Overcoming Diabetes Stigmas and Stereotypes
Every day, all around the world, people with diabetes feel outcast, different and alone. We can experience a deteriorating self-esteem based on our experience or perception of the way we are treated because we have diabetes. The way society treats people with diabetes may prevent us from actively practicing good diabetes self-management in our attempt to keep our diabetes a secret from friends, family, and the general public. The way our culture views diabetes is our unfortunate reality. The number of people with diabetes is expected to rise to 522 million in the next ten years. It is time we look at...
Read MoreManaging Diabetes Complications: Heart Disease
Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Heart or blood-vessel disease accounts for about 75% of all deaths for people with diabetes.1 High blood glucose levels can damage blood vessels, leading to cardiovascular complications, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and hardening of the arteries. In addition to risk factors you cannot control—such as heredity, age and gender—you can be at greater risk of heart problems from the following: High levels of blood fats, such as cholesterol and triglycerides High blood pressure Smoking Lack of...
Read MoreManaging Diabetes Complications: Kidney Disease
Kidneys filter your blood through millions of blood vessels and then dispose of body waste in your urine. Diabetes can damage these small blood vessels, making it hard for the kidneys to filter your waste. As a result, diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure. About 30% of people with type 1 diabetes and 10%–40% of those with type 2 diabetes will eventually have kidney disease, or nephropathy.1 Smoking, uncontrolled blood glucose, or high blood pressure, may increase your risk of kidney disease. Having a family member with kidney disease also increases the risk of developing kidney disease....
Read MoreManaging Diabetes Complications: Diabetes and Sexual Health
Diabetes can lead to difficulty with sexual performance for men and women. Issues Affecting Men Diabetes may cause nerve and artery damage, disrupting the blood flow needed for an erection. Men who have diabetes are 3 times more likely to experience this condition, known as erectile dysfunction or impotence.1 Experiencing erectile dysfunction is common and can be treated. A few factors that may increase the possibility of your experiencing impotence: Poorly controlled blood glucose High cholesterol High blood pressure Smoking Drinking...
Read MoreManaging Diabetes Complications: Nerve and Pain Damage
High blood glucose may damage the insulation of nerve cells and nerves may stop sending signals through the body the way they should. This is called neuropathy. Many people know that nerve damage can affect their hands and feet—that is why your healthcare professional should check the sensation in your feet at every visit. But nerve damage can affect every organ in the body—from your digestive tract to your bladder and sexual organs. Nerve damage can also affect your ability to feel the symptoms of low blood glucose.1 Who Is at Risk for Diabetic Neuropathy? About 60%–70% of people with diabetes...
Read MoreManaging diabetes for kids
A diagnosis of diabetes should not diminish your child’s quality of life. You and your child will have additional responsibilities over the years, but the added self-discipline may work in your child's favour. As a parent of an infant or toddler newly diagnosed with diabetes, your child’s diagnosis may affect you much more than it does your child. After all, your child is fully dependent upon you for all care, not just diabetes treatments. Even as your child begins walking and talking, diabetes will be a very small part of their world. Children live in the moment. The blood glucose test or injection that was so upsetting this...
Read MorePreparing for pregnancy—good reasons to start today
Let's think into the future. Imagine sitting in a rocking chair playing with ten brand-new, tiny toes. That's the image you can remember every time you check your blood glucose, visit your doctor or say no to a glass of wine. And it's absolutely worth it. Not ready for parenthood yet? Here's what you can do now. There are several things you can do to prepare for pregnancy well before you're ready to conceive. Read about it—just not too much. When you understand the risks, you can take steps to reduce them, but it could be overwhelming if you dwell on them. Stay...
Read MoreHow to Turn a Bad Day Around
Everyone with diabetes has good and bad days, days with in-range blood sugar levels and days when things just don’t work out right. When the bad day seems to be taking over, here’s how to turn it around. Perspective is everything Change your mind, change your life. When you look at your diabetes as something you can effect, as an opportunity to learn about your own health, you’ve already taken the most important step to a better day and a healthier life. Don’t forget to laugh! Humor helps you see everyday things from a new perspective. That’s why it’s such a great stress-reliever; it pulls you out of...
