Living Well
Me, Myself, and I: On Self-Reliance
05/09/08
Living Well
Please Excuse the Interruption
05/05/08
Living Well
The Silence of Frustration
05/02/08
Living Well
Eat, Drink and be Merry. How?
02/11/08
Living Well
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.”
Healthy Living with Diabetes Good for Family
02/09/08
Living Well
When you consider the extra effort it takes to live a healthy lifestyle as a strategy against diabetes, consider how your work benefits others in your family. Do your children and others close to you have a brighter future thanks to your example? Could your healthy influence reach as far as your grandchildren?
Diabetes: The Invisible Handicap
01/30/08
Living Well
By Eric Devine
I envy the man in the wheelchair. I want to steal the crutches from the woman hobbling down the hall. I’d like to be able to pin up a pant leg or shirt sleeve in order to display my staggering pancreas. Of course, with diabetes, I could conceivably end up in any of these situations. So why the jealousy?
The aforementioned are all obvious handicaps, but mine (and yours) is not.
Treating Depression in Diabetes May Extend Life
11/28/07
Living Well
Older adults with diabetes and depression live longer when they and their doctors confront and treat the depression. These findings appeared in a study published in the December issue of the medical journal Diabetes Care.
Chronic Stress Could Be Elevating Your Blood Sugar
11/08/07
Living Well, Diagnosis
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.
Flu Shots Important for Diabetics
11/03/07
Living Well
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.
Sleep Affects Insulin Secretion
10/10/07
Living Well
Too little or too much sleep strains the endocrine system and can affect blood sugar levels, according to an American Academy of Sleep Medicine news release.