Insulin For Life

Posted on January 22, 2014 by janekdickinson

IFL-Global2I strongly believe that we can’t be an expert at everything.  Who has time? Those who work in diabetes can’t even be an expert in all aspects of diabetes. There’s just too much going on and too much to know.

I work hard to stay healthy with diabetes, and I work hard to help others live well with diabetes. I keep pretty current with diabetes treatments, technology, etc., and I learn something new every day. And there is something I have been clueless about (or at least not in touch with), and that is the fact that people are dying because they can’t get insulin.

A friend recently returned from a conference in Australia, and she was telling me all about people around the world who can’t get insulin. She also told me about Insulin For Life, a non-profit that collects and sends insulin and diabetes supplies to people in need. If you or someone you know is looking for an organization to support financially – this is a good one! If you or someone you know has insulin that is in-date but won’t be used, consider sending it along to Insulin For Life and they’ll get it to someone who can use it. Same goes for diabetes supplies like blood glucose monitors and strips (in date).

You might just save a life.

PS I’m just learning about Insulin For Life (better late than never, I say), and it appears that Insulin For Life is happening in several different countries. Here is a link to IFL in Australia, where they explain a little more about the organization.

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An eye on the future

Posted on January 20, 2014 by janekdickinson

eyeball.jpgWhat do you think about getting glucose readings from our eyeballs? It appears that tears are another way – besides blood and interstitial fluid – to check glucose levels. Since people can’t necessarily cry on demand, some researchers have figured out a way to rig up a contact lens that measures glucose. Amazing. Here’s a video report on it.

First of all, I think it’s pretty cool that Google is using its resources to support innovative research. Second, I love that scientists are figuring out ways to link existing technology with new ideas and coming up with potentially useful tools.

While these contacts are, as usual, “about five years away,” here’s the problem for me, personally: I don’t do contacts! I don’t do eyeballs in general, but contacts are a no-go for me. I made myself learn how to wear contacts in the few months leading up to our wedding. I wore them for our wedding and for at least one major event a few months later, and then never again. I am good with glasses, folks. I am not the slightest bit interested in Lasik surgery to correct my vision. I don’t want anyone or anything touching my eyeballs, as weird as that may seem.

So while I am impressed with these glucose measuring contacts, I will not be running out to buy a pair (or one, or however many we would wear). I will wait for another innovation that doesn’t involve eyeballs. Sweat? Hair? It’ll happen. I’ll be patient.

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Adding Avocado

Posted on January 17, 2014 by janekdickinson

ganze und halbe avocado isoliert auf weissHere’s a study that looked at whether adding avocado at lunch decreased hunger later on. It’s pretty interesting (and potentially good news if you like avocado) that adding avocado appears to decrease the desire to eat three and five hours after lunch.

I’m cracking myself up, though, because there doesn’t seem to be a report of what happened with the group who had their lunch food replaced (not just supplemented) with avocado. Did they never want to eat again? Just kidding.

I have written about avocado in the past, and I eat avocados pretty regularly. I put them in my salads and in my tuna. I make guacamole and eat it with crunchy vegetables. I don’t think I could eat straight up chunks of avocado, but maybe someday. I would be interested to know if olives – another plant-based fat – have the same effect on post-lunch hunger. We’ll have to see if someone does a study on that.

In the meantime I’m going to pay attention to my hunger level during the afternoon on the days I have avocado with my lunch.

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Red Light, Green Light

Posted on January 15, 2014 by janekdickinson

11949849751056341160traffic_light_dan_gerhar_01.svg.medThere is a hospital that studied what happened when they labeled food in their cafeteria with traffic light colors. Green means healthy choice, yellow means so-so, and red means less healthy choice. They reported these findings. Basically, people started buying more healthy food items and fewer unhealthy items.

Not to be evil, but here’s my question: why don’t they just serve healthier food instead of labeling it? They have the evidence that people will buy it. My unofficial study about diet soda vs. regular soda from many years ago is that when I would bring diet soda to a party and all the other beverages had sugar…my soda went first. Every time. (I had to start hoarding it.) Soda may not be a good example, since none of it is all that great for us, but my point is that when (decent and well-prepared) healthy food is an option, many – if not most – people will choose it. It’s all about what’s in front of us.

I propose that hospital cafeterias (of all people) serve healthy food without labels. If you serve it, we will buy.

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Preaching to the Choir

Posted on January 13, 2014 by janekdickinson

FotoFlexer_Photo-187x300U.S. News and World Report came out with their “best diets 2014,” and I must say that the first paragraph in this write-up basically sums up what’s in my book. (Well, there’s actually more, but the message about balance is a big part of it.)

For those who are new to diabetes, especially, and for those who love someone with diabetes and need to understand it a little more, please consider picking up a copy of People With Diabetes Can Eat Anything: It’s All About Balance. Shameless plug, perhaps, but the truth is, this is important information for a lot of people who either haven’t gotten the message or need a place to sort through and make sense of all the information.

In addition to the message about balance in nutrition, my other big point is that it’s not a can or can’t situation: it’s really about choices that we make. This approach helps us have a positive attitude about managing diabetes, which, in turn, helps us live well with diabetes.

