Patients frequently want to know “what causes my blood sugars to go up and down even though I am doing the same things every day.” Patients will eat similar foods in the same quantities daily and hope their blood sugars will stay at the same level. Although eating does have a huge impact on blood sugars, […]
Each educational session in our diabetes self management accredited program begins with a health history and assessment. This is followed by a complete lesson on the basics of diabetes: risk factors, complications if not controlled, medication information (how and when to take), assessing insulin technique skills as well as focusing on exercise and overall healthy lifestyle […]
I often consult with patients who are given diagnoses that they are unfamiliar with. They are too afraid or unsure to ask their health care provider what the definition means. Sometimes even the explanations are misunderstood. I wanted to review some common diabetes complications which may apply to you. My goal is to keep it simple […]
An article in Endocrine Today noted that “American adults are more likely to go without health care than those in other high income industrialized nations. […]
In the past week I have met with dozens of people with diabetes as we work together towards the goal of obtaining better overall health. I met with people that were newly diagnosed and I met with people that have been working towards better diabetes management for years.
Each week I answer many of the same questions asked by my patients. I always like to share them with you since you may have the same ones. Although I am not advocating that you eat or drink these specific foods or supplements, I wanted to share the information I offer to them. Always check with […]
According to research done at the University of Wisconsin, diabetes may be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, but not all people who have diabetes get Alzheimer’s. Many of the reasons are still unknown, but more information is now becoming available. The connection is that both conditions can fuel and increase damage to the memory and […]
I often counsel patients who have elevated triglycerides in conjunction with their diabetes, and since it is heart month I thought I would share some of that information. Almost 80% of people with diabetes have high triglycerides. It is most commonly seen when blood sugars are out of control. Increased triglycerides thicken the walls of the […]
This week I instructed an obese African-American 59 year old woman who has had type 2 diabetes for 3 years. Unfortunately she had never been given the skills of diabetes management and had a poor understanding of diabetes and insulin resistance. She has already lost most of her vision due to retinopathy – an eye complication […]
Although death rates from stroke and heart attacks have dropped in the last decade, for those who have diabetes it is still the leading cause of death, with more than 600,000 deaths a year in the United States. Strokes have decreased from the 3rd leading cause of death to the 4th which is a huge public […]