Diabetic Live

Playing The Blame Game Or Choosing To Live With Diabetes: You’ve just received news that has rocked your world. You have diabetes. You want to rail against the idea, deny the awful truth and you are ready to affix blame wherever you can.

Maybe it was the extra fruit smoothie you had last month or a cup of gourmet coffee with a name that’s longer than most medical terms. You mind ventures to the steak medallions you had at the steak house or the candy you like as a snack. Were these responsible for your condition?

Sure you blame yourself, but there’s plenty of blame to go around. Maybe you were genetically predisposed to diabetes. Was it your mother’s fault – perhaps your dad’s?

Were there environmental factors that contributed to your condition? Were there marketing practices that led you to an unhealthy lifestyle?

Why did diabetes have to strike? Why did it strike you? Why did it strike now?

Whenever bad things happen we respond with a sense of grief to the news. The Grief Recovery Institute provides a new list of grief stages. These events seem to follow sequentially and have a particularly strong bearing on the loss of a loved one, but may be applicable to other issues. These stages tend to be Shock and Denial, Volatile Reactions, Disorganization and Despair, and Reorganization.

When applied to diabetes we find there can be strong evidence of shock and denial with regards to the existence of diabetes. This event can lead to volatile reactions that are an expression of the anger you feel over the injustice of the disease. Disorganization and despair can often follow, as there are new things to learn that can help, but you have no emotional energy to get on track. Eventually this tends to lead to a reorganization of your priorities, eating habits and plans for physical activity.

Some patients can stay in the shock and denial or volatile reaction phase for a long time. This is the arena where blame is typical. When patients remain in this place it can be hard to consider the possibility of a productive future.

When a diabetic can move to the place where they refuse to heap blame on themselves or others they are finally free enough to begin looking at the possibilities associated with improving their quality of life.

By accepting where you’re at and then enacting a plan that can improve life you have the capability of embracing a future instead of living perpetually in the past.

Diabetes can be managed, but it needs your cooperation. Without your willingness to involve yourself in the process you are delaying results and allowing negative effects to continue to mount within your body.

Giving up is not only pessimistic it is also potentially damaging to your future.

If knowledge is power then finding out more about your condition and how to treat it provides a strong incentive to live and pursue life.

When you finally get to the reorganization phase of grief recovery you may feel as if the world around you has crumbled and you’re left to sort the remaining pieces. That’s not a bad picture of the way this phase works. This phase does allow you to take only the pieces you need for recovery and discard things like preconceived ideas and old habits. It also allows you to trade in many good habits for even better habits. It can help you locate those individuals most capable of helping you in your effort to reorganize. In the end others may discover a brand new you.

Yes, there is life after a diabetes diagnosis. Are you ready to live it?

The Body Of A Diabetic – The Inside Effect: Have you ever wondered exactly what happens inside your body when you have type 2 diabetes?

Most of us understand it is an issue involving insulin and blood sugar, but what’s really going on, and what parts of your body are most affected by diabetes?

Muscles need insulin to convert blood sugar to energy. When these muscles don’t have the insulin they need you can feel tired and drained of energy. The ambition you usually have may seem to fade.

Kidneys are designed to process waste in your bloodstream and release that waste through urine. Excessive blood sugar in your system and a decrease in insulin render the kidneys less effective. The reason this is true is that the insulin allows your body to best use the blood sugar as fuel. When there is not enough insulin your kidneys respond incorrectly to blood sugar. When the kidneys no longer process the blood sugar (glucose) it essentially flushes it through the urine.

The liver is another part of your body that is confused by diabetes. For instance in most cases the liver of a diabetic will produce an excessive amount of blood sugar. In most cases this can be helpful for providing the body with fuel. However, because the body becomes resistant to insulin the liver continues to produce blood sugar, but has very little ability to actually use what it produces and forces the kidney to dispose of what it’s created.

