting heart failure (where the heart can't pump blood efficiently). It's hard to pick up these problems in the clinical studies that are done before drugs are licensed, because they may take a long time to happen, and you need to test very large groups of people to pick up these sorts of differences in risk.

This new study looked at the risks of having a heart attack, getting heart failure, or dying for any reason while taking one or more of the commonly used diabetes drugs. The researchers used figures from a big database of prescribing information, cross-checked with patient records. They compared each type of drug with metformin, because metformin is a well-established diabetes drug that tends to be used first for people with diabetes.

What does the new study say?

The study found that people were more likely to die of any cause, or to get heart failure, while taking a sulphonylurea drug, compared with while taking metformin. They were also more likely to have a heart attack, although this link was not as strong.

It's hard to say exactly how big the difference is. That's because the researchers analysed the results in different ways. Using one set of calculations, the researchers said sulphonylureas were linked to a 60 percent increased risk of death, while using another set, the increased risk was 24 percent.

Of the two glitazone drugs, pioglitazone seemed to be better than rosiglitazone, although the researchers say they need to see more studies to be sure of this. People were less likely to die of any cause while taking pioglitazone, compared with while taking rosiglitazone or metformin. Neither pioglitazone nor rosiglitazone was linked to more deaths or heart attacks than metformin, although rosiglitazone was linked to an increased chance of heart failure. Doctors are already warned not to prescribe rosiglitazone for people at risk of heart failure.

It's important to remember that the study didn't compare the drugs with no treatment. So, it didn't say that people were more likely to die while taking sulphonylureas compared with taking nothing at all. The study may simply show that metformin works better than sulphonylureas.

How reliable are the findings?

The good points of this study are that it covered a lot of people (more than 90,000) over an average of 7 years each. Because of the way the data was recorded, we can compare the risks and benefits of treatments as they're actually prescribed, taking account of the fact that people tend to take more than one drug, or move from one drug to another over time.

However, this makes it harder to account for all the different factors that could affect the results. For example, people might only take sulphonylurea drugs after they'd tried metformin, and it hadn't worked well enough for them, or because they have kidney disease (people with kidney disease can't take metformin). That might mean that people who took sulphonylureas were sicker than people who took metformin, so more likely to die of any cause.

Also, the study relies on all the information on the databases being correctly entered at the time. Because this was a 'real world' study, rather than set up by researchers from the start, there's likely to be more human error in terms of recording data than in a clinical trial.

Where does the study come from?

The study was done by a team of researchers based at Imperial College in London, UK. It was published in the BMJ (British Medical Journal). The study was not directly funded by anyone, although some of the researchers received grants from various research programmes.

What does this mean for me?

If you are taking a sulphonylurea drug, the results of the study might sound alarming. But they may be less alarming than they sound. The study doesn't show that these drugs are actively doing you harm. If they reduce your glucose levels, they protect you against potential problems with your eyes, nerve endings, and feet, as well as treating symptoms such as thirst and tiredness.

What the study shows is that they may not be reducing your overall risk of having a heart attack, heart failure, or dying for any other reason, compared with metformin. Previous studies have shown that metformin seems to reduce the chances of having a heart attack or dying in people with diabetes, especially if you're overweight.

Doctors in the UK are advised to prescribe metformin first for patients with diabetes, although they are told to consider a sulphonylurea in some groups of patients. According to national guidelines, sulphonylureas work faster, so may be used when a quick treatment is needed, and may also be more suitable for patients who are not overweight.

What should I do now?

All diabetes medicines protect against the problems you get from having too much glucose in your blood. It's important not to stop taking medicines without talking to your doctor first.

If you have diabetes and you haven't been treated with metformin before, it may be worth discussing this with your doctor, especially if you're overweight.

2009-12-04T14:38:00.000-08:00

A new diabetic drug scare - sulphonylurea increases the risk of heart disease. Well, hello!!! Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and of losing eyesight and amputation and stroke. The bloody disease is far worse than the cure.

Mind you, quite please I am not taking it at the moment I am on Metformin and Vildagliptin, how long before they say that vildagliptin causes problems and withdraw that?

There is a story in the NHS here, and it has links to the daily telegraph and Daily Mirror stories.

2009-11-22T00:33:00.000-08:00

From Diabetes Health

Q & A: How To Lower Your Blood Sugar When It's Over 200 mg/dl

Nov 21, 2009

Q: How do I lower my blood sugar when it goes over 200 mg/dl? I have type 2 diabetes.

A: An excellent question, but a complicated one to answer. Your doctor or nurse educator should be contacted whenever your blood sugar runs consistently higher than 250 mg/dl for more than two days. When a person with type 2 diabetes encounters a high blood sugar, the strategy used to bring it down will vary from individual to individual. This is because of differences in treatment involving diet, exercise, and medication. It will also depend upon the guidelines for glucose control that you and your doctor have mutually agreed upon.

When high blood sugars do occur, there are a number of strategies that can be employed to lower the glucose level back down to a normal range. These might include:

1) Eating less food at the next meal, eliminating a snack, and/or eating foods with a lower glycemic index.

A general rule of thumb to follow is to eliminate 15 grams of carbohydrate (the amount in one starch exchange, one fruit exchange, or one cup of skim milk exchange), which will lower blood glucose by 30 mg/dl. If you test your blood sugar at 182 mg/dl before a meal or snack, then eliminate one starch and one cup of milk at the next meal to bring the glucose value close to 120 mg/dl as a baseline. Although people with diabetes will respond differently to this adjustment, it provides a basic guideline to start with.

For persons with type 2 diabetes who are overweight, the loss of only five to 10 percent of total weight can dramatically improve blood glucose values. Consequently, just cutting calories moderately can achieve better blood glucose control.

Lastly, choosing foods with a lower glycemic index, that is, foods that do not raise blood sugar as quickly or dramatically, can help to bring blood glucose back into a normal range. Some examples of foods with a low glycemic index are dried beans and lentils.

To test the glycemic effect of a food on your system, you will need to do more frequent monitoring. For example, you may want to compare the effect of brown rice versus baked potato by eating equivalent carbohydrate amounts of these foods at dinner and comparing your blood glucose response two hours later. The exact effect will vary from person to person.

2) Increasing activity or incorporating more exercise.

Persons with type 2 diabetes generally respond to increased exercise with a lowered blood glucose value. Simple exercise, such as walking 20 minutes or more per day, can effectively improve glucose tolerance and induce weight loss. Proper exercise can actually be effective enough to lower or completely eliminate the need for medication altogether.

3) Increasing medications, changing medications, and/or administering them more frequently.

Although this is certainly an option, it makes more sense to first address the problem of elevated blood glucose by exercise and cutting back on food. These measures are less costly and have fewer side effects. If they aren't effective, however, a medication change may be indicated. If you are on the minimal dose of oral agents, your doctor might raise the dose or split it into morning and evening doses.

This could also be true for those using insulin. Taking more shots per day does not mean that your diabetes is worse. It may even bring more flexibility into your lifestyle. In fact, a rule of thumb for those on insulin (check with your doctor first before making these adjustments) is to take one unit of regular insulin to lower blood glucose 30 mg/dl. If your blood sugar is 191 mg/dl before a meal, an extra three units of insulin will bring the glucose down about 100 mg/dl.

It is important to note that this rule may change for people who exercise regularly because it will take less insulin to achieve the desired effect. It may also change for those who become ill because they are more insulin-resistant and may need more insulin to achieve the desired effect. The effectiveness of insulin is also dramatically decreased by high blood sugar levels.

4) Using relaxation techniques and behavioral management.

Relaxation exercises, including deep breathing and audio tapes that guide you through deep muscle relaxation, can reduce stress and help you deal more effectively with it. Tapes are available specifically designed to create images of healthiness in diabetic individuals and encourage visualization of improved glucose control. Behavioral management techniques also increase one's overall sense of control over life and self-efficacy, so that diabetes becomes a state of "wellness in the midst of illness." When you are relaxed and in control, your blood glucose values can improve.

5) Treating identified illness and/or infections.

Illness and infection causes a rise in adrenergic hormones, which increase the production of glucose in the body. This extra surge of glucose is part of the healing process, but can upset glucose control. Thus, continuing to take medications despite poor appetite is vital. You may temporarily require more medication during periods of extended illness. Ask your doctor for instructions on dealing with illness.

6) Monitoring on a more frequent basis and/or monitoring other parameters.

When your blood glucose values exceed the target ranges established by you and your doctor, monitoring should be done every two hours until your blood glucose returns to normal. This gives you an opportunity to treat and adjust blood glucose as soon as possible, rather than waiting until your next doctor visit or next meal (which might be four or five hours later). It also tells you whether or not what you are doing is helping to bring the blood glucose down. Another step to take if your blood sugar is over 250 mg/dl would be ketone checks (done by urine dip stick or via a fingerstick to measure betahydroxybutyrate, an acid). Testing ketones hourly until they disappear is recommended.

7) Increasing consumption of sugar-free fluids.

Often, poor hydration accounts for the concentration of sugar in the blood. All people (with diabetes or not) should drink two to three quarts of sugar-free fluids per day. When glucose is elevated, drinking helps to dilute it. Also, drinking fluids is filling, decreasing the possibility of overeating.

People with heart disease who take diuretics and those with renal (kidney) complications may need to be on restricted fluids. Check with your doctor and/or dietitian if you fall into these special categories.

To combat high blood sugars, the most important strategy is prevention. Prevention of high blood sugars is usually possible with frequent and consistent monitoring. If you have awareness of your usual glucose response patterns to foods and exercise, it will be easier to plan out your day and prevent fluctuations in your blood sugar.

2009-11-13T23:43:00.000-08:00

from Diabetes Health:

World Diabetes Day Is This Saturday, November 14, 2009

Kristin Lund
Nov 12, 2009

World Diabetes Day is a global awareness campaign that's celebrated every year on November 14. The goal is to encourage action to further the prevention, treatment, and care of diabetes, as well as to support the United Nations Resolution on Diabetes. Landmarks and monuments across the world are lit in blue to create a united voice for diabetes awareness, and diabetes events are held around the globe. As of Monday evening, November 9, the World Diabetes Day website reports that 366 registered diabetes events are scheduled for November 14^th, in countries ranging from Saudi Arabia to Argentina to Morocco. In addition, 623 monuments are being lit in blue around the globe. More are sure to be added to the list as the day draws closer and closer.

The U.N. Resolution on Diabetes focuses world attention on the need to stop the diabetes epidemic through urgent action. Governments need to promote low-cost strategies that alter diet, increase physical activity, and modify lifestyles in order to reverse the diabetes tide. According to the California Diabetes Program (DIRC) website, "For governments, [World Diabetes Day] is a call to implement effective strategies and policies for the prevention and management of diabetes to safeguard the health of their citizens with and at risk for diabetes."

Advocacy

The DIRC and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have suggestions on how communities can help stop the epidemic, including increasing access to affordable healthy food and beverages. We need to advocate to:

Make healthy food and beverages more available and affordable and restrict availability of less healthy foods and beverages in public places such as schools, government buildings, libraries, and parks
Increase the number of grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods
Improve mechanisms for purchasing foods directly from local farms
Offer incentives to retailers to offer healthy food and beverage options
Limit advertising of less healthy foods and beverages
Encourage smaller portion sizes by food vendors
Discourage consumptions of sugar-sweetened beverages

Educate someone you know about the risks of diabetes

If you are unable to attend a World Diabetes Day event or to witness a monument or building being lit in blue, you can honor the day by educating someone else about the risks of diabetes. They are, according to the DIRC:

Family history of diabetes
Increasing age
Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle
Ethnicity
History of diabetes during pregnancy or giving birth to a large baby
Having high blood pressure or high cholesterol

Everyone can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by:

Exercising
Eating right
Losing weight if needed
Seeing your healthcare provider
Getting your eyes checked

2009-11-08T22:56:00.000-08:00

http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2009/11/07/6438/aace-releases-new-algorithm-for-treatment-of-type-2-diabetes/

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists have bought out new guidelines for the treatment of Type 2. I wonder if the UK guys follow similar guidelines?

Meanwhile whilst exploring other diabetes mellitus solutions beyond Metformin I have stumbled across Berberine, there is this report in the daily telegraph, and a quick google/bing bought up many other references. The dubiously reliable Wiki has a large sectrion on it here and it seems to have tremendous benefits, similar in effect to metformin, but with some added side effect benefits, such as inhibiting Stapphylococcus, fungal infections such as Candida, inhibits cancers such as Breast Cancer, and is a mild anti depressant. Looks like a wonder herb to me, yet a quick trawl of health foods shops doesn't readily find it listed. interesting?

Wonder if I should give it serious consideration and perhaps import it from China?

2009-10-29T00:23:00.000-07:00

“Diabetes UK recommends that people with diabetes without known cardiovascular disease should discuss their individual risk with their healthcare team," said Libby Dowling, Care Advisor for Diabetes UK.

So this is a change in guidelines, I have been on Aspirin since 2006 and I must admit, I bleed like a stuck pig when ever I cut myself (rarely) or do a prick test (frequently). I thought that was good, when I was first diagnosed I used to have the devils own game squeezing the thick gooey blood out of my finger - completely the opposite now.

From a purely non scientific, not knowing what I am talking about, I prefer blood that flows easily !!

read more here

2009-10-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

And in the UK they have stopped our strips for monitoring. Utter Madness. The following came from Diabetes Health.

