When Ostracizing Type 2 Diabetes Became an Accepted Lifestyle

When it comes to Diabetes, and the messages being put out there in the media, it is really hard for myself and other folks not to become angry -- if not downright furious. I have to tell you, I generally look through articles, and skim through different headlines, and just tend to "cherry pick" whats going to be real news, and ignore and pass over the fluff. If I were to read it all, I might be en route to a heart attack in less time than you can say "duck fiabetes."

But on Wednesday, just having gotten home from a long, physically and mentally exhausting shift at work, I failed to listen to my own advise. A dear friend of mine shared a news article, in my "Living with Diabetes" Facebook group... and I just lost it. I dont think I have ever been so outraged by an article before. (Well, except maybe for Wendell Fowlers abusive tirade against little Type 1 Diabetic children having ice cream. OMG, how dare they! Thats almost as dangerous as Paula Deen having a cheeseburger! *snark, snark*) I was seeing so many shades of red, and purple, I just could not think straight. I said a bunch of things, in my group, about the article, and to my husband... went and kicked a few things around... flipped off Dr Oz on the TV... and then I felt like my head was going to explode. It was just too much.

Having taken at least, a few days, to calm down... I can probably now tell you what I really think about this piece, with a little more perspective. The piece is called "Curing Diabetes: How Type 2 Became an Accepted Lifestyle" (Yes, you are reading right... That IS the headline for this article), and it was written for The Atlantic, by reporter John-Manuel Andriote, who has supposedly been specializing in HIV/AIDS reporting since 1986. I guess, I would like to think that being exposed to such a world would have given Mr. Andriote some perspective, and a keener sense of tact, and to an extent it has... but, apparently, not enough to have helped him rethink such a terrible headline.

The article itself makes a few key mistakes, which well, to an outsider would not be as self evident. And why would they? Our current government, medical advisory agencies, and medical industry want to do all they can to pass blame onto the Type 2 patient, entirely, and take on NO responsibility themselves. Ive shared on this, before, many times. Especially, the deep denial of how multi-faceted the triggers are for Type 2 Diabetes, and the roles pollution and other medications, etc., have in the development of the disease. It is unfortunate that everyone in the industry quotes such poorly done research studies that do not take these complexities into account, or even consider to do so, to blanket claim that 80% of all Type 2 Diabetes is "largely preventable." These simplistic allegations lead to discrimination, misunderstanding of a very complex disease, denial of health management resources and tools by the insurance industry, and uneducated reporting that often leads to societal abuse, bullying, and further discrimination.

Still, there is some good, among the bad, to be found in this article. I do feel that, had the author taken some time to meet with members of the diabetic online community, this article could have really shed some light more adequately, on a lot of issues that affect our community, without contributing so much to the problems it so tries to address.


The Good in this Article: 

