EXTRACTS…

Change your eating habits 

It’s not just what we eat… It’s also when we eat!

Are you a late night eater? Well, it’s time to change that habit as eating food late at night triggers obesity.  Researchers at Salk Institute in a study on mice have found that limiting eating hours to a 12- hour window, for example from 8 a.m to 8 p.m., and fasting for the rest of the time can make a huge difference on whether fat is stored or burned up by the body and could help fight high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. They also caution against constant snacking and say that that restricting calories consumption to an 8 to 12 hour period can protect you from lifestyle diseases.

Source: The Hindu  4/12/14

A new system designed to change how people test their glucose levels is in clinical trials and is expected to be launched soon. It eliminates the need for routine finger pricks. Blood glucose readings are taken through a small sensor worn on the body that automatically measures, captures and stores glucose data for 8 hours. The system is designed to provide both patients and doctors of a visual snapshot of a typical day. It also allows doctors to make better decisions in patient care. At the moment intermittent testing does not give a full picture of the daily pattern due to the pain and hassle of testing.

Source: Diabetes Update Summer 2014

Neuropathy in the brain

Are there any changes in the brain due to peripheral neuropathy?  Earlier considered a peripheral nervous system disease, in a first such study on T1DM subjects researchers have found that grey matter volume in regions associated with sensory perception was significantly lower in people with diabetic neuropathy. 

New findings could lead to better assessment, monitoring and improved treatments for the condition.

Source: Diabetes Update Summer 2014

Researchers at the University of Sheffield have found that periods of overnight hypo often go undetected and can cause unexpectedly long periods of very slow heart rate in older patients who have Type 2 DM as well as associated heart problems. It could also explain the ‘dead in bed’ syndrome – a rare condition in Type 1 DM patients who experience high rates of overnight hypos. 

The findings suggest that all people with diabetes should be aware of the risk of running low sugars overnight.

Source: Diabetes Update Summer 2014