Tips for Managing Diabetes in the Winter

It's that time of year again . . . Snow, Snow and more Snow on the way!

Season's Greetings from Northwest Indiana

If you live in a colder climate, managing diabetes can be an added challenge. Colds and flu, changes in diet and exercise and the stress of the holidays can make managing your blood sugar even more challenging. But you can take certain precautions to stay healthy and safe during the holidays and winter season.

COLD AND FLU  
To help avoid getting a cold or the flu:

• Make sure you get plenty of rest.
• Wash your hands more often — I've also noticed that more department stores offer hand sanitizers at the entrances and exits.
• Get the flu vaccine.
• When ill, drink plenty of fluids, and test your blood sugar more frequently.

STAY WARM

• Wear layers. Also, cover your head, and wear mittens or gloves.
• Keep your feet warm and protected. Wear comfortable shoes and socks, which is especially important if you have circulation problems.
• Protect devices. Keep your blood glucose monitor - and insulin pump if you wear one - close to your body to keep them warm.

EAT WELL

• The holiday season makes it more tempting to stray from your diet plan. A healthy diet is important for everyone, not just those with diabetes. So, in general, be mindful of how much candy and fatty food you eat. Eat more of the grains, fruits and vegetables that are in season
• Drink alcohol in moderation
• And if you take insulin, it's best to have an alcoholic drink with food.

EXERCISE  

The days are short and the nights are long in northern climates, making it difficult to go for a walk when you get home from work. To stay on track:

• Look for ways to work in your daily exercise, such as by walking at your local mall or shopping center.
• Join an exercise gym.
• Explore community fitness classes, such as swimming classes, that may be offered for a small fee.
• Try activities that you can do at home, such as stretching or doing leg or arm lifts while watching TV or listening to music. If you're able to, you could also walk up and down the stairs in your home.

TRAVEL  

Winter weather can disrupt your travel plans and potentially affect your diabetes management. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend keeping the following in a winter travel emergency kit:

• Cell phone and charger
• Shovel
• Windshield scraper
• Battery powered radio and extra batteries
• Flashlight
• Water and snack food
• Extra hats, clothes and mittens
• Blankets
• Chains or rope and tire chains

Also recommended are:

• Road salt and sand
• Jumper cables
• Emergency flares, a bright colored flag and help signs
• First aid kit
• Road map and compass
• Waterproof matches (to melt snow for water)
• And, no matter what time of year, if you have diabetes, it's always good to have glucose tablets or other hypoglycemia treatment readily available in the car.

WINTER BLUES  

The holiday season is stressful, and the shorter days and winter weather can affect your mood and emotions. Getting exercise, eating healthy and doing things with others can help keep your spirits up. If you're having trouble with depression, seek help. Talk to someone such as a close friend or your health care provider. Check your blood sugar regularly. 

Source: Mayo Clinic Blog

Coping With Negative Moods - The Diabetes Experience

Have you ever taken a ride on a diabetes rollercoaster?

 No, I’m not talking about a ride at Disney World! It’s the emotional up-and-down ride that many people living with diabetes, and their loved ones, may experience. 

The rollercoaster can be triggered by a variety of factors, including blood sugar levels, stress, and emotional challenges. 

Here are a few of these issues along with tips that may help - Read more - Coping with negative moods | The DX: The Diabetes Experience

Jay Cutler Inspires Others With Type 1 Diabetes

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has faced monstrous defensive linemen and skilled pass defenders, gone through disappointing seasons, and traversed the inevitable NFL churn through two different teams and a revolving cast of characters. 

So, with all that said, it's a safe bet that Cutler was never going to let Type 1 Diabetes get in the way of his dreams. And he's become a role model for kids living with that same condition.

"It's hard enough as a kid these days to feel normal and just try to fit in." Cutler told Yahoo! Sports. "To be a diabetic is just a dramatic thing to go through."

Cutler, selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos, actually played two years in the NFL, his entire college career at Vanderbilt, and his time at Heritage Hills High School in Indiana without knowing that he was diabetic - he was diagnosed before the 2008 NFL season.

Check out the video and read full article

Holiday Travel Tips for People with Diabetes « DiabetesAmerica's Blog

Many of us will be traveling somewhere this holiday season and if you have diabetes, you must carefully plan ahead. 

Whether by plane, car or foot, it is important to consider how your travels will affect proper diabetes care.

