Diabetes Self-Management offers up-to-date, practical “how-to” information on nutrition, exercise, new drugs, medical advances, self-help, and the many other topics people need to know about to stay healthy.
Now is the time to clean out the fridge and start anew for 2017. Dear Readers, WELCOME TO 2017! I’m always relieved when the holidays are over (and the leftovers have been cleared out!). In January, I can take a moment to breathe, reflect on the past year and set some goals for the new one. I don’t know about you, but for me it starts with the Halloween candy, picks up speed through the Thanksgiving stuffing and pie and careens right into Christmas cookies and Chanukah latkes until that midnight toast on New Year’s Eve. A two-month feasting frenzy, full of temptation and—if you are the host—leftovers galore. So now is the time to clean out the fridge (and freezer) and start anew for 2017. This New Year, New…
Dr. Charles Shively is a registered pharmacist in multiple states with 50 years of healthcare experience. He is also a dedicated healthcare advocate. “I just notice I feel so much better when I’m starting my morning with one of the many delicious Almased smoothies.” Kelli P. “It has been amazing, absolutely remarkable how the weight came off. I am maintaining my blood sugar levels and am staying heart-healthy. Lots of good things have happened because of Almased.” John H. Losing weight is tough for anybody, but it can be especially challenging for those of us who struggle with maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. That is because a balanced blood sugar level is key when trying to lose weight. Balanced blood sugar levels result in a lower insulin level, which in…
There are all sorts of medical apps you can download and store on your smartphone or other digital device, and some can really help you take care of your health. For example, people with diabetes can use apps to help calculate how much insulin they need, set reminders, create spreadsheets, count calories and connect with others to share information on such things as food intake, insulin and blood sugar levels. But when you enter your personal health information into one of these apps, you might wonder: How secure is that information? Can other people see it? To answer that question, researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago—Kent College School of Law conducted research on a large number of diabetes apps and reported their findings in JAMA, the Journal of…
We all know that taking a walk is good for our health. But does it matter when you walk? It just might, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Otago in New Zealand recruited 41 people with Type 2 diabetes. Their mean age was 60, and the mean length of time since diabetes diagnosis was 10 years. They were assigned to two of what the researchers called “interventions,” separated by a 30-day “washout period.” In the first intervention, participants were asked to take a single 30-minute walk at any time of day for two weeks. In the second intervention, they were asked to take a 10-minute walk after each of their three main meals. The volunteers were asked not to change their dietary or lifestyle habits during…
Most people know how important exercise is to staying healthy—whether or not they have diabetes. After the holidays, physical activity is one of the best ways to melt away those extra pounds. But how much do you know about exercise for people who have diabetes? Take this quiz to find out. 1. Which of the following types of exercise is considered most important for people with diabetes? More than one answer may apply. A. Aerobic B. Isometric C. Stretching D. Strength training 2. Which of the following are common health conditions in some people with diabetes, for which not all forms of exercise are safe? A. High blood pressure B. Diabetic neuropathy C. Eye disease D. Liver disease 3. Why is it important to try to maintain muscle mass…
An international research team led by scientists from Israel recently announced the development of a new blood test that could help detect diabetes and other diseases. Their research is based on two biological principles. The first is that dying cells release fragmented DNA into the bloodstream. The second is that the DNA of each type of cell carries a unique chemical modification called methylation. That is, the methylation pattern of one kind of cell is different from that of another kind of cell. The researchers were able to develop a method of detecting methylation patterns in DNA circulating in the bloodstream. If cells are discovered to be dying, that could be an early indicator of a disease that has not yet shown any symptoms. And if the methylation patterns of…