• Right off the bat, the article addresses the issue that the medical industry does not like to discuss with patients, or at least seldom does, the idea that they can manage their diabetes without medications, much less what Diabetes even IS. This is, indeed, a struggle we have right now. But it is a deep, and complex problem involving a lot of ethical concerns which affect almost every aspect of the health industry, including the American Diabetes Association itself (its probably not an accident that they recommend diabetics keep their blood glucose levels at or below 180 mg/dL -- a very high, and potentially long term dangerous, blood glucose level), as well as other diabetes medical guideline agencies. The fact is, many medical professionals receive kick backs and incentives from the pharmaceutical industry -- large kickbacks and benefits -- and its in their pocketbooks best interests to keep as many of their patients taking certain medications. This is not something exclusive to the diabetes industry, though. I am sure this is one of the prime reasons why there are now, commercials on mainstream media, for prescription only medications. Its BIG business, and theres no better salesman out there than your doctor. 
• Andriote does some thinking outside the box, which is helpful: Chronic illness, particularly obesity and diabetes, are multi-faceted diseases which do not have just one contributing factor to them (though at times he seems to suggest they do) and thus, will need a multi-sector response. He speaks about our sedentary jobs, and a poor transit system, and the lure of the food industry, and how addicting high fat/high sugar/high salt/food combinations can be... and the supposed "myth" that healthy foods cost more than unhealthy foods. He even quotes an article from someone who supposedly "destroyed" this myth. What is perhaps not understood by people who claim that healthy food is cheaper than fast food is that most dedicated Type 2 diabetics dont consider healthy food what they consider healthy food, and they have to cut back on carbohydrates in order to control blood glucose, and not rely solely on their medications for control. Id like to see Andriote actually trying to live a lower carbohydrate lifestyle, at a grocery store, with a maximum of $350 for 2 people, for a month worth of groceries, and not being able to eat as many starches, grains, and other foods which ARE the cheaper foods, for their value and how far they go. Living on lean proteins, and veggies, and cutting back on all those starches and breads, and grains is NOT cheap. Also, per the fast food cost example he uses, if one assumes poor people buy value meals at fast food joints to feed all of their family members, one might be very, very naive: there is such a thing as a dollar menu, or less, at these places... And people KNOW this. How can you beat $2 for two double cheeseburgers at McDonalds??? It costs me $2.88 a lb alone, for chicken! (And its cheaper in Iowa, than in many places...) 
• Andriote talks about the need for balance in media industry reporting (Surprisingly): On the one hand, you dont want people dismissing diabetes as not serious enough, but on the other, you dont want to create a public backlash for patients. "When the media do focus on type 2 diabetes, said Sarah Gollust, assistant professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, they give twice as much coverage to the behavioral risks for it than any of the other factors that contribute. But this over-emphasis on personal responsibility tends to blame and stigmatize people with type 2 diabetes or who are obese. Those living with the disease may feel its their fault if they cant always maintain the ideal blood sugar level. Worst of all, said Gollust, public support could erode as people are expected to cover the costs, however they can, of a medical condition its believed they brought on themselves ... Public support for addressing diabetes is imperative when you consider the tremendous amount of money it costs to manage the disease." This is a very important reality that we, as Type 2 Diabetes patients face as we strive to manage this disease. We NEED support, and we cant succeed without it. However, many of the undercutting remarks Andriote makes, including his headline, are FAR from being fair and balanced, and certainly not supportive! On page 2, Andriote has a "listing" of facts, and goes on to say that "Although there is a genetic predisposition for type 2 diabetes, the vast number of cases are the outcome of poor diet, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle." Of course, this is contradictory... because ALL cases are of genetic predisposition. If not, then ALL obese persons would have diabetes -- and this is simply not the case. (I wont even go into his usage of the phrase "people of color" to talk about African-Americans, Latinos, and other minorities...) 

The Bad in this Article: 

