Daily realities of diabetic patients

The Primal Blueprint lifestyle has positively changed my life, the lives of my family members, and a growing number of friends. I’m delighted to report that I (at age 59) have lost 42 pounds, 6% of my body fat and 25 inches. My husband (age 64) has lost 31 pounds, my grown children and their families have lost weight, look great, and we all have become much healthier, thanks to the Primal Blueprint diet and lifestyle. And, perhaps best of all, my fasting glucose readings have dropped about 70 points, to below diabetic level.

Each November, we celebrate National Diabetes Awareness month to recognize a disease that continues to affect millions of people in the United States each year.
It becomes especially difficult to manage such a disease like diabetes through the holidays.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this year there are 29.1 million people, or 9.3 percent of the population, who have diabetes and another 8.1 million people, or 27.8 percent, with diabetes who are undiagnosed.
Diabetes is a complex disease — if you or some you know has it, this is not news to you. Because of the complexity, it can be difficult to manage.

For people with type 2 diabetes, managing their emotional health can be as important as keeping their blood sugar under control. The condition requires constant attention, and that can trigger feelings of stress and anxiety. Studies have shown that diabetics are much more likely to have an anxiety disorder or depression. They may neglect their diet, stop monitoring glucose levels, or revert to unhealthy habits.

Meet Jane. Jane is 25 years old, and got engaged last year. She has Type 1 diabetes, and is currently on medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Jane came to me to address her fear of checking her blood sugar. She also expressed concerns about her relationship with her fiancé.

Let's cut to the chase, we all know the facts: the rising tide of diabetes is evident for all to see, the levels of adherence infamously low and the pressures on our healthcare system close to unbearable (think over £1.5m an hour or 10% of the NHS budget in the UK). While the pharma industry has been striving to engage patients with their treatment for years, these gloomy figures continue to soar. So what are we doing wrong? One thing is for sure: “If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always got.”

Believe it or not! There are many shades of grays while living with diabetes. Unfortunately, many people living with diabetes feel it has to be all or nothing when it comes to good diabetes management.

TOOWOOMBA mum Mary Druce knows how the negative stigma attached to diabetes affects a family. She has been blasted on social media and told her son would be cured of his diabetes if she fed him properly. But nine-year-old Matthew has type one diabetes, which cannot be prevented and has been passed through family genetics.
With World Diabetes Day recently, Mrs Druce said it was frustrating there was not enough explanation between the two different types of diabetes. "So people think all diabetes is the same," she said.

Almost 8 million Americans have diabetes but don't know it, a new study shows. That's despite the fact that about two-thirds of those with undiagnosed diabetes have seen a doctor two or more times in the past year, according to the researchers.
The study also found that among those who were diagnosed with diabetes, only about one-quarter met three important goals for people with diabetes: managing blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.