Your most important back-to-school supply: Communication
There is nothing quite like the smell of pencils and the sight of new school shoes to bring memories of your school days flooding back. New teachers, a new routine and new friends can be exciting and scary all at once. If your child has diabetes, going back to school can come with an extra dose of complexity. A few tricks and a lot of open communication can make it easier. The early years Sending a child with diabetes to primary or grade school can be an exercise in faith. If your child depends on insulin injections, mealtimes, class parties, outings and excursions, and just the...
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Switching from oral therapy to insulin
Has your healthcare provider talked to you about insulin? For many people, this can bring on mixed feelings and questions. There is a lot of information around type 2 diabetes and insulin available. However, trying to sort through it all might be overwhelming. There are a lot of feelings, opinions, and even myths around insulin. We’ve put together some key facts around type 2 diabetes and insulin. This will help you start to separate fact from fiction. The more you learn about insulin, the easier it will be to transition to it from orals. 5 facts about insulin and type 2...
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One Insulin Pump, Five Scenarios
Your insulin pump is a stalwart ally in everyday life, but some situations will require special attention (or a bit of ingenuity) from you; here are five examples. In the shower or bath. Most pumps are resistant to splashes, but cannot be submerged in water. You have two options: either disconnect your pump or find a safe place for it. If you choose the first option, check your blood sugar before and after the disconnection and don’t spend more than an hour without your pump. If you’d rather keep it with you, you can place it on the edge of the tub or in the soap...
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Teenagers And Diabetes: Diabetes Doesn't Clip Your Wings
Teenagers are building their self-image, experiencing new things and seeking validation from their peers. It shouldn’t be surprising that their lives with diabetes weigh heavily on them. Becoming responsible Teenagers may feel like rebelling against the whole routine surrounding their diabetes management. Blood glucose measures remind them that they’re different and give them the impression of being constantly monitored. They might want to avoid being confronted with the results of a measure so as not to feel discouraged or guilty. Here are some suggestions for easing the tension:...
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Insulin Injections: Breaking Down The Barrier
If insulin injections are part of your daily life, you know how essential they are to managing your diabetes and preventing complications. You also know that following your injection schedule is crucial. If your body doesn’t get enough insulin over the long term, you risk developing serious problems with your eyes, heart, nerves and kidneys. Getting too much insulin could lead to hypoglycemia—extreme cases of which can cause diabetic coma. Despite all this, according to a study conducted in the US, over half of people with insulin-dependent diabetes have deliberately skipped injections at...
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How to use an app to help manage your diabetes
If you're reading this, you already know how much goes on behind the scenes to manage your diabetes. You have to think about what happened recently, what's happening right now and what you expect to happen in the coming hours. You've probably gotten so good that you don't even consciously think about most of it—you just do it. Then there's the big-picture stuff—how you're doing over a longer period of time. If you're like many people, you don't think about this until there's a doctor's appointment right around the corner. Where does an app come in...
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Demystifying injections
Diabetes is often associated with injections—whether it’s for capillary blood glucose testing, insulin injections or other injectable medications. In fact, in recent years, it is not only insulin that can be injected, but also other diabetes medications. Having to inject medication yourself can be unsettling for many people, but most people don't feel fear after a few times. Many people even breathe a sigh of relief after the first injection, because the injection is not as painful or complicated as they expected. Insulin and other injectable medications come in...
Read More Switching from oral therapy to insulin
Has your healthcare provider talked to you about insulin? For many people, this can bring on mixed feelings and questions. There is a lot of information around type 2 diabetes and insulin available. However, trying to sort through it all might be overwhelming. There are a lot of feelings, opinions, and even myths around insulin. We’ve put together some key facts around type 2 diabetes and insulin. This will help you start to separate fact from fiction. The more you learn about insulin, the easier it will be to transition to it from orals. 5 facts about insulin and type 2...
Read More One Insulin Pump, Five Scenarios
Your insulin pump is a stalwart ally in everyday life, but some situations will require special attention (or a bit of ingenuity) from you; here are five examples. In the shower or bath. Most pumps are resistant to splashes, but cannot be submerged in water. You have two options: either disconnect your pump or find a safe place for it. If you choose the first option, check your blood sugar before and after the disconnection and don’t spend more than an hour without your pump. If you’d rather keep it with you, you can place it on the edge of the tub or in the soap...
Read More Teenagers And Diabetes: Diabetes Doesn't Clip Your Wings
Teenagers are building their self-image, experiencing new things and seeking validation from their peers. It shouldn’t be surprising that their lives with diabetes weigh heavily on them. Becoming responsible Teenagers may feel like rebelling against the whole routine surrounding their diabetes management. Blood glucose measures remind them that they’re different and give them the impression of being constantly monitored. They might want to avoid being confronted with the results of a measure so as not to feel discouraged or guilty. Here are some suggestions for easing the tension:...
Read More Insulin Injections: Breaking Down The Barrier
If insulin injections are part of your daily life, you know how essential they are to managing your diabetes and preventing complications. You also know that following your injection schedule is crucial. If your body doesn’t get enough insulin over the long term, you risk developing serious problems with your eyes, heart, nerves and kidneys. Getting too much insulin could lead to hypoglycemia—extreme cases of which can cause diabetic coma. Despite all this, according to a study conducted in the US, over half of people with insulin-dependent diabetes have deliberately skipped injections at...
Read More How to use an app to help manage your diabetes
If you're reading this, you already know how much goes on behind the scenes to manage your diabetes. You have to think about what happened recently, what's happening right now and what you expect to happen in the coming hours. You've probably gotten so good that you don't even consciously think about most of it—you just do it. Then there's the big-picture stuff—how you're doing over a longer period of time. If you're like many people, you don't think about this until there's a doctor's appointment right around the corner. Where does an app come in...
Read More Demystifying injections
Diabetes is often associated with injections—whether it’s for capillary blood glucose testing, insulin injections or other injectable medications. In fact, in recent years, it is not only insulin that can be injected, but also other diabetes medications. Having to inject medication yourself can be unsettling for many people, but most people don't feel fear after a few times. Many people even breathe a sigh of relief after the first injection, because the injection is not as painful or complicated as they expected. Insulin and other injectable medications come in...
Read More