Managing Diabetes
The Diabetes ABCs It’s important for people with diabetes to know their “ABCs” A = A1c The A1c is a blood test done by your doctor that measures the average of your blood sugar for a two to three month period. This test along with daily monitoring of your blood sugar is the best way to know how well controlled your diabetes is. A normal A1C is 4-6 percent for the person without diabetes. For people with diabetes: Good control is measured at 6-7 percent, which isequal to an average daily blood sugar of 150-180. A need to make changes is measured at 7-8 percent. A potential danger is measured above 8 percent. This level isequal to a daily average blood sugar of over 200. So no longer can we say that keeping the blood sugar around 200 is okay– you are causing damage to your body at this level. This test should be done every six months if you are in good control and every three months if you are not in good control. B = Blood Pressure High Blood Pressure (hypertension) often occurs with diabetes. With diabetes, your blood pressure should be less than 130/80. If your blood pressure is higher than this, you may be damaging many of your body’s organs. C = Cholesterol Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made in the liver and found in certain foods, such as food from animals, like dairy products, eggs, and meat. People with diabetes should have their blood cholesterol checked at least once every year. Since having diabetes already puts you at risk for heart disease, it's especially important to keep your cholesterol levels in check. Your overall cholesterol level needs to be under 200 but more importantly is the types of cholesterol. Low density lipoproteins (LDL): LDL, also called "bad" cholesterol, can cause buildup of plaque on the walls of arteries. The more Continue reading >>
How To Manage Diabetes During The Holidays
One of our readers, Janice, contacted TheDiabetesCouncil to share with us and other readers her recipes for the perfect diabetic friendly holiday dinner. Kudos to Janice! She has prepared a delicious fare, making tweaks on traditional recipes with a carbohydrate-conscious approach. We will first give some tips on how to manage your diabetes during the stressful yet enjoyable holiday seasons. We will then look at a few of Janice’s diabetes friendly recipes that may make it easier to navigate through the holidays. Please read more to find out how you can enjoy yourself guilt free and eat the foods you love, while still exercising self-control. Celebrating out – eating with relatives or friends If you are a social butterfly, you may find yourself with plenty of invitations for holiday events. From church functions to your friend’s dinner party to office parties held at restaurants or onsite, you will find temptation at every turn. In the break room at work or on grandma’s dinner table, there it will be! Myra’s chocolate covered peanut butter balls, and let’s not forget Claudette’s heavenly fresh pumpkin rolls with cream cheese frosting. Yes, there are challenges with food everywhere during the holidays. How do you hold your own with diabetes? A little preparation, some recipe flipping tricks, and a little communication can go a long way. Please read more to find out what tips will help you get through the holidays without sacrificing your health.1 15 Tips and Tricks for eating holiday meals with relatives and friends Here are 15 great tips and tricks you can use to better manage your diabetes during the holidays. 1) Remember the reason for the season Remember that the most important thing about the holidays is to spend time enjoying the company of friends and Continue reading >>
Diabetes Management
The term diabetes includes several different metabolic disorders that all, if left untreated, result in abnormally high concentration of a sugar called glucose in the blood. Diabetes mellitus type 1 results when the pancreas no longer produces significant amounts of the hormone insulin, usually owing to the autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. Diabetes mellitus type 2, in contrast, is now thought to result from autoimmune attacks on the pancreas and/or insulin resistance. The pancreas of a person with type 2 diabetes may be producing normal or even abnormally large amounts of insulin. Other forms of diabetes mellitus, such as the various forms of maturity onset diabetes of the young, may represent some combination of insufficient insulin production and insulin resistance. Some degree of insulin resistance may also be present in a person with type 1 diabetes. The main goal of diabetes management is, as far as possible, to restore carbohydrate metabolism to a normal state. To achieve this goal, individuals with an absolute deficiency of insulin require insulin replacement therapy, which is given through injections or an insulin pump. Insulin resistance, in contrast, can be corrected by dietary modifications and exercise. Other goals of diabetes management are to prevent or treat the many complications that can result from the disease itself and from its treatment. Overview[edit] Goals[edit] The treatment goals are related to effective control of blood glucose, blood pressure and lipids, to minimize the risk of long-term consequences associated with diabetes. They are suggested in clinical practice guidelines released by various national and international diabetes agencies. The targets are: HbA1c of 6%[1] to 7.0%[2] Preprandial blood Continue reading >>