The pancreas is the part of the body that produces insulin. While your body needs this chemical it is generally resistant to the insulin. The body will keep sending messages to the pancreas to create more insulin because it knows it needs it. At some point the pancreas can’t keep up with the orders for insulin that isn’t being used very well.

The stomach is the first line of defense for the diabetic. The reason this is true is that the food you put into your body is the fuel your body uses to keep it going. If you provide fuel that causes the other organs to work overtime in counteracting the negative impact of the food you eat you are essentially weakening your entire system for a time. If you can provide food that your body can use to assist in positive glucose impact you will feel better and your body will function more efficiently.

The more you can learn about how your body reacts with diabetes the more you can strategize to help it in every way possible. This can mean an improved diet, exercise, natural remedies or a medical treatment plan.

Various hormones and body chemicals can add to the confusion of your body systems. Some things your body needs it can’t use optimally. Other chemicals your body doesn’t need seem to be found in abundance and can ultimately damage your heart.

The bad news is this information sounds like doom and gloom. The good news is that isn’t the point of the article. In every instance there are steps you can take to protect those parts of your body that are struggling with the effects of diabetes. You can do something about reducing cholesterol and tryglicerides while improving the performance of your kidney, liver, pancreas and muscles, but you need a plan.

You will find a wealth of ideas right here on our website to help with appropriate meal planning, snacking and exercise. A plan is within your reach. Our site is here to help you define goals and then achieve positive results.

The Normal Diabetic And Other Myths: What is a normal diabetic? Is it someone who must take insulin? Is it someone who must be subjected to blood tests? Is it just someone who can’t have sugar?

Depending on the diabetes type there may be a wide variance in what describes a diabetic. Some diabetic patients seek to manage their disease using a diet while others live with a variety of medications to regulate blood sugar and assist with the functions of the body hampered by the presence of diabetes.

Diabetic Mythbusters

1. T/F People who don’t eat the right kinds of food are more likely to develop diabetes.

False.

Onset diabetes is not a condition that is predicated on your diet. It is brought on when your body does not produce enough insulin or does not use that insulin correctly. Your diet has a bearing on diabetes only to the degree that obesity has been linked to onset diabetes. If your diet leaves you overweight you may wish to switch diets and participate in physical exercise.

2. T/F People who eat too much candy and other sweet treats are more likely to develop diabetes.

False.

Again a sweet tooth in and of itself is not a causal agent for diabetes, but just like your diet if it leads to excessive weight then the additional pounds could contribute to the development of the disease.

3. T/F You can give someone else diabetes.

False.

Diabetes is not contagious and cannot be passed on like the common cold. It is a direct response from your body to conditions within the body.

4. T/F By watching your stress level you can avoid getting diabetes.

False.

Stress levels are important to the diabetic because they can make symptoms worse when under severe stress. However, stress itself will not bring on type 2 diabetes. That being said it is always a good idea to reduce stress because it can show up in other physical ailments.

5. T/F If you have diabetes you can never have sugar or carbohydrates again.

False.

You can actually have both, but you will want to work with a physician and nutritionist to learn the amounts that may be considered acceptable under your diet plan.

6. T/F If you get diabetes you can’t be physically active anymore.

False.

In both type 1 & type 2 diabetes exercise is a key component to disease management. It can serve to help moderate blood sugar levels and generally makes the individual feel better following prescribed exercise.

7. If I get diabetes I will know it.

False.

Diabetic symptoms may be minor and unnoticeable when type 2 diabetes is present. Only a blood test can determine the presence of diabetes. Your physical sense of well being cannot be an accurate indicator of diabetes.

Back to normal

Perhaps the best description of a normal diabetic is one who is not afraid to live life. These are the individuals who refuse to give up and continue to explore life and all manner of adventure.

Generally speaking almost any job is open to someone who has diabetes. The disease itself should pose no meaningful threat to your ability to function in life and to contribute your own unique giftedness to the world around you.

A normal diabetic is one who gets the facts, adjusts their lifestyle to LIVE with diabetes and then refuses to present themselves as less than able.

Diabetes does not have to mean disabled, just differently abled. This is the new normal for diabetics.

Diabetes And Health Insurance: Good health insurance is important for everyone – although it’s especially important for diabetics, given the additional medication that is needed and the risk of complications. Despite this, it’s estimated that over a million Americans who suffer from diabetes don’t have any kind of health insurance. And as any diabetic knows, dealing with diabetes isn’t cheap – it costs around $13,000 per year for treatment.

Most people who don’t have health insurance are poor anyway, or unemployed and unable to take advantage of an employer’s health insurance; and there is some evidence of a link between poverty and diabetes – low income people tend to be more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In addition to a lack of medical treatment, they are also more likely to suffer from a poor diet and lack of exercise – both of which are risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

Even those of us who are diabetic and do have adequate health insurance can find that it isn’t always that easy to get treatment or medication covered. Some health insurance policies don’t cover basic diabetic needs, some policies require an extra surcharge for covering diabetes, and some health insurers won’t cover diabetes as they consider it to be a pre-existing condition.

It is possible to find health insurance specifically aimed at diabetics, although it can be difficult. Check any existing health insurance policy carefully to determine whether it covers your condition or not – if in doubt, call your insurance company and make sure you understand any exclusions. Your premium may also be lower if you can demonstrate that you have your condition under control.

If you are looking for new health insurance, try to find a company that specializes in diabetes coverage; the internet has made it fairly easy to compare products and services, although you may be quoted a better rate if you speak to an agent in person. If you know other people with diabetes, ask them – chances are that they have been in your situation and can recommend a health insurance company.

If you have group health insurance provided through your employer, you won’t have any problems with the issue of diabetes – by law, you are guaranteed coverage and can’t be turned down for any pre-existing condition. And if you let your existing policy lapse, or are taking out a new policy, a pre-existing condition will be fully covered after a year has elapsed.

Your options for health insurance that covers diabetes may also vary, depending on the state that you live in. As of the middle of 2008, over 45 states have some type of law in place that requires health insurance to provide coverage for diabetes. This coverage can include the cost of equipment and supplies used by patients at home, as well as the cost of any actual treatment.

Finding Health insurance can be difficult enough, but diabetics can also find it a challenge to find affordable and effective travel and life insurance, and it isn’t always easy to determine the exclusions by reading the fine print on policies. A travel insurance policy should include such things as treatment while overseas, emergency supplies of insulin and emergency transport back home.

As any diabetic knows, living with diabetes can be challenging enough – being able to enjoy adequate health insurance shouldn’t be a challenge too.

Diabetes And Smoking: Despite the well documented dangers of smoking, an estimated 45 million people in the United States still smoke regularly – around 15% of the population. For an otherwise healthy person, cigarettes are unhealthy enough; for a person who suffers from diabetes, they can be even more detrimental to health. And even if you don’t smoke, exposure to so-called second hand smoke is almost as unhealthy.

Unfortunately, many people with diabetes adopt the attitude that they already suffer from poor health and to smoke as well won’t make that much difference. However, most people who control their diabetes are able to delay or prevent complications for many years – a person who smokes and has diabetes has less control and is far more likely to die from a stroke or a heart attack than a non-smoker.

Smoking is especially bad for a diabetic as it reduces the body’s ability to use insulin as well as raises blood sugar levels. Smoking also reduces the amount of oxygen that can reach tissues, thus increasing the chances of a heart attack, or even a miscarriage. A diabetic who smokes regularly generally finds that it is much more difficult to effectively control their diabetes – in fact, just one cigarette can lower the body’s ability to produce insulin by up to 15%.

A diabetic who smokes also has an increased chance of having various other ailments such as ulcers, bleeding gums, kidney disease and nerve damage. Smoking can also increase the possibility of getting a cold or respiratory infection, as well as increase the possibility of limited mobility in the joints. And if you are a diabetic male, smoking can also increase your chances of becoming impotent.

