‘Tis the Season for Imbibing

By Amy Campbell, M.S., R.D., C.D.E.


The holiday season is a joyous time of year, but for many people, that joy comes with a lot of stress. Having diabetes or any kind of chronic condition can add to that stress, too. Managing blood sugar levels, limiting those tempting goodies, and trying to stick with an exercise program can make this time of year challenging, to say the least.

Another issue that people with diabetes face at the holidays and frankly, any time of year, is the use of alcohol. I bring up alcohol use because the term “holiday spirit” can mean enjoying a glass of wine or champagne, a cup of spiked eggnog or a hot chocolate laced with peppermint schnapps. If you have diabetes, you might be wondering if you can partake in a “holiday spirit” or two.

Is it okay to drink alcohol if you have diabetes?
There isn’t one right answer to this question. The best answer is “Probably.” Most people can safely enjoy an alcoholic beverage or two, but you should always first check with your healthcare provider. You might have other health issues or be taking medicines that could interact with alcohol, causing more harm than good. However, you can take some comfort in knowing that the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society agree that drinking alcohol in moderation is not off limits to most people.

How does alcohol affect diabetes?
Alcohol is metabolized, or processed, by the liver. It takes the average person two hours to metabolize one drink. If you drink more than one drink in this time frame, alcohol can affect other parts of the body, such as your brain, giving you that “buzz” feeling. In terms of blood glucose, alcohol may lead to low blood glucose if you take insulin or certain types of diabetes pills, like glipizide, glyburide or glimepiride, for example. The liver has to deal with the alcohol you’ve just consumed and therefore can’t really pay attention to what’s happening with your blood glucose. As a result, your blood glucose may drop too low, especially if you haven’t eaten anything that contains carbohydrate. Drinking alcohol (especially more than what’s recommended) may lead to low blood glucose hours later, as well.

What’s considered “drinking in moderation”?

Here are the standard guidelines for using alcohol: men should have no more than two drinks per day, and women should have no more than one drink per day. A “drink” counts as 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer or 1 ½ ounces of hard liquor (gin, rum, vodka).

What about mixed drinks?

If you choose to drink alcohol, it’s best to stick with wine, champagne, light beer or hard liquor. If you like “mixers”, choose water, seltzer, diet tonic water or diet soda. A splash of cranberry or orange juice is okay. Try to limit cocktails like rum and Coke, screwdrivers, margaritas or mudslides. Besides packing calories, these drinks may contain quite a bit of carbohydrate that can affect your blood glucose. A cup of spiked eggnog sure goes down smoothly, but it weighs in at about 400 calories and 37 grams of carb!

Are there any health benefits to drinking alcohol?

Surprisingly, alcohol may be good for your health. When consumed in moderation, alcohol can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, lower the risk of getting diabetes, decrease the risk of dementia, add a few years to your lifespan, and possibly even fight against the common cold. Of course, if you don’t drink alcohol, you probably shouldn’t start drinking. But it’s nice to know that a bit of holiday cheer may be good for your health.

How can you drink safely with diabetes?

First, make sure that your diabetes is under reasonable control. Drinking alcohol on top of swings in your blood glucose can make it harder to get things regulated. Second, if you are at risk for low blood glucose because you take insulin or certain types of diabetes pills, make sure you’re checking your blood glucose regularly (including before and after you drink) and that you always eat a carbohydrate food when you drink. Third, alcohol and exercise don’t mix. Don’t grab a cold beer after a workout session at the gym. You can greatly increase your chances of low blood glucose by doing so. Finally, if you have questions or concerns, or if you have certain complications from your diabetes like heart, eye or kidney disease, check with your healthcare provider before you drink alcohol to make sure it’s safe for you.

Wearever and Defeat Diabetes Foundation Partner to Fundraise in Support of Diabetes Awareness and Prevention this Decembe

A Portion of Proceeds on Select Wearever Wellness Apparel Solutions will Benefit Defeat Diabetes Foundation

 

DURHAM, N.C. – Nov. 12, 2013 –The Wearever® brand, makers of comfortable, quality, affordable and stylish apparel solutions for everyday health and wellness concerns, and Defeat Diabetes Foundation are partnering to raise money in support of diabetes awareness and prevention. Throughout the month of December, 10 percent of proceeds from Wearever men's and women's incontinence underwear lines and its Buster Brown socks will be donated to DDF.

 

According to Defeat Diabetes Foundation, there are three main types of diabetes, Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes. Nearly 25.8 million Americans have diabetes, and that number is expected to continue increasing. Diabetes can be life-threatening but is manageable with early detection.

