Category Archives: Diabetes

TheTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Serviceoffice inMcLennan Countywill present a free Do Well, Be Well with Diabetes program beginning on Oct. 6 in Waco.

The five-week program is for people with Type 2 diabetes. It will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Nov. 3 at the AgriLife Extension office in McLennan County at 4224 Cobbs Drive.

There is no cost to attend, but preregistration is required by calling the AgriLife Extension office at 254-757-5180.

The program will be taught by Colleen Foleen, AgriLife Extension family and community health agent, and Ashley Cox, AgriLife Extension family and community assistant agent, both serving McLennan County.

We will explore a new topic each week, and this is also a good opportunity to get the encouragement to make positive changes and meet others who have the same concerns about diabetes as you, Cox said.

For additional information or questions, contact Foleen at colleen.foleen@ag.tamu.edu or Cox at ashley.cox@ag.tamu.edu.

The Do Well, Be Well with Diabetes program will provide participants with:

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Do Well, Be Well with Diabetes program starts Oct. 6 in Waco - AgriLife Today

We found that more than one-third of our study sample suffered from substantial diabetes-related distress. Previous studies showed that elevated diabetes-related distress affects 2030% of people with T1DM, with the range difference recorded in prevalence across different populations and healthcare systems from 8 to 65%5. Our results are concordant with the study in the USA which reported prevalence of diabetes-related distress in T1DM of 42.1%20. The same study showed that, among those with elevated diabetes-related distress at baseline, 71% report similarly high levels at nine month follow-up. Interestingly, we found that the duration of the disease did not predict diabetes-related distress. Several explanations are possible. For example, the source of distress could have changed over time, as in the example where duration is strongly associated with both complications and hypoglycemia risk. Alternatively, it may indicate that adaptation to distress in persons with T1DM is not a matter of time, as a passive process, but that it requires the person to actively cope with the illness and accept the changes in life that are associated with the occurrence of DM. For example, to accept their own fears of the complications instead of denying it and not adhering to the diet, new healthy lifestyle etc. This may indirectly indicate that a psychosocial intervention may be needed to help the person cope with diabetes-related distress. This may be especially important for those with prolonged distress, as it can predispose to problematic self-care behavior7. Indeed, severe diabetes-related distress increases the chances of poor treatment outcomes and the risk of diabetes-related complications21. Of course, other factors such as general coping abilities and life circumstances (for example poor socioeconomic status) not assessed in this study that relate to diabetes distress may explain these results.

The mean PAID total score in our study was 31.92 (21.14)and is comparable to the results of SAGE study22.

The results of our study indicate that the presence of elevated HbA1c levels is a significant predictor of diabetes distress. This is concordant with the results of the T1 Exchange Clinic Registry in which HbA1c was one of the strongest predictors significantly associated with diabetes-related stress when adjusting for all other variables15.

It is possible that uncontrolled diabetes, defined by high HbA1c levels, elevates the distress in patients, as patients may be worried about the consequences of diabetes and the lack of success in the treatment, especially over a course of time. However, it is also possible that other features, such as anxiety or overwhelming distress in life, may confer to both the increase of stress related to diabetes and to elevated levels of HbA1c.

Concordant with our finding which indicates that the presence of elevated HbA1c levels is a significant predictor for diabetes distress, we also found that the presence of microvascular complications is also a significant predictor. First, we may assume that those with higher levels of HbA1c will also have a higher probability to develop microvascular complications23, indicating that (psychological) factors contributing to elevated HbA1c may result in contributing to microvascular complications over time. Secondly, it is also possible that acquiring microvascular complications lead to impairment of organ functioning that the patient feels through loss or impaired functioning or limitation in everyday life, and thus the fear of disease and potential impact on ability in the future as well distress increase. No other significant predictors for higher diabetes-related distress among sociodemographic and disease characteristics were found. While associations between diabetes-related distress and gender, decreased age, and diabetes duration were demonstrated elsewhere15, our study findings yield no difference in the level of diabetes-related distress among genders and age groups. A possible explanation could be the higher mean age of our study sample which was 48.11 (15.53) vs 37.64 (16.33) in T1 Exchange Clinic Registry. The second possibility is the different method of calculation, which in our study was binary logistic regression with the main variable being categorized as either above cut-off score or below, while the mentioned study used the original continuous PAID score variable. Interestingly, most of our study participants were worried about complications, (e.g., neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy) and hypoglycemia, which are described as the most prevalent diabetes-specific fears in people with diabetes24, so intervention in patient education is justified.

In our study we found that some individual items in the PAID questionnaire were highly scored by majority of studied population, pointing to moderate or severe distress regarding a particular topic25. Worrying about the future and chronic complications and feeling guilty when off-track with diabetes management were the most prominent concerns, and these findings are comparable with the results of a previous study of diabetes-related distress made in Croatian population with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes participants26. Interestingly, feeling guilty when off-track with management was the most prominent description of feelings associated with distress, followed by feeling burnt-out by the constant effort needed to manage diabetes and feeling scared and depressed when thinking about living with diabetes, coping with complications and blood sugar levels, which may indicate the formation of the vicious cycle in which the patients with DM are caught in, by trying and failing to control their illness and future of it27. For example, their constant worrying about the complication of diabetes due to non-optimal glycemia levels and the negative predictions about the future of their illness increasing their level of fear/anxiety may result in the patients feeling burnt by the constant effort needed to manage diabetes (to control their illness glycemia levels) leading to increased depression and fear due to living with diabetes, which then increases the negative perceptions of the future forming the vicious cycle28. Alternatively, constant worrying about the complications and negative predictions about the future of their illness, fear and depression may also lead to denial of the potential effects of chronic diabetes mellitus, which results in them failing to adhere to diet/medication and leading to non-optimal glycemia and ultimately increasing the possibility of complications of DM, followed by feelings of guilt when off-track with diabetes management29. This will again increase their worrying about complications closing the vicious cycle. The way how diabetes-related distress manifests in the two different populations may be contextually different due to differences in age, predisposing conditions, treatment outcomes, and type of treatment. Our findings on commonly perceived distress items solely in T1DM population could be a signal to the clinicians on what to address in clinical consultation.

The importance of psychosocial care and a call for improved psychosocial outcomes are recognized by the American Diabetes Association which issued recommendations to integrate psychosocial care within patient-centered medical care, stressing that such care should be provided to all diabetic patients30. Furthermore, the recent Consensus Report on the management of T1DM acknowledged ongoing psychosocial support as a relevant component of T1DM management, as treatment outcomes are highly dependent on a persons ongoing self-care behavior9. Notably, our findings suggest that social support availability is perceived as highly relevant by our study participants as more than 80% of participants reported scores<3 to the associated item 18. Thus, psychosocial support could be a protective factor from diabetes related distress and perceived problems with self-management in adults with diabetes31. Screening and monitoring for psychosocial problems using patient-appropriate standardized and validated tools are recommended at the initial visit, and periodically thereafter if glycemic targets are not met and/or at the onset of diabetes complications. While the treatment of psychological aspects related to T1DM may be as important as the medical management in improving living with diabetes32, the method of delivering it is still unclear33.

The screening should be used to detect the overall levels of diabetes-related distress, at the very beginning of the treatment. Depending on the PAID scores, several interventions should be offered, in addition to the standard treatment, including education. For those with low to moderate levels of diabetes-related distress, education should be provided in an empathic form by the health care team treating diabetes, seeing as 67% of participants expressed satisfaction with their diabetes physician. For highly distressed adults with T1DM, having poor glycemic control, diabetes-related distress can be successfully addressed using both educational and emotion-focused approaches34. In addition, psychological or psychiatric liaison consultations should be available.