Diabetes can lead to blood circulation problems in the feet and legs, as it can damage the body’s blood vessels. In general, smokers who have diabetes are more likely to have some difficulty with circulation in the legs and feet as well as with wounds not healing properly. In extreme cases, this problem of poor blood circulation can lead to infection, and even amputation.

Not only is smoking bad for a person with diabetes; there is also some evidence that smoking can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. It’s estimated the risk is almost 50% higher – even more for heavy smokers. And if you are a pregnant woman, you should not smoke for many reasons – one of which is the chance of getting diabetes and it leading to type 2 diabetes later in life.

If you do quit smoking, you will almost certainly notice that your diabetes control will improve; you may also find it necessary to change your schedule of diabetes pills or your  insulin doses. Any medication for high cholesterol or high blood pressure may also have to be modified once you give up smoking. Be sure to consult your physician if you are a diabetic and are giving up smoking.

As any smoker knows, quitting is not easy. Many diabetics who smoke do so because they wrongly feel that it simply doesn’t matter. And many smoke due to concerns over gaining weight – although the benefits of not smoking generally outweigh any adverse effects due to gaining weight. But if you are a diabetic, it’s even more of an incentive to give up the habit.

I have Been Diagnosed With Diabetes: Now What: If your doctor diagnoses you with type I diabetes, what do you do?  At first, you try to understand it and perhaps even go into denial.

And then it sinks in.  Is diabetes treatable, does it recur, is there a natural cure for diabetes, will I have to inject myself everyday, does a diabetes diagnosis mean no more sugar?  What happens to my quality of life? These are some of the nagging questions.  We have heard of diabetes many times, but when it hits closer to home, we realize we don’t really know much about it.

Diabetes Diagnosis:  The Next Steps

When your doctor says you have type I diabetes, what steps should you take?

• Ask your doctor about blood sugar monitoring and insulin delivery options and ask him to help you decide which option is the most appropriate in your case.
• Take heart.  Millions who have type I diabetes can expect to live long and healthy lives.  Being diagnosed with type I diabetes is not a death sentence.  Your attitude should be “I’m going to fight this.”
• If you have type I diabetes, your doctor will advise you to be vigilant about the following:  frequent need to drink water to relieve thirst, frequent urination (as sugar fills the bloodstream, tissues pull in more fluid resulting in thirst and increased urination); fatigue (tiredness and irritation come about when cells don’t have sufficient stores of sugar); erratic vision (again this is caused by tissue pull-in of fluids, even in the eyes); hunger pangs (when the body does not have sufficient amounts of insulin, it is more difficult for sugar to reach the cells) and weight loss (in spite of eating more).

Treating Diabetes

Effective treatment for type I diabetes revolves around 5 key factors:

• Maintenance of ideal weight
• Healthy diet
• Regular physical exercise
• Blood sugar regulation
• Intake of insulin

The best approach is to keep your blood sugar level as close to normal as possible.  Being able to do this also generates a positive outcome:  you diminish your risks for diabetes-related heart problems by about 50%.

Don’t feel that your diabetes is a source of added stress.  It doesn’t have to be that way.  Take it slowly and gently.  Maintain open communication with your health care team.  Advise your doctor, dietician and diabetes support staff of any changes in how you feel.

Keeping a vigilant eye over your blood sugar is of paramount importance.  Why?  Because no matter how disciplined you are about following your medication and schedule, blood sugar tends to fluctuate without warning.   This is why your doctor will encourage you to monitor your blood sugar at least four times a day.

Monitoring one’s blood sugar involves keeping an eye on what you eat, the amount of stress you face, your hormone levels (if you’re a woman), how often you engage in physical exercise, medications (if you’re taking other medications for other health problems, they may affect the effectiveness of your insulin intake), alcohol (diabetics are strongly advised to control their alcohol consumption) and illness (having fluish symptoms or other symptoms related to other disorders can alter your blood sugar levels).

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, the first thing you should NOT do is despair.  You are not alone.  After asking, “now what”, deal with it, do as your doctor says, and be positive.

