Diabetic Seniors

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Diabetes Testing Equipment

As a diabetic there are numerous expenses involved to manage your diabetes. You must have a steady supply of glucose testing strips, lancets, syringes, ketone strips, glucose meters and other assorted health care products. And, to add insult to injury, in order to be reimbursed by your insurance company or Medicare, you then spend countless hours filling out paperwork or talking on the phone, and don't forget standing in lines at the pharmacy as well. All in all, being a diabetic, means a total change in lifestyle-from dietary needs to diabetic testing equipment to be purchased, there is plenty to keep you busy and cost you money.

Blood Sugar Testing Supplies

From simple to elaborate, basic to buff, the diabetic's most useful tools are those used for monitoring their blood glucose. These blood sugar testing supplies can range from standard finger stick lancets to high tech computerized blood sugar management systems. However, regardless of what you select, the most important thing is that you learn to utilize it correctly and that you take good care of the assorted blood sugar testing supplies. As a newly diagnosed diabetic, you are likely overwhelmed with the many changes taking place, and learning how to use your blood glucose testing supplies may seem a bit daunting. Nevertheless, don't hit the panic button; your diabetes health care providers are there to help you to learn all you need to know about purchasing, using and maintaining all of your blood glucose testing supplies.

What Exactly Is Insulin Resistance

Although many people know that diabetics cannot have excess amounts of sweets and fats, most of them do not totally understand what one of the main problems is in Type 2 Diabetes. Ironically, a 1999 survey by the American Association of Diabetes Educators found that almost 2/3 of the 1000 people survey did not understand or had even heard of...insulin resistance. Even more disheartening is that those who were unaware of what insulin resistance was, were struggling to keep a tight control on their blood glucose and, in most instances, not taking some of the leading medications that assist in insulin resistance and Diabetes.

How To Get Medicare to Cover Your Diabetic Supplies

A Medicare diabetic supply could add up to significant savings if you currently pay out-of-pocket for your diabetes testing supplies. If you are eligible, you may qualify to receive diabetic supplies.

Tips for Handling Insulin Syringes

More than one billion diabetic insulin syringes and lancets are used in the United States each year. And used insulin syringes and other "sharps" can accidentally hurt other people - everyone from you and your family to the person who collects your garbage. So, as you take care of your diabetes, make sure you take care of the safety of everyone around you by safely handling and disposing of used diabetes insulin syringes and lancets.

Free Diabetic Test Strip

Free diabetic test strips? If you are a diabetic you could get free strips to test your blood sugar.

Diabetes Supplies Home Delivery

In today's fast paced world of work schedules, doctors/work related appointments, deadlines and family responsibilities adding another item to the "To Do" list is not welcomed. As a diabetic you have additional "activities" like blood glucose testing, watching your diet, checking your blood pressure, occasional ketone testing and other health related needs. Consequently, spending time at the pharmacy or filling out medical and insurance claim forms is a routine part of life. However, excessive monthly or quarterly paperwork and time spent waiting at the pharmacy can be eradicated by using a diabetes supplies home delivery service. No more lines, no more re-occurring paperwork-- just a phone call or the click of a mouse and your diabetes home delivery is ready to go!

Insulin Dependent Diabetes

Insulin dependent diabetes, also known as Type 1 diabetes, is the type of diabetes that results when the body's immune system attacks the beta cells of the pancreas. Consequently, the pancreas is no longer able to produce insulin. People usually find out that they have insulin dependent diabetes mellitus before reaching the age of 30, although it can be diagnosed at any age. Type 1 diabetes is treated with either oral or injected insulin.

Causes of Diabetes

Adult onset, insulin dependent, juvenile diabetes, Type 1, Type 2?sounds confusing and rightly so. However, to help sort things out some simplification in terminology is in order. Type 1 Diabetics, once called juvenile diabetes, are insulin dependent. People with Type 2 diabetes, formerly known as adult onset diabetes, are insulin resistant. Each type of Diabetes is caused by an assortment of factors; but may share some commonalities. It is important to understand what are not causes of diabetes. These factors include exposure to a diabetic, getting diabetes from food, or stress. Sometimes, when one is under stress or has an illness, Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes may be discovered, but the illness was not cause of the diabetes?those situations merely brought the problem to the surface.

Diabetes Symptoms

You went to the doctor because you were dealing with nausea, weakness and having trouble breathing-otherwise you thought you were perfectly healthy. However, at your doctor's visit, your physician did some blood work, and before you could blink, you received the news that would change your lifestyle-permanently. The results were in, and those problems were not a lingering stomach virus, they were actually the symptoms of type 2 Diabetes. As you sat in shock, your doctor began discussing other diabetic symptoms and you realized you had experienced other symptoms of diabetes.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

The Diabetic's life can, at times seem like one test after the other-some taking a few seconds, some a few hours and others covering a 3 month's span of activity. The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test is one of the tests that take about 1 work day. While not always performed, due to its cost (sometimes not covered by insurance) and time consumption, it is one of the most effective ways to get an up close look at how your bodies systems, blood glucose levels, etc. are functioning. An oral glucose tolerance test can help in the treatment of chronic heart disease as well as the prevention of full blown type 2 Diabetes.

