En février, on pense toujours à la Saint-Valentin, mais on oublie parfois que c’est aussi le Mois du cœur!

Quelques faits en vrac

1. La plupart des personnes vivant avec le diabète ne sont pas conscientes des risques de maladies du cœur.
2. Comparativement aux adultes qui ne vivent pas avec le diabète, les adultes vivant avec le diabète sont deux à quatre fois plus susceptibles de souffrir d’une maladie du cœur ou d’un AVC.
3. Les deux tiers des adultes vivant avec le diabète font de l’hypertension. Cette dernière est un facteur de risque des maladies du cœur, des crises cardiaques et des AVC.
4. Lorsqu'elle est trop élevée, la glycémie peut entraîner une détérioration des vaisseaux sanguins et des artères coronaires.
5. On peut grandement réduire les risques de maladies du cœur en apportant des changements à son mode de vie et à son alimentation.

Reconnaître les symptômes pour mieux réagir

Que vous soyez à risque ou non de faire une crise cardiaque ou un AVC, il est important de savoir détecter les signaux d’alarme pour obtenir de l’aide ‒ ou aider quelqu’un ‒ rapidement. Néanmoins, notez que les symptômes suivants ne sont pas exhaustifs et peuvent varier d’une personne à l’autre. Par exemple, les femmes peuvent ressentir des symptômes moins prononcés que les hommes. Cela ne signifie pas que la crise cardiaque ou l’AVC est moins grave. En cas de doute, appelez le 911.

Symptômes d’une crise cardiaque

• Douleur ou inconfort au centre de la poitrine, qui dure plusieurs minutes ou qui part et revient ‒ une pression, un serrement, une compression, une lourdeur ou une douleur graduelle.
• Inconfort dans d’autres régions du haut du corps, par exemple les bras, le dos, le cou, la mâchoire ou l’estomac.
• Essoufflement qui survient parfois avant l’inconfort dans la poitrine.
• Sueurs froides, nausée ou étourdissements.

Symptômes d’un AVC

• Engourdissement du visage, des bras ou des jambes, souvent d’un seul côté du corps.
• Confusion, difficulté à parler ou à comprendre.
• Difficulté à voir d’un œil ou des deux yeux.
• Étourdissement, difficulté à marcher, perte d’équilibre ou manque de coordination.
• Mal de tête important sans raison apparente.

En conclusion
Chez les personnes vivant avec le diabète, les risques de maladies du cœur sont bien réels, mais ils ne sont pas inévitables. Vous pouvez les réduire de manière significative en prenant les mesures adéquates et en misant sur la prévention. L’important, c’est d’être informé. Bon Mois du cœur!

Pour en savoir plus, consultez la capsule Pour un cœur en santé!

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 care 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

Change your mind, change your life. You can look at your diabetes as something you can manage. It could be a moment to learn about your own health. By doing so, you’ve already taken the most important step to a better day and a healthier life.

Don’t forget to laugh! Humor helps you see everyday things from a new perspective. That’s why it’s such a great stress-reliever! It pulls you out of your current frame of mind, even if it’s only for a little while.

Diabetes and perfection

Nobody is perfect. There are many bumps in the road that everyone – honestly, everyone – living with diabetes encounter eventually. Dealing with a diabetes diagnosis can be stressful. Feeling fatigued and burned out is an absolutely normal feeling when managing diabetes and glucose!

• You might over compensate for a low blood sugar one day.
• You might under or overestimate the carbs in your meal.
• Or, you could forget to ask a question at a doctor’s appointment.
• Maybe all that happens in one day!

The point is: You’re not alone. Keep moving forward and make the rest of the day a good one.

Stress and diabetes

If you’re already having a bad day, that stress symptom can raise your blood sugar level. Since we can’t eliminate stress entirely, we can try to manage it. Pay attention to how stress makes you feel physically and emotionally. Begin to relax by removing yourself from the activity that is causing you stress. Even if it’s just for 5 minutes, it can help. Resolve to make a few small changes to your life that will ease the stress you’re carrying.

Diabetes and mood swings

When your blood sugar level is off, it affects your mood. Start by treating your highs or lows first. Other ways to feel calmer could include taking a short walk. Take a shower or bath. Call a friend and share your troubles with someone who will listen. Maybe doing something you love like listening to music can be a good distraction or “pick me up”. Maybe make a list of things you’re thankful for, even the lessons you’ve learned by living with diabetes. That is next level mood management.

