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Insulin pumps are life savers for some people with type 1 diabetes.  They are designed to deliver insulin at a steady rate to an individual that needs it.  The cost of an insulin pump is no small thing.  The pump itself is about $6,000 and the insulin and other supplies that go with the pump costs about $3,500 to $4,000 per year.  As a result, many individuals on limited incomes who need the pumps cannot afford them.

In most cases these pumps are the difference between life and death.  They are used to help maintain kidney function and prevent kidney failure and to prevent heart attack and stroke. 

Ontario, Canada recently began a special project which will ensure that all of its citizens who have type 1 diabetes receive a pump along with all supplies for free.  This program makes Ontario one of the first places in the world to address this issue in such a far-reaching way.

By removing the financial barriers for those with type 1 diabetes so that they can acquire their insulin pump, Ontario has taken diabetes management to a new level, and has become a world leader in this area.

When thinking about the cost of the program, Ontario considers this a good investment.  After all, by spending $741 million dollars for the program, Ontario is certainly saving much more than that amount by delaying or eliminating the possibility of surgery of various types, amputation and limb replacement, kidney transplants, dialysis, open heart surgery, recovery from stroke, aneurism and other  products of diabetes.

In addition to the insulin pump program for type 1 diabetes, a vast educational program regarding type 2 diabetes has been announced.  The idea behind the program is for Ontarians to have the information, tools and skills they need to become full partners in managing their diabetes.

With Ontario, Canada leading the way, it should not be long before other cities around the world follow suit in the fight against one of the world’s leading killers.

It has often been said that if you speak to people in their own language they are more responsive than if they had to go through a translator.  This being the case, it is also true that community based education is more effective when tailored to the community it is being shared with.

This is especially true when it comes to education about diabetes.  The disease affects many individuals from all cultures and walks of life, however, different groups approach diabetes in unique ways. 

Some cultures do not like to talk about illness and have a hard time discussing issues like diet, insulin, injections and more in public; however, they are willing to discuss these essential issues at a church group or in a group at someone’s home.

Other cultures have traditionally not been aware of the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and tools regarding diabetes, and have not been aware that of the 8% of the total population diagnosed with diabetes, they make up about ¼ of that 8%. 

Often, groups do not know where to go to get tested, how to get information and where to receive treatment.  They also believe that their culture does not have a high incidence of diabetes and they do not know what type of treatment is available.

In some cultures it is not appropriate or comfortable for males and females to discuss such personal issues in the same group, so community groups can be set up separately for males and for females. 

The idea behind trying to set up as many groups in as many ways for as many cultures within each community as possible will hopefully find a way to reach as many individuals who may be affected by diabetes and help them learn all they can about the disease itself and how to take care of themselves or a loved one who has or may have diabetes. 

By taking into consideration the community, ethnicity and gender of individuals and groups and developing diabetes education accordingly, there is a strong chance that more people of all backgrounds will become informed and be able to keep themselves healthy by having their symptoms diagnosed and controlling them, as well.

Diabetes is an insidious disease that strikes at any age.  In addition to sneaking up on individuals, diabetes has a history of symptoms which, if not identified quickly can take a huge toll on a person and greatly interfere with their life.

Diabetes knows no boundaries.  It can attack a homemaker, a business man or woman, a person of any ethnic group or age, and even amateur or professional athletes.

One case in point is the Washington Nationals Baseball Team.  One of their players, first baseman Dmitri Young, has diabetes.  This does not preclude him playing baseball, just as diabetes does not preclude Mary Tyler Moore from acting. 

However, when a person  - even a pro athlete – is battling symptoms of diabetes that are affecting his or her ability to play, that is a different story.  Dmitri Young is in a tough situation.  He is having trouble controlling the symptoms of his diabetes and, as a result is unable to join his team on the road.  He had had to stay in
Washington, D.C. to deal with trying to get his diabetes under control.

There are times when the symptoms are slight enough that they don’t create big enough problems that can take one away from work.  However, in some cases the symptoms interfere with basic performance.  In Dmitri Young’s case, his symptoms will not allow him to play ball.  He is suffering from vision problems and dizziness, not a good combination for a ball player.

