Managing Diabetes in the Workplace
Diabetes does not have to limit who you are or what you are able to accomplish. In fact, having this condition means that you have a lot to offer others. By talking about diabetes with family, friends or people at the office, you can help them better understand the complications you face each day, while gaining their respect and support. Having said that diabetes is 24/7 and for those of us who take care of diabetes every day, life can be complicated—a lot more complicated than a person who doesn't have diabetes. Every item you eat, every activity you perform and even just vegging in front of the TV requires consideration,...
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The Rewards of Insulin Pump Therapy
You may be amazed at the increase in energy and decrease in mood swings you can experience with insulin pump therapy. Because your body receives frequent, precise doses of insulin, even at night, you can greatly reduce the danger of overnight hypoglycemia—a common problem with conventional injection therapy. And you can prevent exercise-related hypoglycemia by programming the pump to temporarily decrease insulin delivery during physical activity. With an Accu-Chek® insulin pump system, you can sleep late if you feel like it or go out to dinner with friends on the spur of the moment. A pump puts you in control...
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Parents are pumped up
Because severe hypoglycemia and health risks are down. As any parent of a child with diabetes knows, low blood glucose episodes (hypoglycemia) can be sudden and frightening. The good news: Insulin pump therapy has been shown to significantly decrease severe hypoglycemia in youth. Recent studies showed that adolescents and young children on insulin pump therapy had over 50% fewer episodes.1,2 Today’s children with diabetes also have the opportunity for better blood glucose control than any generation before. A research study reported in Pediatric Diabetes showed that, compared to multiple daily...
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Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children or young adults, although it can occur at any age. Roughly 3% of children and adolescents have diabetes. The onset of type 1 diabetes is often sudden and can include the following symptoms: Abnormal thirst and a dry mouth Frequent urination Extreme tiredness/lack of energy Sudden weight loss Slow-healing wounds Recurrent infections Blurred vision Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the beta cells found in the pancreas—...
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Understanding how the pump works
The pancreas versus the pump The pancreas of a person without diabetes regularly releases small quantities of insulin into the body to regulate blood glucose levels. The amount of insulin released varies with each individual’s internal clock, as well as factors such as physical activity, metabolism, stress and illness. When a person eats, the pancreas releases an extra surge of insulin to regulate blood glucose levels. Insulin pump therapy is a treatment that closely imitates the action of the pancreas, providing a constant supply of insulin to the body and extra doses as they are needed. ...
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Change 1 Thing, Improve Your Life
There are probably many things that each of us would like to change about our life, but thinking about them all at once can be overwhelming. Instead, choose just 1 thing to improve for now. Changing any one of the things below could have a big impact on your life with diabetes – both your physical health, and your emotional well-being. Make testing matter For people with diabetes, testing more often is the key to staying in control of your health. Frequent testing provides the data you need to make informed decisions about your medication, diet, and exercise regimens. Your test results show you the...
Read More
Glycemic Index
Studies show when considering the effect of carbohydrates on blood glucose, it is not just how many carbohydrates you eat but their source as well.1 Some foods cause a quick rise in blood glucose after a meal, while others cause a smaller peak and more gradual decline in blood glucose levels. The measure of how fast a food causes blood glucose to peak is called its glycemic index, or GI. What a Glycemic Index (GI) Number Means High-carbohydrate foods are ranked on a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 representing the effect of pure glucose on the body. The lower the GI of a food, the slower its peak. The way...
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Insulin Pumps
Insulin pumps provide insulin to your body 24 hours a day. A basal, or background, rate is delivered automatically based on your total daily insulin requirements. You can also give yourself a bolus insulin dose to cover the food you eat, as well as supplemental doses to correct your blood sugar when it is out of range. Your healthcare professional will help you determine your rates and dosages. Under the care of a healthcare professional, insulin pump users can go to school or work, sleep and even play sports with the pump. At night, it can be clipped to sleepwear, a blanket or tucked under your pillow. Insulin pump...
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How can Coronavirus affect people living with diabetes?