A word about diabetes depression

Everyone has down times, but depression is different. Sadness, grief, anxiety – these are normal human emotions. We experience for brief moments in time, and eventually we recover. However, depression is an illness. It can cause intense feelings of sadness, grief, or anxiety that won’t seem to go away.

Your doctor or pharmacist may not be able to recognize whether you are depressed. If you think you are, ask for help. It may be a difficult first step to take, but it’s the only way to move forward. You can start to understand the feelings you’re having, how they’re affecting your health, and how you can move forward. Getting help is smart and a healthy thing to do.

Staying active with diabetes

Staying active is one of the cornerstones of managing your diabetes. If you’re feeling upset or anxious, even a short walk can help. Walking around your neighborhood can make you feel better. It can distract you from dwelling on problems, release endorphins and lower your blood sugar levels. You might also find that it helps you get a better night’s sleep too.

Find a local diabetes support group

Surround yourself with people who can help you over the long run, emotionally or physically. But there is something very special about meeting other people with the same experiences and concerns.

Be your own best friend

Sometimes you need to stand up for yourself and demand that your needs are being addressed. Whether it’s at work, at home, or even among friends. Don’t let people assume things about your life with diabetes. Have prepared answers to common questions such as can you ever eat sugar again. This way you can keep everyone around you informed about what diabetes is and is not. 

Invest in your long-term happiness

Cultivating a lifetime of happiness when you are living with diabetes is completely possible.

You are worth it.

Despite the many ups and downs along the way, there is more to come. You’ll learn a lot of trial-and-error lessons over the years. Every new piece of information about how to better manage your diabetes brings comfort and security.

Work with your doctor to be as healthy as you can be. It adds up. Over time, you’ll realize that “I can’t” has been replaced with “I can” in every aspect of your life, on any day.

Diabetes and mental health are connected, even if it does not seem that way. Stress can take a toll on the body as can other negative emotions. Keeping yourself calm and happy is not only beneficial mentally, but also for your physical health.

If you’re experiencing diabetes burnout, or feeling stressed or upset - reach out! Talk to friends and family about what is going on. You can also ask your doctor or pharmacist to point you to the right resources.

Everyone thinks of February as the month of Valentine’s Day, but let’s not forget it’s also Heart Month!

A few quick facts

1. Most people living with diabetes are unaware of their risk of heart disease.
2. Compared to adults that do not live with diabetes, adults living with diabetes are two to four times more likely to suffer from heart disease or a stroke.
3. Two-thirds of adults living with diabetes have high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.
4. When blood sugar is too high, it can damage blood vessels and coronary arteries.
5. You can greatly reduce the risks of heart disease by making changes to your lifestyle and diet.

Recognizing the symptoms to respond better

Whether or not you’re at risk of having a heart attack or stroke, it’s important to know how to spot the warning signs so you can get help—or help someone else—quickly. Please note that the following symptoms are not exhaustive and can vary from one person to another. For example, women may experience less severe symptoms than men. However, this doesn’t mean that the heart attack or stroke is less serious. When in doubt, call 911.

Symptoms of a heart attack

• Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest, which lasts several minutes or comes and goes; pressure, tightness, a clamping sensation, heaviness or gradual pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body such as the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath, sometimes preceding chest discomfort.
• Cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness.

Symptoms of a stroke

•  Numbness in the face, arms or legs, often on one side of the body.
•  Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
•  Difficulty seeing out of one or both eyes.
•  Dizziness, trouble walking, loss of balance or lack of coordination.
•  Major headache for no apparent reason.

In conclusion

The risk of heart disease is real for people living with diabetes—but that doesn’t mean it’s unavoidable. You can greatly reduce it by taking adequate measures and focusing on prevention. Being well informed helps you stay safe. Happy Heart Month!

For more information, see the For a healthy heart! capsule.

Le 31 octobre s’en vient, mais nul besoin de vous barricader chez vous toutes lampes éteintes ou de priver vos enfants de la fête!

Ne boudez pas votre plaisir

Ne prétextez pas que l’Halloween est réservée aux enfants : amusez-vous!

