Most people are aware of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but did you know there is a type 3 diabetes as well! It is a more obscure term. Although it is not an accepted medical diagnosis, type 3 diabetes has been discussed in the literature as a possible relationship between insulin resistance in the brain and Alzheimer's disease. This link has been described to help explain how metabolic disorders impact brain health, causing cognitive decline and dementia.

What is Type 3 Diabetes?

Type 3 diabetes is more of a misnomer because it should not be confused with type 3c diabetes, which relates to pancreatic dysfunction. The term "type 3 diabetes," on the other hand, has been loosely used by some scientists to analogously propose that Alzheimer's disease is strongly implicated with insulin resistance in the brain.

This concept was conceptualized by Dr. Suzanne de la Monte and Dr. Jack Wands of Brown University in the year 2008. This hypothesis postulated that Alzheimer's disease may be called type 3 diabetes for it bears many similarities with glucose metabolism disorder type 2 diabetes. Their concept arises from the basic principle that insulin is fundamental to blood sugar regulation, but it is also the case with the brain. When brain cells become insulin-resistant, they lose access to glucose, impairing their function.

Research published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology supports this hypothesis by indicating that insulin resistance can be a significant contributor to the occurrence of dementia, also referred to as Alzheimer's. The symptoms of memory loss and diminished reasoning are associated with impaired glucose metabolism in the body, especially in the cerebral tissue.

Symptoms of Type 3 Diabetes

Although type 3 diabetes is not a "medical term," its symptoms correlate well with Alzheimer's diseases that are known to reduce the ability to think in an efficient manner and bring down brain health. These signs are:

- Loss of memory, especially short-term.

- Poor judgment and judgment ability

- Failure in recognizing people or places familiar once.

- Failure in the process of reading, writing or processing numbers

- Anxiety, agitation, or mood changes.

- Disorganized thoughts or confusion

- Lack of impulse control

As the disease advances, patients may be afflicted with severe complications including an inability to swallow or control their bodily functions. In the final stages, most patients die from fatal complications such as aspiration pneumonia.

Causes of Type 3 Diabetes

This may not be well understood with regards to type 3 diabetes, or the exact link between insulin resistance and Alzheimer's disease. Some identified contributing factors include the following:

1. Insulin Resistance

Insulin acts as an important regulatory mechanism of brain functions such as memory and cognition. The reduction in insulin signaling may impair metabolism of brain cells, thus bringing about neurodegeneration.

2. Type 2 Diabetes

These diseases show a strong relationship and those individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have double chances of getting Alzheimer's. In the two, the main causes can be chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and a defect in glucose metabolism.

3. Environmental and Lifestyle Factors

Insulin resistance associated with obesity, stress, and an unhealthy diet is considered a cause that may increase the chances of Alzheimer's disease.

Researches in Frontiers in Neuroscience and The Lancet Neurology have also highlighted that drugs used for antidiabetic medication may be crucial for the prevention or at least slowing down the course of Alzheimer's.

Treatments for Type 3 Diabetes

In 2022, in a study in Pharmaceuticals, researchers studied biomarker uptake in brain regions implicated in the faulty uptake and metabolism of blood sugar in Alzheimer’s patients.

Emerging Therapies

Research into such treatments as intranasal insulin has also been promising. Intranasal delivery of insulin directly to the brain has been reported to enhance glucose uptake by brain cells, improve memory, and boost cognitive performance. While such clinical trials have been shown to be successful, additional research is needed for safety and efficacy.

Medications

For patients being aggressive or agitated, antipsychotic drugs may be prescribed; however, therapies such as cognitive rehabilitation as well as cognitive stimulation therapy serve to preserve memory and executive function.

Lifestyle Interventions

Diet, exercise, and stress management are critical in preventing and managing insulin resistance. A review in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease also highlighted the benefits of Kirtan Kriya meditation, which can regulate genes involved in insulin and glucose metabolism, improve sleep, and reduce inflammation.

Can Type 3 Diabetes Be Prevented?

Although type 3 diabetes is not officially recognized, its connection to Alzheimer’s disease underscores the importance of proactive measures for brain health. Some prevention strategies include:

1. Healthy Diet

Consuming a balanced diet rich in antioxidants, whole grains, and healthy fats may support brain health.

