Maureen - Diabetes Support Site

Link Between Stress and Blood Sugar

December 16, 2019March 13, 2017 by Maureen

Stress-Proof Your Life and Stabilise Your Blood Sugar

Stress is a major contributor to diabetes, but a lot of people don’t understand what stress is or what to do about it.

When you’re threatened with job loss or eviction or the breakup of your marriage or children problems or the thousands of other potential threats in modern society, you can’t fight, and you can’t run. You just sit there and worry.

The stress isn’t over in a few hours either; modern stresses often act on us 24/7, week after week.

Over time, insulin resistance builds up. It is a major cause of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, overweight, and many chronic illnesses.

Since, under stress, most of your cells become insulin-resistant, some of that extra glucose stays in the blood and causes damage to nerves and blood vessels.

The rest of it gets converted to abdominal fat, and your LDL (“bad cholesterol”) level goes up.

When stressed, the body prepares itself by ensuring that enough sugar or energy is readily available.

Insulin levels fall, glucagon and epinephrine (adrenaline) levels rise and more glucose is released from the liver.

At the same time, growth hormone and cortisol levels rise, which causes body tissues (muscle and fat) to be less sensitive to insulin. As a result, more glucose is available in the blood stream.

When you have diabetes, low blood sugars from too much medication or insulin are a common cause of stress.

The hormonal response to a low blood sugar includes a rapid release of epinephrine and glucagon, followed by a slower release of cortisol and growth hormone.

These hormonal responses to the low blood sugar may last for 6-8 hours – during that time the blood sugar may be difficult to control.

The phenomena of a low blood sugar followed by a high blood sugar is called a “rebound” reaction.

When you have diabetes, stress may make your blood sugar go up and become more difficult to control – and you may need to take higher doses of your diabetes medications or insulin.

Stress also causes diabetes through behaviors, because the easiest way to treat stress is with food high in sugar or saturated fat.

These “comfort foods” raise our levels of endorphins and serotonin, our bodies’ natural “feel-good” chemicals. They make us feel more calm and more in control.

But the good feelings don’t last long. Our blood sugars drop again when our insulin response catches up to them, and pretty soon you feel worse than before.

Another way stress hurts us is by depressing the immune system, the body’s natural repair and defense program.

People who aren’t diabetic have compensatory mechanisms to keep blood sugar from swinging out of control.

But in people with diabetes, those mechanisms are either lacking or blunted, so they can’t keep a lid on blood sugar.

When blood sugar levels aren’t controlled well through diet and/or medication, you’re at higher risk for many health complications, including blindness, kidney problems, and nerve damage leading to foot numbness, which can lead to serious injury and hard-to-heal infections.

Prolonged elevated blood sugar is also a predecessor to cardiovascular disease, which increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

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Something else that affects people’s responses to stress is coping style.

Coping style is how a person deals with stress. For example, some people have a problem-solving attitude. They say to themselves, “What can I do about this problem?” They try to change their situation to get rid of the stress.

Other people talk themselves into accepting the problem as okay. They say to themselves, “This problem really isn’t so bad after all.”

These two methods of coping are usually helpful.

People who use them tend to have less blood glucose elevation in response to mental stress.

Some sources of stress are never going to go away, no matter what you do.

Having diabetes is one of those. Still, there are ways to reduce the stresses of living with diabetes.

Support groups can help. Knowing other people in the same situation helps you feel less alone. You can also learn other people’s hints for coping with problems.

Making friends in a support group can lighten the burden of diabetes-related stresses.

For more great Health and Nutrition Tips refer to the website positivehealthwellness.com.

If you have any information,questions, or feedback you would like to include in this post.

Please email momo19@diabetessupportsite.com or leave your comments below.

Cushing’s Syndrome And Diabetes

December 17, 2019March 13, 2017 by Maureen

Cushing’s Syndrome

Recent studies have shown that a relatively high number of diabetic patients may have unsuspected Cushing’s syndrome (CS).

Cushing’s syndrome is a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body’s tissues to high levels of the hormone cortisol. Sometimes called hypercortisolism,

Hypercortisolism refers to a range of conditions characterised by an excess of circulating corticosteroids.

Endogenous hypercortisolism is known as Cushing’s syndrome, and may arise from the adrenal cortex, e.g. because of an adrenal tumour, or may be secondary to overproduction of pituitary adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH).

The most common cause of hypercortisolism is, however, steroid therapy.

Cushing’s syndrome is relatively rare and most commonly affects adults aged 20 to 50.

People who are obese and have type 2 diabetes, along with poorly controlled blood glucose and high blood pressure, have an increased risk of developing the disorder.

Signs and symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome vary, but most people with the disorder have upper body obesity, a rounded face, increased fat around the neck, and relatively slender arms and legs.

Children tend to be obese with slowed growth rates.

Other signs appear in the skin, which becomes fragile and thin, bruises easily, and heals poorly.

Purple or pink stretch marks may appear on the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, arms, and breasts.

The bones are weakened, and routine activities such as bending, lifting, or rising from a chair may lead to backaches and rib or spinal column fractures.

High blood pressure and high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) may commonly be experienced with Cushing’s syndrome.

Usage of corticosteroids is the most common cause of Cushing’s syndrome.

