Sunday 30 November 2014

Difference between Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) and Blood Glucose (葡基化的血红蛋白 (HbA1c) 和血糖之间的区别)

Difference between Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) and Blood Glucose (葡基化的血红蛋白 (HbA1c) 和血糖之间的区)
In my previous posts, I have not included my test result on HbA1c which is one of the most important test results for a diabetic.
HbA1c refers to Glycosylated Hemoglobin.  By measuring Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c), clinicians are able to get an overall picture of what our average blood sugar levels have been over a period of weeks/months.  Measuring HbA1c is important for people with diabetes as the higher the HbA1c, the greater the risk of developing diabetes-related complications.
HbA1c vs Blood Glucose Level
From my discussion with many people, most, if not all, cannot distinguish the difference between HbA1c and Blood Glucose Level.  They have the impression both tests are identical.  Here is the difference:
·         HbA1c – measures the average blood glucose in the blood over the past 6 to 8 weeks
·         Blood Glucose Level – A measure of the concentration of glucose in one’s blood at a single point in time, i.e., at that point of time only when blood is taken from a finger [My personal experience – By monitoring my pre and post meal glucose level, I can determine how good I am controlling and adjusting the portion of foods.]
HbA1c Target
·         Excellent – less than 6%
·         Satisfactory – 6% to 8%
·         Poor – more than 8%
Blood Glucose Target
·         Pre-meal glucose (mmol/l) – 4.0 – 7.0
·         2-hour post meal glucose (mmol/l) – < 10.0
Both sets of Target are provided by one of the largest local hospitals.
I will include my HbA1c result in my next “Blood Test & Creatinine Report” update.
Underlying message of my Post to you & your family’s health:
High Risk Groups & Pre-Diabetic:
Family history – My father is a diabetic.  As such, I am considered as a high risk group.   In other words, diabetes is within family history, PLEASE have regular check-ups and watch your diets to avoid complicatins
Race – Certain races such as Chinese, Hispanics are considered high risk group
Pre-Diabetic – Very likely to develop diabetics.
For these groups, regular doctor check-ups are highly recommended.  Most important of all, do follow up on your doctor’s advice and recommendations.  By taking extra efforts at the beginning, it will pro-long reaching end stage kidney failure.
Diabetic:
One of my major mistakes was that I did not conduct pre and post meals glucose testing when I was diagnosed with diabetes.  As a result, I was not aware the right size of my meal portion.  I was depended on my Doctor to control my diabetes which eventually where dialysis is required.  Do not let this happen to you.
Being diabetic who is insulin dependent, pre meal glucose testing can determine or adjust the amount of insulin to be given to oneself taking into consideration of one’s pre meal glucose level as well as the type of food to be taken.  Post meal testing result will provide whether one is right in the judgment of insulin level injected.
Pre and post meal glucose level testing will go a long way before reaching end stage kidney failure (stage 5 in medical terms) OR one may not reach there with proper diet and exercise.
[My personal experience – I am doing home blood glucose monitoring to ensure good control of my diabetes.]
Post-Transplant Group:
Besides Cyclosporine, Prograf® is another prescribed medicine to help prevent organ rejection in people who have had a kidney, liver, or heart transplant.  One of the drawbacks of Prograf® is it may lead to diabetic.
Having spoken and discussed with patients in this group, they have been advised to do post meal glucose testing to ensure glucose is under control and do not have any harmful consequences to the organ.
Other Relevant Posts for your Reading:

·     Type 2 Diabetes - 10 Myths & Facts [10个神话&事实关于第二类型糖尿病]

·     Neighborhoods That Encourage Walking Reduce Obesity and Diabetes {鼓励更多步行的邻里有助于减少肥胖病和糖尿病}

·     Diabetes Nutritional Gains from Healthy Whole Grains (糖尿病营养-从整个五谷获取健康)

I am not a Medical Doctor. All my blog postings are my personal experience that I've went thru and what I've read up from internet. If you've any symptoms of diabetes OR want to better manage your health, I strongly urge you to have regular medical-ups to avoid future complications. In addition, control your diet portions and have regular exercise.  (我不是一位医生。所有我的博克投稿是我有经历的我的个人经验,并且我从互联网读了。如果您有糖尿病的任何症状或要更好处理您的健康,我强烈敦促您有规则健康检以避免未来复杂化另外,控制您的饮食部分并且有定期运动.)