Read MoreManaging Diabetes Complications
As you may already know, controlling your blood glucose is important for avoiding hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) and hyperglycemia (high blood glucose). By keeping your blood glucose in your target range, you may delay or prevent long-term complications. Hyperglycemia can damage many parts of your body, including your eyes, heart, kidneys and feet. The good news is that you, with support from members of your healthcare team, may be able to lessen or even prevent the impact of diabetes complications. The video below has some advice to help prevent diabetes complications with some easy tips to remember...
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Managing Diabetes Complications: Heart Disease
Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Heart or blood-vessel disease accounts for about 75% of all deaths for people with diabetes.1 High blood glucose levels can damage blood vessels, leading to cardiovascular complications, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and hardening of the arteries. In addition to risk factors you cannot control—such as heredity, age and gender—you can be at greater risk of heart problems from the following: High levels of blood fats, such as cholesterol and triglycerides High blood pressure Smoking Lack of...
Read MoreManaging Diabetes Complications: Kidney Disease
Kidneys filter your blood through millions of blood vessels and then dispose of body waste in your urine. Diabetes can damage these small blood vessels, making it hard for the kidneys to filter your waste. As a result, diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure. About 30% of people with type 1 diabetes and 10%–40% of those with type 2 diabetes will eventually have kidney disease, or nephropathy.1 Smoking, uncontrolled blood glucose, or high blood pressure, may increase your risk of kidney disease. Having a family member with kidney disease also increases the risk of developing kidney disease....
Read MoreManaging Diabetes Complications: Diabetes and Sexual Health
Diabetes can lead to difficulty with sexual performance for men and women. Issues Affecting Men Diabetes may cause nerve and artery damage, disrupting the blood flow needed for an erection. Men who have diabetes are 3 times more likely to experience this condition, known as erectile dysfunction or impotence.1 Experiencing erectile dysfunction is common and can be treated. A few factors that may increase the possibility of your experiencing impotence: Poorly controlled blood glucose High cholesterol High blood pressure Smoking Drinking...
Read MoreManaging Diabetes Complications: Nerve and Pain Damage
High blood glucose may damage the insulation of nerve cells and nerves may stop sending signals through the body the way they should. This is called neuropathy. Many people know that nerve damage can affect their hands and feet—that is why your healthcare professional should check the sensation in your feet at every visit. But nerve damage can affect every organ in the body—from your digestive tract to your bladder and sexual organs. Nerve damage can also affect your ability to feel the symptoms of low blood glucose.1 Who Is at Risk for Diabetic Neuropathy? About 60%–70% of people with diabetes...
Read MoreManaging diabetes for kids
A diagnosis of diabetes should not diminish your child’s quality of life. You and your child will have additional responsibilities over the years, but the added self-discipline may work in your child's favour. As a parent of an infant or toddler newly diagnosed with diabetes, your child’s diagnosis may affect you much more than it does your child. After all, your child is fully dependent upon you for all care, not just diabetes treatments. Even as your child begins walking and talking, diabetes will be a very small part of their world. Children live in the moment. The blood glucose test or injection that was so upsetting this...
Read MorePreparing for pregnancy—good reasons to start today
Let's think into the future. Imagine sitting in a rocking chair playing with ten brand-new, tiny toes. That's the image you can remember every time you check your blood glucose, visit your doctor or say no to a glass of wine. And it's absolutely worth it. Not ready for parenthood yet? Here's what you can do now. There are several things you can do to prepare for pregnancy well before you're ready to conceive. Read about it—just not too much. When you understand the risks, you can take steps to reduce them, but it could be overwhelming if you dwell on them. Stay...
Read MoreHow to Turn a Bad Day Around
Everyone with diabetes has good and bad days, days with in-range blood sugar levels and days when things just don’t work out right. When the bad day seems to be taking over, here’s how to turn it around. Perspective is everything Change your mind, change your life. When you look at your diabetes as something you can effect, as an opportunity to learn about your own health, you’ve already taken the most important step to a better day and a healthier life. Don’t forget to laugh! Humor helps you see everyday things from a new perspective. That’s why it’s such a great stress-reliever; it pulls you out of...
Read MoreManaging Diabetes Complications
As you may already know, controlling your blood glucose is important for avoiding hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) and hyperglycemia (high blood glucose). By keeping your blood glucose in your target range, you may delay or prevent long-term complications. Hyperglycemia can damage many parts of your body, including your eyes, heart, kidneys and feet. The good news is that you, with support from members of your healthcare team, may be able to lessen or even prevent the impact of diabetes complications. The video below has some advice to help prevent diabetes complications with some easy tips to remember...
Read More