Considerable strengths of the study are the inclusion of a representative sample of T1DM patients treated at secondary and tertiary centers in Croatia and the usage of standardized, diabetes-specific measure that allows for replication of the study findings. Our results made solely in T1DM patients give greater clarity of understanding this condition in specific patients. Lastly, according to our knowledge, this is the first study of this kind in Croatia.

Limitations of this study include a cross-sectional design which implies interpretation and clinical recommendations should be made with caution. The sample size is likely too small to confirm the lack of association among many of the variables. Other comorbidities or life events that could influence distress levels were not assessed and evaluated in this study.

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Prevalence and predictors of diabetes-related distress in adults with type 1 diabetes | Scientific Reports - Nature.com

Navratri fasting tips 2022: Managing blood sugar levels remains an everyday struggle for people with diabetes and when it comes to planning diabetes diet during Navratri fast, it is advised to be mindful of what you are eating and when you are eating during the day to prevent experiencing spike or drop in glucose levels. Stocking on low GI items is a good idea and there is no dearth of such vrat-friendly foods which will prevent sugar spikes. From singhara flour, buckwheat flour, roasted makhanas, peanuts, nuts and seeds, vegetables to fruits, there is a lot that diabetes can safely include in their Navratri diet. (Also read: Navratri 2022: Benefits of fasting)

"People with diabetes need to structure their meals and plan in advance to enjoy the full benefit of Navratri fasts. The main goal is to keep the blood sugar levels within normal range," says Dietician and Nutritionist Dr Poonam Duneja Founder of Nutrifybypoonam Diet & Wellness clinic.

Dr Duneja also offers the following fasting tips for people with diabetes.

- Keep your body hydrated and try to walk for 15 minutes after every meal.

- The navratri plate should have complex carbs and low-calorie drinks and meals distributed throughout the day. Do not eat heavy meals.

- Include low GI carbs like buckwheat roti in your meals. Add vegetables and also include a salad before all your meals to keep your post prandial sugar levels in check.

- Include good fats to reduce the glycemic load of the meals.

- Include low fat dairy proteins in buttermilk, yogurt, paneer to eliminate any sugar cravings and replenish your energy levels throughout the day.

- Mattha, vegetable raita, lassi, chaach, nuts and seeds can be added as an excellent protein source for people with diabetes during fasting.

- Including fruits and veggies result in better plasma carotenoids and Vitamin C levels, deliver antioxidants and phyto compounds. Try salads, fruit chaat, vegetable smoothies, vegetable soups and avoid readymade soups mix, fruit juices and sugary preparations.

"Researches show adding less than 30% calories from fat results in reducing glycated hemolobin levels (HBA1C levels). Include high fibre diet, less saturated fat and cholesterol less than 300 mg. Include omega-3 fatty acids (flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds) to provide unsaturated heart healthy fats which results in elevated HDL levels, better serum lipids LDL and HbA1C," says Dr Duneja.

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Navratri fasting tips 2022: Dos and don'ts for people with diabetes during fasts - Hindustan Times

Apart from the usual symptoms of the disease which include excessive thirst, weight loss, and numbness, diabetes also has some signs that appear on the hands and fingers, known as diabetic neuropathy

In the long run, most of the organs get affected by high blood sugar. Due to poor diet and lifestyle, not just older people but even youngsters fall prey to diabetes.

What is diabetic neuropathy?

Doctors say diabetic neuropathy is the extreme tingling in the hands that happens to more than 50 per cent of people who suffer from the disease.

The tingling and numbness can be severe in many people and can acutely even affect the working of fingers.

What are the symptoms?

Apart from the sensation in fingers, other symptoms of neuropathy include:

Weakness in hands

Paralysis on one side of the face

Pain behind the eye

Double vision

Focus problem

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

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Beware of these signs on your hands that indicate onset of diabetes - Times Now

Winnie the Pooh could hold the key to beating diabetes, according to new research. Every year, bears gain an enormous amount of weight, then barely move for months.