Blood Glucose Monitoring

We have all heard the phrase, "What goes up, will come down." This is true in the daily life of diabetics as well. No matter how closely you watch what you eat, how often you exercise, or whether you use insulin, it is still vital that you perform frequent blood glucose checks. Diabetes blood glucose monitoring helps you know when your levels are above or below your ideal level so you can make an informed decision about how little or how much you need to adapt your food intake, physical activity, and , if used, your insulin medication. Blood glucose monitoring puts you in the driver's seat by allowing you to make informed decisions about your daily diabetes choices.

Diabetes and Travel

While traveling with Diabetes presents some challenges, that does not mean you have to stay home. Everyday people with Diabetes travel around the world, and with a little planning, you can too!

5 Steps for Proper Diabetic Foot Care

Diabetic neuropathy can cause diabetics to not even be aware of minor cuts, blisters or pressure sores on their feet. Poor circulation can also cause foot problems. Without proper diabetic foot care, these minor injuries can lead to complications that may result in ulceration and possibly even amputation. That's why proper diabetic foot care is so important. Good diabetic foot care involves making your feet part of your daily routine, including these simple steps.

Don't Let Peripheral Neuropathy Knock You Off Stride

Foot problems are a fact of life for people with diabetes. In fact, of the 16 million Americans with diabetes, 25 percent will develop foot problems caused by a condition known as peripheral neuropathy. Without proper care, this can lead to dangerous infections and even amputations.

Diabetic Senior Foot Care

As a diabetic, you stand a greater chance for foot infections. This can be a result of elevated blood glucose, lack of exercise, or an undetected foot injury. However, with proper care, the senior diabetic can avoid excessive and extreme foot and leg problems-especially those of a neuropathic nature. The three types of neuropathy for diabetics are peripheral, focal, and autonomic. The peripheral is the form most likely to affect the feet. Consequently, an understanding of foot care for senior diabetics as well as treatments for neuropathy related problems is beneficial.

Seeing the Light Tips for Diabetic Eye Care

There's good news and bad news when it comes to diabetes and your vision. The bad news is that people with diabetes do have a higher risk of blindness. The good news is that with proper diabetic eye care, most people with diabetes experience nothing more than minor eye disorders.

Diabetes & Hypertension

Calm down! Take a deep breath. Don't get stressed out. Hmm...if that were all it took to avoid high blood then it would be a relatively easy task. Unfortunately, for those with Type 2 Diabetes then diabetic hypertension (high blood pressure) is yet another health concern to be controlled. It is essential that the diabetic keep active and follow the Diabetes dietary requirements to avoid combining Type 2 Diabetes complications with pertaining to hypertension.

Avoiding Diabetic Kidney Complications

With millions of tiny blood vessels acting as filters, your kidneys do a remarkable job of removing waste products from your blood. Unfortunately, diabetes can damage this delicate filtration system - causing diabetic kidney complications and even diabetes kidney failure.

The Green Tea Diabetes Connection

Researchers at Atlanta's Medical College of Georgia have recently made some remarkable strides toward using green tea to delay or even prevent the autoimmune diseases of Type 1 diabetes as well as Sjogrens syndrome which damages the moisture glands causing dry mouth and eyes.

Diabetic Cookbooks

Lasagna, apple pie, fajitas, baked chicken and more, being a diabetic does not mean that cooking and eating has to be a bore. Rather, you simply need to learn newer, healthier ways to prepare the foods you love. One of the easiest ways to do this is by trying out some diabetic cookbooks or by surfing the web for recipes for diabetics.

The ABCs of Diabetes Diet Control

How much sugar is in that dish? What would be a tasty vegetable exchange with dinner? And, what about fat and sodium? My blood glucose level is too high, how can I lower? I am already exercising and watching what I eat! One of the most challenging issues for a diabetic is the daily willpower it takes for diabetes diet control. Since diabetes is not merely a 72 hour virus, but rather, a lifestyle altering disease, diabetic diet control is the standard, not the exception.

Up and at Em Exercise and Diabetes

-1-2-3-4 and 1-2-3-4 and rest. Check your heart rate, begin again-1-2-3-4...Everyone should make time in their schedules for working out, but for the diabetic, it can make all the difference. Exercise has many diabetic benefits. If you have Type 2 diabetes, regular exercise plus a healthy diet may allow you to control your diabetes without the use of shots or oral medication. However, before beginning an exercise regiment, there are a few diabetic exercise guidelines you should follow.