Indholdsfortegnelse for Fall 2022 i Diabetes Self-Management

Dear readers, Who loves fall most of all? The autumn is a time of transitions—the leaves are changing, temperatures are cooling down, and new fruits and vegetables are coming into season. These pages on the calendar often bring changes to routine as well, such as getting back into a rhythm at work after summer vacation or returning to school. If your child with type 1 will be heading back to the classroom, see “Return to School With Success!” (page 36) for lessons on how to help them thrive this academic year. With the busier pacing of the harvest months, coming up with quick and easy meal ideas is another common challenge. But there’s no need to resort to fast food. Check out “‘Fast’ Food” (page 28) instead for tips from…

When it comes to diabetes, cinnamon has been shown in some preliminary studies (but not others) to support blood sugar management and provide additional health benefits. How much do you know about the research on this spice? Take this quiz to find out! (Before making changes to your diet or treatment regimen, consult with your health care provider to find out what is best for you, and be careful to closely monitor glucose levels if using cinnamon. Cinnamon is not a replacement for prescription medications, and high doses can be toxic, especially for people who have liver damage or disease. If taken with other types of supplements, cinnamon may be unsafe or cause hypoglycemia.) 1. Taking as little as 1 gram of cinnamon daily may help reduce certain risk factors…

Having a lower blood level of magnesium is linked to a higher risk of developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in the journal Nutrients. Magnesium is a mineral found naturally in certain foods that is key to health and well-being, but many people don’t get enough of it in their diet. Magnesium is involved in hundreds of functions in the body, and plays roles in energy metabolism and creating proteins—two functions that are especially relevant if you have a metabolic or endocrine disorder like obesity or type 2 diabetes. For the latest study, researchers looked at the relationship between blood magnesium levels and new cases of insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes in 5,044 adults ages 18 and older in China, who took…

Q Last week, I felt like I had low blood glucose, but when I checked with my meter, my glucose level was fine—in the 120s. This has happened to me a few times. Does this mean my normal blood glucose is higher than for most people? A I had to laugh when I read your question because I asked my doctor the same thing soon after I was first diagnosed. But no, normal blood glucose is the same for everyone: generally, around 70-110 mg/dl. However, hypoglycemia (low glucose) symptoms can be produced by a number of things, including a rapid decline in blood glucose level. A glucose that drops from, for example, 250 to 150 very quickly can “fool” the brain into thinking blood glucose is low, when clearly it…

Maintaining your healthy living goals as you wave goodbye to the summer can be difficult. The days are getting cooler, comfort food is looking more appealing, and the baggier clothes are coming out of the closet. The good news is that the outdoor chills and the falling leaves also bring plenty of opportunities for fitness and weight management. Take advantage of fall foods Healthy fall foods include apples, pumpkins, squash, and root vegetables. These fruits and veggies are rich in essential nutrients, including a variety of vitamins and minerals. Magnesium is a mineral found in an array of autumn produce, such as butternut squash and pumpkin seeds, that can help regulate the body’s stress response and improve sleep—both stress and tiredness increase the risk of weight gain. Vitamin C, which…

Are you ready to pack a delicious, flavorful, and easy-to-prepare lunch? It’s time to jazz up your midday menu with nutritious and preportioned meals and snacks by using a lunch box. A variety of lunch boxes can be found across the globe, designed to host our favorite foods. Whether it’s a bento box in Japan, a dosirak in Korea, a bian dang in Taiwan or China, a tiffin in India, or a schiscetta in Italy, it’s all about organizing your lunch meal in a simple and practical way. Lunch boxes from across the globe Susan says: Many cultures and regions offer well-designed variations of meal containers or lunch boxes. They vary in style, material, and size. A reusable lunch box comes with a number of added bonuses too! These are environmentally…

Snoring can be more than just an inconvenience for you or whoever is sharing your bed. It can be a sign of sleep apnea—shallow breathing or pauses in breathing during sleep. Sleep apnea can cause excessive sleepiness during the day, difficulty concentrating or staying alert, and irritability. It can also be directly hazardous to your health, raising your blood pressure and making your diabetes more difficult to control, among other potential issues. Here’s how to find out whether you have it and what you can do about it. Causes and risk factors There are two basic types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA). By far the most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, in which the airway collapses or becomes blocked…

5 Roughly 49.4 million students attended public elementary and secondary schools in fall 2020, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. In 2019, there were 3.2 million teachers in public schools and 0.5 million teachers in private schools. Do you have a child with type 1 diabetes entering or returning to school this academic year? Check out the lessons in “Return to School With Success!” (page 36) to help them get a leg up. 4 According to The Food Institute, 85% of Americans plan to cook more at home this year. Approximately 36% of people in the United States cook at home each day. Statistics indicate that home cooking can be up to five times cheaper than eating out. Curious about some quick and nourishing meals you can prepare…

Insulin Resistance: Your Questions Answered It’s pretty amazing what the body does to help regulate blood glucose levels and provide fuel for bodily processes. Unfortunately, things can go awry with this finely tuned system. If you have questions about insulin resistance, this article can give you answers. bit.ly/3xWCLOp COMPLICATIONS Blood Pressure Myths and Facts High blood pressure, also called hypertension, affects almost half of adults in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). How much do you know about high blood pressure? bit.ly/3tFTcfy HOLIDAYS Healthy Halloween Foods All Hallows’ Eve is almost here, and while many revelers may be munching on loads of sugar and chocolate, you can be enjoying your own Halloween treats that just happen to be a little healthier for…

