This is a guest blog post from our friend, colleague and Diabetes Late Nite guest, Dr. Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDCES (Clinical Psychologist and Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist).

I have continued working with my patients, via telehealth phone calls, during these past few months, while they and I are following stay-at-home orders to try to flatten the curve of the Coronavirus pandemic. This is some information that I’ve gathered to keep everybody informed.

To manage your health proactively and ward off any respiratory system threats, the WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION recommends the following:

•  Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
• Avoid touching surfaces others have touched. Use your knuckles to push buttons, elbows to open doors, disinfectant wipes to clean tables or chairs.  Use gloves or wipes to pump gas or when pushing grocery carts.
• Teach yourself not to touch your face. If you must do so, then wash/sanitize hands, touch your face, wash hands/sanitize afterwards.
• Practice social distancing—keep 6 feet away from others in public places
• Make yourself a cloth face mask to wear in public, especially in high traffic areas (i.e. the grocery store)
• When coughing and sneezing cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue – throw a tissue away immediately and wash hands
• Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever and/or cough
• If you have a fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing seek medical care early and share previous travel history with your healthcare provider. Contact your healthcare provider via phone/portal first. Going into a clinic can expose you to the virus, so if you are told not to go in, then don’t. Many centers have increased their use of telemedicine.
• When visiting live markets in areas currently experiencing cases of novel coronavirus, avoid direct unprotected contact with live animals and surfaces in contact with animals
• The consumption of raw or undercooked animal products should be avoided. Raw meat, milk, or animal organs should be handled with care, to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods, as per good food safety practices.

Recommendations for people with diabetes have been endorsed by The American Diabetes Association, Beyond Type 1, Harvard Medical School, ISPAD, and JDRF.

Establish and maintain strict personal hygiene 

• Wash hands every time you come into contact with an out-of-home item or place.
• Regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces in your home.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a handkerchief.
• Act as though you have COVID and could pass it on.

Minimize risk when out in public

• Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others.
• Wear a cloth mask or face covering.
• Adjust schedule to avoid busy times in public places. Take advantage of dedicated shopping times for vulnerable individuals if available.

Small routines can have a big impact on how we feel.

Barbara Corcoran advises, “Staying motivated at home can be tough.  So, I divide my day in chunks. First, I knock out my chores and exercise, zone in on my work, then spend time with my family.  I find being in control of my time keeps me mentally in a good place and makes me feel productive.”

Set yourself up for success with diabetes management 

• Test blood sugar levels more often; your body may be reacting differently under these new circumstances.
• Familiarize yourself with how to check for ketones. Check for ketones regularly, regardless of blood sugar levels.
• Secure a sufficient amount of supplies, including ketone strips and severe hypoglycemia treatment (glucagon).
• Maintain a routine of physical movement and blood sugar friendly eating.
• Contact your doctor or health professionals by phone / telehealth, if possible, for diabetes management questions and concerns.
• Lean on your community for help – none of these behaviors are easy, and we all need support. Look into digital and online communities.

Lockdown can lead to “quarantine fatigue.” Try to stay busy by focusing on a project. Some projects my patients are working on include:

• ·         Working on a vegetable garden
• ·         Exercising
• ·         Meditating
• ·         Journaling
• ·         Trying new recipes
• ·         Putting together 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzles
• ·         Quilting
• ·         Sorting out their closets
• ·         Reading a novel
• ·         Writing a novel

What can you add to this list? One project that I worked on was updating my website. Check it out www.AskDrBev.com.

It’s okay if you can’t wait for lockdown to be over and also be uneasy for it to end. Most importantly please remember that you are not alone. You are not alone in this pandemic and you are not alone living with diabetes. If you need to, check your local area for mental health assistance and your local diabetes associations for help with managing your diabetes. As Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases says, “We’re all in this together.”

Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDCES is a clinical psychologist and Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist, in private practice, specializing in treating the emotional issues of people with diabetes. She has lived successfully for over 45 years with type 1 diabetes. Visit her website: askdrbev.com

Dr. Beverly S. Adler helps us to celebrate Divabetic’s 10th Year Podcasting Anniversary with music from the world’s most famous “Divabetic”– Ms. Patti LaBelle on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 6 – 7:30 PM, EST.

Divabetic’s 10th Year Podcasting Anniversary continues with a free Virtual Smoothie Party with special guest, Co-Author of the Best-Selling Intimacy & Diabetes e-book, Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND. on Zoom on July 16, 2020, 7 – 7:35 PM, EST. REGISTER NOW

10th Year Podcasting Anniversary Giveaway! Win a Dario Blood Glucose Meter starter kit in our random drawing. This all-in-one pocket-sized device can track blood sugar fluctuations and trends and identify hyper/hypoglycemic episodes right from your smartphone, providing readings within as little as 6 seconds. It’s scientifically proven, HIPPA compliant, and includes Dario Coaches to offer support and motivation to help manage your diabetes. Enter Divabetic’s Random Drawing by ‘LIKING’ Divabetic’s Facebook page.