1
Try to tame tension
Emotional stress—whether it’s brought on by a rough patch in a relationship, a bad day at work or even the day-to-day challenges
of living with diabetes—can affect your blood sugar. But just what it does depends on the type of diabetes you have.
Do you have type 2 diabetes? Then stress will probably raise your blood sugar. And prolonged stress has the potential to keep
blood sugar at consistently elevated levels.
If you have type 1, then the influence of stress is less predictable. While it’s also likely to make your blood sugar go up, it can
sometimes have the opposite effect and actually lower it.
How can you tell how stress affects you? Try this: For a week or two, rate your stress on a scale of 1 to 10 before taking your
blood sugar. Record that number next to your blood sugar reading. Then look for a pattern. If the stress in your life seems to
peak along with high blood sugar levels, it’s time to unwind with steps such as these:
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Move more. A brisk walk—or any other physical activity—is a win-win. That’s because exercise helps control blood sugar,
even when you’re not stressed. And when you are, it can help you
feel less anxious and keep your blood sugar from climbing.
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Problem-solve. Do your best to eliminate stress triggers. If morn-
ing rush-hour traffic makes you tense, try to leave home early enough
to avoid traffic jams. If your job is increasingly stressful, confide in
your boss and see what might make your duties more manageable.
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Replace bad thoughts with good ones. Whenever a negative
thought surfaces, think of something that makes you happy or proud.
Most important, if managing your diabetes is a source of stress,
speak with your doctor. He or she can suggest ways to cope, whether it’s
seeing a dietitian or joining a support group for people with diabetes.
2
Tune in to hearing loss
Research from a study of more than 5,100 adults revealed
that hearing loss may be twice as common in people with
diabetes as in those who don’t have the disease. Moreover,
that diminished hearing was particularly likely to occur in
people with diabetes who were younger than 50, suggest-
ing that hearing loss starts earlier in those with the illness.
Exactly how diabetes might contribute to hearing
loss is still a big question. But it’s well known that—over
time—high blood sugar damages the body’s small blood
vessels and can cause the eye, kidney and nerve problems
that are common complications of diabetes. Consequently,
scientists speculate that consistently high blood sugar
could also harm the small blood vessels of the inner ear,
which play an important role in our ability to hear.
The upshot: Anyone with diabetes should be alert to
the warning signs of hearing loss, which happens slowly
and might be hard to detect initially. You might be losing
hearing if you:
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O f t e n a s k
people to repeat
themselves.
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Have trouble
following conver-
sations that in-
volve more than
two people.
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Think that oth-
ers are mumbling.
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Find it difficult
to hear the voices
of women and small children.
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Have people repeatedly tell you that the volume on
your TV or radio is too loud.
Should you experience any of these red flags, tell your
doctor right away. And even if your hearing seems to be
perfectly fine, ask your doctor how often it should be
checked. A full hearing exam can help detect any hearing
loss you might experience without realizing it.
3
Fend off food poisoning
One consequence of diabetes is that you’re more vulnerable than
someone without the disease to becoming ill—perhaps seriously—
from food contaminated with disease-causing bacteria, viruses or
parasites.
Why the increased risk? Because diabetes can disrupt your
immune system. As a result, if you do become sick, you’re more
likely to have a lengthier illness or be hospitalized than someone
without diabetes.
So defend yourself. Certain foods are riskier to eat than others,
and you want to steer clear of them. Among them: raw sprouts
of any kind and raw or undercooked meats, poultry and seafood.
For safety’s sake, also:
Lather up.
Wash your hands well—that means scrubbing them
in warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after
handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers
or touching pets.
Avoid cross-contamination.
Dangerous bacteria can spread from
one food to another, especially when you’re handling raw meat,
poultry, seafood or eggs. Stop this spread by using one cutting
board only for raw foods and another for ready-to-eat ones. And
never put cooked food on a plate that once held raw foods—unless
you first wash that plate in hot, soapy water.
Chill well.
Cold temperatures help keep bacteria from multi-
plying. Always refrigerate or freeze perishable foods within two
hours of cooking or purchasing them. And never thaw food at
room temperature—for instance, on a counter top. Instead, thaw
foods in the refrigerator, in cold water or in a microwave.
4
Ready yourself
for emergencies
Everybody should prepare for a possible
disaster by stocking up on food and water
and assembling an emergency supply kit.
But because you have diabetes, that kit is
especially important. It should include ev-
erything you need to take care of yourself,
such as:
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A blood glucose meter, lancets and test-
ing strips.
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Your diabetes medicines.
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An insulated bag to keep insulin cool (if
you take insulin), plus syringes.
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Glucose tablets and other foods or
drinks to treat low blood sugar.
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Antibiotic ointment or cream.
Include, too, any other medicines you
take; copies of all your prescriptions; and
a list of the type and model number of any
medical devices you use, such as an insu-
lin pump.
Also talk to your doctor about what to do
if you run out of any medicine you need—
especially insulin—during an emergency.
And if an emergency does strike, you
need to protect yourself in some very
specific ways. If, for example, you stay at
an emergency shelter, identify yourself
to people in charge as someone who has
diabetes. And whether you’re in a shelter
or not, keep something containing sugar
with you at all times in case you develop
dangerously low blood sugar.
If the power is out and it’s hot, drink
plenty of fluids—particularly water—to
avoid becoming dehydrated. Diabetes
makes it harder for your body to handle
heat.
Finally, pay special attention to your feet.
Stay out of contaminated water, and check
your feet carefully for signs of an infection
or injury, such as redness or swelling. And
always get medical help right away if you
notice any possible problem with your feet.
Sources: American Diabetes Association; National Diabetes
Information Clearinghouse; U.S. Department of Agriculture
Read up! To find out more about diabetes and ways you can take charge and live well,
visit our diabetes health library at
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