How To Beat Type 2 Diabetes With Diet And Lifestyle Changes
It's no secret that type 2 diabetes is on the rise in the United States and around the world. But if you've been diagnosed with diabetes, there's a lot you can do to improve your health — and the best place to start is likely by making some changes to your lifestyle. “Basic principles of good health like eating right, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight can be as effective as medicine in the management of type 2 diabetes for most people,” says Sue McLaughlin, RD, CDE, lead medical nutrition therapist at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. That's backed up by the Look AHEAD study, a large clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The researchers found that over a four-year period, changes like eating a healthier diet and getting more exercise led to weight loss and improved diabetes control in 5,000 overweight or obese participants with type 2 diabetes. A December 2016 review in Diabetologia similarly found through 28 studies that participants who were able to achieve about 150 minutes per week of moderate activity lowered their risk of type 2 diabetes by 26 percent compared with nonactive participants. If you're ready to make positive changes to help control diabetes, here's how to get started. Improve Your Diet to Help You Treat Type 2 Diabetes Naturally Keeping close tabs on your diet is a major way to help manage type 2 diabetes. A healthy diet for people with type 2 diabetes includes fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean meats, and low-fat or fat-free dairy. Focus on eating fruit and non-starchy vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, and lettuce, and having smaller portions of starchy foods, meats, and dairy products. Be especially careful about loading Continue reading >>
How To Crush Your Ride Despite Diabetes
Image courtesy of Team Novo-Nordisk/BrakeThrough Media At this moment, about 30 million Americans—nearly 10 percent of the population—are living with diabetes. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention projects that up to one in three Americans will have diabetes by 2050. Scientists are still trying to figure out what exactly is going on (diet and lifestyle certainly play large roles), but one thing is for certain: A lot of people are living with a fairly complex condition, and the situation will worsen. In a nutshell, diabetes is a human energy crisis condition. Type 1 develops when the body cannot make any insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar. Type 2 develops when the body cannot produce enough insulin, or the insulin being produced does not work properly. Insulin manages your blood glucose levels by moving sugars from food you eat into your cells; without it, that fuel remains in the bloodstream, where it damages organs and tissues. It’s fatal without treatment. Fortunately, diabetics can use pharmaceutical insulin to mimic the body’s natural process. But it’s a balancing act: They have to carefully synchronize their insulin injections and blood sugar levels, factoring in the food they’ve eaten and their physical activity. As one might imagine, that can make daily living—let alone bike riding—a challenge. With the right steps, however, it’s a challenge you can meet. We solicited advice and wisdom from successful cyclists living and competing with diabetes, including pros racing for Team Novo Nordisk, a global all-diabetic sports team of cyclists, triathletes, and runners; Team Skyline Pro Cycling; and Colavita/Bianchi p/b Fine Cooking. Here’s what they told us about riding while diabetic. Form Your Team and Plan of Attack The first s Continue reading >>
How To Manage Gestational Diabetes