Air Travel

• Keep snacks with you in the event of a delayed flight or meal
• If you use insulin, keep it with you at all times
• Divide medications and supplies and pack them in more than one place in the event a bag is lost
• Security scanners will not damage insulin or glucose meter
• Will need a list of your medications and letter from doctor verifying need for syringes and other supplies

On Foot

• Bring a First-Aid kit along
• Have someone else know how to administer glucagon
• Have hypoglycemia treatments accessible
• Do your best to avoid cuts, bruises, sunburns, blisters, insect bites and contaminated food or water

When Driving

• Do not drive if hypoglycemia or symptoms are present
• Keep medications, meals and snack times as regular as possible

Time Zone Changes

• If you lose more than 2 hours, may need to take less insulin
• If you gain more than 2 hours, may need to take extra insulin
• Can change time of injections and meals by up to 2 hours in a day without adjusting doses
• If crossing more than two time zones, prepare a plan your doctor or diabetes educator

Insulin Storage and Use

• Can spoil in extreme hot or cold temperatures
• Insulin retains potency at room temperature for thirty days
• In hot temperatures keep insulin in an insulated bag or cooled thermos
• In cold temperatures keep insulin close to your body or an insulated bag to keep it from freezing

Source: Holiday Travel Tips for People with Diabetes « DiabetesAmerica's Blog

12 Year Old Diabetic Bonds With Service Dog

It was just more than two years ago that 12-year-old Olivia Saint got sick with what her parents, Beth and Patrick, thought was the flu.

Their discovery of what was wrong with Olivia has brought a four-legged addition to the family named Bella whose presence helps teach others that the need for a service dog is not always obvious.

Olivia’s nausea, aches, pains and tiredness came and went. The symptoms finally got so severe Olivia was taken to the emergency room where doctors performed a multitude of tests, including a check of her blood sugar. It was so dangerously high (1,180) that she was transported by ambulance to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham.

Read full story

Women With Diabetes May Have More Problems With Sex

 Middle-aged and older women with diabetes are less satisfied with their sex lives than are women without the blood sugar disease, U.S. government-funded research suggests.

While diabetic men have long been known to be extra prone to sexual problems, particularly impotence, less is known about the intimate lives of women with the disease.

Read Full Article:

              

NBA Great Earl Monroe Raising Diabetes Awareness

Earl Monroe will never forget that day in 1998.

The NBA Hall of Famer and South Philadelphia native hadn't been feeling well for a few months. He was sweating while sitting on the couch in his air-conditioned house. He was hungry even after eating big meals.

So after urging from friends and family, Monroe met with his doctor, who gave Monroe what he took to be a death sentence - 18 years after dazzling crowds with his ballhandling, Monroe was told he had Type 2 diabetes.

Read more at Philly.com Sports 
Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else

The New Face of Diabetes Forecast

The June issue of Diabetes Forecast is all new -- with a modern, fresh look and a sharp focus on diabetes. 

Diabetes Forecast, a publication of the American Diabetes Association, is the country's premier magazine about diabetes. 


The new Diabetes Forecast will place a spotlight on the diabetes self-care behaviors: Healthy eating, Physical activity, Medication, Monitoring, Problem solving, Coping and risk reduction. 


From food tips to fitness recommendations to the latest developments in research, Diabetes Forecast provides people living with diabetes, and their families, the information and encouragement needed to lead healthier lives.

Read More The New Face of Diabetes Forecast

Possible Diabetes Diagnosis For 53 Million Americans By 2025

A new report in Population Health Management (PHM) discusses the Diabetes 2025 Model for the U.S., its predictions on the increase in the number of people who have diabetes, and how this rise could impact the health care system. 

The researchers explained their predictions for specific states and population subgroups with 15-year projections. Based on the Diabetes 2025 Model, the authors believe that diabetes (mainly type 2) will affect 53.1 million Americans by 2025; it’s an increase of 64 percent from 2010.

Read full article:

Possible Diabetes Diagnosis For 53 Million Americans By 2025 - Health News - redOrbit

Around the Diabetes Blogosphere

Great blog wrap-up from Diabetes Mine - Charles

Welcome again to 2012! Last year, we launched a monthly recap of the best blog posts we’ve seen around the blogosphere, and now we’re back with even more awesome posts that can’t be missed. As always, we love reader participation, so please feel free to send us your recommendations for the next round-up.

Around the Diabetes Blogosphere — January Edition : DiabetesMine: the all things diabetes blog

Charles Barkley Won't Be Fat Much Longer

If Charles Barkley weren’t fat, would he still be as funny? 

The “Round Mound of Rebound” ballooned up to 350 pounds after his playing days. Naturally, his doctor grew concerned. And Barkley spoke with USA Today about it:

“The doctor said, ‘Hey dude, if you don’t lose some weight you’re either going to get diabetes, have a stroke or drop dead. It’s either A, B, or C.’”

Read more 

Winter Weather Especially Harsh for Those with Diabetes

Trekking through the mall on holiday shopping excursions, shoveling out the driveway and playing in the snow with the kids - every winter, your feet log some long, chilly hours.

For people with health issues like diabetes, foot health is especially important when the weather turns cold, as the disease can affect your body's circulation even more so during the winter months.

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) offers some podiatrist-approved advice to help those with diabetes maintain good foot health throughout the winter months:

Read full article

Wristwatch Glucose Monitors Not Accurate

Devices worn on the arm to continuously monitor blood sugar levels are not very good at detecting low blood glucose, or hypoglycemia, according to a recent study.

Hypoglycemia remains a major obstacle to the successful treatment of type 1 diabetes, especially in children. One of the greatest fears of patients and parents is the possibility of a severe hypoglycemic reaction. Low sugar can lead to disorientation or even loss of consciousness.

The purpose of the study, conducted by members of the Diabetes Research in Children Network (DirecNet) Study Group, was to assess the accuracy of the GlucoWatch G2 Biographer (GW2B) and the continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) during hypoglycemia in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Wristwatch glucose monitors not accurate - About Kids Health:

Walgreens Diabetes & You Magazine Wins National Health Award

Walgreens Diabetes & You, the free, quarterly diabetes magazine available exclusively at Walgreens pharmacies nationwide, has been awarded the National Health Information Awards' top honor for consumer health information programs and materials.

Walgreens Diabetes & You magazine is the largest diabetes magazine in the United States and features user-friendly, engaging content and expert advice from some of the nation's top diabetes experts and educators.

Two million copies of this free, quarterly publication are distributed through Walgreens more than 8,000 locations, including its nearly 7,800 drugstores, work site health and wellness centers, home care facilities and specialty, institutional and mail-service pharmacies.

In addition, the magazine reaches patients through diabetes educators, doctors' offices and other professional locations nationwide.

To view Walgreens Diabetes & You magazine online visit: http://www.walgreens.com/marketing/library/diabetes/archive.jsp


About the National Health Information Awards

The National Health Information Awards program is coordinated by the Health Information Resource Center(TM) (HIRC), a national clearinghouse for professionals who work in consumer health fields. The program recognizes the nation's best consumer health information programs and materials, including brochures, books and audio/video materials. For more information about the National Health Information Awards program, visit www.healthawards.com

About Walgreens

Walgreens ( www.walgreens.com ) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2011 sales of $72 billion.

The company operates 7,779 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America.

Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector.

Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.

SOURCE: Walgreens

Law & Order Actor Anthony Anderson Raising Diabetes Awareness

Black Americans are twice as likely to get a diabetes diagnosis as whites, and television and film actor Anthony Anderson has joined a new campaign to raise diabetes awareness among African-Americans.

NY1's Health reporter Kafi Drexel filed the following report . . .

TV and film actor Anthony Anderson is best known for his work on "Law & Order" and his supporting roles in comedies, but for a while Type-2 diabetes was slowing down his usually non-stop lifestyle.

"I have this great scale at the house. Step on it barefoot, it tells you everything about yourself, metabolical age, how much physical fat you have one you, organs that have fat that can kill you," says Anderson. "I stood on that one day and at 36 it told me that I had the body of a 50 year old."

Diagnosed with diabetes 10 years ago, Anderson is now also working to raise awareness among black Americans through Eli Lilly's "Fearless African-Americans Connected and Empowered (F.A.C.E.) Diabetes" campaign.

Read more

Diabetes Complications Caused Former Raven’s Death

Orlando Brown  a 9 year NFL veteran - is best remembered from an eye injury he suffered when he was hit in the eye with a penalty flag which caused significant injuries, and led to an injury settlement with the league.

However it was complications from diabetes that killed former 40 year old Raven Orlando Brown - and he probably did not know he had the disease. 

The state medical examiner determined he passed away in his downtown condo from diabetes complications and they found no medical records that show he was ever diagnosed.

50 Interesting Facts About Diabetes

There are always lots of things to discover about this disease. As you know, informed means armed.