• Optez pour le chocolat noir. Plus son pourcentage en cacao est élevé, plus son indice glycémique est faible.
• Achetez des tas de bonbons… que vous n’aimez pas. Vous pourrez ainsi distribuer des friandises auxquelles vous n’aurez aucun mal à résister.
• Célébrez autrement. Invitez vos amis à un bal costumé, regardez des films d’horreur ou préparez un souper thématique avec, en vedette, un savoureux potage à la citrouille.

Fêtez avec vos petits monstres

Insistez sur d’autres aspects de l’événement : décorez des citrouilles rigolotes, préparez des costumes, racontez-vous des histoires effrayantes (mais pas trop)…

Faites le plein d’autres surprises. Saviez-vous que c’est seulement depuis les années 1970 que les sucreries sont considérées comme incontournables à l’Halloween? Distribuez plutôt des crayons, gommes à effacer, balles ou autres petits jouets. Les enfants seront tout aussi contents, et gageons que d’autres adultes du voisinage vous imiteront l’an prochain.

N’interdisez pas complètement les sucreries! Elles n’en deviendront que plus attirantes pour les enfants.

La tournée des maisons

L’hypoglycémie est fréquente chez les enfants qui font du porte-à-porte le soir de l’Halloween. Par conséquent, préparez-vous bien :

• Faites-les manger avant de partir.
• Testez leur glycémie fréquemment.
• Gardez les Skittles à portée de main. Dans les moments d’hypoglycémie, ce sont de bons alliés.

Le partage du butin

• Une fois de retour à la maison, mettez de côté les bonbons qui pourront être utilisés pour traiter les futures hypoglycémies (évitez les sucreries qui contiennent des protéines ou des graisses tels que le chocolat, les barres chocolatées, les biscuits et craquelins car ils ne font pas remonter la glycémie assez rapidement).
• Divisez-les en portions de 15g de glucides et faites des sacs individuels. Conservez-les où vous stockez habituellement vos articles pour traiter les hypoglycémies.
• Avec le reste, dites aux enfants de choisir un certain nombre de bonbons – 20, 40 ou 50. Puis faites des petits sacs de quatre ou cinq friandises chacun. Vos enfants pourront avoir un sac par jour.
• Notez le nombre de glucides correspondant à chaque sac de friandises. Ainsi, que vos enfants mangent d’un coup le contenu du sac ou qu’ils le répartissent dans la journée, vous pourrez facilement garder le compte.

Pour faire disparaître le reste de leur récolte, vous pouvez invoquer la « fée de l’Halloween » qui, imitant sa cousine la fée des Dents, échangera le trésor amassé contre un jouet.

Joyeuse Halloween!

October 31 is fast approaching, but you don’t need to barricade yourself indoors with the lights off, nor do you have to stop your children from celebrating!

Adults can have fun too

Don't pretend that Halloween is only for children: have fun!

• Opt for dark chocolate. The higher its cocoa percentage, the lower its glycemic index.
• Buy lots of candy… that you don’t care for. That way, you can hand out sweets free of temptation.
• Celebrate differently. Invite your friends to a costume ball, watch horror movies or cook up a themed dinner with delicious pumpkin soup as the star of the show.

Party with your little monsters

Emphasize other aspects of the event: carve funny pumpkins, make costumes, tell each other scary (but not TOO scary) stories…

Fill up on other surprises. Did you know sweets have only been considered a Halloween staple since the 1970s? Instead, hand out pencils, erasers, balls or other small toys. The kids will be just as happy, and you can probably bet that other grown-ups in the neighbourhood will follow suit next year.

Do not completely forbid sweets! That only makes them more appealing to children.

Trick-or-treating

Low blood sugar is a common occurrence among children trick-or-treating on Halloween night. Prepare accordingly:

• Give them something to eat before going out.
• Test their blood glucose frequently.
• Keep the Skittles on hand. They’re good allies when low blood sugar strikes.

Sharing the loot

• Once you’re back home, pick out candy that can be used to treat future low blood sugars (avoids treats that contain protein or fat—such as chocolate, candy bars, cookies, and crackers, as they don't raise blood sugar quickly enough).
• Divide them into servings of 15g carbohydrate and make up individual bags. Keep them where you typically store items to treat low blood sugar.
• With the rest, tell the children to choose a number of sweets—20, 40 or 50. Make small bags of four or five sweets each. Your children will get one bag a day.
• Note the number of carbs for each bag of sweets. That way, whether they eat the whole bag at once or spread it out over the day, you can easily keep track.

