The governor of New York has proposed an 18% tax on sweetened beverages, as part of a strategy to help boost the state's budget.

The spin on this tax, according to Op-Ed Columnist Nicholas D. Kristoff, is that New Yorkers will benefit from this tax, by ultimately limiting their purchase of sodas and other sweetened drinks and choosing non-taxed healthy options like water and unsweetened drinks instead.

It's true that sugary sodas and drinks are empty calories and can lead to obesity. If you are a regular soda drinker, giving up these drinks can help you lose 20 pounds in a year, according to studies. And dropping 5 to 7 percent of your body weight can lessen or even prevent type 2 diabetes.

So, is NY state helping New Yorkers to get healthy? Should soft drinks be taxed? Take this poll and find out how others feel. Or, post a comment below.

The Endocrine Society has issued an article for patients on the recent Lantus study that showed an increase in cancers among Lantus insulin users. The society says that the German study is inconclusive at best considering four other recent studies did not show a correlation between Lantus and an increased risk of cancer.

The article reads, "The Endocrine Society and The Hormone Foundation, the public education affiliate of The Endocrine Society, recommend that patients continue with their current insulin therapy until they have discussed with their physicians the reasons why a particular insulin treatment was prescribed. In addition, patients with diabetes, like all other individuals, should make sure that they follow recommended procedures for screening and early detection of cancer, such as periodic mammography and colonoscopy, and they avoid actions that are known to be associated with cancer, such as smoking."

To read the entire article, follow this link...

• Recommendations for Patients from the Endocrine Society on Lantus® (Insulin Glargine) and Cancer - July 2, 2009

An article that appeared in this month's Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, cites a study that shows that diabetics who undergo joint replacement surgery have fewer complications afterwards if they keep good control of their blood glucose levels before and after the surgery.

Patients with controlled diabetes had significantly fewer adverse events after surgery than patients with uncontrolled diabetes.

Also, according to the article, "Patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus had a significantly increased length of stay (almost a full day) as compared with patients with controlled diabetes."

If joint replacement surgery is in your future, it pays to have blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible, both before surgery and during recovery time.

A study from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine investigated the effectiveness of chromium picolinate on insulin sensitivity in obese adults who had metabolic syndrome.

The 63 participants took either chromium picolinate or a placebo twice a day for 16 weeks. Insulin sensitivity, and other hallmarks of metabolic syndrome, including oxidative stress, fasting lipid serums (cholesterol and triglycerides), body weight, and inflammation markers were measured.

The results of the study showed that chromium picolinate did not affect any of these. It did seem to increase the ability of the pancreas to secrete insulin when it was needed to control glucose in the blood.

The scientists state that chromium picolinate is not an effective treatment for metabolic syndrome. Diet and exercise are still the best way to prevent or reverse metabolic syndrome.

More from your diabetes guide:

• Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes