If you have prediabetes........ ACT NOW! DO SOMETHING! PAY ATTENTION! If you have prediabetes, there are actions you can take today to stave off diabetes. While change is not easy, it's worth it and now is the time. The fact is, you have the opportunity now to delay or prevent diabetes. After you get diabetes, it doesn't go away. There is no cure. It will be more work and more expensive if you get diabetes. That's why I'm imploring you to take action now. Here are 2 very common phrases I hear about prediabetes: "I just have prediabetes. I've had it a while" (No big deal. It's not … [Read more...]
The one number to know to prevent diabetic complications
If you want to be sure you are at low risk of diabetic complications-things like heart attack and stroke, nerve damage in your feet, kidney and eye problems, you should know this one little number: your A1C The A1C, sometimes called Hemoglobin A1C, is a lab test that is usually done every 3-6 months. It reflects short-term glucose control and long-term risk of chronic diabetic complications. I like to think of it this way (makes it easy to understand)..... Your hemoglobin molecule is part of your blood and lives for 2-3 months. During that time sugar in your blood (glucose) attaches … [Read more...]
Getting (and Giving) Support with Diabetes
I've learned a lot about giving and getting support with diabetes--some the hard way! February is the month I celebrate my passion for supporting people with diabetes. On Valentine's Day 2014, I decided to start my own business and I vividly remember the loving support I got from my husband, Bob, when I told him. I am also reminded of James, my first husband, who started my journey with diabetes. When I fell in love with James more than 20 years ago, his diabetes was a topic we rarely discussed. He had been diagnosed 10 years prior, took insulin, and I figured he knew what he was … [Read more...]
New Year’s Resolution…It’s not too late to succeed
How are you doing so far with your new year's resolutions? I expect a few challenges have come up by now. Don't lose hope. You can definitely have a healthier year this year. Here's a success story and my tips for keeping your new year's resolution. My husband has lost 30 pounds in the last 3 years, and says changing his thinking is what did the trick. (No, I did not put him a diet. They don't work long term, so what's the point.) Here's how he changed. When I met Bob he was on the Adkins diet. He and his friend tended to follow the latest fad diet, which usually led to "being … [Read more...]
Challenge of Christmas Cookies …And What To Do About It
Even when you have diabetes, you can enjoy Christmas cookies. It's true! But the Challenge of Christmas Cookies is not eating too many. You see, I've been making Christmas cookies ever since I was a young teen. In the early days my sister and I would make cutouts and decorate them with Mom's help. Over the years we would add other types of cookies to the yearly tradition. We had an active family of 8 and it was impossible to eat too many cookies back then. When I had my own daughter I was so excited to pass on the tradition of baking Christmas cookies. I had Norman Rockwell images in … [Read more...]