To make the rest of their harvest disappear, you can invoke the “Halloween Fairy,” who, like her cousin the Tooth Fairy, will trade the gathered loot for a toy.

Happy Halloween!

Lorsque votre corps est attaqué, ou du moins se sent attaqué, il déclenche une réaction de fuite ou de combat, avec la dose d’hormones que cela entraîne. 

Le cortisol et l’adrénaline, entre autres, augmentent le taux de glucose qui est acheminé rapidement aux cellules pour fournir de l'énergie au corps. À cause du diabète, l’insuline ne joue pas toujours son rôle efficacement, ce qui peut mener à l’hyperglycémie. Toutefois, si vous vivez avec le diabète de type 1, vous êtes plus à risque d’hypoglycémie.

Respirez!

Pour développer de meilleurs mécanismes de défense, prônez l’introspection:

• Identifiez les causes de votre stress et évaluez la situation de manière réaliste (non, ce n’est pas la fin du monde!). Cela vous mènera vers une piste de solution. 
• Détectez les idées noires dès qu’elles surviennent. Remplacez-les plutôt par des idées positives.

Attention de ne pas dépasser les bornes!

Saviez-vous que la dépression affecte 30 % des personnes vivant avec le diabète et que 10 % d'entre elles vivent avec une dépression sévère?

Une humeur dépressive mène à une hygiène de vie moins bonne. À titre d'exemple, une diminution ou une augmentation de l’appétit posera un problème dans l’équilibre de la diète. Notez que les signes d’hypoglycémie et ceux du stress peuvent se confondre, notamment en ce qui concerne le manque d’énergie. Cela signifie qu'une gestion moins efficace de la glycémie risque d’entraîner d’autres complications.

Un cercle vicieux

Le diabète lui-même peut être un agent stressant. Il peut engendrer des émotions désagréables et des conséquences sur l’organisme, qui entraîneront un sentiment de perte de contrôle ou d’isolement. Le diabète ne disparaîtra pas du jour au lendemain. On ne peut ni le fuir, ni le combattre. Cependant, il y a moyen de faire en sorte que la gestion de toutes ces conditions soit possible.

Le plan d’attaque

• Avec une gestion efficace des symptômes du diabète vient une routine sécurisante. Si un ou plusieurs éléments de cette routine sont néfastes, faites les changements appropriés.
• Avant de tester votre glycémie, évaluez votre niveau de stress sur une échelle de 1 à 10. Ensuite, tester votre glycémie et notez ces deux résultats côte à côte. 

D’autres idées simples sont possibles: rire un bon coup, respirer profondément ou aller prendre de l'air à l’extérieur. De plus, l’activité physique régulière contribue à redonner le sourire. Enfin, prenez du temps pour vous sans culpabilité.

When your body is under attack, or when it feels attacked, it will naturally have a fight or flight response, with the hormonal reaction this entails.

Cortisol and adrenaline, among other hormones, increase glucose levels, which are quickly transported to cells to provide energy to the body. Diabetes causes insulin to not always play its role effectively, which can lead to hyperglycemia. However, if you’re living with type 1 diabetes, you are at risk of hypoglycemia.

Breathe!

To develop better defense mechanisms, do some introspection:

• Identify the causes of your stress and make sure to assess the situation realistically (no, this is not the end of the world!). This will give you a head start on finding solutions.
• Catch the dark thoughts as soon as they pop up and replace them with positive ones.

Be careful not to go overboard!

Did you know that depression affects 30 % of people living with diabetes, 10 % of which have to live with severe depression?

A depressed mood leads to a less healthy lifestyle. For example, an increase or decrease in appetite will cause problems for diet balance. Note that the signs of hypoglycemia and stress can be confused: the lack of energy, to name one. All of this results in less efficient management of blood glucose, which can lead to other complications.

A vicious circle

Diabetes itself may be a stressor. It can elicit unpleasant emotions, with consequences on the body that lead to a sense of loss of control or isolation. Diabetes will not disappear overnight. It cannot be escaped or fought. But there are ways to manage it so that it doesn’t become an insurmountable challenge.

Finding a plan of attack

• Effective management of diabetes symptoms creates a reassuring routine. But if one or more elements of this routine are harmful, make the necessary changes.
• Before testing your blood glucose, rate your stress level on a scale of 1 to 10. Then, do your test and write the two numbers side by side.