Never a "Duh!" Moment: Study Confirms That Self-Monitoring Improves Patients' Response to Diabetes

Patrick Totty
Oct 13, 2009

"Self-monitoring blood glucose" (SMBG), a staple in the lives of most people with diabetes who take insulin, involves consistently monitoring and recording blood glucose levels before and after specific activities, such as eating, exercising, sleeping, and taking insulin. By observing the effects of certain foods and activities on their blood glucose levels, patients can learn exactly what works to raise or lower them. Thus, SMBG affords a kind of "fine tuning" approach to diabetes that empowers patients to adjust their medicine, modify their behavior, and manage their disease without always needing expert intervention.

So it's hardly surprising that an international study sponsored by Roche Diagnostics has confirmed that SMBG is a useful tool.

The study, published by SAGE Publications in The Diabetes Educator, looked at the SMBG practice of "paired testing," in which people with diabetes measure their blood glucose levels before and after specific activities to see how modifications in those activities might lead to better BG management. The researchers, located in five far-flung locations-Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, and Washington, DC-found that SMBG is helpful to patients because it increases their sense of control and provides nuanced information that allows them to finely hone their diabetes management.

The researchers also looked into the possibility that non-insulin-taking type 2s could benefit from SMBG. Because about 40 percent of type 2 patients are treated with oral drugs or through diet, constant self-monitoring of blood glucose has not been thought to be necessary. Even type 2s who take a combination of oral medications and a daily dose of long-acting insulin are not required to take anywhere near the number of self-administered BG tests that SMBG usually calls for. Given the depth of information and sense of control that SMBG affords, however, even type 2s who do not use insulin may soon hear their healthcare professionals recommending SMBG as part of an aggressive approach to managing type 2.

2009-10-17T00:12:00.000-07:00

The following came from Diabetes Health and makes an interesting read.

Circadian Rhythm and Blood Sugar Control

Russell Phillips, PhD
Oct 15, 2009

The human body is an amazing machine. The biological clock that ticks inside us to keep the machine running efficiently not only prompts us to sleep and eat on regular basis, but also apparently regulates blood sugar.

Dr. Brian Feldman at Stanford University School of Medicine recently published a study suggesting that a class of steroid hormones called glucocorticoids have a direct effect on a number of genes that affect our biological clock, or circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm, from the Latin words circa (around) and diem (day), is a 24-hour cycle of biochemical, physiological, and behavioral processes. Glucocorticoids are secreted from the adrenal gland, sometimes at high levels and sometimes at very low levels, depending upon the time of day, when we eat, and the types of food we consume. When blood sugar is lowest, glucocorticoid levels are highest, initiating gluconeogenesis to break down fat in the liver and thereby provide additional glucose to the blood.

Glucocorticoids affect the immune system by up-regulating anti-inflammatory proteins and down-regulating pro-inflammatory proteins. In fact, glucocorticoids are marketed as nasal sprays, which alleviate inflamed nasal membranes, and as asthma inhalers, which reduce inflammation in the lungs. Prednisone, for example, is a prescribed corticosteroid (glucocorticoid) for the treatment of severe asthma or severe allergies. Although it is a valuable treatment option for some conditions, people with diabetes should be especially wary of taking such a powerful steroid because of the fact that glucocorticoids also stimulate gluconeogenesis. The consequent increase in available glucose would be a very serious side-effect for someone whose blood sugar levels are not well-controlled.

While it was thought that glucocorticoids triggered or synchronized the up-regulation and down-regulation of some circadian clock-associated genes, the how's and why's had not yet been well described. Therefore, the first phase of Dr. Feldman's study consisted of applying synthetic glucocorticoids to human and mouse stem cells grown in a dish, to see which genes in the stem cells were activated by the glucocorticoids. The researchers found that glucocorticoids directly activated several of the genes that control the circadian clock.

The next step was to look at how the hormone's control of the circadian clock was associated with other biological processes. Using mice that were genetically engineered to be missing a gene involved in circadian rhythm (Per2; one of the activated circadian clock genes), scientists were able to determine that while glucocorticoids had an effect on glucose homeostasis in normal control mice, there was no effect in mice missing the Per2 gene. This finding suggests that glucocorticoid regulation of circadian rhythm (by way of activating the Per2 gene) is directly involved in glucose homeostasis. Mice lacking the biological clock gene Per2 did not respond normally to glucose homeostasis challenges. These genetically engineered mice also had increased leptin levels as compared to controls. Leptin is a hormone that helps regulate energy expenditure and cycles with the circadian rhythm opposite to the cycle seen with glucocorticoids.

In the study discussion, Dr. Feldman noted that glucocorticoids act "as a synchronization signal to coordinate the circadian rhythm with energy balance. Taken together, our results imply that glucocorticoids regulate glucose homeostasis, in part, through direct control of the circadian clock, which in turn modulates leptin levels."

The study was published online October 5, 2009, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

2009-10-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

What is up with my body chemistry?

My Carbs are well within recomended daily allowance, typically less than 300g per day, usually well below 250:

My Sugars are just as great:

in fact all my figures are good:

	Cals	Fat	Cholest	Sodium	Carbs	Sugars	Fiber	Protein
This week: Click totals for charts!	9,261	239g	123mg	5,878mg	1,201g	307g	136g	471g
This month:	17,273	509g	596mg	12,933mg	2,112g	540g	238g	859g

so why is my blood sugar rising and why do I feel so crap?

2009-10-11T06:37:00.000-07:00

I am constantly amazed at the benign uses war and space inventions can be turned to. Here is a way forward for quick diabetes indication courtesy of our friends in NASA. I found this on Diabetes Health.

Spyware That Tests for Diabetes?

Russell Phillips, PhD
Oct 9, 2009

MSGI Security Solutions, which "serves the needs of counter-terrorism, public safety, law enforcement, and commercial security," has moved into a new area: diabetes detection. In fact, it has developed a handheld sensor that detects diabetes by measuring the level of acetone in the breath. The device, which employs carbon-based chemical sensors that detect organic vapors, is based upon nano sensors that NASA originally developed to make scientific measurements during space missions.

How does a sensor that detects acetone serve to diagnose diabetes? Because people with diabetes are resistant to insulin or don't produce it at all, their bodies are unable to move glucose from their bloodstream into their cells for energy. When the starved cells call for more glucose, the liver gets into action, converting fat into glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis ("gluco" = glucose; "neo" = new; and "genesis" = production). Gluconeogenesis produces substances called ketones. Ketones break down into three basic compounds, one of them being acetone, which then ends up in the breath.

According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), about half of the approximately 246 million people in the world who have diabetes don't know that they have the disease. Early detection would mean that early treatment could be made available. And early treatment, as we know, is absolutely necessary to prevent or delay the complications of diabetes. A simple breath test would go a long way toward simplifying early detection.

Please be aware, however, that this product is still in the prototype stage. MSGI has formed a subsidiary, Nanobeak, which is looking to test the handheld sensor and then license it to Big Pharma. It will then be up to Big Pharma to determine how to market the device to us, the consumers, or to our healthcare providers. (By the way, a nanobeak is a near-field optical head with a beaked metallic plate. Now you know.)

2009-10-09T14:27:00.000-07:00

Critical Actions

There was silence in the room. Then the Sheikh simply said one word, “explain.”

Kahn proceeded to do so. After he had outlined the plan the other three sat and thought and then heads began to nod their agreement and approval.

“So we need to remove any thing that we want to keep from Britain,” Jackson commented.

“Of course, but then you should have done that under the original plan anyway.” Kahn retorted.

“Only if it were at flood level.”

“You would have risked the looting and civil unrest? No, I have had no interests in Britain for a long time, my advice to you all is to do the same. I also do not intend to step foot in the place again. I have no need.”

Giannopoulos looked across at Jackson and then back to Kahn. “I agree, it would be foolishness to retain any property in Britain, or indeed British territories. May I suggest a slight amendment to the plan?”

Kahn nodded.

“I suggest” Giannopoulos continued, “that one hour prior to the detonation we generate a run on every British financial institution. That will complete their destruction.”

“No, absolutely not,” Kahn retorted strongly. “That is totally against our interest.”

“Why not?” from the Sheikh.

“Our intention if you recall. We need to ensure that we have no financial interests remaining in British institutions it is true, that goes with out saying. However everyone of our competitors that has interests in London at the moment of destruction will also face financial loss. That can only be to our advantage and improve our position. May I remind you that our aim is to control the wealth of the world and to do so we need to strengthen the US, and destroy London and seriously weaken Europe.”

“What of your colleagues in the Emirates?” Jackson asked the Sheikh.

“They are already bankrupt as you know, desperately trying to create new ways to make themselves important to the world as the oil runs out. Mohammed is trying to build a holiday resort out of his little sheikdom, but has long since run out of cash. Unfinished skyscrapers line every street, empty shops in the malls and his stupid sand islands are sinking back into the sea. When the oil goes, that will be the end, and the end is a lot sooner than they think. The Persians and Iraqis are just waiting for an excuse to annihilate each other. The plan is above reproach. Once London is gone the only real money and power will lie in the States, and therefore in us.”

“What do you want us to do next?”Jackson asked Kahn.

“London and it’s financial markets are about to be destroyed, all of you need to build them up, make London boom, speed up the recovery, the recession is over, for London. Get your contacts to get as much moved out of Paris and Bonn and into London as possible. Go short, but by 4 weeks, that is the timescale.”

“I have a rather nice collection of Ferraris and Lamborghinis, and a couple of Maybachs in a garage in Mayfair. I think that I shall get them quietly crated and moved.”

“Make sure that they are off the carrier and in your private hands within 4 weeks.”

“Of course, much can be lost in the anarchy that will follow, especially in Europe.”

“Indeed. We also need to raise tensions on the Left Bank and Gaza, if we can get Israel and the Palestinians at each other’s throats and stamp out the Lebanese recovery, that can only aid the process.”

“My area of expertise I think,” the Sheikh volunteered.

“Gentlemen, there is much to do, and we have stayed here longer than expected. We should move.” Kahn drew the meeting to a close, the fourth man had said nothing.

2009-10-01T01:41:00.000-07:00

Another great peace of news for us diabetics. When is a HIP replacement not a HIP replacement ? Read on, this great article came from www.diabeteshealth.com

One thing that really frustrates people with diabetes mellitus is the biopharma industry's focus on treatments rather than cures. A cure is what the diabetes community wants, not another band-aid. So the existence of a biopharma company that calls itself "CureDM" is promising, and its first product, Pancreate, seems to be on its way to fulfilling that promise.
CureDM started with the information that in most cases, the mass of pancreatic islets drops by 80 percent in type 1 patients and 50 percent in type 2 patients. They also knew from recent research that the adult human pancreas contains an abundance of pancreatic progenitor cells. Like stem cells, progenitor cells have the capacity to differentiate. Unlike stem cells, however, they are not able to become any type of cell. Instead, they differentiate only into their "target" cell, in this case, islets.
In adults, however, pancreatic progenitor cells rarely make the change into islets. Under normal conditions, islets differentiate only during fetal development, when the pancreas is first powering up. When islets do form in adults, it is usually in response to pancreatic injury and stress.
Scientists knew this fact way back before insulin was discovered, when surgeons performed partial pancreatectomies on children with diabetes in hopes of triggering islet regeneration. Rather than hacking off pieces of pancreases, however, CureDM turned to the modern study of genes, called genomics, and proteins, called proteomics. Using these approaches, they were able to identify the key that unlocks the pancreatic progenitor cells, causing them to differentiate into islets. That key is Human proIslet Peptide (HIP), christened Pancreate by CureDM.
HIP is a peptide, or small piece of a protein, made of 14 amino acids (the building blocks of proteins). It is a segment of a large protein that is created by a gene called regenerating islet-derived 3 alpha, or the REG3a gene. HIP stimulates the pathways that cause adult pancreatic progenitor cells to differentiate into functioning islets, fully equipped with alpha, beta, gamma, and delta cells. Because of the scarcity of the REG3a protein after fetal development, CureDM believed that a lack of HIP was the critical element preventing new islet formation, or neogenesis, in adults.
CureDM discovered that the sequence of amino acids in HIP is very similar among many species. When they made a three-dimensional model of the human REG3a protein, they found the HIP part is exposed on the outer surface of the protein, not folded deep within it, making it available to bind with the other proteins that go on to stimulate islet differentiation. And CureDM has successfully stabilized HIP to improve its availability in the body. Recent studies indicate that the dose of HIP required to stimulate islet neogenesis may be 100 times lower than the concentration required by naturally produced HIP.
So far, HIP has been producing some hopeful results. In cultures of human pancreatic ductal tissue, treatment with HIP increases insulin secretion four-fold. In diabetic mice, it triples the number of islets, essentially reversing the disease. Diabetes-related biomarkers normalize in as few as 10 weeks, and diabetic animals no longer need extra insulin after only 21 days of treatment.
CureDM is currently completing the toxicological studies required before filing an Investigational New Drug application, or IND, for Pancreate. An IND is a request for permission from the FDA to administer an investigational drug to humans. The company expects to begin clinical trials in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes in early 2010.

2009-09-30T00:23:00.000-07:00

WOW - This really is a wow moment. I found the following article in a Diabetes Magazine that I subscribe to, it contains a stunning piece of news about metformin. Metformin, not only pretty standard treatment for Diabetes T2, but now it seems it is a cancer stem cell killer - and killing stem cells is something that standard Chemo doesn't do - thus enabling cancer to return after chemo. This, to me, is W.O.W. I have cut n paste the artice below. It is nice to know that my chance of getting certain cancers is also reduced as I am on metformin. The two months of horrible metallic taste in my mouth and stomach gripes as I got my body used to Metformin all seem worth it now.

