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You are here: Home / Archives for Health Concerns / Diabetes

Diabetes

Coffee & Diabetes

By Barbara Phillips, NP 1 Comment

There is more evidence that the American love affair with coffee is helping to reduce the risk of diabetes.Drinking caffeinated coffee was found to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 60% in a newly published study that included people at high risk for the disease.

Even those who used to drink coffee but quit were less likely to develop diabetes than those who never drank it.

The new study was published in the November issue of the journal Diabetes Care.

Source: Medscape

Filed Under: Diabetes, General Health, Staying Healthy

Your Cholesterol Numbers, What do they mean?

By Barbara Phillips, NP Leave a Comment

Your Cholesterol Numbers “What do they mean?”
Barbara C. Phillips, NP

Today, many people understand that heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States for both men and women.

The good news is that we have a fair amount of control over this. Why?

Because several of the factors that contribute to heart disease can be modified by you and me… for example diabetes,  cholesterol levels, exercise, obesity, dietary intake, and smoking.

When you visit your health care provider and they get a donation of blood from you to test your cholesterol or lipid panel, do you understand those numbers?

Many people don’t, and I’ll admit it took me a while to remember which numbers were good and bad. So, here is a break down of what they mean (with hints to help you remember) and what your ideal numbers should be. [Read more…] about Your Cholesterol Numbers, What do they mean?

Filed Under: Diabetes, General Health, Heart Disease

Diabetic? Are you reaching your blood sugar goals.

By Barbara Phillips, NP Leave a Comment

How do I reach my blood sugar goals?

This question comes up at least a few times a day in practice. I orginally wrote this checklist for my patients to help them troubleshoot their blood sugar results. If you asked these questions of your provider…here are some questions you can ask yourself. I hope you find this helpful!

Are you reaching your blood sugar goals?

Filed Under: Diabetes, Staying Healthy

Do you have diabetes?

By Barbara Phillips, NP Leave a Comment

Having diabetes means you need to monitor several things – what you are eating, your glucose levels at various times of day, your weight, your exercise level, etc.

These are only a few of the items that need to be monitored to keep you healthy. Your health care provider should be recommending that the following screening be done on a regular basis.

Every visit with your provider:

  • Review blood pressure. Your goal is to keep your reading less than 130/80 mmHg
  • Review your glucose log. Depending on which guidelines your provider is monitoring they will look for your glucose goal to be 90-130 before meals and 140-180 2-hours after meals.

Every 3-6 months (depending on your level of control)

  • A1C reading which is an average glucose over 24 hours a day over 3 months. You should be less than 6.5-7% (again depending on the guidelines being followed).

Annual Screening

  • Cholesterol panel
    • Triglycerides should be less than 150
    • HDL should be greater than 50 in women and 40 in men
    • LDL less than 100
  • Microalbumin urine test (check fro urine protein)
  • Get a dialated eye exam to check for retinopathy and glaucoma
  • Foot Exam, specifically looking for numbness, changes in sensitivity to touch, coldness and sores.

Make sure you are keeping up with your screening. It will help detect any early problems so you can make changes to prevent long term complications.

Filed Under: Diabetes, General Health

How do I know if I have diabetes?

By Barbara Phillips, NP 2 Comments

How do I know I have diabetes?I hear this question more often these days, and it’s a good question to ask.

Often people do not know they have diabetes, because the signs and symptoms can be nonexistence or so mild that they don’t know it’s there. More importantly, you may be in a pre-diabetic state, and not yet know it. This is why it’s so important to see your health care provider for screening.

A person with diabetes may notice the following signs and symptoms:

  • increased thirst and/or hunger
  • fatigue
  • increased urination (especially nighttime
  • weight loss (especially type 1)
  • blurred vision
  • sores that do not heal.

In women, something that is often overlooked is frequent and even continuous vaginal yeast infections. All of these things warrant a check up.

Do you have any of these risk factors?

  • Family history. This means a parent, sister or brother has diabetes.
  • You are a person whose heritage is African-American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander or Hispanic.
  • You have a history of gestational diabetes. This means you had diabetes when you were pregnant.
  • You have high blood pressure.
  • You have an abnormal cholesterol panel
  • Your lifestyle can be described as inactive
  • You are overweight or obese.

You can assess your risk further with this tool. Make sure you go over these factors with your health care provider so the proper tests can be made.

Diabetes does not have to ruin your life. With treatment you can avoid many of the complications. And if you have pre-diabetes, you can even prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.

Make sure you take care of the most important woman in your life… you!

Barbara C. Phillips, NP
OlderWiserWomen

Filed Under: Diabetes Tagged With: Pre-diabetic, Risk factors

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