Other simple ideas include having a good laugh, breathing deeply or going outside for a breath of fresh air. Regular physical activity can also help you get your smile back. One last piece of advice is to set aside some guilt-free time for yourself.

Votre professionnel de la santé vous a-t-il parlé d’insuline? Pour beaucoup de gens, cela peut susciter des sentiments mitigés et des questions. Il existe de nombreuses informations sur le diabète de type 2 et l'insuline. Cependant, il peut être difficile de s'y retrouver. L'insuline suscite de nombreux sentiments, opinions et même des mythes.

Nous avons rassemblé quelques faits essentiels sur le diabète de type 2 et l'insuline. Vous pourrez ainsi commencer à faire la distinction entre mythe et réalité. Plus vous en saurez sur l'insuline, plus il vous sera facile de passer d’un traitement oral à l'insuline.

5 faits sur l'insuline et le diabète de type 2

​1. Le diabète est un problème d'insuline, et non de sucre.

Il est extrêmement important de comprendre que le sucre ne provoque pas le diabète. Le diabète est déclenché lorsque l'organisme ne fabrique pas suffisamment d'insuline. Ou bien l'organisme n'utilise pas correctement l'insuline et est incapable de traiter le sucre contenu dans les aliments¹. Parfois, il faut de l'insuline pour résoudre un problème d'insuline.

2. La prise d'insuline est normale pour la plupart des gens.

Quand il s'agit du diabète de type 2, le besoin d'insuline n'est qu'une des voies que vous pouvez emprunter. Avoir besoin d'insuline ne signifie pas que vous avez échoué dans le traitement du diabète. Le diabète est une maladie évolutive. Même si vous gérez bien votre glycémie, votre organisme produira probablement moins d'insuline avec le temps. Au fil du temps, votre organisme peut utiliser l'insuline de manière moins efficace².

À terme, le diabète a toutes les chances de progresser. Il dépassera un point où les médicaments oraux et les autres options ne sont plus efficaces. Les médicaments oraux peuvent ne pas maintenir la glycémie dans un intervalle sûr, ce qui entraîne un besoin d'insuline¹.

3. Les médicaments oraux ne sont pas les mêmes que l'insuline.

Les pilules que vous prenez par la bouche (orales) et les autres médicaments injectables ne sont pas de l'insuline. Ils aident plutôt votre organisme à utiliser l'insuline qu'il fabrique déjà. L'insuline ne peut pas être prise par voie orale. Si elle l'était, elle serait dégradée par l'estomac avant de pouvoir être absorbée dans la circulation sanguine. Voilà pourquoi elle est injectée sous la peau.

4. Les injections d'insuline ne font pas mal comme on pourrait le croire.

Personne n'aime les injections. Pourtant, beaucoup de gens sont surpris de découvrir que c'est beaucoup plus facile qu'ils ne le pensaient¹. Et comme de plus en plus de médicaments contre le diabète sont administrés par injection, il est plus facile de s'y habituer. Il y a de fortes chances que vous soyez déjà à l'aise avec les injections, d'une manière ou d'une autre.

5. L'insuline ne cause pas de problèmes aux pieds, aux yeux ou à d'autres parties du corps.

Peut-être avez-vous entendu parler d'une personne qui a commencé à prendre de l'insuline et qui a ensuite eu des problèmes aux yeux ou aux pieds ? Rassurez-vous, l'insuline n'a pas causé le problème. En réalité, le fait de commencer l'insuline plus tôt aurait pu contribuer à prévenir ou à retarder ces problèmes de santé¹.

Lorsque vous passez des médicaments oraux à l'insuline, vous vous interrogez peut-être sur les mensonges qui jalonnent la route. L'insuline et le diabète de type 2 suscitent de nombreuses questions. Voici quelques-unes des questions auxquelles vous pourriez penser:

• Comment gérer mon diabète à l'avenir?
• Comment fonctionne l'insuline pour le diabète de type 2?
• Quels changements devrais-je apporter pour ce nouveau traitement?
• Devrais-je modifier certaines choses dans mon mode de vie lors de l'utilisation de l'insuline?

Votre médecin sera en mesure de répondre à bon nombre de ces questions. Parlez-lui du passage des médicaments oraux à l'insuline et de ce que cela signifie pour vous. Il serait utile de dresser une liste de questions à l'avance. Cela peut vous aider à orienter votre conversation et à vous assurer que vous n'oublierez pas d'aborder les questions importantes que vous pourriez avoir.