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Avoiding Empty Calories

Posted on January 10, 2014 by janekdickinson

There is no value to “empty” calories. They come from added sugar and solid fats and provide very little nutritional value. A recent article says that only 8 to 19 percent of our daily intake should come from “empty” calories, yet there is a tendency for kids to eat up to 35 percent. I imagine it’s not much different for many adults.

Added sugar is found in processed food. I think of all the packaged cookies, cakes, and sweet, snacky things that are readily available. Basically most things you see in a convenience store. Solid fats are found in high-fat milk, and other dairy products. Many packaged foods are high in fat as well. You hear all the time about how dangerous hydrogenated oils (trans fats) are – they contribute to unhealthy blood vessels and therefore health problems. These are the fats in packaged foods.

But how to avoid these items?? When I travel with my kids, I explain that we are stopping for gas and a restroom break, but we are not buying anything inside the store. I bring fruit, veggies, nuts, other snacks, and water and keep them handy in the car. Not to mention, the snacks and drinks in those convenience stores are expensive! By packing my own snacks, I save some money.

To be fair, I will give credit to stores – and I’m seeing more and more – that are stocking healthier snacks such as fresh fruit and nuts. They are moving in the right direction.

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Travesty in diabetes care

Posted on January 8, 2014 by janekdickinson

downloadYes, travesty. It’s a dramatic word, but to me, this statistic is dramatic and not in a good way. This article reports that only 29% of people surveyed responded that they were asked for input in their                                                                          diabetes management plan(s).

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of someone with a chronic disease – requiring daily management – being in charge of their care. The person with diabetes is at the helm, in the driver’s seat, in charge. They absolutely have to give their input. Health care providers cannot even attempt to help in any way – by providing information or guidance/suggestions/recommendations – if the person with diabetes does not give input. It just doesn’t make sense.

We use all sorts of vehicle-related analogies when teaching about diabetes, yet we are driving blindly if we are telling people what to do and not asking what they know, how they understand things, what’s going on in the big picture for them, and what their questions/concerns are. With that input it becomes not just telling people what to do, but working with people to achieve healthy outcomes.

The American Diabetes Association, for at least the second year in a row, is emphasizing individualized care in their standards for medical care of people with diabetes. But how are health care providers defining individualized care? If it doesn’t include patients’ input, then I’m not so sure it’s individualized. We need to walk the walk and not just talk the talk, people.

Health care professionals, please, please, ask patients for their input. It’s critical for best outcomes for people with diabetes, and isn’t that why we are in this business, after all?

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A new wording for weight loss

Posted on January 6, 2014 by janekdickinson

the-power-of-wordsIf you’ve read several of my posts, then you probably know that I think the words we use are important. I believe that language makes a difference in our lives and in our attitudes toward living well with diabetes. I am a word person baseline, but language as it relates to health is probably even more important to me than roots and prefixes, spelling, or grammar.

Words can have an impact on how we view our health and ourselves. Words can leave a subtle imprint (message), or they can be a slap in the face. Sometimes we don’t realize the effect words have on us. Thinking about and evolving in terms of the words we use and the words we avoid is an ongoing process – I’m learning more all the time.

One thing that people tend to say is “my weight.” While I am a strong believer in owning our health, our choices, and our attitude, I think attaching ourselves to weight can make it harder to take weight off. Something to consider is saying, “I plan to lose weight,” rather than “I need to lose my weight.” If it belongs to us, and there’s an attachment, how will we ever get rid of it? I propose detaching from the idea of extra weight as a prelude to taking the weight off our bodies. As if to say, “This doesn’t belong here.”

More on language another time, I’m sure!

 

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Happy New Year, Diabetes!

Posted on January 1, 2014 by janekdickinson

Colourful 2014 in fiery sparklersWell, I certainly fell off my “limited carb” wagon this past week! And the great thing is that it’s ok. I know I can get back to my new(ish) habits, push past resistance, and start fresh today for the new year.

I’m excited for 2014; I really think it’s going to be a great year. I learned a lot in 2013 and made some amazing memories. And I’m ready to move forward.

Just yesterday, at the 11th hour (New Year’s Eve) I uploaded new software and transferred old data to the new program. I also learned how to schedule posts on my facebook page. This may not sound like a big deal, but for me this is teaching an old dog new tricks. And with diabetes it’s important to learn new tricks – constantly!

So I start this new year with the strong belief that we can all change and grow, develop new habits, learn new tricks, make healthy choices, and enjoy life.

Happy 2014 to all of you!

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Goals vs. Systems

Posted on December 30, 2013 by janekdickinson

goalsvssystems-150x150I just read this article, which says that rather than setting goals, we can work on changing systems for how we do things. This, eventually, will lead to achieving our goals. One example the author gave was that if you are a runner and your goal is to run a marathon, your system is your training schedule. He suggests that by focusing on systems or processes, rather than goals, we can increase happiness and motivation.

I like this way of thinking because it seems to me that it’s easy to lose sight of goals. Or get discouraged if they don’t happen immediately. Weight loss is another example. If we focus on a goal of losing a certain number of pounds it may seem to take forever (or never happen). But if we focus on changing eating habits (whether that’s adding something healthy, or avoiding something less healthy), we may have more success in actually losing weight and keeping it off.

This has me thinking about New Year’s resolutions now. I think I’ll adjust my resolutions to focus on changing processes rather setting goals. I’m excited to see how this goes!

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