Nasty little words or what did you say is in this product!

Oh my goodness if it wasn't hard enough trying to eat right as a Diabetic now we have to really read food labels and know what they mean.  How many times have you been to the grocery store and tried to figure out if something is sugar free, and just because it says its sugar free is it???

How many times have you tried to stay away from full of sugar full of gluten products.  Do you even know what words scream out sugar or gluten?  If not you are like most of us who are trying to get by off of the knowledge we were given in home economics in school or from shopping with our mom back in the 70's and 80's as children....even so we do have the bests tools to us and that is a mouth for questions and eyes for reading. 

So as I do all of the time I am reading on the internet and I decide to find out what those illusive words are that mean Sugar to us and Gluten to us Diabetics.  

The first thing I looked up is how to figure out if something had gluten's in it.  I came across an article by a woman who was a nutritional expert.   She began by saying that there are 6 key words we should look for when searching to see if a product that doesn't say its gluten free has in it.  Those 6 words are below.

• Wheat

• Rye

• Barley

• Oats

• Malt & Brewers Yeast

If any of the contents of a package or you find any of these words within a label then you will know they are not gluten free products.

Oats however are not gluten products unless they have been contaminated by wheat, barley, or rye products. If a product does contain wheat but only 20 parts per million it may be labeled gluten free.  Even with food products regulated by the USDA, there are very few ingredients that should cause you any concern. Modified food starch, dextrin, and starch (in USDA-regulated foods “starch” may mean corn starch or wheat starch) may give you pause if their source is not named. You may want to find another product that does not contain these ingredients or contact the manufacturer to verify gluten-free status.
Source:  http://www.glutenfreedietitian.com/newsletter/dietcom-blog-how-to-tell-if-a-food-is-gluten-free/

So here is a list of the added sugars you may find on a package label.  Remember that this does not tell you how much of these have been added and the only way to figure that out is by scanning the label to read the amounts.

• Agave nectar
• Brown sugar
• Cane crystals
• Cane sugar
• Corn sweetener
• Corn syrup
• Crystalline fructose
• Dextrose
• Evaporated cane juice
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrates
• Glucose
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Invert sugar
• Lactose
• Maltose
• Malt syrup
• Molasses
• Raw sugar
• Sucrose
• Sugar
• Syrup

Source:  http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/added-sugar-on-food-labels/
As you begin to understand labels better shopping for Sugar free and Gluten Free products will become easier.

Going even further there are websites that help us understand what we are reading on the labels of our food and food products.  If you have a bit of difficulty I hope this article will be of some assistance.  Consumers need to understand the labels and what they are eating.  The more information the better off you are but only if you understand the labels. 

Consumers using Nurtrition Facts when making food choices a healthier option. 
Source:  http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm267499.htm

My blog today isn't tremendously long, but one thing that we gain from this one is how easy it is for us to learn for ourselves what is healthier for us to put into our bodies.  If you cant remember all of the names of things then take time make a list that you can carry with you at all times with a list to remind you what you can and cannot have on your diet.  Living healthier comes from knowledge and in most cases knowledge is free.  Take time to stay informed and information is key so share it. 

If you wish to contact me for any reason regarding a blog or question or just a chat then connect with me here at diabetic.day2013@gmail.com  We are a community so lets create our health together.

Feet, Feet Beautiful Painful Cracking Ulcered Feet. Ouch!

If you are like me I have always loved to be barefoot and enjoy feeling things under my feet.  Now that I am Diabetic I can no longer enjoy the thrill of being barefoot. 

Diabetes does some interesting things to the body, but one of the worst things it does is it messes with the brain and the nerves that care for our feet.  The brain needs to be able to send messages and receive messages to and from the feet. 

Chronic Glucose levels can damage the Nervous System.  The nerves are what sends and receives the messages from the brain about pain.  The Nervous System receives messages from our environment and how the body is affected by it through our five senses. Source:  http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/diabetes/how-diabetes-affects-the-feet.htm  The greatest problem then occurs when your feet as a Diabetic can not send the information about pain to your brain and the environmental information needed to detect problems with the feet, this is caused to over exposure of glucose to the Nervous System.

Things that may seem minor to most people such as scrapes, cuts, blisters, or cracking in the skin are not minor things to those of us with Diabetes.  A staggering 60% of all amuputations bellow the knee are from People with Diabetes. 

Along with Nervous System issues we also have Peripheral Vascular Disease for 1 out of 3 people with Diabetes over the age of 50.  This means narrowing and stiffeness of the arteries in the legs making a lack of oxygen and blood flow and nutrients to affected area's in the lower extremeties.  This makes it harder for a Diabetic person to be able to heal. This is also called Peripheral Artery Disease. 

This all leads to Diabetic Neuropathy or numbness in the feet and legs making it harder to tell if you have been injured or have any unusual cuts or skin problems in your feet and legs. 

How you should care for your feet being Diabetic:  Every day you should check your feet for any abnormalities, cracking between your toes and on your heel, bottom of your feet for cuts and blisters on your entire feet. 

Make sure your doctor checks your feet on a routine basis as well, if they dont then ask them to because it is part of your regular check up and the sooner you find an injury on your foot the faster you can have treatment for it.  Remember you run a risk of it becoming amputated if left untreated. 

1.  Take care of your Diabetes
2.  Check your feet Daily
3.  Make sure you get an annual foot examination by your physician
4.  Stay Active it gives a better chance for good circulation in your legs feet and for your heart.
5.  Trim your toe nails if you can or have a Foot Care Professional do it.
6.  Wear Shoes and Socks
7.  Protect your feet from Hot and Cold as they affect the blood vessels in your feet and your circulation.
8.  Keep blood flowing to your feet and legs by not crossing your legs, moving your feet and legs several
     times a day, and put your feet up if you can when sitting. 
9.  Make a routine to check your feet at the same time daily so you will get into a habbit of it.

After bathing or showering make sure your feet are dried off good especially in between the toes.  Make sure you moisturize them with skin care lotion to maintain a non dry skin to prevent cracking in the skin. 

Remembering it is up to each one of us to insure that we still are up and going, taking care of our feet is a priority for us as Diabetics.  Follow a daily routine of check our feet and staying active will help us to maintain better foot care.  There are shoes and socks for Diabetics that make foot care easier. 

We are together on this and as long as we stay in a community that supports each other and offers information for each other then we can stay healthier and improve our lives. 

If you have a story a comment or something you would like to share with me please contact me at diabetic.day2013@gmail.com.  I cant wait to hear from you.

Normal! "Huh, I'm Diabetic!"

If you are like me life as a Diabetic has been more than confusing at times.  I have had a very difficult time trying to get everything straight.  I sometimes wasnt sure if I was coming or going. 

Some things about being Diabetic was easy to get ahold of, but not all of it.  I have still been trying to figure out my eating and snacks and excersize and what affects my blood glucose. 

The things I have learned over the past almost 8 years living with Diabetes is that there is always new things to learn and things changing in our worlds, so yes it can be very confusing at times. 

Here are some of the things that I have learned. 

1.  Stress is one of the number one things that create fluctuations in your blood glucose levels.  It is important to figure out the stresses in your life and try to eliminate or just manage them better.

2.  Getting proper rest is so important.  If you do not get proper rest your body will be under stress and we know now that both Mental and Physical things can stress our body and cause our blood glucose to rise.

3.  Illness can create a higher gluclose level for us Diabetics because once again with illness our bodies are once again under stress.  The same goes for injuries to our bodies our blood glucose will be higher as our bodies try to heal.  Diabetes is an Autoamune Disease. 

4.  Eating is probably the most difficult to get right and it affects our bodies ability to maintain a fairly level glucose, however if we are not sure how to eat or we are not understanding how things affect our glucose levels then it will be difficult for us to change.  Reading I have found and experementing with foods is the best way to know what works best for your body.

5. Excersize will lower your glucose level but once again if you do not have the proper carbs in your body before excersize it can be dangerous when and if your glucose drops to low.  Make sure you know what you need to do as a diabetic to deal with this situation.  Always contact your Doctor to make sure you have an okay to proceed with the excersize program you choose.

6.  Medications will also affect your blood glucose.  It is important to keep up with your Doctor on any supplements or medications you may be taking.  Sometimes we have more than one doctor for many things and they can prescribe different medications, so make sure you always have an up to date list of all medications to take with you to your primary care Doctor.
Daily routine how it affects your Diabetes

One of the things I have struggled with the most is trying to figure out how to eat properly and exactly what I can eat.  If you have struggled with this also then we can figure this out together.

The American Diabetes Association has a really wide variety of articles on how to eat and what to eat.  They say that once you get used to eating right it is basically routine.  http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/?loc=DropDownFF-whatcanieatWhat Can I Eat

Finding infromation on the internet is easy when it comes to Diabetes and eating such as great recipes and meal guides and plans.  Recipes for healthy living

I am really just beginning to understand the Importance of Skin Care, Dental Care and Foot Care as a Diabetic and there are some really interesting things to know.  The information is all out there on the internet or in your libraries.  If you are confused ask your doctor there are programs that are information packed that the doctor can refer you to.  Sometimes on the Diabetes Association Website you can also find events in your area and as always you can always donate time and effort in finding a cure for this disease.  In my Community Via ADA

I will be expanding on other topics of Diabetes as we continue on our journey together as Diabetics and Caretakers of Diabetics.  As a community I think we can support each other much better than standing alone.  There are over 26 Million people with this disease, that is a pretty large population.   We can become healthier by sharing and caring. 

If you have a story or a question you would like to give then get ahold of me at diabetic.day2013@gmail.com

Stress me out...Ouch! How Stress Affects Diabetes

I have been told recently to stop stressing out so much, whew that is a hard one for me.  I am a natural born worrier.  I really dont mean to be, but my nature as a female, mother, caregiver tells me otherwise.  I also am busy working on things that concern the country like cold cases all over the united states.  So like most people time management is important and being a sort of perfectionist when it comes to things can cause the utmost stresses for me.  I have had to learn to let some of that go.

Diabetes doesnt pick and chose one race over another, one sex over another or even what social status over another.  It is an equal opportunity disease.  How we manage it though is up to us and even though it is easier to manage if you have the means it is not necessarily that hard if you dont have the means it just means you have to be creative and use alot of free resources to help you maintain it even the stress management part.

Stress is many things it can be Physical, Mental, Emotional and Environment can play a huge part in all of these.  We may have every day stresses like work, home, family, economics, or we could have physical stresses such as Illness (Diabetes), and injuries to our bodies that can be stresses. 

I know when I first talked to a my doctor and she found I had a Kidney infection she said this is why your blood sugar is high, infections raise it because it puts stress on your body.  I was unaware of that now 4 years into the disease.  But it is true it can really stress the body.

When stress occurs, the body prepares to take action. This preparation is called the fight-or-flight response. In the fight-or-flight response, levels of many hormones shoot up. Their net effect is to make a lot of stored energy — glucose and fat — available to cells. These cells are then primed to help the body get away from danger. In people who have diabetes, the fight-or-flight response does not work well. Insulin is not always able to let the extra energy into the cells, so glucose piles up in the blood.  Diabetes affected by stress explained

I have found a few ways to deal with my stress now that I know how it affects my Diabetes that are free and enjoyable.  I use the internet alot for this either on my cell phone or on the computer itself.  I have found that Youtube is a great source for free videos on relaxation, meditation and excersize such as Yoga.  If you have a cell phone there are alot of free Apps that help with this and will give you the opportunity to get free excersize, meditation and even sleep programs to use. 

Taking time out for your needs are very important when you are dealing with a disease like Diabetes.  If it affects your whole body then you must take time to help your body stay healed. 

Remember to try and lower your blood sugar and stay healthy with excersize, eating right and sleeping well.  Remember not to get to stressed out.

Together we can do this as a community.  If you have a story or want to ask questions or share something contact me at diabetic.day2013@gmail.com

Living With Diabetic Complications (What?)

I used to think that since I had Diabetes the medication would take care of it all.  Boy was I sadly mistaken.  I was diagnosed in 2007 when I got sick after work and began to vomit and just feel generally ill.  Needless to say, I took myself to the hospital and found out that day that I was probably Diabetic and was told to contact my doctor right away and get a thurough set of testings.  Not even a week later and I was given the diagnosis.  I was started on Metformin and that was the minimum amount.  Since that time I have had very few days when my Diabetes was under controll.  I have always felt I was good at taking care of myself dealing with my Diabetes, but why then am I having the difficulties I am having with these Diabetic Complications.  In 2010 I had a mild heart attack, after going to the doctors I was told that it damaged my kidneys and my liver.  I didnt understand how could that happen?  I was always very active and I didnt eat alot of sweets, so what was causing all these issues with my health.  I began to learn more by understanding the disease of Diabetes.  How it affects the Kidneys, Liver, Heart and Eyes, but also the biggest organ we own our Skin, then less not forget our nerves. 

Diabetic Neuropathy is when we have damage to our nerves from excess high glucose levels and it actually damages the endings of the nerves and the blood vessels that supply blood to the nerves has thinning walls from the glucose as well. Diabetic Neuropathy what causes it.  I have had issues with that off and on throughout my journey with Diabetes.  It can be quite painful and it seems to happen at night most of the time.  I was given different types of medications to help with it and currently take  numerous supplements and Gabapentin.  Each doctor deals with these issues according to the patient.  I have noticed that Natural Oils help as well I currently use them from a family member of mine who deals in Medicinal Oils Daelene Burris Oils Instructor/Business Owner.  It does help my pain almost immediately.  Kidneys are controlled by medication for High Blood pressure and are always evaluated in an every three month blood test that is done to see how the functions are.  This is a little more complicated to explain how this works but basically when you have Diabetes abnormality in carbohydrate metabolism that leads to persistently high levels of blood glucose and the coexisting high levels of fat in the blood cant be filtered correctly and the protiens are leaked from your kidneys into the urine causing damage.  How Diabetes affects the Kidneys  Heart issues from Diabetes happen when lipids clog, harden and narrow the blood vessel walls, leading to what is called atherosclerosis. How Diabetes Affects the Heart  Along with your Kineys, Heart, your liver is often affected as well. How does Diabetes affect the LiverInsulin is metabolized in the liver, where it promotes the production of glycogen, protein, cholesterol, and triglycerides and stimulates the formation of low density lipoproteins, or LDL, which transport cholesterol into the arteries. How Diabetes affects the Liver  Usually for both the Liver and Kidneys the Doctor prescribes Cholesterol Medications and High Blood pressure Medications such as, statins and Some high blood pressure medication such as Lisinopril. The key is excersize as well since that also helps regulate the sugar level or gluclose level and insulin your body produces.  Now I have had the opportunity to realize it also affects the Mind and our Brains.  Diabetes affects the Brain because of the lack of sugars or the excessive amounts of sugars in the blood, (Better known as Gluclose), they believe that Dementia and also Alzhiemers is more prevelent in type 2 Diabetics.  How the Brain is affected by Diabetes  All I know is that many times it affects most or a majority of your body.  It has deffinantly affected mine.  I am hoping by sharing information and stories we can figure out some things together.  I think we have hope and as long as we as Diabetics or caretakers of Diabetics stay connected we can get through this together.  If you have questions or would like information and if you have a story you would like to share with me feel free, we can inspire one another to care for ourselves and others much better working side by side to make changes in our lives.  Email me @ diabetic.day2013@gmail.com.