De nombreuses personnes trouvent que le passage à l'insuline a un effet positif sur leur état et leur santé. Après tout, une meilleure gestion de la glycémie s'accompagne d'une plus grande énergie et d'un sentiment de bien-être général¹.

Ainsi, en ce qui concerne l'insuline et le diabète de type 2, il est utile de connaître les faits. Il sera plus facile de passer des médicaments oraux à l'insuline. Vous saurez à quoi vous attendre et serez prêt pour le changement. Alors oui, votre vie peut changer - peut-être pour le mieux.

Comme il est agréable de partager un bon repas en bonne compagnie, en délaissant fourneaux et vaisselle pour se laisser servir au restaurant! L’ennui, c’est que les plats sur le menu ont souvent tendance à faire grimper la glycémie.

Mission impossible, sortir au resto avec le diabète? Pas du tout.

Qu’est-ce qu’il y a de bon (et de santé) sur le menu?

Pour suivre votre plan d’alimentation plus facilement, vous avez avantage à choisir des restaurants offrant une bonne variété, des substitutions sans supplément, et en général, des options santé… mais encore faut-il repérer les pièges! Souvent, les portions sont plus généreuses, et les plats, plus gras et plus salés. Renseignez-vous sur la taille des portions et essayez de ne pas manger plus qu’à la maison. Quelques astuces peuvent vous aider à faire de meilleurs choix au restaurant:

• Demandez au serveur de vous présenter les options ou les alternatives possibles pour les personnes vivant avec le diabète.
• Prenez vos sauces et vos vinaigrettes à part pour ne pas vous retrouver devant une salade « noyée »… et zéro santé.
• Précisez que vous ne voulez pas de sel ajouté à votre plat pendant la cuisson.
• Évitez la friture et la panure, dont les teneurs en glucides, en matières grasses et en calories sont très élevées.
• Remplacez votre accompagnement de frites par une salade.
• Si vous prenez un verre, évitez les cocktails hypercaloriques, comme les margaritas et les daiquiris.
• Privilégiez la variété et la modération.
• Consommez des légumes à tous les repas.
• Préférez les aliments pochés, cuits au four ou à la vapeur, grillés, rôtis ou sautés.
• Choisissez une entrée légère, comme des fruits de mer cuits à la vapeur ou une soupe aux légumes.
• Attention aux buffets, trop souvent synonymes d’excès.

La restauration rapide… à bannir?

Pas forcément, mais il vaut mieux ne pas en prendre l’habitude, tant pour la glycémie que la ligne. Il y a toutefois moyen de manger plus « sainement » quand vous optez pour ce type de restaurant:

• Ne passez pas au format supérieur, même si on vous le propose dans le cadre d’une promotion.
• Évitez la mayonnaise et les sauces trop riches.
• Commandez un hamburger sans fromage: vous éliminez ainsi 100 calories par once, sans compter les matières grasses et le sodium.
• Remplacez votre frite par une salade.
• Préférez le poulet au bœuf quand vous commandez un burger.
• Optez pour du lait ou de l’eau plutôt qu’une boisson gazeuse.
• Enfin, n’oubliez pas que le repas rapide moyen peut contenir jusqu’à 1 000 calories.

En conclusion?

L’équilibre reste la clé pour profiter de vos sorties l’esprit tranquille. Restez conscient de ce qui se trouve dans votre assiette et apprenez à connaître l’effet de vos choix alimentaires sur votre glycémie. Si vous ne le faites pas déjà, donnez une chance aux options santé: vous serez agréablement surpris!

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Privacy Policy

HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE LIMITED (Roche Canada) Online Privacy Statement

Thank you for visiting a Roche Website or interacting with us via e-mail and other social media sites.

At Roche, we understand that protecting the privacy of visitors to our Web sites is very important and that information about your health is particularly sensitive. That is why we have taken the necessary steps to meet worldwide data privacy requirements. We treat your “personal data” according to the ”Roche Directive on the Protection of Personal Data”, and to the laws of Canada, the EU, Switzerland and other applicable local laws which regulate the storage, processing, access and transfer of personal data.

