How to make sense of blood sugar numbers
I don’t understand what my blood sugar range means! If you live with diabetes, you have probably been asked to check your blood sugar a lot. But what are you supposed to be checking? How do you make sense of the numbers you see? Managing your diabetes is easier when you know what the numbers mean and what you are trying to accomplish. What is the normal blood sugar range? Your doctor is the best person to ask what your blood sugar goals should be. Since everyone is different and unique, your goals may be different from the standard...
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A Handy Guide To Successful Outings
Summer is back, and great reasons to get out of the house. In a perfect world, diabetes would also take a summer holiday. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way, but you can easily adapt your activities to it with a bit of preparation. Going camping? From no-service grounds to RV trips, there can be a lot of variety to your outdoor adventures depending on your preferences. In any case, you need a way to keep your medication and meter cool during the day. If you have access to a fridge, great! Otherwise, a cooler will work. Speaking of medication, always bring a bit more than you think you’ll need, just in case...
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The Right Cure For What Ails You
Summer promises plenty of fun, but can also have bad surprises in store that may ruin the day. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but we’ve also got some tips for you if the damage is already done. Sunburn. Avoid it by using sunscreen and taking shelter in the shade when UV rays are at their strongest. If you’ve got a nasty burn, take a lukewarm bath or apply a wet towel to the affected area. Aloe gel is also a good option to reduce discomfort. Athlete’s foot. Sweat and lack of ventilation are the key ingredients of this infection, which is caused by a...
Read More
Life With Diabetes: Your Child And You
A diagnosis of juvenile diabetes is never easy to accept. The parents are worried, sometimes destabilized, and the child finds themselves having to take on large responsibilities for their age. Diabetes is easy to manage, but it requires a lot of discipline; insulin injections, blood glucose monitoring and diet plans are just a few important things to think about. Despite all this, your child needs to be able to experience a normal childhood without feeling limited or left out. So how can you make cohabitation with the disease easier? Here are some suggestions. Talk about diabetes with your child....
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When Diabetes Goes For The Eyes
It’s not a myth: diabetes really can affect eye health. Blood glucose, cholesterol levels and blood pressure are all variables that can cause serious long-term damage and, in the worst-case scenario, blindness. That’s why it’s so important to discuss this issue and focus on prevention. Here’s a quick overview to help you see the big picture. Glaucoma Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up in the eye and damages the optic nerve and blood vessels. This disease causes a gradual loss of vision, starting with the periphery, and can lead to blindness if it isn’t treated. The big problem with...
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Diabetes And Sexual Health
In a society where sex is omnipresent, it’s surprising to realize that it’s still a taboo topic. Although we openly discuss many of the complications of diabetes, there’s very little talk about sexual problems—which occur more frequently and earlier in people with diabetes. When desire flags Blood glucose levels are sometimes behind this, especially if they’ve been poorly managed for years. The inflammation, nerve damage and circulatory problems caused by improper blood glucose management can hinder libido. There’s also a link between diabetes and low testosterone, a hormone that’s...
Read More
The Complications Of Diabetes
Diabetes is a challenge in itself, and it can also lead to additional, sometimes very serious, health problems. But the good news is that you can delay or even prevent the appearance of many complications. Hypertension People with diabetes are more prone to hypertension (or “high blood pressure”), which in turn increases their risk of developing other problems, such as heart disease and stroke. Lifestyle habits play a key role in preventing hypertension, as does being monitored by a health care...
Read More
Insulin? But I have type 2!
With type 2 diabetes, many people think, "take a pill, watch your diet and all will be well." Right? Then, out of the blue, your doctor mentions insulin. Insulin is secreted from a healthy-functioning pancreas in response to food or stress—whenever your body needs to get glucose into your muscle cells. In doing so, it helps keep a healthy level of glucose in your blood. Without a doubt, insulin is the most natural, easiest way to keep your blood sugar in an optimal range. Still, some physicians don't recommend insulin because they think that their patients might be too scared. Diabetes is a progressive...
Read More
9 diabetes etiquette tips for people who don't have diabetes
People living with diabetes often come across others who want to share their own views, or what they believe they've learned about how to manage the condition, and it doesn't always help. That's why we've created this list of diabetes tips for those who haven't been diagnosed. The bottom line? Diabetes is hard work and managing it is different for every individual. Enjoy these 9 tips to better support a friend or loved one living with diabetes. 1. Acknowledge that you don't know best. You may know something, but it's likely to be less than the person living with diabetes and...
