by I Dance With Diabetes | Dec 22, 2022 | Prevention
Planning the Perfect Diabetes Holiday? Create a Well-balanced Meal Plan with These Tips
We all know the challenge of being good during the holidays. All those cookies, desserts, drinks, etc. You know they’re not good for you, but just a little bit and it will be okay, right. It becomes so easy to have just one more, well maybe a second. The following article is the tip of the iceberg. It’s starting to live with diabetes.
Managing diabetes requires constant attention to diet and lifestyle changes in order to keep blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible.
So read on and learn to enjoy the holidays. The holiday season is a time for celebration, good food, and happy memories.
Intro: Tips for Planning a Diabetes-Friendly Holiday
When it comes to planning a diabetes-friendly holiday, the first thing that needs to be done is to speak to a doctor. The doctor will know what specific requirements are needed in order for you to enjoy yourself during the holidays.
The next step is to plan the food and drink intake. It is important you know how many carbohydrates you should be allowed on a daily basis and what foods you can eat. This will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises when it comes time for dinner or a snack break.
Finally, it is important for you to have regular blood tests done when you are away from home so that your medication dosage can be adjusted if necessary.
Planning a holiday can be stressful. But if you’re traveling with someone with diabetes, it can be even more so.
We have created this article to provide some helpful tips on how to plan a diabetes-friendly holiday.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way the body breaks down food. It is caused by too much sugar in the blood, which can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, and blindness.
Here are some tips for planning a diabetes-friendly holiday:
1. Plan your holiday around your diet.
2. Bring along any necessary medication, such as insulin or tablets
3. Plan out what you will eat in advance
4. If you are not sure about the ingredients or how something will affect your blood sugar levels, ask for help from someone who has diabetes
The holidays can be a time when you will have more difficulty managing your blood sugar levels.
-For example, the average American eats about 500 more calories on Thanksgiving than on any other day of the year, and this can be especially challenging for those with diabetes. You know Christmas and New Year aren’t far behind.
-If you’re diabetic, it’s important to keep your blood sugar in check by following these tips:
-Plan ahead and pack healthy snacks in case you get hungry while traveling or at a party
-Don’t skip meals
-Eat small portions of high-carbohydrate foods like potatoes, rice, and pasta
-Avoid sugary drinks like soda and juice
What You Should Know About Your Blood Sugar During The Holidays
The holidays are a time to be with family, friends, and loved ones. As a result, there are many temptations that you may encounter. It’s important to maintain control of your blood sugar during this time and not let it get out of control.
Blood sugar is the amount of glucose in your bloodstream. The body needs glucose for energy. When you eat or drink something that contains carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose for energy. This process is called glycolysis, and it produces energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
The human body has an internal regulatory system that helps keep blood sugar levels within a normal range by releasing insulin from the pancreas when needed to convert excess glucose into glycogen or fat for storage, or by breaking down glycogen if there is too much circulating in the bloodstream.
It is a time when many people with diabetes may feel more vulnerable to the effects of their disease. Diabetes is a chronic condition that can affect your blood sugar levels and make it difficult for you to manage your blood sugar during the holidays.
The holiday season can lead to increased stress, which can cause higher blood sugar levels for those who have diabetes or high blood pressure. Anytime you travel, eat out or try new foods, it’s important to be aware of how these changes might impact your blood sugar levels and how you might need to adjust your treatment plan accordingly.
Holiday Food For People Living With Diabetes
So, it is important to eat healthy and balanced food.
The list of diabetic-friendly food includes:
-A variety of vegetables
-Fruits
-Nuts and seeds
-Lean beef, chicken, fish, seafood, and eggs
-Egg whites or egg substitutes for cooking and baking
-Low-fat dairy products like cheese or yogurt
People who live with diabetes have special dietary needs. They need to maintain a healthy blood sugar level and avoid foods that can cause their blood sugar levels to spike.
The Subtle Signs of Diabetes You Might Be Ignoring and How to Deal with Them
The signs of diabetes may be subtle and easy to miss, but they are there if you know what you are looking for. Here are some of the most common symptoms:
– Excessive thirst and urination
– Increased hunger
– Weight loss despite increased appetite
– Fatigue
– Slow healing sores or wounds
– Frequent yeast infections
– Irritability and depression
How to Prevent & Deal with High Blood Sugar Levels?
