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It is not recommended to lose more than 1 pound per week for healthily weight loss. The reason for this has do to with the issues which quick and drastic weight loss can have on your body’s metabolism and muscle mass. When you lose a lot of weight quickly, you really need to strictly monitor where this weight is coming from. Is it water weight, body fat or muscle mass? The majority of the time, it unfortunately comes from lean muscle mass and this is exactly what will cause serious issues with your metabolism. Muscle is your body’s most potent and active tissue for burning calories and body fat. Its basically your body’s “furnace” which you want to always keep burning hot. When someone loses a lot of weight, which usually comes from crash dieting or some other unhealthy way of dropping the weight, the body’s lean muscle mass is cannibalized and you lose some of your biggest “power” tissue for keeping a lean body.

The worst thing is when the person finally decides to get off the diet and start eating again. Their calories go back up, but since their BMR (basal metabolic rate) is lowered and they have lost muscle mass, the end result is they pack on the body fat very quickly! Ever heard of the term “yo-yo” dieting. This is the reason why tons of people have issues and hard times with their weight loss plans.

Try and focus on creating a max 500 calorie deficit per day which equates out to an overall 3,500 calories per week (1 pound of body fat). Create this overall 500 calorie deficit through a 250 calorie drop in your diet and another 250 burned with an exercise routine. This is the healthiest way to lose body fat while keeping your muscle mass and having your body run at an optimal level. It will also provide you with a much better plan to permanently keep the weight off forever!

Our FREE Weight Loss Analysis will assist anyone looking to safely lose body fat while maintaining lean muscle mass:

http://www.shapefit.com/weight-loss-analysis.html

Kris Bierek is a fitness specialist for the health and fitness site http://www.ShapeFit.com where you can find FREE fitness tools like fitness newsletters, dieting tips, weight loss help, exercise questions and a free fitness analysis to help you get into the best shape of your life!

Because hypoglycemia can effect your driving performance (even modestly low blood sugar can do this), if you are at all prone to hypoglycemia, I personally would strongly recommend you check out your blood sugar level each time you are about to drive.

Prior to you putting the key in the ignition, test your blood sugar. There are some great glucometers out there, like the Accu-Check Compact with the Accu-Check Multi-clix lancet pen.

The Accu-Check Compact has a 17 strip drum inside so you don’t have to take any extra strips with you. The Accu-Check Multi-clix lancet pen has a drum that automatically holds 6 lancets within the pen to use quickly and easily. Again, you won’t have to bring any lancets separately with you. If your blood sugar is low, treat yourself to some juice or hard candy and don’t drive until your blood sugar is back to normal. Usually 80 mg/dl and higher you should feel better. Then try and eat a small meal, like a low fat cheese and/or turkey sandwich.

Usually in 15 minutes taking 15-20 grams of Carbohydrate (CHO) will usually bring up your blood sugar to normal range. You can have a 4-6 ounce glass of juice, glucose tablets or 2-3 pieces of hard candy. Don’t overdo it because your blood sugar will then go sky high. If it doesn’t return within normal limits in 15 minutes, repeat the 15-20 grams of CHO and then check your blood sugar in 15 minutes.

Usually if your blood sugar is above 80 mg/dl, you should feel fine but sometimes going above 100 mg/dl, you’ll feel better. You should always follow with a small meal that contains CHO, protein that contains a small amount of fat.

Always make sure you have something to eat right within reach in the car (not in the trunk!). I tell my father to put 2-3 peppermint candy right in his pocket and have a supply of hard candy or peppermint candy always stashed in his car.

It is best if you eat 6-8 small meals a day. This would include a CHO, protein food that contains a little fat included. Example would be a cheese sandwich that contains either 1 or 2 slices of bread, a cheese that is low fat or turkey low in fat but not fat free. The protein and fat does help to stablize your blood sugar over a period of time instead of a quick spike in your blood sugar and a quick drop in blood sugar like juice would do.

During your trip if you need to take an insulin injection or an oral blood sugar medication, then make sure you eat as prescibed with your medication, otherwise your blood sugar can go low. I will be writing about how insulin and certain oral blood sugar medications can make your sugar go low. Not all insulin, esp. Lantus, or oral diabetic medications make your blood sugar low.

