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Diabetes begins as a metabolic syndrome that features a combination of hormonal and nutritional imbalances. If these imbalances aren’t corrected, a pre-diabetic condition can turn into full-fledged diabetes. These hormonal imbalances can result in an inability for your body to produce the insulin that it needs to convert glucose into energy, a condition that is known as insulin resistance. When this occurs, your blood glucose
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Diabetes self-care is much more fun when I’m happy. It’s so much easier when I have a smile on my face. For a long time I thought negative emotions could be controlled or denied. I thought I could just put on a smile, and they would go away. But they didn’t. Then I ran across the work of David Reynolds Ph.D. In his book, “Pools
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Dear Nadia, Is the new inhalable insulin for people with type1 or type 2 diabetes? Susan Kenosha WI Dear Susan, The new Afrezza insulin is for people living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. It’s a powdered insulin that penetrates the deep lung tissue. Physicians recommend that you take this rapid acting insulin before your meals. It peaks in 12-14 minutes and completely leaves
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Dear Nadia, My son was diagnosed with T1 when he was eight years old. He has been living in Saudi Arabia and getting excellent medical care from the time of his diagnosis. He started using an insulin pump at the age of 9. He is now going to Pomona, California and enrolling in intensive English courses. I would like your recommendations for an excellent T1
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Why did my daughter get Type 1 diabetes? I wish I had it instead of her. BK San Francisco CA Dear BK, I have been asked this question many times over the years. Especially by parents like yourself who are learning to cope with their newly diagnosed child. A type 1 diagnosis means that your daughter’s immune system is attacking her pancreatic insulin beta cells.
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Dear Nadia, I would like to know, if I normally use Levemir pen insulin, and I run out before my health insurance kicks in, can I use Lantus insulin until I can get coverage for my Levemir ? Rita U Dear Rita, Levemir and Lantus are similar insulins. Our advisory board member Jane Jeffrie Seley, DNP MSN MPH RN GNP BC-ADM CDE CDTC suggests that
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Ask Nadia I have diabetes and am having trouble with high blood sugars. I am thinking about asking my Doctor to put me on Symlin. Andrew Madison WI Dear Andrew, Symlin is a brand name for the hormone Amylin. Amylin is a hormone produced in your pancreas from the same beta cells that also make insulin. It’s released into your blood stream after a meal
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My diabetic educator fired up a video of professional athletes enjoying their chosen sport. A cyclist whizzed down mountainous trails in California with an insulin pump mounted on his hip. A swimmer dove into a pool and came up just long enough to start a perfect breast stroke. These were supposed to be my new heroes. We now shared a bond. I was nearing the
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Are you ready for a challenge? Then let’s take a trip together–just me, you, and diabetes. Another travel season is upon us, with all of the challenges and frustrations that it entails for those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It might not simple or easy to manage, but it should be rewarding if we handle it right. Here are 12 tips to get
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I have a concern. I switched doctor’s offices this year because my insurance company didn’t cover much at the healthcare provider I was visiting. While the bills got better (thank goodness!), and the people couldn’t be nicer, some things didn’t improve. I found that they were making a lot of mistakes, pretty important ones! I always bring my medication list with me when I visit
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