You can prevent and deal with high blood sugar levels by:
– Eating a healthy diet
– Exercising regularly
– Maintaining a healthy weight
– Quitting smoking
The above points are important for diabetics. But when you think about it, everyone can benefit from them so you as a diabetic can set the bar for the rest of the world to follow. Go and be a trendsetter.
Wrap up
Go and enjoy the holidays. You now have the information you need to be healthy. You can be the one that people say he/she is taking care of themself.
Please join our Facebook group, Dancing with Diabetes, and the other articles on our blog pages.
==================================================
by I Dance With Diabetes | Dec 8, 2022 | Lifestyle
Ho, ho, ho….it’s the holiday season. We all know what that means, food, lots of food. In my younger years, I could eat all I wanted and didn’t have to worry about gaining weight. Blood sugar wasn’t in my vocabulary. Whatever I would gain came off in a few days. Now it’s time to review our diabetic holiday menu ideas.
As I’m getting older, I’m finding I don’t have the desire to want to eat as much as I could before. I’m coming to terms with how much I can eat and not being concerned. The bloated feeling isn’t comfortable and a few hours later I’m feeling uncomfortable, sometimes miserable.
So, this year for the holidays I’m not going to see the food as a challenge to eat more than everyone. I’m going to leave that to those under 43, that’s the age I was when food started to turn against me. Instead, I’m going to pay more attention to what’s in the recipes and pay more attention to want goes into the making of the various foods I’ll have to choose from.
So here are some thoughts on things to keep in mind when the dishes and bowls of food hit the table. Carbs are the first thing to watch when eating. Carbs raise blood sugar more quickly than other foods. Sugar and refined flour are things to watch out for.
So watch those cookies and breads. Foods that are protein and fat don’t raise blood sugar as quickly as carbs. So here’s our first recipe to consider, How about a Beef Tenderloin covered with a garlic and horseradish coating?
Beef Tenderloin recipe
Here’s what you’ll want to get:
A tenderloin roast of around 3 pounds
One to two garlic cloves
1 teaspoon of canola oil
½ cup of prepared horseradish
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
1/3 cup of pork rinds (yep pork rinds)
How to do it:
1. Peel off the outer skin of the garlic bulb (don’t separate the cloves, leave them as is). Trim off the top of the garlic bulb; brush on some oil. Wrap in heavy-duty foil. Bake at 425° until softened, around 35 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temp setting to 400°.
2. Get a bowl and squeeze the softened garlic into it, now add the horseradish, salt, basil, Thyme, and pepper. Toss in the pork rinds and then mix everything so it is bent together. Next, rub the mixture all over the top of the tenderloin. Get your favorite shallow roasting pan put the tenderloin on a rack and put it all in the pan.
3. Now it’s time to throw the roast in the oven. Depending on how you like your cuts 135 degrees would be medium-rare (That’s my choice), for you medium folks you what to bake up to 145 degrees, for those that like medium-well you’re up to 150 degrees, and for those that want to be really sure it’s well- done let it get to 160 degrees. It should be noted that the USDA recommends steak’s internal temperature should be a minimum of 145°F. Your cooking time will vary from 45 – 55 minutes. Please remember to use a thermometer. Let the tenderloin rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Veggies for the most part are good to have with your tenderloin. Remember potatoes and corn will run up your blood sugar. Replace the potato with a sweet potato. If you like bread with your dinner be on the watch for bread that contains processed flour, typical white flour, you’ll want to look for bread that is whole grains. All of these items can be improved on with fiber.
Now if you want a good side dish to go with your beef tenderloin here’s what I call the best potato salad minus the potatoes salad. It’s a pretty straightforward recipe so give it a try, enjoy,
Potato salad minus the potato
· 1 head cauliflower, cut into small bite-sized pieces
· ½ c mayonnaise or mayonnaise substitute
· 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
· 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
· ¼ tsp. powdered garlic
· ¼ tsp. paprika
· ¼ tsp Himalayan sea salt
· 1/8 tsp. ground pepper
· ½ c. finely chopped celery
· ½ c. finely chopped onion
· 2 hard-boiled eggs chopped
· Parsley for garnish
1. Cook chopped cauliflower by placing in boiling water for 5 minutes
2. Mix all other ingredients together
3. Gently fold into cooked cauliflower
4. Garnish with parsley
Another good side dish choice is the luscious shrimp salad. Especially if you can get fresh shrimp, sometimes that’s hard to do here in the Midwest, but when you can, yummm. Anyhow, go for it;
Luscious Shrimp Salad
· About 1# medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
· 1 Tbsp. avocado oil
· 1 clove or 1 tsp minced garlic
· ½ tsp. chili powder
· 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
· 1/4 tsp. Himalayan Sea salt
· 1 Tbsp. olive oil
1. Combine all ingredients except shrimp
2. Place shrimp into the seasoning and set aside
Salad Topping
· 1 avocado, chopped into bite-sized pieces
· 1 tomato, chopped
· Generous portion of cilantro leaves, chopped
· 1 Tbsp lime juice
· 1/2 tsp. sea salt
· 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1. Combine all topping ingredients together
2. Place shrimp mixture in lettuce leaves
3. Place generous topping mixture on top, wrap, and enjoy
Of course, no dinner, especially one for Christmas is complete without bread. Now bread is something that can really run up your blood sugar. So this recipe is developed with you the diabetic in mind.