I was pregnant with my first child when I went to my doctor's office for the routine screening for gestational diabetes at 28 weeks. I drank the sugar solution, and the nurse tested my blood sugar. I failed. Then I had to take the three-hour glucose tolerance test, but the nurse told me, "Your sugar isn't too high. I'm sure you'll pass." I didn't. I remember feeling scared and wondering what this meant for me and my baby, but a diagnosis of gestational diabetes doesn't have to be scary. It just means some extra monitoring, changes to your diet and perhaps some additional medication to keep your blood sugar stable and your baby safe. Gestational diabetes is quite common. Two to 10 percent of pregnant women develop the condition. According to the Mayo Clinic, the placenta, which connects your baby to your blood supply, produces high levels of various hormones. Almost all of them impair the action of insulin in your cells, which raises your blood sugar. As your baby grows, the placenta produces more and more insulin-blocking hormones. For most women, this isn't an issue because their pancreas just secretes enough insulin to keep their blood sugar stable. But when a woman has gestational diabetes, her pancreas can't keep up with the rise in blood sugar, which can affect the growth and welfare of her baby. After my diagnosis, I wanted to know what I needed to do to keep my baby safe. My doctor first referred me to a nutritionist, who taught me how to adjust my diet in order to eat a specific number of carbohydrates to keep my blood sugar stable. I was also encouraged to exercise because it lowers your blood sugar by stimulating your body to move glucose into your cells, where it's used for energy. I also learned how to monitor my blood sugar. My doctor told me to test four t Continue reading >>
How To Reverse Diabetes Naturally
According to the 2017 National Diabetes Statistics Report, over 30 million people living in the United States have diabetes. That’s almost 10 percent of the U.S. population. And diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, causing, at least in part, over 250,000 deaths in 2015. That’s why it’s so important to take steps to reverse diabetes and the diabetes epidemic in America. Type 2 diabetes is a dangerous disease that can lead to many other health conditions when it’s not managed properly, including kidney disease, blindness, leg and food amputations, nerve damage, and even death. (1) Type 2 diabetes is a completely preventable and reversible condition, and with diet and lifestyle changes, you can greatly reduce your chances of getting the disease or reverse the condition if you’ve already been diagnosed. If you are one of the millions of Americans struggling with diabetes symptoms, begin the steps to reverse diabetes naturally today. With my diabetic diet plan, suggested supplements and increased physical activity, you can quickly regain your health and reverse diabetes the natural way. The Diabetes Epidemic Diabetes has grown to “epidemic” proportions, and the latest statistics revealed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that 30.3 million Americans have diabetes, including the 7.2 million people who weren’t even aware of it. Diabetes is affecting people of all ages, including 132,000 children and adolescents younger than 18 years old. (2) The prevalence of prediabetes is also on the rise, as it’s estimated that almost 34 million U.S. adults were prediabetic in 2015. People with prediabetes have blood glucose levels that are above normal but below the defined threshold of diabetes. Without proper int Continue reading >>
Contact Us To Find Out Which Community Is Right For You .
Be well. Take power over diabetes. Eskaton is here to help manage diabetes for you and your loved ones. At our communities, we provide a comprehensive method to diabetic management to empower you. Our program includes these key elements: Understand diabetes to give you control Education is key to understanding how diabetes affects your body. We involve you and your family in creating your personalized plan of care. Know the importance of diet We feature diabetic-friendly options at every meal. We’ll teach you how to choose wisely. Watch the video of Eskaton Chef Kary Saunders prepare healthy eating options including sliders, salads, fish, snacks and even dessert. Effectively communicate with team members Residents and families benefit by knowing what to report and what questions to ask. Manage your medications and supplements We’ll assist you in taking the right medications at the right time. Understand the importance of exercise Be active. We’ll show you how and give you opportunities. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with diabetes, here are some available resources: Continue reading >>
10 Diet And Exercise Tricks To Control Diabetes
