Don’t worry, I’ll still be providing diabetes news and updates here. And the “Putting a Face on Diabetes” interview series remains alive and well! (A little “health” humor there! Tee hee).

This is an exciting time for diabetics everywhere, as each day we know more about the disease and get closer to a cure.

Remember if you’re a Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic who is interested in being interviewed, please send me an email at: cherieburbach@yahoo.com. I look forward to meeting each and every one of you as we learn about and tackle this disease.

Post from: Blisstree

Diabetes Notes Has a New Home

The new rage with diabetic metering is no-code meters. I can’t tell you how many times I forgot to reprogram my meter. I never understood why coding was necessary with digital meters.

Now there is a new meter from Diabetic Care Services and Diabetic Express called the WaveSense Jazz™. “In addition to featuring one of the largest backlit digits for easy reading, WaveSense Jazz is one of the first meters to provide a score for a user’s glycemic variability.”

Glycemic variability is used to show intense fluctuations in blood sugar, and could help with overall control.

No coding and better control? Sounds pretty good to me!

Post from: Blisstree

No Code Meter May Provide Better Glucose Control

What are your goals for the New Year?

If you’re like me, you HATE when people ask about that! LOL. I hate goal making, but I do like to continually improve on things. Rather than create some large hurdle to climb, I try to look at it a different (and more manageable) way.

For example, rather than saying I want to “lose ten pounds” I say I want to work out five times a week for 30 minutes. In doing that, I probably am going to lose ten pounds because working out will inspire me to do other things, like eat healthier.

Diabetics are especially hard on themselves when it comes to resolutions. They will often say they want their A1c below a certain number, but I’ve personally found that saying something like, “I will test my blood sugar five times a day” is a better goal. I’d rather have a handle on what my blood sugars are like throughout the day than try for a goal (the A1c) that I may or may not meet.

Don’t get me wrong, the A1c is an important tool in managing diabetes. But I think a better way to handle goals is by doing the small things you can control (like testing your blood sugar.) The more often you test, the more apt you are to reach your desired A1c number.

My personal goal this year is to workout more regularly. I sometimes work so hard that I either don’t have time or are too tired to work out. That’s got to change. Besides that, I love working out when I do it. If work has to wait in 2009, it will just have to! My personal goal is to work out for 45 minutes a day five days a week.

What’s your New Year’s goal?

Post from: Blisstree

What’s Your Diabetic New Year’s Goal?

Depression is a big problem with diabetes. There have been times when I’ve gotten down about keeping my blood sugars in check. Anytime a chronic illness is involved, it becomes mentally taxing to deal with it every single day.

According to BD Diabetes, “In a study of more than 11,000 U.S. veterans with type 2 diabetes, the investigators found that over a decade, those diagnosed with depression consistently had a higher average hemoglobin A1C level.”

I’m not sure what to make of this study. As I said, I’ve experienced some down periods emotionally, but my blood sugars are always in the recommended range. I do think, however, that an occasional down feeling is not the same as having full blown depression.

If you are experiencing depression, get help immediately. Just knowing that there is yet another reason to keep our blood sugars near normal is great news.

Post from: Blisstree

Depression and Diabetes

Weight is an important issue with any diabetic, including those who get gestational diabetes.

One source says, “Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) who gain more than the Institute of Medicine-recommended amount of weight are at increased risk for undesirable outcomes, including preterm delivery and cesarean delivery, research shows.”

Research also showed that women who had gained weight had larger babies and needed medical help with controlling their blood sugars.

Post from: Blisstree

Pregnant Women With Diabetes Should Watch Weight Gain

I have kept up to date on all of the dietary guidelines and such related to diabetes and have always read that diabetics should also strive for their five a day as well. A medium size banana is considered one serving of fruit and has approximately 25-30 grams of carbohydrates in it. If you pair that with a low carb yogurt, rolled turkey or a cup of coffee you are right on track.

There was a comment left to the degree of- “we shouldn’t eat bananas”. I have spent some time researching this further, yes I love that yellow fruit, and found that my thought process is right on. Grapes and bananas can be eaten as 1 serving of your fruits or veggies a day. Whew, I got nervous for a sec that I was all alone.

Do you eat ‘nanners? Do you have any problems with them? Curious here, share with me.

Post from: Blisstree

Bananas can be your friend

First of all… after the cinnamon muffin last night, 2 hr post, I was 116. Whew!

This morning… 101, midday 96 and honestly I won’t get another chance to check it tonight. We will see about 150 pts between the hours of 6 and 10 PM and I will have my roller skates on.

Breakfast… 1/2 cup Special K with skim milk. 3 cups coffee, ouch!!!

Lunch…  More caffeine, I am bad today, in a diet coke, 4 cubes of cheese, peanut protein bar, 3 pretzel rods with veggie dip and then a bottled water

Dinner will be a small salad with a half of piece of chicken grilled left over from dinner last night and water before I leave to go back to work. Snack will most likely consist of an apple on the way home at 11 PM. And I will start drinking water at this point, my hands are shaking while I type, no more caffeine for me!!!

How is your diet going? And your exercise?? Oh and I almost forgot, my exercise is the 11 hours running around and seeing 350 pts over the day.  Believe me, my legs are tired when I am finished!

Post from: Blisstree

Very Strange Backwards Journal Entry For 1/10/08

BS from early morning till evening… 94, 98, 103, 100. Yup, pretty darn good.

Breakfast… 1/2 cup Special K with skim milk. Total of 26 carbs.

Lunch (really like dinner because I worked in the evening and me needed one family meal)… Onion, pepper, salsa and cheese omelette and a half an apple.

Dinner… Low carb vanilla yogurt, nutty trail bar and a diet coke. 15 carbs and 14 gram of protein. I also drank about 10 bottled of water throughout the day.

Snack when I got home from work (I was hungry)… String cheese, handful of nuts.

Post from: Blisstree

My Late Journal Entry From 1/6/08