• Andriote, sort of, implies that most Type 2 Diabetics could manage their condition without the need for medications, if they just try a little hard, and then they would be cured. There is a BIG disconnect in here: 
• For one -- he fails to realize that by the time the average person is diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, their disease is so advanced, they have lost nearly 40-80% of their beta cell function, making it extremely challenging to near impossible to control blood glucose levels without the assistance of oral medications, or insulin. Again, being the multi-faceted disease that it is, diabetes NEEDS a more aggressive and aware medical community, as well as increasing efforts in continuous education FOR the medical professionals, as well as patients. A medical professional who cannot think diabetes, and catch all the symptoms and markers of diabetes, in an age when its being considered as an "epidemic," is a medical professional who will endanger lives, and contribute to the rising costs of the disease when it comes to complications that are not being caught on time. 
• Secondly -- The kind of lifestyle changes to achieve true remission and euglycemia, are a lot more stringent than what the ADA might tout. You *cannot* reach euglycemia -- true euglycemia -- while thinking that blood glucose numbers below 180 mg/dL are normal. True euglycemia are levels that are below 140 mg/dL or lower, after 2 hours of eating, and in fact, rarely exceed that. In fact, some might even say below 120 mg/dL at 2 hours, or less. Not everyone can achieve those levels -- especially, if they struggle with hypoglycemia, or  have other health related dietary considerations to make that might not allow them to easily cut back on carbohydrates, or increase certain levels of exercise, etc. I, for example, have to consume 80-100 grams of carbohydrate a day, at a MAXIMUM, in order to maintain my euglycemia. This is unrealistic to many people... and its not a character flaw! It is HARD, often unrealistic, work. 
• Thirdly, he goes on to claim that if folks worked hard at it, they could "cure themselves," and he uses an opinion paper, mind you, to try to back up his assertions. He even goes as far as claiming that this is the opinion of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), by claiming that the ADA says that "maintaining normal blood sugar without medication for at least a year could be considered a "complete remission,"" when in fact, the ADA specifically highlights a the end of the second paragraph, in that same opinion paper that "The opinions and recommendations expressed herein are those of the authors and not the official position of the American Diabetes Association." Moreover, the panel of those expressing their opinions recognized that they had clear conflicts of interest in the matter, and also, found it difficult to reach consensus considering the wide arrange of questions to be considered. The group does, though, make a very telling distinction between a cure, and a remission... which the author of this article seems to gloss over, quite nicely, to what he could take out of context, and better fit into his piece: "Medically, cure may be defined as restoration to good health, while remission is defined as abatement or disappearance of the signs and symptoms of a disease (3). Implicit in the latter is the possibility of recurrence of the disease. Many clinicians consider true cure to be limited to acute diseases. Infectious diseases could be seen as a model: acute bacterial pneumonia can be cured with antibiotics, but HIV infection, currently, can at best be stated to be in remission or converted to a chronic disease. The consensus group considered the history of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which evolved from a uniformly fatal disease to one that could be put into remission to one that can now often be considered cured (4). Conversely, chronic myelocytic leukemia is now considered to be in prolonged remission, but not cured, with therapies such as imatinib ... For a chronic illness such as diabetes, it may be more accurate to use the term remission than cure. Current or potential future therapies for type 1 or type 2 diabetes will likely always leave patients at risk for relapse, given underlying pathophysiologic abnormalities and/or genetic predisposition. However, terminology such as “prolonged remission” is probably less satisfactory to patients than use of the more hopeful and definitive term “cure” after some period of time has elapsed. Additionally, if cure means remission that lasts for a lifetime, then by definition a patient could never be considered cured while still alive. Hence, it may make sense operationally to consider prolonged remission of diabetes essentially equivalent to cure. This is analogous to certain cancers, where cure is defined as complete remission of sufficient duration that the future risk of recurrence is felt to be very low."

You see, it is one thing to call something a "cure," because it is more hopeful, and more satisfactory to a patient... than for that to be, actually, a cure. The likelihood might be low, but it is, in fact, not a cure. As a comparison to HIV made above, for example, people like Magic Johnson have had their HIV infection in remission for years, but would would we say that hes cured? Not in a million years. Just because I cant "infect you" with diabetes does not mean Im cured. This debate among colleagues does not equate to something actually being "officially" considered a cure. Obviously, operationally, we cannot treat presently uncontrolled diabetes in the same way as diabetes in tight control, or in remission... So DUH, it can be "operationally" a cure, but not in truth. Remission is remission. A cure, is a cure. This is truly, irresponsible journaling at its best. 

I would add that the amount of mental focus that is required in maintaining diet, food carbohydrate counts, exercise, and meal planning often borders on obsessive and unhealthy, and ends in many an eating disorder for many diabetes patients. The psychological ramifications of attaining euglycemia, at all costs, for many... have NOT been assessed, and yet, they are just as much a part of the disease as hyperglycemia and other markers. Diabetes is NOT just a disease of high blood glucose!  

• The author uses statistical scare tactics to put the fear of God in you: But he does not put them in perspective. Its one thing to discuss how the rate of diabetes will triple, or double, or whatever. Its quite another to not discuss the rate of population growth, right along with that. Obviously, people ARE reproducing, and diabetes isnt just happening in a vacuum where the rate is growing by leaps and bounds larger than what it is. Its hard to say, because what will the population be in 2050? Our population is EXPLODING to what are potentially unsustainable levels, and of course, thats going to make numbers for any disease seem scary high, without some perspective. What would the rate be in RELATION to total population at that time? THAT is what the question should truly be... In addition, the author wrongly states that the prevalence of obesity has been increasing, year after year, when the prevalence of obesity has remained STEADY for the last 12 years.  Could it change, tomorrow? Sure... but for now, I think we can say many folks are starting to be more conscious of obesity, and their health, even if they might not see themselves as overweight. Andriote fails to keep balance in the picture hes trying to paint.
• While Andriote wants to instill a sense of seriousness to diabetes, while claiming we need support, he attacks commercials with friendly faces and role models, claiming that persons who are fit, or joggers, or younger folks -- are not what most Type 2 Diabetics are like. Perhaps not (some) newly diagnosed Type 2 Diabetics, but is it wrong to have positive role models to aspire to? Is it wrong to see that some of us HAVE made changes, and CAN live a healthful life? Is it wrong for me to see another 35 year old I can relate to, on the tv? I fail to see just what he wants to accomplish, here. Does he want a fat, old Joe, sitting on a sofa, not able to move, and popping pills, or doing leg exercises from a chair, because he cant move? Would THAT be more appropriate? Or perhaps, he wants people with their limbs amputated, like the city of New Yorks shocking diabetes ad campaign? Im not sure whats the alternative hes looking for, here, and whats running through his mind. 

