Shedding the diabetes stigma: Say no to blame and shame
You're already checking your blood sugar, seeing doctors and educators, and watching what you eat. Anyone who wants to judge you—including yourself—should be impressed by what you're getting right, not looking for ways to criticize. If you ever feel down on yourself for having diabetes, or worry that others might, try to do four things for yourself: Believe you didn't cause diabetes. You've most likely been told or read that diabetes isn't your fault, but do you believe it? Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you didn't do this to yourself. Diabetes is a complex...
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A Makeover for Your Home and Habits
There are 2 ways even people who already manage diabetes well can make their self-care even better: Set up your environment for success Practise healthy habits We tend to think people who do something well, do so because they are highly motivated or have lots of willpower. But that is not necessarily true. An environment that supports the actions you want to take can make a positive difference. And while willpower is great, it is a finite resource—it will run out. Think about it this way. Keeping your toothbrush in the bathroom makes...
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Women with diabetes - own your strength and lift each other up
BY CHRISTEL OERUM (DIABETES STRONG) I am a woman living with diabetes, and if you read this, there is a high likelihood that you are too. Aside from living with diabetes, we might not have much in common, but that does not mean that we cannot or should not support each other. Living with diabetes as a woman comes with a tremendous number of challenges, and there is no reason why any of us should have to face those challenges entirely on our own. Strong women lift each other up...
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5 ways to manage type 2 diabetes while working from home
Making the shift from being an in-office employee to one who works remotely can certainly be an adjustment. You may need to learn how to balance your own conference calls, create boundaries between your family time and late-night requests from colleagues when there’s no commute separating the spheres of your life and focus on that quarterly report when there are piles of laundry staring you in the face. But if you’re one of the nearly 4 million Canadians living with diabetes, working from home presents a whole different set of challenges. Let’s face it; it’s easier to give into stress...
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6 things to know when diagnosed with type 2 diabetes
If you’ve been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, you’ll probably never forget the moment your doctor shared the news--and the rollercoaster of emotions that followed. Maybe you saw it coming; your doctor told you sometime within the last few years that you were living with prediabetes, and you always assumed diabetes was inevitable. Or maybe it came out of left field. I’m not even overweight, you thought. First, know this: All your feelings are valid and completely normal. It’s overwhelming to find out that you live with a chronic disease such as Type 2 diabetes. And it can make...
Read MorePages
A Makeover for Your Home and Habits
There are 2 ways even people who already manage diabetes well can make their self-care even better: Set up your environment for success Practise healthy habits We tend to think people who do something well, do so because they are highly motivated or have lots of willpower. But that is not necessarily true. An environment that supports the actions you want to take can make a positive difference. And while willpower is great, it is a finite resource—it will run out. Think about it this way. Keeping your toothbrush in the bathroom makes...
Read More Women with diabetes - own your strength and lift each other up
BY CHRISTEL OERUM (DIABETES STRONG) I am a woman living with diabetes, and if you read this, there is a high likelihood that you are too. Aside from living with diabetes, we might not have much in common, but that does not mean that we cannot or should not support each other. Living with diabetes as a woman comes with a tremendous number of challenges, and there is no reason why any of us should have to face those challenges entirely on our own. Strong women lift each other up...
Read More 5 ways to manage type 2 diabetes while working from home
Making the shift from being an in-office employee to one who works remotely can certainly be an adjustment. You may need to learn how to balance your own conference calls, create boundaries between your family time and late-night requests from colleagues when there’s no commute separating the spheres of your life and focus on that quarterly report when there are piles of laundry staring you in the face. But if you’re one of the nearly 4 million Canadians living with diabetes, working from home presents a whole different set of challenges. Let’s face it; it’s easier to give into stress...
Read More 6 things to know when diagnosed with type 2 diabetes
If you’ve been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, you’ll probably never forget the moment your doctor shared the news--and the rollercoaster of emotions that followed. Maybe you saw it coming; your doctor told you sometime within the last few years that you were living with prediabetes, and you always assumed diabetes was inevitable. Or maybe it came out of left field. I’m not even overweight, you thought. First, know this: All your feelings are valid and completely normal. It’s overwhelming to find out that you live with a chronic disease such as Type 2 diabetes. And it can make...
Read More