Energy drinks are everywhere you look.  They are available in grocery stores, vending machines, convenient and drug stores.  Some of my friends use them for a quick energy fix. Many cannot get through the day without having at least one. There are even sugar-free brands that are diabetes friendly.

I do know that these drinks are extremely high in caffeine. Some can have as much as 500 mg in every 8-ounce serving. To me, that is excessive, since a 5-ounce mug of coffee has between 60-150 mg. But, keep in mind; most people don’t drink just 5 oz…I think I will just stick to my coffee!  If you look at the nutrition label on a can or bottle, the caffeine amount is not even listed. Energy drinks usually contain guarana which supplies an additional amount of concentrated caffeine. This should concern some people with diabetes because too much caffeine can increase the heart rate and elevate your blood pressure. Both conditions can lead to a heart attack. Many people with type 2 diabetes already have high blood pressure and heart disease.  

In additions, these drinks may also contain herbal supplements.  Certain herbs can interfere with some of your diabetes medicines. The best message to take home, if you have diabetes, is to always speak with your doctor about these types of drinks. I strongly believe that all we need to do is to get plenty of sleep and exercise. Both can help boost our energy levels without needing any of these energy drinks.

What are your thoughts?

 

 

^{Reference: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/UnderstandingOver-the-CounterMedicines/UCM205286.pdf,  accessed 12/9/2011.}

^{http://www.samhsa.gov/data/2k11/WEB_DAWN_089/WEB_DAWN_089_HTML.pdf , accessed 12/9/2011.}

Recently, I read about a new concept that uses a contrast in the plate color and the food served on it.  The contrast of the plate and food can affect how we view portion sizes. 

You can perform your own experiment to see how this works.

• Place cream colored pasta on a white plate
• Serve pasta with red sauce on a white plate.

You will notice that you have a larger portion of creamed colored pasta compared to the pasta with red sauce. This shows that the less contrast between the color of food and the plate, the more you will eat.  Two-hundred people participated in a study and this is exactly what happened. It was also noted during the same study, when a white plate on a black tablecloth is used, the servings were 10% larger than a white plate on a white tablecloth. So, the opposite occurs; The higher the contrast the larger the food portions.

Try this and see if it makes a difference in controlling your food portions.  Let us know how it goes!

 

 

^{http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204753404577066253349009674.html?KEYWORDS=heaping+plates , accessed 11/29/2011.}

I recently read an article titled, “Strategies for Insulin Injection Therapy in Diabetes Self- Management,” by the American Association of Diabetes Educators.  It stated that there is a lot of evidence showing the benefits of insulin therapy.  However, insulin continues to be under used in the United States compared to other countries.  Only 29% of adults with diabetes in the U.S. use insulin.  The results of two surveys recently completed showed that one-third of patients fail to take their insulin as ordered by the doctor and 29% skip their doses¹.  This tells us that there are many barriers to insulin use, resulting in poor blood sugar control and an increase in complications.

In spite of the importance of insulin therapy both doctors and patients try to avoid it.  Doctors tend to prescribe it as a last resort.  The Diabetes Attitudes, Wishes and Needs (DAWN) study showed that, in the U.S, insulin therapy is started later than in other countries².  The reasons were based on physician beliefs that insulin should be delayed and patient’s lack of education on insulin.

Patient barriers include:                                            

• False information on insulin

• They no longer have control

• Fear of needles and pain

• Weight gain

• Fear of hypoglycemia

• Too complicated to learn

 

Physician barriers include:

• Patient will not continue taking the insulin

• Patient will gain weight

• Patient resistance

• Patient lack of education

 

As an educator, I believe that insulin therapy should be started earlier in the treatment of newly diagnosed diabetes whether type 1 or type 2, control can be achieved sooner.  Patients can delay the onset of complications that occur too early and too frequently.   

Do you think adding insulin to your medication regimen would help you? 

 

 

^{1 Supplement to The Diabetes Educator Vol. 37. NO 6 American Association of Diabetes Educators  pg.2-7.}

^{2 Supplement to The Diabetes Educator Vol. 37. NO 6 American Association of Diabetes Educators  pg.2-7.}

I have two friends who have had the gastric bypass surgery.  They qualified for two reasons; Their BMI ranged between 35.0-39.9 and they have type 2 diabetes.  Both of my friends lost almost 100 pounds each!   Most importantly, they were taken off of their diabetes medicine to manage it with diet and exercise.  One of my friends actually suffered from frequent hypoglycemic episodes after this.  She was able to get it under control quickly, having known before-hand that this is a common side effect with this type of surgery.  Gastric Bypass is becoming more common for people with type 2 diabetes as an option to lose the weight.  

Gastric Bypass sounds like a quick and easy fix to dropping some serious weight, right?  What some people don’t understand is that you can gain the weight back by overeating very easily.  That is exactly what happened to both of my friends.  As a result of not following a smaller/strict diet, they both are back on their diabetes medicine and have regained the weight that was dropped from the gastric bypass surgery.

What are some other safe options for weight loss with diabetes?

