Artificial Pancreas for Type 1 Diabetics

For several years now, people have been discussing the Artificial Pancreas, which is now in clinical trials in the U.S. The artificial pancreas is an external device which uses a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump combined with a sophisticated computer algorithm to automatically deliver insulin to the body based on real-time changes in blood sugar levels. The system automatically increases insulin delivery when it senses blood sugars going above the high end of a pre-set range and slows down or turns off insulin delivery when it senses blood sugars moving below the low end of a pre-set range.

Millions of people suffer from type 1 diabetes and many of them have lost their ability to sense blood sugar lows so this technology could potentially save their life. It will also help prevent type 1 diabetics from experiencing a potentially life-threatening blood sugar low in the middle of the night. In addition, it will allow for much tighter control of blood sugar levels, reducing the long-term health consequences and medical costs associated with the disease. One study suggests that the device could reduce Medicare costs by $22 million after only ten years and by $1.0 billion after 25 years (http://www.jdrf.org/files/General_Files/APP/Changes_in_Medicare_Spending_for_Type1.pdf).

For more information on this and other great projects sponsored by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, please visit JDRF.org.

Further Reading

• The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group. Lifetime benefits and costs of intensive therapy as practiced in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial. JAMA 1996;276:1409-15.
• Kowalski AJ. Can we really close the loop and how soon? Accelerating the availability of an artificial pancreas: a roadmap to better diabetes outcomes. Diabetes Technol Ther. Jun 2009;11 Suppl 1:S113-119.
• Hovorka R, Allen JM, Elleri D, et al. Manual closed-loop insulin delivery in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: a phase 2 randomised crossover trial. Lancet. Feb 27;375(9716):743-751.

~Lori Dotson, CPT, CPFT, PES, BA, MS
President, DotsoFit, LLC

Copyright © 2012

Spotlight on Rou Quan - Soft Fist

Rou Quan is a favourite form of mine because it mixes internal and external together. It may look gentle but that's because the strength is hidden inside the movement. It can make you quickly tired because you need to stay in the stances for a longer time. Sometimes the movement is soft and at other times you need to use power but this power is not the same as when you use power in a kung fu form, it is a special combination of mixing internal and external.

Rou Quan is a famous Shaolin form, which is independent from all the other forms. One of the reasons for this is because it has some famous traditional techniques hidden in the movement. If they are not pointed out then a person may practice the form and be totally unaware of this. At the Shaolin Temple, Qigong practioners practise it, as do kung fu practioners because it perfectly complements both internal training and external training.

It needs more space than Qi Gong so try and go outside or to a park and run through it two or three times a few times a week. Once your body remembers it you can let go of thinking and it will tap into the innate harmony in your body. Not only qill it improve your Qigong and Kung Fu but I guarantee you will feel peaceful after practicing Rou Quan and more ready to face the day. 

Watch Rou Quan 

Purchase Rou Quan DVD

The High Cost of Diabetes

Diabetes is the 6th leading cause of death where I live (New Mexico) and the 7th leading cause in the United States in general. Complications from diabetes include premature death, cardiovascular disease, blindness, end-stage kidney disease, and lower extremity amputations. People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and stroke and about 65% of deaths in people with diabetes are due to these conditions. Not only are the medical costs associated with this disease very high, but there are ancillary costs, such as costs due to lower productivity, disability and loss of productive life due to premature death, which increase the overall cost of this disease.

 Diabetes Deaths by Year, New Mexico 2000-2010 and U.S. 2000-2009


Focus on diet, exercise, and lifestyle change has thus far been relatively ineffective at curbing this epidemic. Furthermore, these types of changes would have little effect on type 1 diabetics who are insulin-dependent. Therefore, the solution in my mind is to first find better methods of controlling blood sugar levels, such as the Artificial Pancreas Project for type 1 diabetes and better medication for type 2 diabetes, and second, find a cure for these diseases.

~Lori Dotson, CPT, CPFT, PES, BA, MS
President, DotsoFit, LLC


Copyright © 2012

Friendlies Soccer Tournament

Vipers and Stars preparing for the shootout

This weekend girls and boys soccer teams in the Greater Albuquerque area fine tuned their skills at the 13^th Annual GroundHogWash Friendlies 2K12 Tournament in preparation for their regular season. As the name implies, the games were fun and friendly. 

A rare miss by Stars' goalkeeper who was stellar

But what made this tournament extra special, in my opinion, is that girl teams played boy teams in this round robin tournament. The U13/U14 age group included 3 boys teams and 3 girls teams. Two of those teams (pictured here) played late Saturday afternoon.