Corticosteroids & Steroid Therapy (Pharmacology-Research, Safety Testing and Regulation)

Corticosteroids are used to treat illnesses including:

1.Atopic eczema

2.Asthma

3.Chrone’s disease

Cushing’s syndrome can be diagnosed by measuring levels of cortisol in the urine, the blood or saliva.

You may be asked to take dexamethasone before the test is carried out.

If you don’t have Cushing’s syndrome, the dexamethasone should decrease your cortisol levels.

The treatment of Cushing’s syndrome depends upon the underlying cause.

When Cushing’s syndrome is caused by an ACTH-producing tumour ,the treatment can include:

1.Surgery

Atlas of Transsphenoidal Microsurgery in Pituitary Tumours

Transsphenoidal surgery allows access to the base of the brain (where the pituitary is located), through the gums above the upper front teeth or the nose. If the tumour cannot be identified, the surgeon can remove half of the pituitary (hemihypophysectomy) or 85–90% of the gland (subtotal hypophysectomy). These treatments cause a loss of function of the pituitary so that the patient needs lifelong hormone replacement.

2.Radiation-chemotherapy

PCA Skin – The Solution for Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy Support Kit

This can be used when the surgery cannot completely remove the tumour. The effects of radiation take 3–12 months to become apparent, so that medical treatment is required in the interim. These medications include ketoconazole, metyrapone and aminoglutethimide, which reduce the adrenal cortisol production.

3.Adrenalectomy

A Cushing’s Collection: A Humorous Journey Surviving Cushings Disease, Diabetes Insipidus, and a Bilateral Adrenalectomy

This consists in surgical removal of the adrenal glands, but is recommended only if other treatments are not successful. The patient must begin lifelong daily glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement therapy.

When Cushing’s syndrome is caused by an ectopic ACTH-producing tumour, the treatment consists of the surgical removal of the tumour. This kind of tumour is often in the lung. If the surgery is not successful, medications that reduce adrenal cortisol production (ketoconazole, metyrapone and aminoglutethimide) can be used

When Cushing’s syndrome results from taking corticosteroids, the dosage you are taking will need to be reduced or stopped.

If you have been taking higher doses of steroids for a significant period of time, the dosage you take will usually be reduced before they can be stopped.

Some 20% of patients with Cushing’s syndrome have a diagnosis of diabetes, but insulin resistance and glucose intolerance develop in up to 80% of cases.

The prevalence of steroid-induced diabetes in the diabetic population is around 3%.

For more great Health and Nutrition Tips refer to the website positivehealthwellness.com.

If you have any information,questions, or feedback you would like to include in this post.

Please email momo19@diabetessupportsite.com or leave your comments below.

Diabetes and Sleep Apnea

December 12, 2019March 12, 2017 by Maureen

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which your breathing stops and restarts while you’re asleep. These pauses can last for anywhere between a few seconds to minutes, and can happen 30 times or more during one hour of sleep.

When your breathing stops, your body snaps out of a deep restful sleep. People with sleep apnea are often tired during the day because they aren’t getting good quality sleep.

There are two different types of sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common. This is when your airways collapse or become blocked while you’re sleeping.

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is less common. This is when your brain doesn’t send the right signals to the muscles that control your breathing.

For more great Health and Nutrition Tips refer to the website positivehealthwellness.com.

Symptoms for both are similar and can include:

1.Loud snoring or snorting after pauses in breathing (associated with OSA)

2.Headaches in the morning

3.Being extremely tired during the day

4.Waking up in the middle of the night with shortness of breath (associated with CSA)

5.Having a sore throat or dry mouth in the morning when you wake up

6.Trouble staying focused

7.Difficulty staying asleep at night

Anyone can get sleep apnea, but you’re more likely to develop the condition if you:

1.Are overweight

2.Have a family history of sleep apnea

3.Have a thick neck or smaller airways

4.Are over 60

5.Have frequent nasal congestion or allergies

6.Smoke cigarettes, drink excessively, or use sedatives or tranquilizers

Many people don’t know they have sleep apnea until a family member or bed partner complains about them snoring. If you think you have the condition, it’s important to tell your doctor. He or she may recommend a sleep study to diagnose the condition.

Treatments include wearing a mouthpiece or using a breathing device called a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) while you sleep to keep airways open, and in more severe cases, surgery.

Sleep apnea is a serious condition that can increase your risk for other medical issues such as high blood pressure, heart problems, depression, and poor blood sugar control.

Sleep Apnea and Diabetes Connection

Obstructive sleep apnea is often associated with obesity and diabetes.

One study suggests that 40 percent of people who have OSA also have diabetes, and that up to 58 percent of people who have diabetes have some type of sleep disordered breathing.

While risk factors like obesity, family history, and getting older play a role in both conditions, researchers believe they’re not the only link.

OSA has many negative effects on the body. For example, it causes oxygen levels in the blood to drop. Frequent interruptions in deep sleep also affect metabolism and the body’s ability to properly control blood sugar levels.

OSA can also cause insulin resistance and glucose intolerance on its own in people who don’t have diabetes.

It is reported that being treated with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine helped people who have both type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea have better blood sugar control.

If you have one condition, there is no guarantee you’ll get the other, though you are at increased risk. Getting sleep apnea diagnosed and treated can reduce your risk of developing diabetes and can help treat existing diabetes.

If you have any information,questions, or feedback you would like to include in this post.