Diabetes Support Groups: Your diabetes health care team composed of your primary physician, specialist, nurse, dietician and a counsellor is the team that you should maintain contact with. They will guide you on your medication, changes in your treatment program and your progress, but they rely on you to monitor your blood sugar levels and to ensure that your insulin shots are administered on schedule.

A supportive health care team is a blessing especially for diabetics who view their illness as a stressful never-ending experience; sometimes, however, one needs to reach out to others outside the clinical setting who are suffering from the same illness.  This is where support groups outside of your principal health care team can provide additional support and guidance. A diabetic who is in the company of other diabetics feels more comfortable about sharing personal experiences; likewise, there are valuable lessons to be gained by listening to others speak of their experiences.

Support groups provide more than support: they create positive reinforcement and diminish the seriousness of diabetes especially when they talk about how diabetes has not affected their quality of life.  They tell others that there is hope. The psychological benefits a diabetic derives from support groups are immeasurable.

Diabetes Support Groups: Where to Look
It is reassuring to know that diabetes is one of those illnesses that has a substantial number of support groups.  Almost every state in the United States has an organization or two that can give out the names and numbers of diabetes support groups.

Here is a list (in no way a comprehensive list):

• Defeat Diabetes Foundation Inc – defeatdiabetes.org.  Click on “self-management” under Action Resources and you get a listing of all 52 states. Clicking on one state yields the names and numbers of support groups. Let’s take the example of New York. It has over 50 support groups spread out in major cities. The same is true for other large states like Florida and California. You will have no problems looking for one near your home.
• Children with diabetes – childrenwithdiabetes.com/support/. If you have a child with diabetes and you want to connect with parents who have diabetic children, this is a web site that lists all support groups in 29 states of the United States, Canada, Colombia and South Africa. The link takes you to a page where the groups for the US are arranged by state (only 29 states are available); the ones for Canada are arranged by province. For instance, if you click on “MA” (Massachusetts), you can obtain the names and numbers of support groups for children with diabetes. In Massachusetts alone, there are six support groups for children and parents. There are three in Texas.
• Type II diabetes. This web site is specifically for type II patients and lists professional non-profit groups that provide more information and education about diabetes: http://www.diabetes.com/diabetes_info.html. These organizations are in Florida, Virginia, Illinois, Texas, Maryland and Georgia.  They are not support groups per se but are medical organizations that have the latest information on type II diabetes, some of them staffed by doctors and specialists like endocrinologists and cardiologists.
• Insulin Pumpers – this is a more specific group of patients. Children and adults who are insulin pumpers will find support and information at:  http://www.insulin-pumpers.org/. There are over 5,200 insulin pumpers discussion groups that you can join. They can be found in the US, UK, Scandinavian countries, New Zealand, Australia and Germany. You can also subscribe to the mailing list.

A Diabetic Did You Know: When it comes to virtually any topic there will be those who will not be satisfied until they have hard evidence to support what they have been reading or what they have heard. For this article we are gleaning details from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Diabetic Association (ADA).

Did you know…

• The average hospital stay for issue related to diabetes is 4.7 days and over half a million diabetics will require hospitalization annually.
• One in ten Americans has diabetes – some have yet to be diagnosed.
• 18,250 diabetics go blind every year.
• 14,600 young people 16 and younger are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes every year. 3,650 more will be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
• 73,000 people die from diabetes every year. Approximately the same number will undergo a lower-limb amputation due to complications from diabetes.
• 1,460,000 individuals will be diagnosed with this disease each year.
• More than 47,000 diabetics will develop kidney failure.
• The annual economic cost of diabetes in 2007 was estimated to be $174 billion.
• $6,649 of annual health care costs for diabetics is directly attributed to the disease.
• 445,000 cases of unemployment disability in 2007 were attributed to diabetes.
• Lost productivity due to premature death is $26.9 billion among those who had been diagnosed with diabetes.

There is good news. When armed with information some individuals have been able to manage existing diabetes or, if caught early enough, avoided through a positive change in lifestyle.

