Springtime is the perfect "lower your A1C" time
If your healthcare provider has talked to you about reducing your A1C test result, or you want to make some improvements to your diabetes care, this is the ideal time to get started. After all, warmer weather makes it easier to get outside and get active, fresh foods are easier to come by, and the sunshine may help you feel like you can conquer anything. 7% vs. 7.0 mmol/L First, let's be clear on what your A1C result means. It can be a little confusing, as the A1C is a percentage, rather than a direct measurement of the glucose in your blood. Your regular blood sugar checks tell you the amount of...
Read More
Finding Fats in Foods
If someone wanted to cut non-essential fat from their diet, you might suggest they try eating soup and a sandwich for lunch, eating more salads and choosing desserts that are low in saturated fat. Sounds like a good plan, right? Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple. The fact is, saturated fats and trans fats are lurking in many foods that seem healthy. Here are a few examples: Salad dressing. All those crisp, delicious vegetables are great for you—high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. But at 20 grams of fat per tablespoon,...
Read More
The sugar thieves
Do you know any sugar thieves? Those well-meaning people who steal your real sugar and replace it with stevia, saccharin or other substitutes? I think about one holiday celebration a few years ago. There was a table filled with pies, cakes and bars straight out of Willy Wonka's dream. The smell alone made my mouth water. Next to that table was a smaller one with sugar-free apple pie and gummy bears, just for me. While it was extremely thoughtful and considerate of my diabetes, well, YUCK! I choked down a few forkfuls and watched the others enjoy their desserts....
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
Sweet Surprises
People living with diabetes often receive books, warnings and tips from healthcare professionals and dietitians about the importance of watching and counting carbohydrates (carbs). Carbs are important for people living with diabetes, but they shouldn’t be the only factor in your food choices. What about sugar, fat, sodium and cholesterol? And beneficial elements like fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals? Limiting foods high in sugar and carbs is a great start, but it doesn’t guarantee the best food choice every time. Why? Sometimes clever food packaging and image specialists can convince consumers a food choice is...
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
Everything you need to know about HbA1c
Hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c, A1c… You have probably heard these letters and numbers before. However, what do they actually mean? What is an HbA1c test? What is a “normal” HbA1c level? What can you do to lower your HbA1c? These are great questions. Well, we’ve put together everything you need to know about HbA1c here. What is the HbA1c test? Hemoglobin is the part of your blood that carries oxygen. It’s what gives your blood its red color. When glucose is processed by your body and enters your bloodstream, a small amount of it...
Read More Springtime is the perfect "lower your A1C" time
If your healthcare provider has talked to you about reducing your A1C test result, or you want to make some improvements to your diabetes care, this is the ideal time to get started. After all, warmer weather makes it easier to get outside and get active, fresh foods are easier to come by, and the sunshine may help you feel like you can conquer anything. 7% vs. 7.0 mmol/L First, let's be clear on what your A1C result means. It can be a little confusing, as the A1C is a percentage, rather than a direct measurement of the glucose in your blood. Your regular blood sugar checks tell you the amount of...
Read More
Aim for better, not perfect
Guest article by Riva Greenberg. Let's dispel a diabetes myth right now—the idea that you can manage your diabetes and blood sugar perfectly. You can't. There are so many tasks involved in managing diabetes and blood sugar that you will not be able to do them all, every day, with absolute success. For example, you won't eat perfectly all the time. There will be times an event will prevent you from being active. You may forget to take your medicine or log your blood sugar every now and then. Further, while we know keeping our blood sugar in the recommended target range helps delay or prevent diabetes...
Read MorePages
Finding Fats in Foods
If someone wanted to cut non-essential fat from their diet, you might suggest they try eating soup and a sandwich for lunch, eating more salads and choosing desserts that are low in saturated fat. Sounds like a good plan, right? Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple. The fact is, saturated fats and trans fats are lurking in many foods that seem healthy. Here are a few examples: Salad dressing. All those crisp, delicious vegetables are great for you—high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. But at 20 grams of fat per tablespoon,...
Read More The sugar thieves
Do you know any sugar thieves? Those well-meaning people who steal your real sugar and replace it with stevia, saccharin or other substitutes? I think about one holiday celebration a few years ago. There was a table filled with pies, cakes and bars straight out of Willy Wonka's dream. The smell alone made my mouth water. Next to that table was a smaller one with sugar-free apple pie and gummy bears, just for me. While it was extremely thoughtful and considerate of my diabetes, well, YUCK! I choked down a few forkfuls and watched the others enjoy their desserts....
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 Sweet Surprises
People living with diabetes often receive books, warnings and tips from healthcare professionals and dietitians about the importance of watching and counting carbohydrates (carbs). Carbs are important for people living with diabetes, but they shouldn’t be the only factor in your food choices. What about sugar, fat, sodium and cholesterol? And beneficial elements like fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals? Limiting foods high in sugar and carbs is a great start, but it doesn’t guarantee the best food choice every time. Why? Sometimes clever food packaging and image specialists can convince consumers a food choice is...
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 Everything you need to know about HbA1c
Hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c, A1c… You have probably heard these letters and numbers before. However, what do they actually mean? What is an HbA1c test? What is a “normal” HbA1c level? What can you do to lower your HbA1c? These are great questions. Well, we’ve put together everything you need to know about HbA1c here. What is the HbA1c test? Hemoglobin is the part of your blood that carries oxygen. It’s what gives your blood its red color. When glucose is processed by your body and enters your bloodstream, a small amount of it...
Read More Springtime is the perfect "lower your A1C" time
If your healthcare provider has talked to you about reducing your A1C test result, or you want to make some improvements to your diabetes care, this is the ideal time to get started. After all, warmer weather makes it easier to get outside and get active, fresh foods are easier to come by, and the sunshine may help you feel like you can conquer anything. 7% vs. 7.0 mmol/L First, let's be clear on what your A1C result means. It can be a little confusing, as the A1C is a percentage, rather than a direct measurement of the glucose in your blood. Your regular blood sugar checks tell you the amount of...
Read More Aim for better, not perfect
Guest article by Riva Greenberg. Let's dispel a diabetes myth right now—the idea that you can manage your diabetes and blood sugar perfectly. You can't. There are so many tasks involved in managing diabetes and blood sugar that you will not be able to do them all, every day, with absolute success. For example, you won't eat perfectly all the time. There will be times an event will prevent you from being active. You may forget to take your medicine or log your blood sugar every now and then. Further, while we know keeping our blood sugar in the recommended target range helps delay or prevent diabetes...
Read More