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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How to Turn a "Bad Diabetes Day" Around
Everyone living with diabetes has good and bad days. Some days you have in-range blood sugar levels and others just don’t work out right. Diabetes burnout and diabetes distress are very real feelings. You might be feeling like you have been trying very hard but not seeing the results you like. Or you might feel a little overwhelmed and not sure how to cope with diabetes and mental health1. When a bad diabetes day seems to be taking over, here’s how to turn it around. Diabetes mental health and attitude ...
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The Benefits of Staying Active
Physical activity is good for everyone, but for people living with diabetes, it can make a big difference in keeping your blood sugar level managed. Not only that, but staying active allows your cells to process insulin more efficiently, improving your overall A1c levels. The many benefits to staying active Physical activity is one of the cornerstones of managing your diabetes, because the list of benefits for people living with diabetes is long. Physical activity can1: Improve...
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What are carbohydrate exchanges in diabetes?
The truth about carbohydrates and diabetes MYTH: If you live with diabetes, you can't eat sweets or sugar. TRUTH: A food do not have to be sweet or sugary to raise your blood sugar. Understanding carbohydrates and carbohydrate counting exchanges is important in diabetes. We want to separate the myth from the truth. Carbohydrate counting exchanges can sound intimidating. But, they are essential for good meal planning. In this article, we’ll look at the...
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Coming to terms with a diabetes diagnosis
You’ve just received the news: you or your child are living with diabetes. After the initial shock, you’ll probably experience a whole range of emotions and have a ton of questions. It’s a normal process that’s unique to everyone, and it may include the following stages: Denial. You don’t believe the diagnosis. Anger. You feel a sense of injustice, or anxiety that turns into revolt. Bargaining. You partially accept the situation, but question...
Read More
4 Tips to Improve Diabetes Lifestyle
There are probably many things that each of us would like to change about our life, but thinking about them all at once can be overwhelming. Instead, choose just one thing to improve now. Changing any of the things below could have an impact on your life with diabetes, both on your physical health and your emotional well-being. Make testing matter For people living with diabetes, testing more often is the key to manage your health. Frequent testing provides the data you need to make informed decisions about your medication, diet and exercise...
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Creating a Circle of Support
No one can go it alone. Whether you are living with diabetes or you’re a caregiver, it’s important to have a few options for emotional support. Knowing who to turn to with specific questions will make life easier. Find other people living with diabetes Few things are more comforting than talking with someone who understands you when you are living with diabetes, or if you are facing a type 1 or type 2 diagnosis. If you don’t already have a friend or a family member living with diabetes who can fill this role, seek out a...
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Dating With Diabetes
So you’ve met someone, and they might be “the one!” Butterflies in the stomach are normal on first dates. They’re enough to deal with that you don’t need the anxiety of wondering when and how to approach the topic of your life with diabetes with your new flame. Now or later? That’s up to you. Dealing with the situation immediately will take a weight off your shoulders, even if it can seem like a heavy thing to talk about at the beginning of a relationship. If you wait a few weeks, your significant other may feel like you weren’t...
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To Drink Or Not To Drink: That Is The Question
Alcohol is often on the guest list at everything from family reunions to evenings with friends, but it doesn’t always mix well with diabetes. Unless otherwise specified by your doctor, nothing is stopping you from having a drink as long as you follow some basic guidelines. First, what effect does alcohol have? When you drink some alcohol, your liver goes into a “cleaning” mode: instead of producing glucose, it works at eliminating alcohol from your system. This puts you at risk of having a low blood sugar episode which may...
Read MorePages
How to Turn a "Bad Diabetes Day" Around
Everyone living with diabetes has good and bad days. Some days you have in-range blood sugar levels and others just don’t work out right. Diabetes burnout and diabetes distress are very real feelings. You might be feeling like you have been trying very hard but not seeing the results you like. Or you might feel a little overwhelmed and not sure how to cope with diabetes and mental health1. When a bad diabetes day seems to be taking over, here’s how to turn it around. Diabetes mental health and attitude ...
Read More The Benefits of Staying Active
Physical activity is good for everyone, but for people living with diabetes, it can make a big difference in keeping your blood sugar level managed. Not only that, but staying active allows your cells to process insulin more efficiently, improving your overall A1c levels. The many benefits to staying active Physical activity is one of the cornerstones of managing your diabetes, because the list of benefits for people living with diabetes is long. Physical activity can1: Improve...
Read More What are carbohydrate exchanges in diabetes?
The truth about carbohydrates and diabetes MYTH: If you live with diabetes, you can't eat sweets or sugar. TRUTH: A food do not have to be sweet or sugary to raise your blood sugar. Understanding carbohydrates and carbohydrate counting exchanges is important in diabetes. We want to separate the myth from the truth. Carbohydrate counting exchanges can sound intimidating. But, they are essential for good meal planning. In this article, we’ll look at the...
Read More Coming to terms with a diabetes diagnosis
You’ve just received the news: you or your child are living with diabetes. After the initial shock, you’ll probably experience a whole range of emotions and have a ton of questions. It’s a normal process that’s unique to everyone, and it may include the following stages: Denial. You don’t believe the diagnosis. Anger. You feel a sense of injustice, or anxiety that turns into revolt. Bargaining. You partially accept the situation, but question...
Read More 4 Tips to Improve Diabetes Lifestyle
There are probably many things that each of us would like to change about our life, but thinking about them all at once can be overwhelming. Instead, choose just one thing to improve now. Changing any of the things below could have an impact on your life with diabetes, both on your physical health and your emotional well-being. Make testing matter For people living with diabetes, testing more often is the key to manage your health. Frequent testing provides the data you need to make informed decisions about your medication, diet and exercise...
Read More Creating a Circle of Support
No one can go it alone. Whether you are living with diabetes or you’re a caregiver, it’s important to have a few options for emotional support. Knowing who to turn to with specific questions will make life easier. Find other people living with diabetes Few things are more comforting than talking with someone who understands you when you are living with diabetes, or if you are facing a type 1 or type 2 diagnosis. If you don’t already have a friend or a family member living with diabetes who can fill this role, seek out a...
Read More Dating With Diabetes
So you’ve met someone, and they might be “the one!” Butterflies in the stomach are normal on first dates. They’re enough to deal with that you don’t need the anxiety of wondering when and how to approach the topic of your life with diabetes with your new flame. Now or later? That’s up to you. Dealing with the situation immediately will take a weight off your shoulders, even if it can seem like a heavy thing to talk about at the beginning of a relationship. If you wait a few weeks, your significant other may feel like you weren’t...
Read More To Drink Or Not To Drink: That Is The Question
Alcohol is often on the guest list at everything from family reunions to evenings with friends, but it doesn’t always mix well with diabetes. Unless otherwise specified by your doctor, nothing is stopping you from having a drink as long as you follow some basic guidelines. First, what effect does alcohol have? When you drink some alcohol, your liver goes into a “cleaning” mode: instead of producing glucose, it works at eliminating alcohol from your system. This puts you at risk of having a low blood sugar episode which may...
Read More