The good news is there are new breakthroughs being announced regularly that help diabetics live life better while successful managing the disease and slowing the effects of diabetes.

One of the key issues that can be addressed by every American is diet and exercise. Several national organizations work to encourage personal mobility in the form of walking, bike riding and cardiovascular exercise. Diet plans suggest ways to minimize potential risk to your heart and aid in managing risk when it comes to diabetes.

Science has developed multiple pharmaceuticals that can assist in the daily care of this disease while minimizing symptoms, and allowing normal daily activity.

Support groups are a lifeline for many who need the additional encouragement to find personal success in both willpower and in proactive steps to take control of the advance of diabetes.

The good thing about statistics is they are just numbers. Yes they represent real people in real circumstances, but they don’t have to represent you. The power to mange the care of your disease lies in multiple daily choices that might allow you to say…

Did you know…

• I lowered my cholesterol.
• I have been effective at managing blood sugar through diet and exercise.
• I have found support and I have supported others in refusing to let diabetes control my life.
• I pay attention to what my health care provider says and I see improvements in my life.
• There are too many others in my life to live in depression.

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with diabetes some of the statistics seem overwhelming, but many diabetics live long and productive lives, but they did so with a brave mix of positive thinking, proper medical care and personal change.

That’s one statistic we can all live with.

Diabetes Among African-Americans and American Indians: According to the National Diabetes Education Association, “3.7 million; 14.7 percent of all non-Hispanic blacks ages twenty and older have diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes.”

This is roughly five percent higher than the national average. Another startling statistic comes from the Office of Minority Health, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “African Americans are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as non-Hispanic whites.”

The NDEA indicates, “About 16.5 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives ages 20 years and older who are served by the Indian Health Service have diagnosed diabetes.” They further report, “Diabetes rates vary — among Alaska Natives (6.0 %) to American Indians in southern Arizona (29.3 %).”

Among these two ethnic groups we find a larger number of diabetic diagnoses, but we also find that increasing awareness has created an environment suitable to change in attitudes and response.

It should be noted that only 5% of diabetic cases in this ethnic group were listed as Type 1.

Because diabetes is described as a “Self-managed” disease there is an empowerment in the care you self-administer. Yes, the overall cost of managing diabetes may result in $4,000-$6,000 in treatment annually, but you need to remember you are in control of the daily care you receive.

As with all diabetic cases you will need to confer regularly with a health care provider and follow dosing instructions.

Some compelling reasons to accept the empowerment of diabetes management is that in the case of all ethnicities poor diabetes care can have a profound impact on the increase incidence of stroke and heart attacks. Cardiovascular disease can be a byproduct of poor health management.

The American Diabetes Association makes clear that many American Indians are beginning to take note of the care they need. The ADA provides a prayer written by American Indian George Perez of New Mexico, “Great Spirit, We thank you for your blessings that have provided the healthy foods to nourish our bodies. May we learn to appreciate and not take for granted all that we know to make us healthier. May we be open to accept change that will benefit not only ourselves, but also our children as well.”

This prayer provides a beautiful example of how actions taken today can affect future generations. If you take seriously the care needed to keep you healthy then you may see your children choose a healthy lifestyle early on. That course of action may well result in a better lifetime of health for your children.

Most organizations agree that the primary culprit for onset diabetes is a lack of physical activity and diet. When these issues are addressed there is a marked improvement in long-term health among both African-Americans as well as American Indians.

In both ethic groups the National Diabetes Education Association provides the same targets for normal health, “A1C (Blood Glucose) Less than 7 percent (check at least twice a year). Blood Pressure Less than 130/80 mmHg (check every doctor’s visit). Cholesterol (LDL) Less than 100 mg/dl”

When these targets get out of control the likelihood of onset diabetes or Type 2 becomes more pronounced.

However, when 30 minutes of daily exercise was combined with food choices low in calories and fat, health care providers typically see an improved climate for optimum health.