Type 1 diabetes Archive

The health risks of loneliness and isolation have been known for some time, but more recently research has shown the specific effects in the brain. Finding ways to make connections with other people is the best "medicine" to alleviate the mental and physical effects of loneliness.

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Past studies have suggested that drinking coffee is associated with many health benefits, such as added longevity, lower blood pressure, less weight gain with aging, and a reduced risk of many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, several degenerative neurological diseases (like Parkinson's disease), and cancer. Now a massive review of more than 200 large studies, published Nov. 22, 2017, in The BMJ, backs up many of those links. The largest health benefits were associated with drinking three to four cups of coffee per day: drinking more than four cups per day did not bring additional benefits. It's not all good news, however; the study found that women who drank coffee had greater risks for fracture and pregnancy complications. But over all, the researchers say, coffee drinking appears to be safe. They caution that the findings are all based on observational studies, not randomized controlled trials — the gold standard of research.

This winter flu activity has been higher than usual across the United States. If you have not gotten a flu shot yet, it’s not too late; some protection is better than none, plus there are other steps you can take to protect yourself and those around you.

Lifestyle changes are vital, but new medications may help.

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Two of the most prevalent health problems in this country — type 2 diabetes and heart disease — are closely linked. People with diabetes are more than twice as likely to die from heart disease than those without diabetes. An array of overlapping risk factors (such as being overweight and having high blood pressure and cholesterol levels) probably explains part of this association.

On the plus side, a diet that emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats, coupled with regular moderate exercise (at least 30 minutes daily, most days of the week) can help people dodge the dangers associated with both heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Even so, most people with type 2 diabetes must also take the drug metformin (or other medications) to help reduce their high blood sugar levels, the hallmark of the disease.

If you have not yet gotten a flu shot, the CDC has issued an advisory for this season that may make you reconsider. The severity of the virus is stronger this year, and while the vaccine may not be as effective as in years past, some protection is better than none.

As the number of people with diabetes continues to climb, the problem is especially acute for members of many ethnic and racial minority communities. Greater awareness of this situation is required to bring improved care and treatment to everyone who needs it.