Mighty Metformin: The New Cancer Wonder Drug
Sep 25, 2009
Metformin has always been the old reliable for treating new onset type 2 diabetes, but it's beginning to look like it's got a new calling as a cancer treatment. Diabetes Health recently reported on the fact that metformin reduces a type 2 person's risk of pancreatic cancer by up to 62 percent. It's also been observed that people with type 2 who take metformin have a much lower cancer incidence than those who don't. Now it appears that metformin can help with breast cancer treatment as well. A study of mice with breast cancer generated from human breast cancer cells has found that they remained tumor-free for nearly three months on metformin combined with doxorubicin, a standard cancer chemotherapy. In mice given only the doxorubicin, the tumors recurred.
How metformin suppresses cancer has been unclear, but now researchers believe that they may have the answer. According to Dr. Kevin Struhl of Harvard Medical School, the lead researcher of the study, metformin selectively kills cancer stem cells. This is an extremely valuable talent because stem cells, which make up five to ten percent of a tumor's cells, are resistant to chemotherapy. Although standard chemotherapy kills the mature cancer cells that comprise most of the tumor, it can't vanquish the cancer stem cells. Consequently, the tumor is able to regrow after standard chemotherapy. But the combination of standard chemo and metformin appears to be very powerful.
The researchers hope that by adding metformin to the cancer treatment regimen, it will be possible to reduce the dose of standard chemo. According to Dr. Struhl, current chemo regimens load patients up with as much as they can possibly tolerate. With metformin, however, the doses of standard chemo could possibly be reduced, allowing good results with fewer side effects.
Dr. Struhl's study grew out of another project, during which he found that the gene activity changes that occur when cells transform into cancer are a lot like what goes on in diabetes and other inflammatory conditions. He reasoned that if a common genetic pathway underlies different diseases, drugs that work against one disease might also work against another. After screening a number of drugs, he found that metformin was most effective in inhibiting cells from transforming into cancer. Those findings led to his current study, the results of which were published in the September 14 online edition of Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Although the current research was conducted on mice, their cancer cells were actually of human origin, which is promising. The researchers are now planning clinical trials conducted on humans. This normally lengthy process might be hastened by the fact that metformin is already an accepted drug that is known to be safe. In fact, a clinical trial to see if metformin alone is effective in preventing breast cancer from recurring in early stage breast cancer patients who have already had surgery and chemo will begin enrolling patients next year.
Interestingly, Dr. Struhl and Harvard Medical School have already applied for a patent that would cover a combination of metformin and a lower dose of chemotherapy to treat cancer.

2009-09-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of fuss recently about the NHS, how it is funded, how it is underbudget and how it came underfire from some [seriously] misguided politicians.

Well, here is a radical thought, why don't we make it better? It wouldn't be difficult and it wouldn't need to cost us money. If we looked after ourselves better, then the NHS would be quids in!

If we all gave up smoking, the incidences of smoking related incidences would drop, slowly at first, but increasingly rapidly.

If we ate less fatty food and more and fruit veg, the incidences of heart and blood related illnesses would also decrease, again slowly at first.

If we drank less alcohol .....

If we exercised more .....

If we drove more carefully .....

Would life be bearable without pissing our money up the wall and eating McFat burgers and lardy Chips as we drag on our fags? Of course it would. You're sex life would buck up for a start, you'de have more money for holidays in the sun and so on and so on

I know its a bit radical, and I could have slipped a joke in there, but resisted, but seriously, if we looked after us, the nhs could become quite healthy.

2009-09-01T22:50:00.000-07:00

What can I say, dirty minds have dirty thinks. Well, I wonder what Mary Whitehouse would have thought of this little beauty.

2009-08-30T07:28:00.000-07:00

Middle class or working class? the BBC have an interesting article in their magazine and it rather set me to thinking. I have always assumed that I was middle class, certainly my thinking and life in the 1960's in a suburban village on the edge of the great Birmingham conurbation puts me in that category, although parents and grandparents, had very different working class roots. In fact subsequent investigations into my family history shows a very long pedigree of two-up two-down, working class environments right back to the late 1700's when records began.

As I grew up and began to look at politics and study history and try and foretell the future, then working class was far from my mind, I could only put myself firmly in middle class middle england, appalled at the activities of the unions that destroyed so much in my native midlands. I could not see how it could possibly be the fault of poor management.

It now seems that i have betrayed my roots and how can I tell this? It is simple. I like to have my evening meal at around 6pm, ealier if possible. That, above all else, it seems consigns me to working class.

Wow, who would have thought it.

2009-08-28T12:15:00.000-07:00

I had noticed that my Vista PC was being a bit slow to start and had frozen on my a few times, a bit of a pain if this freeze was in an online game! I had been searching for solutions in the usual places and one message that i kept getting was to tidy up my registry. Well, that is easier said than done. I may not be a numpty when it comes to computers, and whilst no techie wizard, I do know that messing with the registry is fraught with danger. Around this time Digeus offered me a trial of their Registry Cleaner product, the timing was just perfect.

The download is a snap and didn't take too long, it is around 1.2M in size, mind you I am on rather a fast broadband, but even so it was only around 7 seconds. In fact my virus scanner took longer to give the file the all clear. A quick double click of the downloaded file and it installed it self, asking the usual questions about where to store files, I just used the defaults. Interestingly it didn't auto start after the install had finished. Not difficult to find of course, it was in my program list.

When the program started the first option for me was to backup the registry, and then I let it lose to clean away. It scanned my registry and came up with over 700 broken, wrong or false items in just over 5 minutes of scanning. I spent about 30 minutes manually checking the entries and found nothing wrong with the claims of Digeus – all the ones I checked were indeed in need of repair.

You can only repair 5 entries at a time if you don't register, and registration costs are a discounted $17.99 at the moment, so is not a real pain for us. Once registered I clicked on the fix key, and away it went, fixed all my registry errors in about 2 seconds. So I closed down and restarted. It took a noticeable 20 per cent less time to boot in – that is quite impressive, and I know that if you have a PC that takes 30 minutes to start up, that is a significant saving, and depending on what your errors are, could be quicker than the 20% I got. It would probably have taken me several hours to find the errors that Digeus found, and my time is worth much more than a few $ - this product really saved me hassle. My PC loads quicker, and so far, a few hours later, I am not experiencing my usual sudden freeze just as I get a full house in online poker – now that is a real bonus. Pity it doesn't help me play better poker too.

All in all a very easy product to use and one of the more cost effective options options. It does exactly what it says on the tin, as someone else once said.

2009-08-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

Daily diabetes injection on offer

Tuesday 7th July 2009

The two million people in the UK with type 2 diabetes will now be able to get a once-a-day injection to help manage the condition, it has been announced.

Victoza, also called liraglutide, is safe to be taken at any time of day and in combination with other drugs, as directed by a doctor. It is known to help the body release insulin when blood sugar levels become too high.

Type 2 diabetes often affects people who are overweight or obese, and there are an estimated 500,000 more people in the country who have type 2 but do not know it.

To this end, the drug also helps people lose weight by producing a "full" feeling, which reduces the impulse to eat, while also slowing the rate at which the stomach empties.

And it also lowers blood pressure, which reduces the higher risk of heart disease faced by sufferers.

Cathy Moulton, care advisor at Diabetes UK, said: "Liraglutide widens the choice of treatments for people with type 2 diabetes that not only offer improved blood glucose control but also aid weight loss."

Anthony Barnett, clinical director of diabetes and endocrinology at the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust in Birmingham, said the drug was an important step forward for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Copyright © Press Association 2009

Diabetes UK

2009-08-22T15:20:00.000-07:00

Obesity and diabetes are the principal underlying conditions associated with death in patients with swine flu, a report published in the August 20^th edition of Eurosurveillance shows. Great, guess who is diabetic and overweight?

The authors from the French Institute of Public Health analysed all deaths caused by swine flu before 16^th July.

A total of 564 deaths around the world were identified and detailed information was available for 213 of these.

Obesity and diabetes were the underlying health conditions most associated with death (57 cases). Respiratory disease was present in 37 patients, heart disease in 36, and unspecified other infectious diseases in 19.

Immunodepression was recorded in 16 patients, including five cases of cancer, two of transplantation, and three of auto-immune disease. HIV was not mentioned by the authors as being a specific risk factor for an increased risk of death. Fortunately neither am I HIV, nor am I likely to become HIV, for obvious reasons.

The analysis also showed that the overall mortality rate in patients infected with swine flu is low.

Reference

Valliant L et al. Epidemiology of fatal cases associated with pandemic H1N1 influenza 2009. Eurosurveillance 14: 33, August 20^th, 2009.

2009-08-20T00:18:00.000-07:00

another excerpt - rough draft

Lunch was a plate of jerked pork and beans, a somewhat more functional plate rather than a gourmet treat. Sincerity was true to her word and didn’t talked about their work, nor did she gone on about his ‘illness’. She, it seemed, simply tried to be good company. She talked of the diving to be had off the southern shore, the reefs and the whales that migrated past at this time of the year. She talked of the boat, presumably a ‘company’ boat, that she had access to that she sometimes took out, and promised him a ride out to some of the beautiful unpopulated cays. ‘So private,’ she said ‘we could think of ourselves as the only two people in the world. So very private.’ ‘Oh, good’ he had replied, thinking that he would love to bring Geraldine here to the Turks, but if he were to do so and then they were to bump into Sincerity, well, that would be awkward. Sincerity would not be able to resist mentioning, somehow, that they had kissed. He could just imagine it. ‘Oh Geraldine, you are so lucky to have such a great kisser, oh yes indeed.’ Hole, sink, buried, dead.
Edward managed to get away eventually, he needed to shower and change before he met the Finance Minister. His linen suit had been laundered and was waiting him in his room. He showered quickly and dressed in a white cotton shirt, which he left open necked, and his linen suit. Looking in the mirror he decided that he really ought to wear a tie, he just looked ‘inappropriate’ without a tie; he was representing Her majesty after all. He walked across the grass and went to hail a taxi when Sincerity pulled up in front of him in a Ford SUV.
“Get in, save you a taxi fare, I’ll take you to the Ministry.”
“Fine.” He said no more, he was doing everything he could to discourage her, but still she persisted, following him, appearing in the bar when he did, strolling along the walkways when he was, and he didn’t even bother to try and guess how she knew where he was going now. It was simply part of her job. Her next words startled him slightly, it was as if she could read his mind.
“This isn’t part of my job you know Edward, I am not a gopher or taxi driver.”
He sat quietly as she drove the short distance to the Ministry, there was nothing that he wanted to say to her, she was just becoming an ever greater nuisance, and there seemed no way to deter her. “Oh Edward,” she said as she pulled up outside, “I never had you pegged as the strong silent type. I’ll wait for you.”
Security was unsurprisingly lax, merely a mention that he had an appointment wit the Minister and he was allowed in. There was no checking of names against lists, or demands to see proof of identity. Perhaps, he mused, they already knew exactly who he was.
He sat is the anteroom in a tall cane backed chair and waited. HE read the poster on the wall advising against unprotected sex and the risk of AIDS. He looked at the standard issue portrait of Her Majesty and he looked at his shoes, the floor and the ceiling. The laws of physics were suspended and time slowed to that special time known as local special time. He had a two o’clock appointment, but when two o’clock actually would occur was unclear. He refused to look at his watch as that would only be the catalyst to slow time even more. He traced the hair line cracks in the wall and decided that they matched the county outline of Yorkshire. Looking askance at the creases in the linoleum floor he was sure that he could make out an outline of Australia. In all of this, what he did not see was any sign of his appointment. He was determined to stay cool and not to get agitated, after all, they were not singling him out for the treatment, they treated everyone like this.
He thought of Geraldine, and how she may react if the appointment was hers and she was due to give a presentation. She would probably open her laptop and go through her presentation. That would kill some time, and then she would go through her presentation notes, that would kill some more…
“Mr Seymour. Mr Seymour.” He snapped back, his name was being called.
“Ah, yes,” he replied, standing and walking towards the door where the lady calling his name was waiting.
“Mr Seymour, please follow me. The Minister will be free shortly.” She led them along a narrow corridor, doors leading, he presumed, to offices on one side, windows showing the courtyard on the other. Just before the end of the corridor she opened a door, the last but one Edward noticed, and ushered him in.
“Mr Seymour, please take a seat.”
More high backed cane chairs, more cracked emulsion and more cracked linoleum and what was obviously an interconnecting door. Time returned to its special rate and he wondered if this special local time was anything like dream time. He had noticed that you could experience several hours in your dreams, when only a few seconds passed in real time. Perhaps there was a correlation somehow. Geraldine sat next to him in this special place, he knew that she wasn’t there in reality, but he allowed his mind its daydream.
“He will be big and fat.” She said.
“No, he will be wearing a dark suit with white shirt a blue tie. He will be possibly a little overweight, but certainly not portly.”
“He will have gold teeth and there will be a bird in a cage in the corner that will screech as you enter.”
“Ger, darling, he is the Minister of Finance, not an evil baddie from a Hollywood film.”
“I’m right, you’ll see.”
He stood and adjusted his clothes which were feeling a little tight, and sat down again. Geraldine had gone and now he only had a small lizard for company. After a back weakening interminable wait the interconnecting door opened and a young man called him.
“Mr Seymour, this way please, the Minister will see you now.”
“Thank you,” Edward stood and tried to flex as he walked to remove the stiffness that he felt. As he walked through the door the Minister stood from his desk and walked around, hand proffered. The handshake was firm and sure, as Edward would have expected from a man of power. Edward’s response was equally firm.
“Minister, thank you for seeing me.”
“Sit down, sit down.” The Minister was somewhat overweight, definitely portly, and his gold tooth flashed as he spoke. Edward decided he needed to talk to Geraldine about her prescience.
“Now then Mr Seymour what is it that brings you all the way from England to see us on our little island.”
“Minister. There seem to be a few inconsistencies in some registered transactions that I am sure must just be administrative, however, you know how these things are.”
“And why would it be Mr Seymour that these little inconsistencies are interesting you people all the way back in London Town, why should our little affairs be of any concern to you?” The Minister fixed her eyes directly onto Edward as he spoke. The only thing that he needed to meet the Geraldine ‘Image’ would have been a military tunic adorned with medals and honours.
“Minister, Her Majesty’s Government takes all issues concerning Her Majesty’s Crown Colonies seriously.”
“Now now Mr Seymour, we are an independent people and we really do not need Her Majesty looking at us like some hired Governess, we are not naughty children you know. We can look after our own affairs.”
“Minister, Her Majesty full understands that, and does not feel in any way Governessorial towards the people of the Turks and Caicos, but will always keep a watchful eye open, in the same way as you would watch out for your family, grown up though they may be.”
“Mr Seymour, your mouth says one thing but your Government enacts another. Not Governessorial you say, and yet your Government appoints a Governor. No Mr Seymour, I think that there is nothing here for you. Please enjoy a few days relaxation, enjoy the pleasures that can be had, we are a very friendly island, and then go back to your Government and tell them that the children are all grown up and now walk their own path of destiny.”
“Minster, I still need to examine…”
“No Mr Seymour,” the Minister interrupted, “you don’t need to examine anything. You need to do nothing, there is nothing for you to examine. Have a holiday, go swimming, the water are beautiful, perhaps a little cool at this time of the year, but still perfectly palatable.”
“Minister, with due respect, I come with the full authority of Her Britannic Majesty and I have orders to examine certain transactions. Whilst I would indeed love to enjoy the islands as you have suggested, sadly I have to follow the commands I am given and I therefore must request your full co-operation and that of your staff in my examination.”
“Mr Seymour, you speak of respect but you show us none, treating us like naughty little children. No Mr Seymour, I do not have to co-operate with anything, there is nothing to co-operate with. There are no discrepancies, and what has happened, has happened with the full sanction of authorised persons according to our laws and customs. Now Mr Seymour, as I have said, there is nothing to investigate and therefore there is no requirement to co-operate. I am a busy person Mr Seymour, and I am not on a holiday as you now are. Thank you.” The Minister stood, the meeting obviously at an end.
Edward stayed sitting in his chair, the snub of not standing bringing a scowl to the face of the Minister.
“I have said, Mr Seymour, that the meeting is at an end.”
“And I have said, Minister, that I am fully authorised to demand your co-operation into the investigation into an extremely serious matter.”
“You can demand all you like, coming here from England demanding, demanding, demanding. Well let me tell you, nothing will come of your demands. There is nothing to examine, I shall not, I repeat not, co-operate with a witch hunt and a complete waste of time, and there is nothing, absolutely nothing that you can do about it. Sit there all you like Seymour, this meeting is over and I have other places to be.” With those words he opened the door and left, the door swinging lightly as he passed through, staying ajar as if waiting for Edward to follow.
“Well that went well,” Edward said to an empty desk.

