This year’s Diabetes Mystery podcast ‘Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes’ airs on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, 6 – 7:30 PM on Blog Talk Radio.
Our annual mystery podcast stars the fruit suit clad, happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, Mama Rose Marie, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle and MaryAnn Nicolay. Additionally, We Are Diabetes founder Asha Brown stars as ‘Renata Whisk’, Chef Robert Lewis as ‘Former Councilman Skeeter Jones’, Seveda Williams as ‘Agnes Frumpster’, Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller as ‘Consetta Caruso’, Wendy Radford as ‘Natasha ‘Knockout’ Buchanan’, Dave Jones as ‘Damon Swain’ and Lorraine Brooks as the Narrator.
We will play music from the original Broadway cast recording of ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ courtesy of SONY MUSIC.
We hope our listeners find this story of diabetes mystery and intrigue to be further proof that you don’t have to feel trapped in a diabetes life. You can make changes, even tiny incremental ones, and get into a life that feels just right for you.
Enjoy Divabetic’s 4th Annual Diabetes Mystery podcast, “Gypsies, Tramps & Peas” mystery podcast starring Best-Selling Author, Tonya Kappes, Asha Brown, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst Nicolay, Mama Rose Marie & Lorraine Brooks.
“I was experiencing absolutely no symptoms,” said Viola Davis when she was first diagnosed with prediabetes reports Prevention Magazine . “None whatsoever. I felt totally healthy and able. Listen, I’m a workout fiend. I’m a really strong woman. I went in for a hormone test, and my doctor took an A1C test.”
the A1C test takes the average of your blood sugar levels for the past two to three months and is used to diagnosed type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The higher your number, the higher your risk of diabetes. Anything below 5.7 percent is considered a normal A1C level, while anything between 5.7 and 6.4 percent is considered prediabetes. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher indicates that you have diabetes.
“My test was a little high. It was 6.0, and it sort of leveled me because I eat right, I work out, my glucose level has always been good. It’s good now, so I didn’t understand it. My understanding of diabetes was that it was something that you control. If you had it, you did something to not control it. I didn’t think that’s not what could happen until I got it, and then I got it and became someone I stigmatized.”
We’re talking about HOT TOPICS in diabetes wellness with musical inspiration from H.E.R. courtesy of SONY Music. Guests included Poet Lorraine Brooks, Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND, Michael Priv, Cheryl Farley “Food as Medicine” Nutritionist, Dr. Dugan Maddux and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach. TUNE IN
Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot.
Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. President Barak Obama, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter have acknowledged Divabetic for its dedication and determination on behalf of the diabetes community. Visit Divabetic on the web: www.divabetic.org.
Oscar winning actress Viola Davis opened up about living with prediabetes and the toll that diabetes has had on her family on the TODAY Show.
“Type 2 diabetes has taken a toll on my family. My great-aunt suffered from complications of the disease, two of my sisters are currently living with it, and a few years ago, I was diagnosed with prediabetes,” Davis said. “I’m one of the 84 million American adults living with prediabetes and I’m sharing my story for the first time in an effort to inspire others to take action against the type 2 diabetes epidemic.”
Viola told Samantha Guthrie she was diagnosed with a high A1C. She admitted she didn’t know what that meant which is why she is championing support and education for people diagnosed with diabetes.
The A1C test measures your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. The results of your A1C test can help your doctor:
Identify prediabetes. If you have prediabetes, you have a higher risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Diagnose type 1 and type 2 diabetes. To confirm a diabetes diagnosis, your doctor will likely look at the results of two blood tests administered on different days — either two A1C tests or the A1C test plus another diabetes blood test.
Monitor your diabetes treatment plan. The results of your initial A1C test(s) also help establish your baseline A1C level. The A1C test is then repeated on a regular basis to monitor your diabetes treatment plan.It measures your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months and can show how well your diabetes treatment plan is working to lower your blood sugar over time.
“I want to arm people with information to help them manage their diabetes,” said Viola Davis. “When I was young everyone said “you got the sugar'” and then you sort of waited to possibily get an amputation. You don’t have to that anymore!”
“My favorite word is ‘SUPPORT’ – supporting people who already have the diagnosis instead of stigmatizing them,” she said.
Viola and her sisters appeared on the TODAY show in support of her New “A Touch of Sugar” documentary film which addresses the health epidemic surrounding Type 2 diabetes, particularly among African-Americans.
“This delicious make-ahead savory bread pudding makes a light breakfast-style recipe. Pop in a cold oven if using a glass dish when baking,” says Best-Selling Cookbook Author Holly Clegg.