Read MorePages
A Handy Guide To Successful Outings
Summer is back, and great reasons to get out of the house. In a perfect world, diabetes would also take a summer holiday. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way, but you can easily adapt your activities to it with a bit of preparation. Going camping? From no-service grounds to RV trips, there can be a lot of variety to your outdoor adventures depending on your preferences. In any case, you need a way to keep your medication and meter cool during the day. If you have access to a fridge, great! Otherwise, a cooler will work. Speaking of medication, always bring a bit more than you think you’ll need, just in case...
Read More The Right Cure For What Ails You
Summer promises plenty of fun, but can also have bad surprises in store that may ruin the day. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but we’ve also got some tips for you if the damage is already done. Sunburn. Avoid it by using sunscreen and taking shelter in the shade when UV rays are at their strongest. If you’ve got a nasty burn, take a lukewarm bath or apply a wet towel to the affected area. Aloe gel is also a good option to reduce discomfort. Athlete’s foot. Sweat and lack of ventilation are the key ingredients of this infection, which is caused by a...
Read More Life With Diabetes: Your Child And You
A diagnosis of juvenile diabetes is never easy to accept. The parents are worried, sometimes destabilized, and the child finds themselves having to take on large responsibilities for their age. Diabetes is easy to manage, but it requires a lot of discipline; insulin injections, blood glucose monitoring and diet plans are just a few important things to think about. Despite all this, your child needs to be able to experience a normal childhood without feeling limited or left out. So how can you make cohabitation with the disease easier? Here are some suggestions. Talk about diabetes with your child....
Read More When Diabetes Goes For The Eyes
It’s not a myth: diabetes really can affect eye health. Blood glucose, cholesterol levels and blood pressure are all variables that can cause serious long-term damage and, in the worst-case scenario, blindness. That’s why it’s so important to discuss this issue and focus on prevention. Here’s a quick overview to help you see the big picture. Glaucoma Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up in the eye and damages the optic nerve and blood vessels. This disease causes a gradual loss of vision, starting with the periphery, and can lead to blindness if it isn’t treated. The big problem with...
Read More Diabetes And Sexual Health
In a society where sex is omnipresent, it’s surprising to realize that it’s still a taboo topic. Although we openly discuss many of the complications of diabetes, there’s very little talk about sexual problems—which occur more frequently and earlier in people with diabetes. When desire flags Blood glucose levels are sometimes behind this, especially if they’ve been poorly managed for years. The inflammation, nerve damage and circulatory problems caused by improper blood glucose management can hinder libido. There’s also a link between diabetes and low testosterone, a hormone that’s...
Read More The Complications Of Diabetes
Diabetes is a challenge in itself, and it can also lead to additional, sometimes very serious, health problems. But the good news is that you can delay or even prevent the appearance of many complications. Hypertension People with diabetes are more prone to hypertension (or “high blood pressure”), which in turn increases their risk of developing other problems, such as heart disease and stroke. Lifestyle habits play a key role in preventing hypertension, as does being monitored by a health care...
Read More Insulin? But I have type 2!
With type 2 diabetes, many people think, "take a pill, watch your diet and all will be well." Right? Then, out of the blue, your doctor mentions insulin. Insulin is secreted from a healthy-functioning pancreas in response to food or stress—whenever your body needs to get glucose into your muscle cells. In doing so, it helps keep a healthy level of glucose in your blood. Without a doubt, insulin is the most natural, easiest way to keep your blood sugar in an optimal range. Still, some physicians don't recommend insulin because they think that their patients might be too scared. Diabetes is a progressive...
Read More 9 diabetes etiquette tips for people who don't have diabetes
People living with diabetes often come across others who want to share their own views, or what they believe they've learned about how to manage the condition, and it doesn't always help. That's why we've created this list of diabetes tips for those who haven't been diagnosed. The bottom line? Diabetes is hard work and managing it is different for every individual. Enjoy these 9 tips to better support a friend or loved one living with diabetes. 1. Acknowledge that you don't know best. You may know something, but it's likely to be less than the person living with diabetes and...
Read More