DFAN/OneStep Diabetes Newsletter
December 1999 Edition

In this holiday season I’d like to wish all of you healthy
and happy lives. It will be the new millennium by the
time we "talk" again so I’d also like to wish all of you a
great and terrific New Year and please make this coming
year the best diabetes management year you can make it!
On to the articles!


___________ARTICLE__________

LEARNING
Ilsa Demby Barber

Before I was officially diagnosed with diabetes, I had so
many other health problems my doctor was in denial and
we both called it a temporary increased blood sugar.
Looking back at his case file I also have had it since at
least 1998. I nearly died of oxygen insufficiency in 1993
and had a triple bypass and valve replacement in 1995.
And every time I would start a walking regime the air
was too dangerous for me to go out.

I am now taking minimal doses of insulin and large doses
of glucophage. I am on SSA and SSI and I finally got
Medicaid for medical coverage.

Somehow we think if we just exercise and eat right, the
diabetes will disappear. Today I am sedated to deal with
terrible PN. I did too much walking. I am fragile. But I
have this superwoman conflict that if I am perfect I can
change everything, The truth of course is I can slow
down the disease but like AIDS, it is forever.


__________SEEKING ADVICE__________

"I really don’t understand all of this. I’m supposed to be
good to myself, but all I feel like doing is hiding under the
covers all day. I feel that I’m an intelligent person. I feel
that I can understand all this diabetes management "stuff",
and I really do want to feel good physically and not have to
deal with complications. But I still cringe at taking injections.
I really don’t like testing for my blood glucose level and
I despise having to be on a schedule all the time. Don’t
get me wrong. I love life….I just don’t like the diabetes.
Anyone have any words of wisdom for me?"

If you feel you have some words of insight for this person
please send your responses to:

dmmteam@...


__________DIABETES ANGEL NETWORK__________

The cost of diabetes supplies can take a big chunk out of any
budget, especially if a person doesn’t have insurance to help
cover the costs. When it comes to diabetes management,
being able to test the blood glucose level is a mandatory
task…..and if it’s not possible, a person with diabetes can
find themselves making choices that not only might harm
them, but could potentially kill them (if they suffer from an
insulin low and don’t know it).

It’s because of this, that the Diabetes Angel Network is
distributing blood glucose testing strips and meters to
diabetics in need. If you have any blood glucose testing
strips that you don’t need (that haven’t expired), have in
excess, or just want to donate please send them in. We are
also collecting blood glucose testing meters (in working order).

For more information you can visit our website at
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

We have our Needs List at the site, as well as links to
other sites that can help diabetics in need. If you
know of any new programs that can help diabetics in
need of supplies please send them in too. If you have
any questions, comments or would like to donate some
testing strips or a meter(s) send an e-mail to:

dmmteam@...


__________POLL QUESTION__________

SCENARIO

You’re leaving your friend’s home and you notice his
brother using a blood glucose monitor. You also
notice that he’s not using the meter in the correct
way (touching the strip, etc….). Would you go up to
him and let him know the correct way to do it, or just
leave?

Send your responses to: dmmteam@...
Please put "Poll Response" in the subject line of your
e-mail.


__________ARTICLE__________

(I’d like to thank everyone who helped with this
article!)

THE B’S AND C’S OF DIABETES

Vitamins and minerals are important since they help the
body process foods and are involved in many other body
functions. People with diabetes often ask if they should
take vitamin and mineral supplements. If you are eating a
balanced meal plan you shouldn't need to take vitamin
supplements, but there are some instances where taking
extra supplements have been shown to help diabetes
management. Remember, each person is different and
the only real way to know if you or your diabetic child
needs vitamins and mineral supplements is to have lab
tests done. We decided to go to the source (people with
diabetes) and ask them about vitamin and mineral
supplements and how it has affected their diabetes
management plans.

Pamela takes a supplement that includes vitamins,
minerals, vegetable extracts and antioxidants. She
was diagnosed five years ago, " I believe that
supplementation is important for diabetics, especially
if they're using a low carbohydrate meal plan. Supplements
for diabetics in my opinion make good life insurance policies."

Recent medical studies have shown that certain vitamins,
particularly vitamins C and E, may help prevent some of
the long term complications of diabetes such as cataracts,
retinopathy, nerve disorders and blood vessel disease.

Ken, has had Type 1 diabetes for 55 years. He takes
Regular and NPH insulin. "I've noticed a 33 percent drop
in my blood sugar levels. I take garlic, fish oil, flax,
glucosamine and lots more," he says. Ken shares, "I
did not support alternative medicine until my wife
encouraged me to try it. It worked better than I thought.
In fact, people guess my age to be younger than I am
by five or more years. My arthritic pains have disappeared;
my insulin intake is greatly reduced; I eat healthier foods
and time the eating to match the insulin effect; I avoid
eating anything with high glucose content; I examine
store products as to ingredients; my cholesterol is under
very good control; my prostate is also managed with
saw palmetto and flax seed; and given more time there
would be more items to add."

If you do want to take supplements you should check
with your health care team. Some of these supplements
may be toxic if taken in large quantities.

My doctor is not pro-vitamins except for the Selenium
that he says is a good product. For the rest he doesn't
forbid or authorize it clearly, says Phillippe who has
Type 2 diabetes. He takes Vitamin C, selenium and
other supplements.

If you or your child’s diabetes has been poorly managed
over a period of time B vitamins may be lost in the urine.
Some research has shown that impaired glucose tolerance
is related to a deficiency in vitamin B6. If you have impaired
glucose tolerance means that your body has a harder time
using insulin.

Ruth, who was diagnosed in 1996 shares, "I have taken
supplements long before I was diagnosed. Since diagnosis
I have added supplements as I learned of their reported
benefits. My doctor is fully aware of all my supplements
but he did not suggest any particular one. He oversees my
treatment but he fully recognizes that I have educated myself
and believes that I am capable to manage the day to day options."

Most people with diabetes get enough chromium, but if
not, taking a chromium supplement might help get better
diabetes management results.

"I would NEVER recommend. I can only tell them it worked
for me," says _______, who was diagnosed with diabetes
eight months ago. She takes a multi-vitamin without iron,
chromium picolinate, garlic and a few other supplements.
She's noticed that her blood sugars have become more stable
since taking the vitamins/supplements.

Ron was diagnosed with diabetes one-and-a-half years ago
and has noticed better blood glucose results since taking
supplements, "I do not agree with the quack-buster mentality
that prevails, especially with policing the internet. The big
drug companies would prefer that we never use any
supplements that they cannot patent...and the US government
follows along with them."

So, as you can see, taking vitamins to help with a diabetes
management plan can be as varied and unique as each person
with diabetes is, so it’s best to choose wisely. There’s no one
special "formula" that works well for each person so gain as
much knowledge about vitamins and minerals as you can and
try to work them into your diabetes management plan.


Send all comments, questions & ideas to:

dmmteam@... -or- belve@...

This e-mail can not take the place of competent
medical care.

DFAN WEBSITES

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Christian Diabetes Living
http://home.att.net/~belve/

DFAN Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Christian Diabetes N' Weight Loss Site
http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep

Diabetes Angel Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

Warm Fuzzies (Teddy Bears For Diabetic Kids)
http://members.aol.com/belve/fuzzy/

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)


Belver Ladson
dfanish@... AOL IM: Belve Yahoo IM: dfanish
DFAN Diabetes Website: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Christian Diabetes Llving: http://home.att.net/~belve
Got extra strips you don't need? http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

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