Scientists Probe Link Between Stress and Diabetes

Among some of the most significant effects of contemporary times of the twenty-first-century is the resulting fast-paced lifestyle that people live. Multi-tasking is common in our modern world, and in many careers, necessary in order to compete.

In a large metropolitan city it is not uncommon to see a pedestrian navigating the busy streets with a cell phone attached to each ear. And although people of our generation are living with a higher standard of living than that of their parents and grandparents, the benefits are not achieved without costs to both physical and mental health.

The Higher the Levels of Stress, the Higher the Chance of Becoming Diabetic

Researchers measured work stress and depression associated with high levels of anxiety and were astonished to find that some of the effects of our fast-paced lifestyle had damaging health consequences such as diabetes.

A foremost researcher, Dr. Sherita Hill Golden of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, studied a culturally-varied collection of nearly five thousand men and women within the age ranges of forty-five to eighty-five years of age. The research was conducted over a three year period and the findings were astounding. The study uncovered a disturbing link between people with excessive sadness and those that were diagnosed with diabetes. They also found that the more profound the symptoms, the greater the risk of becoming afflicted. In fact, those that have more severe anxiety have a higher risk of becoming stricken with the most typical form of the disease than others.

According to a study that was conducted at the University of Toronto, the association between stress and diabetes is significant. In fact, Type 2 diabetes, also called adult-onset diabetes, has been linked with severe depression, which is also an important cause of decline in cognitive skills and Alzheimer disease.

Anxiety and Sadness Make Diabetic Treatment More Difficult

Not only have anxiety and sadness been shown to be contributing factors to the disease, they can also make the effects worse. Even if every step has been taken to control the disease and a physician's advise has been followed precisely, the effects of anxiety and sadness on a diabetic patient make treatment more difficult. Many physicians will prescribe anxiety reducing regimens in order to help with tension, which in-turn will help the treatment of the disease.

How Prevalent is this Disease in the United States?

In the United States alone, there are nearly twenty million diabetics and that number is growing daily.

What Can be Done to Reduce Anxiety?

Physicians emphasize the importance of deep breathing exercises, which have been proven to have a positive effect on tackling anxiety. In people that are under the effect of severe anxiety, their breathing pattern is shallow and brisk. By practicing deep breathing, one can achieve a soothing effect on the mind which helps to counter the effects of anxiety.

A popular spiritual and ascetic discipline which helps to maintain healthy levels of anxiety is Yoga. Specific body postures and controlled breathing exercises offer a good tool for anxiety management and relaxation. In addition to managing tension, yoga can help combat weight problems, back pain, insomnia, burn out and a host of other anxiety-induced problems. Yoga includes quiet movements that help to control concentration and move the focus away from tension towards a more calming moment which gives the body a chance to improve circulation and slow down after a chaotic day.

In addition, a good meal plan which consists of well-balanced proportions of healthy choices is an important step towards regulating blood sugar as well as improving overall health, including anxiety. A licensed dietician or endocrinologist can help to consult diabetics on which foods to avoid and which can help maintain good health. Knowing what to avoid in one's diet can be confusing, and a professional health care provider can make the journey towards optimal health easier.

If you have any questions or concerns about stress, depression or diabetes, it is imperative that you speak to a professional. There are common screening tests that can be conducted in the privacy of your physician's office. Start on the path towards good health by addressing any stress issues now, before they can possibly develop into long term health problems.

For further reading:

• http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,368363,00.html
• http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docid=616608

Lack of Sleep Increases Chances of Diabetes in Young

It has long been known that a good night's sleep of six to eight hours a night is good for one's health. A well-rested body helps rejuvenate and improves overall health. Sleep is as important to a person's health as is food or water. Indeed, recent studies suggest that lack of sleep in healthy, young individuals between the ages of twenty and thirty-one may actually increase their risk of developing diabetes later in life.

Not enough sleep causes insulin sensitivity to decline

Researchers at the University Of Chicago Medical Center studied the effect lack of sleep has on a person's insulin sensitivity. According to the researchers, interrupted sleep gave the participants glucose and insulin metabolisms of people three times their age. This means that interrupted sleep could well increase one's chances of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. And as the lack of quality sleep increased, the sensitivity to insulin continued to decline.

The converse was also found to be true. Improving the quality of sleep, especially for people that are obese, could be an important step in helping to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes

When the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore insulin, the condition is called type 2 diabetes. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. Without the presence of insulin, the glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells causing them to be starved for energy. Overtime, high blood glucose levels could hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.

Sleep deprivation on the rise

In the industrialized world, sleep deprivation is rising to epidemic proportions. Many people experience pressures and stress of modern life resulting from a hectic work schedule, family life and other pursuits. Consequentially, there is little time left for sleep. People that short-change their selves with consistent lack of sleep are actually damaging their resistance and leaving themselves open to attack from dozens of life threatening diseases.

