Is Rybelsus the same as semaglutide?
There has been a tidal wave of interest in the new “wonder drugs” that are based on chemicals called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), which have revolutionized treatments of a wide range of potentially serious diseases. Many people are now familiar with the common terms associated with these new treatments, such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, semaglutide […]
World Diabetes Day 2025 – Happy Birthday
Purely by chance, World Diabetes Day in 2025 (November 14) coincides with my own birthday, but I can’t claim that this has any special significance, since there are approximately 22 million people worldwide who share the same birthday. But it does give me a way to inject a personal story into what would otherwise be […]
When Blood Sugar Points to Prediabetes
Prediabetes is diagnosed when a person’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. According to a 2021 study by the American Diabetes Association, 97.6 million American adults had a warning of prediabetes from a blood test. Often, it doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms, making it difficult to […]
Ozempic, Chronic Kidney Disease, and Diabetes
In January 2025, the FDA approved Ozempic (semaglutide) to help treat patients with chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Semaglutide belongs to a group of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1-RAs), which were originally approved to help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Other forms of GLP1-RAs include Mounjaro, Wegovy, semaglutide, and […]
New Hope for Lowering the Risk of Dementia
Just this week, I was asked by a colleague to comment on a fairly technical article, and I was struck by the exact wording used in its opening question: Are cardioprotective glucose-lowering agents associated with reduced risk of dementia? I spend a fair bit of time reviewing and replying to questions and requests from our […]
How to Understand Blood Glucose Level Results
Managing blood sugar has always been a balancing act for me, especially when I was first diagnosed with diabetes. I remember feeling overwhelmed by the readings of my blood glucose levels and thinking, “What’s ‘normal’, what’s ‘too high’, and what’s ‘too low’?” It didn’t help that the term “normal” blood sugar often seemed to refer […]
Introducing the Dawn Phenomenon
The dawn phenomenon (DP), also known as the dawn effect, refers to an observation that just over one half of people with diabetes, and nearly one-third of prediabetics, are experiencing early-morning surges in blood glucose, between 3:00 and 8:00 AM, despite not having eaten anything for several hours. This can make it harder to keep […]
The Truth: Diet and Exercise Vs. Obesity Medication
If there’s still some doubt in your mind about whether you can lose more weight with a simple diet and exercise program than you can with the highly popular new weight-loss medicines, then you should pay some attention to the following quote that puts this issue to rest once and for all. According to Dr. […]
Prediabetes Doesn’t Always Look Like You Think It Does
Whenever it is time for my annual checkup with my doctor, she seems concerned about my blood sugar levels, and she always tests for prediabetes. Whether it is because I carry some excess weight around my midsection or because she is just doing her due diligence, I appreciate this about her because I am a […]
Are Your Kidneys OK?
The human body can manage with reduced kidney function for a long time, often without showing any signs. This is why World Kidney Day 2025’s theme is, Are Your Kidneys OK? Detect early and protect kidney health. While chronic kidney disease has no cure, if it is caught early enough, measures can be taken to […]
