A patient stopped me in the hallway recently, not in an exam room, not seated, not “ready” for a clinical conversation. Just a human being catching me between visits and asking a question that felt heavier than any lab result:
“Doc, is this finally the thing that will work? Or is it just another trap?”
That question is the GLP-1 era in one sentence. And with the launch of oral Wegovy, it …
In caring for patients with chronic illness, we often assume that if people truly understood the consequences of poor disease management, they would change. We explain complications, cite lab values, outline risks, and sometimes lean into fear in hopes that it will motivate action. When patients do not follow recommendations, we label them as noncompliant or unmotivated. Yet chronic illness is not managed in exam rooms or hospital beds. It …
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Pediatric endocrinologist Shara Bialo discusses her article, “Why type 1 diabetes screening should be part of back-to-school.” She highlights that back-to-school visits are a critical window to screen for type 1 diabetes …
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus in February 2024. Now it all made sense.
It all started in October 2020 when I passed out cold. I was rushed to the emergency room and 3 days later woke up to find I had a thyroid issue and lost 2 pints of blood. Four days later, after a blood transfusion, I was sent home. At that point, I thought I was …
Paraphimosis is a urological emergency characterized by the inability to reduce a retracted foreskin over the glans penis, leading to vascular congestion, edema, and potential tissue necrosis. While paraphimosis can result from local trauma, poor hygiene, or iatrogenic causes, it is increasingly recognized as a clinical manifestation associated with underlying systemic disease, particularly diabetes mellitus.
Diabetes mellitus, especially when undiagnosed or poorly controlled, exerts profound effects on local tissue immunity, wound …
In a major advance in medicine, a man with type 1 diabetes is making his own insulin again, this time using genetically engineered donor islet cells. Researchers provided the new cells with an invisibility cloak to allow them to escape immune detection. After three months of follow-up, his body had not only accepted the new tissue but was quietly producing insulin. This single-patient proof-of-concept study gives hope to the millions …
SGLT2 inhibitors have transformed care for people with type 2 diabetes. They not only lower blood sugar but also reduce cardiovascular events and slow the progression of kidney disease. Given these successes, many have asked whether the same benefits extend to people with type 1 diabetes (T1D).
The answer is not straightforward. In T1D, SGLT2 inhibitors remain off-label, and the biggest concern is the increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Still, …
It should come as no surprise that GLP-1 receptor agonists have revolutionized the management of obesity and metabolic syndrome. These drugs have shown extraordinary promise in regulating appetite, promoting weight loss, and improving blood sugar control. Nearly one in eight adults (twelve percent) have taken a GLP-1 agonist, and forty-three percent of adults diagnosed with diabetes have used these therapies, numbers likely to have increased further in the last year …
Back-to-school season is one of the busiest times of the year for health care providers (HCPs). Doctors’ offices are full of young patients and families preparing for the year ahead, checking off physical exams, immunization forms, and age-based screenings. These visits are more than just routine; they are critical opportunities to talk about risk factors and catch early signs of health issues. Yet too often, one disease slips through the …
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Physician Daryna Bahriy discusses her article “How Ukrainian doctors kept diabetes care alive during the war,” sharing how medical teams in western Ukraine adapted to protect vulnerable patients amid the chaos of …
When I turned 50, I weighed 265 pounds. Over the next 12 years, through walking, yoga, and strength training, I lost 60 pounds and kept it off. But despite the discipline, I remained plagued by inflammation, pain, and sleep apnea.
Then last year, my doctor suggested tirzepatide (Zepbound), not just for weight loss but to treat my sleep apnea as well. That alternative diagnosis unlocked insurance coverage and led to a …
A recent surge in misleading ads and AI-generated videos on social media and other online sites promoting bogus diabetes products, treatments and cures – often using fake endorsements, including from my organization Diabetes Canada – poses a serious health risk to people living with diabetes.
So far this year, Diabetes Canada has heard from at least 300 people who saw or bought fake products like smart watches claiming to non-invasively …
When the full-scale war broke out in Ukraine, the country’s health care system was suddenly thrown into chaos. Hospitals were destroyed or severely damaged by missile attacks. Medical professionals were forced to flee, relocating to relatively safer areas in the western regions of the country. Millions of civilians became internally displaced. Amid this disruption, doctors in western Ukraine found themselves facing unprecedented challenges, trying to reorganize services and adapt rapidly …
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In the age of glucose monitors, blood sugar charts, and wearable tech, one of the most effective strategies for stabilizing post-meal glucose levels might already be sitting in your kitchen cabinet: vinegar.
As someone with a strong interest in endocrinology and women’s’ metabolic health, I’ve found myself increasingly drawn to the work of educators like Jessie Inchauspé (popularly known as Glucose Goddess), who break down blood sugar science in ways that …
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Endocrinologist William Hsu discusses his article, “Reimagining diabetes care with nutrition, not prescriptions.” William argues for a paradigm shift in treating Type 2 diabetes, moving away from a primary reliance on medications …
There’s an ever-growing body of evidence to suggest that diabetes contributes to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Some even go so far as to dub Alzheimer’s disease “diabetes type III.”
How might diabetes cause Alzheimer’s disease?
It’s the sugar: Chronic high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can damage blood vessels, including those in the brain. This vascular damage reduces oxygen and nutrient delivery to brain cells, increasing …
In 2025, more than 38 million, or 1 in 10 Americans, live with Type 2 diabetes.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of the modern health care system, traditional care strategies for Type 2 diabetes often vastly overlook long-term individual and societal health outcomes in favor of short-term management of the disease. With over 20 years of experience as an endocrinologist at Harvard’s Joslin Diabetes Center, and as the Chief Medical Officer …
Canadians have rallied together like never before to support each other and stand up for Canada in the face of U.S. tariffs and annexation threats.
People living with diabetes need that same spirit of solidarity around them to defeat a persistent stigma about the condition that leaves them feeling blamed, shamed, and judged.
Negative perceptions about people with diabetes are not only misplaced, but they are also harmful …
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Board-certified pediatric endocrinologist, field medical director for type 1 diabetes immunology (T1D) at Sanofi, and T1D survivor Shara Bialo discusses the article, “Improving type 1 diabetes screening awareness among women is critical. …
As a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist, the field medical director for type 1 diabetes immunology (T1D) at Sanofi, and someone who was diagnosed with T1D as a child, it’s fair to say that much of my life has revolved around the disease.
I could recite the risk factors for T1D in my sleep; I’ve seen first-hand the perils of an unexpected T1D diagnosis—including diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA); I’m keenly aware that those with …
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