Roche Web sites that display this privacy statement (“Statement”) and ask for any information from you are committed to collecting, maintaining, and securing personal information about you in accordance with this Statement, as well as applicable laws, rules and regulations. This Statement applies to personal information (as defined below) collected from Roche online resources and communications (such as Web sites, e-mail, and other online tools) that display a link to this Statement. This Statement does not apply to personal information collected from offline resources and communications, except in cases where such personal information is consolidated with personal information collected by Roche online. This Statement also does not apply to third-party online resources to which Roche’s Web sites may link, where Roche does not control the content or the privacy practices of such resources.

We only collect personally identifiable information about you if you choose to give it to us. We do not share any of your personally identifiable information with third parties for their own marketing use unless you explicitly give us permission to do so. Please review this Privacy Statement to learn more about how we collect, use, share and protect information online.

Please be aware that we may use service providers and data processors working on our behalf. The services can include hosting and maintenance services, analysis services, e-mail messaging services, delivery services, handling of payment transactions, solvency check and address check, etc. These third parties are granted access to such personal information they require in order to be able to carry out the particular service. The service providers and data processors are contractually obliged to treat such information in the strictest confidence. It is also contractually forbidden for them to use the information in any other way than required. The necessary steps are taken to ensure that our service providers and the processors working on our behalf protect the confidentiality of your personal information. Where personal information is stored or processed outside of Canada (whether by us or a service provider or data processor as outlined above), it is subject to the laws of that foreign jurisdiction, and maybe accessible to that jurisdiction’s government, courts, or law enforcement or regulatory agencies.

Information Collected
There are two general methods that Roche uses to collect information from you online:

Information We Get
- Personal identifiable information : You can visit our Web sites without providing any personal information. We may collect your personally identifiable information (such as name, address, telephone number, e-mail address or other identifying information) only when you choose to submit it to us. We may also collect health information about you that you provide by responding to our questions or surveys.

- Aggregate information : In some cases we also remove personal identifiers from data you provide to us and maintain it in aggregate form. We may combine this data with other information to produce anonymous, aggregated statistical information (e.g. number of visitors, originating domain name of the Internet Service Provider), helpful to us in improving our products and services.

Automatically Collected Information
We and some third party providers we work with automatically receive certain types of information whenever you interact with us on our sites and in some e-mails we may send each other. Automatic technologies and services we use may include, for example, Web server logs/IP addresses, cookies, Web beacons and third party application and content tools.

Web Server Logs/IP Addresses. An IP address is a number assigned to your computer whenever you access the Internet. All computer identification on the Internet is conducted with IP addresses, which allow computers and servers to recognize and communicate with each other. Roche collects IP addresses to conduct system administration and report aggregate information to affiliates, business partners and/or vendors to conduct site analysis and Web site performance review.

Cookies. A cookie is a piece of information that is placed automatically on your computer’s hard drive when you access certain Web sites. The cookie uniquely identifies your browser to the server. Cookies allow us to store information on the server to help make the Web experience better for you and to conduct site analysis and Web site performance review. Most Web browsers are set up to accept cookies, although you can reset your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. Note, however, that some portions of our sites may not work properly if you refuse cookies.

Web Beacons. On certain Web pages or e-mails, Roche may utilize a common Internet technology called a "Web beacon" (also known as an "action tag" or "clear GIF technology"). Web beacons help analyze the effectiveness of Web sites by measuring, for example, the number of visitors to a site or how many visitors clicked on key elements of a site.

Web beacons, cookies and other tracking technologies do not automatically obtain personally identifiable information about you. Only if you voluntarily submit personally identifiable information, such as by registering or sending e-mails, can these automatic tracking technologies be used to provide further information about your use of the Web sites and/or interactive e-mails to improve their usefulness to you.

Services: We may provide services based on third party applications and content tools on certain Roche Websites such as Google Maps or QUARTAL FLIFE. These third parties may automatically receive certain types of information whenever you interact with us on our sites using such third party applications and tools.

Your Choices
You have several choices regarding your use of our Web sites. You could decide not to submit any personally identifiable information at all by not entering it into any forms or data fields on our sites and not using any available personalized services. If you choose to submit personal data, you have the right to see and correct your data at any time by accessing the application. Certain sites may ask for your permission for certain uses of your information and you can agree to or decline those uses. If you opt-in for particular services or communications, such as an e-newsletter, you will be able to unsubscribe at any time by following the instructions included in each communication. If you decide to unsubscribe from a service or communication, we will work to remove your information promptly, although we may require additional information before we can process your request.

As described above, if you wish to prevent cookies from tracking you anonymously as you navigate our sites, you can reset your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent.