 

“We want those living with diabetes to know that they are neither helpless nor hopeless and can lead productive lives through the proper self-management of diabetes. The key is awareness, prevention and early detection for both diabetes and its complications,” said Andrew P. Mandell, DDF executive director also known as Mr. Diabetes®. “Wearever offers products that relieve some of diabetes’ most uncomfortable symptoms and side effects and we are excited to partner with them in helping to raise funds to support the cause. Together we can…Defeat Diabetes®.”

 

Diabetes can cause urinary incontinence in both men and women due to nerve damage and added pressure to the pelvic area when weight gain occurs. Wearever incontinence underwear look and feel like traditional underwear, but offer absorbent protection that works as well as or better than the alternative, adult diapers. The line’s innovative Unique-dri™ sewn-in pad features a three-layer design: the top layer lets liquid in; the middle layer moves liquid out to the edges of the fabric, wicking it away so it doesn’t pool and helping to resist bacteria growth and odor; and the urethane bottom layer prevents leak through so that the moisture is contained within. Wearever makes these products with absorbency levels to suit users’ needs, including light, moderate and heavy absorbency.

 

Wearever’s Buster Brown Cotton Socks are made with 100 percent cotton and no elastics or synthetics for maximum comfort and durability. Wearever’s Buster Brown Loose Top Socks are made of acrylic, polyester and spandex for breathability and moisture wicking. These gentle socks help to maintain lower leg circulation, reduce swelling, and ensure all-day comfort. The sock line also includes a Cotton Knee High Sock ideal for all-day wear as well. Diabetes can cause poor circulation in the feet as well as skin irritation. Wearever’s Buster Brown socks are designed to improve comfort, promote healthy circulation, reduce binding, and help eliminate skin irritation.

 

“We’re honored to partner with Defeat Diabetes Foundation and help support its mission and shed light on some important issues and everyday struggles for those with diabetes,” said Bob Deerin, president and CEO of the Wearever brand.

 

To raise awareness about diabetes, early identification and the products available for diabetes management, Wearever will donate 10 percent of sales from men’s and women’s incontinence underwear lines as well as Wearever’s Buster Brown socks purchased on its website between Dec. 1 and 31, 2013. To learn more, purchase Wearever products or donate, please visit www.WeareverUS.com.

 

About Defeat Diabetes Foundation

Defeat Diabetes Foundation is a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization established in 1990 that focuses on the prevention, early identification and self-management of the epidemic, diabetes. The Foundation maintains a website as a source of information for anyone interested in health and especially for "pre-diabetics" and diabetics that features content about diabetes, its complications and the importance of self-care. Defeat Diabetes Foundation conducts programs each year to promote awareness, prevention and early detection. DDF is a result of Executive Director Andrew Mandell’s own struggle with diabetes and his desire to educate others about the disease. To learn more, visit www.defeatdiabetes.org.

 

About Wearever: 

The Wearever® brand offers comfortable, quality, affordable and stylish apparel solutions for everyday health and wellness concerns. The men’s and women’s underwear line of washable, reusable urinary incontinence panties and briefs is especially beneficial for active individuals who want to continue their normal lifestyle without worry or emotional stress resulting from urinary incontinence. Additionally, Wearever offers incontinence bedding products as well as Buster Brown® socks. Wearever is produced and distributed by Prime Life Fibers®, a Durham, N.C.-based apparel company founded in 2002 by Bob Deerin. To learn more, visit www.WeareverUS.com.   

Preventing Diabetes: Can it Be Done?

- Amy Campbell, MS, RD, CDE

Now that (hopefully) you’re more aware of diabetes, you might be wondering if it really can be prevented in the first place.  Luckily, the answer is yes.  We don’t know much yet about how to prevent type 1 diabetes, the less common type, but we’ve learned that there are ways to lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes.   This is good news for the 79 million people who have prediabetes.

Here are a few action steps that you can take to lower your risk.  Some of them may be easier to do than others.  But they’re definitely worth a try, especially if it means a longer, healthier life.

·         Lose weight.  I realize that you may have heard this before, and I also understand that losing weight isn’t all that easy.    However, a landmark clinical trial called the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) showed that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or at least delayed in those at high risk.  How is this possible?  Researchers discovered that people in this study who lost 5 to 7% of their body weight using lifestyle approaches (healthy eating, physical activity, behavior change) lowered their risk of diabetes by 58%.  That’s a big deal!   And a 5 to 7% weight loss really isn’t all that much. Let’s say you weigh 180 pounds. Losing 5 % of weight is 9 pounds, and losing 7% is 13 pounds.  We’re not talking about losing 50 or 100 pounds.  Once these folks lost their weight, they benefited even more because they were “protected” against diabetes for at least 10 more years.   Understandably, the challenge for some people is losing any amount of weight. Others may have no problem losing weight, but keeping it off is the hard part.   Fortunately, how you lose the weight is up to you.  In other words, there’s no one right diet out there that will work for everyone.  You might decide to work with a dietitian, join a commercial program or try meal replacements.  Others may take a more extreme approach and have bariatric surgery.  Choose an approach that you can stay with for the long haul.  Fad diets and quick fixes aren’t the answer.

