Q. I’m
renewing my driver’s license soon. Can I
list myself as an organ donor?
A. You can under certain conditions. There are two types of donations – ones made
while the donor is living, such as a kidney, and those made after a person has
passed away. If you have diabetes, you are not permitted to donate an organ
while you are alive. But all individuals can become donors, regardless of age, race
or medical history, once they have passed away. The parts of the body that can be used depend
on their condition at the time of death.
Being an organ donor is an
incredible act of love and generosity. Visit www.donatelife.net
for more information. As a reminder,
people with diabetes can donate blood as long as they have never used beef-derived
insulin from 1980 or later. Contact your local blood donation center for
details.
Q. The holidays are coming. How do I deal with friends and relatives who
don’t understand my food preferences?
A. Communication is the key. Politely inquire about the menu before each
event. This alone may initiate a helpful
conversation. If nothing meets your needs, offer to bring a diabetes-friendly
dish for all to enjoy. If the host
refuses your help, eat a small meal at home and take just enough of the food at
the party to keep your plate full. Being
together is important, so don’t let diabetes keep you from enjoying time with
loved ones.
Q. I’m starting early. How can I keep my New
Year’s Resolutions for this year?
A. First, don’t try to keep a goal for an
entire year – you will have more success if you break your goal into small,
weekly challenges. To do this, use the
Jump Start Pledge method, which I discuss in my book, DIABETES ON YOUR OWN TERMS. Here’s how you do it:
- Choose a small and
reasonable health behavior.
- Pledge to do it for
one week.
- At the end of the
week, renew it, change it to fit your needs better, or add an additional
pledge.
Q. What should I eat if I become sick?
A. It’s a great idea to plan ahead. Here are some general rules to follow if you
become ill:
· Take
your diabetes medicine as usual. Being
sick is very stressful to your body and can raise you blood sugar level.
· Monitor
your blood sugar level every 4 hours.
· If
your blood sugar is running high, monitor your blood sugar for ketones. A positive ketone urine test means that your
body is having difficulty using carbohydrates for energy. Contact your doctor and share these results.
· Keep
your carbohydrate intake as normal as possible.
The following are foods that can help you do that:
1/2 cup Non-diet soft drink - 15 g carbohydrate
1/2 cup fruit juice - 15 g
1 cup milk - 12 g
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream - 15 g
1/2 cup cooked cereal - 15 g
1/2 cup regular gelatin - 20 g
1/2 cup sherbet - 30 g
1 popsicle - 24 g
1 tsp sugar - 4 g
1 cup coffee, tea, bouillon, broth - 0 g
1 cup thin creamy soup - 15 g
1 cup thick chunky soup - 20 g
1 cup cream soup made with water - 15 g
1 cup cream soup made with milk - 27 g
1/2 cup regular pudding - 30 g
1/2 cup sugar-free pudding - 15 g
1 cup plain or artificially sweetened yogurt - 17 g
1 cup fruit flavored yogurt - 40-60 g
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