2009-08-19T01:07:00.000-07:00

Honk if you feel ill.

Rarely, if a severe infection occurs ( I suppose that currently that means Swine Flu ) or type 2 diabetes isn't diagnosed (mine is) or is poorly controlled (mine isn't), people with Tyoe II Diabetes (that would be me then) can develop hyperosmotic non-ketotic coma (HONK).

HONK is caused if blood sugar levels rise to very high levels. It causes:
extreme thirst
feeling sick
dry skin
excessive urine production
disorientation

Eventually it can cause drowsiness and loss of consciousness. HONK needs to be treated in hospital.

I had all those conditions when I was initially diagnosed. My Doctor did say that I was near to being hospitalised. :)

Now all I have to worry about is which med I am on and what its side effects are. Currently I am enjoying extremely itchy eyes.

2009-08-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

Gotta say that I am a bit disgusted with the Conservative EURO MPs that have ridiculed the NHS this week. Doesn't matter whether you're poor or a well off Euro MP Prat, the NHS will look after you, fix your bones and make you better where possible, and you don't have to pay. So no need to die if you can't afford the hospital bill then.

Book 1 :- an extract

2009-08-09T10:44:00.000-07:00

Anne had let herself out quietly and Geraldine lay naked on her front, cuddling her pillow, a draught from the open window playing a sensual tune across her thighs, gently stirring the hairs at the top of her legs, creating a slight arousing tickle. She parted her legs a little more, enjoying the sensation, her thoughts drifting to lovemaking with Edward, wondering if it would ever happen and what it would be like if it did. She wriggled and adjusted her position slightly to ease the discomfort to her chest, her movements gentle and subtle. Geraldine did not wish to lose the moment – these early day dreams were so precious, and often intense in their effect, giving Geraldine a buzz for many hours. As she moved, the cotton sheet rucked a little and a crease slipped between her legs, gently rubbing against her. Geraldine hardly noticed the additional stimulation as her daydream increased in its intensity.

Gently she rocked back and forth, her mind lost in the erotic dream, pushing herself onto the bed, the crease of the sheet stimulating her along with the dreams that aroused her mind. Hands were massaging her shoulders, hands occasionally trespassing as they slipped around her sides to cup her. Her breaths got deeper and deeper as her arousal grew stronger. She pushed herself hard onto the bed as if she were being mounted by a lover and in her dream felt the thrust into her, her unknown lover seeking to flood her body with pleasure giving fluids. She gasped when the pleasure peaked, her fine hairs slicked back against her body, showing a neat parting as if her body had begun to be unzipped.

'Wow,' Geraldine thought, 'where did that dream come from?' She arose, panting still, a damp patch visible in the sheet where her body had lain. Her whole body was moist with the perspiration from her fantasy and she headed to the shower, deciding on the way that the bed needed changing. She would have to change it before she went to Snips for twelve; it was certainly not on the agenda for the afternoon. In the afternoon she meant to sit and watch a Hugh Grant film and ensure that her perfect hair and nails did not go astray.

Allbaston & Edgar's report was virtually completed, but there was also the report for the Computer System at the County Council that had to be finished; presentations were due on Friday afternoon. She had done all the investigations and analysis and her recommendations were quite clear to her. Geraldine had roughed out the report; it just needed final polishing and her presentation preparing. 'No', she decided, 'Not today'. That report needed her concentration, and just now her brain seemed to have sent her concentration on holiday, her sensibilities seemed missing, presumed lost and her business acumen had been usurped. It seemed her girly brain had returned from its decade long sojourn and once more taken control. Ever since Saturday when she had first met and spoken to Edward she had felt feminine and alive. She had not felt that way for many years, not since she had lost Iain. Business, especially computers and reports and presentations, were things that she wanted nothing to do with at the moment, even though they were virtually all that had consumed her life for the past ten years. Perhaps she ought to take a holiday from her life? This really was a ridiculous state of affairs. After all she had only met Edward three days before and already her brain had turned to pea soup. Today, she decided, was not a day for reports and business. No, today was a day to be a woman once more, a day for hair, nails and a slushy film – probably Four Weddings, but most certainly something with Hugh Grant in it, and then hopefully a good evening out.

Anne pulled up on the drive in front of a semi detached house on the main road to Painswick. The beech hedge was still all brown and thin. Anne so hated beech hedges because of their lingering death like appearance through the winter months; she much preferred holly and spruce as at least they looked alive all the time. There were a few Cotswold stone tubs dotted around the edge of the drive housing a mixture of Erica and winter flowering pansy of which Anne heartily approved. Anne picked her stones heater up, realising that she was a little fragile still from last night. She decided two hands were needed to hold the heater and another two for balance – somehow she came up short in the hands department. Gosh, perhaps she shouldn't even be driving this morning. As Anne weaved a path towards the house, the front door opened and a tall thin woman with black hair called a cheery 'yoo-hoo'.

"Hello Stacey. Where are we going with this today?"

"Upstairs Anne, I know that we didn't have much room in the lounge last time, so I have cleared space in the second bedroom, and you can lay all your stuff on the drawer tops as I've emptied them too, I have folded an old sheet up and put it across the drawer tops, just to protect the wood in case of spills you understand, not that I'm suggesting that you would spill anything, oh, you know what I mean, come on in."

Stacey never changed it seemed; each sentence was a train journey of conversation, each rattling along goodness knows what track. Sometimes Anne felt that she herself had not said a word, and that Stacey had used up an entire book full. She didn't quite understand what it was about Stacey. "Okay Stacey let me just get the heater plugged in and then I can get the rest of the stuff in whilst you have a 5 minute soak in your bath, which I hope you have all ready?"

"Yes Anne, well of course it is, I always have the bath ready for your time, and as you are almost always exactly on time, I know that it is important that it is ready because, well, it's not like a shower that you can just switch on and step under is it, no, it takes preparation and usually I would be adding my salts and scent, but I know that you just want me to cleanse and so I have put nothing in the bath."

"Stacey, that's good. Now it's time for you to put you in the bath, and I'll finish bringing the stuff in," Anne said, trying to hurry Stacey along, as the last of her potions and lotions, oils and gels were brought from the car into the hall. Shutting the front door after locking the car with the remote, she put her keys in the top of her handbag and put it on the hall floor in the corner by the door, slipped her shoes off and put them next to her bag. Starting with the table, she ferried the tools of her trade up to the bedroom at the back of the house. Stacey had indeed cleared plenty of space, and after leaning her table up against the wall, it always went up last, she pulled the curtains too leaving a small gap.

As Anne made her few trips up and down the stairs, she passed the bathroom which was next to the bedroom. Stacey had left the door open, and was lying soaking in the warm water. "Now I hope that is not too hot Stacey," Anne remarked walking into the bathroom after she completed her last journey, and dipping her fingers in the water. "I don't want you cooking," Anne said as she dripped a few drops of Lavender Oil into the water.

"Oh you know I only ever follow your instructions to the letter and I don't dream ever of trying to go against what you have said." Stacey paused speaking as she stood up, ready to get out of the bath. "Just do me a favour Anne and pass me the robe that is sat on the toilet seat. I suppose I ought to get extra hooks put up so that I can hang more stuff up, but then when I'm in the bath I don't need to use the toilet, so I can use its lid to store things can't I?"

"Here you are Stacey, now give me a moment to get ready and then you can come through. I just need to get the table in the right position." Anne left a slightly Lavender scented Stacey patting herself down through her towelling robe and went into the bedroom to set up the table.

After the shower had finished and without bothering to dress, Geraldine pulled the bedding off the bed, went into the kitchen and loaded the machine. First the pillow cases and then the bottom fitted sheet, and then finally the duvet cover squeezed in and door shut. Tablet in the top, Non Fast Coloureds wash programme, 'Ping'; sorted. Back into the bedroom, clean cotton linen from the cupboard, bottom sheet no problem, pillow cases, no problem. It was the duvet. It was always the duvet. Geraldine really got annoyed with duvets. Although the cover was easy enough to strip off, and tidying the bed each day was a doddle, it just seemed almost impossible to reload a duvet into its cover, and get the corners lined up, and get the duvet properly filling the cover to each edge, if you were by yourself. By the time she'd finished, having completed several star fish impressions and been inside the cover with the duvet at least twice, she was so hot and flustered it was obvious that she needed another shower. She imagined it would probably be the one thing that could finish someone after a separation or break-up – the first solo duvet run. 'Golly, this is so silly' she thought to herself as she dived into the shower for the second time that day giving herself a very quick sluicing.

After a second thorough dousing, and feeling a little guilty about not working on her Council report, Geraldine sat at the table, coffee and toast to one side, laptop computer and draft copy of the report to the other. Just in case her brain really was in 'stupid' mode she had made a copy of the report and filed it well out of harms way. And then if she had a mad moment, she could recover the report back to a sensible position. Automatic spell checkers and grammar correctors were all very well and good, but they were not able to correct you if you put valid words in the grammatically right place in the sentence, but were still factually incorrect; and the way she seemed at the moment, factual incorrectness was an all too credible possibility. The councils' problems were many and to be truthful the council officers were to close to the problem to see the only viable solution. After years of under funding, they had a computer system based on old technology and it really needed dragging into the 21st century. The problem was the cost. The council simply could not afford to replace it all. All that they could see to do was to replace everything in one go. That was where she came in. She had been in to the council and undertaken a thorough examination of the problem, or rather problems. The computer system had been installed in the 1980's – the computer cabling was wrong for what the council thought they needed to do, and that was just the beginning. The computers all had different operating systems, in fact almost every version of Windows you could think of. There were several different versions of the basic office programs, and the network hardware was so obsolete that no one could remember who now owned the company that originally made it. She knew what was needed and she knew what wasn't. The problem was persuading the council that they did not need to put in a complete new wiring system, and that all they needed to do was standardise on one computer system, one operating system and office system – and make their staff accept it, rather than listen to all the arguments that individuals always had for reasons why they needed individual specifications. She felt like printing 'it's just a computer system for goodness sake' on the top of every page of her report, and 'you do the work, it only helps you' on the bottom, but thought that it might convey the wrong message to her clients, and also suspected just thinking that of her clients demonstrated how stupid her brain was at the moment. After all everyone was entitled to think that their own work was very important.