A sugar-rich diet is the main trigger for the metabolic disorder in humans. It's caused by resistance to insulin, a hormone that controls glucose.

Bears can turn it on and off, almost like a switch, but scientists have found their secret: a particular set of hibernation proteins. Thousands of changes in gene expression were narrowed down to eight, specifically.

A Washington State University (WSU) team made the discovery by feeding honey, Pooh's favorite food, to hibernating bears.

"There seem to be eight proteins that are working either independently or together to modulate the insulin sensitivity and resistance that is seen in hibernating bears," said Professor Joanna Kelley, lead author of the study. "All of these eight proteins have human homologs. They are not unique to bears. The same genes are in humans, so that means maybe there is a direct opportunity for translation."

The scientists looked at changes in cell cultures exposed to blood serum drawn from grizzlies housed at the WSU Bear Centre.

Samples were collected during active and hibernating seasons - including one that was interrupted by being given water laced with honey.

Different cocktails highlighted the genetic alterations. It was serum from the mid-hibernation feeding period that helped most in identifying the important proteins.

"By feeding the bears just for two weeks during hibernation, it allowed us to control for other things like day length and temperature as well as food availability," Kelley said.

Bears usually get up and move a little during hibernation but do not eat, urinate or defecate.

Waking moments were used to offer them the treat. The extra sugar was also found to disrupt hibernation behavior - enabling the first study of its kind. When the serum was put onto a cell culture taken from regularly hibernating bears, they began to exhibit changes in gene activity similar to those from an active season.

Kelley and colleagues plan to investigate how the proteins work to reverse insulin resistance.

The findings may ultimately lead to the development of therapies that prevent, or even cure, diabetes.

"This is progress toward getting a better understanding of what is happening at the genetic level and identifying specific molecules that are controlling insulin resistance in bears," said co-first author Dr. Blair Perry of WSU.

Tools for understanding genetics are becoming more sophisticated. The researchers recently mapped the complete DNA of brown bears, of which grizzlies are a member.

The updated genome may help provide even better insights into bear genetics including how they manage hibernation.

Perry, who has also worked out the genetic makeup of snake venom, said: "There is inherent value to studying the diversity of life around us and all of these unique and strange adaptations that have arisen."

"By understanding the genomic basis of these adaptations, we gain a better understanding of what we share with other species, and what makes us unique as humans," Perry said.

The study in iScience is potentially priceless - for diabetics.

Produced in association with SWNS Talker.

This story was provided to Newsweek by Zenger News.

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Why Winnie the Pooh Could Hold Key to Beating Diabetes - Newsweek

The key to managing diabetes could be as simple as what's cooking in your kitchen.

COLUMBUS, Ohio The key to controlling and managing diabetes could be as simple as what's cooking in your kitchen.

Researchers from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine tested whether a cooking prescription that provides food, along with diabetes self-management education, would improve A1C levels.

Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist Jennifer Shrodes said people diagnosed with diabetes should focus on portion sizes.

She said it's important that your plate is one-third protein, one-third nonstarchy vegetables and one-third carbohydrates.

Shrodes and her dietitian colleagues said that there are no so-called bad foods. Instead, they help participants understand how to track how frequently they eat food that might not be as full of healthy nutrients.

"This study really looked at what we're teaching people in the classroom and how do they take that information outside of the classroom and actually practice in their real-life," Shrodes said.

Researchers found that participants' blood sugar improved and many were back at baseline afterward. They said the key is to continue to practice what they've learned in diabetes education.

OSU chefs offer a free live-streamed 20-minute cooking demo twice a month on the second and fourth Tuesday at noon. Head over to theOSU Wexner Medical Cental website to register.

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Managing diabetes could happen in the kitchen, Ohio State researchers find - 10TV

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. For the 5th year, the West Virginia Diabetic Walk For Wellness was hosted by Webster Insurance Agency at the Bridge Sports Complex in Bridgeport.

