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Diabetes tips

Diabetes And Travel

by tanja June 8, 2018

Diabetes and travel is another interesting topic that is interesting for people with diabetes. When I was 9 years old, I wanted to go on excursions with my friends from primary school. My parents explained to me that I have to learn how to monitor my blood glucose level on a regular basis and inject insulin by myself. From that moment, the control of my blood glucose level was in my hand. Thanks to that, years later I was able to travel around Europe, visit new cities, meet new friends and cultures.

Diabetes and travel - What do I do before I travel?

The things I pay attention to

There are a lot of things I have to pay attention to If I want to have a healthy and hassle-free trip.

I always carry all diabetes supplies. Wherever I travel, I carry all diabetes supplies. I always put the testing equipment, insulin, syringes, and pen needles in the checked-in luggage. Moreover, I always pack extra treatment supplies in my hand luggage in case my checked-in luggage gets lost or delayed.

Before my first travel alone, I went to my doctor to talk about your travel plans. We discussed my medication/insulin adjustments, Glucagon, and testing for ketones during the trip. Furthermore, my doctor gave me the doctor’s letter alerting about my diabetes and all diabetes supplies I need to take with me.

I always keep my diabetes supplies cool. We should keep the insulin at room temperature. That is why I bring along cool packs for storing my insulin. For my last travelings, I used Frio Duo Insulin Cooling Wallet.

Before I leave for my trip, I don’t forget to find out what pharmacies and hospitals are closest to my hotel.

With careful planning and taking a few precautions, diabetes does not stop me from having the most memorable trip.

June 8, 2018 0 comment

Diabetes tips Diabetes treatment

What Do I Do When My Blood Glucose Level Is High?

by tanja April 14, 2018

Hyperglycemia is high blood glucose (blood sugar) level. High blood glucose happens when the body has too little insulin or when the body can’t use insulin properly. If we don’t control regularly the hyperglycemia, the complications may be severe or even life-threatening. During my 20 years of experience with type 1 diabetes, I have had high blood sugar levels oftentimes. When my blood glucose level is high, I know how to react in those situations.

The things I do when my blood glucose level is high

When I measure high levels of blood glucose, I do the following:

I don’t panic

When I measure high levels of blood glucose, I NEVER panic. The panic is one of the factors that increase blood glucose levels. I always take a deep breath to stay calm.

As for the next two tips, I always practice only ONE of them.

I inject a certain dose of fast-acting insulin

When my blood glucose level is high, I inject the fast-acting insulin Apidra.

For me, this is a painful way for decreasing the blood glucose levels. The dose of fast-acting insulin I have to inject depends on the high blood glucose levels, as well as the consultation with my doctor endocrinologist.

I am physical active

It is interesting to note that being physically active for me is a more interesting way to decrease blood glucose levels. When I choose to be physically active, I usually climb the stairs in the building or run.

One hour after I inject insulin or being physically active, I check once again the blood glucose levels. If it is still high, I continue with the physical activity until the blood sugar is back to normal.

Summarize

To sum, it is important to maintain your blood glucose levels in the normal range and avoid hyperglycemia. Only in that way you can reduce the risk of the complications that may occur.

April 14, 2018 0 comment

Diabetes tips Diabetes treatment

Everyday Things That Increase The Blood Sugar Level

by tanja March 31, 2018

If you have diabetes, it is important to know that the food you eat can have a direct impact on your blood sugar levels. Whether you have diabetes or just concerned about maintaining steady blood sugar levels, it is important to pay attention to what you eat. Moreover, it’s important to be aware of some unexpected factors that can increase the blood sugar level.

The things that increase the blood sugar level

White bread

White bread is made from refined-flour which the body turns quickly into sugar and causes rapid blood sugar fluctuations.

Sweetened beverages

Carbohydrates in energy drinks, soft drinks, fruit juices, and sweetened coffees are rapidly processed by your body and can quickly make your blood sugar levels shoot up. Avoid sweetened beverages at all times to optimize blood sugar control, especially if your blood sugar levels are already high.

Coffee

Your blood sugar may rise after a cup of coffee due to the presence of caffeine. The same goes for black tea or green tea. Although caffeine affects different people differently, if you are diabetic you must limit your caffeine intake.

Red meat

Red meat and processed meat like bacon and ham are all high in saturated fats that may raise your blood sugar levels. Moreover, too much protein can also raise your insulin levels.

Illness

When you’re sick or you have an infection, there’s a drawback for people with diabetes and the blood sugar levels can soar. It’s important to stay well hydrated and to be even more careful than usual about what you eat. It’s sometimes necessary to call a doctor in order to increase diabetes medication. Be sure to get your health care provider’s advice on how often to measure your blood sugar and which medications to take.

