I bet that all of you enjoyed playing “this little piggy went to market.” Toes and feet are important and require special attention if you have diabetes. I was diagnosed with diabetes soon after I was eight years old. I was sent to a diabetes education program taught by an endocrinologist/diabetes specialist.
Living with a chronic condition is difficult. Depression is twice as common in diabetic patients as in the general population. Every day, they face challenges that can wear them down. It’s easy for them to become discouraged or feel overwhelmed, struggling to take action, leading to Diabetes Burnout. Helping patients find and maintain their motivation is the foundation of any successful self-care action plan.
Happy New Year! If you are like me, you are getting messages from every direction to make a resolution to eat healthier and exercise more. These resolutions are often related to losing weight. If you are making a resolution to lose weight, be sure to include goals that are measurable, realistic, flexible, and based on a specific timeline.
Last month I introduced the 5Ms, a diabetes self-care model designed to empower patients by introducing tools that support their efforts to better manage blood sugars.
As diabetes educators, we often find ourselves in unplanned situations when teaching DSME Classes. One I could have never predicted happened last spring when I found myself teaching class in a basement bathroom that also served as a storm shelter. Spring storms in Kentucky often spawn tornadoes, and that was the case on this day.
Individuals with diabetes are more prone to dental cavities and gum disease. In fact, people with diabetes have twice as many tooth and gum problems as those without. This makes logical sense: If one has high blood glucose levels, then the saliva glucose levels will be elevated, and teeth and gums bathed in a sugar solution will be more prone to inflammation and infection.
In last month’s blog I described the importance of early intervention when dealing with chronic conditions like diabetes. Early intervention at the point of diagnosis will set the stage and help your patient understand that a positive clinical outcome is a shared responsibility. Of course, to take advantage of this “Teachable Moment” you’ll need a common sense plan that’s as easy to explain as it is to understand and follow.
Those of us with diabetes are always fighting the battle against oxidative stress (OS). OS can cause complications with diabetes in a variety of ways. A well balanced nutrition program, good eating habits that reduce salt, fats, processed flour, and sugar, daily exercise (30 minute duration), and some micronutrients can all reduce OS and hopefully delay diabetes complications.
As clinicians we face the unenviable task of delivering distressful diagnoses to patients. When the diagnosis involves a chronic condition such as diabetes, it’s important to take the time to go beyond simple explanations of the disease process, and offer the patient an understandable, workable roadmap for successful management of their disease.
Omega-3 fish oil is one natural product that is universally supported by both medical groups and alternative medicine advocates. The benefits are many; the down sides of using Omega-3 fish oil products are minimal. Why is that?
