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Posted on September 18, 2012 by Tova

Welcome to Diabetic Survival Kit!  Here, you will find information about Diabetes, including Diabetes News, Diabetes Research, and Diabetes Nutrition.  We invite you to visit our kitchen and watch  Tova prepare easy and delicious Diabetic Friendly meals suitable for your whole family.  Please scroll down to browse our most recent entries, or Click HERE for the Table of Contents to search for specific information.
To learn more about Dr. Kramer and Tova, see our About Page.

For a specific question or recipe request, please e-mail Dr. Kramer and Tova at: info@diabeticsurvivalkit.com.  We personally check this e-mail address every day, and will get back to you as soon as we can!

We also invite you to comment on any blog post, and we’ll respond as soon as possible!

    Here’s to a happier and healthier you! - Dr. Kramer and Tova

    MEDICAL ADVICE DISCLAIMER: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her health care provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation, or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.

    Posted in Diabetic Education | 2 Comments

    Diabetes News: High Sugar Intake Linked to Low Dopamine Release in Insulin Resistant Patients

    Posted on June 13, 2013 by Dr. Sybil Kramer

    Which comes first? Does overeating lead or insulin resistance or does insulin resistance lead to overeating? For a long time scientists have recognized that overeating leads to increase in body weight which leads to insulin resistance and eventually to type 2 Diabetes? This study of only 19 people indicates that insulin resistance may lead to low dopamine release and to overeating?  If both things are true, overeating can lead to insulin resistance leading to more over eating, more problems with maintaining a good weight and Diabetes type 2.  Has your appetite changed or do you want to eat more since developing Diabetes type 2? We would love to hear from you.  Please read the article below and comment.

    June 10, 2013 — Using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of the brain, researchers have identified a sweet spot that operates in a disorderly way when simple sugars are introduced to people with insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes. For those who have the metabolic syndrome, a sugar drink resulted in a lower-than-normal release of the chemical dopamine Continue reading →

    Posted in Diabetes News, Diabetes Type 2, Diabetic Nutrition, Understanding Diabetes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

    Diabetes News: New England Patriots Cut Player Because of Diabetes?

    Posted on June 10, 2013 by Dr. Sybil Kramer

    Do you have Diabetes Type I or Diabetes Type II and do you feel you have a disability and are entitled to protection under the American Disabilities Act (ADA)? Should a professional football team be obligated to make special accommodations for people with disabilities similar to the obligations of other businesses. Some people believe the team should do whatever it takes to maximize its winning potential. Do you believe the presence of Diabetes should affect the team makeup or should the person with Diabetes be judged only by his potential contribution to the team? Let us know your feeling about this player being cut from the New England Patriots and if you have had any experiences you think may be unfair. We would love to hear from you.

    How Can The New England Patriots Cut A Guy Because He Has Diabetes?

    Kyle Love was the Patriots starting DT until he was diagnosed with diabetes within the last two weeks. Once the Patriots found out, they cut him. Not only did they cut him, but they essentially confirmed Continue reading →

    Posted in Diabetes News | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

    Diabetes News: Splenda, Sucralose, Artificial Sweetener, and Insulin Response

    Posted on June 5, 2013 by Dr. Sybil Kramer

    Do you use splenda or other artificial sweeteners that contain sucralose to limit carbohydrates?  Are you under the impression that using a drink with artifical sweetener will help you lose weight or control your Diabetes?  While people have been doing this for a long time, the article below reviews a study which shows an increase in insulin levels after these drinks which may contribute to weight gain, and increase the incidence of diabetes or worsen diabetic control.  While further studies with more people should be done, this article provides sufficient evidence to encourage such a study.

    A new study may make you think twice before adding Splenda to your coffee.

