Today I share with you the true story of how something so small as a paperclip can lead to a life threatening situation for a Diabetic. I tell you this story as a podiatrist who has treated diabetic patients for over 30 years, and seen many devastating complications resulting from diabetes. It is my hope that this story will help you avoid such complications.
As an eye doctor, I hope (and even at times, take for granted) that my diabetic patients understand the possibility of developing diabetic retinopathy... The frightening reality is that according to new research by an epidemiologist (Dr. Zhang, Atlanta), some form of diabetic retinopathy is found in almost one in three diabetic patients.
Generally, the skin and soft tissues can take longer to heal in people with diabetes. This is important with sports injuries, abrasions to the skin, tendon, and ligament injuries. Cuts and bruises may become infected more easily so extra care is important.
Maintaining a healthy bladder can be hard when you have diabetes. Bladder problems are common as a result of the aging process. Diabetes makes these problems appear at an earlier onset and often with more severity. By keeping your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol under control, and stopping smoking, you can lower your risk of […]
Most times when I ask a new patient with diabetes why they are in my chair, rarely is it because they came on their own. To me, this means that this patient may not truly know how serious diabetes can be or how it can affect their eyes.
Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults […]
Calcium and Vitamin D have long played a vital role for the proper function of the human body. To achieve that, Americans need to consume sufficient amounts of dairy foods, such as milk, cheese and yogurt.
Studies show that consuming the recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D reduces the risk of developing Type II diabetes by […]
Diabetes can damage all parts of your body, including your nerves. This is called neuropathy. Neuropathy is partly due to the effects of blood sugar.
There are two types: Peripheral neuropathy and autonomic neuropathy.
As a primary eye care practitioner, I am continually astonished by the number of diabetes patients I see who have either never had a dilated eye exam or feel they don’t require one (or at least not as often as I recommend). Then there are people with diabetes who are shocked to find out that their […]
It has long been suspected that there is a link between stress and diabetes. It has also been observed that people with diabetes sometimes experience cognitive decline as the disease progresses. A new study from National Institute on Aging (NIA) explores these connections and offers hope for improved diabetes management.
One of the leading long term complications of diabetes is chronic kidney disease. In fact diabetes is the number one cause of chronic kidney disease as well as the biggest reason people are placed on dialysis. Diabetes causes injury to the small blood vessels located in the kidneys which results in these future issues. “30% of […]