The event is meant to help promote diabetic wellness and raise awareness through education. It featured a display from United Hospital Center that showed the sugars in items we consume.

All donations from Saturdays event will be sent to the Diabetic Association for testing, equipment and anything to help to find a cure.

A lot of people dont realize the types of foods you need to eat, what you need to maintain your sugar. so, were hoping that this raises awareness and gets some information out to folks and realize this is a bad disease, said Joyce Hickman, agent with Webster Insurance Agency.

Hickman hopes that the event can grow larger year after year so it can promote wellness and raise more awareness for diabetes.

12 News own Don Graye said, Im a diabetic, I have been for a while. The association does so many good things, information, how to get contacts with people and so forth. So, its a worthwhile cause and diabetes is not a joke, its a serious matter.

If you would like to make a donation for the Diabetes Association, you can call 304-842-7311.

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West Virginia Diabetic Walk for Wellness held for the 5th year - WBOY.com

Data presented today show more participants achieved greater treatment satisfaction when switching to once-weekly insulin icodec in ONWARDS 2 trial

Bagsvrd, Denmark, Thursday 22 September 2022 Novo Nordisk today presented new data from the phase 3a ONWARDS 2 trial, demonstrating that 37% of adults with type 2 diabetes treated with once-weekly insulin icodec achieved an HbA1c <7.0%, without experiencing severe or clinically significant hypoglycaemia, compared with 27% of those treated with insulin degludec at 26 weeks1. These results were presented at the 58th European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting 20221.

Once-weekly insulin would be a remarkable step forward in insulin innovation, said Dr Athena Philis-Tsimikas, Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute, California, USA, and principal investigator of ONWARDS 2. It could offer people with type 2 diabetes reduced treatment complexity and burden by reducing the number of basal insulin injections from 365 to 52 per year, without compromising management of blood sugar.

The trial achieved its primary endpoint of demonstrating non-inferiority in reducing HbA1c at week 26 with insulin icodec compared with insulin degludec2. From a mean baseline of 8.17% (icodec) and 8.10% (degludec), once-weekly insulin icodec achieved a superior reduction in estimated HbA1c of 0.93% compared with 0.71% for insulin degludec2.

People with diabetes in ONWARDS 2 reported significantly greater satisfaction in favour of once-weekly insulin icodec compared with insulin degludec at 26 weeks as assessed by the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) 1.

We are very pleased to see the promising results from the ONWARDS programme so far, said Martin Holst Lange, Executive Vice President Development, Novo Nordisk. The patient-reported outcomes data we see in ONWARDS 2 further strengthen our belief that insulin icodec has the potential to become the ideal insulin for people living with type 2 diabetes initiating insulin treatment.

The mean weekly insulin dose was 268 U/week for insulin icodec vs 244 U/week for insulin degludec1. The estimated mean change in body weight from baseline to week 26 was 1.40 kg for insulin icodec compared with 0.30 kg for insulin degludec1.

In the trial, once-weekly insulin icodec appeared to have a safe and well-tolerated profile. There was less than 1 hypoglycaemic event per patient-year exposed for insulin icodec and insulin degludec (0.73 events and 0.27 events per patient-year exposed, respectively, with no statistically significant difference between arms). As previously reported, no severe hypoglycaemia events were observed for people treated with insulin icodec1.

For more news and media materials from Novo Nordisk at EASD 2022, please visit: https://www.novonordisk.com/news-and-media/e-press-room.html?cid=nnref-1624925851

About insulin icodecInsulin icodec is a novel once-weekly basal insulin analogue designed to cover the basal insulin requirements for a full week with a single subcutaneous injection. Currently, the basal insulin products with the longest duration are injected once daily1. Insulin icodec is currently going through phase 3 clinical development.