Metformin has become the standard first-line medicine for type 2 diabetes, but for such a widely prescribed and studied drug, there’s still a lot that scientists don’t know about how it works. That may be changing, though, thanks to a study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers were interested in looking at how, exactly, metformin inhibits the release of glucose by liver. But at a deeper level, they wanted to know how metformin inhibits metabolic processes in the mitochondria of cells in the liver. Mitochondria are responsible for generating the energy in cells and are nicknamed the “power plant” of cells. Previous research has shown that there are four different protein complexes (groups of protein chains) involved in the release of energy through a…

In people with type 1 diabetes for 50 years or longer, greater physical activity is linked to a lower risk of developing peripheral neuropathy—nerve damage affecting the limbs, usually the legs or feet—according to a new study published in the Journal of Diabetes and its Complications. Peripheral neuropathy often develops in people with diabetes as a result of long-term exposure to elevated blood glucose levels, which can lead to nerve damage. It can cause uncomfortable to painful symptoms, which may include numbness, tingling, or burning sensations. Treatment guidelines for peripheral neuropathy mainly focus on reducing pain, rather than addressing the underlying condition—but there is some evidence that certain behaviors can address some of the root causes of neuropathy, as well as reduce the risks associated with the condition. For the…

Only a curmudgeonly athlete would anticipate a Caribbean cruise with trepidation: How am I going to work out? That was my reaction when I climbed aboard for a family vacation. Yet I needn’t have worried. There were plenty of ways to get my exercise. Workout options aplenty Commercial cruise lines are slowly reopening for business following a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of them have fitness areas with treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes, resistance training machines, and free weights. Some also offer group exercise classes, which might include yoga, tai chi, Pilates, dancing, and sometimes trendy stuff like Spinning or Zumba. You can also use your cabin or a low-traffic spot on deck as a workout space to practice yoga and perform calisthenics (strength-training exercises that use a…

If bread is getting too basic for you, why not branch out and give a wrap, bun, tortilla, or English muffin a try? Yes, most of these contain carbohydrate, but even if you’re “low carbing” it, you’ll still find something to fit your carb budget. When shopping for wraps and the like, check out the serving size and total carb grams on the Nutrition Facts label. A good goal is to aim for no more than 30 grams of carb per serving. But don’t stop there: check out added sugars (if the label lists this), too. Zero grams per serving is best, but up to 2 grams is doable. While you’re at it, be sure to glance at the sodium. Surprisingly, bread and bread-like products can pack a wallop when…

In addition to the already well-known risk factors for type 2 diabetes, researchers have identified two previously unknown ones, according to a new report. Over the years, scientists have discovered nearly a dozen risk factors for type 2 diabetes. The best known are overweight or obesity, inactivity, a large waist circumference, race and ethnicity, family history, and age. The new study, which was reported in the medical journal Diabetes Care, indicates that two more can be added to the list: 1) increased levels of liver fat and 2) a smaller pancreas volume. Not only that, but these factors also seem to have a genetic component, which might mean that some people are “hardwired” for type 2 diabetes. The researchers obtained data from 32,859 people who had undergone MRI scans as…

For people with both type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD)—a common and dangerous form of heart disease—a Mediterranean diet may be a better option than a low-fat diet when it comes to preserving kidney function, according to a new study published in the journal Clinical Nutrition. For the study, 1,002 participants with coronary artery disease—some of whom also had diabetes—were randomly assigned to follow either a Mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet and provided guidance about how to do so. The Mediterranean diet consisted of 35% fat, including 22% monounsaturated fat (the main type of fat found in olive oil and most nuts), and less than 50% carbohydrate. The low-fat diet consisted of 28% fat, including 12% monounsaturated fat, and greater than 55% carbohydrate. Both at the beginning…

Blue Cut Blue Light Blocking Glasses Staring at a computer all day or night can lead to eye strain and fatigue. But it’s not just your computer—tablets, smartphones, flat-screen TVs, fluorescent lights, and more all emit blue light, a type of light that may cause tired eyes and lead to dryness, irritation, and headaches. What to do? Get yourself a pair of Blue Cut Blue Light Blocking Glasses! These glasses are engineered to filter out blue light, making it easier for your eyes to stay focused and free from strain, dryness, and fatigue. And if you have trouble sleeping due to being on your electronic devices before bedtime, these glasses will let you enjoy your favorite TV shows, video games, and more while still getting a restful night’s sleep. amzn.to/3xSiM2v…

Need some “fast” food ideas? Not the kind from the drive-thru, mind you, but a few nourishing meals you can easily put together at home? Here are time-saving tips and favorite recipes from three registered dietitian nutritionists for no-hassle meals that even the novice cook can handle. TIP 1 Plan to prepare It’s undeniable that a little advanced planning can go a long way to save time with meal prep. Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND, an award-winning nutrition expert and author of The Wall Street Journal bestseller “Diabetes Create Your Plate: Meal Prep Cookbook,” suggests “planning ahead of time what you’ll be eating, when you’ll go food shopping, and when you’ll prepare the meal.” Having a plan is the first step in making meal prep much easier during the…

Over the course of the past few years, lockdowns, hybrid schools, and virtual schools have upended families’ schedules and the critical routines that help keep children with type 1 diabetes safe and healthy. Establishing new school routines or re-establishing old ones can feel overwhelming. But setting up daily routines for your child with type 1 diabetes will prevent stress and set the stage for positive interactions with everyone involved in their care. (Remember, to stick to routines, children will need positive reinforcements, a healthy dose of encouragement, loving kindness, and celebration!) With the school year getting under way, here are some strategies that can help smooth your child’s transition back to school. Helping your child make healthy food choices at school Food is an essential part of school culture and…