·         Get moving.  Now that the days are shorter and the weather is colder, it’s all too easy to skip the after-dinner walk or forgo a trip to the gym.  Don’t do it.  Another finding from the DPP was that people in the study exercised 150 minutes every week (or 30 minutes, 5 times a week).  Exercise makes your insulin work better and lowers blood glucose.    Your exercise program should include aerobics (walking, jogging, dancing, biking) as well as strength, or resistance training.  Resistance training can lower diabetes risk by 34%.  What counts as resistance training?  Using hand weights, resistance bands, kettle bells, Nautilus at the gym or even your own body weight (think pushups and lunges).   Better yet, do both aerobic and resistance training and slash your diabetes risk by 59%.

·         Give up sugary drinks.  Holiday punch, eggnog or even just a cold glass of soda are treats, but don’t fill up on them.  Besides that fact that they’re laden with calories, studies show that drink even just one or two sugary beverages (soda, juice, sports drinks, ice tea) can raise your risk of diabetes by as much as 25%.  Water, seltzer water, unsweetened tea and even diet soda are better choices.

·         Fill up on fiber.  Fiber isn’t all that exciting but you might be excited to learn that it can help you lower your risk of diabetes by up to 60%.  Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that isn’t well digested.  Foods high in fiber fill you up (so you eat less) and they also slow down digestion which means that carbohydrate is more slowly broken down into glucose.  End result?  Blood glucose levels tend to not spike up so much when you’ve eaten a high fiber meal or food.  Find fiber in whole wheat bread, brown rice, fruits, vegetables and beans.

·         Get some sleep.  Many people in the U.S. don’t get enough sleep.  Besides making you feel groggy and grumpy, a lack of sleep can lead to some very real health concerns, such as heart disease, heart attack, stroke and yes, diabetes.   Getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night boosts your risk for diabetes.   On the other hand, getting more than 8 hours of sleep per night also raises your risk.  Aim for 7 to 8 hours each night – not too much and not too little, either.

·         Go for the grain.  Carb foods aren’t bad.  Really.  The key is to shy away from refined carbs, like white bread, white rice and sugary treats.  Instead, choose whole grain bread and pasta, steel-cut oats and brown rice.  Studies show that getting two to three servings of whole grains every day can lower diabetes risk by 30 percent.  A serving is ½ cup of brown rice, ½ cup cooked oatmeal or 1 slice of whole wheat bread.

Hopefully you can see that you’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to diabetes.  Of course, there’s no guarantee that you won’t get diabetes, but there’s much that you can do to try and prevent it.  Even if you do develop diabetes down the road, the lifestyle changes mentioned above can provide many other health benefits, like keep your heart and blood vessels healthy, controlling your weight and improving your quality of life.  What do you have to lose?

- Amy

My Diabetes Home partners with ALR Technologies to bring those with diabetes an easier, more efficient way to track their blood glucose numbers

November 14, 2013 – On World Diabetes Day, My Diabetes Home announced that it will be offering its registered users access to an ALRT-developed electronic logbook to track their blood glucose numbers. This electronic logbook will provide added convenience by allowing patients to upload their blood glucose results from their meter directly into an online spreadsheet. With this technology, patients no longer need to make individual test result entries manually. The uploaded data can be saved online, emailed or faxed to a provider, or printed and brought to a physician visit.

Dr. Anuj Bhargava, the CEO and Founder of My Diabetes Home, said of the partnership, “Our goal at My Diabetes Home is to give patients the tools so that they can better manage their diabetes.  For some patients, an electronic logbook is a convenient option that helps them achieve their goals and ALRT’s technology is a high quality option for us to offer.” 

“Our electronic logbook offers a convenient option for patients who may be too busy to record their test results on a paper log, or who may feel more comfortable that an electronic transfer of their test results would provide for more accurate entries than if they made those entries themselves,” said Larry Weinstein, President of ALRT. “And, our electronic logbook is compatible with 80 percent of the glucose meters on the U.S. market today and all the major brands.”

About ALR Technologies Inc.