Smoking cigarettes

Obviously, a smoking habit isn’t healthy for anyone, but cigarettes are particularly dangerous for people with diabetes. It increases blood sugar levels. These high blood sugar levels increase the risk of serious diabetes complications, such as heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.

Lack of sleep

Poor sleep can lead to increased blood sugar levels and the risk of diabetic issues. If you sleep less, blood sugar increases, escalating the issue. Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine found that people who slept less than 6 hours a night had more blood sugar complications compared to those who received 8 hours of sleep.

Stress

Stress, which can be physical or mental, definitely raises blood sugar levels. It increases cortisol. When cortisol goes up, it makes us less sensitive either to our body’s own insulin or to insulin injections. Even positive changes to your daily routine can cause a sudden spike in blood sugar levels.

March 31, 2018 0 comment

Diabetes tips Diabetes treatment

How To Prevent Hyperglycemia?

by tanja March 22, 2018

The easiest way to prevent hyperglycemia is to control your diabetes. Тhere are many aspects of your diabetes care you can control:

Control your diabetes is one of the best ways to prevent hyperglycemia.

Taking your insulin (or glucose-lowering medication) as prescribed

Take your medication as directed. If you have frequent episodes of hyperglycemia, your doctor may adjust the dosage or timing of your medication.

Take your insulin as directed if you want to prevent hyperglycemia

Avoiding consuming too many calories (i.e., sugary beverages)

Carbohydrate-containing foods directly affect your blood glucose level after eating, so reviewing the amount of carbohydrate in your meals and snacks may be helpful in determining the cause of hyperglycemia.

Controlling stress

During periods of stress, the body releases so-called stress hormones, which cause a rise in blood glucose level. Stress hormones may be released during physical, mental, and emotional stresses. In the short term, this gives the body the extra energy it needs to cope with the stress. But if a person doesn’t have adequate insulin circulating in his bloodstream to enable his cells to use the extra energy, the result will be hyperglycemia.

Staying active (exercising)

Exercise usually lowers blood glucose levels because it improves your cells’ sensitivity to insulin and helps cells burn glucose for energy.

Exercise if you want to prevent hyperglycemia.

Going to your regularly scheduled doctor’s appointments

If you have trouble keeping your blood sugar within the desired range, schedule an appointment to see your doctor. He or she can help you make changes to better manage your diabetes.

Hyperglycemia is a common complication of diabetes, but through medication, exercise, and careful meal planning, you can keep your blood glucose level from going too high—and that can help you in the long-run.

Keeping your blood glucose levels in the recommended ranges throughout the day will help you avoid long-term complications of diabetes, such as:

Eye damage
Heart attack—or other cardiovascular complications
Kidney damage
Nerve damage
Stroke
Problems with healing wounds

By maintaining your blood glucose levels and prevent hyperglycemia, you can reduce your risk of all these complications.

March 22, 2018 0 comment

Diabetes tips Diabetes treatment

How To Prevent Hypoglycemia?

by tanja March 13, 2018

The following actions can help you prevent hypoglycemia:

Check your blood glucose levels

Your blood glucose level can help you decide how much medicine to take, what food to eat, and how physically active to be. Check yourself with a blood glucose meter at least 3 times per days, especially before eating your meals. Sometimes people with diabetes don’t feel or recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia, a problem called hypoglycemia unawareness. If you have had hypoglycemia without feeling any symptoms, you may need to check your blood glucose more often so you know when you need to treat your hypoglycemia or take steps to prevent it.

Eat regular meals and snacks

Eat regular meals and snacks with the correct amount of carbohydrates to help keep your blood glucose level from going too low.

Be physically active safely

To help prevent hypoglycemia, you may need to check your blood glucose before, during, and after physical activity and adjust your medicine or carbohydrate intake. For example, you might eat a snack before being physically active or decrease your insulin dose to keep your blood glucose from dropping too low.

How to treat your hypoglycemia?

A blood glucose meter shows that the blood glucose level is low and suggest that we should prevent hypoglycemia

If you begin to feel one or more hypoglycemia symptoms, check your blood glucose. If your blood glucose level, eat or drink 15 grams of carbohydrates right away. Examples include:

A tube of glucose gel
1/2 cup of fruit juice
1/2 glass of soda, coca-cola
1 tablespoon of sugar, honey
A tube of glucose gel

Wait for 15 minutes and check your blood glucose once again. If your glucose level is still low, eat or drink glucose or carbohydrates. But, be careful, don’t eat or drink too much. Check your blood glucose again after another 15 minutes. Repeat these steps until your glucose level is back to normal.

March 13, 2018 0 comment