About the ONWARDS clinical programme The ONWARDS clinical development programme for once-weekly insulin icodec comprises six phase 3a global clinical trials, including a trial with real-world elements, involving more than 4,000 adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes2. Top-line data for the ONWARDS 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 trials have now read out, all meeting their primary endpoints2-4.

About ONWARDS 2ONWARDS 2 trial is a phase 3a, 26-week efficacy and safety treat-to-target trial investigating once-weekly insulin icodec vs once-daily insulin degludec in 526 people with type 2 diabetes switching from daily insulin5. The primary endpoint was to assess the change in HbA1c at week 26 with insulin icodec compared with insulin degludec2.

About Novo Nordisk Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic diseases such as obesity and rare blood and endocrine disorders. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 50,800 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Further information

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References1.Philis-Tsimikas A, Asong M, Franek E, et al. Once-weekly Insulin Icodec Demonstrated Better Glycaemic Control vs Once-daily Insulin Degludec in Basal Insulin-Treated Type 2 Diabetes. European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 58th Annual Meeting; 1923 September 2022; Stockholm, Sweden. 2.Novo Nordisk. Company announcement. Once-weekly insulin icodec demonstrates superior reduction in HbA1c vs insulin degludec in people with type 2 diabetes in ONWARDS 2 phase 3a trial. Available at: https://www.novonordisk.com/content/nncorp/global/en/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=112839 Last accessed: September 2022. 3.Novo Nordisk. Company announcement. Novo Nordisk achieves primary objectives of ONWARDS 1 and 6 trials with once-weekly insulin icodec demonstrating superior reduction in HbA1c vs insulin glargine U100 in ONWARDS 1. Available at: https://www.novonordisk.com/content/nncorp/global/en/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=118349 Last accessed: September 2022. 4.Novo Nordisk. Company announcement. Novo Nordisk achieves primary objectives of ONWARDS 3 and 4 trials with once-weekly insulin icodec demonstrating superior reduction in HbA1c vs insulin degludec in ONWARDS 3. Available at: https://www.novonordisk.com/content/nncorp/global/en/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=127304 Last accessed: September 2022. 5.ClinicalTrials.gov. A Research Study to Compare Two Types of Insulin, a New Weekly Insulin, Insulin Icodec and an Available Daily Insulin, Insulin Degludec, in People With Type 2 Diabetes Who Use Daily Insulin (ONWARDS 2). Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04770532 Last accessed: September 2022.

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More people with type 2 diabetes achieved blood sugar target with once-weekly insulin icodec compared with once-daily insulin degludec - GlobeNewswire

Sugar is often portrayed as a villain or main culprit when the topic of diabetes comes up.

While sugar does play an important role in the context of this condition, several misconceptions exist about people with diabetes being able to consume sugar.

People with diabetes can eat food and drink beverages that contain sugar. But just like everything, moderation is key.

This article will give you more information about the role that sugar plays in diabetes and glucose management, and how to approach it in appropriate and balanced ways.

Clinical guidelines or recommendations about anything, including sugar consumption by people with diabetes, are just that: guidelines. They are meant to guide many people to stay as healthy as possible.

Expert opinions differ on how much sugar is recommended each day.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mentions that the average intake of added sugars was 17 teaspoons per day or 19 teaspoons for men and 15 teaspoons for women for Americans ages 20 and over in 2018.

If youre used to eating a lot of sugar, you may want to reduce your intake to help manage blood glucose levels and keep them in target range.

Of course, everyone is different. Your weight, activity level, nutritional needs, and your bodys reaction to factors that affect your blood sugar levels will differ from those of another person with diabetes.

You and your diabetes care team should discuss your situation, including your history of managing your blood sugar levels, to determine how much sugar you can eat in a typical day. This can vary, too, depending on what type of diabetes you have and any medications you take.

Some people may worry that eating sugar will lead to diabetes, but diabetes is much more complex. Plus, your body does need some sugar to function. According to the National Institutes of Health, one type of sugar called glucose is an important source of fuel for your body and your brain.

