Battling Diabetes

Little Yellow Packets

In the United States, Sucralose is marketed under the brand name Splenda. Most diabetics have heard of this sugar alternative, marketed as the no-calorie sweetener made from sugar. According to an entry on Wikipedia,: “Sucralose is approximately 600 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar),twice as sweet as saccharin, and four times as sweet as aspartame. “ Today not only diabetics, but many others use Sucralose in all of their sweetened foods/drinks every day.

How Safe Is It?

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Sex and Diabetes

If you are a young and otherwise healthy adult, you may find that your sex life has been suffering without knowing why. Many adults who have diabetes also have problems in their sex lives. The Journal of the American Medical Association conducted a survey in 1999 and discovered that %43 percent of women with diabetes (who participated in the survey) had some sort of sexual dysfunction. This is compared to %31 of men who participated in the same study.

What Are Issues Women Face?

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Choosing The Proper Glucose Monitor

Every day and in most cases, several times a day, you should be checking your blood glucose levels. The best monitor for you will fit your lifestyle. Today there are many different monitors to choose from. Some allow you to use blood from a small prick on your arm, while others need a larger amount from your fingertip.

But, which type is the most accurate? I have used both types and have found that the difference between blood taken from the forearm and from the fingertip can be staggering. This comes from several experiments with my mother’s glucose monitor over the course of the past 5 months. In some cases there was a difference of 70 points. More →

A Previous Post.

I wrote that I am caregiver to my mother and my autistic daughter. My mother moved into my home in August of 2007, so she has been here for around 5 months. Yes, it has been hard, taking care of three children, my mother, working from home, and trying to keep my relationship from falling apart.

When I wrote about caregivers, I mentioned taking time to think about long term facilities. In our case, that has become a topic of conversation. My mother has complications from her diabetes which mean she needs more medication than insulin alone. She has problems walking and with arthritis, her hands are becoming less mobile than before.

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Losing Weight Is A Struggle

If you are a diabetic, you know how hard it is to lose even a pound. According to a doctor I spoke with several years ago at Moorehead Hospital in Eden, North Carolina, “Losing weight while taking insulin is a losing battle.” I wish I could remember his name, but he was the doctor evaluating my mother in the Emergency Room. Those words are not exactly his, but close enough. I wish I could find him again, this man set me on a path to regulating my mother’s diet the best I can in hopes of countering this disease.

This doctor told me that he believed diabetes could be cured by losing weight. That is how we came to the subject of how hard it is to lose weight while using insulin to control diabetes. This conversation came back to the forefront of my thoughts as I scanned recent news and found several articles speaking of women who had stopped using insulin altogether or skipped doses in an effort to lose weight.

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What is a caregiver?

A caregiver is someone who gives care, as the name states. We are the people who day in and day out care for our young children, our elderly parents, or work in the healthcare system. I am the caregiver to an autistic child and a disabled diabetic mother, so when I share about care giving, I can promise you, I know how many of you may feel.

Giving your all each and every day can spread you very thin. A strain develops on other relationships, romantic or otherwise. You may feel anger and loss. Anger at the disease or the person whom you are caring for. Loss at missed opportunities, at being unable to do things ‘normal’ people do every day. These are normal feelings and you should not berate yourself for them. No matter the disease, caring for someone for twenty four hours a day will take its toll.

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Making good choices

When you are a diabetic each and every food item that goes into your body should be healthy. This is true for all people, but since diet plays such a huge role in the health of diabetics, choices must be carefully considered. Carbohydrates literally turn into glucose once they have begun digesting and can have devastating results when combined with other foods high in sugar.

Often people find themselves wondering just what can be substituted for traditional meals items. So often we become stuck in a rut and have the same meal combinations. Trying out new foods can be an adventure into a more healthy lifestyle, not to mention a tasty one! If you are a fan of vegetables and fruit, then you are already a step ahead. But, if you have put off trying new vegetables because you are not sure how to prepare them in new and interesting ways, this might be just what you need to get you going.

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Avoiding the injection?

In recent years, particularly since the 1990’s, people have been looking more and more to nature to solve health issues. Almost every single day there is more information released in the news and online that details new and amazing uses for one herb, extract, or food. Often one will be touted as the ‘Wonder Cure’ for diabetes.

As of right now, there is no wonder cure-all for diabetes. With the recent breakthrough in medical science covered in my earlier post ‘Scientists Jumpstart Insulin Production In Diabetic Mice’, there may one day actually be a cure. But for now, here are the facts.

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Frightening Statistics For African Americans

According to National Health Interview Studies conducted from the early 1960’s to the early 1990’s, nearly three times the number of African Americans have diabetes compared to the early studies. This does not account for undiagnosed cases. Many African Americans who do not have health care, much like other races who are in the lower income brackets, do not have access to proper health care. Due to this, the number of diabetes cases are possibly double the current number. For every white person who has been diagnosed, approximately one and a half more African Americans are being diagnosed.

One in four African American women over the age of 55 has diabetes. Twenty five percent of African Americans between 65 and 74 have been diagnosed with diabetes. Out of all diabetic Americans, African Americans are more likely to develop complications than their white counterparts.

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Tell me something I didn’t know, please.

This morning I read an article on the elevated risk of cardiovascular disease in women with diabetes. I would hate to have to point out to the scientists that discovered this that diabetic women already knew this. My mother has had two heart catheter procedures in the past few years, I do not know about her cholesterol, but I would guess it is not a pretty number.

Lower the pressure.

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