The Diabetes Supplies Thief

Oren Liebermann is a CNN journalist based in Jerusalem who has received two Emmy awards and three Associated Press awards. His travel memoir, The Insulin Express, tells of his Type 1 diabetes diagnosis while globe trotting through 30 different countries. This is an excerpt.
I never see the bastards coming. There are two one driving the motorbike and the other sitting behind him. The second guy is the thief. The first is the getaway driver. Their target is a small pouch sticking about two inches out of my left cargo pocket. Im sure they think it has money since, somehow, I doubt they realize that no tourist would have his billfold hanging out of his pocket. Inside the pouch that I got from Etihad Airways on my way home after my diagnosis are my diabetic supplies: my blood sugar monitor, test strips, and about a third of an insulin pen. The red plaid pouch scores far more points for functionality than style.
They yank the pouch from my pocket as Cassie and I are walking to dinner along the river in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. They make a left and speed off. I immediately start sprinting after them, running full speed for about fifty meters, adrenaline pumping through my veins. Without my diabetes supplies, I am left guessing at my blood sugar. My glucose monitor is the single most important piece of equipment for me to control my diabetes. I cannot imagine a life without it because there is no life without it.
I keep them in sight, but Im not exactly closing the gap. Its not that Im slow. Quite the contrary. I was the fastest Jew in my high school, which almost means somethin Continue reading

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Type 2 Diabetes: 7 Surprising Things That Affect Weight

Type 2 Diabetes: 7 Surprising Things That Affect Weight
Could you be sabotaging your diabetes weight loss plan without knowing it? Learn about the factors that may be standing between you and a healthier weight.
Medically Reviewed by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD
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It may not surprise you to know that being overweight or obese and having type 2 diabetes can increase your risk of diabetes-related complications. Or that, on the flipside, losing a few pounds through healthy habits like eating well and exercising can help reduce your risk for these complications and other health conditions. But what you might not realize is that even if you think youre doing everything right, you may be sabotaging your own your weight-loss efforts without even knowing it.
Here are 7 surprising factors that may be standing between you and a healthier weight and tips to tackle these obstacles and get back on the path to success from two certified diabetes educators (CDEs).
Weight Loss Obstacle #1: Youre overwhelmed.
Remedy: Commit. Renew the commitment daily in increments, if necessary.
If youre overweight or obese, the prospect of losing weight, and then maintaining it, can be daunting. Its a commitment and you need to renew that commitment every day, says Margaret Powers, PhD, RD, CDE, president of Health Care and Education for the American Diabetes Association. To make it less intimidating, she suggests thinking about the commitment as though youre just making it for today. Start by commi Continue reading

Best smoothies for people with diabetes

Smoothies may seem like a healthful option, but they can be a very bad choice for people who have diabetes.
Many people with diabetes are well-informed about what they can and cannot eat. They know also that choosing premade meals, snacks, and drinks can be challenging. People with diabetes have to be very careful when ordering smoothies in restaurants, as these often contain far too much sugar and not enough protein and fat.
With some modifications, however, smoothies can be enjoyed either at home or at a restaurant.
Things to consider when making a smoothie
People with diabetes must pay careful attention to their carbohydrate intake. Avoiding low quality carbohydrates, such as sugar or white flour, and using dietary fiber as their guide in choosing carbohydrates, are the best dietary options for them.
A person with diabetes should consider some of the following:
Extra fat can be a good thing
The debate can be very confusing between good and bad fat, what is good and bad cholesterol, and the ever-changing guidelines on what offers the best balance between them.
However, in short, some fats are very beneficial to people with diabetes, as they help slow down the speed at which sugar enters the blood.
Some sources of fat that can be added to a morning smoothie include:
almond or peanut butter
chia seeds
avocado
raw pecans
raw walnuts
Include extra protein
Similarly to fat, protein offers many health benefits that are particularly important to people with diabetes. For example, high-protein content slows the absorption of food, which reduces the speed at which sugar enters the Continue reading

5 questions with...Julia Blanchette, PhD nursing student working to save camp for children with diabetes

Julia Blanchette (CWR 14), a PhD student at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, still remembers how distressed she was when she was first diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 7.
She also has never forgotten how much better she felt about living with diabetes when she attended a summer camp with other children who also suffered from diabetes.
Today, she conducts research at Case Western Reserve University into the adverse psychosocial effects of Type 1 diabetes on self-management outcomes among those transitioning from pediatric to adult health care. She has also stayed connected to summer camp, working the last few years at the nations oldest camp for children with diabetes, Camp Ho Mita Koda in Newbury, Ohio.
In fact, her research at the university was spurred by real-world observations she made while working as dispensary manager at the camp, which has also served as a Capstone site for undergraduate nursing students.
Everything is tied togethermy own experience growing up Type 1 diabetes and transitioning to adulthood, the importance of the camp experience, the support network the children gain and my research, Blanchette said. I am now a registered nurse and certified diabetes educator.
Diabetes camp is so importantchildren learn how to be independent individuals with Type 1 diabetes.
So when The Diabetes Partnership of Cleveland on April 5 announced the immediate shuttering of the camp, Blanchette was among those who was moved to help keep the camp open this summer.
She and a few others organized camp supporters via social media in the days and weeks Continue reading

Can You Get Diabetes from Salt?

What does sodium have to do with your risk of type 2 diabetes?
Its well-known that a poor diet, inactivity, and obesity are all associated with type 2 diabetes . Some people think that the amount of sodium you consume also plays a role. But in reality, eating too much sodium doesnt directly cause diabetes.
The relationship between salt and diabetes is more complex.
Sodium is responsible for controlling the balance of fluids in your body and helps maintain a normal blood volume and blood pressure. Consuming too much salt can raise blood pressure, resulting in fluid retention. This can cause swelling in the feet and other health issues that are very harmful to people with diabetes.
If you have diabetes or prediabetes , the amount of sodium you consume can worsen your condition by causing hypertension (high blood pressure). Those with diabetes or prediabetes are at a greater risk of high blood pressure, which can make a person more susceptible to heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
While many natural foods contain salt, most Americans consume sodium through table salt, which is added during cooking or processing. The average American consumes 5 or more teaspoons of salt daily, which is about 20 times as much salt than whats needed by the body.
The saltiest foods are those that are processed or canned. Foods sold in restaurants or as fast food also tend to be very salty. Here are some common high-sodium foods:
meat, fish, or poultry thats been cured, canned, salted, or smoked, including: bacon, cold cuts, ham, frankfurters, sausage, sardines, caviar, and anchovi Continue reading