As temperatures rise, many people with diabetes notice that their blood sugars seem higher than usual. They may be eating the same foods, taking their medications as prescribed, and following their usual routines. So what changed? One possible culprit is dehydration. When the weather is hot, your body loses more fluid through sweating. If those fluids are not replaced, the amount of glucose in your bloodstream becomes more concentrated, which can lead to higher blood sugar re

When most people think about diabetes, they think about blood sugar numbers, medications, doctor visits, and food choices. While these things are important, there is another side of diabetes that often remains hidden—the emotional and spiritual burden that many people carry every day. For some, diabetes begins with fear. Fear of complications. Fear of insulin. Fear of losing eyesight. Fear of kidney disease. Fear of amputation. Fear of becoming a burden to loved ones. Fear of

One of the most frustrating things about living with diabetes is seeing a high blood sugar reading when you've been trying so hard to do everything correctly. You've watched what you eat. You've taken your medication. You've avoided desserts. Yet the meter still flashes a number that leaves you wondering, "What did I do wrong?" The truth is, blood sugar is affected by much more than food alone. Sometimes the reason for a high reading has nothing to do with a lack of effort or

If you've ever seen tiny black seeds sprinkled into yogurt, smoothies, or oatmeal, you've probably seen chia seeds. Although small, these seeds are packed with nutrition and have been valued as a food source for thousands of years. What Are Chia Seeds? Chia seeds come from the plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family. The plant is native to parts of Mexico and Central America. Long before chia seeds became popular in health food stores, they were an important food

If you've spent any time reading about diabetes, healthy eating, or weight loss, you've probably heard the term glycemic index. It has been discussed for years as a way to predict how foods affect blood sugar. The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood sugar. Foods are ranked on a scale from low to high based on how rapidly they cause blood glucose to rise. At first glance, this sounds like a great tool. If a food has a low glycem

One of the most common concerns I hear from people with diabetes is this: "I have a husband and children to feed. I can't afford to cook separate meals." If you're feeding a family on a limited budget, that concern is very real. Many families rely on affordable foods such as rice, beans, potatoes, pasta, and tortillas because they are filling, familiar, and inexpensive. Unfortunately, these same foods can make blood sugar management more challenging for someone living with d

We have between 2000 and 4000 taste buds and they are not all on the tongue. We also have cells that detect taste in the back of the throat, epiglottis, and even the nasal cavity. These wonderful cells let our brain know what we are tasting. Be it sweet, sour, salty, bitter, or savory, our brain then decides whether it is pleasing or not to eat. Because of our sense of taste, cooking can be a delight. Especially if you are cooking something that is familiar to you and you alr

Do you eat to live or do you live to eat? The answer to this question could quite possibly define the type of health and happiness you are experiencing right now. I used to think that I ate to live because I was always hungry. It didn't matter where I was, what I was doing or when I last ate.... all I could think about was putting food in my mouth. I used to work with racehorses and instead of bringing my lunch I would always walk to the restaurant and have a large meal. By t

I love eating out if the opportunity arises. Unfortunately, there are always those menus that are not so "carb controlled" friendly. Here in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, most of the menus come with lots of rice, potatoes, tortillas or chips. While these foods are essential to some, it can make a carb counter take a tailspin. There have been restaurants that absolutely will not change, add or omit any item included with a dish that looks appealing to me. This means that I e

A man walks into the emergency room around 2 in the morning and is in obvious distress. He is pale and in a cold sweat. He tells the triage nurse that he is having abdominal pain and that it started yesterday. His history is high blood pressure and obesity and admits that he started a low carb diet about one week ago. His primary nurse received the same story and on examination she notes that his abdomen is tender to touch. The emergency room doctor enters and the man gasps a

I've spent most of my nursing career in the Emergency Room. Not only did I need to receive report on the patients from the previous shift, but I also had to be prepared for whatever came through those ER doors next. It could be a relatively simple laceration, abdominal pain, a motor vehicle accident, or even a cardiac arrest. Every situation required a different set of skills, different supplies, and, of course, the doctor. Just like in the Emergency Room, being prepared befo

So, you have diabetes. Take a minute and think about whether or not you REALLY know what diabetes is. The true definition, not what someone has told you. Most people would say, “oh, that’s the sugar disease.” or “That’s when you have too much sugar in the blood.” These simple definitions are true but there is so much more to diabetes than that. There is a world of information out there about diabetes. Some of it is so technical that many have trouble understanding it. Much o