This article will reveal 50 interesting facts about diabetes mellitus that you might have never heard about.

50 Interesting Facts About Diabetes

Diabetic Monitoring Systems

As a Diabetic the first thing you learn is the daily tracking of the level of glucose in the blood for proper diabetes management. 

Back in the 70's when the self-test systems were developed, they used a sample of blood which was chemically analyzed by the device. We've come a long way since then, the devices are smaller, more accurate and require less blood.

Currently Diabetics have a Choice of Monitoring Devices:

1. Until recently the most common monitor was a small test strip coated with chemicals to perform the test.  You pricked your finger with a lancet, and the blood drop is put on the strip, then fed into a hand held device. Seconds later there is a readout of the glucose level.

2. The best current devices allow drawing blood from areas other than the finger - Continual pricking can lead to scarring and loss of sensitivity. Another problem with pricking is running out of fingers to use, which leads to more difficulty drawing blood, and yet more discomfort. Talk to your physician about these new patient-friendly monitoring devices.

3. Other monitoring devices use a laser to make a small, painless hole in the skin. A droplet of blood oozes out for smearing onto a test strip, and you feel only a slight tingling sensation in the finger during the test. Needles are eliminated which is more sanitary and safe.

4. Devices that work while you sleep. No one wants to wake up in the middle of the night to prick a finger.  Diabetics can buy a watch that monitors glucose level and alerts the wearer by an alarm if blood sugar levels rise.

5. And still more advanced devices require drawing no blood at all. It senses the glucose level through the skin by use of an infrared beam.

6. Diabetics with hard to manage diabetes have insulin pumps that give a continual drip of insulin 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. - which is a life saver to many whose levels are hard to control. 

7. And just recently the Mayo Clinic has been working on a way to make blood-sugar monitoring easier by using fluid from the eye. I have no more details on this - my doctor mentioned this to me on my last visit.

Pros and Cons of Current Devices:

One of the pros of these new devices is the ability to store results over time which helps compare glucose levels on an ongoing basis.

You can also download results to a PC and graph the data which makes the tracking process even more valuable to you and your physician. When looking for a new monitoring device, shop around and get one that will give what you need for the best monitoring. 

On the con side, most require a blood sample drawn from the body. The discomfort and sometime inconvenience that many experience cause diabetics to only use them once per day, rather than the recommended three times daily.

Sometimes you can get inaccurate readings if they're not calibrated and maintained properly. They need to be cleaned from time to time, in order to prevent old blood and chemicals from contaminating the device and throwing off the readings.

Cheers to technology helping those with Diabetes monitor this disease

C. Thompkins
Diabetic, Senior & Black
http://diabeticseniorandblack.blogspot.com/

Medicaid Vital to Protecting Health for Millions of Americans

Many Americans battle such medical conditions as cancer, diabetes, chronic lung disease, heart disease, and stroke, but those individuals who rely on Medicaid for their drugs and treatment will face extraordinary health challenges if Congress cuts funding for that program.

"Diabetes has a disproportionate impact on the Medicaid population because Medicaid provides important health coverage to people facing elevated health risks. Children and adults eligible for this valuable program are more likely to be in poor health and thus require the services Medicaid provides to a greater extent than individuals with private insurance," said Gina Gavlak, RN, BSN, Vice Chair of the National Advocacy Committee, American Diabetes Association. "Cuts to Medicaid funding would be harmful to the millions of children, pregnant women, and adults with diabetes who rely on the program to manage their disease and avoid dangerous and costly diabetes complications such as blindness, amputations and kidney dialysis."

Read Full Article at - Medicaid Vital to Protecting Health for Millions of Americans

Motivate Those Newly Diagnosed with Diabetes

"Simple Inspirations," a new contest, sponsored by Bayer HealthCare, challenges people living with diabetes to motivate newly diagnosed patients by sharing their most inspirational thoughts about living with the disease.

The goal of the contest is to enrich the lives of everyone who has diabetes - regardless of how long they've been diagnosed - and to demonstrate that people with diabetes can live a full and engaged life by effectively managing their condition.

One grand prize winner will meet international singing sensation Nick Jonas at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Los Angeles Walk to Cure Diabetes. The winner will also appear in a video with Nick to be launched on November 14, 2011 -- World Diabetes Day. No purchase is necessary or required to claim a prize.

Nick Jonas and Bayer HealthCare Announce "Simple Inspirations" Contest to Motivate and Support Those Newly Diagnosed with Diabetes