By Eric Devine

The following is an example of a conversation I’ve had far too many times:

“You’re not supposed to drink alcohol. You’ve got diabetes!”

I sip my wine. “Well, no, I’m not actually supposed to.”

As people improve diet and exercise more to control their diabetes they usually also lower cholesterol significantly. In previous newsletters the stories Understanding Cholesterol, and Managing Cholesterol Naturally provided insight to help you manage cholesterol.

But when diet and exercise are not enough, your doctor can prescribe medications to help you battle high cholesterol.

New Advice for Doctors About Low-fat, Low-carb Diets For Short-term Weight Loss

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recently issued its annual clinical practice recommendations to help health care providers treat people with diabetes using the most current evidence available. These guidelines address medication, insulin use, nutrition, exercise, and other aspects of managing diabetes.

This year the recommendations recognize the increasing evidence that low-carbohydrate or low-fat weight loss plans are equally effective for reducing weight in the short term (up to one year). Until now, the ADA did not recommend low-carbohydrate diets because of lack of scientific evidence supporting their safety and effectiveness.

Living healthy to manage your diabetes probably benefits your brain also. Properly managing blood sugar and other aspects of your health may reduce the odds of having a stroke, developing dementia, or developing other conditions that affect the brain.

When cholesterol readings come back less than desirable, there are a few natural ways to lower cholesterol levels. Several foods have been shown to have a healthy impact on cholesterol. Physical activity can also aid in cholesterol management. Finally, lifestyle adjustments, like quitting smoking and monitoring alcohol intake, can also impact cholesterol and overall heart health. These tactics can also help healthy diabetics stay healthy.

It is not reasonable to expect your doctor to do it all with a disease like diabetes. It is also not reasonable to expect you, the patient, to shoulder the rest of the burden.

Diabetes is a complicated illness that requires a lot from patients. Much of the burden can be shared with a diabetes educator.

The most effective new tool in the battle against diabetes does not come out of a laboratory, hospital, or pharmacy. The latest diabetes treatment advance actually comes from the days of middle school gym classes.

When the physical education teacher paced you through push-ups and sit-ups you were sharpening your glucose circulation system. Insulin was called into action to replenish the energy reserves used in those calisthenics. This frequent cycling of glucose stores in your muscles kept insulin sensitivity high in your teenage body.

Stress can complicate life with diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

There are two kinds of stress. The first kind is the immediate stress one feels in a moment of thrill or panic. A roller-coaster ride or an argument can send adrenaline and other stress hormones pouring into the blood stream, along with an infusion of glucose from muscles and the liver. For most people this is an infrequent experience and it does not impact long-term blood sugar levels. However, if you work in an emergency room, or as a police officer, a few adrenaline rushes each day may be elevating your blood sugar.

The second kind of stress is the chronic stress that people live with every day. This prolonged state of mind can be harmful to people with diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association recommends an annual influenza vaccine for people with diabetes. The flu bug is starting to creep up on Americans. The northern regions of the country have already reported their first cases of influenza. For diabetics, a flu shot is usually worth the expense and the slight pinch.

The flu vaccine is not perfect, and it does not guarantee immunity to the flu. Vaccinated people still get the flu. There are many strains of influenza and the vaccine you receive may not match the strains that are active in your area.