Of course, I cant end without discussing... that headline. "Curing Diabetes: How Type 2 Became an Accepted Lifestyle" ... Im guessing hes trying to say most people just "accept" and take the diagnosis as a given, that they will need to live with this disease, forever... and take pills forever. But boy, is it an uneducated headline. Yes, people can live pill free, for a while... and depending WHEN they were diagnosed, if it was late in life -- maybe they might never have to take any meds, ever. But no, its not a cure. Type 2 Diabetes IS a progressive illness, and the likelihood of a need for medications increases with the LENGTH of time weve had this disease -- and not exactly with how well weve taken care of it. Time goes by, and not in vain... our bodies DO age. Things break down. My father was in remission for years, yet he was never cured; diabetes still progressed, and still took his life. It happens.

Diabetes is not an "accepted lifestyle" anyone chose, anymore than people who got AIDS or HIV (by whatever method), CHOSE that as their lifestyle. I bet you $1,000,000 that this author would NEVER dream of writing "Curing HIV: How HIV Became an Accepted Lifestyle," merely because he read an opinion piece on how one can keep HIV in remission for YEARS. The headline even seems to sort of imply that we "coddle" people into being lazy about their care, and lazy about "curing themselves," so that we dont need to support them. Its not a disease, if you would, its a "lifestyle." Yes, because Type 2 Diabetes is sooooooo glamorous. Its the lifestyle of the fat, and sloppy, and just give me my Metformin, over here. Ill take it with a side of that value meal, please. 

Sadly, Andriote could have done SO MUCH to advocate and help our community, but instead he chose the low road of blame, and veiled vitriol in between his lines. How someone who has written for the AIDS community can be so close minded about the needs of another equally ostracized community is BEYOND me. 

The 25 Food Project Finale Recipes Conclusions and an Exit Interview

Our Project has come to an end. The Husband-Elect, a six-foot, 205-pound man in his mid-30s, has been successfully fed for a week on $25. Needless to say, we are celebrating with beer.

Thanks to everyone who wrote throughout with suggestions (especially wosnes and CJ). Your ideas were super helpful, especially during a mid-week culinary rut, when my sinuses threatened to take over the world.

Included below is a breakdown of the week: the final numbers, an analysis of what worked and what didn’t, the Husband-Elect’s exit interview, and recipes made over the last seven days. I’d love to hear what you think and what you would have done differently.

In the meantime…

THE NUMBERS

Final cost total: $24.99
Daily cost average: $3.57
Daily calorie average: 2631 calories
Daily fat average: 86.7 g fat
Daily fiber average: 38.4 g fiber
Daily average prep time: About 48 minutes per day, total

The fat and fiber are a little higher than recommended, and the calorie intake means he’ll probably lose some weight over the course of a year. I’m satisfied, though still kicking myself for not including protein. Maybe next time.

About the prep time: staying within a strict budget means you gotta cook at home. For me, 48 minutes a day is worth it. Your mileage may vary, and that’s okay.


THE THREE MOST UNEXPECTED FINDINGS

1) Husband-Elect was always full at the end of the day (sometimes egregiously so). I never thought he would go hungry, but I figured the budget restrictions would mean some deprivation. It wasn’t so.

