Make the season merrier with new holiday traditions
How many of your holiday traditions exist because "we've always done it that way?" If you could choose which ones to keep or toss, what would you decide? It's okay to reconsider anything that feels like it takes up more time, money, effort or calories than it's worth. Traditions to review:• "Must haves" at dinner. Turkey isn't hard to make, but all the things that go with it (potatoes, gravy, cranberries, stuffing) start to add up. You can enjoy family time just as much with a spiral-sliced ham served with rolls and a salad. Or try a new global cuisine each year. As much as they might...
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Understanding Prediabetes
What is it? Prediabetes is when a person’s blood sugar level (blood glucose) is higher than average, but not enough to diagnose them with diabetes. Almost all people living with type 2 diabetes have had prediabetes, but not all prediabetics develop type 2 diabetes. Of course, it’s not enough to hope you fall into the right category: without any intervention, prediabetes is extremely likely to evolve in the wrong direction. What’s happening? ...
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Putting your best foot forward!
In the long run, the hyperglycemia that characterizes diabetes ends up affecting the nerves (in what is known as neuropathy) and the blood vessels, especially the capillaries. This results in a loss of sensitivity and a decrease in the natural hydration of the feet, which leads to dry skin, cracks and calluses. This means that not only are you more likely to injure your feet and not realize it right away, but you heal more slowly, and your wounds are more likely to become infected. How do you prevent problems? As with everything related to diabetes—and health in...
Read More
The Art Of Food Swapping
You know you shouldn’t, but the temptation is too strong. You run the numbers in your head. You try resisting a little… but then you forfeit. As you know, some foods don’t go very well with diabetes. The problem is that they are awfully tempting. However, there are ways for you to eat delicious food while keeping your blood sugar under control. Here are a few tips! Feel like having pizza? Pizza is far from being diabetes’s best friend, but you can limit the damage by swapping salted meats, such as pepperoni and ground beef, for vegetarian toppings. Opting for thin...
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Dealing With Holiday Stress
During the holidays, everything is turned upside down: you eat at random times, you sleep too little or too much. Then there are the last-minute gifts you need to buy, the long trips you need to make… And on top of it all, you still need to manage your diabetes! First and foremost: don’t panic. Stress affects appetite as well as blood sugar levels, so you’ll want to keep it under control.Target stressors and avoid them if at all possible. For example, do your gift shopping earlier during the year, or order online instead of facing shopping centre crowds. ...
Read More
Temptation Dead Ahead!
Yule log, chocolate cake, brown sugar fudge, gingerbread cookies… Resisting the holidays’ typical sweet treats can be quite a feat. But who said you have to forgo them entirely? Follow along! Plan for a healthy diet. Of course you are allowed to treat yourself. No need to hibernate until the holidays are over! It just means balancing the rest of your diet will be even more important; basically, make healthy choices most of the time. Pick your battles. It’s all about moderation. Decide which treats you want to indulge in ahead of time. Choose your favourites. For example...
Read More
Hot Hot Hot!
As nice as it is to bask in the sun, you still have to remain vigilant. Your blood sugar could rise with the thermometer and prevent your body from properly regulating its temperature. Result: you risk hyperthermia. What are the symptoms? Fatigue, dizziness, nausea, clammy skin, excessive sweating, muscle cramps and headaches are all common symptoms. Who is at risk? The body’s ability to regulate its temperature in young children is not yet developed, and is reduced in the elderly, which increases their risk of suffering from...
Read More
Discussing Diabetes With Your Child
Just got your diagnosis? Or is your child growing up and starting to ask questions? In either case, you’ll eventually have to broach the topic with them. Here are a few tips to guide the discussion: Test the waters. Once the news is out, ask your child what they know about diabetes. Listen carefully, then set the record straight, correcting misconceptions if necessary (e.g., diabetics are contagious or can’t eat sugar). Be concise. Briefly explain what diabetes is, how your medication works and what you need to do to stay healthy. Choose simple words such as blood sugar instead of glucose....
