Nutrition Tip of the Month

Sweet Talk
As a child with diabetes over 20 years ago, certain holidays were disappointing. I will never forget the disappointment/jealousy of opening up my “Valentines Day” package, to find an assortment of sugar free candies. Meanwhile, my siblings (x4) devoured their “real treats.” Fortunately, today, the food industry has improved their quality and there is more to offer in the market of “sugar free candies.” At the same time, there often seems to be confusion around the term “sugar-free.”

A Clean Slate

Another New Year is upon us.  Most of us have reflected on what needs to change yet again, and we have elaborate plans for how 2010 will be our year to “get healthy”.  I took a step back this year and decided to work on one thing at a time.

Living with Diabetes adds another dimension to our daily life and to New Year resolutions.  A good way to start with a clean slate is to look back and reflect on what needs the most work to improve daily management.  Do any of the following issues challenge you?  Have any of these been a primary reason for additional stress when living with Diabetes?  If so, pick one…yes ONE, and focus on it for the next month (or maybe 2 or 3 months).  When you have made the change and felt the benefit in your health, BG levels, stress level  - then move on and choose a new goal.

Holiday Snacking

It is that time of year where extra treats are in abundance in the home and office. I am fortunate that I do not like to bake, so I am not tempted by extra goodies in the home. However, I am not so lucky in my office! (Yes, working in an Endocrinology office is no easier to avoid the goodies than anywhere else!)

Many Resources to Aid our Management:

Recently, I have been paying attention to the abundance of resources for diabetes management noted in all of the diabetes related publications that arrive in my mailbox at home and at work.
Instead of giving a healthy nutrition tip this month, I thought it might be nice to have a quick reference to some of these resources, most of which are nutrition related, at your fingertips.  As all of the Nutrition Tips of the Month are cataloged on this site for easy reference, it will be a nice place to look when you want a quick reference for nutrition or management related tip.

Yes! Flu shots are in! (Have you had your flu shot yet?) According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) the flu can be more than aches and pains for someone with diabetes. It can mean longer illness, hospitalization, even death because diabetes can make the immune system more vulnerable to severe cases of the flu. In fact, people with diabetes are almost 3 times more likely to die with influenza (“the flu.”)