Mental Wellness in Diabetes
PublishedYou are in charge of your own well-being — including your mental health. Try these approaches for maintaining mental wellness in diabetes…
Laura Hieronymus, DNP, MSEd, RN, MLDE, BC-ADM, CDCES, FADCES
A doctor of nursing practice, master licensed diabetes educator, and Practical Diabetology editor. Hieronymus is the associate director of education and quality services at the UK HealthCare Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.
Laura Hieronymus, DNP, MSEd, RN, MLDE, BC-ADM, CDCES, FADCES on social media
Mental Wellness in Diabetes
PublishedYour thoughts, feelings and beliefs affect your happiness and health—especially if you’re dealing with a chronic illness…
Healthy BBQ Tips for Diabetes
UpdatedConsider these healthful suggestions to help you stay on track with your meal plan during barbecue season…
The Holiday Meal Survival Guide
PublishedStrategies for making your holidays happier — and healthier Americans savor the winter holidays — but not necessarily in a good way. Statistics show the … Read More “The Holiday Meal Survival Guide”
Type 1 Diabetes on the Job
PublishedThere are few things that you can’t do as long as you are willing to apply yourself. –Greg LeMond Diabetes affects more than 34 million … Read More “Type 1 Diabetes on the Job”
Resistance Training for Diabetes
PublishedWhile aerobic exercise is important, resistance training (strengthening your muscles) is another significant part of achieving maximum health benefits when you have diabetes…
Understanding Hypoglycemia in Type 1 Diabetes
UpdatedWhen you think about diabetes and blood glucose control, the first thing that comes to mind is probably avoiding high blood glucose levels. After all, … Read More “Understanding Hypoglycemia in Type 1 Diabetes”
CGM for Type 1 Diabetes Management
UpdatedBlood glucose monitoring is an essential part of your treatment plan when you have diabetes. Your blood glucose numbers are important to help make the … Read More “CGM for Type 1 Diabetes Management”
Shingles Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention
PublishedRoughly one million Americans develop shingles annually. Learn about shingles symptoms, treatment and prevention and the link between shingles and diabetes…
CGM for Diabetes Management
UpdatedWhen compared with a standard blood glucose meter, using a CGM improves monitoring by giving you feedback throughout the day while requiring fewer finger sticks. Learn more about CGM for diabetes management…
Diabetes and Mental Health
PublishedLike staying healthy with diabetes, staying mentally fit is another important step for your overall well-being…
Generic Insulin: What, When and How?
PublishedWhile many other medications have less expensive generic versions, when you have diabetes you may wonder when generic insulin will be available…
The Diabetes Prevention Program
PublishedLearn how the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Diabetes Prevention Program can help you take control and stop prediabetes progression.
Diabetes Awareness: Delay or Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
PublishedAre you at risk for Type 2 diabetes? Get our expert tips for recognizing and preventing the condition…
Recognizing Type 2 Diabetes in Children and Adolescents
PublishedType 2 diabetes in youth is on the rise, largely influenced by the obesity epidemic. In fact, new cases of Type 2 diabetes in youth are predicted to quadruple in the next 40 years…
Scholarships and Type 1 Diabetes
UpdatedScholarships are available for students with Type 1 diabetes. They often vary in qualifications and amounts of funding. Do your homework to see if you are eligible…
Managing Type 1 Diabetes in College
PublishedStarting life at college can be exciting, but it can also be a stressful time for those with Type 1 diabetes. Before moving to campus, get our expert tips for meeting your diabetes health needs during this transition.
Insulin Safety
PublishedWhen you inject insulin, keep in mind the following precautions…
Insulin Basics
PublishedLearn the basics of insulin, including characteristics, concentrations, and safety tips…
Summer Day Trips With Diabetes
PublishedSummer is an exciting time to travel and explore new areas. The opportunity to travel — even for a short excursion — allows one to … Read More “Summer Day Trips With Diabetes”
Diabetes and Shift Work
UpdatedShift workers with diabetes are especially affected because their blood glucose can veer way off-kilter for a variety of reasons, making diabetes self-management a priority. Learn more about diabetes and shift work and get our expert tips for off-peak management…
Fitness Apps
PublishedThere are some important and useful tips and resources that you can utilize to stay laser-focused on physical activity and also improve your overall health. Learn about some of the hottest fitness apps available…
Group Issues Controversial Type 2 Diabetes Guidelines
UpdatedThis month, the American College of Physicians (ACP) issued controversial recommendations that in most non-pregnant adults with Type 2 diabetes physicians should aim for an HbA1c range of 7 to 8%…
The Power of Positivity for Diabetes Management
UpdatedStaying positive and being happy can have an enormous effect on your diabetes. Learn about the power of positivity and steps you can take to commit to your personal diabetes health and happiness…
Tips to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
UpdatedAre you at risk? Learn about steps you can take to avoid or delay developing the condition.