Please email momo19@diabetessupportsite.com or leave your comments below

Blood Sugar and Sleep Problems

January 7, 2021March 12, 2017 by Maureen

The Good Night Sleep Kit: The Essential Tool For Restful Sleep

Sleep can affect your blood sugar levels, and your blood glucose control can also affect your sleep. It’s a vicious cycle.

As the amount of sleep decreases, blood sugar increases, escalating the issue. Lack of sleep has been shown to increase blood sugar levels and the risk of diabetic issues.

Higher blood sugar means less long-lasting fat metabolism in the night and even less sleep.

Researchers found that people who slept less than 6 hours a night had more blood sugar complications compared to those who received 8 hours of sleep.

The dawn phenomenon occurs when the body releases growth and other hormones around 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. to prepare the body for awakening. Making you wake up to a high blood sugar reading in the morning, even if your number was good when you went to bed the night before.

These hormones make the body less sensitive to insulin, the hormone that lowers blood sugar. In people with diabetes, these changes can lead to a morning blood sugar spike.

HIGH BLOOD SUGAR – HYPERGLYCEMIA

Sleepless and restless nights hurt more than your mood and energy; it is a form of chronic stress on the body. When there is added stress on your body this results in having higher blood sugar levels. When researchers restricted people with type1 diabetes to just 4 hours of sleep, their sensitivity to insulin was reduced by 20% compared to that after a full night of sleep.

When your blood sugar is really high, your kidneys will try to get rid of it by removing it from the body via urination. This most likely causes you to get out of bed and go to the bathroom all night, resulting in inconsistent sleep patterns. It can also wake you up by feelings of thirstiness.

High blood sugar levels also make it less comfortable for you to sleep by feelings of warmness, irritability and unsettledness.

For more great Health and Nutrition Tips refer to the website positivehealthwellness.com.

LOW BLOOD SUGAR – HYPOGLYCEMIA

On the opposite end of the spectrum, if your blood glucose is too low, hypoglycemia, you may also wake up during the night. Every cell in your body needs sugar to work properly. It’s your body’s main source of energy. When your sugar levels fall too low it can cause a variety of problems within your central nervous system which can include:

1.Hunger

2.Weakness

3.Dizziness

4.Nervousness

5.Anxiousness

6.Irritability

7.Chills

8.Sweating

9.Tingling or numbness of mouth

10.Blurred Vision

11.Headache

12.Confusion

13.Nightmares

14.Sleepwalking

15.Restlessness

The next time you wake up during the night with these symptoms, check your blood glucose. When there is a drop in the blood glucose level, it causes the release of hormones that regulate glucose levels, such as adrenaline, glucagon, cortisol, and growth hormone. These compounds stimulate the brain. They are a natural signal that it is time to eat.

Good bedtime snacks to keep blood sugar levels steady throughout the night are oatmeal and other whole grain cereals, whole grain breads and muffins, and other complex carbohydrates. These foods will not only help maintain blood sugar levels, they actually can help promote sleep by increasing the level of serotonin in the brain.

Severe low blood sugar is sometimes called insulin shock. Untreated, it can be very dangerous, resulting in seizures, loss of consciousness, or death.

What can you do to keep your blood sugar balanced?

Teach Your Child to Sleep: Solving Sleep Problems from Newborn Through Childhood

The best way to avoid this whole pattern is to:

1.Choose protein every time you eat, along with high-fiber carbs and healthy fats.

2.Minimize sugars

3.Eat “half-size” meals so your blood sugar doesn’t go so high.

4.Eat every three to four hours (depending on your body’s needs) so your blood sugar doesn’t dip too low.

5.Avoid eating sugar or processed high-carb foods especially within two hours of bedtime.

This is important even if you are not diabetic and your blood tests show a normal blood sugar. It is best to start implementing these tips now rather than later, because if this pattern continues unaddressed, it can lead to further issues down the line.

When insulin is responding in high amounts day after day, and year after year because of high carbohydrate meals and imbalanced blood sugar levels, your cells stop responding to the insulin so efficiently (known as insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome) and/or your insulin level can drop permanently (also known as diabetes).

This means your blood sugar levels stay high and this too, can cause you to feel sleepy after eating carbs because you do not have enough insulin to transport the sugar from your blood into your cells where it can be turned into energy.

When it gets to that point it is even more important to follow these tips in order to keep your blood sugar balanced and your sleep patterns healthy.

Your body responds to increasing or decreasing blood sugar levels with hormones that attempt to keep the level steady, but if those hormones can’t keep up with your eating patterns, then they are no longer able to manage the fluctuating blood sugar levels.

So, it is clear that your decisions about what to eat and when have a huge part to play in regulating your blood sugar levels; if you feed your body in a way that keeps your blood sugar levels balanced, you will prevent diabetes and ensure a good night’s sleep.

Reader’s Recommended Resource

https://sleepopolis.com/blog/fibromyalgia-and-sleep-guide/

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If you have any information,questions, or feedback you would like to include in this post.

Please email momo19@diabetessupportsite.com or leave your comments below

Connection Between Diabetes and Alzheimer’s

December 12, 2019March 9, 2017 by Maureen

Diabetes, Insulin and Alzheimer’s Disease (Research and Perspectives in Alzheimer’s Disease)

Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating neurological condition that slowly but inexorably destroys the ability to think, eventually robbing a person of both his memory and ability to function independently.