2) Including produce was tougher than expected. Stating the obvious: when your budget is this limited, fruit and vegetables are expensive, at least compared to a box of pasta. Since produce isn’t very calorie dense, serving it and still hitting that daily 2600-calorie number was rough. We managed, but with effort.

3) How much the average adult male eats compared to the average adult female. Honestly? It was eye opening. At 5’ 9”, I am not a small woman, but the comparative amount of calories, fat, protein, and fiber he required blew me away.

About that last part: I have a newfound, monstrous respect for those of you who feed athletes, teenage boys, larger guys, and anyone who requires a lot of calories in general. I shudder to think what this project would have been like using my mountainous younger brother, who makes The Rock look like Steve Buscemi.


WHAT WORKED OUT

• Starting with a big chunk of meat and stretching it as far as it would go. I used a 3.5-lb pork shoulder over and over: in tacos, on top of egg noodles, as a breakfast side, in a peanut sauce, etc. It always felt significant, even when it was only a few ounces.
• Making a big pot of chili at the beginning of the week. Dense, nutritious, and filling, the veggie-and-bean dish became the basis for a lot of lunches. I only wish I had used it in more creative ways.
• Coupons, shopping from the circular, and unexpected discounts. I found fantastic bargains on potatoes, canned tomatoes, dried egg noodles, and organic salad greens. Staying flexible with the plan and keeping an eye out for bargains was vital.
• Big, healthy breakfasts. They kept Husband-Elect sated for a good chunk of the day, and I didn’t have to scramble to make up the calories later.
• Baking. Ain’t nothing wrong with a few homemade cookies, which are usually cheaper and always better tasting than store bought.
• Starches. Potatoes, pasta, rice, oatmeal – some not terribly healthy, others outrageously so. But they filled him up for little cost, and it helped.
• Fruit. Especially bananas. Versatile, cheap, nutritious, portable, readily available. We always have a big bowl, and now I know why.
• Peanut butter. How did people live before peanut butter? Thank you, George Washington Carver or Mr. Jif or whomever.

WHAT DIDN’T WORK OUT

• Using too few generics. Tiny flavor differences, huge price differences. Buying house brand foods would have halved the cost of some dishes.
• Not allowing for more snacking and grazing. I mentioned this a few days ago, but it’s tough to avoid eating when the urge strikes, whether you’re on a budgetary diet or an actual diet.
• Low-fat foods. I buy skim milk and 2% cheese, because he can’t tell the difference and I per them for myself. When you’re trying to pack in so many calories, these are not helpful. It made me wonder how households manage when one person is trying to lose weight, while the other is eating normally.
• Canned beans. I should have bought dried. They would have gone much further.
• Coffee. It’s not terribly expensive, but it has no real nutritional value, either. Two cups on Sunday almost killed my budget.

EXIT INTERVIEW WITH THE HUSBAND-ELECT

How do you feel?
I feel well fed, but I think I was somewhat overfed. During the experiment I felt like dinner was too much, and by the time I got home from work I wanted less more often. With a full breakfast and healthy lunch followed by a hearty dinner, my stomach was bloated each night.

Do you feel like you ate too little, just enough, or too much?
I think I ate a little too much. Again, dinner every night was an enormous meal after being filled for much of the day. Fantastic food, but I think I could have had less each night, maybe a smaller dinner with a little healthy snack later. I’m not much of a dessert person, and although it was a nice treat, I wouldn’t want a dessert every night for a week ever again.

What was the best part about the week?
I think when you got linked to by Boing Boing and Lifehacker. Also peanut butter spread on banana bread. Yes I know I’m contradicting my previous dessert statement, but something like that glorious combo is a magical rare treat, not something to toss in to fill out a calorie count. And when I say magical, I mean at least a third level cleric healing spell magical.

What was the worst part about the week?
The worst was being told I could have bacon on Saturday and Sunday then having that dream ripped away and replaced by something not bacon.

Has it changed any of your opinions on money and food?
It certainly has. It’s reminded me that it’s nice to have some cash to treat oneself, and I’m grateful that I can afford a dinner out and a beer sometimes, because I missed them. On the other hand, I’ve always enjoyed a home cooked meal, and this past week I got plenty of them. I also appreciate that YOU love these things so much, so I can enjoy it with you, and stuff my face. Thanks!

