Discussing Diabetes

[Harriet]

Here's the place to share our knowledge about diabetes and pre-diabetes: a place for tips, questions, reports/logs, new things we've learned, and encouragement! Let us know what you think! If you (or a family member) are now actively managing either diabetes or pre-diabetes, let us know the smartest things you do to enhance your well-being.

[Nancy]

dlife.com has info. and message boards but
also some occasional spammers too.

Tip of the day:
Last night I was out of the house and got ready to check my blood sugar
before we ate and realised that I'd forgotten test strips. I'd exercised
been on a 6 mi. bike ride so figured I was ok. Today I opened the new bottle of
strips and put half in the old bottle and put those in the go bag.

[Harriet]

Dh here was incorrectly diagnosed with diabetes last year and although we are glad there was a mistake, it pointed out to us that he does need to be aware and careful, and could be at risk. First dr said "pre-diabetic", then called and said no, diagnosis was "diabetic", then had him monitor for a month and called yet again and said, "never mind", looks like not diabetic at all. Sigh. ??? His A1C was 5.3 recently but went up a little the last time - don't remember.

Anyway, the experience sent me to the book store determined to learn. As I physically look now at the 4 books I bought, there's a telling difference that lets me know which one to mention here! All look new except one that has SEVEN little post-it page markers sticking out of it. That one is "The 30-Day Diabetes Miracle", which we found to have the most facts/research about exactly what reduces risk/numbers and by exactly how much. Oh, wait, I'm just noticing that count doesn't include the paper clips! Can you tell we learned a lot from this book?

We learned from the book above that a healthy Vitamin D level is VITAL for those concerned about diabetes. (30 ng per dl is okay, but 50 would be better. The "good" range is up to 100.) Dh was at 18 at one point (scary) and even lower once before, don't remember, because he has historically had trouble maintaining some vitamin levels (hereditary) and we learned that increasing his level would improve his pancreas function. His dr now puts him on prescription Vitamin D if the blood tests dip. He's finishing up a round now and will go back to OTC capsules.

Other things we have learned: "Minute Clinics" and other in-drug-store nurse services can do A1C tests. Here they are $50, which might be too high to be practical, depending on the person. Also Bayer has a productto just test A1C at home (scroll down that page for a video of using it) that would be about $15 per test at home. That is probably the coming thing.

[Nancy]

Harriet I would love to know the title of those books.
Glad to know your dh does not have diabetes.

Speaking of diagnoses:
I was diag. w/ gestational diab. in my early 20's with both kids, it went away after the birth of
each child, the doc. did say I was a prime canidate for diabetes type 2 later on in my life.

Dson had gotten type 1 from a virus when he was 17.
Three years ago I got type one also.
Every one on my mom's side of the family have type 2.

Going in to my third year of having this I can't believe how much I'm still learning
about this. Things are going along pretty smoothly and then "wham" I get hit with some thing like a cold or summer heat that really throws my system off,
or messes my schedule up.
It really keeps one on their toes!

[Nancy]

Website of Bob Green's from the oprah show segment with info. on diabetes boot camp.
http://www.thebestlife.com
I went to this and there seems to be a charge for at least part of it.

[Indiana]

Here are some good sites that I have bookmarked. Each site is a little different and all have great information.

I have listed whose site, the address of the site and a little about the site.

American Diabetes Association
http://www.diabetes.org/
It has basics, living with diabetes and food and fitness. Some good recipes.

American Heart Association – Diabetes Section
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Condition ... mePage.jsp
There is information, tools, treatment, monitoring, health assessment, and a newsletter.

Diabetes.com
http://www.diabetes.com/
This is on Type 2 diabetes. It has managing, controlling blood sugar, eating and activity, meds and ways to help yourself. Plus a are you in control quiz.

Changing Life with Diabetes
http://www.changingdiabetes-us.com/defa ... LWDeMail01
It has basics, managing, tools, menus, a care plan and a plan to set priorities.

Diabetes Monitor
http://www.diabetesmonitor.com/
There is a learning center, about supplies, diet and lifestyle, recipes and new developments.

dLife
http://www.dlife.com/?adId=18090
It has recipes, healthy eating, a forum, management, self care behaviors and a tv show in cable once a week.

Glucerna
http://glucerna.com/
Although it is a site for glucerna it has management tools and eating right.

Joslin Diabetes Center (affiliated with Harvard Medical School)
http://www.joslin.org/index.html
This has a lot of information in the learning center.

Somogyi effect VS. Dawn Phenomenon
http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/informati ... _0106.html
This is an excellent article explaining both effects. My doctor discovered I had both.

[Indiana]

Here are a few links for nutrition:

American Dietetic Association – eat right
http://www.eatright.org/default.aspx
It has good food and nutrition information not only for the diabetic but also for anyone.

Kraft Foods
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/healthy-liv ... /main.aspx
Although a Kraft site is has tools and calculators and information for healthy living.

SELF Nutrition Data
http://nutritiondata.self.com/
This is the best site ever for anyone. It has weight loss, diabetes, heart health, analysis of foods, glycemic loads and information.

US Department of Health & Human Services
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/ ... d_exch.htm
This has information on Food Exchange Lists

My Food Advisor
http://tracker.diabetes.org/
Calories and exchanges of various foods, recipes, and tracking your recipes.

Diabetic Exchange List
http://www.perinatology.com/Nutrition/E ... 20LIST.pdf
There are lists of food groups and information about each one.

Dietary Exchange Table
http://www.mealsforyou.com/cgi-bin/cust ... anges.html
It shows the carbs, protein, fat, and calories in each food exchange.

Meals For You
http://www.mealsforyou.com/cgi-bin/cust ... anges.html
This is a chart to use to convert food items to exchanges.

[Indiana]

Here is a list of diabetic recipe sites.

The recipes are good - anyone that wants to eat healthy will enjoy.

Cooks Recipes
http://www.cooksrecipes.com/category/diabetic.html
Gives nutritional value of all recipes and in some cases exchanges.

Dave’s Garden
http://davesgarden.com/cookbook/bycat.p ... ame=health
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Diabetes Self Management
http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/recipes/
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Diabetic Gourmet
http://www.diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Recipe Goldmine
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/diabetic/ ... -rice.html
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes

Diabetic-Recipes
http://www.diabetic-recipes.com/
There are menus and gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Healthy Diabetic Recipes
http://www.healthy-diabetic-recipes.co.uk/
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Kraft Diabetes Center
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/healthy-liv ... /main.aspx
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes. Includes some made over recipes.

Meals for You
http://www.mealsforyou.com/cgi-bin/home
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Recipes for Diabetes – University of Illinois
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/diabetesrecipes/intro.cfm
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

American Diabetes Association
http://vgs.diabetes.org/recipe/index.jsp
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabet ... es/RE00091
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Easy Diabetic Recipes
http://www.easy-diabetic-recipes.com/index.html
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Diabetes Self Management
http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/Recipes/
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Diabetes Cookbook
http://www.lifeclinic.com/whatsnew/cook ... okbook.asp
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Eating Well
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus ... betic_diet
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Food Advisor Recipes
http://tracker.diabetes.org/recipe/
Gives nutritional and exchanges for all recipes.

Some of the sites also give carb choices.

Enjoy.

[Indiana]

Note:

I edited the link for Meals for You.

[Nancy]

After my meter did not work needed batteries
I've sent for a free one to have on hand as a back up monitor.
Discussed with hubby the need for this actually it was his idea.