Online diabetes education
People with diabetes can go astry, make mistakes or think they're doing good things for their diabetes when, in fact, they are making themselves vulnerable to potential problems. It all represents the pitfalls we can encounter in managing this tricky and time-consuming disease.
But a news release advertising the Web site, Fit4D.com provides reasons why people with diabetes need to consult with diabetes educators, especially people striving to exercise and maintain a relatively normal lifestyle.
"The average face-to-face time with a doctor is only seven minutes. For someone who was just diagnosed with diabetes this can leave a lot of questions unanswered. That is what happened with David Weingard when he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 36. As a result of those unanswered questions he thought he had to, and subsequently did, give up running in marathons. This was because he thought there was no way to safely participate given his condition.
Eventually David started doing his own research and created Fit4D.com, a personalized diabetes coaching service. Fit4D.com now has one of the largest collections of certified diabetes dducators on staff in the country. They are made up of nutritionists, fitness coaches, registered nurses, pharmacists, and physiologists. Over the decades of experience these coaches have, they have compiled a list of some of the most common mistakes diabetics make prior to speaking with a certified diabetes educator.
The following list illustrates not only how people with diabetes sometimes give up aspects of their lives needlessly or inadvertently and enter into dangerous behaviors, but also how speaking to a diabetes coach can drastically improve one's quality of life.
Top mistakes those with diabetes make before speaking to a Certified Diabetes Educator
1. Checking their blood sugar only at fasting.
2. Soaking their feet, which can cause the feet to actually drier and can lead to infection and cracked feet.
3.Thinking they can't eat normal food and buying special diabetic foods.
4, Not carrying their meter with them at all times.
5. Using chocolate for hypoglycemia treatment.
6. Only focusing on sugar grams when looking at a food label.
7. Not measuring portions or paying attention to serving sizes on food labels.
8. If they are sick, some patients with Diabetes think that they should not
take their insulin. The opposite can be true. They may, in fact, need more Insulin.
9. Using the same injection site for their insulin over and over again. Site rotation is key to insulin absorption.
10. Setting unrealistic goals, which set you up for failure, disappointment, and giving up.
11. Exercising on an empty stomach.