Viper's coach discussing the lineup

While my son played for the East Mountain Vipers, I also cheered for the East Mountain Stars girls' team as did many other Vipers' parents. The girls demonstrated a lot of raw skill and determination that brought back fond memories from my youth as a player in the Niagara Pioneer Soccer League in western New York.

The boys quickly overcame their hesitation to play a girls team after the first few minutes of the game. The girls were out there for one reason and one reason only -- TO PLAY SOCCER -- and that they did.

 End of game handshake

I give the players and coaches on both sides a lot of credit for displaying good sportsmanship and professionalism on the field. I think the boys even picked up some tips from their female opponents -- they learned the importance of talking on the field, something that comes much more naturally to girls than to boys!

Much fun was had by all on this first day of the tournament, Saturday, February 11th.   

~Lori Dotson, CPT, CPFT, PES, BA, MS
President, DotsoFit, LLC

Copyright © 2012 

4 Small Steps To Wellness

1) One small step

"When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur... Don't look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time." John Wooden - successful basketball coach

Taking one small step makes our training manageable. If you can keep your skill over the winter months and not lose your stamina or technique this means you are improving. If you've stopped training, then take two movements from The Eight Treasures Qigong form and practice them for a few minutes every morning. It will make you feel better and give you the motivation to keep going.

2) Integrate the training into your life

Everything we do can be an expression of our Shaolin training. When we stand in a queue we can spend that time to go over in our mind the form we are practicing. When we walk to the supermarket we can walk quickly to help our fitness. If you have kids, go to the park and play football or tag. Teach your kids how to do the Five Fundamental Stances and have fun with it.

3) Get outside

The more you stay inside the more you start to feel lazy so try to go outside at least once a week and do your training in a park or an outside space. It may be a little cold but the autumn air is cool and refreshing. Training outside can help to ground and connect us with the greater Qi.  

4) Stay in the present moment

 "The moon's reflection on the surface of the water moves incessantly. Yet the moon shines and goes nowhere; it stays but it moves"

Now never returns. Every breath we breathe can never come back. The breath that comes after is never the one that came before. Yesterday was yesterday and today is different. If we can concentrate on the here and now then we can keep our practice fresh and new.

For more info visit: http://www.shifuyanlei.co.uk/

Exercise Improves Your Sex Life

A 2008 study revealed a significant correlation between exercise and sexual arousal in women. The study showed higher levels of alpha-amylase (a marker of sympathetic nervous system activity) in women who exercised versus those who did not¹.

A 2010 study revealed that healthy men who engaged in moderate physical activity (such as a brisk walk 30 minutes per day 4 days per week) were two-thirds less likely to experience sexual dysfunction than their sedentary counterparts².

Life's short, have a blast!

~Lori Dotson, CPT, CPFT, PES, BA, MS
President, DotsoFit, LLC

References
¹Hamilton, L.D., Rellini, A.H., and Meston, C.M. 2008. Cortisol, Sexual Arousal, and Affect in Response to Sexual Stimuli. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 5(9), 2111-2118.

²McNamara, E., Alfred-Thomas, J., and Freeland, S.J. 2010 Exercise Correlates to Higher Sexual Function Scores in a Cohort of Healthy Men. Presented at the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association.


Copyright © 2012

Pumping Up On the Juice

So far no signs of back acne, mood swings, or enlarged erogenous zones...LOL...Gotcha...I am talking about juicing people...veggies, fruits and all the healthy JUICE the body can handle. Ready to continue on this journey with me...I have been researching the whole concept of healing foods, juicing, organic vs. un-organic...always looking to improve, and put quality fuel in my body.  What got this whole ball rolling was watching three documentaries…Food Inc., Forks over Knives, and Food Matters…want to watch something that will open your eyes in a big way…well…this did it for me.  Just when I thought I was doing everything right, eating what I thought was “clean” foods…the buzz word for healthy stuff…I get blown out of my chair with the research documented on these shows.  Really, Really??? Well…what do I do with that…I start my own research on food and what to consume…digging into the whole organic reality and what is going on in this world…YUCK…did you know it is very political…sadly, but true.  I will leave it at that and let you do some exploring. 