2. Regular Exercise

Physical activity improves insulin sensitivity, reduces inflammation, and enhances overall metabolic health.

3. Stress Reduction

Mindfulness practices, including meditation, have been shown to lower stress levels, which can reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

The term type 3 diabetes brings out the complex relationship between metabolic disorders and brain health. Even though it is not a recognized medical condition, the concept emphasizes the crucial role of insulin in brain function and its possible contribution to Alzheimer's disease. Continued research will hopefully provide hope for therapies such as intranasal insulin and lifestyle modifications.

UK-based journalist Emma Barnett said it took 21 years to receive a diagnosis of endometriosis, a chronic condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the womb.

The condition, which causes severe pain and other complications, affects one in 10 women. However, diagnosis remains difficult and is often dismissed as merely “painful periods”.

“It’s a disease that has outwitted doctors and researchers around the world. No one knows what causes it. No one knows how to cure it. At least 1 in 10 women are staggering about with it,” Barnett shared in a post on Instagram.

“Endometriosis may not typically kill women, but it’s a living death for many. It is a silent medical emergency,” she added.

The 41-year-old BBC journalist said: “It’s a scandal it takes nearly 10 years to be diagnosed — in my case 21 years.”

Living With Debilitating Pain

Also read: This Is Endometriosis, A Short Film On Debilitating Health Condition Wins BAFTA Award 2026, Know More

There is currently no cure for endometriosis. Available treatments include hormone therapy, predominantly the contraceptive pill, to manage symptoms, or surgery, including hysterectomy in severe cases.

“I’ve been suffering from the condition — in which tissue similar to the womb lining, that’s meant to leave your body, grows and builds outside the uterus — since my periods started at the age of 10. But it would be more than 20 years until I’d be diagnosed at 31, after two years of trying to get pregnant naturally, which meant more than 20 years of enduring excruciating, bone-grinding pain without ever having a label for it,” she wrote in Women's Health magazine.

She described the pain “as a drilling sensation from my pelvis that travels down my legs — making them feel as though I can’t lift them to go up the stairs. Sometimes, the hurt spreads to my arms or chest, and comes with crippling nausea and loss of appetite. I also run cold; freezing even. It’s like someone turned the heating off in my body”.

A Documentary To Expose A Neglected Disease

Read More: Amy Schumer Opens Up On Side Effects After “Botched” Colonoscopy And Weight Loss Journey

Recognizing that many women experience similar struggles, Barnett made a new documentary film "Emma Barnett: Fighting Endometriosis" in which she speaks with women, including doctors, researchers and even politicians about their experiences with endometriosis, highlighting a neglected disease that has no known cure.

Through the documentary, Barnett hopes to raise awareness of the condition, improve public understanding, and draw attention to the long delays many women face in receiving a diagnosis.

“One of the reasons I have made a film about endometriosis is that I want people to understand it is not just ‘painful periods’. It’s a system-wide inflammatory condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it, causing agonizing pain. I am hoping to boost public understanding of that, and beyond merely being able to pronounce it,” she wrote in The Independent.

“It’s very hard to make something invisible visible, but what I am trying to do with this film is bring the invisible into light and show that this is a silent emergency.”

IVF is often regarded as a medical milestone defined by protocols, cycles, and success rates. Over time, it has also come to be understood in a more holistic way, where clinical care and patient experience carry equal significance.

This is especially relevant today, as many patients begin IVF while managing demanding work environments, prolonged screen exposure, and irregular rest patterns. Given how closely reproductive health is linked to hormonal balance, lifestyle naturally becomes part of the broader care context. Which is why IVF care today is not only about clinical precision and outcomes, but equally about how supported, steady, and manageable the overall patient experience feels.

Here are ways to improve the IVF patient experience:

• Establish clear boundaries between work and rest

• Be mindful of screen exposure, particularly in the evening

Evening screen exposure can interfere with melatonin production, affecting sleep quality. Reducing screen time before bed and allowing a wind-down period helps regulate sleep cycles and supports hormonal stability during treatment.