Saturday 15 November 2014

Peanut Butter – A brand with lesser Sugar {花生酱 – 这个品牌用较少的糖}

Peanut Butter – A brand with lesser Sugar {花生酱 这个品牌用较}
I like to apply peanut butter to my wholemeal bread for breakfast.  My favorite brand is Peter Pan for its low sugar content.
During my quarterly review with the Senior Consultant from the Department of Endocrinology, he mentioned that peanut butter from Marks & Spenser is a better option for me. I have tried M&S and it’s packed with nuts, and bursting with taste with much better texture.
For the sake of comparison, I have included Nutella as one of the components.  Here are the contents comparisons between the three items:
A Comparison P.Pan (Creamy) Marks & Spencer (Crunchy) Nutella
Serving Size (g) 100 100 100
Calories 656 n/m n/m
Energy n/m 538kcal 628kcal
Total Fat 53.1 50.8 31.6
- Saturated Fat 9.4 11.2 n/m
Sodium (mg) 0.4 0.2 n/m
Carbohydrate 18.8 14.8 57.3
Dietry Fiber 6.3 6.6 n/m
Sugars 9.4 4.9 n/m
Protein 25.0 24.4 6.0

Here are some interesting facts that I observed:
1.        Both P.Pan and M&S have listed peanuts as the first ingredient
2.        Nutella listed Sugar as the first item of the ingredient listing BUT why didn’t it has the Sugar content listed – isn’t that interesting?
3.        If you like peanut butter for breakfast, please chose the brand wisely for a better health
Further information on Nutella is available at “Wikipedia”:
1.        Nutella manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero.  Under Italian law, it cannot be labelled as a chocolate cream, as it does not meet minimum cocoa solids concentration criteria. Ferrero consumes 25% of the global supply of hazelnuts
2.        Nutella contains 70% saturated fat and processed sugar by weight. A two-tablespoon (37 gram) serving of Nutella contains 200 calories including 99 calories from 11 grams of fat (3.5g of which are saturated) and 80 calories from 21 grams of sugar. In addition, the spread contains 15 mg of sodium and 2g of protein per serving.  [My View – The tastier the food, more harmful to one’s health.  Now you know why they didn’t mention the sugar contents in its label.]
3.        In the United States, Ferrero was sued in a class action for false advertising that led some to believe that Nutella carries nutritional and health benefits, being touted as 'part of a nutritious breakfast'. They agreed to pay $3 million (up to $4 per jar for up to five jars in returns by customers) in an April 2012 settlement. The settlement also required Ferrero to make changes to Nutella's labelling and marketing, including television commercials and their website

Other Relevant Posts for your Reading (您能其他相关的博):

·     Blood Test Report & Creatinine (验血报告&肌氨酸酐)

·     Difference between Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) and Blood Glucose (葡基化的血红蛋白 (HbA1c) 和血糖之间的别)

Disclaimer: I am not a Medical Doctor. All my blog postings are based on my personal experience that I've went thru and what I've read up from the internet. If you've any symptoms of diabetes OR want to better manage your health, I strongly urge you to have regular medical-ups to avoid future complications. In addition, control your diet portions and have regular exercise. 

(我不是一位医生。所有我的博克投稿是我的个人经验,并且我从互联网读了。如果您有糖尿病的任何症状或要更好处理您的健康,我强烈敦促您有规则健康检以避免未来复杂化另外,控制您的饮食部分并且有定期运动.)



Saturday 1 November 2014

Seven Sure Signs You're Eating Too Much Sugar (Dr. Mercola Interviews JJ Virgin About Hidden Sugar in Your Diet)

FDA Approves Xigduo XR (dapagliflozin and metformin hydrochloride) for Type 2 Diabetes {粮食与药物管理局批准第二类型糖尿病的Xigduo XR (dapagliflozin和metformin氯化物)}

FDA Approves Xigduo XR (dapagliflozin and metformin hydrochloride) for Type 2 Diabetes {粮食与药物管理局批准第二类型糖尿病的Xigduo XR (dapagliflozinmetformin氯化物)}

Xigduo XR combines two anti-hyperglycemic agents with complementary mechanisms of action, dapagliflozin (trade name in the U.S. Farxiga™), an inhibitor of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), and metformin hydrochloride extended-release, a biguanide, in a once-daily oral tablet. SGLT2 inhibitors are a relatively new class of medicines that remove glucose from the body via the kidneys.
Xigduo XR is indicated as an adjunct therapy to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus when treatment with both dapagliflozin and metformin is appropriate.
Xigduo XR is not recommended for patients with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. The product label for Xigduo XR contains a boxed warning for lactic acidosis, a rare, but serious metabolic complication that can occur due to metformin accumulation during treatment with Xigduo XR
Xigduo XR is not recommended for patients with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. The product label for Xigduo XR contains a boxed warning for lactic acidosis, a rare, but serious metabolic complication that can occur due to metformin accumulation during treatment with Xigduo XR
Xigduo XR is contraindicated in patients with moderate to severe renal impairment; a history of a serious hypersensitivity to dapagliflozin or to metformin HCl; or with metabolic acidosis, including diabetic ketoacidosis.
Xigduo XR is contraindicated in patients with moderate to severe renal impairment; a history of a serious hypersensitivity to dapagliflozin or to metformin HCl; or with metabolic acidosis, including diabetic ketoacidosis.
Xigduo XR is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus when treatment with both dapagliflozin and metformin is appropriate.
For further details, here is the “Original Article, courtesy of Drugs.com

My personal experience – Besides medications, one has to exercise and watch the diet to have better diabetic control.