Ingredients
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups packed baby spinach
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Half loaf French or Italian bread, cut into slices, divided
2. In large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, sauté mushrooms, onion, and garlic until tender. Add spinach, stirring until wilted, and add flour, stirring to mix well. Season to taste; set aside. Place half bread slices in prepared dish.
3. Spread spinach mixture over bread and sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese. Top with remaining bread and remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
3. In bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, milk, and mustard. Pour egg mixture evenly over casserole, refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
4. Bake at 350°F 40 – 50 minutes or until puffed and golden.
Terrific Tip: You can substitute 1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry for fresh spinach, if desired. Adjust mushrooms and onions to your taste buds but they add great nutrition.
Nutritional Nugget: This is a great dish to try several days before your next cycle of treatment. Good source of vitamins and minerals.
Makes about 7 (3/4-cup) servings
Nutritional information per serving: Calories 210, Calories from Fat 22%, Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 2g,Cholesterol 62 mg, Sodium 352 mg, Carbohydrates 26g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Total Sugars 6g, Protein 16g
With over 1.5 million cookbooks sold, Holly Clegghas become a culinary expert on easy healthy everyday recipes through her nationally recognized best-selling trim &TERRIFIC®, Kitchen 101 and Eating Well cookbook series, including Eating Well Through Cancer, (English, Spanish and Chinese editions), Eating Well to Fight Arthritis and Diabetic Cooking with the American Diabetes Association. Holly Clegg attended the Cordon Bleu Cooking School, London. For more information, visit About Holly or The Healthy Cooking Blog for more recipes and tips.
Several women from the Divabetic community have reached out to us with concerns about eating eggs. We contacted one of our favorite certified diabetes educators and registered dietitians, Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND for her expert advice.
“I am very comfortable recommending eggs as part of a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables and other wholesome foods for most of my patients with diabetes. There is much to learn about individual differences, however, so it’s prudent to monitor cholesterol levels and adjust as necessary,” says Jill Weisenberger.
Why You Should Consider Including Eggs In Your Diet:
Eggs are affordable and easy to prepare.
They contain lutein, a cousin to beta-carotene. Lutein makes its way into the macula of the eye where it helps protect vision.
Eggs are nutrient-dense, a source of high-quality protein, and are low in saturated fat. I encourage moderate amounts of protein at each of the three main meals to help my weight loss clients minimize muscle loss while they drop pounds.
What’s Up with Eggs?
The egg is one of those nutrient-dense foods that generates a lot of debate about its healthfulness. Because eggs are high in cholesterol, which has historically been linked to heart disease, the public has long been warned about eating too many eggs, especially the cholesterol-rich yolk. People with diabetes may have even greater concerns because their risk of developing heart disease is quite high.
Here Are a Few Things About Eggs:
Recently the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee stated that the evidence is not strong enough to conclude that cholesterol in foods raises blood cholesterol.
Some population studies have found that eating seven or more eggs weekly increases the risk of heart disease among people with diabetes. Not all studies find an association, however. I see a problem with population studies like these. The researchers cannot account for all of the variables in people’s diets. For example, on some plates, eggs keep company with wholesome fruit and whole-grain toast or oats. On other plates, eggs sit atop buttery biscuits and sausage gravy. Does the company eggs keep influence health? I would have to think so.
Jill Weisenberger’s comprehensive guide, ‘Prediabetes: A Complete Guide: Your Lifestyle Reset to Stop Prediabetes and Other Chronic Illnesses’ will lead you through dozens of concrete steps you can take to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Taking an individualized approach to your lifestyle “reset,” this book will allow you to choose your own path to wellness, help you gain a greater sense of wellbeing, boost your confidence in your abilities to maintain a healthful lifestyle, and potentially even help you reverse prediabetes and avoid type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses. You’ll be feeling better than you have in years! Inside, you will learn to:
Identify your risks for developing type 2 diabetes
Set personalized and meaningful behavioral goals
Identify and build on your motivation for a lifestyle reset
Create positive new habits
Change eating habits for weight loss and greater insulin sensitivity
Choose wholesome foods in the supermarket and when away from home
Tweak your favorite recipes
Reduce sedentary time
Start or improve upon an exercise plan
Reduce emotional eating
Organize and track your progress with tools included in the book
Much more
Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND is a great resource for all things nutrition, food and diabetes. Whether she’s speaking, writing, chatting on social media, appearing on TV or working with individuals, her candid and energetic approach appeals to busy people, and her sound nutrition and fitness advice gets results. In fact, her appreciation for science and ability to translate science into actionable information earned her a place in US News & World Report’s 10 Dietitian’s You Need to Follow on Social Media.
On Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 130 people participated in Divabetic’s first-ever Clued Inn Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experiencesponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Why was that date chosen? That is because it was the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) Diabetes Alert Day, which focused on type 2 diabetes awareness. What’s the connection between diabetes and heart health issues? According to the ADA, people living with type 2 diabetes are two times more likely to develop all types of heart diseases that affect the heart or blood vessels, such as heart failure, heart attack, and stroke. In addition to learning about the symptoms of type 2 diabetes, and learning about risk factors and gender differences of heart disease, what lessons were also learned from the Escape Room experience?
There’s no “I” in “team”
When the participants were asked, in small group discussions with certified diabetes educators after they exited the escape room, whether they could have succeeded on their own, the unanimous answer was “no.” The analogy here is that when members worked together as a team they could complete the escape mission; likewise in order to be successful with managing medical issues, such as diabetes or heart health issues, your chances of success are improved when you work together with your health care team. Trying to escape by yourself or manage your health concerns by yourself is not a winning strategy. The lesson is: there is no “I” in “team.” A corollary to that lesson is: “you are not alone.” When it comes to successful diabetes management, a multidisciplinary team approach is recommended. Who should be a part of your health care team?
Your diabetes health care team
The ADA recommends a variety of health care providers who each play a role in your health. However, “you are the most important member of your health care team.” Your health care team depends on you to talk to them honestly and to tell them how you feel.
Although your Primary Care Physician (PCP) is seen for general check-ups and when you get sick, you should consider seeing an endocrinologist for your diabetes care. He or she is a specialist trained in treating diabetes (and thyroid issues). Most people with type 1 diabetes do see an endocrinologist and many people with type 2 diabetes may see an endocrinologist, especially if they are having trouble managing their diabetes or are developing complications. A certified diabetes educator (CDE) may be a nurse, dietitian, psychologist, podiatrist, pharmacist, etc. who works in some way to teach or care for people with diabetes. They may work in hospitals, clinics, diabetes centers, or private practice.
A registered dietitian (RD) is trained in nutrition and can help you learn how the foods you eat affect your blood sugar. He or she can teach you to balance food and medications and activity. You can learn to read food labels and plan healthful meals.
A mental health professional, such as a diabetes-focused licensed clinical psychologist or clinical social worker, can help with the emotional side of living with diabetes. Starting with receiving a diagnosis of diabetes, or coping with feelings of denial, anger, anxiety, or depression while living with diabetes, a mental health expert is an important member of the team. The goal of therapy is to empower you to accept your diagnosis so you can manage your diabetes the best that you can. If a person with diabetes is experiencing diabetes distress, where the person is stressed by all the demands of self-care, therapy can help to improve coping strategies. If a person with diabetes is experiencing symptoms of depression (unrelated to diabetes), a psychiatrist may be helpful to prescribe anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication (or both). Some psychiatrists also provide counseling.
An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who cares for your eyes. The ADA guidelines recommend that you see your eye doctor at least once a year. You should undergo a dilated eye exam to detect changes in the blood vessels of your eyes due to living with diabetes. When eye problems are caught early, there are very good treatments.
A podiatrist is a specialist who is trained to treat feet and problems of the lower legs. Diabetes makes you prone to poor blood flow and nerve damage in the lower legs. Podiatrists treat corns, calluses, and more serious problems. Do not try to fix these yourself, because you could cause an infection.
Other members of your health care team may include a pharmacist, a dentist, an exercise physiologist, a cardiologist, a nephrologist (kidney specialist) and a neurologist.
Enjoy a long and healthy life with diabetes!
The escape room experience taught the participants that “taking care of your risk for and/or managing diabetes is important to help you take care of your heart. Just like you’re planning to escape this room, you can escape your risk of heart disease by working with a team. Work with your physician and create your own health care team to help manage your blood pressure and cholesterol and/or diabetes to keep your heart and blood vessels healthy.”
Dr. Beverly S. Adler, aka “Dr. Bev”, is a clinical psychologist and Certified Diabetes Educator with a private practice in Baldwin, NY. She was honored in 2016 with the “Certified Diabetes Educator Entrepreneur of the Year Award.”