Nut Bread with Orange and Cranberry
· 2 1/2 cups almond flour
· ¼ tsp. stevia extract powder
· 2 teaspoons of baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
· 8 eggs
· 8 ounces of cottage cheese or Greek yogurt
· 2 tsp. orange extract
· 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
· 2 cups of fresh whole cranberries
· ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Orange Glaze
· 3/4 cup of confectioners sugar substitute
- 1 cup of dry milk powder
- 1 cup of cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
- 1/8 tsp. stevia extract powder
· 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
· 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream
· 1 teaspoon of orange extract
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare a 10” loaf pan by greasing and lining it with parchment paper
3. In a medium-sized bowl measure and then sift the almond flour. After sifting almond flour add the baking powder, and sea salt, and get it all stirred up. Put this aside
4. Get yourself a large bowl and using your mixer of choice, (probably an electric hand or stand-up) blend the butter, cottage cheese, or Greek yogurt (your choice), orange extract, and sugar substitute until the mixture is light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs, blending after each one
6. Add dry ingredients with wet ingredients until completely blended
7. Fold the fresh cranberries into the batter. You can substitute frozen if you like
8. Spread batter evenly in a prepared loaf pan.
9. Bake for 60-70 minutes checking to be sure it is baked thoroughly
10. Cool in a pan for 30 minutes before taking it out of the pan and cool on a baking rack for another 30 minutes before adding the icing.
Orange Icing
1. Whisk the confectioner’s sugar substitute, lemon juice, orange extract, and heavy cream. Stir until fully combined.
2. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cooled keto cranberry bread, share and enjoy
And good night
You can add to these diabetic holiday menu ideas can customize your Christmas feast to your taste. Just remember to limit as much as you can of sugars and processed foods. Those items will run up your blood sugar and take away your joy of the season. The gift of controlling your blood sugar is the gift to yourself, Merry Christmas to all!
Please join our Facebook group, Dancing with Diabetes, and the other articles on our blog pages.
Read more: WebMD, MedicalNewsToday, BestBeefRecipes
by I Dance With Diabetes | Nov 23, 2022 | Uncategorized
Let’s have some fun.
With the holidays coming up we need some pointers on what to eat for Thanksgiving. Diabetes Thanksgiving dinner preparation is where we’ll start. Now before we dive into what foods we should eat, let’s look at something to avoid. Then we can go for the good stuff(ing), get it :), So here are things you shouldn’t be eating during the Thanksgiving holiday. This way when we switch to the good stuff(ing), couldn’t help myself, we’ll end up on a positive note.
Here are ten things you shouldn’t be eating during the Thanksgiving holiday
Number one, sugar! Stay away from all those candies. You can have sugarplums dancing in your dreams, but not on your plate, in the candy dish next to you, in your hand, etc. Let old uncle Al eat it, he can eat anything.
Number two, well if you’re going to avoid the candy dish best to avoid the sweeter sugary drinks. They are loaded with high fructose corn syrup.
Number three, trans fats, may be listed as partially hydrogenated oil, these don’t directly raise your blood sugar, but they do increase your risk for heart disease. Heart disease is a compilation of type 2 diabetes. So if you’re adding to the reasons to develop heart disease by eating trans fats.
Number four, white bread, pasta, and rice. for me, this is a challenge. I love all those types of bread. I don’t think there’s a roll I haven’t liked. The thing here is the processed flour used to make the bread. Most of the fiber is removed in the processing of the flour. Fiber helps to slow the absorption of sugar into your blood.