No it was quite simple, and actually she had a solution that would come in under the proposed budget, and that should please the council tax payers, as well as more than meet the needs of the council. It would mean job losses, but they could be confined to temporary and contractor staff – of which they needed over a hundred just to keep things going on a daily basis, and it was those job losses that helped fund the program in her proposal.

But all she could think of at the moment was getting her hair done in... 'Shit!!!' Ten minutes time. Her brain definitely was in some strange time zone today. Geraldine ran upstairs and threw a bra, pants and dress on, ran down stairs, unplugged the percolator, blipped the electric door for the garage, shoes, coat and scarf and keys and was gone. She was only ten minutes late arriving at the hair salon.

Anne moved slowly down Stacey's sides, massaging away the tensions, her hands oiled with Vanilla and Patchouli oils carried in one her favourite base oils of organic Jojoba. She worked her hands over Stacey's shoulders, burying them deep into the warmth between the towelling table cover and Stacey's décolletage, and then sliding her fingers back from the deltoids, over the shoulders and down deep into the tissue of Stacey's buttocks, and then pushing back up and around Stacey's side.

"Now just lie there and relax Stacey, I am going to remove the towel and then I am going to work on your buttocks and thighs." Anne took the towel from Stacey and placed it over the back of a chair. She opened her heater and took out a pair of small hot stones and again spoke softly to Stacey. "This will be warm on your toes and will prepare your feet for when I arrive there Stacey, now just close your eyes and imagine water trickling and babbling in a brook in a leafy meadow." Ann then placed one stone between the big and next toes of each foot, and then simultaneously gripped Stacey's big toes, holding them both for a minute before releasing.

Anne went back to her oils case and added some drops of Bergamot and Neroli to her bowl and mixed in some additional Jojoba, swirling it round with her finger. Anne ensured that her palms were well oiled and then started on Stacey's bottom, kneading and rubbing, her hands gliding over the rounded surface, rubbing down into Stacey's inner thigh abductor muscles and then back to circle and manipulating the gluteus muscles. As Anne concentrated; her hands working the ligaments hidden beneath the muscle mass, her oiled hands massaged back and forth; her manipulations began unintentionally pressing Stacey down on to the massage mat and she began to go slightly pink and her breaths became deeper and were held longer.

Mr Adrian was huffy. 'What's his problem?' Geraldine thought to herself as his assistant, young, spotty, bleached hair, and very gay, washed her hair; her neck stretched taught as she leant backwards over a basin that as usual was at the wrong height for the chair that she was sat in. Could these salons never get it right? Did these people never have their hair done in the same way as their customers? As her hair finally squeaked and the last of the shampoo disappeared down the plughole, a hot towel appeared in the hands of assistant number two. Assistant number one presumably had not yet learned how to dry hair – or was it that assistant number two had yet to learn how to wash hair? Assistant number two then vigorously rubbed Geraldine's hair into submission, leaving her head looking part of some 1980's punk spike fest. Geraldine was then allowed to once more face the genius that was Mr Adrian.

"So madam," the huffy one puffed, "what do you want me to do with this, this, God awful creation that you present me with? Who did you allow to massacre you before, the cut is terrible, the layers are mixed, the style is so old?"

Geraldine decided that counting to eleven was needed; ten would not be enough for this self important egotistical fool. One, two, three…simper mode engaged at eleven – good! "Oh, you know, just this guy in town. It did look quite good, but not as good as you can make me look I am sure. I do love my curls and a longer style is what I really like as I think it frames my face better. It needs to be a style that is relatively easy for me to maintain, I have a lot of business meetings and sometimes after a particularly long journey I need to look good quickly."

"So madam wishes to style her own hair," asked the huffy one?

"Golly no, no, you are the man," gush, gush, "I just meant to be helpful as after all I have known my hair for many years now," Geraldine replied, and quite wittily too she thought.

"Ha ha, madam, ha ha. I will create today a cut so magnificent; people will fall at your feet, overwhelmed by its magnificence."

'Yeah, right' thought Geraldine, 'just get on with it, Phillipa does my nails in thirty minutes and I don't want Phillipa swooning at my feet and spilling nail polish everywhere.' Geraldine was really not enjoying this man's attitude at all. 'So much' she thought, 'for a hairdo being therapeutic'. The scissors snipped and snipped. The comb scraped and the fingers teased. Mr Adrian would stand back and tilt his head first one way and then the other and then tilt Geraldine's head first one way and then the other. He sighed occasionally, sometimes he tutted, and once he even laughed. Eventually he stood back.

"Is finished. Is magnificent."

Geraldine was spun around in the chair to face the mirror to see the wonderful creation, to bask in Mr Adrian's greatness. She looked, she stared, she looked away and then back. She did not feel basking was appropriate.

"Thank you. Is Phillipa free now?"

Mr Adrian just stood there looking at her as if she had taken leave of her senses, as if she were a mad blind woman. The greatest hair stylist of all time had just created a work of living art, a creation worthy of the Turner Prize for Art, and his model, his Mona Lisa, his 'La Giaconda', had just simply said 'thank you.' He waved his hand in a swirly motion and went off behind a curtained doorway. Assistant number one clenched and squeezed his backside cheeks together and pointed across the salon.

"Phillipa is through there. I should think that she's ready for you now. You can settle up for the whole lot at the end if you like." He said, his voice rising in squeakiness as he spoke.

As Geraldine walked across to Phillipa, she realised that she had left both new dresses at home – hanging forlorn and all alone on the back of the bedroom door, not even having the comfort of the company of her other dresses and skirts which were either in her wardrobe, her laundry pile or Ironing mountain. No they were alone with only each other for company. Not only had she left her dresses at home, but also the nail polish that she had intended to bring in case nothing suitable turned up here. 'Shit!'

Geraldine sat in the manicure chair, itself a bit of a coup for Phillipa actually. A dentist friend of hers had closed one of his practices and his leather bound dental chair had been begging – and here it now was, resplendent in it's new home. Phillipa had had some leather piping added to the seams of the chair and had removed all the compressed air drilling equipment, but had retained the powerful light. It was a chair that her customers found vaguely familiar, but few could work out why.

Geraldine shuffled in the seat until she felt comfortable and looked at Phillipa as she walked across to her. So pretty Geraldine thought, make up - perfect, hair - perfect, white lab style coat made from silk, stockings showing below with straight seam – perfect. Pity she was the size of a semi detached house.

"Hi, and now what can I do for you today?" Phillipa enquired in a beautifully toned south London, estuary accent.

"Hello, you must be Phillipa? I'm Geraldine by the way. Well I am going out tonight for dinner, although where is a bit of a surprise, so I don't actually know what type of establishment, but I do want to look good, and thought I would treat myself to a hair and nails do. I have a choice of two dresses, one is a red satin, a rich burgundy really, but more red than burgundy and the other is a black slash side. Unfortunately I was running late and managed to leave the dresses at home, and so colour matching will not be easy"

"Not to worry Geraldine we will sort it out for you, don't you panic. I have just the things to make you look stunning tonight, and you will find it very friendly on this side of the salon." Her rather pointed remark was made with a smile on her lips as she rather obviously looked straight at the curtained room hiding a very distraught senior hair director and his simpering attendants. "Now then let's have a look at your nails." Phillipa pressed the 'lights on' button with her foot and examined closely Geraldine's nails, turning her hands in all directions and peering closely, looking finally down at Geraldine's feet.

"Right then Geraldine. This is looking good. You have excellent nail structure and only two lightly ridged nails and I think we can get away without tips. Your cuticles need only minimal attention, and so I am really confident I can make your fingers look superb in the time that we have available. I suspect that there is not enough time to do toes too. Did you want them doing?"

"No, not this time, I can probably keep my toes well hidden, but my finger nails must look stunning. I am reliant on your skill. What can you do for me?"

"Two options spring to mind really. Your nails are a nice length without being too long. That lends itself to a first thought of a French manicure. Classic but hardly stunning. My other suggestion is a highly polished gold foil. Either choice will go with either outfit, and would probably go with anything else you have, just in case of last minute changes. For the French I would square off your nail ends slightly more than for the foil. You can of course go with a standard polish, we have some of the finest polishes available, and you could always purchase a small bottle of the polish I use to take away in case you needed a quick emergency touch up."

"Oh, okay. I had just thought a polish, the French never occurred to me, I don't really think it's me, but the Gold sounds as if it is something just along the lines I am looking for. I have never had foil before, let's go with that."

"Right then Geraldine. You sit there and relax. Just put your hands on the rests at each side of the chair. I will do everything; I just want you to enjoy the experience. I will go and get the things that I need, and be back in a moment." And with that Phillipa pottered off, a tsunami on legs, and started collecting the various oddments required to transform Geraldine's finger nails into glossy gold.

Phillipa returned and sat to one side of Geraldine and took her hand and rubbed an aromatic oily solution over Geraldine's hand, paying particular attention to the cuticles.

"This will slightly soften the skin, making the cuticle work a little easier. It's a composition of my own design, and it also has an anti ageing product which will help fill fine lines, not that you have many, but it will make your hands look younger. And don't worry, it's not a Cinderella Potion, your hands won't suddenly age at midnight. It will just wear off gradually, and usually I would expect it to have worn off by this time tomorrow."

As Phillipa worked on Geraldine's hands, massaging and gently pushing and shaping her cuticles, Geraldine finally relaxed and felt pampered. 'Now this is more like it' she thought, dreaming and becoming lost in her imagination and thoughts of what the evening and indeed tonight might bring.

After almost an hour of inane chatter as she worked, Phillipa had finished and Geraldine looked at her hands. 'Wow' was the word that immediately sprang to mind. Her nails were perfectly shaped, slightly squared, perfectly smooth and glistening with a highly polished gold. They were absolutely stunning there was no question of it; this was something that was sure to catch the eye. Phillipa explained that in order to ensure a high gloss, she had used a top protective coat that would take a little longer yet to dry, and so Geraldine should take care of what she did with her hands – avoiding angora jumpers would be an excellent idea! Well at least for another hour, just to ensure that the coat was suitably hard and protective.

With paranoia mode suitably engaged she asked Phillipa if she would therefore be kind enough to take Geraldine's credit card and car keys out of her purse. Phillipa took Geraldine's Gold card across to the till and totalled up the days bill and bought the authorisation slip back for Geraldine to sign. Geraldine almost baulked at the amount that she had been charged for Mr Adrian – Phillipa's fee was puny by comparison, yet staggeringly more effective in actuality. Mentally vowing to never use the foolish Mr Adrian again; in fact she decided she would make a point to phone up for appointments specifically not with him; she signed the slip.

2009-07-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

Okay so after a year or so on competact (competact tablets contain two active ingredients, metformin hydrochloride and pioglitazone hydrochloride) my lovely Diabetes Nurse Sarah has agreed to change my meds. Her suggestion is to keep with the Metformin, but to add a different active ingredient, VILDAGLIPTIN. At my request the metformin is being upped to 1g from 800mg – everything i read suggests that my blood sugars should be as low as practical, and I am hovering around the 6 mark. Hopefully the extra 0.4g per day will help. The pioglitazone also may be contributing to my weight gain – 15kg since Christmas, and hopefully the vildagliptin will be more weight neutral. Watch This Space! I have put some info on vildagliptin below for anyone remotely interested.

Note the trade name for the combined metformin and vildagliptin is Eucreas

Galvus (vildagliptin)

Main use Active ingredient Manufacturer

Type 2 diabetes Vildagliptin Novartis

How does it work?

Galvus tablets contain the active ingredient vildagliptin, which is a type of medicine called a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor. It is used to treat type 2 or non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM).

Vildagliptin works by increasing the amount of two incretin hormones found in the body, called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP). These hormones are normally produced naturally by the body in response to food intake. Their function is to help control blood sugar (glucose) levels.

GLP-1 and GIP have two main actions that help to control blood glucose.

Firstly, they stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin in response to increasing levels of glucose in the blood. (Insulin is the main hormone responsible for controlling sugar levels in the blood. It causes cells in the body to remove sugar from the blood.)

GLP-1 also reduces the production of glucagon. (Glucagon is a hormone that normally increases glucose production by the liver.)

GLP-1 and GIP are normally broken down by an enzyme in the body called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4). Vildagliptin works by binding to this enzyme and preventing it from breaking down the GLP-1 and GIP. This increases the levels of these hormones in the body and so increases their effect on controlling blood sugar.

What is it used for?

* Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes).

Galvus is used for people with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar is not sufficiently controlled by other antidiabetic medicines. It can be added to treatment with metformin; a sulphonylurea, for example gliclazide; or another type of antidiabetic medicine known as a thiazolidinedione, for example pioglitazone or rosiglitazone.

Warning!

* Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) has been commonly reported when this medicine is used in combination with metformin or sulphonylurea medicines, eg glimepiride. Symptoms of hypoglycaemia usually occur suddenly and may include cold sweats, cool pale skin, tremor, anxious feeling, unusual tiredness or weakness, confusion, difficulty in concentration, excessive hunger, temporary vision changes, headache, nausea and palpitations. You should talk to your doctor or diabetes specialist about this and make sure you know what to do if you experience these symptoms.

* Your ability to concentrate or react may be reduced if you have low blood sugar, and this can cause problems driving or operating machinery. You should take precautions to avoid low blood sugar when driving - discuss this with your doctor. This medicine may also cause dizziness or fatigue. If affected you should take care driving or operating machinery.

* People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing foot ulcers and blistering of the skin. It is therefore important to have a good foot care routine. Consult your doctor if you get any new blisters or ulcers while taking this medicine.

