Daily realities of diabetic patients

Here’s what we know: statistics indicate that people with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are two to three times more likely to suffer from depression than those who are healthy. This isn’t just because being chronically ill makes a person depressed, although that’s often a facet of it.

The researchers found significant improvements in anxiety (49 vs. 54), depression (51.3 vs. 55.8), diabetes knowledge (18.8 vs. 16.3), distress (2.67 vs. 3.02), self-management (66.5 vs. 62.4) and quality of life (–1.98 vs. –2.50) among patients with diabetes receiving peer education and usual diabetes education compared with those receiving usual education only.

You may be scared or stunned by a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, but it’s critical that you start making the changes suggested by your doctor. That’s often easier said than done, since for most of us, what we eat, how much we exercise, and other everyday habits are as cozy — and as hard to get rid of — as well-worn slippers or a soft old sweatshirt. But although you might have a few false starts and even a mis-step or two along the way, a diabetes diagnosis must be taken seriously, beginning with abandoning old habits and committing to new ones to reverse or stabilize the condition.

Diabetes or pre-diabetes in midlife could result in cognitive issues later in life, according to new research findings. In fact, the study indicated that having diabetes in midlife was associated with a 20 percent greater decline in memory and thinking (cognitive) skills over the next 20 years. The findings from the study were published in the December 2 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

Meet Jane. Jane is 25 years old, and got engaged last year. She has Type 1 diabetes, and is currently on medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Jane came to me to address her fear of checking her blood sugar. She also expressed concerns about her relationship with her fiancé.

Let's cut to the chase, we all know the facts: the rising tide of diabetes is evident for all to see, the levels of adherence infamously low and the pressures on our healthcare system close to unbearable (think over £1.5m an hour or 10% of the NHS budget in the UK). While the pharma industry has been striving to engage patients with their treatment for years, these gloomy figures continue to soar. So what are we doing wrong? One thing is for sure: “If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always got.”

Believe it or not! There are many shades of grays while living with diabetes. Unfortunately, many people living with diabetes feel it has to be all or nothing when it comes to good diabetes management.

The Primal Blueprint lifestyle has positively changed my life, the lives of my family members, and a growing number of friends. I’m delighted to report that I (at age 59) have lost 42 pounds, 6% of my body fat and 25 inches. My husband (age 64) has lost 31 pounds, my grown children and their families have lost weight, look great, and we all have become much healthier, thanks to the Primal Blueprint diet and lifestyle. And, perhaps best of all, my fasting glucose readings have dropped about 70 points, to below diabetic level.

Each November, we celebrate National Diabetes Awareness month to recognize a disease that continues to affect millions of people in the United States each year.
It becomes especially difficult to manage such a disease like diabetes through the holidays.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this year there are 29.1 million people, or 9.3 percent of the population, who have diabetes and another 8.1 million people, or 27.8 percent, with diabetes who are undiagnosed.
Diabetes is a complex disease — if you or some you know has it, this is not news to you. Because of the complexity, it can be difficult to manage.