• Managing Injection Fatigue With Needle-Free Injections

A standard IVF cycle involves a series of hormone injections administered over a defined timeline. Depending on the protocol, this can range from 20 to 40 injections in a single cycle. In India, where an estimated 300,000 to 350,000 IVF cycles are performed annually, this represents a significant physical and emotional load for patients. While these injections are necessary, it can be helpful to explore less invasive options such as needle-free injection systems. These systems use controlled pressure to deliver medication without a needle and may help reduce some of the discomfort associated with repeated injections. During IVF treatments, N-FIS, the needle-free injection device, has, in my observation, helped transform patient experience substantially.

Using the latest technological developments in drug delivery has eased the overall treatment experience completely; it has helped patients stay more comfortable and consistent throughout the IVF journey.

• Prioritize consistent and restorative sleep

Sleep plays a direct role in hormonal regulation and recovery. During IVF, maintaining a regular sleep schedule becomes particularly important.

It is not only about getting enough hours of sleep, but also about maintaining rhythm and quality. A calm pre-sleep routine and a stable sleep environment can help the body respond better to treatment.

• Maintain simple, sustainable daily habits

IVF does not require extreme lifestyle changes. It responds better to consistency than intensity. Light physical activity, such as walking or yoga, can help manage stress and support circulation. A balanced diet and adequate hydration further help the body maintain stability through hormonal changes.

The focus should remain on habits that are realistic to sustain, not idealized routines that are difficult to maintain under stress.

IVF is a medically intensive process, but for patients, it is also a deeply personal one that unfolds alongside everyday responsibilities.

Improving the experience does not always require large interventions. Often, it comes from small, practical adjustments that reduce strain, support routine, and help patients move through the journey with greater steadiness and less fatigue.

The COVID pandemic was a disastrous time for human civilization. The effects of that time are still observable to this day. The lockdown and other aspects of the period affected every stratum of society and life. And one of the most impacted sectors was the health care sector, which was at the forefront of the global crisis. Thus, other routine healthcare, as important as cancer, got neglected and caused pain and despair.

A recent study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, published in The Lancet Oncology, sheds light on the magnitude of the healthcare disruption during the pandemic, as the research finds there were 55,000 cancers that remained undiagnosed due to the spread of COVID. The largest estimation at an international scale observed data from 2.6 million patients and 18 jurisdictions.

The researchers saw that developed first-world countries like Norway and New Zealand suffered due to the crisis, though the health care systems there saw a smaller decline, which was followed by faster recovery. On the other side, even developed and economic powerhouses like the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia got the worst of it, and recovery was also slower.

According to the study, 16 percent of the cancer cases remained undiagnosed in nations like Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK between April and December 2020. Though the biggest dip was seen in prostate cancer diagnoses, which fell by a massive 24 percent, followed by breast cancer and melanoma, both down 18 percent.

Isabelle Soerjomataram, deputy head of the agency’s Cancer Surveillance Branch and the study’s senior author, said, “A more detailed understanding of why some health systems were better able to withstand the pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic could provide valuable lessons for future crisis preparedness.”

Also Read: Football Legend Kevin Keegan Reveals Fighting Stage Four Cancer

What Is Prostate Cancer?

The gland in the male reproductive system that makes seminal fluid is the prostate. This is the most common type of slow-growing cancer in men, which sees the abnormal growth of cells in the gland; if detected early, it is very much curable. Some early-stage symptoms of the disease are blood in the urine or semen, trouble urinating, and erectile dysfunction, and if you’re asking yourself, why you?

You could probably blame age, family history or lifestyle choices. While we cannot change the ‘why’, we can master the ‘how’ of finding the right treatment in time. Step 1: Rule out the possibility of cancer with a simple Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test.

Also Read: Space Grown Stem Cells: How Are Expedition 74 Astronauts Helping To Fight Cancer?

What Is Melanoma?

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that develops in melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour. It can occur anywhere on the skin but often develops on areas exposed to the sun, such as the face, arms, back, and legs. Melanoma can also appear in less-exposed areas, like the soles of the feet, palms, or under the nails, particularly in individuals with darker skin tones. Although rare, melanoma may develop in the eyes, mouth, or internal organs. The primary sign of melanoma is a new or changing mole, freckle, or skin lesion.