Small goals make a big difference When it comes to type 2 diabetes, you need diet and exercise goals that encourage you to succeed—not ones that set you up to fail, says Ann Goebel-Fabbri, PhD, a psychologist and investigator at the Joslin Diabetes Center, in Boston. "I think goals have to be small and well spelled out for people. Everyone has the experience of going to a health practitioner and being told something vague: 'You know, you really ought to lose weight.' What does that mean? Goals need to be broken down into small nuts and bolts," she says. First step: See where you stand now Margaret Savoca, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, suggests that you stop and look at your eating and exercise habits, and figure out what will be the easiest changes to make, rather than making huge changes that are tough to sustain. "Diabetes is a marathon, not a sprint," says Elizabeth Hardy, 47, a Dallas resident who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2005. For Hardy it was easiest to make changes in her life one step at a time. Here are 10 ways to start. Bring your own lunch Avoid eating lunch at restaurants or fast-food joints. Restaurant meals "can go out of control easily," Savoca says. They tend to have large portions, lots of calories, and high amounts of fat. Research has found an association between eating out more and having a higher body weight. When you make your own lunch, you control the ingredients and your portion sizes. If making your own lunch every day is too much, you might want to try twice a week to start. Use a pedometer These handy devices—available for less than $20 at sporting goods stores—clip on to your waistband and record the number of steps you take. Use one to estimat Continue reading >>
Recommendations For Management Of Diabetes During Ramadan
It is estimated that there are 1.1–1.5 billion Muslims worldwide, comprising 18–25% of the world population (1,2). Fasting during Ramadan, a holy month of Islam, is an obligatory duty for all healthy adult Muslims. An ∼4.6% prevalence of diabetes worldwide (3) coupled with the results of the population-based Epidemiology of Diabetes and Ramadan 1422/2001 (EPIDIAR) study, which showed (in 12,243 people with diabetes from 13 Islamic countries) that ∼43% of patients with type 1 diabetes and ∼79% of patients with type 2 diabetes fast during Ramadan (4), lead to the estimation that some 40–50 million people with diabetes worldwide fast during Ramadan. Ramadan is a lunar-based month, and its duration varies between 29 and 30 days. Its timing changes with respect to seasons. Depending on the geographical location and season, the duration of the daily fast may range from a few to more than 20 h. Muslims who fast during Ramadan must abstain from eating, drinking, use of oral medications, and smoking from predawn to after sunset; however, there are no restrictions on food or fluid intake between sunset and dawn. Most people consume two meals per day during this month, one after sunset, referred to in Arabic as Iftar (breaking of the fast meal), and the other before dawn, referred to as Suhur (predawn). Fasting is not meant to create excessive hardship on the Muslim individual. The Koran specifically exempts the sick from the duty of fasting (Holy Koran, Al-Bakarah, 183–185), especially if fasting might lead to harmful consequences for the individual. Patients with diabetes fall under this category because their chronic metabolic disorder may place them at high risk for various complications if the pattern and amount of their meal and fluid intake is markedly altered Continue reading >>
Diabetes Management
Diabetes is a serious disease in which your blood glucose (blood sugar) is too high. Diabetes affects almost every part of your body. Diabetes can lead to heart attack; stroke; eye problems that can lead to trouble seeing or going blind; nerve damage that can cause your hands and feet to hurt, tingle, or feel numb – some people may even lose a foot or a leg; kidney problems that can cause your kidneys to stop working; and gum disease and loss of teeth. These are the different types of diabetes: Type 1 Diabetes. The body does not make insulin. Insulin helps the body use glucose from food for energy. People with type 1 need to take insulin every day. Type 2 Diabetes. The body does not make or use insulin well. People with type 2 often need to take pills or insulin. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes. Gestational Diabetes. This may occur when a woman is pregnant. It raises her risk of getting another type of diabetes, mostly type 2, for the rest of her life. It also raises her child's risk of being overweight and getting diabetes. It is important to take good care of yourself and your diabetes so that you can feel better and help avoid other health problems caused by diabetes. When you manage your blood glucose levels, you are likely to have more energy, be less tired and thirsty, and urinate less frequently. Other advantages to managing your health are that you may have fewer problems with your eyesight, feet and gums, heal better, and have fewer skin or bladder infections. Involve the help of others to help you take care of your diabetes. Seek help from a large network of people who are experts on you and/or your health, including doctors, diabetes educators, eye doctors, mental health counselors, nurse practitioners, social workers, dentists, dietitians, foot Continue reading >>
How Can You Manage Your Diabetes?