What are you going to eat tomorrow?
Pizza and beer and nachos and lobster and ostrich. In a slurry. Or maybe sushi. With a salad.

Do you like the shirt I’m wearing?
It’s ok. I think you’re much cuter in the plaid blue and white number your sister gave you.


RECIPES

These are the foods that got us through the week. Some aren’t terribly healthy, but all are inexpensive and tasty as heck.

Banana Ice Cream with Peanut Butter
Brown Gravy
Easy Vegetarian Bean Chili
Gingersnap Oatmeal
Light Banana Bread
Maple Morning Polenta
Pancakes
Peanut Sauce
Roasted Chickpeas
Slow Cooked Puerto Rican Pork
Snickerdoodles
Traditional Mashed Potatoes
White Bean Dip

A grocery list is forthcoming.


RELATED POSTS

In case you want more details, these posts document every step of the experiment. Its a good thing we own several calculators.

The $25 Food Project: One Man, Seven Days, 21 Meals
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Ask the Internet: $25 Grocery List from Scratch?

In the meantime, readers, I’d love to hear what you have to say. The comment section awaits!

~~~
If you like this article, you might also like:

• The Argument for Spending More on Food
• The Case for Frozen Food
• Spend Less, Eat Healthier: The Five Most Important Things You Can Do

An Evil Downside of Disease Management Humor

 

Did you know that there is published research that demonstrates that every time a person was signed up for the early versions of commercial disease management, a kitten somewhere in Washington D.C. died?  No wonder health policy makers and academics were so opposed to these programs!

 

The Disease Management Care Blog will explore the issue in greater detail during its presentation at the Care Continuum Alliance Forum12 meeting.

 

See you there!



(If you want a PowerPoint slide, let me know)

An Overview of Vitamin World

Nutritional supplements are in huge demand further one of the most established companies in this competitive market is Vitamin World. Vitamin system is a well established manufacturer and retailer of nutritional supplements. There are over 550 Vitamin World stores in the United States. However, heartfelt is the online side of their business that is flush more active. The Vitamin system website has an extremely efficient automated order enjoyment system that is sharply sophisticated. This allows Vitamin macrocosm to happening orders and dispatch them to thousands of households across the country.

The manufacturing side of Vitamin globe was established in the 1960s dominion Long Island, higher York. Nowadays, vitamin world produces supplementary than a thousand nutritional addition products. The attempt rank that Vitamin has is extremely extensive and includes vitamins, minerals and herbs consequence every available temperament including tablets, two tomato capsules, benign gel capsules, powders further liquids. unitary of the Vitamin World products are manufactured consequence their own state-of-the art facilities in Long Island.

Vitamin system has grown into a well respected nutritional adjunct provider and this is due, clout part, to the millions of dollars that it has invested in the manufacturing again quality control aspects of the business. The demand through quality nutritional supplements is constantly increasing also Vitamin World keeps ahead of the trends duck its own scientists again researchers striving to develop spare products to satisfy the needs of the public.

All of the Vitamin macrocosm wares are developed in league cloak multifarious expound and federal agencies, including the FDA and the U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP), to confirm that their test procedures guarantee their strength and beneficial qualities. This gives all Vitamin world customers the reassurance that their nutritional supplements are produced to the highest feasible standards again mask the optimum amount of integrity available. The processes used by Vitamin World have become the benchmark for many other nutritional addendum manufacturers also retailers to aspire to.

Customers now have the choice of buying the Vitamin World products through a traditional support or in the comfort of their own homely since the website. The efficiency of their website strives to deliver quality vitamin appendix products in the shortest time feasible and guarantees full customer satisfaction. Vitamin system continues to develop else and more effective nutritional supplements and manufacture them force convenient forms to enable people of all ages to be compelling to have the nutritional health that their diet and lifestyle may not provide.

An easy way to Treat Gout

Health for human | Surely everyone already knows what its uric acid ... for the uninitiated uric acid. Uric acid is a disease of the joints and tendons menyertang caused by deposits of urate crystals. Urate crystals deposited were caused by deposits of uric acid crystals are gradually formed in the affected joint or tendon resulting in inflammation.

