Health Information Updates
NIDDK diabetes experts now streaming on social media
This winter, NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin Rodgers conducted a series of interviews on Facebook Live with experts from the Institute’s Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases (DEM), to talk about what’s new in diabetes research. In a wide-ranging live Q&A with Dr. William Cefalu, DEM director, the two discussed recent advances in diabetes research, priorities, as well as answering general questions about the different types of diabetes, diabetes management, and signs that someone is at risk.
In a second session, Dr. Christine Lee, DEM program director for clinical research on type 2 diabetes in adults, shared lessons from the landmark Diabetes Prevention Program trial and its long-term outcomes study, DPPOS. Lee also talked about the new Rare and Atypical Diabetes Network, or RADIANT, which is screening volunteers to find and study people with new forms of diabetes.
The third installation featured Dr. Barbara Linder, DEM program director for clinical research on youth and young adults with type 2 diabetes. Linder discussed how federally supported research on type 2 diabetes in U.S. youth helped describe the emerging problem and defined it as a distinctly different disease than adult-onset type 2 diabetes. Linder also talked about an upcoming study about gestational diabetes, a type of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy.
These videos and more are available on NIDDK’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NIDDKgov/videos/. Follow @NIDDKgov on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to watch future livestreams.
This National Kidney Month, take charge of kidney health
About 15% of U.S. adults have chronic kidney disease (CKD), yet many don’t know. Kidney damage from CKD can lead to dialysis or kidney transplant. Managing CKD early can slow kidney disease progression. This March, during National Kidney Month, NIDDK is sharing tips for managing CKD.
“It’s important to educate patients and their health care providers about ways to treat and manage chronic kidney disease,” said NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers, “People should know their risk factors, like underlying health conditions. And they should know that, if diagnosed, chronic kidney disease is manageable. Staying engaged and managing the disease’s progression protects the kidneys.”
Tips for managing CKD include:
- Stay connected with your health care team. Bring questions to appointments and ask about the possibility of telehealth- using a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
- Manage your blood pressure, get vaccinated, and if you have diabetes, monitor blood glucose levels. Use available results and information to guide decisions about physical activities and treatment.
- Take medications as prescribed and avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, like ibuprofen and naproxen). Pharmacists and doctors need to know about your medicines, including vitamins, and supplements. Take all medicine as prescribed and share any side effects with your doctor. Changing medicine on your own could lead to kidney damage.
- Aim for a healthy weight and develop a healthy meal plan. Work with your health care team or a registered dietitian to create a plan to manage weight. Include kidney-healthy foods and beverages you enjoy.
- Reduce stress and make physical activity part of your routine. Explore activities to reduce stress like meditation, relaxation therapy, or visit a qualified mental health therapist. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day.
- Get enough sleep. Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep nightly. Setting a sleep schedule can help.
- Quit Smoking. Cigarettes can make kidney damages worse. Quitting may also lower blood pressure.
For more information about CKD and its causes, treatments, and management approaches, visit https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd.
A year in review: NIDDK looks back on the top diabetes blog posts of 2020
Last year, NIDDK’s Diabetes Discoveries and Practice (DDP) Blog featured more than 30 posts to engage with health care professionals on emerging trends in diabetes care. NIDDK took a look back over these posts in DDP Blog: Best of 2020.
The article highlights the three most popular posts in 2020 and a few other entries that caught readers’ interest.
The most popular post, published April 15, discusses how three innovative technologies — islet chips, lasers, and a wearable ultrasound patch — are changing the way diabetes is understood, diagnosed, and treated.
Rounding out the top three is an article on interpreting A1C tests and a post discussing the rise of obesity in adolescents and how to help reduce their risk.
To subscribe, visit the DDP Blog homepage.