Many diabetics experience flare ups from time to time and have to work with their physicians to get their symptoms under control.  This can involve a variety of things including special diet, adjusting medication, exercise and/or rest and other assistance to get the individual back on track.

It is not known how long Dmitri Young will have to stay in D.C. while his team is on the road.  This can be devastating to anyone, but especially to an athlete.  Hopefully, he and his medical professionals will find the right combination of tools to get his symptoms under control and help him get back in the game soon.

Diabetes can be menacing and hard to control.  Usually it is not controlled by one thing alone, such as diet, but by a combination of things that work together on the body to regulate diabetes and its symptoms.

Exercise has long been encouraged as one of the tools to combat diabetes.  Studies have shown that exercise has an effect on blood glucose levels, as well as heart rate, blood pressure and other levels in the body.

A recent study in Britain determined that blood glucose levels can be kept under control simply by walking for 45 minutes.  The study, performed by Newcastle University, found that walking improved the body’s ability to store sugar and burn fat.  After a few weeks of doing this regularly, the effects of diabetes was reduced.  This is especially true for individuals with late onset or type 2 diabetes.

A high percentage of cases of diabetes are linked to sedentary lifestyle, which includes a lack of exercise, and obesity, which is often the result of a sedentary lifestyle combined with poor eating habits.

As diabetes progresses – if not treated and brought under control – it leads to blood vessel damage, risk of stroke and heart attack, visual problems including blindness, kidney damage and, because of cardiovascular issues, can result in amputation of limbs.

The studies at Newcastle give individuals with diabetes an immediate tool in the arsenal against the symptoms of diabetes without having to add another medication to their regimen.  Even if an individual starts out for just a few minutes every day and builds up to 45 minutes, it will still do some good.

The Newcastle studies showed that by being more active individuals were able to store more sugar in their muscles and they were able to burn more fat.  This is important information since the muscles store most of the sugar in the body, and if they are unable to absorb enough sugar, the sugar ends up in the bloodstream keeping the levels too high.  This causes damage to the veins, arteries and many of the organs.

If you have diabetes or know someone who does, let them know that they don’t have to spend hours in the gym to try to control it.  Encourage them to walk for a few minutes a day and work up to 45 minutes every day.  It will improve their health and their life, and it very well could save it.

There are so many factors that contribute to diabetes whether you are a man, woman or child.  The foods we eat, smoking, drinking, exercise – or lack of – and many more factors contribute to the onset or exacerbation of diabetes.  There have been more and more studies regarding links to diabetes in these areas.

Newer studies have identified another area of risk for diabetes in men.  Researchers have discovered that the more anxiety men have, the more they are at risk of developing diabetes or at risk of their diabetes worsening if they already have the disease. 

Studies followed over 2,100 men in Sweden for ten years to see the effects of anxiety on them.  At the beginning of the studies, all the participants had normal blood glucose levels.  They were all asked questions about anxiety, apathy, depression, fatigue and insomnia. 

By the end of the study nearly 250 men had pre-diabetes, which means that they were likely to develop full-blown type 2 diabetes.  Another 103 men had developed full-blown type 2 diabetes.  The men who developed pre-diabetes and full-blown diabetes were the ones who had the highest levels of stress and anxiety at the start of the studies and were over 2 times more likely to develop diabetes than the men with low anxiety.

Over 3,000 women were also studied, however, it was determined that their risk of diabetes was not linked to anxiety and stress. 

Other studies have already shown heart disease and blood pressure issues are linked to anxiety and stress, as well as psychological distress and depression, however, studies regarding these factors and diabetes have been suspected but not studied.  The study in Sweden has helped identify a major factor in the development of diabetes which could help lead to further prevention or control of the disease.

If you have diabetes and depend on insulin, there are some important things that you must know regarding diet.  One of the most important points is that insulin injections do not take the place of proper nutrition.