Tips for Type 1 Student-Athletes
UpdatedWhen participating in athletic activities, have a plan in place to assure your child has the necessary items to help keep blood glucose in optimal … Read More “Tips for Type 1 Student-Athletes”
Helping a Student-Athlete With Type 1 Diabetes
UpdatedHelping your child manage blood glucose for optimal sports performance can be complicated but successful — and well worth the effort…
Members of Your Diabetes Care Team
UpdatedIt is up to you to make sure your diabetes care team comprises the necessary members. The following are team members that have specific roles and who should work together for a common goal — your optimal diabetes health…
Diabetes Support System Members
UpdatedA support system will generally include members who function in different ways. In some cases, members take on a variety of roles, while other members may offer one specific type of support. The following includes some types of diabetes support system members you may find helpful…
Your Diabetes Support System
UpdatedHaving a diabetes support system can do wonders for your accountability. And when times are tough, having reliable support can help you be more resilient. Learn more about this essential part of diabetes treatment…
Writing a Section 504 Plan for Diabetes
UpdatedNow is the time to put a Section 504 Plan in place for your school-age child with diabetes…
Sensing the Big Picture With Continuous Glucose Monitoring
UpdatedIn less than two decades, the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for people with diabetes has gained popularity worldwide…
The Holiday Meal Survival Guide
UpdatedThe strategies we outline for holiday meals may be helpful, not only to make your holidays healthier — but perhaps happier as well…
Diabetes Management: It Takes a Team
UpdatedWorking with a team of diabetes care professionals has been shown to improve successful management of diabetes…
Type 2 Diabetes and a Healthy Family Lifestyle
UpdatedWhen you live with Type 2 diabetes, you quickly realize that your immediate family lives with it, too. Family support is essential…
Family Awareness
UpdatedWith careful monitoring, a person with diabetes can maintain good health and live a full and productive life…
Medication Therapy
UpdatedIt is not uncommon for physicians to prescribe medicines to lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure, along with drugs to lower blood glucose, for their patients with diabetes. Get expert tips for working with your diabetes care team to develop a drug therapy regimen that works for you…
Reducing Diabetes Risks for the Whole Family
UpdatedIn some cases, being aware of having a heightened risk for diabetes enables a person to be proactive about reducing the risk. For example, people with prediabetes and blood relatives of people with Type 2 diabetes can reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by making lifestyle changes…
Understanding Cardiovascular Biomarkers
UpdatedDespite considerable advances in the treatment of cardiovascular (heart) disease, it remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Diabetes, particularly Type 2 diabetes, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This article describes some of the more common tests that may be prescribed to get more information about your cardiovascular risk…
Staying Active as a Family
UpdatedIt is no secret that exercise and physical activity can help keep the body in a healthier state. With all the benefits for people with and without diabetes, doesn’t it make sense to make engaging in physical activity a family affair?
Healthful Eating: A Family Affair
UpdatedDiabetes is a serious, chronic illness. It’s known that genetics play an important part in the development of diabetes, particularly Type 2 diabetes. On the positive side, taking care of yourself by making healthy diabetes-related choices and encouraging your at-risk family members to do the same may also improve their well-being…
Aging Well With Diabetes
UpdatedAging comes with challenges, but the better you feel, the easier it is to deal with those challenges and to see and embrace new opportunities…
Thinking About Having a Baby
UpdatedEvery person with diabetes has a compelling reason to take good care of his health: It’s the best way to live a long, healthy life with diabetes and to minimize the risk of diabetes-related complications. Women with diabetes who are pregnant or who are even thinking about becoming pregnant have at least two compelling reasons to take the best care possible of their general health and their diabetes…
Getting Educated and Staying Educated: Staying On Top of Your Diabetes
UpdatedDiabetes is a chronic disease that requires the person who has it to provide most of his own care. But while it can be challenging, there is help. Diabetes education and training is available…
Drugs to Prevent and Treat the Flu
UpdatedIf you haven’t already gotten your flu shot this year, make getting one now a priority. It’s not too late, and it can help you stay healthy…
Diabetes in the Military
UpdatedDeveloping diabetes while already serving in the military is not automatic grounds for separation (retirement) from the military. Several hundred service members (out of more than 1.4 million currently serving) are diagnosed with diabetes each year…
Eating on the Go
UpdatedIt’s often convenient to grab the nearest food to keep your energy and blood glucose up. But are you making the best choice within your time limitations?
Coping With Diabetes Over Time
UpdatedWhen you are diagnosed with a chronic illness such as diabetes, you must face the fact that there is no cure. It is therefore no surprise that taking care of yourself may feel difficult or challenging at times. That’s why dealing with diabetes over the long term requires developing a range of coping skills and techniques, from learning to carry out the daily tasks of diabetes control, to finding ways to deal with the emotions that having diabetes and having to care for it are bound to bring up at times…
Diabetes on the Job
UpdatedBeing gainfully employed can be rewarding and, very often, a necessity. However, the workplace can add to the challenges of managing diabetes…
Eating Well While Traveling
UpdatedSticking with your meal plan while on the road may take more work than it does at home, but eating well while traveling is possible…
Seeing the Big Picture
UpdatedAchieving any big goal usually involves taking many small steps. But sometimes it’s important to take a step back from the actions you’re taking to reach your goal and take a look at the goal itself…
Type 2 Diabetes
UpdatedType 2 diabetes is one of the most common chronic illnesses in the United States, but knowing that one has a genetic predisposition means a person can be proactive about preventing it. You can make healthy living your family legacy, instead of Type 2 diabetes…
Taking Diabetes to Heart
UpdatedWhen you have diabetes, it is uncontrolled blood glucose levels that place you at the highest risk for heart disease…
Setting Goals for Healthy Living
UpdatedHealthy living is important when you have diabetes. Take it one step at a time, and you’ll be amazed by what you can accomplish…
Improving Your Diabetes Care Visits
UpdatedGet the most out of your diabetes care visits by coming prepared, asking the questions that are important to you, and following up until you understand the answers.
