About this time each year I suggest to my patients that they receive a flu vaccine. The flu (also known as influenza) affects the respiratory system and may cause serious complications including bronchitis and pneumonia. Along with antibiotics, anesthesia, chemotherapy and sterile technique, vaccines are one of the miracles of modern medicine.
Tooth and gum problems (gingivitis: red, swollen and bleeding gums which do not affect the bone; periodontitis: inflammation around the tooth which causes bone loss and can elevate blood sugars) are more common in people with diabetes – especially when blood sugars are uncontrolled. High blood sugars prevent the white blood cells from fighting infection and […]
Each week, after our newsletter is published, I receive multiple questions from our customer base. I generally respond to those specific customers directly but have decided that these questions may benefit everyone in our ADW family. I often share questions and concerns from the patients from my diabetes practice but now you can all join in. […]
In continuation from last week's newsletter, I wanted to add more useful restaurant tips. If you plan ahead, think of reasonable food choices prior to arriving at the restaurant and you and your diabetes will be pleased with your dining experience. We are all human; try to enjoy the meal as a social experience without feeling guilty or deprived.
There are many retirees living with diabetes in South Florida where I educate people in a self management program; a big proportion of them spend a majority of their time eating out in restaurants. […]
There is always new information pertaining to topics on diabetes being presented from various sources such as television, the web, and medical journal studies. I like to explain the trends in a simple format to help you stay connected without all the medical jargon. I try to cover a variety of topics in this newsletter which […]
As a diabetes educator, I have long been a fan of the Extend Nutrition product line-up. Patients frequently have commented about their yummy taste, reasonable price and ability to keep them less hungry with good blood glucose control for hours. Formerly known as Extend Snacks, these low-glycemic products have been created to help maintain steady glucose […]
This week alone during diabetes education sessions I instructed 4 patients who have different stages of kidney disease, including one gentleman who will soon be starting dialysis. None of these patients had prior diabetes education – although each one has had diabetes for 8 years or more. The truth is many of these problems could have […]
One of the questions on the initial diabetes assessment form used during our educational session is “Are you taking your diabetes medications as prescribed?” Many patients often admit that they are not taking their medications as prescribed, and others admit they have stopped taking them altogether. Below are some Tips for taking your Diabetes Medication Correctly.
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New and interesting questions were presented this week during my diabetes teaching sessions and I would like to share them with you. You may have read these stories in the recent headlines but let’s review them as I did in practice with my patients.