Signs of Hypoglycemia:

**Cold sweat, faintness, dizziness
**Headache
**Pounding of heart, trembling, nervousness
**blurred vision
**hunger
**Irritability
**Personality Change
**Not able to awaken

Now you can also have problems driving if your blood sugar is over 200 mg/dl. My father got in an accident because his blood sugar was over 200, he was becoming confused and at the same time had a Urinary Tract Infection. The police officer told me that a diabetic’s license can be revoked if an accident is caused by diabetes. I don’t know if that is true but why risk losing your license altogether if this is the case.

If you were going to be driving for any sort of extended time, every so often find an appropriate place to pull across and retest your blood. When it comes to driving: if in doubt, check out your blood sugar & eat!

Copyright 2005
Fern Kuhn, RN
Specializing in Diabetes

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More and more importance is placed on gastric bypass surgery as one of the best methods of eliminating excessive fat. However, the risks involved and the cost of gastric bypass surgery are often some issues patients need to consider. Bariatric surgery (another name used for gastric bypass) is a solution to eliminating fat - here are some more facts about it.

Getting ready for Bariatric surgery

Before the surgical procedure is performed, you will undergo some laboratory tests with your surgeon’s supervision. Different pre-operative gastric bypass surgery analysis have to be performed so as to ensure maximum chances of success for the procedure. Some other special measures might have to be taken prior to gastric bypass surgery, such as stopping to smoke and consume alcohol, sometimes even a few weeks before the surgical procedure. As with any surgery, blood clotting medication is to be avoided. You might also be asked to donate your own blood, weeks before the gastric bypass surgery, as it might be needed after the surgery for blood transfusion. You also have to get ready for it from a financial point of view: determine the cost of gastric bypass surgery with your surgeon and make sure to set your finances in order before the surgery takes place.

No more fat!

Although results vary, most patients loose about 50% to 90% of the excess weight in a year, a year and a half after surgery. These amazing figures are even more impressive when we consider the fact that most of these patients were morbidly obese and life was a series of constant obstacles related to their excessive weight. However, results do not come on their own. A life style change is required after gastric bypass surgery and a strict diet will also become essential. Co-morbid problems are usually diminished or even gone forever and many patients didn’t have to take sleep apnea or hypertension medication after the surgery. Even though many patients do not reach an ideal weight after gastric bypass surgery, they will tell you that this procedure did change their lives 180 degrees, as they are now free to enjoy most of the things their excessive weight made them skip prior to the procedure.

Find out more about weight loss and gastric bypass procedures by following the resources listed below:

Gastric Bypass Expert

* Asthmaxpert
* Breast Enlargement Expert

Many gastric banding surgeries have been performed successfully. And you don’t have to pay through your nose for such surgeries here unlike other countries such as Europe or Asia. Patient undergoing gastric banding surgeries need to follow certain procedures. The patient may be prescribed a liquid-only diet, followed by mushy foods and then solids. This is prescribed for a varied length of time and each surgeon and manufacturer varies.

Some may find that before their first fill that they are still able to eat fairly large portions. This is not surprising since before the fill there is little or no restriction and this is why a proper post-op diet and a good after-care plan is essential to success. Many health practitioners make the first adjustment between 6 - 8 weeks post operatively to allow the stomach time to heal. After that, fills are performed as needed.

For adjustable gastric band, the same effect can be created using a silicone band, which can be adjusted by addition or removal of saline through a port placed just under the skin. This operation can be performed laparoscopically, and is commonly referred to as a “lap band.” The first gastric band was patented in 1985 by Obtech Medical of Sweden (now owned by J&J/Ethicon) and is known as the Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band. An American company, INAMED Health, later designed the BioEnterics LAP-BAND Adjustable Gastric Banding System. The LAP-BAND System was introduced in Europe in 1993. Neither of these bands were initially designed for use with keyhole surgery.

The LAP-BAND System received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for use in the United States in June 2001. In 2000, the first lower pressure, wider, one-piece adjustable gastric band called the MIDband was placed in Lyon France Medical Innovation Development[1]. Unlike many of the early bands this was designed specifically for laparoscopic insertion. It has swiftly become one of the leading bands placed in France. There are now many band manufacturers approximately 7-8 in total.