Number five is fruit-flavored yogurt, I’m not a yogurt fan. If you are, then stick with plain, whole-milk yogurt that has no sugar. Do you see a trend here, sugar? Also processed foods. When we process the food we lose the fiber and add sugar. No wonder we are dealing with a type 2 diabetic epidemic.
Number six, sweetened breakfast kinds of cereal. First, these are processed, very processed, so there are lots of carbs. sweetened should also give you a cure the what’s in them, yep more sugar. Stay away from sugar.
Number seven, flavored coffee drinks. we can very easily point back to number five. The same rule of thumb applies, stick with plain old coffee. It’s the flavoring is that makes it bad.
Pushing on to number eight. this is sort of a surprise. Avoid honey, agave nectar, and maple syrup. These aren’t highly processed, but nature gave them a lot of carbs naturally, bummer.
Number nine, dried fruit. You would think fruit should be good for you. Why is dried fruit on the avoid list? When dried, you remove the water and concentrate the nutrients. This means the sugars are also concentrated. You can’t win, can you?
Number ten, packaged snack foods. I love potato chips. We have a local brand to die for. All of these types of snacks are made with refined flour and very little in nutrients. They may taste good but really aren’t good for you. You would do better staying with nuts or some low-carb veggies.
Now let’s get to the good things to eat for Thanksgiving
The good news is turkey is great to eat.
Turkey breast is an excellent source of lean protein and has a very low glycemic index, making it a great choice for those watching their carbohydrate intake. Turkey breast is also a good source of selenium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. Turkey meat is an excellent source of protein that is low in calories, containing only 0.06 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. The high levels of niacin and selenium found in turkey meat may help to regulate blood sugar levels.
One challenge to eating turkey is you shouldn’t eat the skin. Stick with the lean meat without the skin. Well, suppose a little bit of skin is OK. Just be sure to chew it slowly and enjoy each crunch of the skin. Maybe even close your eyes as you taste the juices and flavor. Whew, I’m going to have to take a cold shower just thinking about it.
Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of fiber and nutrients. Just one cup of cooked Brussels sprouts provides 137% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin K, 81% of vitamin C, and 12% of vitamin A and folate. As a bonus, Brussels spouts only have 28 calories each.
Be sure to add some roasted veggies to your Thanksgiving meal. Here’s a list of good veggies to roast for Thanksgiving dinner; roasted potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, and asparagus all make great, healthy Thanksgiving sides. You can have fresh cranberries, normally cranberries have a lot of sugar. For Thanksgiving, you can add a little sugar, but add apples to help manage the GI, orange zest, and a splash of orange juice, and throw in some toasted pecans or walnuts. Got to love those walnuts.
Everyone loves mashed potatoes, however, potatoes aren’t a good choice. You may have heard of mock mashed potatoes. Instead of potatoes, you use cauliflower. You can also use many other veggies to make mock mashed potatoes. Here are some other choices: parsnips, turnips, butternut squash, mashed carrots, mashed rutabaga, mashed celery root, mashed acorn squash, mashed Brussels sprouts, and mashed sweet potato. Even though it’s a potato, it’s a lot better choice. It has much more fiber.
The end is near
This isn’t a complete list of foods. It covers many of the more common food we may have heard of. Feel free to share some of your favorite foods and recipes for your diabetes Thanksgiving dinner preparation.
One important thing to remember is you are not the one that has to eat everything left over. You know your condition and eat accordingly. One last thought. Foods, with high protein, will help satisfy your hunger. If you’re going to fill up on anything look to an extra portion of turnkey, of course, without the skin.
Please join our Facebook group, Dancing with Diabetes, and the other articles on our blog pages.
Read more: Healthline
by I Dance With Diabetes | Nov 14, 2022 | Uncategorized
What comes
to mind when you think of sugar? If you’re like me you think of the white crystally stuff you sprinkle on cereal. What makes that piece of candy sweet? What are the names of sugar? Outside of sugar, how many words of sugar can you name? This article is one of several discussing many, if not all, of the names of sugar you will find in the products you buy at the grocery store.
Manufacturers have come up with many product names to hide the white crystally stuff. Our food is more processed and sweetened than ever before. It only makes sense to see that the more sugar you eat, the greater chance your blood sugar will rise. The greater opportunity you will begin to move into type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown type 2 diabetes in the world has risen with the levels of processed foods. One of the items in food that is processed is sugar products.
