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

The FDA has issued an advisory stating that four recently-published observational studies have shown an increase in cancer risk for people with diabetes who use Lantus insulin (insulin glargine).

According to a press release from the FDA, "The four observational studies evaluated large patient databases and all reported some level of association between the use of insulin glargine, and other insulin products, and various types of cancer. The duration of patient follow-up in all four studies was shorter than what is generally considered necessary to evaluate for cancer risk from drug exposure."

There were also some inconsistencies in the studies which may indicate that a link between Lantus and cancer risk is weak to nonexistent.

The FDA is in the process of looking at these studies as well as other clinical trials to try to get a better picture of whether the increased risk of cancer does exist. The manufacturer of Lantus is working with the FDA to determine whether additional studies are required to establish the safety of Lantus.

As of right now, the FDA is recommending that people do not stop taking Lantus if it has been prescribed for them. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can cause serious complications both short and long term. Contact your doctor if you have any concerns about Lantus.

According to a press release from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, scientists have discovered that young adults, between the ages of 18 and 30 years old, who have low aerobic fitness levels are two to three times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes within 20 years than those who are aerobically fit.

The study, which came from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, which originally spanned 15 years, from 1984 to 2001, also showed that a person's body mass index (BMI is the most important indicator of increased risk in developing diabetes. The fitness study included 3,989 participants at baseline and 2,231 at the 20-year testing.

Overweight and out-of-shape young adults who increase their aerobic fitness level and achieve a healthy BMI can significantly reduce or even eliminate their risk of having type 2 diabetes in their later years.

Mercedes Carnethon PhD, lead author and assistant professor of preventive medicine states in the press release, "Improving your fitness through physical activity is one way you can modify your body fat," she said. "Research shows that combining regular physical activity with a carefully balanced diet can help most people maintain a healthy body weight and lower the likelihood of developing diabetes."

More from your diabetes guide...

• Aerobic Exercise and Diabetes
• Using a BMI Chart for Obesity Management

Photo courtesy of Digital Vision/Getty Images

Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis and her husband, actor Louis Zorich, have joined forces with Novo Nordisk, to get the word out about free diabetes testing offered by Medicare. Adults 65 and older, who have Medicare, can ask their doctors for the diabetes test.

Over 24 million Americans are estimated to have diabetes and nearly one quarter of this number don't even know they have it. Knowing you have diabetes is so important, because if left untreated, serious complications can occur. Early detection and treatment is paramount to reduce the risk of complications, and to halt or slow the progression of the disease.

Even though Medicare has offered free diabetes screening services to people at risk for diabetes since 2005, the program is not being used as fully as it could be. Older adults don't seem to take advantage of the benefit and many are going undiagnosed. Novo Nordisk would like to get the word out, and asked Olympia and Louis, who has type 2 diabetes, to help launch the Ask.Screen.Know. campaign.

Ms. Dukakis says, in a press release from Novo Nordisk, "We hope you'll join us and commit to getting screened for diabetes. Find out what the risk factors are and manage your health. Learn your blood sugar number and what actions to take. For some people, diabetes and its consequences can be prevented if detected early enough. And it's free! So, just ask your doctor."

_{Photo courtesy of Andrew H. Walker/Stringer/Getty Images}

The FDA has issued a warning that stolen vials of Levemir insulin, a Novo Nordisk Inc. product are currently being sold in the United States. These vials may not have been stored and handled properly, and could possibly be dangerous for patients to use. The FDA is advising patients who use Levemir insulin to:

• Check your personal supply of insulin to determine if you have Levemir insulin from one of the following lots: XZF0036, XZF0037, and XZF0038.
• Do not use your Levemir insulin if it is from one of these lots.
• Always visually inspect your insulin before using it. Levemir is a clear and colorless solution.

The FDA is asking that anyone who has vials of Levemir from these lots contact the Novo Nordisk Customer Care Center at 1-800-727-6500.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that the swine flu (H1N1) virus is now being considered a pandemic. The virus first appeared in Mexico in April of this year and now has been identified in 74 countries. There are almost 30,000 cases around the world with 141 deaths, so far. New cases are being diagnosed everyday.

What does this mean for people with chronic diseases like diabetes? If you have diabetes, your risk of serious complications and symptoms is increased, if you get the flu. Even though most cases of swine flu appear to be mild, it's important to take precautions. There is no vaccination for H1N1 virus yet, so protecting yourself from getting the flu is your best approach.

According to the WHO, here are some facts about swine flu:

• Symptoms usually similar to seasonal flu
• It is a new version of the H1N1 strain which caused the 1918 flu pandemic
• Current treatments do work, but as yet there is no vaccine
• Good personal hygiene, such as washing hands, covering nose when sneezing advised

Saxagliptin, a new DPP-4 inhibitor, which has not been approved yet for diabetes, has shown to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events by as much as 55% in a metastudy done by Bristol-Myers Squibb. DPP-4 inhibitors (dipeptidyl peptidase-4) were originally derived from an enzyme found in lizard spit.

An article that appeared on Med Page Today, states that since the metastudy that was done in 2007 that showed that rosiglitazone (Avandia) could cause fatal cardiac events, the FDA has become more stringent when testing for cardiovascular safety with new drugs.

A metastudy is a compilation of results from several studies. For the saxagliptin metastudy, 3,758 patient-years of saxagliptin use was analyzed. The scientists did not detect an increased risk of cardiovascular events.

More testing is planned for saxagliptin, before the FDA will approve it for treatment of type 2 diabetes. Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca are the two companies who are working to develop saxagliptin. They have already submitted the drug for approval by the FDA, with feedback expected in July of this year.