Diabetes Self-Management September/October 2019

Lowering A1C levels naturally Your A1C is a blood test that provides information about your average blood sugar levels over the past three months. There are a number of ways to lower your A1C. Explore our rundown of lifestyle measures that can work. What is a normal blood glucose? Blood glucose monitoring is one of the cornerstones of diabetes management, so you may wonder what’s considered a normal blood glucose level. In this new video, learn about normal blood glucose for people with and without diabetes. Diabetes at school School-age children spend about half their waking hours in the classroom. Since children can’t leave their diabetes at home, having a plan—preferably a written plan—is necessary for managing their diabetes while they’re at school. Supervisor’s guide to supporting employees with diabetes…

Dear readers, I used to get excited for back-to-school season, when I could stock up on new notebooks and pencils and fall clothes and make resolutions to succeed in the upcoming school year (I know, I was kind of a nerd). Even though I don’t go “back to school” any more, I still love the change of season and the promise it brings of restoring healthy habits in our lives. This fall, whether you’re headed back to school, back to work or back into your favorite cool-weather sweater, savor the benefits a routine can provide and use this chance to make sure your routine is healthy for you. Some of those good habits you may want to strengthen include improving your sleep (page 34), enjoying the cool weather with a…

A half-price version of Eli Lilly’s rapid-acting Humalog insulin, used by roughly 700,000 people in the United States, is now available for order in pharmacies. The generic form of the drug, known as Insulin Lispro Injection, will cost $137.50 per vial, or $265.20 for a package of five KwikPens. According to the company, the biggest savings will be seen by those who are uninsured, have high-deductible health insurance, or have Medicare Part D plans. Because the product is identical to Humalog, pharmacists will be able to substitute the generic version. However, some patients may still pay less for Humalog, depending on their insurance. In March, Eli Lilly announced plans to introduce the lower-priced medicine. “The availability of Lilly’s Insulin Lispro Injection is important progress that helps more people afford their…

It’s been known for some time that the long-term use of metformin, one of the most common drugs used to treat diabetes, is associated with B vitamin deficiencies. Now a new study indicates that metformin is also associated with worse cognitive function in older adults—and B-vitamin deficiency might be the reason. The study, which was published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, was led by Kirsty M. Porter, PhD, of Ulster University in Northern Ireland. The researchers, who wanted to explore the relationships between high blood sugar, B vitamin status, and the use of metformin, studied over 4,000 older people (average age 74) who were taking part in the Trinity, Ulster and Department of Agriculture (TUDA) study. The researchers divided the subjects into three groups: those whose blood…

Questions Back to routine (school and work) With the long, leisurely days of summer coming to a close, resuming your normal work or school routine may require a little adjustment. You already know that stress can be very harmful to your physical well-being, but take this quiz to see how it can affect your mental health. 1. Which of the following describes the condition in which people who have diabetes may feel stressed, overwhelmed and/or frustrated? ○ A. Diabetes psychosis ○ B. Diabetes-related depression ○ C. Diabetes distress ○ D. Diabetes-affective disorder 2. Having which of the following conditions increases the risk for diabetes? (More than one answer may be correct.) ○ A. Depression ○ B. Schizophrenia ○ C. Tourette syndrome ○ D. Delirium 3. In addition to making you…

Eating a Mediterranean-style diet may protect against symptoms of depression in older age, according to new research from Hellenic Open University in Greece. Researchers looked at data from 154 older adults in Athens, screening the participants for depression and sleep disturbances and assessing their adherence to a Mediterranean diet. Roughly 75% of the subjects screened negative for depression symptoms, 21% screened positive for moderate depression, and 3% screened positive for severe depression. Approximately 30% were found to have sleep problems, and about 64% adhered moderately to a Mediterranean diet. A link was found between depression diagnosed by a physician and not sticking to a Mediterranean style of eating. Depression was 20% less common in those eating more vegetables, 36% less common in those eating less poultry, and 28% less likely…