Managing Food Around The World With Type 1 Diabetes

Managing Food Around the World with Type 1 Diabetes

More tips for managing diabetes while traveling around the world from Cazzy Magennis, of Dream Big Travel Far!
Traveling the world means you have access to amazing things to see, do, and most importantly – eat and drink! This can cause some challenges for type 1 diabetics as we often find ourselves counting carbohydrates to manage our insulin doses.
I’ve experienced first-hand the difficulties with adjusting to new foods and drinks in different countries.
So, I decided to put together some of my tops tips for managing food around the world with type 1 diabetes.
Carbs & Cals is a fantastic app that allows you to see a visual representation of different foods, along with their estimated carbohydrate count. What this means is that, when you are visiting food markets or dining out anywhere, you can check and compare the food on your plate to a portion size on the app.
This allows you to work out the carbohydrate count for your insulin intake. The app is also available in book form, but long-term traveling requires light luggage, so I think the app is a better idea.
Alternatively, you can use fitness style apps such as MyFitnessPal which will give you an estimated carbohydrate count of thousands upon thousands of foods and drinks – but without the visual picture!
If you know you’re heading to Asia where they consume lots of rice and noodles, use your trip as an opportunity to try your hand at cooking some traditional dishes beforehand!
You can make a variety of “local” dishes and work out the carbohydrates in the portion you would usually take. Of course, it will var Continue reading

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5 Surprising Diabetes Symptoms

Not every case of type 2 diabetes symptoms presents the obvious—unquenchable thirst, nonstop bathroom trips, and numbness in your hands or feet. Look out for these other subtle signs that something may be amiss with your blood sugar:
1. You've noticed unpleasant skin changes
Dark, velvety patches in the folds of skin, usually on the back of the neck, elbows, or knuckles, are often an early warning sign of too-high blood sugar levels and diabetes symptoms. Although genetics or hormonal conditions can cause the skin disorder, called acanthosis nigricans, "when I notice the patches, the first thing I do is test my patient's blood sugar," says Sanjiv Saini, MD, a dermatologist in Edgewater, Maryland. "High insulin levels promote the growth of skin cells, and melanin, a pigment in these cells, makes the patches dark." The test may show that the patient already has diabetes, but, more likely, it will detect higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, suggesting the patient is on the way to developing the disease, explains Saini. Losing weight—as little as 10 pounds—will likely lower blood sugar levels and help the condition clear up. Otherwise, he says a dermatologist can treat it with laser therapy or topical retina A.
2. Your vision improved out of nowhere
Sorry, suddenly being able to ditch your glasses probably isn't good news: "You'll often read that blurry vision is as a diabetes symptom when, in fact, vision can change for better or worse," says Howard Baum, MD, an assistant professor of medicine in the diabetes division at Vanderbilt University. "I've had patients tell m Continue reading

Study links a lack of sleep in children with increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes

Children who don't get enough sleep at night are at higher risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published Tuesday by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Researchers observed self-reported sleep times, then took body measurements and blood samples in over 4,500 children aged 9 and 10 in Britain. Children who slept on average one hour longer per night than others in the study had a lower body mass index, lower insulin resistance, and lower fasting glucose than those who who slept an hour less.
While the study did not follow the participants long enough to see if they actually developed diabetes, the markers that are considered type 2 diabetes risk factors in adults were there.
The researchers suggest that increasing sleep duration by even half an hour could be associated with a lower body mass index and a reduction in insulin resistance.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend 11 to 14 hours of sleep a night for children ages one to two and 10 to 13 hours of sleep for ages three through five. In school-aged children, the groups recommend nine to 12 hours of sleep a night for children up to 12 and eight to ten hours of sleep for teenagers.
Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez, a pediatric specialist, told ABC News that she often tells her patients that sleep is just as important for health as eating healthy or getting enough exercise.
Inadequate sleep for children is linked to lower academic performance, irritability and behavior problems, difficulty concentrating, and now even an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, a Continue reading

This Is What Happens When People With Diabetes Lose Medicaid

In 2003, Jose Sanchez was a recent graduate just starting out in the world, hustling to get his graphic design business off the ground. Then, one day, his life changed.
“I went to take a nap and then I didn’t wake up for two days,” he said. “When I woke up, I looked like the Matrix. I had all these tubes coming out of me.”
Sanchez discovered he had Type 1 diabetes only after he had fallen into diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition. His story is a reminder of what many diabetics went through in the years before the Affordable Care Act, and what many could face again if it’s rolled back.
Because he had very little income at the time, Sanchez was able to qualify for New York State’s Medicaid program. Between changing his diet and lifestyle and getting insulin and other health care through Medicaid, he managed to stay relatively healthy after the incident.
Eventually, he found stable employment and had a son. But then another disaster hit. In 2007, he learned that his job—working nights at Abercrombie & Fitch, prepping the store for the morning crowds—paid just a little too much for him to continue to qualify for Medicaid.
“That’s when I found out the true cost of being a diabetic,” he said.
Without insurance, insulinrefillsalone cost him $225 every three weeks. Diapers, food and milk for his son came first, so he rationed the medication and ended up in the emergency room over and over again, racking up tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills he had no way to pay on his salary.
“I would end up being in the hospital for a weeklong vi Continue reading

How to Recognize Diabetes Symptoms

The symptoms of diabetes are many, but the recognizable ones are few. Many of the symptoms associated with diabetics are also associated with other problems, including just getting older. Recognizing the signs of diabetes, however, can mean catching it early and thus having a better outcome for treatment and even a cure.
Any single symptom may not necessarily be proof of diabetes, though any of the following symptoms should be followed up with a physician. Ask about diabetes information when you do.
Sudden Weight Loss
Although diabetes is associated with obesity in most people's minds, it can work both ways. Some who are normal or just slightly overweight can suddenly see weight loss. This is especially true in type 1 diabetes. Even if it's not because you're diabetic, sudden weight loss is never a good sign and should be checked quickly.
Frequent Urination
Another common sign, this one may or may not indicate diabetes. If it's happening alongside another symptom, though, it's something to have checked immediately. Sometimes, urination just happens more often because of dietary changes (perhaps less salt, more water intake, etc) and is not serious.
Blurred Vision
A fairly common symptom of diabetes, blurred vision is often a first sign of many ailments. If your vision perceptibly changes as often as daily, you should definitely see a doctor.
Extreme Thirst
If you just can't seem to quench your thirst, it's a sign you could be having one of several problems, including diabetes.
Numbness / Tingling
A numbness or tingling in your extremities is a sign of circulatory problems a Continue reading