The sugar in your body comes, in part, from carbohydrates. After you eat, your body breaks down the food you eat as youre digesting, which sends glucose into your bloodstream.

Simple carbohydrates like candy or fruit break down quickly, sending a quick burst of sugar into your bloodstream. More complex carbohydrates like pasta break down more slowly and deliver a steadier dose of sugar over time.

If you dont have diabetes, your pancreas will respond to the influx of sugar by releasing a hormone called insulin, which works to move that sugar out of your blood and into your cells to use as fuel.

However, if you have diabetes, your pancreas may not respond by producing enough (or any, in some cases) insulin to do the job. The sugar can build up in your bloodstream, which can eventually damage your blood vessels and cause other complications.

Its a common misconception that people with diabetes need to give up sugar and go sugar-free for the rest of their lives.

In other words, yes, people with diabetes actually can still eat sugar. They can eat foods with added sugars and also other foods containing carbohydrates that get broken down into sugar inside the body.

People with diabetes need to be careful about how much sugar they consume. The key word is moderation, according to the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.

Limiting sugar content overall is a smart choice. A few commonly recommended strategies include:

You can also learn how to count carbohydrates. Many people with diabetes count carbs to help them keep track of what theyre eating so they can manage their blood sugar levels better.

According to the CDC, if you are overweight, you may help reverse prediabetes and delay or prevent type 2 diabetes by shedding 5% to 7% of your body weight. As this is not the only way to prevent type 2 diabetes and it may not be necessary for everyone, its best to speak with your doctor first.

If you have diabetes, you dont have to resign yourself to a life without sugar. But you do need to be mindful of how much sugar you consume and how it affects your ability to control your glucose levels.

This includes not only sugary sweets but beverages and anything with carbohydrates, as those convert into sugar in your body. Your diabetes care team can help you design a plan that helps you achieve a healthy balance.

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How Much Sugar Is Allowed for People with Diabetes? - Healthline

Maria Ramos-Roman, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine

DALLAS Sept. 1, 2022 Breastfeeding offers a wealth of benefits both for mothers and their babies. Although diabetes can complicate the process, it does not prevent mothers from giving their babies this wonderful start to life, according to UTSouthwestern endocrinologist Maria Ramos-Roman, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine.

Three common forms of diabetes are: type 1, an autoimmune condition that typically develops in youth; type 2, a condition that is traditionally diagnosed in adults but that also affects younger individuals; and gestational diabetes, which develops during pregnancy. About half of women who develop gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

Diabetes can impact breastfeeding in a variety of ways, said Dr. Ramos-Roman. For example, it can lengthen the time before some mothers establish milk production. Breastfeeding can also change maternal blood sugar patterns throughout the day. Mothers who require medical therapy for diabetes may need less medication during breastfeeding to prevent dips in blood sugar.

To combat these issues, its especially important for mothers with diabetes to meet with a lactation consultant soon after birth and learn techniques to give their breastfeeding journey the best start. Mothers with diabetes should also continue to monitor blood sugar and discuss with their health care team how to adjust their medical treatment for diabetes during the postpartum period, said Dr. Ramos-Roman. Medications typically used to treat diabetes, such as insulin and metformin, are not harmful to breastfed babies and may be necessary for mothers to maintain proper glucose control. Similarly, sticking to a healthy diet can help stabilize blood sugar; diets typically recommended for pregnancy are also good for diabetic mothers, she added.

Dr. Ramos-Roman offered these additional tips for breastfeeding with diabetes:

About UTSouthwestern Medical Center

UTSouthwestern, one of the nations premier academic medical centers, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institutions faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 26 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 17 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The full-time faculty of more than 2,900 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UTSouthwestern physicians provide care in more than 80 specialtiesto more than 100,000 hospitalized patients, more than 360,000 emergency room cases, and oversee nearly 4 million outpatient visits a year.

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Mothers with diabetes can have a healthy breastfeeding experience - UT Southwestern