There are over 100 forms of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. These diseases may cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in joints and other supporting structures of the body such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Some forms can also affect other parts of the body, including various internal organs.

Many people use the word “arthritis” to refer to all rheumatic diseases. However, the word literally means joint inflammation; that is, swelling, redness, heat, and pain caused by tissue injury or disease in the joint. The many different kinds of arthritis make up just a portion of all rheumatic diseases.

Rheumatoid arthritis, the second most common form of arthritis, affects other parts of the body besides the joints. It begins at a younger age than osteoarthritis, causes swelling and redness in joints, and may make people feel sick, tired, and (uncommonly) feverish. Rheumatoid arthritis affects people differently. For some people, it lasts only a few months or a year or two and goes away without causing any noticeable damage. Other people have mild or moderate forms of the disease, with periods of worsening symptoms, called flares, and periods in which they feel better, called remissions. Still others have a severe form of the disease that is active most of the time, lasts for many years or a lifetime, and leads to serious joint damage and disability.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, especially among older people. Sometimes it is called degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis.
Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that mostly affects the cartilage. Cartilage is the slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint. Healthy cartilage allows bones to glide over one another. It also absorbs energy from the shock of physical movement. In osteoarthritis, the surface layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away. This allows bones under the cartilage to rub together, causing pain, swelling, and loss of motion of the joint. Over time, the joint may lose its normal shape. Also, bone spurs(small growths called osteophytes) may grow on the edges of the joint. Bits of bone or cartilage can break off and float inside the joint space. This causes more pain and damage. People with osteoarthritis usually have joint pain and limited movement. Unlike some other forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis affects only joints and not internal organs.

Magnetic treatments for arthritis

All types of arthritis respond to magnetic treatments because the arthritic disease process involves inflammation. Magnets reverse the inflammatory process, which in turn alleviates the main symptoms of arthritis which are:

1.Swelling

2.Pain

3.Stiffness and immobility

Magnetic therapy is not a cure for arthritis as there is currently no known cure, but it is an extremely effective drug free treatment for the chronic symptoms for all types of arthritic conditions.

However having said how well arthritis responds to magnetic therapy, it can be a little bit tricky to treat a person who has arthritis in multiple locations in the body. The reason for this is that as discussed in chapter 2 for the magnetic field to be effective it must be placed as close to the area of injury as possible. When a person has, for example, arthritis in the knees, hips, back and hands, it is not possible to reach all the area with one magnetic device. The person would need to place magnets on each area of pain to fully relieve the arthritic symptoms.

Possible treatments for this person would be:

1. To wear high strength magnetic straps around the knees, back/hips ( usually one strap will reach both areas) and wrists. Straps are both functional and comfortable, plus many contain lycra to give the joint additional support.
2. To wear super strength shoe insoles, that have a magnetic field that is strong enough to reach the knees, a high/super a strength bracelet for each hand and use a magnetic pad behind the back whilst sitting or lying. If the person does not feel comfortable in straps these are suitable alternatives.
3. To sleep on a magnetic mattress. The mattress will reach all areas of the body at once and the strength of the magnetic field is so immense that the magnetism will last for up to 16 hours after getting out of bed. This is the easiest way to treat large areas of pain and does not necessitate the need to wear additional magnets during the day.

Luckily there is a vast array of magnetic devices available today and most areas of the body can be reached with an appropriate magnetic device. There is often more than one solution available fort he treatment of multiple areas of pain and a trained therapist will be able to advise while treatment regime will fit best with your particular lifestyle.

In order for magnets to be effective they must be worn night and day until the symptoms have gone, if you are given a magnetic device that do not feel comfortable wearing or using it is unlikely that you will continue to use the treatment for the required length of time. With out 24 hours, 7 days a weeks exposure to the magnets it is unlikely that all of your symptoms will be relieved and you will feel disheartened and may even believe that magnets do not in fact work.