* Rare cases of inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) have been reported in people taking this medicine. For this reason, your liver function should be checked before starting treatment, every three months during the first year of treatment, and regularly thereafter. You should consult your doctor if you develop any of the following symptoms while taking this medicine, so that your liver can be checked: unexplained nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, darkened urine or yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice).

Anne

2009-07-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

Anne

A wet white towel lay crumpled at the side of the bath as a slight gurgle announced the last of the water had emptied down the drain. Steam hung in the air and condensed in rivulets on the frosted glass of the bathroom window and stainless steel of the taps. A dusting of fine white powder lay before the open doorway with footprints leading out of the now empty bathroom.

Anne shook her hair and leant forward, her wet hair hanging over her face as she groped around the dresser top for her comb. Finding it she began to slowly tease it through her tresses, beginning the process of untangling her main of blonde. A draft of cool air blew across her back causing her to shiver and involuntarily press her knees together, a process that subconsciously reduced her feeling of naked vulnerability.

The man stood quietly in the lane looking at the thatched roofed cottage, his attention ranging wide for any sound that disturbed the sense of what should be. Rivulets of water dropped from the brim of his hat onto the waxed shoulders of his coat, his feet stepping across the puddles that were gathering together preparing to form into a flood. He prepared to take a step towards the cottage garden when a car pulled up past him and turned into the cottages gateway. The man shrugged his shoulders and walked on. He would return later.

As Anne combed the last of the straggles and knots from her hair she felt arms encircle her waist and reach up to cup her breasts. Lips nuzzled at the back of her neck and she turned to a full embrace, tongues dancing and eyes fixed as her hands clenched behind Gerald's back.

"Wow" she uttered when she was finally able to pull herself from his embrace. "Still chucking it down I see."

Gerald stood back his arms at full stretch his hands in hers."Yup sweets, it is absolutely hammering it down. Hasn't stopped all day. Some poor wretch walking outside the cottage when I got here, must have been soaked to the skin. Lord only knows what imperative meant that he had to go out in this filthy weather."

"Not every one dislikes the rain like you do 'Rald. I well remember dancing naked in the rain in the summer as a child. Rain renews and brings life to the earth. Plants can't grow with out it."

"Once a hippy always a hippy. Come on then," Gerald pulled his hands free and started tugging at his shirt, pulling it over his hair, still wet from the rain. "Let's go and dance naked on the lawn."

"You wouldn't?" Anne shrieked in laughter as she helped pull his shirt from him, "come on then, put your body where your mouth is." Gerald pulled his trousers off and then danced around the room in the way that only men did as he tried to peel his socks from his feet to follow Anne down the stairs.

Anne stood holding the back door open as Gerald cleared the last of the stairs and he rushed past her, grabbing her hand as he went, pulling her onto the lawn, his feet slipping on the sodden grass. Anne laughed as her toes curled trying to grip the grass, long and awaiting dry days to be cut, her hand still holding Gerald's, as they danced around each other, the rain running into their eyes blurring what little vision they had.

As Gerald laughed at the pointlessness of their dance he was pulled forward as Anne slipped and fell to the grass, he too fell, his knees hitting the lawn causing a jolt of pain through his spine and a gasp to escape his mouth.

"Bloody ouch Annie, your grass his hard." Anne said nothing she lay where she fell, unmoving. Gerald ran his hand around her jaw, his fingers teasing at her lips. "So you want to play that game do you?" Gerald asked, as his hand slipped from her face down to caress her breast, "You are a minx, Annie, a real minx."

Gerald looked down as his hand moved beyond her breasts and he stopped, startled. "Shit Annie" he screamed, "What the fuck did you fall onto?" There was no response from Anne, her eyes closed and blood dripping from a wound at her side. He knelt by her side and put his hands under her and lifted her to him and then managed to stand without falling, Anne cradled in his arms he went back through the door and put Anne carefully onto the settee. He ran through to the kitchen grabbing a phone handset and some tea-towels.

"Annie, Annie, can you hear me sweetie?" He spoke urgently as he pressed the tea-towel to her side, she didn't respond. He tried to feel for her pulse at her wrist and then her neck, but wasn't sure whether he could feel it or not. He needed help, this was far beyond his capability, and he needed it quickly. He dialled 999 on the phone.

As Gerald was phoning for an ambulance the man from the lane had reached his hired car. He pressed the remote unlock and quickly got in to the drivers seat. Strapping the seatbelt as he started the engine he slid the stick to drive and pulled smoothly away. It was time for him to be somewhere else. The gun dug painfully into his side as he drove and with a free hand the man eased it, a practised hand ensuring that it was still easily available, should he need it, not that he expected that he would, not just yet anyway. He was pleased how an obstruction had turned into an opportunity. After walking purposefully in the wrong direction away from the cottage when the car pulled up, he had turned around when he judged the coast to be clear to get back to his car, he had seen her cavorting naked in her garden as he came level once more with the cottage. Priding himself in his professional abilities, it had taken him only a moment to pull the pistol from his pocket, take aim and then walk on.

Sampler

2009-07-05T23:23:00.000-07:00

Extraction Techniques

The dark heavy wooden door opened and a man walked in. He was wearing a dark suit with a close weave. His hair was clipped short and white against his light skin. He spoke to the woman behind the desk.

"How many hours now?"

The woman put the top on the gold fountain pen that she had been using and placed it carefully in a groove in her blotter pad.

"We have been giving him the treatment for 15 hours."

The man sharply inhaled, his breath whistling slightly in his impatience.

"How much longer?"

The woman leant back in her tall backed chair, the white leather acting as a frame for her auburn hair and close fitting dark red blouse.

"I do not plan discussing anything with him for at least another 5."

The man rocked on his heels, determined to keep his dissatisfaction in the lack of progress from showing.

"The water leaves no marks you said?"

She knew that things were not going as quickly as others would like, and knew that before her was just a puppet, a high ranking puppet, but still a puppet. She had explained her techniques at the highest level, and been granted approval. She knew the stakes, she knew the risks of leaving traces of her methods, the consequences were unconscionable. She steeled her voice to remove her irritation and explained once again.

"No. The continual dripping across his body comes from one of over two hundred points at random. As you are aware the old single drip to the forehead so popular in literature will actually leave a bruise, and if continued for long enough can cause a local depression of the skull. These are forensic trails that can be detected. No, my method is far more effective. Random drips of ice cold water over the wholly restrained body at random time intervals. There is no respite for the recipient. Drugs would leave a trace in his tissue, in his hair. This method whilst slower leaves absolutely no trace on, or in, his body."

The man needed results, his master needed results, this was going too slowly, surely she knew how high the stakes were?

"The restraining will leave marks, why hide one forensic trail and leave another more obvious?"

"No Peter, the restraints will not leave any trace. They are broad and tightly bound to the skin, the subject is bound to a padded base. No chemicals in the bindings to leave trace, no drugs in his system to tell tales later. Believe me, this is totally untraceable, and very effective. I could arrange for you to have a personal encounter if you wish to judge for yourself how effective?"

The man snorted.

"Don't be so presumptuous and Margaret, if results are not forthcoming soon, a scapegoat will be found. You know the way it is."

"Peter, my method will, given the correct conditions and time, get the results that you need."

"That is as maybe but we need the results now. This chappy did his utmost to do away with Her Majesty's Government and with Her Majesty and family also."

"I understand that Peter, although I suspect that after recent events there are many that wouldn't have missed the Government lot." She smiled, a little humour she hoped would relax him, get him off her back and allow her to get on. It did not work.

"That is not the point, and most certainly not for you to conjecture upon," came the staccato reply. "We need to know who he was working with. I need to know that you are going to deliver results."

"I will Peter, I just need time."

"Time you have, but it flies dear woman and like sand in a glass jar time has a habit of running out."

"Indeed Peter, but as time runs out of the jar it also runs out for our subject. His resolve is almost broken. As you go and report, just imagine. Just imagine being naked, restrained unable to move in a silent and totally dark room. For fifteen hours ice cold water drops on you, each time on a different part of you, sometimes the interval between drops is so short as to be barely noticeable, other times, just as you think they have stopped, they start again. No one asks you questions. You don't know how long you have been there, you don't know how much longer. No one comes in to the room, you don't even know if it is a room. You know that you were taken by security forces after you attempted the most outrageous of crimes. You know all about rendition, you know all about what Governments can do to their enemies. You know that even Sadaam broke, you know all these things, they buzz around your brain, but still drip, drip, drip."

Margaret paused to let him take in the scene before continuing."Just about now I start the random lights. Faint spots of light will come on and off in the room, very small, barely detectable. At first you may not notice them, but then you will, but they will be out of sequence with the water, the water drops will feel like daggers, ice cold, random other drops will now be at body temperature, and will assault your ability to relate your senses to what you think is happening. Your belief that this is simply a technique to extract information from you , which has kept you going wanes, you will not be able to co-ordinate your sensory inputs and your brain will lose control and begin to let go."

"Yes Margaret, spare me the details, how will you know when the time is right?"

Margaret turned the computer monitor round so that it faced Peter. He could see that it was a medical readout. It had various figures in the upper section, heart rate, body temperature he recognised, and a number of traces going left to right beneath. At the bottom was a close up of eyes. The subjects eyes he presumed, open, looking at nothing, not staring, just looking.

"Peter, I am monitoring him constantly, I look and I know what all these mean, I know what I am doing, I shall know when the moment arrives."

"And then what Margaret?"

"And then Peter your subject shall be broken and I shall get you the answers that you want to questions that you don't even have to ask."

"Jesus Margaret, how the hell do you sleep at night?" He turned and walked towards the door, he had heard and seen enough.

"In a water bed Peter, it relaxes me, and Peter?"

He turned back from the door and nodded to her, "Yes Margaret?"

"Now that you know Peter, now that you have seen all this, now that you are complicit, how are you going to sleep tonight?"

2009-07-03T03:42:00.000-07:00

I don't profess to be an expert on hotel design and operation, but I offer here my observations after many years of travel.

Arrival. You know that we are coming, we booked ages ago. All we ask is that our room is ready. It's not difficult especially when travelling as part with a tour operator who will know what time our plane arrives. Don't keep us waiting for hours, especially out of peak periods when all rooms are not fully booked and so there can be little excuse.
Rooms.
1. Nothing is more irritating than having a third person sharing in your room but only having the essentials for two people - it drives me mad. Time and again we have had a 'roll away' bed in our room for a child, but only had two lots of towels, cups, glasses, chairs on the balcony etc. We should not have to remind the room service people every day that we need extra. The third bed is a bit of a bloody big clue.
2. Cleaning. Try to have the rooms cleaned at roughly the same time each day. We are not all stupid and if we know our room is going to be serviced between 1100 and 1200, then we can chose to be there or not, but at least we know. Again, it is not difficult to do with a little bit of planning. The evening turn down service should start at the same time as evening meals service starts. Nothing is more irritating than trying to get ready for dinner when the door knocks for room service. Again, a little planning.
3. Have a good selection or room types, basic, enhanced, club, junior and suite etc, and always have 'accessible' rooms. If guests have paid a bit more for a room that is not 'basic', then let them know that have a better room, make it obvious. Tea/coffee facilities, robes, a free daily paper – these are all relatively inexpensive ways to upgrade a room.
  1. Accessible rooms should have wider doors, no steps into the shower or onto the balcony/terrace, and be minimalist in furniture – to allow easier movement for those with limited mobility. When furnishing the rooms it would be prudent to seek specialist advise in such matters as bed height, shower alarms etc.
  2. Club rooms are a good selling point and a lure for returning guests.
    1. The club lounge should be adults only and should enforce a 'No Swim Wear' rule to help keep the seating dry and to enforce a basic standard.
    2. A happy hour with free cocktails and spirits is essential and should start just before the main hotel dinner service starts to allow guests to enjoy a pre dinner drink.
    3. There should be a supply of newspapers, and this could be where the book library is housed.
    4. The club lounge should be adequately staffed for the number of guests who should not have to wait excessively for drinks.
    5. Afternoon tea with nibbles and sandwiches should be provided.
    6. Make club guests feel special with their own check in area. You could also offer a private airport transfer service.
    7. A club guest private swimming pool is an excellent option in larger hotels
Pools.
1. Have more than one pool where practical. Two medium sized pools are better than one all in large pool.
  1. The main pool should have a children's area and a swim up bar, and pool access should be limited to only staying guests – not members of the onsite health club! This pool could allow the use of inflatable's and general pool toys, but the lifeguards should be empowered to stop abusive or inappropriate behaviour.
  2. Make the children's area pool surround no smoking.
  3. Adults pool. Have a quiet pool with no children allowed. Have signs that clearly state that it is an adult only pool and empower staff to enforce it. Lilo's and other inflatable's could also be allowed here, but enforce a no horseplay rule.
  4. If the complex is large enough third or forth pools can be an excellent idea, and can take the pressure off the main pool.
  5. Optional small plunge pools around the hotel grounds are an excellent idea, but should be signed that no children without adult supervision. These pools do not need a lifeguard but should not be in isolated areas and should have a telephone to raise an alarm or seek help if required.
  6. Have a Club Pool (see above) where possible.
2. Control the pool water temperature. 30 Centigrade is a good temperature for a holiday pool – cool enough to be refreshing when the sun is beating down, but not cold enough to give you thermal shock when you plunge in. I have been to hotels where the pool has been cooled to 25C – much much too cold, the clue here at the time was that there was no one in it!
3. Every pool should have plentiful sun loungers (they are relatively cheap to buy and having more loungers than guests ensures that everyone can get a lounger when they want one), and lots of shade. Shade can be by a mix of planted trees and shrubs and parasols and sun shades, either way there needs to be plenty.
4. All pools, except small plunge pools, should always have lifeguards on duty, and use be banned after dark, this allows an opportunity for cleaning etc.
5. Do NOT scrimp on cleaning. Pools must be chlorinated daily, shocked periodically (keep guests out whilst shocking, but then you have more than one pool don't you!), and also scrubbed to inhibit algae growth. Illness amongst guests is not good, and it is not always the food that causes it.
Prices.
1. Drinks. Not so cheap that everyone gets intoxicated, but not so expensive that people only buy one or two drinks. Have a happy hour.
2. Food.
  1. Have a pricing structure that makes is beneficial to book All Inclusive over Half Board, and Half Board beneficial over B&B etc. If you have a renowned chef, perhaps Michelin starred, then by all means let the price reflect that, but an ordinary steak in the hotel restaurant should never cost $50. If guests feel they are cheated then they will get a taxi and eat out – and that eats into your profit margin.
  2. Poolside snacks should be flexible and not exorbitant in price. They can be simple like pizza or burgers, and do allow guests to split a meal across two plates. Again, encourage guests to eat in your hotel with realistic prices. $25 for a lunchtime snack is stupid when a fast food outlet 100metres away from your hotel will feed your guest for $5.
  3. Offer lunchtime meal deals – burger and chips and soda all in for $X for example.
  4. Have speciality evenings, such as Indian or Italian night, but remember that not all of your guests will appreciate the speciality food. Ensure that you always have some standards available.
3. Extra's.
  1. You could offer discounts for returning guests or vouchers for the A La Carte, or loyalty points that enable guests to upgrade rooms.
  2. Have live entertainment, such as in a piano bar, or musicians playing at the tables
  3. Have special cheaper rates available for excursions, or free courtesy buses to local Malls or outlet centres, water and theme parks etc.
  4. Cats are very popular with a lot of visitors, and they also help keep down unwanted pests. Don't be overrun with them, but a small family group of healthy cats living in the grounds is good.
Smoking
1. All rooms on a floor should be no smoking. Do NOT mix the laundry from smoking and non smoking rooms – non smokers can tell at a whiff.
2. All public indoor areas, such as dining rooms and bars must be non smoking.
3. Outdoor areas should have designated no smoking areas – non smokers should be able to enjoy having a drink outdoors without the waft of smoke.
4. Do not allow smoking in children's areas, such as by the children's pool or by the children's play area.
5. Beach. Obviously dependant on if it is private or not, but generally:
  1. Have a lifeguard and a safe flag system
  2. Have shade available
  3. Have plenty of sunbeds
  4. Showers by the sand edge to allow guests to wash off the sand before going back into the hotel
  5. Don't allow beach hawkers and bumsters access to annoy your guests
This is by no means exhaustive, there are many other hints and tips that I cold add, but I have tried to add pointers that should encourage repeat and recommended guests. My guess is that I am targeting the 4/5* range of hotels.