With Coronavirus announced as a Pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020 panic, rumors and fear has started to escalate among people. This article draws focus on COVID-19 for people living with diabetes, why they should be extra cautious and what precautionary methods they should be taking. What is Coronavirus (COVID-19)? As WHO defines it: “Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe...
Read MorePages
The Rewards of Insulin Pump Therapy
You may be amazed at the increase in energy and decrease in mood swings you can experience with insulin pump therapy. Because your body receives frequent, precise doses of insulin, even at night, you can greatly reduce the danger of overnight hypoglycemia—a common problem with conventional injection therapy. And you can prevent exercise-related hypoglycemia by programming the pump to temporarily decrease insulin delivery during physical activity. With an Accu-Chek® insulin pump system, you can sleep late if you feel like it or go out to dinner with friends on the spur of the moment. A pump puts you in control...
Read More Parents are pumped up
Because severe hypoglycemia and health risks are down. As any parent of a child with diabetes knows, low blood glucose episodes (hypoglycemia) can be sudden and frightening. The good news: Insulin pump therapy has been shown to significantly decrease severe hypoglycemia in youth. Recent studies showed that adolescents and young children on insulin pump therapy had over 50% fewer episodes.1,2 Today’s children with diabetes also have the opportunity for better blood glucose control than any generation before. A research study reported in Pediatric Diabetes showed that, compared to multiple daily...
Read More Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children or young adults, although it can occur at any age. Roughly 3% of children and adolescents have diabetes. The onset of type 1 diabetes is often sudden and can include the following symptoms: Abnormal thirst and a dry mouth Frequent urination Extreme tiredness/lack of energy Sudden weight loss Slow-healing wounds Recurrent infections Blurred vision Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the beta cells found in the pancreas—...
Read More Understanding how the pump works
The pancreas versus the pump The pancreas of a person without diabetes regularly releases small quantities of insulin into the body to regulate blood glucose levels. The amount of insulin released varies with each individual’s internal clock, as well as factors such as physical activity, metabolism, stress and illness. When a person eats, the pancreas releases an extra surge of insulin to regulate blood glucose levels. Insulin pump therapy is a treatment that closely imitates the action of the pancreas, providing a constant supply of insulin to the body and extra doses as they are needed. ...
Read More Change 1 Thing, Improve Your Life
There are probably many things that each of us would like to change about our life, but thinking about them all at once can be overwhelming. Instead, choose just 1 thing to improve for now. Changing any one of the things below could have a big impact on your life with diabetes – both your physical health, and your emotional well-being. Make testing matter For people with diabetes, testing more often is the key to staying in control of your health. Frequent testing provides the data you need to make informed decisions about your medication, diet, and exercise regimens. Your test results show you the...
Read More Glycemic Index
Studies show when considering the effect of carbohydrates on blood glucose, it is not just how many carbohydrates you eat but their source as well.1 Some foods cause a quick rise in blood glucose after a meal, while others cause a smaller peak and more gradual decline in blood glucose levels. The measure of how fast a food causes blood glucose to peak is called its glycemic index, or GI. What a Glycemic Index (GI) Number Means High-carbohydrate foods are ranked on a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 representing the effect of pure glucose on the body. The lower the GI of a food, the slower its peak. The way...
Read More Insulin Pumps
Insulin pumps provide insulin to your body 24 hours a day. A basal, or background, rate is delivered automatically based on your total daily insulin requirements. You can also give yourself a bolus insulin dose to cover the food you eat, as well as supplemental doses to correct your blood sugar when it is out of range. Your healthcare professional will help you determine your rates and dosages. Under the care of a healthcare professional, insulin pump users can go to school or work, sleep and even play sports with the pump. At night, it can be clipped to sleepwear, a blanket or tucked under your pillow. Insulin pump...
Read More How can Coronavirus affect people living with diabetes?
With Coronavirus announced as a Pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020 panic, rumors and fear has started to escalate among people. This article draws focus on COVID-19 for people living with diabetes, why they should be extra cautious and what precautionary methods they should be taking. What is Coronavirus (COVID-19)? As WHO defines it: “Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe...
Read More