    Published in the journal Diabetes Care, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis researchers found that sucralose, most popularly known by the brand name Splenda, has effects on the body’s responses to sugar (glucose) — which could thereby affect Continue reading →

    Posted in Diabetes News, Diabetes Type 2, Diabetes Type I, Diabetic Nutrition | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

    Diabetes News: Is Diabetes Type 2 the Same Disease in Different Ethnic Groupsl

    Posted on May 25, 2013 by Dr. Sybil Kramer

    Did you wonder if your ethnic group will make you more or less likely to develop diabetes type 2?  Is Diabetes type 2 the same disease in African Americans, Asians, and Caucasians or are there some differences?  I invite you to read the article below and to review the link enclosed in the article to see the distribution of different diseases worldwide.  Please let us know if you found this information helpful, and let us know if you would like information about a particular topic about Diabetes. We would love to hear from you.

    Diabetes’ Genetic Underpinnings Can Vary Based On Ethnic Background

    May 23, 2013 — Ethnic background plays a surprisingly large role in how diabetes develops on a cellular level, according to two new studies led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
    The researchers reanalyzed disease data to demonstrate that the physiological pathways to diabetes vary between Africa and East Asia and that those differences are reflected in part by genetic Continue reading →

    Posted in General | Leave a comment

    Diabetes News: Obese Mice Lose Weight from a Microbe

    Posted on May 15, 2013 by Dr. Sybil Kramer

    When a person with Diabetes type 2 loses weight, they often see very significant improvement in their diabetic control, cholesterol and other factors. While reducing excess body fat is important, it can be very challenging. In an effort to help people with obesity and Diabetes, scientists are always looking for new options. The article below describes research in mice using a very novel approach. The use of a specific microbe can actually foster weight loss and help with diabetes control. Please read the article below, comment and share. We would love to hear from you.
    13 May 2013

    Obese mice lost weight after being fed the microbe Akkermansia muciniphila, which appears to have a symbiotic relationship with the inner lining of the intestine.
    MICHELLE D. MILLIMAN/SHUTTERSTOCK
    The gut is home to innumerable different bacteria — a complex ecosystem that has an active role in a variety of bodily functions. In a study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences1, a team of researchers Continue reading →

    Posted in Diabetes Treatment, Diabetes Type 2, Understanding Diabetes | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

    Does Cinnamon Help With Treatment of Diabetes Type 2

    Posted on May 12, 2013 by Dr. Sybil Kramer

    Do you think cinnamon helps control Diabetes Mellitus Type 2?  Do you sprinkle cinnamon on some of your food with the belief that this will help control your blood sugar?  This study “Potential Benefits of Cinnamon in Type 2 Diabetes” by Molly E. Howard, Nicole D. White, Phar   reported in Am J Lifestyle Med. 2013;7(1):23-26. provides an explanation about the use of cinnomon to help with control of type 2 Diabetes.

    In China, cinnamon has been used to treat a variety of ailments such as headaches, loss of appetite, dyspepsia, the common cold, inflammation, wounds, nausea, and diarrhea as well as Diabetes Type 2.  After studying rodents, scientists felt cinnamon could possibly help through various mechanisms that are augmented with current diabetes medications.  After studying its effects in rodents, scientists believed cassia cinnamon extract may lower blood sugar and improve lipids Continue reading →

    Posted in Diabetes Treatment, Diabetes Type 2, Diabetic Education | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

    Diabetes News: Do Fish Oils Lower the Risk of Heart Attacks

    Posted on May 10, 2013 by Dr. Sybil Kramer

    People with Diabetes (type I and type II) are at higher risk for developing Heart Attacks than the general population.  Many people believe they can mitigate this risk by taking Fish Oil supplements.  This study completed in Milan shows you cannot expect the same benefit from taking fish oils that you can get from a good diet, including fish twice per week.  They speculate that people who eat fish twice per week engage in more health conscious behavior and benefit from lower cardiovascular risk.  Please let us know if you are taking Fish Oil supplements or rely on diet and exercise to lower your risk factors.

    By Marilynn Marchion: Eating fish is good for your heart but taking fish oil capsules does not help people at high risk of heart problems who are already taking medicines to prevent them, a large study in Italy found.