2009-06-26T07:42:00.000-07:00

After a long day travelling we have arrived and are settled in our room. 39 degrees here - cooler than i hoped but warm enough I suppose. The Virgin Atlantic Flight was ok despite lots of turbulence but the bed was 2" shorter and 2" narrower than me! Watched The Day The Earth Stood Still which I had someohow managed to miss buying on DVD - good remake but the original is still the best. Only one thing on the TV news when we got here - sad, but for goodness sake, move on people!
Fortunately the bed in the hotel is much bigger than the one on the plane! Spent an hour by (and in) the pool whilst waiting for our room to be ready due to arriving several hours before official checkin due to the overnight flight, but hotel didn't keep us waiting long. But they shouldn't really have kept us waiting at all, after all they knew we were coming. Minus a few points there I think.

Off to the club lounge for pre dinner drinks and canapes and then we shall eat. What delights await us in the Brasserie I wonder. We will probably just buffet tonight as we are all a tad knackered and tired and can't be bothered to do much more than drink, eat and then collapse into slumber.

2009-03-06T23:51:00.000-08:00

One in three people with type 2 diabetes are given medication too soon, instead of being urged to eat better and do more exercise, a study suggests.

The latest report that I saw suggests that Doctors are too quick to put us Type 2 diabetics on tablets (see here) . Well now I think that reports like that are very worrying, not because of the suggestion that they make, but worrying because the suggestion is misleading and the study poorly scoped.

It is reported that some people have Type 2 diabetes for years without knowing. How can that be I wonder? For me the disease came on very quickly, in December a full medical showed no illness and just a few pounds overweight, by the following June I was in full blown Type 2 and, according to my hurredly taken blood tests, only a few weeks away from hospitalisation. In the early months of the onset I increasingly felt 'old', my energy waned, my concentration was lacking and my thirst grew beyond belief. By June it was obvious to me and to my family that there was something seriously wrong. I could not have lived with that medical knowledge for years, in fact I couldn't have coped any longer. I put off going to the doctors for at least a month, even though I knew I shouldn't. I was scared to be told what I had, I wouldn't even look the thing up on the internet. Eventually I had no choice, I could not live any longer the way I was.

At the Doctors, armed with blood tests showing a skyhigh HbA1c and the records of how I ate and what I ate, my GP had only one option. Tablets. He told me that lifestyle was something I needed to look at but that a visit to the dietician was probably a waste of time, my diet was already very good. He put me on metformin, statins, aspirin and perindropril and signed me off work for a month.

In the few months since my full medical, my BP had gone from 140/80 to 200+/100, my cholesterol had gone from around 4.5 to 11 and my blood sugar was 'dangerous'. A lifestyle change by Jogging around the streets and eating more fruit and less fats was absolutely NOT going to sort out my Type 2. No way. Yet I am in the South West, I am one of the statistics in the study, the study that says Type 2 diabetics are given tablets too soon. From what I can discern, the study looked only at time from diagnosis to medication. A true scientific study should have taken many other factors into account, the levels of key indicators, the speed of onset, the existing dietary and motory habits of the patient.

I think that this study is poor, and I think this type of headline maligns the GP. My GP was excellent and did exactly the right thing for me. He is in the South West, the area covered by this report. The reporting of the frankly poor study should have given a balance, should have examined the assertions and perhaps spoken to some GP's for their opinion.

Not impressed, yet again. BBC I expect better quality reporting from you.
Rant over.

Yet again poor reporting on a major

2009-01-06T14:35:00.000-08:00

I was sent this news report today. I am not sure of the web source, if I can find it I will append it and reference it properly. I can say that I am totally at one with this, I have so struggled with memory loss since I became diabetic, and I can assert that when I was unregulated, my blood sugar I mean, my memory was terrible and contributed to my eventually losing the job I loved. My memory is better now, but nowhere near as good as it used to be. I am trying to keep my brain exercised - but it is so tiring.

Blood sugar control linked to memory decline, study says
Spikes in blood sugar can take a toll on memory by affecting the dentate gyrus, an area of the brain within the hippocampus that helps form memories, a new study reports.
Researchers said the effects can be seen even when levels of blood sugar, or glucose, are only moderately elevated, a finding that may help explain normal age-related cognitive decline, since glucose regulation worsens with age.
The study, by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center and funded in part by the National Institute on Aging, was published in the December issue of Annals of Neurology.
"If we conclude this is underlying normal age-related cognitive decline, then it affects all of us," said lead investigator Dr. Scott Small, associate professor of nememory lossurology at Columbia University Medical Center. The ability to regulate glucose starts deteriorating by the third or fourth decade of life, he added.
Since glucose regulation is improved with physical activity, Small said, "We have a behavioral recommendation — physical exercise."
In the study, researchers used high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging to map brain regions in 240 elderly subjects. They found a correlation between elevated blood glucose levels and reduced cerebral blood volume, or blood flow, in the dentate gyrus, an indication of reduced metabolic activity and function in that region of the brain.
By manipulating blood sugar levels in mice and monkeys, researchers said, they tried to confirm a cause-and-effect relationship between the glucose spikes and the reduced blood volume, Small said.
Bruce McEwen, who heads the neuroendocrinology lab at Rockefeller University in New York and was not involved in the research, said the study's findings were "compelling," with important implications not just for the elderly but for the growing number of overweight children and teens at risk of Type 2 diabetes.
"When we think about diabetes, we think about heart disease and all the consequences for the rest of the body, but we usually don't think about the brain," he said. "This is something we've got to be really worried about. We need to think about their ultimate risks not only for cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders, but also about their cognitive skills, and whether they will be able to keep up with the demands of education and a fast-paced complex society. That's the part that scares the heck out of me."
Previous observational studies have shown that physical activity reduces the risk of cognitive decline, and studies have also found that diabetes increases the risk of dementia. Earlier studies had also found a link between Type 2 diabetes and dysfunction in the dentate gyrus.
Sheri Colberg-Ochs, an associate professor of exercise science at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, said her research has found that regular exercise, even light physical activity, can offset the potentially negative effects of Type 2 diabetes on cognitive function. It is not clear what the mechanism is, she said, but may have something to do with the effect of insulin.
"This new study is interesting in that it allows for a greater understanding of which region of the hippocampus is likely most affected by poorly controlled diabetes," she said.
But the elevations in blood glucose seen in the new study are more subtle and would not be considered a disease state, Small said.
"It's part of the normal process of aging, much like wrinkling of skin," he said. "It happens to all of us inexorably, and it worsens progressively across the life span."

2008-12-31T00:34:00.000-08:00

I have read a lot recently on lowering cholesterol and its importance. I have also seen that ministers in the UK seem to be considering giving everone over a certain age a statin daily. OK you might think, but then statins are not necessarily the totally good guy that they may appear to be. As a diabetic I have been given statins to reduce my cholesterol and of course have regular blood tests to check how things are going. One thing that has become apparant is that my triglicerides are not where they should be and also of slight concern is that my liver function is VERY slightly deteriorating. This lead me to do some research, and it appears that statins may be the culprit. I have decided that I will try and reverse the liver deterioration and improve the triglicerides naturally.

Research indicates that the First way how to lower cholesterol naturally is through Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) - exercise and food. However depending on your circumstances Lifestyle changes are sometimes difficult to make.
Exercise and Lose Weight. Everyone knows by now that the keys to good cardiovascular health are exercise and maintaining your ideal weight. Just a few minutes per day should increase your level of high-density lipoproteins (HDL or "good" cholesterol). Just 10 minutes of exercise first thing in the morning can increase your metabolic rate for the rest of the day. Consumption of water so that you are fully hydrated can increase your metabolic rate 24 hours per day. However I have chronic pain and am relatively sedentary and I cannot really change that part of my lifestyle.
Watch your diet and food.
Fitting in the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables (2 of one group and 3 of the other) helps take the place of some of the more processed snacks. Fruits and vegetables are mostly fat free. Maintain a diet that is made of 2/3 of vegetables and fruits and 1/3 of other foods, but I already do that and so I cannot really improve the food side of my diet either..
Latest research suggest that cholesterol lowering foods such as avocados, almonds, olive oil, soy beans, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, chili peppers, oat bran, beans (kidney, pintos, black, navy, etc.), onions, fatty fish, and flax seed play a crucial role in lowering LDL and sometimes raising HDL levels. They are all in my diet (except chili - yeuk!)
Stop Smoking - did that in 1993.
Ok, so I need a second way to lower cholestrerol

Nutritional Supplements.
There are clinically proven supplements on how to lower cholesterol naturally by 10 to 20 percent; there is solid proof and science backing up the claims on how to lower cholesterol naturally through supplements.

Policosanol.Policosanol has been subject to numerous clinical trials, which have reportedly proven its effectiveness on how to lower cholesterol naturally.
Policosanol works by helping the liver control its production and breakdown of cholesterol. Clinical studies show that policosanol is as effective as prescription drugs on how to loweri cholesterol naturally, without side effects.
For example, in a study of 53 diabetic patients, policosanol lowered total cholesterol by 14.2 percent, LDL (bad) cholesterol 20.4 percent and even raised the levels of HDL (good) cholesterol by 7.5 percent. SO I have ordered some policosanol.
Gugulipid or guggul-lipid.
Guggulipid is an ancient herb from India. Over recent years many clinical trials have proven its efficacy on how to lower cholesterol naturally and also it is one of the few substances that can effectively lower triglycerides.
In fact, these trials have shown this herb to be more effective in lowering cholesterol than the modern statin drugs, but with no side effects. Statin drugs do not lower triglycerides as I have found out from personal experience. SO I have ordered some gugulipids.
Fish Oil Supplements.
A lot has been written about the cholesterol lowering effects of omega 3 fatty acids and fish oil. However, is it really true that they lower cholesterol!? I found out that fish oil supplements do not prevent heart disease and lower cholesterol. Just eat fish twice a week is the better option. Click Here for more. So, no fish oil supplements for me.

Garlic Cholesterol.
In a large study of 220 patients, the garlic group took 800 milligrams of a powdered garlic for four months. This group experienced a 12 percent drop in cholesterol and a 17 percent drop in triglycerides. The placebo group had little change. So I shall add more garlic to my diet.
Flax Seed and Cholesterol.
Flaxseed is a whole grain that can be found in health food stores and some supermarkets.
In one study by Bahram Arjmandi, Ph.D., of Oklahoma State University, supplements of ground flax seed were given to 38 women with extremely high cholesterol levels were given bread and muffins containing 38 g of either sunflower or flaxseed four times daily.
After six weeks, flaxseed result on how to lower cholesterol naturally was: total cholesterol was reduced by 6.9 percent and LDL (bad) cholesterol by 14.7 percent.
Red Yeast Rice.
Red yeast rice has profound effects to lower cholesterol naturally.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It demonstrates that "red yeast rice significantly reduces total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and total triacylglycerol concentrations compared with placebo and provides a new, novel, food-based approach to lowering cholesterol in the general population." SO Red yeast rice for me also.

