This week I met with a 63 year old African American gentleman during our diabetes education session. It was his second visit to the practice and he was completely aggravated. His initial visit had been 5 weeks earlier when he was started on insulin shots. He admitted that although he had been diagnosed 12 years ago […]
Holiday time can be challenging for anyone, but may be even more difficult when you have diabetes. People tend to eat comfort foods which are usually fatty, greasy and contain higher calories. Levels of cholesterol tend to increase during the winter months due to rich food choices. Blood sugar levels can soar when poor decisions are […]
I have frequently heard from my patients that preventing weight gain when on insulin is nearly impossible. The research in the literature often states the same thing. The reason for weight gain is when you are taking insulin you are no longer losing large amounts of sugar and calories through your urine as when you are […]
Sharing the questions and concerns of real patients can offer you information you might never seek. Although I often teach the same general concepts, it is the actual patients and their questions which make the subject so interesting. Everyone interprets the information in a different way. There is so much for people with diabetes to learn. […]
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 […]