She is the author/editor of two diabetes self-help books which include insightful lessons of empowerment written by successful men and women with diabetes. She has published articles in print and online about diabetes management – always with the focus on emotional adjustment. Dr. Bev has been quoted in numerous magazines and contributed to a monthly diabetes advice column online. She is a frequent contributor to the Divabetic Diabetes Daily Wire, where she blogs about diabetes topics from the psychological perspective.
Dr. Bev has lived successfully with type 1 diabetes for 40+ years. You can connect with her on her website www.AskDrBev.com and on Twitter @AskDrBev.
We’re talking about ‘Self-Acceptance & Diabetes’ with musical inspiration from Dolly Parton on Diabetes Late Nite. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Dr.Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Lisa R Young, PhD, RDN, and Type 2 Diabetes – What To Know Facebook Community member, Crystal.
Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from Dolly Parton’sDumplin’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack courtesy of SONY Music. LISTEN NOW
Divabetic’s Clued Inn Escape Rooms is an innovative, fun approach, to reach people at risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease before they experience health-related complications.
Carol Seitz Photography
Easy Booking
Quick and easy Individual and Group online reservations start at CluedInn.org with the Diabetes Risk Test or the Heart IQ Quiz.
Carol Seitz Photography
Escape Rooms
Three interactive themed escape room challenges are filled with brainteasers to sharpen problem-solving skills with the power of communication and teamwork.
“I think it was really great that you organized an escape room with the goal of reaching more folks about diabetes.”
Carol Seitz Photography
Table Talks
Certified Diabetes Educators (Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Susan Weiner MS RDN CDE CDN FAADE and Rachel Stahl, MS, RD, CDN, CDE) host discussions for people at risk for and living with diabetes and others to gather and learn together about diabetes and heart health.
“Even if you have diabetes you can lead a fun and productive life”
Carol Seitz Photography
Clued Inn Tote Bags
Take-home resources include Know Diabetes By Heart information materials, Divabetic diabetes information and Metakura local health program calendars.
“I walked away with a lot of information I had not previously known about diabetes.”
Carol Seitz Photography
Prize Wheel
An amazing assortment of prize giveaways are courtesy of Sweet Defeat, Glucose SOS, Hint Water, plus ‘My Sweet Life’ books by Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE.
Carol Seitz Photography
Volunteers
Orientation features diabetes/heart health primer, patient testimonials and overview of program goals to empower and educate.
“We had a great time and the event was wonderful! Looking forward to future events!”
Divabetic’s Clued Inn Escape Rooms was presented on Diabetes Alert Day, March 26, 2019 sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim in New York City, NY.
Divabetic® is a national nonprofit diabetes outreach organization committed to changing attitudes in people at risk, affected by and living with diabetes. We strive to encourage prevention, early action and above all, education.
Divabetic® was inspired by the late R & B legend, Luther Vandross, and created and founded by his long-time assistant, Max Szadek. Divabetic®, a combination of the word ‘diabetic’ with the letter ‘V’ inserted for Vandross, evokes feelings of power and the positive attitude associated with the great DIVAS Luther loved like Patti LaBelle.
Rolling Stone magazine credits Frankie Knuckles as being one of the most important DJs of all time. Unfortunately the ‘Godfather of House Music’ as Frankie Knuckles was commonly known died of diabetes complications at the age of 59 in 2014.
Born in the Bronx, New York, in 1955, Knuckles started his career as a DJ in the early 1970s. of the Eighties and Nineties’ He quickly became one of the most prolific house music producers and remixers in the 80’s and 90’s.
At his Chicago clubs the Warehouse (1977-82) and Power Plant (1983-85), Knuckles’ marathon sets, typically featuring his own extended edits of a wide selection of tracks from disco to post-punk, R&B to synth-heavy Eurodisco, laid the groundwork for electronic dance music culture— are widely attributed to the birth of the term “house” music (an abbreviation of ‘Warehouse’).
Frankie Knuckles created numerous dance classics, including early Jamie Principle collaborations “Your Love”(1986) and “Baby Wants to Ride”(1987); “Tears”(1989), with Satoshi Tomiiee and Robert Owens; “The Whistle Song”(1991); and his remixes of Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody”(1989), Sounds of Blackness’s “The Pressure” (1992), and Hercules and Love Affair’s “Blind” (2008). As his star rose so did the status of his collaborators which included Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, Madonna, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson.
“[When] you’ve got someone as big as Luther Vandross and Michael Jackson sitting there saying, ‘Whatever you want, however you want it, I’ll stay here as long as you need me,’ that’s the reward right there,” Frankie Knuckles said in 2011. He went on to win a Grammy Award for ‘Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical’ in 1997.