We shall have to see what the effects are, I expect that my mid year blood tests will show improved triglicerides, lower bad cholesterol and hopefully less liver deterioration. Time will tell. If there is no improvement then I shall simply stop the supplements. If there is a dramatic improvement I may stop the statins for six months and then see the state of my cholesterol.

2008-12-29T04:58:00.000-08:00

Well now, that is interesting. I was rummaging around the internet (as you do), and came across a test to find out what type of brain I have. It seems I have a male type brain (do not be surprised, apparantly brain type does not always follow sex type). If you are interested in your own, I have reproduced the test below. Print it out, don't cheat and see what type you are:

The Empathy Quotient (EQ)The Empathy Quotient is intended to measure how easily you pick up on other people's feelings and how strongly you are affected by other people's feelings. Please read each of the 60 following statements very carefully and rate how strongly you agree or disagree with them by circling your answer. There are no right or wrong answers, or trick questions.
How to take the test 1. Print out this page and circle your answers. 2. Work out your EQ score using the points system explained at the bottom of this page.
1. I can easily tell if someone else wants to enter a conversation.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
2. I prefer animals to humans.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
3. I try to keep up with the current trends and fashions.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
4. I find it difficult to explain to others things that I understand easily, when they don't understand it first time.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
5. I dream most nights.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
6. I really enjoy caring for other people.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
7. I try to solve my own problems rather than discussing them with others.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
8. I find it hard to know what to do in a social situation.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
9. I am at my best first thing in the morning.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
10. People often tell me that I went too far in driving my point home in a discussion.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
11. It doesn't bother me too much if I am late meeting a friend.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
12. Friendships and relationships are just too difficult, so I tend not to bother with them.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
13. I would never break a law, no matter how minor.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
14. I often find it difficult to judge if something is rude or polite.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
15. In a conversation, I tend to focus on my own thoughts rather than on what my listener might be thinking.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
16. I prefer practical jokes to verbal humour.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
17. I live life for today rather than the future.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
18. When I was a child, I enjoyed cutting up worms to see what would happen.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
19. I can pick up quickly if someone says one thing but means another.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
20. I tend to have very strong opinions about morality.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
21. It is hard for me to see why some things upset people so much.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
22. I find it easy to put myself in somebody else's shoes.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
23. I think that good manners are the most important thing a parent can teach their child.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
24. I like to do things on the spur of the moment.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
25. I am good at predicting how someone will feel.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
26. I am quick to spot when someone in a group is feeling awkward or uncomfortable.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
27. If I say something that someone else is offended by, I think that that's their problem, not mine.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
28. If anyone asked me if I liked their haircut, I would reply truthfully, even if I didn't like it.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
29. I can't always see why someone should have felt offended by a remark.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
30. People often tell me that I am very unpredictable.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
31. I enjoy being the centre of attention at any social gathering.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
32. Seeing people cry doesn't really upset me.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
33. I enjoy having discussions about politics.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
34. I am very blunt, which some people take to be rudeness, even though this is unintentional.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
35. I don?tend to find social situations confusing.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
36. Other people tell me I am good at understanding how they are feeling and what they are thinking.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
37. When I talk to people, I tend to talk about their experiences rather than my own.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
38. It upsets me to see an animal in pain.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
39. I am able to make decisions without being influenced by people's feelings.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
40. I can't relax until I have done everything I had planned to do that day.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
41. I can easily tell if someone else is interested or bored with what I am saying.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
42. I get upset if I see people suffering on news programmes.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
43. Friends usually talk to me about their problems as they say that I am very understanding.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
44. I can sense if I am intruding, even if the other person doesn't tell me.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
45. I often start new hobbies but quickly become bored with them and move on to something else.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
46. People sometimes tell me that I have gone too far with teasing.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
47. I would be too nervous to go on a big rollercoaster.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
48. Other people often say that I am insensitive, though I don?always see why.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
49. If I see a stranger in a group, I think that it is up to them to make an effort to join in.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
50. I usually stay emotionally detached when watching a film.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
51. I like to be very organised in day to day life and often make lists of the chores I have to do.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
52. I can tune into how someone else feels rapidly and intuitively.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
53. I don't like to take risks.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
54. I can easily work out what another person might want to talk about.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
55. I can tell if someone is masking their true emotion.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
56. Before making a decision I always weigh up the pros and cons.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
57. I don't consciously work out the rules of social situations.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
58. I am good at predicting what someone will do.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
59. I tend to get emotionally involved with a friend's problems.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
60. I can usually appreciate the other person's viewpoint, even if I don't agree with it.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
How to work out your EQ scoreScore two points for each of the following items if you answered 'definitely agree' or one point if you answered 'slightly agree': 1, 6, 19, 22, 25, 26, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 52, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60.
Score two points for each of the following items if you answered 'definitely disagree' or one point if you answered 'slightly disagree': 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15,18, 21, 27, 28, 29, 32, 34, 39, 46, 48, 49, 50
All other questions are not scored.
What your score meansOn average, most women score about 47 and most men about 42. Most people with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism score about 20.
0-32 = You have a lower than average ability for understanding how other people feel and responding appropriately.
33-52 = You have an average ability for understanding how other people feel and responding appropriately. You know how to treat people with care and sensitivity.
53-63 = You have an above average ability for understanding how other people feel and responding appropriately. You know how to treat people with care and sensitivity.
64-80 = You have a very high ability for understanding how other people feel and responding appropriately. You know how to treat people with care and sensitivity.

The Systemizing Quotient (SQ)The Systemizing Quotient gives a score based on how interested you assess yourself to be in each of the following forms of systemizing. Systemizing is the drive to analyse and explore a system, to extract underlying rules that govern the behaviour of a system; and the drive to construct systems. Please read each of the following 60 statements very carefully and rate how strongly you agree or disagree with them by circling your answer. There are no right or wrong answers, or trick questions.
How to take the test1. Print out this page and circle your answers. 2. Work out your SQ score using the points system explained at the bottom of this page.
1. When I listen to a piece of music, I always notice the way it's structured.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
2. I adhere to common superstitions.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
3. I often make resolutions, but find it hard to stick to them.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
4. I prefer to read non-fiction than fiction.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
5. If I were buying a car, I would want to obtain specific information about its engine capacity.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
6. When I look at a painting, I do not usually think about the technique involved in making it.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
7. If there was a problem with the electrical wiring in my home, I'd be able to fix it myself.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
8. When I have a dream, I find it difficult to remember precise details about the dream the next day.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
9. When I watch a film, I prefer to be with a group of friends, rather than alone.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
10. I am interested in learning about different religions.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
11. I rarely read articles or webpages about new technology.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
12. I do not enjoy games that involve a high degree of strategy.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
13. I am fascinated by how machines work.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
14. I make it a point of listening to the news each morning.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
15. In maths, I am intrigued by the rules and patterns governing numbers.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
16. I am bad about keeping in touch with old friends.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
17. When I am relating a story, I often leave out details and just give the gist of what happened.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
18. I find it difficult to understand instruction manuals for putting appliances together.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
19. When I look at an animal, I like to know the precise species it belongs to.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
20. If I were buying a computer, I would want to know exact details about its hard drive capacity and processor speed.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
21. I enjoy participating in sport.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
22. I try to avoid doing household chores if I can.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
23. When I cook, I do not think about exactly how different methods and ingredients contribute to the final product.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
24. I find it difficult to read and understand maps.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
25. If I had a collection (e.g. CDs, coins, stamps), it would be highly organised.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
26. When I look at a piece of furniture, I do not notice the details of how it was constructed.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
27. The idea of engaging in "risk-taking" activities appeals to me.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
28. When I learn about historical events, I do not focus on exact dates.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
29. When I read the newspaper, I am drawn to tables of information, such as football league scores or stock market indices.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
30. When I learn a language, I become intrigued by its grammatical rules.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
31. I find it difficult to learn my way around a new city.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
32. I do not tend to watch science documentaries on television or read articles about science and nature.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
33. If I were buying a stereo, I would want to know about its precise technical features.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
34. I find it easy to grasp exactly how odds work in betting.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
35. I am not very meticulous when I carry out D.I.Y.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
36. I find it easy to carry on a conversation with someone I've just met.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
37. When I look at a building, I am curious about the precise way it was constructed.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
38. When an election is being held, I am not interested in the results for each constituency.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
39. When I lend someone money, I expect them to pay me back exactly what they owe me.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
40. I find it difficult to understand information the bank sends me on different investment and saving systems.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
41. When travelling by train, I often wonder exactly how the rail networks are coordinated.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
42. When I buy a new appliance, I do not read the instruction manual very thoroughly.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
43. If I were buying a camera, I would not look carefully into the quality of the lens.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
44. When I read something, I always notice whether it is grammatically correct.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
45. When I hear the weather forecast, I am not very interested in the meteorological patterns.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
46. I often wonder what it would be like to be someone else.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
47. I find it difficult to do two things at once.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
48. When I look at a mountain, I think about how precisely it was formed.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
49. I can easily visualise how the motorways in my region link up.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
50. When I'm in a restaurant, I often have a hard time deciding what to order.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
51. When I'm in a plane, I do not think about the aerodynamics.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
52. I often forget the precise details of conversations I've had.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
53. When I am walking in the country, I am curious about how the various kinds of trees differ.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
54. After meeting someone just once or twice, I find it difficult to remember precisely what they look like.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
55. I am interested in knowing the path a river takes from its source to the sea.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
56. I do not read legal documents very carefully.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
57. I am not interested in understanding how wireless communication works.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
58. I am curious about life on other planets.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
59. When I travel, I like to learn specific details about the culture of the place I am visiting.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
60. I do not care to know the names of the plants I see.
strongly agree
slightly agree
slightly disagree
strongly disagree
How to work out your SQ scoreScore two points for each of the following items if you answered 'definitely agree' or one point if you answered 'slightly agree': 1, 4, 5, 7, 13, 15, 19, 20, 25, 29, 30, 33, 34, 37, 41, 44, 48, 49, 53, 55.
Score two points for each of the following items if you answered 'definitely disagree' or one point if you answered 'slightly disagree': 6, 11, 12, 18, 23, 24, 26, 28, 31, 32, 35, 38, 40, 42, 43, 45, 51, 56, 57, 60.
All other questions are not scored.
What your score meansOn average women score about 24 and men score about 30.
0-19 = You have a lower than average ability for analysing and exploring a system.
20-39 = You have an average ability for analysing and exploring a system.
40-50 = You have an above average ability for analysing and exploring a system.
51-80 = You have a very high ability for analysing and exploring a system. Three times as many people with Asperger Syndrome score in this range, compared to typical men, and almost no women score this high.

What type of brain do you have?According to Baron-Cohen's theory, a person (whether male or female) has a particular 'brain type'. There are three common brain types: the female brain, the male brain and the balanced brain.
You can see where you fit by plotting your SQ score on the horizontal axis and your EQ score on the vertical axis on the graph below.
For some individuals, empathising is stronger than systemising. This is called the female brain, or a brain of type E.
For other individuals, systemising is stronger than empathising. This is called the male brain, or a brain of type S.
Yet other individuals are equally strong in their systemising and empathising. This is called the 'balanced brain', or a brain of type B.
The balanced brain would fit on the diagonal in the top right of the graph - this is where both EQ and SQ are equally strong.
The extreme female brain (which would be at the top left of the graph) has yet to be discovered according to Baron-Cohen. The extreme male brain (bottom right of the graph) may be a manifestation of autism.
A key feature of the theory is that your sex cannot tell you which type of brain you have. Not all men have the male brain, and not all women have the female brain. The central claim of this new theory is only that on average, more males than females have a brain of type S, and more females than males have a brain of type E.

2008-12-13T15:19:00.000-08:00

It is back to the medical theme today. As regular followers know I am on a variety of medications for various things covering two chronic conditions. (Chronic means long lasting or no cure. People us it when they actually mean Acute, which means severe, short lived and curable. I know which is which). I have diabetes mellitis which is chronic and severe lower back pain which is also chronic.

Now my view is that Diabetes can kill me, and a painful back won't. So as I am fed up of all the tablets I am taking, I decided to stop taking the daily pain regime tablets for my lower back. That regime is a combination of Gabapentin and Venlafaxine. I stopped on Tuesday. Still taking all my diabetes meds of course.

Around midday on friday I suddenly (suddenly like I mean NO WARNING) I had a really bad head cold. Overnight friday it developed into full blown man flu. Of course, being diabetic, I cannot take anything for it, I just have to tough it out.

I happened to mention this to an online friend and she kind of told me off and told me to go and look up withdrawal. So I did, again. (I had already and thought I knew what to expect, just some mild dizziness) And what I found was that 2-3 days after stopping venlafaxine, I could expect to get severe flu symptoms, that would last 2 - 3 weeks, and would not be completely cleared for 2 - 3 months. WHAT!!!!!!

Guess what? 2.5 days after stopping the venlafaxine i developed severe flu like symptoms. I can't be having that, and the dizziness. So back on the venlafaxine.

My lesson learned? Listen to my Doctor!!!!!

And thanks VM to my internet friend, she know who she is.