Alzheimer’s delivers a crushing blow not only to the affected individual, but also to family members, who frequently struggle to provide the ever-growing levels of care required by the patient.

While medical researchers have yet to pinpoint a single cause of Alzheimer’s disease, they have uncovered some of the basic biochemical processes that underlie the hallmark mental changes seen in Alzheimer’s.

First, Alzheimer’s sufferers exhibit a marked decline in levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter (that is, a chemical messenger of the nervous system) that is vitally important to memory formation and retention in certain regions of the brain.

Second, Alzheimer’s patients demonstrate an accumulation of harmful beta amyloid deposits, or senile plaques, in the brain.

Third, brain autopsies of Alzheimer’s patients show signs of significant oxidative damage induced by free radicals.

Finally, new research indicates that advanced glycation end products may also initiate this dreaded condition.

While declining levels of acetylcholine and formation of beta amyloid plaques in the brain are characteristic of Alzheimer’s, oxidative damage and the accumulation of advanced glycation end products occur in both Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.

These biochemical similarities may be a telling link between the two seemingly different diseases.

Swedish scientists unveiled findings associating diabetes with an increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s, particularly in those with very high blood pressure.

Scientists also discovered that diabetics with very poor blood sugar control were more likely to develop dementia.

Compared to those with normal glycosylated hemoglobin levels (< 7), those with levels greater than 12 were 22% more likely to develop dementia, while those with levels greater than 15 were 78% more likely to develop dementia.

According to the study , effective blood sugar control may lower risk of another diabetes-associated complication—dementia.

Know Your Blood Sugar Levels, Reduce Your Alzheimer’s Risk

The Alzheimer’s Prevention Plan: 10 proven ways to stop memory decline and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s

Scientists found that the link between insulin resistance and poorer cognition is present years before both the onset of severe cognitive problems and, in many cases, before the diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.

More than 1 out of 3 adults have prediabetes, a condition in which the body’s blood sugar levels are too high – but not high enough to be classified as diabetic.

During prediabetes, the body becomes increasingly resistant to insulin. However, 9 of out 10 people with prediabetes don’t know they have it.

That’s why it’s so important, especially if you are overweight, have high blood pressure or abnormal cholesterol levels, to get your blood sugar levels checked with a routine blood test. Your doctor can perform one during your next appointment.

If you learn that you do have diabetes, a 2015 study in the World Journal of Diabetes shows that properly managing the disease through prescription medications may reduce or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

People with uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes open themselves up to health issues from insulin resistance, particularly its negative effects on the brain’s blood vessels and nerves.

However, prediabetes is not only treatable, but reversible.

Lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, may decrease the percentage of prediabetic patients who develop diabetes to 20 percent.

By reducing your risk of diabetes, you can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

For more great Health and Nutrition Tips refer to the website positivehealthwellness.com

If you have any information,questions, or feedback you would like to include in this post.

Please email momo19@diabetessupportsite.com or leave your comments below.

Effects of Glucose on the Brain

December 14, 2019March 9, 2017 by Maureen

The Edge Effect: Achieve Total Health and Longevity with the Balanced Brain Advantage

While other organs in the body may rely on alternative sources of energy, such as fatty acids, the brain relies almost solely on glucose, using ketones as a last resort.

For this reason, the blood brain barrier is rich in Glut1 active glucose transporters, and over 99% of the glucose that passes it is used by neurons and glia.

Thus, the metabolic efficiency and continuous demands of the brain render it uniquely susceptible to fluctuations in glucose concentration in the body.

Diabetes and memory loss are closely linked, and poorly controlled diabetes can cause memory loss. The brain runs on glucose and brain glucose storage is limited.

To maintain normal brain functioning, people with diabetes need a constant supply of glucose from their blood.

Memory loss and reduced brain functioning can occur during periods of low blood glucose (hypoglycemia)and high blood glucose (hyperglycemia) can affect memory over the longer term for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Uncontrolled diabetes may increase the risks of suffering memory loss. Higher than normal blood glucose levels are known to damage the nerves and the brain is not immune to these effects. The longer that the glucose remains in the blood, the less fuel the brain has to function and retain memories.

Type 2 diabetes carries a risk of Alzheimer’s disease that is twice higher than for non-diabetic individuals.

The risk is higher when diabetes is less well controlled, so keeping good diabetes management may help to prevent Alzheimer’s from developing.

High blood glucose effects your brain

High Calorie Diet and the Human Brain: Metabolic Consequences of Long-Term Consumption

Diabetes can damage the tiny blood vessels in your eyes, causing loss of vision, even blindness. The disease can also damage the nerves in your feet, making walking painful with a high degree of risk that you may need an amputation of the foot or leg.

These consequences of diabetes are well known.

But what is not so well known is that diabetes can also damage the tiny blood vessels in your brain. This damage affects your brains white matter.

White matter is that part of the brain where the nerves communicate with each other.

If your nerves cannot communicate with each other or are otherwise damaged you will experience vascular cognitive impairment or vascular dementia.

Vascular cognitive impairment is a decline in thinking abilities caused by disease that damages the brain’s blood vessels.

Vascular dementia is a common form of dementia caused by a reduced supply of blood to the brain, which can have various causes.

Both types of dementia can be caused by both types of diabetes.

Statistics, however, suggest that people with type 1 diabetes are less likely to experience dementia if their glucose levels are well controlled.