The award-winning DJ’s death was due to Frankie Knuckles began to develop diabetes health-related complications in the early-2000s reported the Chicago Tribute.
In July 2008 he had his right foot amputated: He’d broken it during a 2000 snowboarding accident in Switzerland, leading to a bone disease exacerbated by late-breaking diabetes.
“When I saw it was gone I had a good cry, but when I woke up the next morning I felt 1,000% better,” Frankie Knuckles told the Guardian in 2011. “I didn’t realize how much pain I’d been in until it was gone. It was like all of a sudden the sun came out.”
Diabetes health-related complications can include nerve damage and poor blood circulation. These problems make the feet vulnerable to skin sores (ulcers) that can worsen quickly.
More than 80 percent of amputations begin with foot ulcers. A non-healing ulcer that causes severe damage to tissues and bone may require surgical removal (amputation) of a toe, foot or part of a leg.
The good news is that proper diabetes management and careful foot care can help prevent foot ulcers. In fact, better diabetes care is probably why the rates of lower limb amputations have gone down by more than 50 percent in the past 20 years.
“We lost Frankie way too soon,” said Frankie Knuckles Foundation (FKF) committee member Robin Robinson. “He was always ahead of his time. He recognized the power to unite people who had never partied together before. Gay and straight, black and white, young and old, rich and poor, they all came together to crush the traditional social divisions in their mutual love of his DJ-created music that was made for dancing together.”
The Frankie Knuckles Foundation (FKF) is a not for profit educational, and cultural organization dedicated to the advancement of Frankie Knuckles’ mission as the global ambassador of house music through media, conservation and public events continuing and supporting the causes he advocated.
The FKF is a recognized 501c3 and focused on these initiatives: music in schools, LGBTQ youth homelessness, AIDS research / prevention & diabetes research / education.
Knowing the signs can help a doctor quickly intervene and find a treatment. However, many people suffer from early stages of CKD without experiencing any symptoms, which is why regular screenings are vital. Source:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people of certain ethnicities – Black, Hispanic, or Native American – experience higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure, which are risk factors for CKD. Source: Fresenius Kidney Care
Kidney disease is diagnosed through a simple urine and blood test. Kidney function is calculated by determining an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), which is calculated using age, weight, body size, ethnicity and which other factor?
A. heart rate
B. gender
C. blood pressure
d. none of the above
Correct Answer: B
Gender factors into the eGFR. Doctors will also perform other tests before determining a kidney disease diagnosis. Each stage of kidney disease corresponds with an eGFR range, which you can use to make informed decisions about your kidneys’ health and care. Using serum blood test results, you can calculate your own eGFR with this calculator. Source Credit: https://zerocater.com/blog/2018/02/09/keep-your-heart-healthy-at-the-office/
Correct Answer: A
ESRD is a chronic disease that cannot be cured. While progression of CKD can be slowed, when patients reach stage 5, or ESRD, they will need kidney transplant or dialysis to survive. Dialysis can be performed either in a center or at home. Among the benefits of home dialysis are freedom from the fixed schedule at a dialysis center, fewer transportation challenges and increased engagement in one’s own care. Source Credit: https://zerocater.com/blog/2018/02/09/keep-your-heart-healthy-at-the-office/
Correct Answer: D
The changes above, in addition to managing your weight by eating a kidney-friendly diet (e.g. lower protein and/or lower salt) and increasing your exercise, may reduce the disease’s progression. Check in with your doctor before undertaking any major changes. Source Credit: https://zerocater.com/blog/2018/02/09/keep-your-heart-healthy-at-the-office/
Diabetes is both the leading cause of CKD, and is responsible for 36% of CKD cases, and also the number-one cause of kidney failure in the United States. And, according to the most recent annual report from the United States Renal Data System, only 15% of individuals with diabetes and hypertension were aware of their kidney disease – a figure that reinforces the silent nature of the disease before it becomes extremely dangerous.
Divabetic’s newest outreach program, Clued Inn combines the fun and excitement of ‘Escape Room’ game challenges with personalized group discussions about diabetes and heart health lead by certified diabetes educators in New York City on Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019.
According to a 2016 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30.3 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, but nearly a quarter of them (7.2 million) are undiagnosed.
The CDC also notes that people with type 2 diabetes face twice the risk of heart disease and stroke. Clued Inn is an innovative, fun approach, to reach people at risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease before they experience health-related complications. The problem-solving skills and collaborative team effort needed to escape the room are essential behaviors for successfully managing type 2 diabetes health to avoid stroke, and heart disease.