If you aren’t up to date on the various products that are sugar based, you may not realize the amount of sugar in a product. So to make your life a little easier this article will give you a brief summary of the product names that ultimately find their way into your food products. So here we go.
Agave nectar – This sounds like something that is for the Gods. Agave is a plant found in the southwestern states and Mexico. It is used to make tequila, it can’t be all that bad then, is it? It is said the plant can provide health benefits. When It is in processing into agave nectar, also known as agave syrup, it loses the healthy benefits. It is high in fructose.
The effects of sugar in general have less to do with the symptoms of the glycemic index than with the large amounts of fructose and Agave. A lot of people think that the glycemic index is what causes sugar-related issues when in reality it’s more about fructose and agave. Although agave sugar may appear to be a healthier alternative to regular sugar, research has shown that it is actually the least healthy sweetener in the world. Agave sugar is high in fructose, which can lead to health problems such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Barley malt – isn’t the worst type of sugar, but it is still sugar and delivers glucose into the blood. Its GI is 40 which is half of white sugar. Barley malt is roughly half as sweet as white sugar. The good news and bad news are, you may be included to double the amount of barley malt to make your baked goods as sweet as if you used white sugar. The bottom line it is still sugar and you should limit barley malt.
Beet sugar – ingesting too much sugar of any kind can have deleterious effects on your health. Therefore, you should be discerning about how much sugar you consume, regardless of its source. Excess sugar intake can lead to problems such as obesity, Type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, among others. So it’s important to be mindful of your sugar consumption and make sure that you are getting a healthy mix of nutrients in your diet.
Brown sugar – Nutritionists and health professionals have long understood the impact of sugary foods on blood sugar levels. However, few realize that both brown and white sugar can cause these spikes. Sucrose, or table sugar, is made up of two types of simple sugars – fructose and glucose. Because of this, it has a high rating on the diabetic glycemic index. This means that just like some carbs, too much sugar can quickly raise your blood sugar levels.
Cane juice – Although sugarcane juice has some health benefits to offer, such as being a good source of vitamins and minerals, it may not be the best choice for someone struggling with diabetes. This is because sugarcane juice is also high in natural sugars, which can cause blood sugar levels to spike. Sugar cane is composed of mostly water, however, approximately 15% of sugar cane is made up of natural sugar called sucrose as well as fiber.
Caramel – Caramel is burnt sugar. Caramel is often seen as a healthier alternative to sugar, but in reality, it is just as bad for you. Caramel is basically empty calories, it has no nutritional value whatsoever. The same problems as sugar exist with caramel, such as the potential to cause weight gain, cavities, and diabetes.
Carob syrup – Carob is a sweet, healthy choice for people with diabetes or who are trying to reduce sugar in their diet. Carob does not have the same effect on blood sugar as chocolate does, making it a healthier option for those trying to cut down on sugar. Although carob does have some sugar, it contains a much lower amount of sugar than other sweets and snacks. In addition, research has shown that the glycemic index for carob is very low. Therefore, carob poses less of a threat to people with diabetes.
Castor sugar – Caster sugar, also sometimes called simply granulated sugar, is a type of fine-grained sugar that is widely available in the United Kingdom. It is often used in baking because it dissolves more quickly than other types of sugar, making it ideal for use in custards and other desserts where a smooth texture is desired. It is still sugar based and best to look for a sugar substitute.
This is a short list of sugar ingredients you can find in processed products and recipes. As a diabetic watching for sugars needs to be part of your due diligence when purchasing foods and or making recipes. The more you can learn about sugars the better you will be able to control your blood sugar. One key comment I found while researching “What are the names of sugar” was to be aware of how you react when trying new foods and recipes. That is the best way to know how your blood sugar reacts.
Please join our Facebook group, Dancing with Diabetes, and check out the other articles on our blog pages.
Read more: Healthy Home, Healthline, WebMD
by I Dance With Diabetes | Nov 3, 2022 | Prevention
Welcome to Diabetes Awareness Month!
In today’s world, there is an awareness of something every day. Today and for the whole month, we want to give a warm Welcome to Diabetes Awareness Month. We’ll touch on some of the key points of diabetes here, but we would also encourage you to look into more detail at diabetes. Whether you are someone with diabetes or know someone dealing with diabetes, you can be a source of knowledge and comfort to someone dealing with diabetes.