Debbie Shimadry is qualified magnetic therapist and pain nurse specialist. She appears on several BBC radio stations as an expert guest on magnetic therapy and is also the managing director of leading magnetic therapy company worldofmagnets.co.uk. To find out more on how magnetic therapy can help you, visit magnetictherapyfacts.org

Sex education may be widely accepted but one topic rarely discussed is erectile dysfunction also known as male impotence. This is basically the inability of a man to sustain or develop an erection. The most common known causes of male impotence are physiological and psychological. Physiologically, it is related to poor physical health, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and poor eating habits. Psychological impotence happens when a man fails to express his thoughts and feelings.

The earliest record known of erectile dysfunction can be traced back to Muslims in the medieval Islamic world. Folk cures have been in use for sometime but it was only in the 1920s and 1930s that a medical cure was advocated for impotence. This was initiated by Dr. John R. Brinkley through his radio programs which were aired in Kansas those days. In the 1970s, the use of penile implants made its way in the medical field as doctors started prescribing its use. The advance in erectile dysfunction medication came with phentolamine as demonstrated by the British psychologist Giles Brindley.

Sex is no longer a taboo. Yes, I know you know that but while it this is true in the United States, other nationalities have trouble discussing it. This is probably the reason why some people find it difficult to buy condoms and contraceptive pills in pharmacies, imagine how people would have the courage to buy Viagra - one of the most popular brand names of medication for male impotence. This is also the reason why more people opt to buy generic Viagra online.

It was also found that brand generic Viagra, when bought from a Viagra online pharmacy is a lot cheaper than those bought from the local pharmacy. However, those needing this medicine need to contact their doctors as it is sold in different dosages, and you might need to take the lower dosages if you are hypertensive. Each pill cost around $10 and was recorded to have sold more than $1 billion from 1999 to 2001. In 2007, Viagra’s share of the target market dropped to 50% due to the entry of Cialis, Levitra and other clones of the medicine.

The Cialis sample pack contains 20 mg tablets and are also called the “weekend pill”. Although it works the same way as Viagra, it is believed to have a longer half-life, thereby longer duration of the effect. It is also prescribed to people with pulmonary arterial hypertension as a once-daily therapy. At present, generic Cialis can be bought in a Cialis online pharmacy. Why then the use of these drugs? Well, for one, erectile dysfunction is not just a man’s issue but it affects couples and relationships. Erectile dysfunction medicines are not aphrodisiacs; they do not want you to have sex. Instead, it makes your body equipped to have sex. This means that you need to be in the mood for it. This is where romance and love comes in.

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Are you just plain fed up because you haven’t lost weight for a
long time now on that latest fad diet, well please stop! Don’t
even think about trying another diet, because it will only
produce the same results as you have already seen before.

Have a look at the four sure fire tips found below that are
based on “Scientific Principles” that have always been around,
but are not followed by the majority of weight loss programs you
see these days.

So let’s have a look:

1. Increasing Your Metabolism

In order to produce Sustained, Permanent and Long-Term Weight
Loss, it’s imperative that you boost your metabolism. And the
most effective way to raise your metabolism is to have a greater
proportion of functional muscle on your body.

The only way to build this lean muscle so you can raise your
metabolism is through “Strength Training”. There’s no other
method that works wonders on the Metabolism like Strength
Training.

By performing Strength Training, you’ll effectively increase the
amount of functional lean muscle on your body so that your
metabolism will elevate.

After a Strength Training session your body will undergo a
significant increase or “Spike” in Metabolism, which will allow
you to burn much more fat then you were able to before.

2. It’s All About Lean Muscle

“The amount of fat the body can burn is directly related to the
more lean muscle your body can hold.”

If your muscle system can sustain more energy and use this
energy significantly when performing strength training, then it
will be able to burn off the calories you eat and the excess fat
on your body.

In other words, if your muscles become stronger and can hold
more energy then you should be able to release this energy more
efficiently to increase your metabolism, and to burn off excess
calories that you have eaten.

Once we can build more lean muscle through our own strength,
then our bodies will become more efficient at burning fat.

It’s also the amount of lean muscle on your body that makes you
look good Once you burn off the excess fat from your body, the
lean muscle underneath your skin will be exposed making you look
healthy, energetic, and well toned.

3. Decrease Your Daily Calories

For years now, we have been told to use dieting to rid the
excess fat from our bodies.

The trouble with this concept is that the low calorie restricted
diet would throw the body into starvation mode, with the body
holding onto the fat and using precious muscle tissue for
energy.

This would then lower the metabolism causing greater muscle loss
and when the diet is broken the unwanted fat would not only
return but actually increase because to the lowered metabolism.

The way around this is to cut your daily calorie intake by a
small amount of calories only. This will stop any starvation
mechanisms from clicking in. You can do this by making up a
seven day eating plan and writing down every thing you eat for
the week, and then work out the calories you have eaten with a
calorie counter. Divide this figure by seven and you have your
daily calorie value.

Decrease daily calorie value by a couple of hundred calories per
day and no more. This will generate slow weight loss and the
majority will be fat loss only. The daily calories should be
consumed during the day with small frequent meals.

4. Fast Walking Burns Fat

All you need to do now is incorporate “Fast Walking” into your
weight loss program to hasten the burning of excess fat.

Not only is fast walking better much easier on the hips, but it
also produces a greater percentage of fat loss as opposed to
jogging or running.

Here are some of the benefits of Fast Walking.

Easy to Perform Most Conventional All Natural Body
Movement Doesn’t Cause Injuries Can Be Done Anywhere The
Best Minimal Effort Exercise for Fat Loss

“I can’t stress enough how Fast Walking is necessary in every
weight loss program.”

Your next step? To take what you have just learned and apply
them to your weight daily weight loss regime.

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks
Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit
http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your ‘free’ weight
loss e-course.

Have you been diagnosed with genital warts caused by the HPV virus? If so, your physician has probably advised you of the more conventional treatments available such as pharmaceutical ointments, cryosurgery (freezing), electrocautery (burning) or laser treatment. While many people undergo these types of treatments, some opt for a less invasive natural solution by visiting a Naturopathic doctor. While there is no cure for the hpv virus, there are specific natural treatments that may help reduce and eliminate the warts over time.

TOPICAL TREATMENTS

Before resorting to medically invasive treatments many people are choosing to try alternative treatments that may naturally help reduce or eliminate genital warts. Many holistic treatment resources advise that different remedies will work for different individuals so it may take a little trial and error to find one suited to your needs. Experiment with applying the following directly to the infected wart areas:

Goldenseal: considered to have natural antibiotic properties and may destroy many types of viral infections.

Tea Tree Oil: strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial aromatherapy essential oil.

Aloe Vera: healing and soothing properties.

Garlic Oil: or even raw garlic is believed to promote white blood cells ability to fight infection.

Sour Apple Juice: it is believed the beneficial effect is from the magnesium in the apple

Most of these topical treatments have not been clinically proven as an effective treatment for genital warts, but have shown to have positive benefits is related studies or in fighting other types of viral infections. Other notable mentions for natural topical remedies also include; cabbage juice, banana skin, chickweed, dandelion juice, rubber plant, and pineapple juice.

HERBAL IMMUNE BOOSTING SUPPLEMENTS

Antiviral herbal remedies taken internally to boost the body’s natural ability to fight viral infections include the following supplements:

Echinacea: known for its ability to boost the immune system, is important in the treatment of genital warts.

Astragalus: used in Chinese herbal medicine for over 2000 years, Astragalus is known to improve the body’s ability to fight off viral and bacterial infections, such as the Human Papilloma Virus, by boosting the body’s immune system. Astragalus has been taken as a supplement by people undergoing chemotherapy to help restore their tired immune systems.

Garlic powder tablets: Once used in 1550 BC by Egyptians as an external treatment for tumors, garlic has long since been recognized for it’s medicinal values. Of the many benefits garlic has on the human body, it promotes the ability of white blood cells to fight infection. A natural antibiotic, garlic is effective in countering bacteria, fungus and viral conditions.

Vitamins: Supplementation with high doses of vitamin A, B complex, vitamin C, E, zinc, lactobacillus acidophilus and the amino acid L-cysteine have shown to have immune boosting benefits.

In addition, other noted antiviral herbal supplements include dandelion, greater celandine (cheilidonium), mullein, thuja, houseleek, goldenseal, calendula, lomatium, pau d’arco and wintergreen.

DIET AND LIFESTYLE

It is also suggested that you take a proactive approach in improving your health through lifestyle. By reducing sugars and refined foods, reducing red meat, increasing vegetables and fruit, taking the necessary vitamins and minerals, drinking plenty of water, regular exercise and getting proper rest, you will boost your immune system which will help in fighting off the virus.

EMOTIONAL STRESS

Because genital warts are considered a sexually transmitted disease, diagnosis will often have an emotional impact on the sufferer. Many people will experience a whole gamut of feelings including guilt, fear, rage, isolation and helplessness. HPV is one of the most common viruses in the world with an estimated 20 million sufferers, so as you can see you are not alone. It is believed that emotional health has a direct impact on your physical health. Therefore it is important to work through these feelings. Contact your local STD clinic for a list of support groups available in your area, or there are countless support groups and message boards available on the internet. Through seeing other people’s experiences, you will see HPV is a very manageable virus.

Since most of these natural remedies are considered reasonably safe, they may be worth investigating before turning to invasive and costly medical treatments. Ensure to discuss any alternative treatment strategies with your health care practitioner before starting them. To learn more about conventional treatments for genital warts that have shown to be effective you can visit: http://www.genitalwartsherpes.com/genital-warts-treatment.htm

S.A. Smith is a freelance writer, correspondent, and contributing editor of the HPV Genital Warts Herpes resource site and can be reached at http://www.genitalwartsherpes.com

Exercise is often recommended in treating type 1 (insulin-
dependent) and type 2 (noninsulin- dependent) diabetes ~ both as a stand-alone activity and in combination with diet and drug therapy. For people who are heavily dependent on medicines, exercise cannot replace drugs but it does contribute to normalizing the glucose metabolism.

Exercise helps diabetes sufferers in many ways. Weight is easier controlled when exercising regularly. Blood sugar level, which is a major concern for all diabetes sufferers, is lowered, thanks to exercise. Additionally, exercise lessens the probability of a heart disease, which is also very wide-spread among diabetes sufferers.

Also, regular exercise helps to improve one~s overall condition and this way reduces the risk of long-term complications. Regular exercise can even prevent diabetes in people who still have not developed it but are susceptible to it.

Despite the numerous advantages of exercise, do not underestimate the risks. Let your doctor decide if taking exercise is recommendable for you and if yes ~ what kind of exercise will be less risky. One of the dangers for diabetes sufferers are that exercise might change your reaction to insulin or might lead to an abrupt drop in blood sugar level, which is another risk for you.

In addition to the general advice for exercising, there are some tips, which for diabetes sufferers are especially important to follow. For them wearing comfortable shoes (and
clothes) is a must because the occurrence of a single blister on the foot might lead to a serious infection that requires time and drugs to heal.

Special attention should be paid to drinking enough water and any kinds of liquid in order to avoid dehydration.
Dehydration during exercising occurs because the body evaporates liquid in order to keep cool and if you do not drink water while exercising, you will get dehydrated, which is bad for your blood sugar level.

So, what kind of exercise is recommended? Exercise can be any physical activity ~ from cleaning the house, to regularly climbing the stairs, to strength training. It all depends on the physical condition.

Generally household chores that take 20-30 minutes a day and do not require much effort reduce the daily insulin requirement and are risk free. Also, many doctors usually recommend aerobic exercise ~ walking, jogging, bicycling, or aerobics.

If you have problems with the nerves in the legs or feet, then chair exercises, bicycling, or swimming can be a wise choice, because they do not strain the lower limbs. If you do not have problems with the lower limbs, then you can undertake walking or jogging.

If you are young or do not have diabetes-related complications, even strength training is OK. However, it is mandatory that your doctor approves strength training. Even better, exercise only in the presence of a personal instructor! Strength training exercises make one~s muscles to more actively demand glucose and have a positive effect on the glucose metabolism. Besides, strength training minimizes the lean mass and helps in keeping weight under control.

Denny Santi is the Staff Writer of
Diabetes SERV. His site has a great collection of information on diabetes, including a free newsletter, resources and related articles. For great information, go to:
http://www.diabetesserv.com