ALR Technologies is a medical device company providing remote monitoring and care facilitation for patients with chronic diseases. ALRT has developed the FDA-cleared and HIPAA compliant Health-e-Connect System that collects data from blood glucose meters and uploads it to a secure website. Trained facilitators use the system to effect efficiency of care among patients, clinicians, and caregivers to improve outcomes and assist health plans to optimize their HEDIS goals. Currently, the company is focused on diabetes and will expand its services to cover other chronic diseases anchored on verifiable data.

About My Diabetes Home

MyDiabetesHome.com is a personalized diabetes management platform that provides patients with tools to manage their diabetes, drastically improve doctor visits, and ultimately achieve better health. The company was founded by Anuj Bhargava, MD, MBA, CDE, FACP, FACE, an endocrinologist and founder of the Iowa Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center. My Diabetes Home is part of Dr. Bhargava’s ongoing mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by diabetes. In addition to Dr. Bhargava, My Diabetes Home is staffed by a team of health care professionals, including registered dietitians, pharmacists, and certified diabetes educators. 

Project HOPE E- Learning Program Battles Diabetes Online on World Diabetes Day

Project HOPE, a global health education and humanitarian assistance organization, partnered with the Cornerstone on Demand Foundation and theTakeda Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd. to launch IDEEL this past month.

The International Diabetes Federation has recognized IDEEL - International Diabetes Educator E-Learning Program, for its tremendous work in the field of diabetes education in India, and its goals to train up to 4,500 educators annually in India, train 100,000 educators worldwide by 2018 and to create a sustainable means of tackling diabetes through education and raising awareness. 

To learn more about IDEEL, visit To learn more about the IDEEL course, please watch this video

To learn more about HOPE, visit projecthope.org 

Lower Your Risk for Type 2 Diabetes: Think Green

To many, the prospect of developing Type 2 Diabetes can be overwhelmingly frightening. This seems to be the case especially if you have family members or friends who have developed the disease. But as you probably know, while the potential to develop Type 2 Diabetes is genetic, your lifestyle choices can significantly impact and influence your future. And if you're anything like me, that knowledge is motivation to learn the most I can about the factors included in living a healthier lifestyle. The more I know, the more I can be proactive in reducing the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes - for me, and my loved ones.

In a recent Australian study, researchers studied the correlation between our surroundings and the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. They found that lower rates of diabetes were found in areas with higher amounts of open, green space. For example, in neighborhoods with 0-20% of green space, the rate of Type 2 Diabetes among participants was 9.1%. But the percentage decreased to 8% in neighborhoods with over 40% of green space. Interestingly enough, this pattern was consistent in all neighborhoods, regardless of its economic status. This suggests that regardless of your background, living near open green areas can reduce your risk of Type 2 Diabetes. These findings are consistent with previous studies, all of which suggest that living near open, green areas encourage more active lifestyles, thereby reducing the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

So, what can we do with this information? For one, be mindful of this data if you do happen to be making a move. Be aware of the amount of green, open space when weighing the pros and cons of your potential new location. And for those of us that can't exactly pick up and move to greener pastures? In that case, become involved in your local government. Let your representatives know that you support the building of new parks. Inform your neighbors of the benefits that accompany increased access to nature, and how it can prevent and hamper the ever increasing spread of Type 2 Diabetes. And thirdly, appreciate and take advantage of whatever green space you do have in your neighborhood. Step away from the screen, and venture outside. Remember: more green, means less diabetes.

(Source: http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Diabetes/41564)

 

dLife TV: Insulin Pumps, Insulin at Night, Exercise's effect on Blood Sugar

dLife TV is all about you. Bringing you real people with real stories, as well as celebrities, cooking, and entertainment, a dLife episode gives you information and inspiration about your diabetes. Don't take my word for it- click on the link and see for yourself:

dLife TV: Will an Insulin Pump Take Care of My Diabetes?

http://www.dlife.com/dlifetv/video/joy-pape-pumps

dLife TV: Insulin at Night

http://www.dlife.com/dlife_media/dlifetv/video/insulin-at-night

dLife TV: How Does Exercise Affect My Bloodsugar?

http://www.dlife.com/dlife_media/dlifetv/video/dlife-mail-exercise-blood-sugar

For more dLifeTV, visit www.dLifeTV.com every Sunday night at 7pm ET/4pm PT

dLife TV: Gestational Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and Blood Sugar Highs

dLife TV is all about you. Bringing you real people with real stories, as well as celebrities, cooking, and entertainment, a dLife episode gives you information and inspiration about your diabetes. Don't take my word for it- click on the link and see for yourself:

dLife TV: Gestational Diabetes http://www.dlife.com/dlife_media/dlifetv/video/dlife-mail-gestational-diabetes

dLife TV: I'm Not Fat. Why Do I Have Type 2 Diabetes?