These diseases tend to be experienced by men because the hormone estrogen in women there is help remove uric acid through urine disposal, but the men do not have the hormone estrogen, so that a higher uric acid level. So men are more competent to experiencing a gout pain.

However, did not rule on the female menopause also because there is where the women did not produce the hormone estrogen.

Basically, the uric acid will be released in the body through the stool (feces) and urine, but because the kidneys are unable to remove uric acid levels are increased there lead in the body. Another thing that can increase levels of uric acid is that we consume too many foods high in purines. Further excess uric acid will accumulate in the joints, causing pain or swelling.

Symptoms of uric acid that is, the Tingling and rheumatic pain, especially at night or early morning when I wake up joints affected by gout visible swelling, redness, heat and tremendous pain during the night and morning.

Addressing solutions to the treatment Doing Gout uric acid levels returned to normal. Normal levels are 2.4 to 6 for women and 3.0 to 7 for men. one of them, namely:

Control of food intake, drink plenty of water. With lots of drinking water, we can help get rid of purines in the body.

Avoid foods (containing much purine), namely:

Side dishes such as organ meats, liver, kidney, spleen, tripe, intestines, lungs and brain. Seafood such as shrimp, clams, squid, crab. Canned food like corned beef and sardines. Meat, eggs, broth or gravy is thick.

Legumes such as soybeans (including processed products such as tempeh, tauco, oncom, soy milk), peanuts, green beans, bean sprouts, melinjo, chips. Leaf vegetables such as spinach, kale, cassava leaves, asparagus, cauliflower, green beans. Fruits such as durian, avocado, pineapple, coconut water.

Drinks and foods containing alcohol such as beer, whiskey, wine. etc.

An Overview of LASIK Eye Surgery

Many people are talking about LASIK this and LASIK that, but you dont understand what LASIK is? If you are wearing contact lenses or glasses, probably you might be interested in LASIK. LASIK is an acronym for Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It is a type of eye surgery to reshape cornea and improve your visual acuity. With LASIK eye surgery, many people have achieved better vision without having to wear glasses or contact lenses.

LASIK eye surgery uses laser beams to remove the corneal tissue without disturbing nearby cells. Before that, a hinged corneal flap is created with microkeratome blade or laser (IntraLase method) and after the underlying corneal tissue has been removed, the corneal flap is repositioned. The flap will stick to the underlying cornea on its own and heals quickly. It is a painless procedure because the LASIK surgeon will use anesthetic eye drops to numb your eye. You may feel a little uncomfortable because your eyelids are secured with a small instrument to keep your eye wide open during the LASIK eye surgery.

LASIK eye surgery has been the most popular eye surgery these days because the cornea healing with LASIK procedure is faster and less painful than other eye surgeries, such as PRK (Photo Refractive Keratectomy). It has been performed on more than one million people in the world. In the United States, the practice of LASIK surgery is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including the approval of all medical devices used for the procedure, especially the lasers used for LASIK. However, FDS does not have the authority to set the price for LASIK, recommend any LASIK surgeons or clinics or laser centers or provide ratings of lasers approved for the LASIK procedure.

However, not every eye problems can be treated with LASIK eye surgery. LASIK eye surgery is for people with common vision problems as follows:
- Nearsightedness (myopia)
People who are near-sighted are only able to clearly see things near them and things that are far away may seem blur to them.
- Farsightedness (hyperopia)
People who are far-sighted cannot see near things clearly but able to see clearly things that are far away.
- Astigmatism
People with astigmatism are difficult to see things clearly at any distance because of irregularities in the cornea or the lens of the eye.

It can also treat people with a combination of above problems, such as myopia and astigmatism or hyperopia and astigmatism.

LASIK cannot correct or prevent presbyopia, which is a type of vision problem in people at the age of 40 or older. This means that if you have had LASIK surgery, you still have to wear bifocal glasses when you already have presbyopia.

So, if you are really interested in LASIK to eliminate your dependence on glasses or contact lenses, consult with your doctor to determine if you are eligible for LASIK or not and make sure you know the risks and complications that LASIK eye surgery may cause. Comprehensive eye examinations, using a number of medical equipments will be taken and a few questions will be asked before you can undergo LASIK.

by: Lina Lee

Article Source : An Overview of LASIK Eye Surgery