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Motivational Monday

Every member of this community is here because they or someone they know is battling diabetes.
Diabetes is a life-long condition that takes work for us to manage. What may work for us one day might not work the next. So many factors contribute to our numbers fluctuating. There’s always a chance that the condition will progress even if you do everything you can.

However, we still have three options for how to approach the way we handle this:

– Giving up and don’t do anything about this condition

– Giving in and doing the least we can to treat this condition

OR

– Giving our best and not only control our condition, but do our best to learn about diabetes and to try and discover ways to stop its progression by doing our best. Additionally, even when treatment fails, you don’t give up or give in.

This week’s Motivational Monday’s Message:

Don’t give up.

Don’t give in.

⭐️Give it all you’ve got⭐️

Until Next Time,

The Genetic Diabetic

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Food and Nutrition Friday: Hydrating Foods

Today, we’ll talk about how to stay hydrated with the food we eat!

Soups and Broths

A great way to hydrate your body is by drinking soups and bone broth. Soups based on broths like non-creamy chicken noodle soup, french onion soup, vegetable soup, and bone broths can help provide total fluid needs and are high in sodium, which is beneficial to your hydration. Sodium is lost through perspiration, and it must be replaced. If you’re athletic or highly active, replacing sodium is especially important.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Food is able to meet about 20% of your hydration needs, which is why eating fresh fruits and vegetables can enhance your hydration levels. Fruits and vegetables also have various minerals and fibers that promote a healthy metabolism.
Here are some fruits and vegetables and their water content percentages:

Cucumber- 96%

Watermelon- 96%

Pineapple- 95%

Celery- 95%

Lettuce- 95%

Blueberries- 95%

Tomatoes- 94%

Pear- 92%

Grapefruit- 90%

Melon- 89%

If you have trouble keeping hydrated, these are great options for preventing dehydration and keeping your blood sugar levels at a reasonable level!

Until Next Time,

The Genetic Diabetic

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

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

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 Pt. 2: Supplemental Insulin

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!

Until Next Time,

The Genetic Diabetic

References:

American Diabetes Association: Insulin Basics

https://www.diabetes.org/healthy-living/medication-treatments/insulin-other-injectables/insulin-basics

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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