Security
Roche uses technology and security precautions, rules and other procedures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, improper use, disclosure, loss or destruction. To ensure the confidentiality of your information, Roche uses also industry standard firewalls and password protection. It is, however, your personal responsibility to ensure that the computer you are using is adequately secured and protected against malicious software, such as trojans, computer viruses and worm programs. You are aware of the fact that without adequate security measures (e.g. secure web browser configuration, up-to-date antivirus software, personal firewall software, no usage of software from dubious sources) there is a risk that the data and passwords you use to protect access to your data, could be disclosed to unauthorized third parties.

Use of Data
Roche, including the subsidiaries, divisions and groups worldwide and/or the companies we hire to perform services on our behalf will use any personally identifiable information you choose to give us to comply with your requests. We will retain control of and responsibility for the use of this information. Some of this data may be stored or processed at computers located in other jurisdictions, such as the United States, whose data protection laws may differ from the jurisdiction in which you live. In such cases, we will ensure that appropriate protections are in place to require the data processor in that country to maintain protections on the data that are equivalent to those that apply in the country in which you live.

The information, which is also used for different HR purposes (Performance Management, Succession decisions or Development actions), will be helpful for us to better understand your needs and how we can improve our products and services. It helps us also to personalize certain communications with you about services and promotions that you might find interesting. For example, we may analyze the gender or age of visitors to sites about a particular medication or disease state, and we may use that analysis of aggregate data internally or share it with others.

Data Sharing and Transfer
Roche shares personally identifiable data about you with various outside companies or agents doing technological maintenance or working on our behalf to help fulfill business transactions, such as providing customer services, sending marketing communications about our products, services and offers. We may also share personally identifiable data with our company's subsidiaries and affiliates. All these companies and agents are required to comply with the terms of our privacy policies.

We may also disclose personally identifiable information for these purposes:

a) in connection with the sale, assignment or other transfer of the business of the site to which the data relates;

b) to respond to appropriate requests of legitimate government agencies or where required by applicable laws, court orders, or government regulations; or

c) where needed for corporate audits or to investigate or respond to a complaint or security threat.

No Third-Party Direct Marketing Use. We will not sell or otherwise transfer the personally identifiable information you provide to us at our Web sites to any third parties for their own direct marketing use unless we provide clear notice to you and obtain your explicit consent for your data to be shared in this manner.

E-mail a Friend or Colleague. On some Roche sites, you can choose to send a link or a message to a friend or colleague referring them to a Roche Web site. E-mail addresses you may provide for a friend will be used to send your friend information on your behalf and will not be collected or used by Roche or other third parties for additional purposes.

Google Analytics. Roche Websites may use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. ("Google"). Google Analytics uses "cookies", which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyze how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States . Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however, as mentioned above please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of a Roche website. By using a Roche website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

Links to Other Sites
Our sites contain links to a number of Web sites that may offer useful information to our visitors. This Privacy Statement does not apply to those sites, and we recommend communicating to them directly for information on their privacy policies.

Privacy Statement for Children
Our Web sites are directed at an adult audience. We do not collect any personally identifiable information from anyone we know to be under the age of 13 without the prior, verifiable consent of his or her legal representative. Such legal representative has the right, upon request, to view the information provided by the child and/or to require that it be deleted.

Additional Information on Web Sites
If a Web site has particular provisions relating to privacy that differ from those stated here, those provisions will be disclosed to you on the page on which personally identifiable information is collected.

Note to Users of Business or Professional Web Sites
If you have a business or professional relationship with Roche, we may use information you submit on our sites, including sites intended specifically for business and professional users, to fulfill your requests and develop our business relationship with you and the entities you represent. We may also share such information with third parties acting on our behalf.

Updates to Privacy Statement
From time to time, Roche may revise this online Privacy Statement. Any such changes to this Privacy Statement will be promptly communicated on this page. Continued use of our sites after receiving notice of a change in our Privacy Statement indicates your consent to the use of newly submitted information in accordance with the amended Roche Privacy Statement. The effective date of this Privacy Statement is July 1, 2013.

How to Contact Roche
For questions or if you wish Roche to amend or delete your profile, please contact us in writing (by post), as follows:

Roche Diabetes Care
201 Armand-Frappier Blvd.
Laval (QUEBEC)
H7V 4A2

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, this Privacy Policy applies to F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd or F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd Websites.