    The work makes clearer who does and does not benefit from taking supplements of omega-3 fatty acids, the good oils found in fish such as salmon, tuna Continue reading →

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    Diabetes News:Injectable Nano-Network Controls Blood Sugar in Diabetics for Days at a Time

    Posted on May 5, 2013 by Dr. Sybil Kramer

    Do you think research may someday enable people with Diabetes to avoid the need to continually test their blood sugar and take multiple injections.  The article below describes new research in animals in which a nano-network is injected which provides insulin as needed to maintain normal blood sugars for as long as 10 days.  The researchers are currently having discussions hoping this technology will advance to clinical trials.  Please read the article below and let us know if you feel this technology will improve the quality of your life.  It will be years before this technology could be available but in the meantime think about all the research that is going on and live in hope but stay in contol.

    May 3, 2013 — In a promising development for diabetes treatment, researchers have developed a network of nanoscale particles that can be injected into the body and release insulin when blood-sugar levels rise, maintaining normal blood sugar levels for more than a week in animal-based laboratory tests. The work was done by researchers at North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Children’s Hospital Boston

    “We’ve created a ‘smart’ system that is injected into the body and responds to changes in blood sugar by releasing insulin, effectively controlling Continue reading →

    Posted in Diabetes News, Diabetes Treatment, Diabetes Type 2, Diabetes Type I | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

    Diabetes News: Mouse Model Shows how Diabetes Type 2 Develops

    Posted on May 4, 2013 by Dr. Sybil Kramer

    Can you get Diabetes from eating too much sugar or too much fat?  Can excess body fat cause Diabetes type 2?  In an attempt to answer this question, researchers studied middle age mice on different diets and also examined the effect of a diabetes drug.  They were able to study the development of Diabetes in these mice, the role of inflammation in the beta cells that produce insulin, the influence of stress, a diabetes drug, as well as a fatty diet.  By using middle aged mice, rather than young mice, they developed an interesting perspective.  While all mouse research cannot be extrapolated to humans, people should consider altering their diet and exercise pattern based on this research.  What do you think?

    New mouse model confirms how type 2 diabetes develops May 3, 2013 in Diabetes Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have developed a new mouse model that answers the question of what actually happens in the body when type 2 diabetes develops and how the body responds to drug Continue reading →

    Posted in Diabetes Type 2, Diabetic Nutrition, Understanding Diabetes | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

    Diabetes News:End of the diabetes jab? Scientists find insulin-boosting hormone that could do away with daily injections

    Posted on April 27, 2013 by Dr. Sybil Kramer

    Are there alternatives to Insulin for people with Diabetes Mellitus type 2. At the present time, people with Diabetes type 2 who cannot be controlled on oral agents will need insulin.  Despite having high levels of insulin initially to combat insulin resistance,  eventually the beta cells of the pancreas begin to wane.  When the insulin capacity is inadequate to control blood sugars in spite of appropriate diet, exercise, and oral medications, insulin will be necessary.  The article below describes the development of a hormone that enhances the capacity of the beta cells to produce insulin in mice by increasing the number of beta cells.  This research is a very long way from being tested in humans and it is anticipated it will only be available for people with diabetes type 2.

    A newly discovered hormone – betatrophin – could revolutionize the treatment of type 2 diabetes
    It could halt the development of the condition
    In mice the hormone was shown to increase the number of insulin-producing beta cells up to 30-fold

    By Fiona Macrae Science Correspondent

    PUBLISHED: 11:00 EST, 25 April 2013 | UPDATED: 18:47 EST, 25 April 2013Diabetics could be freed from the need to inject themselves by the development of a once-a-year drug

    Millions of diabetics could be freed from having to inject themselves several times a day by a once-a-year drug.

    Scientists have discovered a hormone which can boost the number of insulin-making cells by up to 30-fold.

    This would ‘dramatically’ improve treatment for type 2 diabetes. This form of the condition, Continue reading →

    Posted in Diabetes News, Diabetes Treatment, Diabetes Type 2 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments