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.
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.
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.
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.
Caring for yourself while caring for a loved one with a chronic illness or disability
There are many days when it doesn’t matter how you feel, the show must go on. In addition to managing our own conditions, many of us also have to take care of our loved ones, especially those diagnosed with an illness or disability.
I am a mother of a child on the autism spectrum. The diagnosis of my son with autism came five years prior to my diabetes diagnosis. As a result of observing him experiencing sensory issues during preschool, his diagnosis was not entirely surprising. Our son began occupational therapy every week and he received an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for school.
My son has made amazing progress on his journey. He achieved many fine and gross motor milestones. He is a scholar student and has graduated from an IEP to a 504 Accommodations Plan. He will attend a new school this year and participate in a gifted program for language arts.
He has experienced setbacks, however, over the past couple days. Since then, he has had anxiety attacks, eaten very few foods, feared being alone, and has been having sensory meltdowns. His overwhelming fear is that things around him are moving nonstop and will soon explode. He had just been watching a YouTube video about how the universe would end.
The sudden occurrence has caught the entire family off guard. It is a waiting game in the house, since no one knows when the next episode will arrive. I am in the process of connecting with a therapist and his occupational therapist.
The whole family has been affected, and I personally have been stressed out. Having to manage a chronic illness is difficult enough, but adding caregiving to the mix is extremely stressful. My son has been sitting, eating, and resting with me for the last few days, who is usually energetic but now won’t leave my side. Rarely does he play with his siblings. He hasn’t called his best friend yet. He won’t leave our room.
This is not the same little boy who was having a blast last week on our vacation. He’s not even the same one that was dancing and full of joy two days ago.
Currently, I am managing both my own and his conditions.
It’s extremely hard.
It pierces my heart to hear him scream and cry in agony. We are literally counting the hours until we can call the pediatrician.
In the meantime, I am unable to eat or sleep well because I am so concerned about my son. Nevertheless, a wise psychologist friend I met today gave me some words of encouragement that I want to share with anyone going through similar difficulties: first and foremost, take care of yourself. If you don’t take the time to eat, rest, and manage your own condition, then you won’t be able to provide for those who depend on you.
It’s not easy to deal with chronic illness or caregiving, so when you’re ill and you’re the primary caregiver, it can be overwhelming. As a caregiver, you may be exposed to health risks due to the stress and demands associated with a serious health condition. When you are taking care of yourself and a loved one, consider these things:
While you are not feeling well, find someone to look after your loved one until you feel better. Respite care can also help you rest if the need arises.
If you have older children or adults at home, delegate certain tasks, such as taking your loved one to appointments, making calls, and preparing meals.
Organize a plan to take care of yourself and your loved one if there is no one available to help. Keep it simple:
Consider staying in the same room as your loved one. Ensure that the area is close to a restroom and kitchen for easy access.
Take advantage of the convenience of getting healthy foods delivered.
Have a place where all medications and other medical supplies can be stored.
Take the opportunity to do some work or hobbies while your loved one is resting.
Being constantly responsible for someone’s care can be emotionally and physically draining, but you will do anything for someone you love. Don’t forget to love and care for yourself as well.
An overview of the five types of supplemental insulin
In the previous post, I discussed the role of insulin and glucagon, as well as the two main types of insulin, basal and bolus. In this post, I will discuss supplemental insulin, how each type works and insulin brands.
There are more than 20 brands of supplemental insulin available in the United States. There are five types of brands: rapid acting, short acting, intermediate-acting, long-acting, and ultra long-acting. In addition to these categories, you can get premixed insulin or inhaled insulin as well.
Rapid-acting Insulin & Short-acting Insulin
To replace the natural bolus insulin produced by the pancreas, rapid-acting and short-acting insulins are used. These types of insulin are administered just before a meal or snack to counteract sugar spikes that are caused by eating.
In the medical world, short acting insulin is known as regular bolus insulin. Short-acting insulin begins to work within 30 minutes, reaches its peak between 2 and 3 hours, and lasts for 3 to 6 hours.
Examples of short-acting insulin:
Humulin R
Novolin R
Velsulin R
Rapid-acting insulin, however, works the fastest of all types of supplemental insulin. In the case of rapid-acting insulin, onset occurs after 15 minutes, peak within an hour, and then lasts 2-4 hours.
Examples of rapid-acting insulin:
Apidra (glulisine)
Admelog
Humalog (lispro)
Fiasp (insulin aspart)
Novolog (insulin aspart)
Intermediate-acting Insulin
Intermittent-acting insulin replaces basal insulin. Only one type of intermediate insulin exists, Hagedorn or NPH. Within 2-4 hours, the onset occurs. Peak hours are between 4 and 12 hours and the duration varies from 12 to 18 hours. As a result, some people use short-acting or rapid-acting insulin to cover meals.
Examples of intermediate-acting insulin:
Humulin N
Novolin N
ReliOn (NPH)
Long-acting Insulin & Ultra Long-acting Insulin
The long-acting and ultra-long-acting insulins are used to replace basal insulin by maintaining glucose levels throughout the day and night. They begin around four to six hours apart, but the duration is at least 24 hours. This type of insulin doesn’t have any peak points as it is designed to remain in the system for longer.
Examples of long-acting insulin:
Toujeo (glargine u-300)
Levemir (detemir)
Basaglar
Lantus (glarine)
Example of ultra long-acting insulin:
Tresiba (degludec)
Premixed Insulin
In a premixed insulin injection, varying amounts of intermediate-acting insulin are combined with short-acting or rapid acting insulin. Depending on the mix, onset can take between 15 minutes and an hour. It peaks at varying times and lasts for up to 24 hours.
Examples of premixed insulin:
Humulin 70/30, Novolin 70/30 and Humulin 50/50 are mixtures of intermediate and short acting insulin.
Humalog Mix 75/25 and Novolog Mix 70/30 are mixtures of intermediate and rapid-acting insulin.
Inhaled Insulin
As far as we know, Afrezza is the only rapid-acting insulin that is inhaled. As soon as Afrezza is inhaled, it begins to take effect within 12 to 15 minutes, peaks in around 30 minutes, and dissipates around 3 hours after taking it.
SOUND OFF: What type of insulin are you currently using? Let’s have a conversation and comment below!
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.
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.
How parents can properly prepare their child with diabetes for the new school year with a 504 Plan
We’re back to that time of year:
It’s back to school time!
I’m sure most of you who are parents or guardians have already started planning for the new school year. Setting up appointments to get immunizations and a physical. A dental cleaning for your kids. Getting the best deals on school supplies and clothes, saving up for those secondary school fees, or finding an after-school program for your child.
What about setting up a 504 accommodations plan for your child with diabetes at school?
What is a 504 Plan?
A “504 Plan” is a plan developed to comply with a federal law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.The 504 Plan details the steps the school will take to keep students with disabilities safe, ensure they have the same opportunities to learn as other children, and ensure they are treated fairly. This can be used to ensure that students, parents/guardians, and school staff understand their responsibilities and to minimize misunderstandings.
Diabetes of all types is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is, therefore, very important for parents of children with diabetes to take advantage of this and to ensure that their children are safe and treated fairly in school.
The 504 plan describes a broad range of services and accommodations that are often needed by students with diabetes, ranging from kindergarteners to high school seniors. All plans should specify that school staff must receive training to recognize hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia and respond accordingly.
A student’s plan should be tailored to his or her specific needs, abilities, and medical condition. Make sure that only provisions that are relevant to a particular child are included.
How To Pursue a 504 Plan
Collect all the information and data about your child and their condition. This includes official diagnosis and medical records from all doctors and specialists treating your child.
Write a letter explaining your reasons and requesting accommodations.
Ask the school district for a 504 Plan for your child. Follow the 504 Plan Coordinator’s procedures to request a 504 Plan.
Keep in touch with the coordinator to determine the progress of the 504 Plan process.
The American Diabetes Association offers a sample 504 plan and examples of accommodations that can be downloaded.
Now is the perfect time to make sure that your child will be treated fairly when he or she has diabetes. Let’s make this school year a healthy one!
I can no longer watch my family making unhealthy choices
If anyone wants to know why I do what I do, here’s one of those reasons: to be able to see this sweet face everyday.
I want to show him and his siblings the right way to take care of the temple that God gave to them. I want to show them that this diagnosis is not the end of the world, and that we have the power to change the narrative.
Observing their current eating habits solidified that the fact something has got to change. With a family history of diabetes and heart issues on all sides of their families, there’s no reason why my family should not start changing their current lifestyle.
In a couple of weeks, I will be sharing what my husband and I are planning create a new health legacy for our family. Follow my blog to stay updated!