November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and during this time, diabetes organizations work to raise awareness about the condition through a variety of initiatives. One way they do this is by encouraging people with diabetes to share their personal experiences dealing with the condition. This helps show others that diabetes can be managed successfully and provides hope to those newly diagnosed.
A history lesson
A hundred years ago in 1921 since insulin was discovered and in 1922 the first-ever insulin injection into a human has given.
Banting and Best began their experiments by testing on diabetes-linked dogs. One of the dogs survived for 70 days after injections of a drug called Isletin. The first successful injection given to a person with diabetes occurred shortly afterward.
The International Diabetes Federation founded World Diabetes Day to raise awareness of the worldwide epidemic of the disease. The date is November 14. Banting and Dr. Charles Best were the main inventors of the liquid form of insulin, which has been shown to be an effective treatment for diabetes.
Kari Rosenfeld, an Oregon D-Mom, was the main force behind the UN Resolution for an international symbol for diabetes. She developed the concept for the logo as part of a campaign. Her daughter, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 7 years old, was also a part of the campaign.
The idea of a United Nations resolution was brought up by Professor Martin Silink, who guided the IDF during the 2003 annual meeting of the organization in Paris. Without his leadership, there would be no other ones. Professor Silink is a remarkable leader and without him, the IDF would not have been successful.
She took on the role of project manager, handling all aspects of achieving the new resolution. Along with this, she created a “Unite for Diabetes” public awareness campaign, built around the resolution. The campaign was aimed at “going beyond so many mixed messages about diabetes to create a unified campaign that could embrace them all.”
After careful consideration, they chose the Blue Circle as their official symbol. The Blue Circle is an international symbol similar to the pink ribbon for AIDS awareness or the red ribbon for bring- home-the-troops campaigns. They felt the Blue Circle would be recognizable and have a wide appeal.
The blue hue of the Unite for Diabetes symbol evokes the color of the sky, and the circle represents the unity of the group. The Unite for Diabetes symbol is an important part of raising awareness for diabetes prevention and management.
Things to watch for
Awareness, education, and understanding of diabetes are required for better access to diabetes care. Due to the unpredictable realities of this condition, it is important for people dealing with diabetes to have access to technology that can help them monitor their blood sugar levels on a regular basis. Having awareness, education, and understanding can help improve access to diabetes care.
If blood sugar levels rise, the organs become more vulnerable to damage, and the risk of complications with the feet increases. The feet and legs are more at risk as they are farther away from the core of the body.
A person with diabetes who doesn’t even know they have the disease can experience peripheral neuropathy, a condition where pins and needles can appear in the toes and feet. This is because high blood sugar levels can damage nerves throughout the body. If you have impaired protective sensation, it means you can’t feel when something is injuring your skin. For example, you might not realize you’re stepping on a sharp object, or that your shoes are causing a blister. This can lead to further skin damage.
Diabetes can negatively affect blood circulation in a few ways. Excess sugar in the blood can damage small blood vessels throughout the body, but this damage is often most noticeable in the feet. Poor blood flow can make it more difficult for wounds to heal and also increases the risk of infection. These problems can become serious quickly, so it’s important for people with diabetes to take good care of their feet and see a doctor if they develop any foot problems.
If there is a compromised immune system, wounds and skin breakdown can lead to life-threatening infections and amputations. The feet are especially vulnerable to infections such as cellulitis, and the nails are also at risk.
If left untreated, these conditions can quickly become serious enough to require hospitalization or even result in death. These issues require prompt and proper care to reduce the chance of further complications. By receiving the right treatment, patients can improve their chances of making a full recovery.
You need one
Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) are devices that can be used to help manage blood sugar levels, by providing information on trends and patterns. CGMs can be particularly useful for people who have difficulty keeping track of their blood sugar levels, or who are at risk of emergency situations. In addition, using a CGM can improve the quality of life for people with diabetes, by giving them more information about their condition and helping them to better control their blood sugar levels.
Let’s move forward
There is a saying that it takes a village to raise a child. We can make a slight correction to the saying and say, “It takes a community to care for those with diabetes.” In all honesty, we could say that for many conditions, but for now, let’s just focus on diabetes.
As we wrap up this edition of our blog we want to say one more time, Welcome to Diabetes Awareness month.
Please join our Facebook group, Dancing with Diabetes, and the other articles on our blog pages.
Read more: Heathline, TheMirror, Bioped
