Mr. T would surely pity the fools who didn’t recruit all available medical professionals to help manage their diabetes. Your regular doctor may watch over your diabetes in general. But because it affects your whole body, diabetes takes your own personal A-Team to be properly managed. It’s up to you to recruit the professionals you need, and when you do, you’ll be more in control of your diabetes. Here are eight ways to ensure that you’re getting the attention, information, and treatment that’s best for you.
See a specialist. If your blood-sugar readings aren’t showing any improvement, even after following your doctor’s advice closely for at least 12 weeks, ask to see a diabetes specialist, also called a diabetologist. This doctor specializes in treating people with diabetes and is usually an endocrinologist. However, not all endocrinologists specialize in diabetes, so ask before making an appointment.
Get some diabetes education. Ask your primary care physician for a referral to a certified diabetes educator. This professional, usually a registered nurse, dietitian, or pharmacist, has specialized diabetes training. He or she can help you learn and apply behaviors that will help improve your blood-sugar control, answer questions about your medications, show you how to give yourself insulin shots, check your blood sugar, and more. Many are employed in a Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) program whose services are reimbursed by Medicare. If your doctor doesn’t offer DSME in his office, call your local hospital to request diabetes education.
Check in with a dietitian. What you eat and when you eat it affects your blood sugar more than any other lifestyle choice. If you have diabetes, you need an eating plan tailored just for you to help you meet your blood-sugar goals. The person who can provide that plan is a registered dietician (RD) who specializes in helping people with diabetes. She’ll help you understand healthy food choices and plan meals to fit your lifestyle. Not all registered dietitians specialize in diabetes, so make sure you are referred to one who does. Some RDs are also certified diabetes educators.
Look for an ophthalmologist. Chronic high blood sugar can damage blood vessels in the retina (the inner layer of your eye), increasing your chances of vision disorders and even blindness. You need to have an annual comprehensive eye exam with an ophthalmologist. He will dilate your pupils to get an extra-close look for any changes in your eyes. If you are referred to a new eye doctor, be sure to ask if he is familiar with spotting and treating diabetic eye disorders.
Go to the dentist twice a year. You learned when you were a kid that sugar causes cavities. Well, having high blood sugar can wreak havoc on your teeth, too. Bacteria that cause gum disease and cavities are more opportunistic—that is, nastier—when blood sugar is not well controlled. That’s why people with diabetes are more prone to gum disease, which has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease. In addition to regular dental visits, you need to brush and floss daily, and give yourself a monthly checkup for any sores, tenderness, or redness of your gums.
Step up to a foot expert. It’s awfully hard to imagine that a simple blister or cut could lead to foot amputation, but if the injury turns into an ulcer that becomes infected, it’s all too possible. That’s why it’s critical to take good care of your feet. A podiatrist will check for any sores, blisters, bruises, cracks, or cuts that are resistant to healing, as well as check for tingling or numbness in your feet. He can test for nerve problems to see if you can detect different sensations. Ask your doctor how often you should see a podiatrist, and make sure to go to one who specializes in caring for people with diabetes.
Pump up with a personal trainer. More and more doctors recommend personal trainers, exercise professionals who will work with you to design a fitness program that meets your goals. But you need to express a willingness to go. If you really want to stick with an exercise program, trainers who have experience working with people with diabetes can be especially helpful. So always ask before you sign up. Your local hospital or diabetes support group can also provide a recommendation.
Seek counseling. Mental health professionals such as psychologists, social workers, or family counselors can offer support for dealing with the personal and emotional side of living with diabetes. Social workers may be able to connect you with resources such as free medication programs for people who can’t afford their drugs or free transportation to doctor’s appointments. Psychologists and family counselors will be able to offer individual or family counseling to help you deal with the stress and depression that sometimes accompanies a chronic disease.
Featured Recipe
Citrus & Spinach Salad As a perfect summertime salad, fresh leaf spinach is tossed with fruit and their juices and then drizzled with a creamy and sweet balsamic dressing. A few crumbles of prosciutto are sprinkled on top, so you get all of the flavor without adding much fat!
Serves 6
Ingredients:
Salad
2 large navel oranges
1 large ruby-red grapefruit
6 cups baby spinach leaves, washed
1 small cantaloupe, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
4 scallions, white parts only, very thinly sliced
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into shreds
Dressing
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons light cream
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salad
2 large navel oranges
1 large ruby-red grapefruit
6 cups baby spinach leaves, washed
1 small cantaloupe, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
4 scallions, white parts only, very thinly sliced
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into shreds
Dressing
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons light cream
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
1 Make the dressing: Place the vinegar, oil, cream, honey, salt, and pepper into a pint-size jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake until well blended.
2 Make the salad: Use a citrus zester or peeler to remove fine shreds of zest from one orange. Set aside. Working over a medium bowl to catch the juices, peel the oranges and grapefruit using a serrated fruit knife; be sure to remove all of the white pith. Cut between the membranes of the fruits, lift out the fruit sections, and place in the bowl with the juices.
