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Cortisol and Weight Gain: How Stress Affects Your Body
Cortisol has become a prominent topic in discussions about weight loss. Often referred to as the “fight or flight” hormone, it is closely associated with stress. Recently, many health and wellness influencers have suggested that elevated cortisol may be responsible for unexplained weight gain or the body’s resistance to weight loss. But is this accurate? Are abnormally high cortisol levels truly contributing to the obesity epidemic? Let’s take a look at what the science says. What is Cortisol? Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands, located on top of the kidneys. It is often referred to as…
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4 Clinical Pearls from the 2024 ATDC Conference
I was very fortunate to attend the 2024 ATDC Conference this year in beautiful Keystone, Colorado. The ATDC Conference has been an integral part of education and case-based studies of pipeline diabetes technology for over 30 years. This year’s focus included keynotes and plenaries on topics such as cardiovascular disease outcomes in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, early detection strategies, updates in AID and Rx/OTC sensors, updates in macro- and microvascular complications, and even a possible cure for type 1 diabetes. Despite being an intimate event, hosted at almost 10,000 feet, there was no shortage of big names…
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Move Over A1c, Make Room for Time In Range
A hemoglobin A1c test (HbA1C) has long been the gold standard for diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. It’s cheap, quick, and easy to interpret. An A1c of 6.5% or greater is considered diagnostic criteria for diabetes, while 7.0% or less is regarded as controlled once diagnosed. Completed every 3-6 months, A1c is an accessible and affordable way to monitor long term glycemic control. Yet, A1c often fails to capture the nuance of day-to-day management for so many people living with diabetes. A sleepless night of lows (less than 70 mg/dL) followed by a frantic day of highs (greater than 180…
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Remission vs Reversal
I’d like to think we are at the cusp of finding a cure for diabetes. Given the immense day-to-day burden, it can’t come fast enough. Until then, it’s important to proactively manage blood sugars, macro- and microvascular changes, and long term complications. With early and aggressive intervention, it’s not impossible to achieve euglycemia in those with endogenous insulin production—usually Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Substantial lifestyle change may even yield near “normal” glucose with little to no pharmacological intervention. While it is tempting to think of this process as a “reversal” of diabetes, a 2021 consensus report recommends the term “remission”…
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Graduate School: Fall Semester, Defense, Graduation
There is a running light-hearted joke in my family that I am the “eternal student” always enrolled in either a degree, continuing education class, or certification program. It’s not to avoid getting a job, as I’ve worked full time along the way, but what can I say? I love to learn! Career development takes time and I find I do best in structured learning environments. Speaking of which, I’ve been meaning to post an update on the completion of my graduate coursework, Plan B Thesis/Defense, and conferral of my degree. After almost two years working and studying full time, weekends…
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Research: Building the Conclusion
The scientific research process has come together quite smoothly. The objectives, sources, methods and even results have taken a logical order. I formulated some observational questions, devised a plan to find the answers and reported on what I found.
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Building a Foundation for the Undergraduate Research Symposium
In continuing my research for the Metropolitan State University of Denver Undergraduate Research Symposium, this portion has been by far the most tedious. I spent the past three months compiling patient medical records, recording patient Medication Profiles, preliminary reports and sifting through results. This unseen foundation of research will be the platform on which I build my presentation.
