Tag: Diabetes

Wellness Wednesday: Ways to Combat Diabetes Distress and Burnout to Prevent Depression

Yesterday, we’ve discussed diabetes distress and diabetes burnout. To recap:

Diabetes distress occurs when someone feels overwhelmed by the daily demands of managing diabetes.

Diabetes burnout occurs when a person becomes tired of managing their condition, and then ignores it for a while, or even permanently.

If diabetes distress and burnout are not taken care of, both could lead to depression.

There are ways to prevent diabetes distress and burnout before they cause serious long-term complications or lead to clinical depression.

  1. Observe your feelings. When you have diabetes, you can experience frustration, stress, and fatigue a lot more than usual. When you experience these feelings for a long period of time, you might need help managing your diabetes.
  2. Speak with your healthcare provider about your feelings. If you are experiencing any difficulties with your diabetes care, talk to your doctor, nurse, diabetes educator, psychologist, or social worker. They can help you with problem-solving your diabetes concerns. They may also suggest that you speak with other health care providers.
  3. Consult your healthcare provider if you are experiencing negative reactions from others. It is important not to feel that you must hide your diabetes from others; your health care provider can help you manage feelings of being judged by others.
  4. Find out if you can receive assistance with the costs of diabetes medicines and supplies. Your pharmacist and health care provider may be able to assist you with the cost of your medication if you are concerned about the cost. Additionally, look into community health centers to see if they offer programs to help people get insulin, medicines for diabetes, and supplies (test trips, syringes, etc.).
  5. Talk to your family and friends. Tell the people around you how you feel about having diabetes. Be honest about the problems you’re having. Just verbalizing how you feel can have a positive effect on reducing stress. However, in some cases, the people around you can add to it. Be clear about how and when you need their help.
  6. Allow your loved ones to help you manage diabetes. The people who are closest to you can help you to take your medicine, monitor your blood sugar levels, participate in physical activity with you, and prepare healthy meals. They can also learn more about diabetes and go with you to appointments. Provide your loved ones with ways to help you manage your diabetes that are useful to you.
  7. Speak to others who suffer from diabetes. It may help to talk with others who have diabetes. They can give you insight into how they manage their diabetes and what works for them. Other people with diabetes can help you feel less alone and overwhelmed. You can find diabetic support groups in your community or online by asking your healthcare provider.
  8. Focus on one thing at a time. Managing your diabetes can be overwhelming. If you are suffering from diabetes distress, make a list of every task that you have to do each day. Try to complete every task one at a time.
  9. Take it one step at a time. You don’t have to meet your fitness goals immediately. You may want to walk for 10 minutes, three times a day, five days a week, but you can do it by walking twice a day or every other day.
  10. Spend time doing what you enjoy. Take time to do something you enjoy; it might be talking to a friend, playing with your children, or working on a project you enjoy. Look for activities around your area that you can do with a friend.

When you address the source of your distress and burnout, you will be able to regain control of your diabetes management with the help and resources you need.

Please don’t wait to get help, you don’t have to suffer diabetes stress or burnout any longer.

Until Next Time,

The Genetic Diabetic

Talk About It Tuesday: Diabetes Distress and Burnout

This week, we’re discussing Diabetes Distress & Burnout.

Diabetes distress occurs when someone feels overwhelmed by the daily demands of managing diabetes.

Diabetes burnout occurs when a person becomes tired of managing their condition, and then ignores it for a while, or even permanently.

Here are the signs to watch for:
🔹 Feeling angry and frustrated about diabetes management 🔹 Worried about not taking good care of your diabetes but unmotivated to change things. 🔹 Being hesitant to go to appointments or check your blood sugars regularly 🔹 Making unhealthy foods choices. 🔹 Feeling alone and isolated


Both diabetes distress and burnout can lead to depression if left untreated.

Let’s talk about it: Have you ever experienced diabetes distress or burnout?

Please share your experience and how you managed to get back on track with your diabetes management plan.

Until Next Time,

The Genetic Diabetic

Food and Nutrition Friday: Safe Low Carb/Keto Sweeteners for Diabetes

Yes, we can still eat sweets and desserts!

Moderation with sweets and desserts is the key. Enjoy them in small amounts at once so you can fill your plate with other nutritious foods. Limit other carbs to compensate for the sweets. Seek your doctor’s advice for adjusting your diet to avoid consuming too much sugar.

Try replacing sugar with an alternative sweetener. This is a diabetes hack I’ve been using for years. 

I don’t eat a lot of sweets, but when I do, I prefer ice cream, cheesecake, apple pie, and key lime pie. I am still able to eat all of these foods by changing the sweetener type. Before I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I used to substitute natural, no-added-sugar applesauce in many of my recipes. Nowadays, I use monk fruit and occasionally stevia. 

The sugar replacements have less calories and less or no carbohydrates, so they are great as an alternative to process sugar. I’ve compiled a short guide to sugar replacements and sweeteners that are great for people with diabetes. 

We should be able to eat great tasty food, too!

Until Next Time,

The Genetic Diabetic

Download the guide here:Download

Quick Tip Thursday: Encourage Yourself

As you begin this diabetes journey, you may find it hard to remain motivated. Set your health goals and then set written or digital reminders for them. Display inspirational quotes throughout your home or add motivational images as a screensaver. And finally, reward yourself for small successes by offering yourself an incentive of your choosing.

While it is vital to have a strong support system, that support system may not be available 24-7. Therefore, you need to keep yourself motivated during the times they are not around. You need to want success for yourself as much as your support system does.

You’re worth it.

Until Next Time,

The Genetic Diabetic

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes in Our Children

The power of creating a family health legacy

After I was diagnosed with diabetes back in 2019, I became concerned about my children’s risk of developing the disease. On two of my previous three pregnancies, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Having gestational diabetes is not only a risk factor for diabetes in women, but it is also a potential risk factor for your children.  

In addition to family history and diabetes, there are other factors to consider, such as pre-existing health conditions and environmental factors. However, there is still a possibility for type 2 diabetes to be diagnosed in your children later on in life.   

As parents and guardians, we must do our part to prevent type 2 diabetes in our children. As a family, we may need to start incorporating ways to get healthier together.   

Some ideas include:

  • Meal planning together
  • Grocery trips as a family
  • Family walks
  • Family workout days
  • Making family meetings, one-on-one times, etc., where everyone can talk and help solve problems, encourage healthy stress management.  

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers some additional ideas that might benefit you and your family:  https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevent-type-2/type-2-kids.html

Family health legacy is one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce our family’s risk of diabetes. Establish ways to become healthier as a family. We must act in the interests of our children and their future.  

Until Next Time,

The Genetic Diabetic

Quick Tip Thursday: Having a Consistent Schedule

How a consistent schedule benefits diabetes management

Starting each Thursday, I will be sharing a quick tip that will help you on your diabetes journey.

This week’s tip is about keeping a consistent schedule.

It’s important to keep your body consistent, which may include everything from what time you eat to when you sleep. You can help your body to regulate the body’s hormones and blood sugar levels by creating a regular routine and rhythm.

What does your current schedule look like?

Share your schedule in the comments!

Until Next Time,

The Genetic Diabetic

Sound Off: Diabetes and Exercise

People with diabetes can benefit greatly from daily exercise.   

These are just a few benefits:  

  • Maintains a healthy body weight
  • Reduces the risk of heart disease
  • Improves blood glucose management and blood flow
  • Improves mood overall
  • Boosts sleep quality
  • Improves your ability to cope with depression, anxiety, and stress

To ensure you are exercising safely, speak with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine so they can help you choose appropriate activities and set blood glucose targets.   

Sound Off: How do you exercise? Do you have a routine that works for you? Do you face any obstacles to exercising? Comment below to share your experience.  

Until Next Time,

The Genetic Diabetic

Let’s Talk About Insulin

The role of insulin and the two basic types

You just returned from your follow up doctor’s appointment, and it didn’t go quite as well as expected. While you’ve followed the recommended diet, exercised, improved your sleep and implemented some stress management strategies, your A1C has increased. Your doctor is strongly considering adding insulin therapy to your treatment plan.  

The stigma attached to injecting insulin has caused you to try very hard to avoid using it. However, it seems that there is no alternative for you.   

Feelings of guilt and failure begin to creep in. As a result of the failure of your current treatment, you feel that you failed.   

Taking insulin is not a sign of failure, my friend.  

When insulin therapy is used properly, you can still live a long and healthy life. There is a good deal of planning, organizing and a lot of math skills required (no kidding!), but once you understand the role insulin plays in our bodies, you will discover that insulin therapy is a life-saving tool for managing diabetes.  

The Role of Insulin

Insulin is a hormone that aids in lowering the level of glucose in the blood. In response to a rise in glucose level, such as when eating, this hormone is released into the bloodstream. In the body, glucose enters cells where it can be used for energy or stored to use later.  

Any excess sugar is stored in the liver, muscles, and fat cells. In the cells, glucose reaches its normal level once it enters the cells.   

The presence of low blood glucose stimulates the release of another hormone called glucagon by cells of the pancreas. Glucagon activates the liver to release the stored glucose known as glycogen from the liver into your bloodstream. Throughout the day, insulin and glucagon alternate their release in order to keep blood glucose levels stable.  

A person with type 1 diabetes needs insulin therapy to replace the insulin that is not produced by the body.  

The insulin therapy is sometimes necessary for people with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes when other treatments have not controlled blood glucose levels. Maintaining a target blood glucose level prevents complications.  

Basal & Bolus

Insulin comes in two basic forms: basal and bolus.   

Basal insulin is a long-acting type of insulin, also known as a “background”. Basal insulin boosts activity for about 24 hours at a time. High resting blood glucose levels can be brought down with basal insulin by providing a continuous supply of throughout the day. Basal insulin is usually taken once or twice a day to maintain consistent levels. By using basal insulin, glucose levels can remain steady even when individuals are not eating, allowing the cells to use energy more efficiently.

Bolus insulin is a more powerful, but shorter-lasting type of insulin. It is commonly taken before meals and during periods of higher blood sugar. Bolus insulin is taken at mealtimes to maintain a healthy level after eating. It is also known as “rapid-acting” insulin because it needs to work fast. Bolus insulin usually works around 15 minutes, peaks after an hour, and lasts for 2-4 hours. Bolus insulin is affected by the amount of food a person eats during a meal; therefore, it’s necessary that a person with diabetes knows how many carbohydrates they consume so that they can adjust how much insulin they need. Many people using bolus insulin use carb counting and carb-to-insulin ratios as tools.      

Basal-bolus insulin therapy is an intensive insulin treatment that involves taking basal and bolus insulin simultaneously.  This means that some people takes basal insulin once or twice a day and use bolus insulin at mealtime. In addition to insulin, people with type 2 diabetes may need to take oral, non-insulin medications. 

Did you know that there are over 20 different types of insulin on the market in the United States? Tomorrow, I will share the five types of supplemental insulin and how each of them work.

Until Next Time,

The Genetic Diabetic  

Live Life Today!

It’s easy for us to be concerned about the future with chronic illness. However, we must keep in mind that there is so much life left in us. It may not be the ideal life that we’ve imagined, but it is still life. So instead of worrying about the how our conditions might affect us in the future, let’s just focus on today. Do what you can today.

Live life just one day at a time ❤️

Until Next Time,

The Genetic Diabetic