Often, if a person has diabetes, it has been hard for them to stay away from eating things that can make their diabetes worse.  Certain carbohydrates and, of course, sugars are not good for diabetics, in fact, they can make your diabetes worse, even if a person is on insulin shots.

Though insulin helps to keep your blood glucose levels balanced and stable, it needs your help to do its job.  That means that if you are eating a lot of vegetables, protein and other wholesome food, the insulin you are injecting is able to do its job more effectively and efficiently.  If you must endure those shots daily – or sometimes several times per day – why not make them work the best they can?

Also, when taking insulin shots, it is important to eat the right foods at the right times so that your organs are not taxed. Diabetes can take a toll on the arteries, your heart and your kidneys.  If your kidneys are being helped by insulin, but, at the same time, you are eating foods that negate the positive effects of the insulin and make your kidneys work harder as a filter; you are actually working against the insulin you are taking.  You are also creating a situation where your kidneys could fail, and they could fail a lot sooner, than if you were being more careful. 

With all the advances as far as controlling diabetes and helping people enjoy longer, healthier lives, there is still no cure for the disease.  There is also no way to turn kidney damage around once it has been done.

So, if you have diabetes, especially if you are taking insulin shots, help them to work as efficiently as possible for you by watching your diet and taking care of yourself so that you will live a longer and healthier life.

In the past, if you had diabetes, almost anything with much sugar in it was considered “poison” to your system.  Over the years, different candy makers came out with “sugar-free” and other types of candy for diabetics, however many of the candies offered definitely tasted sugar free and full of artificial sweeteners and saccharin.

During the past few years many of the more well known candy makers such as Sees, Russell Stover, Hershey’s, Dove and others have concentrated on making candy – and cookies – that are safe for diabetics and actually taste good, too.  In fact, some of the diabetic candy that is available now is actually as good or better than the regular kind of candy by the same candy makers.

Hershey’s had a wonderful special dark chocolate recipe that tastes as rich as their regular special dark chocolate, and it even comes in the miniatures that chocolate lovers like so much. 

There are also various brands and types of ice cream that are much safer for diabetics, with many flavors to choose from.  It is no longer a choice between vanilla and chocolate, neither of which used to be satisfying in the no-sugar, lots of saccharin varieties.  These days there are flavors ranging from lemon, peach and lots of berries to chocolate, caramel, toffee, coffee, and yes, for you vanilla lovers, there is vanilla – creamy, rich vanilla.

Add to these sweets cookies and cakes made with diabetics in mind, as well as flavored water – sweetened (with artificial sweeteners) or unsweetened, sodas in all shapes, sizes, flavors and colors and teas, as well, and there is no shortage of choices to help cure a sweet tooth without making a person’s diabetes worse.

So, if you happen to have diabetes, it should be a pleasure for you to know that if you are attracted by the allure of sweets there are plenty of good ones out there that taste great and they will keep your cravings at bay.  Take a trip to the store and see what catches your eye.  Then enjoy!  You can now do it safely and deliciously.

Frances was nearly forty when she had her first child, a healthy baby boy.  She had experienced some health issues in the past, including hormone issues and thyroid problems, so when she went to her doctor with symptoms of fatigue and excess thirst, her doctor told her that it had to do with her existing issues plus having a late in life baby.  Frances accepted that and muddled through the following months.

A year later, right after her son’s first birthday, Frances was feeling worse.  She went to the doctor again.  He had blood drawn and told her that if she didn’t feel better in a month or so, he would order some further tests.

A month later, Frances still felt ill.  Her energy was sapped.  She was often dizzy.  She was extremely thirsty most of the time.  She reported the symptoms to her doctor who put her on oral diabetes medication.  He felt she might be “borderline” diabetic and wanted to control her symptoms.

He did not talk to her about diet and exercise, nor did he do blood panels or fasting tests.  He left her on the oral diabetes medication until one day, over a year later, she felt so badly that her husband took her to the emergency room where they discovered that her blood sugar was twice the normal level and she could have gone into a diabetic coma.