The problem for type 2 diabetes is that the disease is usually just one of a cluster of disorders ― high blood glucose levels, excessively high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels or excess body fat around the waist ― known as metabolic syndrome.

In fact, if you have type 2 diabetes there is an 85% chance that you also have metabolic syndrome. And just like diabetes, excessive blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels also damage your blood vessels.

This combination of risks of damage to your blood vessels means that keeping your blood glucose levels under control is vital for diabetics.

While vascular disease can cause cognitive impairment, it can also contribute to impairments in thinking and behaviour in a person with other brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Low blood glucose and the brain

Hypoglycaemia in Clinical Diabetes (Practical Diabetes)

All of us diabetics have probably experienced blood glucose levels that have dropped too low.

The symptoms are easy to recognise:

headache

dizziness

difficulty in thinking

poor coordination

trouble walking or talking

Severely low blood sugar can affect your mood, give you seizures or convulsions, make you pass out or put you in a coma.

If you only occasionally go too low there is unlikely to be an adverse long-term effect on your brain. However, if you have frequent bouts of low blood glucose, you can become unaware of it, a condition known as hypoglycaemia unawareness.

With hypoglycaemia unawareness, you do not experience the usual early symptoms of low glucose levels ― nausea, hunger, shakiness, cold or clammy skin, and/or a pounding heart ― which, if you were asleep, would be enough to wake you up.

In other words, with hypoglycaemia unawareness, your blood glucose can continue to drop until it goes so low that you lapse into a coma.

This unawareness of what is happening to you glucose level can catch you when you least suspect it; eg, when you are driving or walking, causing an accident or a fall.

A major question concerning hypoglycaemia unawareness is whether repeated bouts of low glucose can cause long-term memory problems or raise the risk of dementia. The answer is far from clear.

One large study, the Diabetes Control & Complications Trial, indicated that low blood glucose in persons with type 1 diabetes does not have a long-term impact on memory or the ability to think.

But another study suggests that, in older people with type 2 diabetes, there is a link between severe low blood glucose levels and a higher risk of dementia.

As you can see, diabetes definitely can damage your brain but how it does so is not at all clear.

But what is clear is that diabetics need to control their blood glucose levels fastidiously, ensuring that they seldom go too high or too low.

For more great Health and Nutrition Tips refer to the website positivehealthwellness.com.

If you have any information,questions, or feedback you would like to include in this post.

Please email momo19@diabetessupportsite.com or leave your comments below.

Travelling with a Insulin Pump Or Continuous Glucose Monitor

December 13, 2019March 6, 2017 by Maureen

Insulin Pump Case With Velstretch Belt – Alien Skulls

If you treat your diabetes with a pump or use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), it is recommended that you contact your airline prior to travel, if possible a few weeks before you fly.

Some airlines will require you to notify them of your medical equipment in advance and fill in additional paperwork before you fly.

Failure to do this can, in some cases, result in passengers not being allowed to board the aircraft with their pump or CGM.

Although insulin pump manufacturers indicate that pumps can safely go through airport security systems, pump wearers may request a visual inspection rather than walking through the metal detector or being hand-wanded.

Advise the screener that the insulin pump cannot be removed because it is connected to a catheter inserted under your skin.

Let screeners know if you are experiencing low blood sugar and are in need of medical assistance.

Insulin pumps and supplies must be accompanied by insulin with a label clearly identifying the medication.

You should also speak to your diabetes team – should you need to remove your pump for any reason, they can provide you with any extra equipment such as insulin pens and help plan your doses throughout your journey.

Caution around insulin pumps and CGM onboard aircraft is due to wireless functionality, which may interfere with aircraft communication and navigation systems.

If your pump or CGM cannot function without a wireless signal, then you may need to be prepared to remove your CGM and pump and administer insulin with an insulin pen for the journey.

You would also need to test your blood glucose levels manually with a standard blood glucose meter.

Also dont forget to pack extra insulin pump supplies (cleaning agents batteries, plastic tubing, infusion kit, catheter, and needles).

Updating Your Time & Date Of Insulin Pump When Travelling

Setting the correct time and date in your pump is necessary for accurate basal insulin delivery and allows you to keep an accurate record of your insulin delivery and other pump functions. You can select a 12-hour or 24-hour clock. You must reset the time and date if you receive a CHECK SETTINGS alarm or you clear your settings (Clear Settings function).

Device: MiniMed^® 530G (551/751), MiniMed^® Paradigm Revel^TM (523/723), MiniMed Paradigm^® 522/722, GGuardian^® REAL-Time System, MiniMed Paradigm ^® 515/715

Important: The time on your insulin pump/CGM monitor determines your personal settings (including basal and bolus rates) so make sure it is always up to date.

<>Go to the TIME/DATE SETUP Screen<>

Main Menu > Utilities > Time/Date<>

<>Select 12 Hour Setup or 24 Hour Setup and press ACT.

<>Press ACT again to change the settings.

<>Change each of the settings as follows:

<>Change the hour. Press ACT

For 12-hour setups, press the UP or DOWN arrows until the correct AM or PM appears.

<>Change the minutes. Press ACT.

<>Change the year. Press ACT.

<>Change the month. Press ACT.

<>Change the day. Press ACT.

<>The TIME SET AT screen will show the settings that you programmed.

<>Press ACT and exit the menus.

Important: After you have programmed the new time, always double check your settings (especially that the AM/PM setting is correct).