Do you know anyone this has happened to?  Did they decide to have the surgery again?

I found a wonderful web page that shows how to enjoy Thanksgiving and still eat healthy.  It demonstrates exactly how to enjoy the stuffing, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie we all love to eat on Thanksgiving Day.  The plate is divided into three portions/sections so you don’t have to measure your food.  Fill one portion with vegetables, divide the other half into two equal sections, one for stuffing and sweet potatoes and the other for the turkey. 

You will also find easy recipes to make these favorite foods with healthier ingredients.  One recipe that caught my eye was the tangerine cranberry relish which has zero grams of carbs or fat.  Also included are eleven health tips for you to use for a happy, healthy Thanksgiving!

I’m going to try to stick to calorie-free drinks throughout the day so that I can enjoy some dessert!

Also, don’t forget to sign the Healthy Holiday Eating Contract (Page 5 of the web page).  It is always helpful to set goals and list what you want to accomplish this holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving from CCS Medical!

 

http://www.diabeteseducator.org/export/sites/aade/_resources/pdf/general/ThanksgivingPlateResource.pdf Accessed 10/21/2011.

The holidays can be a challenge for people with diabetes and the stress can be too much with all the activities going on.  You are probably preparing for entertaining, family visits, buying gifts and parties.  Besides all of this, you are working full time, therefore, diabetes care is put on the back burner.

Here are some tips to plan for a relaxing and enjoyable holiday season:

• Plan your schedule, make a list of gifts to purchase and do some shopping online
• Always carry glucose tablets and your blood glucose meter in your car, purse or pocket
• Carry a healthy snack like nuts, a small apple with cubes of cheese or peanut butter and crackers instead of eating in the food court
• Keep your exercise schedule, it can reduce stress
• Prepare your traditional holiday food with healthier ingredients
• Bring a pre-mixed light alcoholic drink for fewer carbohydrates. Follow the American Diabetes Association alcohol guidelines for women 1 oz. and men 2 oz. per day.
• When traveling, get all prescription medication (insulin/pills) filled ahead of time. Take syringes, lancets, test strips, pump supplies and batteries

Enjoy your holiday season while effectively still managing your diabetes!

Do you have any tips for the holiday season?

You may have found yourself in this situation:

You scraped your foot while working outside.  You actually didn’t even know it had happened until you saw that your foot was bleeding.  After you washed and dried the area it appeared fine.  A couple of weeks later you notice that your foot is swollen, red, and painful to touch, plus a dark scab has covered the area. You are now concerned because you have heard people with diabetic foot wounds can develop complications quickly.

In this situation or when you develop a diabetic foot ulcer, the most important thing to do is to go see your doctor for an assessment of the wound and circulation.  Good blood flow to the area is very important for healing.  Diabetes can reduce blood flow to legs and feet even when you do not have a diabetic wound.  Other factors such as blood sugar control, smoking and diabetes eye or kidney problems can also be a risk for slow healing.  The doctor says that because you have feeling loss in your feet (Peripheral Neuropathy), you were unable to feel the pain when you cut your foot.  Your wound is cleaned by removing the dead tissue from the area, which is called debriding.  A treatment regimen is set up for you to follow when you get home for good diabetic foot care  You will need to clean and cover the wound twice a day with wound dressings and antibiotics are prescribed for the infection.  Following the treatment plan ordered by the doctor is very important for the wound to heal.

The underlying cause of this situation is uncontrolled diabetes which will also need to be managed more closely starting right away!

Has this ever happened to you?  What prevention steps can you recommend?

Yesterday I went to see my dentist for a routine visit.  We got to talking and she commented on how the diabetic patients that she treats have a very poor understanding on how diabetes can affect their teeth.

Did you know that people with diabetes are likely to experience tooth loss?  Why is this?  It is because bacteria is always present in the mouth, even though we don’t like to think about it.  When blood sugars are high, the bacteria will settle into the gums and results in gum disease.  The germs destroy the bone around the tooth and promote infection.

What signs and symptoms should you look for?

•      Bleeding gums when brushing and flossing
•      Gums appear red, irritated and swollen
•      Loose teeth
•      Puss oozing around the tooth
•      Mouth odor

How can you prevent this from happening?

•       Control blood sugars
•       Routine visits to your dentist

 

Remember it is easier to prevent gum disease than treat it!  What additional steps can you recommend to stay on top of your dental hygiene?

My husband and I love to cook with flavorful spices.  His cholesterol is always a little high but his triglycerides are in good shape.  A recent study found that adding spices to high fat meals reduces triglycerides by 30%!  This is valuable information as many people with diabetes have high triglyceride levels.  What a flavorful way to lower them with some spiced up meals! 

 

Here are some spices that you can try:
(Click through for recipes containing that spice)

• ·         Rosemary
• ·         Oregano
• ·         Cinnamon
• ·         Turmeric
• ·         Black Pepper
• ·         Cloves
• ·         Garlic Powder

 

What type of spice have you used or heard of that helps lower your triglycerides?

 

 

 

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/141/8/1451 Accessed 9/15/2011.