http://www.dlife.com/dlifetv/video/why-type-2

dLife TV: Why is my Blood Sugar High After a Low?

http://www.dlife.com/dlifetv/video/high-after-a-low

For more dLifeTV, visit www.dLifeTV.com every Sunday night at 7pm ET/4pm PT

Q & A from Janis Roszler, MSFT, RD, CDE, LD/N

Q.   Please settle this bet. I love to keep my blood sugar level as low as possible.  I mean really low, below 60, if possible. I take quite a few shots of insulin to help me do this. My mother says that this is really dangerous.  Isn’t lower better? Who is right?

A.   I have to side with Mom on this issue.  The human body isn’t meant to be at an extremely low blood sugar level.  It is even designed to release additional glucose into the system if it goes too low.  Pushing the body’s sugar level down can lead to brain damage, seizures, and possibly death.  Low is defined as 70 or below.  Please try to maintain your level above that.

Q.   I was just tested for diabetes.  My first fasting blood sugar level was high, but my 2^nd test was normal.  What should I do now?

A.   Unless you have unmistakable high blood sugar symptoms, any diagnostic test should be confirmed with a second test before making the diagnosis of diabetes. Because your second test didn’t detect diabetes, you probably fall into the pre-diabetes range. If you make a few changes in your current health behaviors, you should be able to delay or possibly avoid developing type 2 diabetes.  Here are some actions that you can take right now:

• Do some form of physical activity at least 3 days each week, (with no more than two consecutive days without any activity), and try to increase your movement throughout the day.  If you haven't exercised in a while, start with a 10 minute session and increase your daily workout by 5 minutes each week, until you reach a 30 minute goal.  A helpful book is The 7 Step Diabetes Fitness Plan, by Sheri Colberg, PhD (Marlowe & Co.)

• Meet with a dietitian to learn how to make healthier food choices. If you wish, follow the Plate Method, which is very simple to do. It uses your plate as a measuring tool and enables you to continue to eat out. The basic plan is to fill ½ of your plate with non-starchy vegetables, ¼ of your plate with carbohydrate foods, and ¼ of the plate with your protein choice.  A serving of fruit and low-fat milk can also be enjoyed.  To learn more about this meal planning tool, visit http://www.platemethod.com/downloads/4.doc

Nuts and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, etc.) are healthy, high in calories and shouldn’t raise your BS level.  Just sprinkle chopped or ground nuts onto your cereal and yogurt, mix them into burgers and meat loaf, and enjoy them between meals. You can also enjoy diabetes-friendly snack bars and meal replacement drinks as snacks.

*This article originally appeared in 2007

**please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diabetes regimen.

- For more great articles by Janis Roszler, visit the e-version of our magazine at walgreensdiabetes.com 

Q & A from Janis Roszler, MSFT, RD, CDE, LD/N

Q.   I recently heard that a person shouldn’t eat chocolate to treat low blood sugar.  Is that true?

A.   The fat in chocolate slows down its absorption, so it won’t raise your glucose level as quickly as other foods will.  If that’s all you have handy you can use it, but it isn’t the best choice. 

When treating a low blood sugar event, use the 15 Rule:

1.  Eat 15 grams of fast acting carbohydrate

2.  Wait 15 minutes

3.  Test again

4.  Repeat if needed

The following items contain approximately 15 grams of carbohydrate:

½ cup (4 oz) of orange juice

Half a can of regular (not diet) soda

2-5 Glucose tablets (see label)

A small tube (0.68 ounces) of Cake Mate decorator gel

6-8 ounces of skim milk

Two tablespoons of raisins

5-7 Lifesavers candies

Your blood sugar level will begin to rise before the unpleasant feelings disappear, so don’t keep eating or drinking until the feelings go away.  That will cause your glucose level to climb too high and encourage you to gain weight.

Q.   My cousin dared me to ask you this.  What affect does pot have on diabetes?

A.   I assume that you are asking about marijuana, right?  Most research studies have found that marijuana has little effect on blood sugar levels.  The food cravings that often accompany its use may, however, cause unwanted weight gain and blood sugar swings.  Under marijuana’s influence, a person might also neglect his or her diabetes and make poor control decisions.  Smoking pot isn’t a good idea for anyone and can cause real problems if you have diabetes.

*This article originally appeared in 2006

**please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diabetes regimen.

- For more great articles by Janis Roszler, visit the e-version of our magazine at walgreensdiabetes.com