Changing the Language on your Insulin Pump

Device: MiniMed^® 530G (551/751), MiniMed^® Paradigm Revel^TM (523/723), MiniMed Paradigm^® 522/722, Guardian^® REAL-Time System, MiniMed Paradigm ^® 515/715

Changing the Language

The language shown on the pump screens can be changed. Some languages may not be available on all pumps. Before you can select another language, you need to set the time using the English screens.

<>Go to the LANGUAGE MENU screen

Main Menu > Utilities > Language

<>Select your language, then press ACT.

<>The language setting is now changed. Exit the menus.

If you have any information,questions, or feedback you would like to include in this post.

Please email momo19@diabetessupportsite.com or leave your comments below.

Diabetes Precautions For Temperature Changes

December 13, 2019March 6, 2017 by Maureen

Both hot and cold weather extremes can harm your testing equipment and your medications and have a negative impact on your body’s ability to produce and use insulin.

If you are travelling to an area that is likely to experience very extreme temperatures, check with your meters manufacturers about limits on the reliability of their machine.

HOT CLIMATE

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1.Stay hydrated.

The problem is that in the heat, people tend to get dehydrated easily. When you’re dehydrated, you have higher concentrations of blood sugar because less blood flows through your kidneys.

With less blood, your kidneys don’t work as efficiently to clear out any excess glucose (blood sugar) from your urine.

When it’s hot, be sure to drink plenty of water or sugar-free drinks.

Don’t wait until you are thirsty to replenish fluids.
2.Store your medications properly.

Elite Multi-Compartment Isothermal Diabetes Cool Bag

High temps can affect your diabetes medications, glucose meter, and diabetes test strips.When it’s hot outside, it’s easy for insulin and other drugs to become degraded.Be sure to store your medications properly — out of the extreme heat.Never leave them in your car on a hot day.You may need to carry your diabetes medicines in a cooler with an ice pack. Just be sure they’re not sitting directly on ice or the ice pack.
3.Stay out of the heat of the day.

Exercise is an important part of diabetes management and blood sugar control.

But you don’t want to be outside exercising during the hottest part of the day.

Get in your exercise first thing in the morning or once the sun goes down

Another option is to work out in an air-conditioned gym in the hotel where you are staying.

4.Know signs of low blood sugar.

DIABETES HYPOGLYCAEMIA EMERGENCY GLUCOSE KIT – HYPOWALLET

Some of the symptoms of heat exhaustion are similar to those of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia.

These include sweating, light-headedness, shakiness, and confusion.

You may think it’s the heat and not recognize that your blood sugar levels have fallen to dangerous lows.

Be aware of the warning signs of low blood sugar and keep some carbohydrates with you to eat if you need to raise your blood sugar.

Have a plan for a medical emergency.
5.Test more often.You may need to test your blood sugar levels more frequently so that you can adjust your insulin and your diet as necessary.Talk with your diabetes educator about guidelines if you’re unsure of the best schedule.
6.Mind your feet.

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People with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are susceptible to problems with their feet.

In the hot climate you face the temptation to go barefoot or wear open sandals that expose your toes to trouble.

Always wear shoes that fit well — even in warmer countries— and at the end of the day, check your feet for any cuts, scrapes, blisters, or bruises.

Don’t ignore injuries to your feet. Get medical treatment right away.

COLD CLIMATE

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Freezing temps and cold weather can make it more challenging to stay on top of your diabetes.

Here’s what to watch for on holiday in cold climates.

1.Keep your supplies out of the cold.

Just like extreme heat, extreme cold can affect your insulin and cause your glucose monitor to stop working.

Don’t leave supplies in a car when temperatures outside are below freezing.

2.Do your best to avoid getting sick.

When you’re sick, you’re stressed, and being under stress can raise your blood sugar. Also, when you don’t feel good, you’re likely to not eat properly.

Wash your hands with soap and water often so that you don’t spread germs.

Have a sick-day kit – Fill it with soup, sugar-free cough drops, tea — things that will make you feel better and that you can access easily.

Also get vaccinated against the flu before you go on holiday.

3.Avoid packing on the pounds.

Managing type 2 diabetes during a holiday can be tricky.

Many foods are loaded with carbohydrates that cause your blood sugar to rise,keep to your diabetes diet plan.

Forget about seconds and stick with one plate of healthy food, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains, lean protein, nuts, and beans.

Even a small weight gain makes it more difficult to control your diabetes and blood sugar levels.

4.Keep an eye on your feet.

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Diabetes can cause a loss of feeling in your toes and feet.

Protect them with the right footwear, especially in snow.

Apply moisturizer to your feet to keep your skin healthy.

Inspect them regularly, and if you notice an injury that doesn’t heal, seek medical attention. Don’t wait.

5.Warm your hands.

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If your hands are cold, you may have to warm them up to get a good blood sugar reading.

Wash them in warm water before testing.

Your meter will work best when it’s kept in a room where the temperature is between 50 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

For more great Health and Nutrition Tips refer to the website positivehealthwellness.com.
Common Causes Of Illness In Winter

6.Don’t skip your workouts.

It can be hard to get motivated to exercise on holiday.

But exercise is an important part of diabetes blood sugar control.

It helps if you dress in layers when you’re exercising outdoors in the cold.

Or go to the gym in your hotel where you can work out indoors.

If you have any information,questions, or feedback you would like to include in this post.