After a few days in the hospital stabilizing her blood sugar and insulin levels, Frances was sent home, armed with information and medication.  She was given a healthy diet, as well as being given a prescription to take insulin by injection. 

Frances improved rapidly and enjoyed a normal and healthy lifestyle after she was properly diagnosed.  Unfortunately, however, it should not have gotten to the point where her life was in danger.  Her doctor should have looked into her complaints much sooner and more thoroughly.  If this had happened, Frances may very well have been able to control her diabetes with oral medication and proper nutrition, not insulin injections. 

If you find yourself in the situation that Frances was in and you notice symptoms such as frequent urination, excessive thirst, tiredness and fatigue or other symptoms on an ongoing basis, see your doctor and make sure that your doctor – or another doctor – takes the proper tests and follows up so that you are diagnosed early and can control your diabetes before it is out of control

Diabetes has long been known to have side effects and other diseases that are brought on by the diabetes itself.  Hypertension, kidney disease, heart disease, blocked arteries, neuropathy and other ailments go hand in hand with diabetes.  Often, through good diet with or without medication, depending upon how advanced the diabetes is, the diabetes and the side effects can be kept under control and/or at bay for a long time.  It is unique to each person and their situation, including stressors in their life, genetics, the amount of sleep and exercise they get, and other factors.

One issue that often accompanies diabetes to varying degrees it the issue of depression.  The fact that a person has diabetes can be difficult enough, however, depending on the person’s metabolism and the severity of the diabetes, an individual can experience mild to severe depression along with their diabetes.

Diabetes is an ”emotional” disease.  It effects the metabolism in such a way that the metabolism itself can be imbalanced enough to bring on an array of emotions, especially depression.  Worse yet, the fear of what can actually happen in tandem with or in addition to the diabetes itself can be so overwhelming that it is impossible for some people not to be depressed.  This often happens because there is a lack of knowledge and information.

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is important that you get as much information as possible.  Don’t jump to the conclusion that you are in line for a heart attack, dialysis or amputation.  Find out what you can do to stay as healthy as possible.  Find out what a good diet would be and what exercise is important for you personally.  Ask your doctor what you can do to offset the diabetes.

Find out about support groups in your area.  They are usually available through the local senior center or the local hospital at little or no charge. 

If you are feeling “down” or extra tired, sad, crying a lot, worried, stressed or upset and can’t shake the feeling in a few days, call your doctor and let him or her know and ask how you can get help, including medication.  Your doctor may recommend a therapist, as well.

Diabetes can be a very difficult disease to understand and to deal with, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.  This is normal and understandable and there is help.  Diabetes and Depression often go hand and hand, but they can be managed together, so that you can feel as good as possible, do the things you love to do, and live a normal life – even with the disease.

If you have diabetes and are on Medicare, you probably know how to order your supplies and your probably have a supplier or pharmacy that you deal with currently.  That is very important because it is essential that you keep your diabetes under control so that your health stays as good as possible.

If you do not know how to get the supplies you need there are things you need to know about how to do this, especially if you have been recently diagnosed and are just now having to do this.

Usually your doctor will help you and point you in the right direction.  In addition, your local diabetes association and/or hospital can assist you, too.  Most hospitals have a social worker or nurse who helps individuals with their health issues, including connecting them to essential supplies and information.  There are also support groups, workshops and other information in most communities – usually sponsored by the local hospital – that will help you find resources and also connect you with other individuals who have diabetes.

What you will initially need from your doctor is a prescription stating that you need lancets to draw blood to test for glucose levels, you will also need the prescription to indicate how many lancets you need for one month.  There will be a prescription needed for test strips so that you can acquire a reading for the results, and you will also need a glucose meter to go with all of this.  If you are covered by Medicare, you should be able to get all or most of this without charge.  Your doctor should be able to instruct you as to how to do this or who to contact to take care of this.

If you hare having problems with your feet because of your diabetes, this is usually called neuropathy.  If the doctor says you have this condition because you have told him or her that your feet are burning or hurting, you can get a prescription for special shoes for people with diabetes and Medicare will pay for most, if not all of the cost.