The trend toward less sleep is unfortunately increasing. Twenty years ago, people slept an average of seven and a half to eight hours per night. Today people sleep an average of six or less hours per night. Researchers suggest that this may not be as a result of sleep apnea, but rather the pressures of everyday life.

Sleep deprivation affects us more than we think

The lack of awareness of sleep deprivation compounds after years. Eventually, people come to expect their lack of sleep. But the human body does not adjust. Consequently, people are less aware of the additional stress that they are experiencing. Researchers suggest that sleep deprivation decreases performance and alertness in everyday life. By reducing nighttime sleep by as little as one and a half hours per night, daytime alertness could be reduced by as much as thirty percent.

Decreased alertness can cause a snowball effect on one's life. Memory and cognitive impairment is decreased, which then could decrease one's quality of life because of a lack of attention. Concentration is affected and this could lead to a whole host of side effects.

Tips to increase sleep

Healthy sleep is an activity and an exercise. Some tips to increase quality of sleep include a consistent nighttime routine as well as limiting caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. Researchers suggest a sleep environment that creates a relaxing atmosphere. If you feel that you have tried everything and still cannot get a restful night sleep, consult your healthcare provider.

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Recent Breakthroughs and Discoveries from The Brave New World of Genetics

One of the most significant scientific achievements of the twentieth century was the discovery and subsequent exploration of human DNA, the helix-shaped cellular structures that contain the genetic information that controls everything from our physical appearance to our risk of developing certain illnesses.

Despite the complexity of DNA, substantial strides have been made in genetic research over the past several decades. Today, scientists can decode the hidden information in human genes with a great deal of accuracy. Recent studies in the field have uncovered a treasure trove of important health information.

Groundbreaking Treatment Developed for Deadly Genetic Disease

Although it has long been recognized that many serious health conditions are passed on genetically, the process of developing preventive treatments for genetic diseases has remained a persistent challenge for decades.

However, the significant strides that have been made toward understanding the mechanisms of genetic inheritance over the last several years have finally granted scientists the ability to develop treatments that can be effective for these types of health conditions.

The genetic illness known as Hunter syndrome is one of the most dangerous inherited diseases. Although relatively rare -- it occurs in roughly 1 of 161,000 individuals -- it is almost always associated with premature death for those diagnosed with the disorder.

People with the disorder are born without a particular enzyme that helps remove cellular waste from the body. Without this mechanism for clearing cellular waste, a wide array of health problems can occur. Most significantly, those with Hunter syndrome typically experience serious damage to their internal organs and tissues. In many cases, it is this damage that is blamed for Hunter syndrome patients? premature deaths.

The symptoms of Hunter syndrome are not always readily apparent in infancy and young childhood, so the illness is often not detected until years later. Unfortunately, by middle childhood, many patients have already begun to experience severe health problems. Once a definitive diagnosis is made, the prognosis is often grim. Few children with Hunter syndrome live past the age of 10.

Using the newly emerging tools of genetic research, however, scientists have recently developed a treatment for this once-untreatable disorder. Because detailed analyses of the mechanism of the disorder revealed a great deal of information about the role of the missing enzyme that causes the disease, researchers have now been able to develop a synthetic version of the enzyme.

Now, patients with Hunter disease are able to receive weekly treatment in which the missing enzyme is introduced into their bodies. As a result, many of the ill effects of the disease can be reversed, and the mortality rate associated with Hunter syndrome is expected to drop precipitously, as well.

Genetic Links to Type II Diabetes Found

For decades, it was thought that Type II, adult-onset diabetes was a condition that was brought on almost entirely as a result of poor lifestyle choices such as an unhealthy diet and a lack of exercise. Although obesity is still believed to play a more role in causing Type II diabetes, a research team comprised of scientists from the United States and Finland has found a number of genetic markers that seem to be associated with an increased risk for adult-onset diabetes.

Over ten significant genetic markers associated with different aspects of diabetes were found in the study, which analyzed the genes of a large group of diabetic and non-diabetic study participants. The researchers reported that these findings will be used to help develop more accurate methods of screening for and diagnosis Type II diabetes.

Baldness Genes Discovered, Treatment a Possibility

It has long been suspected that maternal genes were responsible for causing male pattern baldness, but the findings of a research team at the University of Pennsylvania specifically identified the gene that either promotes or impedes normal hair growth and regeneration over the course of the lifespan.

While that may come as bad news to some, the research team also reports that it may have developed a technique for forcing the abnormal gene to switch back on and begin producing new hair again, even after a person has gone totally bald. Interestingly enough, the method of follicle regeneration calls on relatively new research that has been conducted in the area of stem cell reproduction. However, those with thinning hair are cautioned to have patience -- it is unlikely that a viable treatment will be developed for public use in the near future.

Check back next week for more health science news!