The goals of diabetes management are to: Keep your blood sugar levels as near normal as safely possible by balancing food intake with physical activity and medication. Help slow or possibly prevent the development of diabetes-related health problems. Here are five tips to remember when managing your diabetes: Test your blood glucose as recommended by your health care professional. Take your medicine as prescribed by the doctor-- be it tablets (pills) or injectable medicines like insulin. Make healthy food choices. Be physically active. Learn all you can do to manage your diabetes and live a healthier life. Continue reading >>
Diabetes Management: How Lifestyle, Daily Routine Affect Blood Sugar
Diabetes management requires awareness. Know what makes your blood sugar level rise and fall — And how to control these day-to-day factors. Keeping your blood sugar levels within the range recommended by your doctor can be challenging. That's because many things make your blood sugar levels change, sometimes unexpectedly. Following are some factors that can affect your blood sugar levels. Food Healthy eating is a cornerstone of healthy living — with or without diabetes. But if you have diabetes, you need to know how foods affect your blood sugar levels. It's not only the type of food you eat but also how much you eat and the combinations of food types you eat. What to do: Learn about carbohydrate counting and portion sizes. A key to many diabetes management plans is learning how to count carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the foods that often have the biggest impact on your blood sugar levels. And for people taking mealtime insulin, it's crucial to know the amount of carbohydrates in your food, so you get the proper insulin dose. Learn what portion size is appropriate for each type of food. Simplify your meal planning by writing down portions for the foods you eat often. Use measuring cups or a scale to ensure proper portion size and an accurate carbohydrate count. Make every meal well-balanced. As much as possible, plan for every meal to have a good mix of starches, fruits and vegetables, proteins and fats. It's especially important to pay attention to the types of carbohydrates you choose. Some carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, are better for you than are others. These foods are low in carbohydrates and contain fiber that helps keep your blood sugar levels more stable. Talk to your doctor, nurse or dietitian about the best food choices and Continue reading >>
Manage Your Diabetes
Whether you have taken another insulin or are just starting insulin, understanding how to manage your diabetes is the key to reaching your diabetes goals. The right tools and the right knowledge can help you get there, one day at a time. Read food labels. You can begin to understand how different foods will affect your blood sugar by reading their nutrition labels. Two key things to pay attention to are serving size and carbohydrates. For a helpful tool that lists the nutritional value of certain foods, you can use the food lookup tool on Cornerstones4Care.com after signing up. Exercise doesn’t have to be overwhelming Activities like walking the dog, cleaning the house, and washing the car can be part of your exercise routine. How you choose to exercise is less important than finding a way to stay active regularly. When you are active, your cells become more sensitive to insulin, so the insulin can work more efficiently. Exercising, even in smaller increments, can help lower blood sugar and improve your A1C. For example, you could: Replace a coffee break with going for a walk Walk around while on the phone instead of staying seated Use the stairs at work instead of the elevator Stretch while watching TV instead of lounging Park at the far end of a parking lot to get a longer walk Rake leaves in the yard or garden Work with your health care provider In addition to helping you make decisions about your exercise routine, your health care provider can talk to you about the diabetes medicines and over-the-counter medications you take. Depending on your level of physical activity, you may need to change from one medicine to another or adjust the amount you take. Know signs and symptoms to watch out for Speak to your health care provider about testing your blood sugar to see Continue reading >>
Facing Diabetes Head On: Advice From A Diabetic For A Diabetic
Justan Carlson was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after a wrestling accident damaged his pancreas, the organ that makes insulin to help your body convert sugar into energy. Now, nearly 11 years later, Justan lives his life as he wants with only a few caveats. Learn about what advice Justan has for other diabetics who are figuring out how to manage their condition in their everyday lives. The most important tip Justan has for people recently diagnosed with diabetes: remain calm. “Don’t let it overwhelm you,” he says. Listen to what your doctor has to say, realize the changes you’ll have to make in your life, and continue on with what you want to do with your life. “It’s not a hindrance; it’s just a slight slowdown,” Justan says. Diabetes means your body is changing, so it’s important that you listen to what it’s trying to tell you. “Pay attention to how your body reacts to things,” Justan says. This includes how your body responds to food, exercise, and other factors that can affect your blood sugar level. After more than a decade with diabetes, Justan is so in tune with his body that he can accurately guess his blood sugar within five points. While diabetes is tied to obesity, it’s important to remember that being diagnosed with diabetes doesn’t mean you’re sentenced to a sedentary lifestyle. On the contrary, exercise becomes that much more important for those with diabetes. A self-described “active person,” Justan isn’t a slave to the gym, but he’s always doing something. He recommends — along with researchers and doctors — all diabetics get off the couch. “Don’t sit around,” Justan says. “There’s no reason to be lazy.” Diabetics need to watch what they eat to prevent spikes in their blood sugar, but that doesn’t Continue reading >>
- Advice to walk after meals is more effective for lowering postprandial glycaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus than advice that does not specify timing: a randomised crossover study
- What I Ate When I Couldn't Eat Anything: Facing Gestational Diabetes as a Food Lover
- People with diabetes are facing rising prices for lifesaving drugs