Read More
The Future of Diabetes Treatment
High-tech to zero-tech: The future of diabetes treatment Diabetes care has come a long way in just a few decades—after all, the first insulin pump was introduced in 1963, and fingerprick tests for personal blood glucose monitoring have only been around since the 1980s. So what's next? In development: Automating insulin delivery—the artificial pancreas Taking insulin pumping to the next level, an artificial pancreas is being...
Read MorePages
Understanding Prediabetes
What is it? Prediabetes is when a person’s blood sugar level (blood glucose) is higher than average, but not enough to diagnose them with diabetes. Almost all people living with type 2 diabetes have had prediabetes, but not all prediabetics develop type 2 diabetes. Of course, it’s not enough to hope you fall into the right category: without any intervention, prediabetes is extremely likely to evolve in the wrong direction. What’s happening? ...
Read More Putting your best foot forward!
In the long run, the hyperglycemia that characterizes diabetes ends up affecting the nerves (in what is known as neuropathy) and the blood vessels, especially the capillaries. This results in a loss of sensitivity and a decrease in the natural hydration of the feet, which leads to dry skin, cracks and calluses. This means that not only are you more likely to injure your feet and not realize it right away, but you heal more slowly, and your wounds are more likely to become infected. How do you prevent problems? As with everything related to diabetes—and health in...
Read More The Art Of Food Swapping
You know you shouldn’t, but the temptation is too strong. You run the numbers in your head. You try resisting a little… but then you forfeit. As you know, some foods don’t go very well with diabetes. The problem is that they are awfully tempting. However, there are ways for you to eat delicious food while keeping your blood sugar under control. Here are a few tips! Feel like having pizza? Pizza is far from being diabetes’s best friend, but you can limit the damage by swapping salted meats, such as pepperoni and ground beef, for vegetarian toppings. Opting for thin...
Read More Dealing With Holiday Stress
During the holidays, everything is turned upside down: you eat at random times, you sleep too little or too much. Then there are the last-minute gifts you need to buy, the long trips you need to make… And on top of it all, you still need to manage your diabetes! First and foremost: don’t panic. Stress affects appetite as well as blood sugar levels, so you’ll want to keep it under control.Target stressors and avoid them if at all possible. For example, do your gift shopping earlier during the year, or order online instead of facing shopping centre crowds. ...
Read More Temptation Dead Ahead!
Yule log, chocolate cake, brown sugar fudge, gingerbread cookies… Resisting the holidays’ typical sweet treats can be quite a feat. But who said you have to forgo them entirely? Follow along! Plan for a healthy diet. Of course you are allowed to treat yourself. No need to hibernate until the holidays are over! It just means balancing the rest of your diet will be even more important; basically, make healthy choices most of the time. Pick your battles. It’s all about moderation. Decide which treats you want to indulge in ahead of time. Choose your favourites. For example...
Read More Hot Hot Hot!
As nice as it is to bask in the sun, you still have to remain vigilant. Your blood sugar could rise with the thermometer and prevent your body from properly regulating its temperature. Result: you risk hyperthermia. What are the symptoms? Fatigue, dizziness, nausea, clammy skin, excessive sweating, muscle cramps and headaches are all common symptoms. Who is at risk? The body’s ability to regulate its temperature in young children is not yet developed, and is reduced in the elderly, which increases their risk of suffering from...
Read More Discussing Diabetes With Your Child
Just got your diagnosis? Or is your child growing up and starting to ask questions? In either case, you’ll eventually have to broach the topic with them. Here are a few tips to guide the discussion: Test the waters. Once the news is out, ask your child what they know about diabetes. Listen carefully, then set the record straight, correcting misconceptions if necessary (e.g., diabetics are contagious or can’t eat sugar). Be concise. Briefly explain what diabetes is, how your medication works and what you need to do to stay healthy. Choose simple words such as blood sugar instead of glucose....
Read More The Future of Diabetes Treatment
High-tech to zero-tech: The future of diabetes treatment Diabetes care has come a long way in just a few decades—after all, the first insulin pump was introduced in 1963, and fingerprick tests for personal blood glucose monitoring have only been around since the 1980s. So what's next? In development: Automating insulin delivery—the artificial pancreas Taking insulin pumping to the next level, an artificial pancreas is being...
Read More