Please email momo19@diabetessupportsite.com or leave your comments below.

Safe Trip Tips For Diabetics

December 13, 2019March 6, 2017 by Maureen

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1. Keep your supplies close at hand.

Whether you’re traveling by plane, train, or automobile, make sure your diabetes supplies are easily accessible. If you’re flying, be sure to put all of your supplies in your carry-on bags.

Back-up insulin should also be kept in your carry-on, because checked baggage can be exposed to extreme cold or heat that can spoil insulin, and ruin glucometers.

If you’re using a device to keep your insulin cool, be sure it is a cold pack, and not a freezer pack–freezing insulin destroys its efficacy. The same rules apply for storing supplies while driving or on a train.

Include a small approved sharps container,take a small first aid kit with you in case of aches and pains, minor cuts and burns

2. Try to stick to your routine.

Traveling can really throw people with diabetes off schedule at no fault of their own. The delay of a flight may mean sitting on the runway for hours, or if you’re traveling out of your time zone, it may mean feeling hungry when you should be asleep.

When you have diabetes, you need to think ahead and stick to your routine as much as possible. If you pack extra snacks for the plane, you may want to store them in an insulated bag with an ice pack.

For more great Health and Travel Tips refer to the websitePositivehealthwellness.com

3. Get documentation.

Diabetes Care Documentation and Coding: A Handbook for Clinicians

Carry a note from your doctor stating that you have diabetes, and need to have your medication with you at all times.

The letter should state that you have diabetes and are carrying syringes or insulin pens and needles for your diabetes.

Explain you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and what insulin type and doses you are on. Also the times you usually take your insulin.

List the pen device or syringes you use, plus the blood glucose meter and testing strips you use.

Note any other medical conditions you have.

List any allergies you have or any foods or medications to which you are sensitive.

If you’re going to a country where they speak a language other than your own, translate the note into that language.

Make a few copies of the note and distribute to those traveling with you, so you will have documentation at all times.

4. Inform airport security you have diabetes.

When flying, remember to put your diabetes supplies in a quart size plastic container that is separate from the other non-diabetes liquids you’re bringing on board; this way, screeners can immediately separate diabetes medications from other liquid items in your carry-on baggage.

Sometimes it is helpful to carry your insulin bottles or pens in their original packaging to prove the prescription is your own.

5.Investigate the food you eat and beverages you drink.

If you take mealtime insulin, do your best to figure out the carbohydrate grams in the foods you’re eating so that you take the right pre-meal insulin,

Do some research on local foods before your trip.

Check on the basic forms of carbohydrates eaten in the countries that you are visiting.

While away, it should be possible to select familiar food such as rice, pasta, bread, biscuits and fruit.

You may need to schedule an appointment with your dietician to discuss the carbohydrate content of some of the basic foreign foods you may come across while away.

Alcohol may also lower your blood glucose level, so do not drink on an empty stomach.

You may need to take an extra carbohydrate snack before going to bed as alcohol has the potential to lower your glucose level hours later or the following morning.

With diabetes you will be more sensitive to dehydration so always drink plenty of fluids when in a hot climate.

If you do not drink enough when outdoors in a hot climate your insulin will be absorbed more slowly.

Later, when you drink properly, more insulin will be absorbed and you are at risk of having severe hypoglycaemia.

Bottled water from a reputable company with the seal intact is the best source to keep hydrated.

You may need to contact your diabetes team to clarify any issues on insulin absorption, sites, exercise and temperature prior to travelling.

Paying the extra cost for air conditioning may be beneficial to help prevent night time glucose fluctuations.

In addition, test your blood glucose before and after meals to see how new foods are affecting your control.

It’s crucial to keep your glucose numbers in check to avoid problems.

6. Increase your stash of supplies.

It’s wise to pack diabetes supplies as if you were staying twice as long as you plan to.

If you’re using a pump, should also remember to bring extra supplies. Ask for a back-up loaner pump for your trip in case there’s a problem with the one you’re wearing.

Simply call the pump company you use.

7. Consider time zone changes.

GoVenture Insulin Pump Timer

If you’re wearing an insulin pump and will be traveling to a location that is in another time zone, be sure to adjust your insulin pump’s clock to reflect the change.

If you have questions about how to handle the change, be certain to speak with your diabetes care team beforehand.

8. Tell others that you have diabetes.

NRS Healthcare Cadex Medication Reminder/Identification and Medical Data Alerting Watch

While it may not always be comfortable, it is important to tell the people with whom you are traveling that you have diabetes.

Let them know what you have to do to stay healthy and active on your journey, and what they should do in case there is an emergency.

Always wear a medical identification bracelet when you’re traveling and be certain that it states you have diabetes, if you take insulin, and if possible, list an emergency contact number.

It is a good idea to have a few phrases in the local language for example, I have diabetes, please give me something sweet, and please call a doctor.

If you’re bringing your mobile phone with you on holiday, be sure to enter a contact in your phone book entitled, “Emergency Contact”.

9.Travel Insurance

diabag ONE XL Leather Diabetes Case Travel

You are advised to obtain full health insurance with comprehensive cover. Check what insurance cover you have or will need and the geographical area of cover.

Read all the small print in the policy so that you know what you will be covered and what will not.

Make sure your policy will cover you in case of a diabetes emergency related matter while abroad.