Clued Inn’s online room reservations process includes screening for type 2 diabetes and/or heart health quiz. The program is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim.
Have
you ever scrolled through Instagram and Facebook posts of endless carefree
moments and wondered, “is this every-day life”? The truth is that balancing
home, work and relationships can be challenging! Add in a diagnosis of type 2
diabetes and you may feel overwhelmed by the daily demands of diabetes
management. Every person with diabetes is unique and has his or her own feelings,
thoughts and perspectives about life with type 2 diabetes. Some folks view a
diagnosis of type 2 diabetes as a nudge to prepare healthier meals and add in
more physical activity into daily routines. Others may feel more anxious about
the cost of managing the disease and feel overwhelmed with the prospect of
following-up with their doctor or health-care provider.
As we get older, we may
have different thoughts about our health and everyday lives. A 25-year-old
woman may have different concerns about her type 2 diabetes diagnosis then she
will in her 60’s. Financial issues, romantic relationships and schedules
obviously change as we age and must be addressed. In order to tackle this
important issue, healthline.com conducted a survey of 1500 people with type 2
diabetes across generations to explore their feelings, concerns and
insights. https://www.healthline.com/health/state-of-type-2-diabetes The
survey explored feedback from Millennials, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers. As one of
the medical reviewers for this important survey, I was intrigued by the varied
perspectives across generations.
I was very interested in how people of varying ages felt about their type 2 diabetes diagnosis. About half of Millennials surveyed and about a third of Gen Xers stated that they often hide their condition from others (which may include friends, family and co-workers), because they are worried about what others might think. Additionally, younger respondents were very concerned about the cost of managing their disease, which lead to a reduction in following health care provider treatment guidelines. The cost of healthcare is huge factor associated with proper medical care and can compound fears about potential long-term complications associated with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
As
I read the survey results, I was struck by the feelings of judgment,
embarrassment and guilt younger people feel when they follow up with their
doctor or health care provider. There are many challenges associated with being
overweight and type 2 diabetes. The stigma of type 2 diabetes referred to as an
“older persons” or “lifestyle” disease may cause younger people to feel
embarrassed. Many survey respondents felt their diabetes diagnosis was
perceived as a result of lack of self-control behaviors. This perception may
lead to less than optimal outcomes, and needs to be addressed with the health
care community as well as the general public. More education about type 2
diabetes is essential!
While non-judgmental diabetes language wasn’t specifically addressed in the survey, I believe it should be at the forefront of this conversation. What we say, and how we say it can make a significant difference for a person managing the complexities of diabetes. A task force with representatives from the American Association of Diabetes Educators and the American Diabetes Association developed a fabulous language guideline paper insightful tips around language use as it applies to addressing issues of with diabetes. https://www.diabeteseducator.org/practice/educator-tools/educator-guidance/diabetes-language-paper
Simple
language swaps such as “checking blood sugar” instead of “testing blood sugar”
may put a person at ease. Blood sugar is not a pass-fail grade. A person with
type 2 diabetes may feel extremely guilty when they see their doctor, and
therefore may not return for a follow-up appointment.
Body image was viewed differently
across generations. More
than 50% of Millennials and more than 40% of Gen Xers reported feeling ashamed
about their bodies on a daily or weekly basis. In contrast,
only 18% of Baby Boomers feel that way! Millennials and Gen Xers had recurrent
feelings of guilt, embarrassment, while this was not seen as frequently in
older adults. Hiding the condition was more common for younger people, which
lead to issues with romantic relationships and feeling of isolation.
Gender divides were also acknowledged in the survey. Women reported more issues with self-care, including weight management. Many of the women felt that as care givers, they often put others needs before their own.
Rather than feeling overwhelming with all the “must-do’s” associated with daily diabetes care, consider taking small steps which will add up to big changes. Please speak to your health care provider, family, friends, certified diabetes educator or others in your peer support community about your concerns. You are not alone!
Join Susan Weiner MS RDN CDE CDN FAADE and two other outstanding certified diabetes educators, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE and Rachel Stahl MS, RD, CDN, CDE’ at Divabetic’s Clued Inn: Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim on Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019 in New York City. Currently we have over 150 pre-registered for Clued Inn but there’s still room for you and your friends to participate! Register now at CluedInn.org.
Susan Weiner MS RDN CDE CDN FAADE helped us to make carbohydrate counting fun with a series of colorful Carb Kitty videos available on YouTube:
