Why Understanding Carbs (and How To Count Them) Matters
Jess starts by talking us through the basics. This video will help you to identify carbohydrates in different types of food and learn how carb counting can help you to manage your blood glucose levels. Key points Carb counting takes a bit of effort to learn, but the control that comes with it can make life much easier. Carbs are found in starchy foods like bread and pasta, in naturally occurring sugars in fruits and dairy products as well as in added sugars (found in sweets, chocolate, sugary drinks). Most carbs break down into glucose once digested. This means that the carb content of your diet directly affects your blood glucose levels. Carbs can be further broken down into fast, medium and slow acting. Fast acting carbs:Fast acting carbs: Glucose tablets, glucose drinks, full sugar soft drinks or squashes, jellies (not diet), sweets Medium acting carbs: Medium acting carbs: Bread, pasta, potatoes, yams, breakfast cereal, couscous Slow acting carbs:Slow acting carbs: Pearl barley, peas, beans, lentils, sweetcorn, pumpkin Slow-acting carbs are absorbed very slowly. They may not need to be matched with insulin unless eaten in large quantities. The saying 'everyone is unique' applies to carbs too, so monitor your blood sugar levels to see how different foods affect you – and, of course, speak to your team for help. Plenty of foods don’t have any carbs in them at all. Such as: Protein: Protein: Meat, fish, seafood, eggs Fat:Fat:Lard, ghee, margarine, oils Dairy:Dairy:Cheeses, butter Vegetables: Vegetables: Asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, avocado DrinksDrinks: Water, sugar-free drinks, diet drinks, diet squashes, black tea and coffee Continue learning 2. How carbs interact with your body Understanding how different carbs interact with the body is Continue reading >>
Why Diabetes Is A Greater Heart Health Risk For Women Than Men
Feature Articles » Why diabetes is a greater heart health risk for women than men Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease in both men and women. However, it has a greater impact on women’s heart health than men’s. “Diabetes appears to be a stronger risk factor for cardiovascular events in women than in men,” says endocrinologist Dr. Lorraine Lipscombe, director of the Centre for Integrated Diabetes Care at Women’s College Hospital. “If you compare cardiovascular events in women who have diabetes versus women who don’t have diabetes, the spread is greater than it is between men with diabetes and men without diabetes.” Dr. Lipscombe explains that in all populations, including populations with diabetes, women have a lower rate of heart attacks than men. However, when a woman gets diabetes, it narrows that gender gap: relative to women who don’t have diabetes, her risk is greatly increased. In comparison, when a man gets diabetes, it does increase his cardiovascular risk compared to men without diabetes, but not to the same extent as it would for a woman. While there are many other possible complications of diabetes – such as kidney disease and eye disease – cardiovascular disease is one of the most serious, and the one most often linked to mortality. Researchers aren’t certain why diabetes affects women’s heart health more dramatically than men’s, but there are a number of factors that may play a role. “Women may have fewer other risk factors for heart disease,” Dr. Lipscombe says. “Men may have higher rates of cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking or hypertension, but for women, diabetes might be their biggest risk factor for heart disease.” Another possible factor is the difference in how heart risks are managed in men Continue reading >>
Diabetes Matters
Each year, nearly 100,000 diabetes-related limb amputations in the U.S. result from diabetes, and thousands of Americans lose their sight because of this disease. Donate now to help end this chronic debilitating disease. Why Your Support Matters Imagine having to monitor your blood glucose levels multiple times every day in order to manage the looming dangers of diabetes--chronic risks to your senses, your mobility, your independence and your life. Millions of people go through this anxiety on a daily basis. Worse, one in three Americans with diabetes are unaware that they are pre-diabetic. Diabetes is an undeniable threat to so many of our family members, friends, neighbors and colleagues. The CDC reports that at least 29 million Americans, more than in three are adults, already have diabetes, with another 86 million at high risk of developing the chronic disease. But there is hope. At Diabetes Charities of America, we believe that with your help, we can prevent, care for, and eventually cure this disease. Together, we can ensure the safety and well-being of the nearly half a billion people worldwide suffering from diabetes, and put an end to this disease once and for all. Continue reading >>
Explore Diabetic Foods, Diets, And More!