Remember that ordinary holiday insurance or backpackers insurance booked through your travel agent may not cover your diabetes as it may be considered a pre-existing condition.

Check with the travel agent about the extra premium required ensuring coverage of your condition.

If you have private health cover, speak to your provider about their travel insurance.

If you are an EU citizen and need medical assistance while in another EU country, you need to bring a European Health Insurance Card.

Carry the contact details of your travel insurance medical division with your passport.

Click Here For Free Amazing Travel Guide, It will help you to be fully prepared in dealing with the Great Outdoors!

If you have any information,questions, or feedback you would like to include in this post.

Please email momo19@diabetessupportsite.com or leave your comments below.

Coping With Morning Sickness When You Have Diabetes

December 12, 2019March 6, 2017 by Maureen

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Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (also known as morning sickness – although it can occur at any time of day) is very common in early pregnancy. It’s unpleasant, but it doesn’t put your baby at any increased risk, and usually clears up between weeks 12 and 14 of pregnancy. Unfortunately, for some women, it can have a significant adverse effect on their day-to-day activities and quality of life.

Managing your diabetes if you suffer from morning sickness may be especially difficult. You may find that making adjustments to your insulin doses – both in amount and timing – may help you with this.

Often you will need less insulin during this stage. However, it is very important that you discuss this first with your Diabetes Specialist Nurse or Midwife or other healthcare professional.

If you do suffer with morning sickness, your healthcare professional may also recommend that you try a number of changes to your diet and lifestyle to help you cope better.

These may include:

1.Getting plenty of rest because tiredness can make nausea worse.

2.If you feel sick first thing in the morning, give yourself time to get up slowly – if possible, eat something like dry toast or a plain biscuit before you get up.

3.Drinking plenty of fluids, such as water, and sipping them little and often rather than in large amounts, because this may help prevent vomiting.

4.Eating small, frequent meals that are high in carbohydrate (such as bread, rice and pasta) and low in fat – most women can manage savoury foods, such as toast, crackers and crispbread, better than sweet or spicy foods.

5.Avoiding foods or smells that make you feel sick.

6.Some women find that ginger biscuits or low sugar ginger ale can help reduce nausea.

7.Hopefully by this point your HbA1c is at the target level that you and your doctor agreed upon before conception.

This is important because very high blood sugar over time is associated with an increased risk of birth defects and miscarriage. (Though, on the more optimistic flip side, the closer your blood sugar is to normal, the lower the chance of problems.)

8.In order to come anywhere close to the super-human blood glucose targets of pregnancy (60-99 mg/dl fasting, a peak of 100-129 mg/dl after meals, an average daily blood glucose of 110 mg/dl, and an A1c of less than 6.0%, you need to be testing your blood glucose a lot.

As in, probably more than a dozen times a day.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CGMS) can be enormously helpful in tracking your pregnancy blood sugars, since it gives you a nearly real-time graph of where your blood glucose has been and where it’s heading — and having advance warning of an impending low is also an important safety feature when you’re aiming for tight targets.

9.Insulin requirements increase dramatically during pregnancy, and the only way to stay on top of what those requirements are is to keep a log of what you’re eating, how much insulin you’re taking, and what your blood sugar is (you can throw in other factors, too, like exercise and sickness, but those are the basics).

Ideally, your endocrinologist or certified diabetes educator will be able to review these records weekly and help you tweak your doses as your pregnancy progresses.

10.Morning sickness sucks for everyone, but for women with pre-existing diabetes, it can be dangerous: if you eat food and take insulin – and then throw up the food you took the insulin to cover – you’re at risk of a serious low blood sugar. (And unfortunately, “morning sickness” can occur at any time during the day, contrary to its name.)

It’s a good idea to talk with your endocrinologist or diabetes health care provider (i.e. someone who’s familiar with you and your diabetes) about what to do to manage your morning sickness and diabetes at the same time.

If your morning sickness is severe, your doctor or caregiver may be able to prescribe anti-nausea medication to help you keep food down.

11. Morning sickness can put you at risk of serious lows. Be sure to carry a source of fast-acting carbs at all times (glucose tablets, juice box, etc).

It’s also a good idea to start carrying around glucagon in your purse and/or to stash a kit in your desk. (But remember: if your blood glucose is so low that you need glucagon, chances are you won’t be able to give it to yourself. Be sure to tell a colleague or friend where you store it, and teach them when and how to use it.)

12. Consider an insulin pump. An insulin pump can be a great management choice for pregnancy.

If you are having difficulty keeping food down, you can give yourself a lower temporary basal rate and lessen your chances of becoming hypoglycemic.

13.As is always true with diabetes, you can only do your best. While it’s important to work hard at achieving excellent control, remember that an occasional blood sugar that is higher that you like is not going to do long-term damage to your child.

And if you feel yourself getting frustrated and burnt out, try to keep in mind some of the long-term benefits of all the hard work you’re putting into your pregnancy: for many women, the intensified demands of managing a diabetic pregnancy can actually lead to improvements in their own health.

You’re likely to find yourself testing more often, exercising more frequently, eating more healthily, and seeing more doctors than you’d ever thought possible.

Sure, it’s hard and often annoying work, but the ultimate result is positive — for everyone involved.

For more great Health and Nutrition Tips refer to the website positivehealthwellness.com.

If you have any information,questions, or feedback you would like to include in this post.

Please email momo19@diabetessupportsite.com or leave your comments below.