Preventing Injury

January 15th, 2010

Three Tips to Prevent Injuries

professional diabetic athletes

People diagnosed with diabetes are often encouraged by their doctors to careful not be get hurt or injured. There are always good physiological reasons for this advice and patients diagnosed with this disease should be cautious at all times.

According to Dr. Sheri Colberg, author of Diabetic Athlete’s Handbook in 2009,  “People with diabetes are at higher risk to activities related injuries than people without diabetes. “  Your doctor has told you the likelihoodof this and why should you at all time, other  than when you are sleeping,  to be alert.

Here are a few tips on how you can avoid injury while you enjoy life as fully as any normal person.  Simple lifestyle changes that can prolong your life as a diabetic.

Use wheelchair ramps and elevators whenever possible

Although wheelchair ramps are initally made for the disabled, there are many ordinary intelligent people who routinely use wheelchair ramps to transit from one floor to another.   These ramps are safe and the slope is scientifically calculated to ensure a smooth transition to and from using wheelchairs.   Most large hospitals have ramps you can use you when visiting the doctor’s office.

Be careful when cooking diabetes diet recipes

There is no reason why you should not lead an active lifestyle.  In fact, cook to your heart’s content.  Use diabetic diet recipes and discover that the will not only please yourself, but the others you cook for.  However,  it is a good idea to ask a family member to help you, especially if you have to use a knife to chop or peel.  If help isn’t available and you have to do a lot of chopping, then be sure to use that an electrical device designed to cut, chop, peel and cut into cubes.   You know, the one you store in the back of the cupboard.  The risk of cutting yourself  is not worth it .

Also, always exercise care when lifting vessels and utensils in the kitchen, because you can not afford to hurt your back by improperly lifting that bag of flour,  or stub your toe by not watching where you walk.

Exercise with caution

Exercises designed to extend your grip or those with repetitive movements of the body should be avoided.   Light exercises such as some Yoga exercises, or simple walking – especially in familiar areas where there are plenty of light – as well as a relaxed swim or aquafit class are the best choices for the diabetic.

The ideal thing to do is to work with the careful monitoring of a trainer who has experience in dealing with diabetes.  Take a look around.  They are not difficult to find.  And always, talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Resources

Ann Francis is a Senior Living Services professional and an expert on how to live with diabetes and how to benefit from great specially designed diabetic diet recipes. For hundreds of recipes exclusively for people with this condition and a large number of developed useful resources on diabetes, she on her website http://www.diabeticdietrecipes.net.

Items of Interest

Diabetic Diet and Hyperbaric Oxygenation

Some interesting conversation …


Testing Your Levels

December 5th, 2009

diabetic sugar levels

The Why?

When you have diabetes, blood sugar testing is the most important thing you can do to feel your best and prevent long-term complications.  Consider it an opportunity to take charge of your health.

Monitoring your blood sugar, also called glucose, level will help you take better care of your diabetes.

Checking your blood sugar will help you learn how food, activity levels, stress, medicine and insulin affect your blood sugar level.   This information will help you stay healthy and prevent or delay diabetic complications such as blindness and kidney failure.

The How?

You will need a glucose meter, alcohol pads, sterile finger lancets and sterile test strips.  Check with your health insurance plan to see if they will pay for these supplies.

To test your blood sugar, follow the instructions that come with your glucose meter.  Here’s the basis:

  1. Always wash your hands with soap and warm water, then dry them well.  That’s the first step.
  2. Remove a test strip from the container and replace the cap immediately to prevent damage to the strips.
  3. Insert the test strip into your meter.
  4. Place the tip of the special needle (lancet) on your finger or whatever part of body you will use to test.  If you are using your finger, always stick the side of your finger, not the tip, so that you won’t have sore spots on the part of your finger you use the most.
  5. When you have a drop of blood, carefully touch the test strip to the blood (avoid touching your skin with the test strip) and wait for a reading.
  6. Within a few seconds, the meter will display your blood glucose level on a screen.

Your fingertips contain a lot of nerve endings, so make sure to rotate the sites where you stick your fingers.  If you have a newer glucose meter, you’ll have the option to test your blood glucose from other sites, such as your forearm or thigh.  But check with your doctor or diabetes educator first to find out if alternative site testing is appropriate in your case.

Your Glucose Level is so important

Let’s watch how they do it.