A dietitian or diabetes educator will help you develop a meal plan to get a good balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, and an appropriate amount of calories. They’ll teach you how to manage carbohydrate intake, usually by carbohydrate counting, but sometimes using the exchange diet, the plate method, the modified food guide, or other meal plans. Continue reading >>
Why Diabetes Matters To Wound Care Advantage
As Diabetes Awareness Month comes to an end, the Wound Care Advantage team knows that it is critical to maintain awareness for this disease on a daily basis. It is an important month for the wound care community because many national activities assist in elevating attention to the direct link between the disease and non-healing wounds. For patients, dealing with the physical and emotional challenges of diabetes is difficult enough, without also having to deal with a non-healing wound. November is a great time of year for everyone to think about diabetes and remind others about the importance of getting screened. Because diets and work out routines tend to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the holiday seasons, it is a reminder for those affected by diabetes to be mindful . According to the American Diabetes Association 29.1 million Americans currently have diabetes. One out of 4 of those people do not realize they have the disease. Possibly even more shocking, an additional 86 million people have pre-diabetes and 9 out of 10 of those people do not realize they have it. Our amazing team at Wound Care Advantage recently participated in our annual fundraising efforts as a team for the American Diabetes Association’s Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes. Thank you to all of our employees who walked and to those who sponsored them. We are also using our extensive media connections to produce a series of articles with our friends at the American Diabetes Association. After all, our patients, friends, and family members cannot afford to have only one month per year for diabetes awareness. Continue reading >>
Genetics Of Type 2 Diabetes: It Matters From Which Parent We Inherit The Risk.
Abstract Type 2 diabetes (T2D) results from a co-occurrence of genes and environmental factors. There are more than 120 genetic loci suggested to be associated with T2D, or with glucose and insulin levels in European and multi-ethnic populations. Risk of T2D is higher in the offspring if the mother rather than the father has T2D. Genetically, this can be associated with a unique parent-of-origin (PoO) transmission of risk alleles, and it relates to genetic programming during the intrauterine period, resulting in the inability to increase insulin secretion in response to increased demands imposed by insulin resistance later in life. Such PoO transmission is seen for variants in the KLF14, KCNQ1, GRB10, TCF7L2, THADA, and PEG3 genes. Here we describe T2D susceptibility genes associated with defects in insulin secretion, and thereby risk of overt T2D. This review emphasizes the need to consider distorted parental transmission of risk alleles by exploring the genetic risk of T2D. Continue reading >>
Why The Who Does Not Take Diabetes (or Obesity For That Matter) As A Pandemic Just As It Does With Some Lethal Viruses?
Thanks for the A2A. Firstly, I should preface my answer by stating that I work with the WHO, not for the WHO. As such, none of what I state below should be considered to be representative of the WHO’s opinions, thoughts, practices or policies on the matter. They are my observations, and my observations alone. So. Why doesn’t the WHO take diabetes/obesity as seriously as it does say, Ebola? There is certainly a shred of truth to this (although not as much as you might think. There’s a shred, but that’s about it). When I visited the WHO headquarters in Geneva for the 2015 World Health Assembly, my WHO contact remarked that they’d cleared out an entire two floors of the building for work on the Ebola outbreak. I find it unlikely that they ever had two floors on obesity, despite its key role to play in several of the leading causes of death (heart attacks and stroke) and its impact on disease morbidity (e.g. hypertension). The flip-side to this, of course, is that they never had cause to have a special Ebola task force prior to the outbreak and have definitely dialed down their manpower allocation to it since the “end” of the pandemic in March last year. Meanwhile they definitely did have staff assigned to addressing obesity (e.g. Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity) prior to the outbreak, and still do (as you would expect, considering that obesity is an ongoing issue). In essence, you could say that the WHO treats the two issues as they are- one as a crisis, and the other as an ongoing issue- that while critical- is at least theoretically reversible, with a large intervention window. It gets harder as you age, but people can always improve their exercise and dietary habits; patients who’ve died from Ebola aren’t coming back. Furthermore, the general tr Continue reading >>
News And Information
Do you want to read in depth articles on living well with diabetes? Want to read real life stories about how others manage the everyday challenge of diabetes? Want some tasty recipes (approved by dietitians) to try in the kitchen? Grab a copy of Diabetes Matters. Diabetes Matters is the Diabetes WA magazine for members. It is full of helpful information on diabetes prevention, management and research. Each edition includes real life stories, helpful hints and tips to live well along with details on courses and events for people living with diabetes in WA. Our team of credentialled diabetes educators review all magazine content in the magazine, making it a reliable and valuable source of information for our readers. Having Diabetes Matters magazine delivered straight to your door is just one of the many benefits of Diabetes WA membership. Learn more about becoming a member. Digital copies of the magazine are also available. If you are interested in advertising in Diabetes Matters, please view our rate card and email our media team. Continue reading >>
Why Diabetes Matters
The good news is that diabetes is treatable and often preventable. Individuals with diabetes may avoid or delay other health complications by: This content was last reviewed August 2015. Continue reading >>
Diabetes Matters In Primary Care
Ruth Chambers, Jonathan Stead, Gill Wakley Abingdon: Radcliffe Medical Press, 2001, pp 158, ISBN 1 85775 424 7 The number of patients with diabetes is growing rapidly all over the world and in many countries the big majority of the patients are treated primarily in primary care. Treatment of diabetes became much more complex in the last decades because of growing evidence that systematic monitoring and appropriate treatment of risk factors may reduce the number of diabetes related complications to a large extent. Diabetes care should be systematic and patient-centred—that is beyond doubt. Unfortunately it isn't yet in many places, not only in the UK. Against that background the National Service Framework in the UK set concrete goals for diabetes care to reduce undesired variations in the quality of the delivered care. This book aims at offering an individual development plan for general practitioners, diabetes nurses and all other members of the primary care diabetes teams to bring their performance in accordance with the professional standards of care. In five chapters, out of 10, the reader can learn what every care provider should know about diabetes as a disease and about the evidence on patient-centredness in diabetes care. But gathering knowledge is just the beginning of a good performance…someone's personal attitude towards diabetes should fit into the development plan of the practice he or she works in. It is the attitude that matters. For that reason the first chapter about the components of clinical governance is of utmost importance and the interactive reflection exercises at the end of all chapters should oblige the reader to integrate the acquired knowledge into his/her development plan. Chapter 7 relates to organising diabetes care in a general practic Continue reading >>
Aerobic Exercise For Type 2 Diabetes
It's no surprise that exercise—especially aerobic exercise—is essential in managing type 2 diabetes. But how much exercise should you get? And what kind of exercise should you do? Are there exercises that are more beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes? While it's important to incorporate the 3 main types of exercise—aerobic, strength training, and flexibility—into an exercise program, aerobic exercise is incredibly beneficial for helping control diabetes. Aerobic exercise is fantastic for your heart and for managing blood glucose levels. Regular aerobic exercise can also lead to weight loss (if that's what you need). The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse recommends that you get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least 5 days a week to get the most benefits.1 Exercise has much more to offer than just getting your blood moving and your heart pumping. Below are some other benefits of aerobic exercise for people with diabetes. Decreases your body fat, including harmful visceral (belly) fat Helps ward off diabetes complications, such as heart disease and kidney problems Helps you lose weight—and keep it off Increase your energy and mood Keeps your heart and bones healthy and your joints strong Lowers blood pressure Reduces bad cholesterol levels and improves good cholesterol levels Learn more about why exercise is such a vital part of living a healthy lifestyle with diabetes in our article about the benefits of exercise. Aerobic Exercise for a Healthy Lifestyle Incorporating aerobic exercise into your schedule takes a bit of planning, but there are numerous ways to fit it into your daily life. You can pop in a workout DVD before going to work in the morning or go for a brisk after-dinner walk, for example. Fortunately, you don't need a gym me Continue reading >>
- Get off your backside! It's madness for the NHS to spend millions fighting type 2 diabetes when the simple cure is exercise, says DR MICHAEL MOSLEY, who reversed HIS own diabetes
- This Diabetes Month, Don’t Forget About the Importance of Exercise for People with Type 1 Diabetes
- You CAN beat diabetes! Strict diet, exercise and drugs helps reverse type 2 diabetes
Learn Why Diabetes Matters During American Diabetes Month
One in 12 D.C. residents has been diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the District, with highest rates in wards 4, 5, 7, and 8. To raise awareness about diabetes and healthy living, LCHC Healthy Ties is proudly participating in American Diabetes Month. It’s time to take control of your blood sugar and live a healthier life. If you are overweight, have high blood pressure, or are 45 or older, you are at higher risk of developing diabetes. The good news? You can lower blood sugar by making healthy choices. Here are five tips to help prevent or reduce high blood sugar: Be active and get moving every day. Regular exercise, like walking, dancing, or working in the yard, can help lower your blood sugar. If you are overweight, cut calories and reduce portion sizes. Try using smaller plates and cups, drink more water, and eat slower during mealtimes. Eat healthy types of carbohydrates. Replace sugar-sweetened beverages and desserts high in sugar with fruits, vegetables and whole grains to help keep your blood sugar levels healthy. Take medications or insulin daily, as prescribed by your health provider. Medications work better when you eat a balanced diet and are active. Check in with your health care team. Contact your doctor or visit a clinic to get a blood sugar test and learn how to prevent or manage diabetes. Learn How to Prevent and Manage Diabetes – The DC Department of Health has compiled a wonderful resource that lists all the diabetes management programs throughout the city with details including services offered, location, and contact information. The National Diabetes Education Program offers a listing of more than 50 ways to prevent diabetes with great, realistic tips to incorporate into your day-to-day rout Continue reading >>
Why Inflammation Matters For Diabetics
TIME Health For more, visit TIME Health. Anti-inflammatory medications might someday be used to lower the risk of certain kinds of disease among diabetics, found a new study presented at the American Heart Association’s High Blood Pressure Research Scientific Sessions 2014. In the laboratory, the researchers studied cultured cells from a human aorta, the blood vessel that comes out of the heart and goes to the rest of the body. They put the cells in a high-glucose environment—similar to a what happens inside a diabetic body—and found that without inflammation present, sugar didn’t enter the cells. And even when glucose was forced into the cells, the cells weren’t damaged. But inflammation changes everything. When researchers added an inflammatory protein called interleukin-1—a common marker for inflammation in the body, whether you are diabetic or not—the cell did metabolize the glucose, which kicked off a cycle of inflammation. Those effects were blocked once the researchers gave the cells a certain type of anti-inflammatory drug. “What [the study authors] said was, you need the inflammation in order for the glucose to do the damage to the cells,” explained Mary Ann Bauman, MD, a primary care internist at INTEGRIS Health in Oklahoma City and a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. (Dr. Bauman was not an author on the study.) “That could be one of the reasons why in a diabetic, if we can get them to exercise and lose weight, they will have less damage to their blood vessels.” In diabetes care, doctors and patients often focus on reducing blood sugar levels, and though this preliminary research occurred only in cells, it shows how inflammation might play a role, Dr. Bauman said. That means that controlling blood sugar isn’t always enoug Continue reading >>
Shoes And Diabetes: What's On Your Feet Matters
When you have diabetes, you need to take special care of your feet. That's why it's important to check your feet daily and choose your shoes wisely. Wear well-fitting, comfortable shoes to help keep small foot problems -- like a corn, blister, or a callus -- from turning into severe ones. Find the Right Size If you haven't had your foot measured in a while, visit a shoe store to see what size you should wear, says podiatrist James Wrobel, DPM. Don't buy shoes that are too small or too big, which can cause blisters and calluses, he says. About 6 out of 10 people with diabetes wear the wrong-size shoes, a study at the University of Dundee in the United Kingdom shows. Another study shows that only about one-fourth of all people wear the correct-size shoes. Don't mistake a tight fit for good support, Wrobel says. Instead, wear shoes with comfortable support. Tips to Pick the Right Shoe Once you know your correct size: 1. Look for shoes that don't have pointed toes. Instead, choose ones with a spacious "toe box," so your toes have plenty of wiggle room. That way they won't be crushed together. You'll have less chance of corns, calluses, and blisters that can turn into ulcers. 2. If you can remove the shoe's insole, take it out and step on it. Your foot should fit comfortably on top of it with no overlap. If your foot is bigger than the insole, it will be crammed inside the shoe when you wear it. Choose a different shoe. 3. Avoid high-heeled shoes, because they put pressure on the ball of your foot. If you have nerve damage, you might not realize that area is sore or getting calluses. High heels can also cause balance issues, especially if you have nerve damage. 4. Steer clear of sandals, flip-flops, or other open-toe shoes. Straps can put pressure on parts of your foot, lead Continue reading >>
Unc Gillings School Of Global Public Health
The number of people worldwide living with diabetes has doubled since 1980 to 347 million, and this number is expected to reach 552 million by 2030. The most common form of diabetes is type 2, which has been strongly linked to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Those living with the disease are also at a high risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, vision-threatening eye disease, and amputations. Despite significant advancements in research there is still much to be done to prevent diabetes. Researchers at the Gillings School are making breakthroughs at every level of diabetes prevention and treatment, from transforming our understanding of the basic science behind diabetes to developing, implementing, and analyzing health interventions at the community level. We are also training an extraordinary group of young scholars from the U.S. and emerging economies to become the diabetes leaders of the future, thus building state, national, and global capacity to combat the enormous toll that diabetes is taking on human health and well-being, health care costs, and economic productivity. Beverage purchases from stores in Mexico under the excise tax on sugar sweetened beverages: an observational study Continue reading >>