3 Add 2 tablespoons of the combined grapefruit and orange juices to the dressing and shake again to blend. Taste and add more citrus juice, salt, and pepper, if desired.
4 Place the spinach in a large serving bowl. Add the orange and grapefruit sections and any juices in the bowl, the cantaloupe, and scallions. Toss to evenly distribute the ingredients among the spinach leaves. Shake the dressing once more, then pour it over the salad and toss again. Scatter the shredded prosciutto over the top of the salad and sprinkle on the orange zest. Serve immediately.
1 Make the dressing: Place the vinegar, oil, cream, honey, salt, and pepper into a pint-size jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake until well blended.
2 Make the salad: Use a citrus zester or peeler to remove fine shreds of zest from one orange. Set aside. Working over a medium bowl to catch the juices, peel the oranges and grapefruit using a serrated fruit knife; be sure to remove all of the white pith. Cut between the membranes of the fruits, lift out the fruit sections, and place in the bowl with the juices.
3 Add 2 tablespoons of the combined grapefruit and orange juices to the dressing and shake again to blend. Taste and add more citrus juice, salt, and pepper, if desired.
4 Place the spinach in a large serving bowl. Add the orange and grapefruit sections and any juices in the bowl, the cantaloupe, and scallions. Toss to evenly distribute the ingredients among the spinach leaves. Shake the dressing once more, then pour it over the salad and toss again. Scatter the shredded prosciutto over the top of the salad and sprinkle on the orange zest. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 193 cal, 11 g fat (3 g sat), 19 g carbs, 7 g protein, 3 g fiber, 21 mg chol, 471 mg sodium
Great Ideas
Great Ideas
5 Safe, Smart Exercise Tips
Exercise improves your body’s use of insulin. In fact, putting your muscles into action is like flooring your car’s accelerator—it instantly boosts the demand for fuel. Instead of gasoline, your body’s high-octane juice is glucose. Exercise enough and your body will pull glucose straight from the bloodstream, meaning lower blood sugar for hours after you work out. When exercising during these summer months, take a little care with these five tips.
Drink lots of water. Lots more than you may think. Experts recommend at least one-half to one cup of water every 15 minutes. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty, either. If needed, set a watch that beeps every 15 minutes to remind you to sip.
Avoid hot stuff. If it’s particularly hot outside, find an indoor venue for your workout—at home, in a gym, or a mall. But don’t just pay attention to the temperature. Be wary of humid weather because it will be difficult for your body to cool down. Exercise indoors when the heat index (a measurement based on temperature and humidity) is 105 degrees or higher.
Breathe through hard efforts. Do you ever find yourself holding your breath while exercising? This can be dangerous, especially for people who have diabetes. Not only does it raise your blood pressure, but it also raises the pressure within your eyes and can worsen eye diseases such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. When you are lifting weights or exerting yourself, make a point to exhale during the hard part and inhale as you relax.
Keep tabs on hypoglycemia. When you’re physically active, it’s easy to mistake symptoms of hypoglycemia for the effects of exercise. Among the signs of dangerously low blood sugar are profuse sweating, rapid heartbeat, trembling, extreme hunger, difficulty thinking, blurred vision, loss of coordination, and “just not feeling right.” If you suspect you have hypoglycemia, stop exercising immediately and eat some raisins, hard candy, water with fruit juice added to it, or glucose tablets.
If you feel pain, stop. Exercise is supposed to make you feel better, not knock you flat. So, if you start to feel uncomfortable or short of breath when you are exercising, immediately reduce your degree of exertion or stop exercising altogether.
Drink lots of water. Lots more than you may think. Experts recommend at least one-half to one cup of water every 15 minutes. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty, either. If needed, set a watch that beeps every 15 minutes to remind you to sip.
Avoid hot stuff. If it’s particularly hot outside, find an indoor venue for your workout—at home, in a gym, or a mall. But don’t just pay attention to the temperature. Be wary of humid weather because it will be difficult for your body to cool down. Exercise indoors when the heat index (a measurement based on temperature and humidity) is 105 degrees or higher.
Breathe through hard efforts. Do you ever find yourself holding your breath while exercising? This can be dangerous, especially for people who have diabetes. Not only does it raise your blood pressure, but it also raises the pressure within your eyes and can worsen eye diseases such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. When you are lifting weights or exerting yourself, make a point to exhale during the hard part and inhale as you relax.
Keep tabs on hypoglycemia. When you’re physically active, it’s easy to mistake symptoms of hypoglycemia for the effects of exercise. Among the signs of dangerously low blood sugar are profuse sweating, rapid heartbeat, trembling, extreme hunger, difficulty thinking, blurred vision, loss of coordination, and “just not feeling right.” If you suspect you have hypoglycemia, stop exercising immediately and eat some raisins, hard candy, water with fruit juice added to it, or glucose tablets.
If you feel pain, stop. Exercise is supposed to make you feel better, not knock you flat. So, if you start to feel uncomfortable or short of breath when you are exercising, immediately reduce your degree of exertion or stop exercising altogether.
No comments:
Post a Comment