What to Expect in the Hospital
UpdatedMost people experience a stay in the hospital at least once in their lives, and for some, it is much more often than that. No matter what the reason for your admission to the hospital, it is imperative that your blood glucose levels be controlled while you are there…
An Aspirin a Day
UpdatedThe recommendation that certain people take a daily low dose of aspirin to prevent a heart attack has been around for a while now. But it’s still not entirely clear which people would benefit the most – or at all – from taking a daily aspirin and which may get no significant benefit…
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
UpdatedNeuropathy is an abnormality anywhere in a nerve pathway that disrupts nerve signals, causing the brain to misinterpret feelings or sensations. Different types of neuropathy go by different names, depending on the number of nerves affected, their function, and where in the body they are located…
Keeping Your Eyes Healthy
UpdatedLess than optimally controlled blood glucose and blood pressure levels can cause damage to blood vessels, nerves, and organs, including the eyes…
Navigating Your Way to Optimal Health
Updated“If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.”
—Seneca the Elder
Diabetes is a chronic condition, meaning that once you are diagnosed, it’s there to stay. While this idea can be daunting and even…
Going With the (Whole) Grain
UpdatedGrains provide many nutrients that are vital for the health and maintenance of your body. But not all grains and grain products are equally nutritious. Whole grains and grain products contain all of the parts of the grain—including the germ, the…
Insulin Delivery Devices
UpdatedInsulin is a necessary part of the treatment plan for all people with Type 1 diabetes and many with Type 2. Insulin helps get glucose from the bloodstream into the muscle and fat cells to be used for fuel. It cannot be taken as a pill or a swallowed…
Healthy Eating on a Budget
Updated“Healthy food costs too much money” is a common myth that could be preventing you from enjoying the benefits of eating healthfully while spending less…
Finding Balance: Tips to Maintain Your Health During the Holidays
UpdatedWith a bit of planning and attention, you can maintain your health during the holidays and find the true spirit of the season…
Pregnant and Pumping
UpdatedA healthy pregnancy with diabetes is a challenge, but thanks to advances in treatment, there has never been a better time for you to have a healthy baby…
Teaming Up for Better Diabetes Control
UpdatedComing together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.
—Henry Ford
Diabetes is a chronic condition, which means it lasts for a lifetime and requires ongoing care. Diabetes can also affect many parts of the…
Managing Hyperglycemia
UpdatedWith your doctor’s help, your diabetes educator can help you learn to self-manage your diabetes by working through the challenges of managing hyperglycemia…
Sexual Wellness
UpdatedResearchers believe that up to 50% of people with diabetes will experience some sort of sexual dysfunction at some point. Learn more about diabetes and sex…
Making Your Blood Glucose Monitor Work for You
UpdatedKnowing how to use your blood glucose monitor and being able to use it effectively are key to managing your diabetes…
Understanding Hypoglycemia
UpdatedControlling blood glucose is more than just managing the “highs”; it also involves preventing and managing the “lows,” or hypoglycemia…
Understanding Insulin
UpdatedInsulin is a hormone that is released by the beta cells of the pancreas in response to a rise in the level of glucose in the blood…
Taking Steps Toward Healthy Feet
UpdatedBy learning about the risks for foot problems and ways to take proper care of your feet, you raise your chances of keeping them for a lifetime…
Physical Activity
Updated“The only exercise some people get is jumping to conclusions.”
—Fred Allen
If jumping to conclusions is your only form of physical activity, you are overlooking one of the top tools available to improve your diabetes control! Healthful eating…
Stress: Finding Peace Amid the Storm
UpdatedEveryone experiences stress in life, and people with diabetes are no exception. In fact, diabetes itself can be a source of much stress. The challenge is not to seek a life with no stress but to learn to deal with the stresses life hands us…
Oral Medicines for Type 2 Diabetes
UpdatedTaking care of your diabetes is a bit like building a home. With input from your diabetes care team contractors, you begin by drafting a well-thought-out set of blueprints and assembling all the tools you need to control your blood glucose levels…
Are You Label-Able?
UpdatedEating healthfully and following a meal plan are key components of good diabetes care whether you use oral medicines, insulin, or diet and exercise to manage your diabetes. Knowing how to read a food label can help you choose healthful foods, figure out…
What is Diabetes?
UpdatedUnderstanding how and why diabetes develops can help you to be an active member of your diabetes-care team…