Organic for ME

All I have to say is that I am just like you…always a work in progress and I also believe that I need to not only be knowledgeable but also able to share accurately…OMG…this has been interesting to say the least. Further, I think this is going to be a several part blog as the more I dig, the more complicated things become.  I will talk about the meats on another blog, but will quickly share that all meats that will fuel this 47 year young body will be free range organic from now on…so I will need to say goodbye to my $1.88lb chicken breast :/…unless a super duper organic sale comes up and then I will be stocking my freezer…you know me…wheel deal, coupon cherry picker;)  OK…back to  the juicing…I have a Vita Mix Blender and I am not going to expend further money purchasing a specialty juicer…I mean really…this thing would grind steel as it is…so I am good to go.  

My discovery on veggies is that they are a little more difficult to determine which to purchase organic. A fabulous Google search, believe it or not, provided an online link for the “Dirty Dozen” list of  fruits and vegetables always to purchase organic and a list of OK items to buy non-organic…YEAH.  Organic or not, I always wash my produce just to be sure as I have read stories on how cutting through the skin or rind can send YUCK bacteria right into the fruit.  Do I think I have done a horrible job maintaining my 47 year young self with the foods I have been eating so far…a BIG NO…making the choice to eat more organic is just an additional way for me to maintain ME even better…CLEANER if you will.  I have shared that Staying Healthy is a daily journey and never a destination and there is always progress to be made.  Well…that means in every aspect of my journey with living a quality Stay Healthy life.

What I am doing now is researching which vegetables and fruits work for certain conditions and everyday taking care of my body. For example…juicing the cucumbers daily for my skin and hair, ginger to alleviate menstrual cramps, and a variety of other veggies as powerful antioxidants to reduce the risk of many diseases and cancer…OK…strongly in on the juicing.  You know how I love my protein shakes as well, so I will mix it up by creating a juice/shake combo and it works for me.  Veggies, fruits, and seeds I like to keep on hand to juice it up…fresh spinach, cucumbers, celery, broccoli, blueberries, carrots, fresh parsley, ginger root, dried prunes, apples, oranges, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and almonds.  You may be thinking…OMG…broccoli in a shake…but when I juice the veggies and fruits together, it takes on a whole new flavor and a healthy fresh goodness to the blend.   

The best part of all, no nutrient breakdown that comes with cooking the veggies…just raw blended goodness in a glass!  I am so excited about my new juicing adventure and it is fun to come up with new blends everyday…in the back of my mind is a sweet potato ginger root creation in the making.  Saying that I pump up on the juice is, YES..one of the new ways I maintain me...HEALTHY and happy to say that I will be a lifetime JUICER...the journey continues;) 

My Workout of the Day:

20 Minute ARC trainer

Light Dumbbell Body Circuit (5lb weights) & Negative Pull-up/Jack Interval

Neg pull-ups (7 reps)

Jumping Jacks (20 reps)

Squat to Military Press Alternate sides (20 reps per side)

Core punch fronts (50 reps)

Neg pull-ups (7 reps)

Jumping Jacks (20 reps)

Lunge back biceps curls (20 reps per side)

One leg squat with lateral raise (15 reps per side)

Neg pull-ups (7 reps)

Jumping Jacks (20 reps)

Alternating lateral squat with front raise (20 reps)

Walking lunges (20 reps)

Neg Pull-ups (7 reps)

Jumping Jacks (20 reps)

Wide stance squat with alternating Military press (20 reps)

Stationary lunge hold with Triceps kickbacks (20 reps per side)

Neg pull-ups (7 reps)

STRETCH TIME

My Daily Blend

Favorite Juice/Shake Combo (Makes 2):

I put this together in my Vita Mix Blender

¼ raw pumpkin seeds

Handful of fresh organic blueberries

2 stalks organic celery, washed

1 large organic broccoli flower

1 cup organic fresh baby spinach

½ organic apple, washed, no seeds

1 large organic tangerine or orange

3 dried prunes

¼ inch ginger root

Handful organic baby carrots

4 sprigs washed organic fresh parsley

2 heaping tablespoons N/F Greek Plain Yogurt

½ Scoop Vanilla Whey Protein Powder

¼ cup All Bran cereal

¼ to ½ cup Organic Vanilla Soy Milk

Ice and Blend…FABULOUS!

Enjoy My Stay Healthy Avocado Mousse for Two featured on the “In My Kitchen Page”

IF YOU ENJOYED MY BLOG, LIKE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT, AND IF INSPIRED TO SUPPORT STAY HEALTHY FITNESS WITH A SHAKE DONATION…THANK YOU SO MUCH!

STAY HEALTHY!