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November Is American Diabetes Month

November is American Diabetes Month, and in the video below I talk with a local TV news reporter about risk factors, complications, and ways to prevent diabetes. The interview was only about two minutes and there’s much more to be covered, so check out the American Diabetes Association’s website for more information.

If you find this video helpful, I invite you to view more of my TV interviews on my YouTube channel. Happy November!

*This blog post was originally published at Doctor Anonymous*

Do You Have “Low T?”

If you google “low testosterone” you’ll see lots of ads for testosterone replacement. Some are from pharmaceutical companies that sell testosterone, others from obvious snake-oil salesmen.

Both types of ads list vague sets of symptoms, encourage you to believe that they are pathologic, and want to sell you something to make you better. For example, the pharmaceutical company Solvay gives you a handy guide for speaking to your doctor, and a quiz to see if you have “low T.” The quiz asks some questions that may be useful, but also asks very general questions about your sense of well being. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Science-Based Medicine*

Diabetes Criminals And Diabetes Police

At TCOYD [Taking Control Of Your Diabetes], one of the sessions I attended was about Diabetes Police (Healthcare Providers) and Diabetes Criminals (People With Diabetes). And I was a little taken aback by the title of the session, but we used it to our advantage when we walked into the session a few minutes after it had already started.

“Okay, we see a few late stragglers in here. It’s not like they had to be on time or anything,” Dr. Edelman quipped from the front of the room, giving us a smirk.  

“I’m sorry we’re late. But what do you expect? We’re the criminals, man!” I shot back at him. And the crew of us “criminals” took up the last few rows, our smartphones at the ready to Tweet out the best of the session. (We were the total nerd row.

The charismatic team of Dr. Bill Polansky and Dr. Steve Edelman were running this session, and it was packed with both PWDs [people with diabetes], caregivers, and medical professionals. Bill and Steve took to the white board, asking first for complaints that PWDs have about healthcare providers. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Six Until Me.*

Diabetes And Precision Carb Guessing

A  diabetes-friendly Happy Meal.  :: rimshot ::I keep measuring cups in my purse so that I can measure out my dinners out to be exact. I keep a small food scale in the glove compartment of my car so I am never guessing how many ounces a certain item might be. And I have the Calorie King booklet in my pocket at all times, so that I’m never left guessing. I even sewed pockets into all my clothes, just to bring the booklet around.

(The previous paragraph is filled with lies. Big, fat ones.)

I wish I was a precision carb counter. I wish I had the patience for it, always either eating pre-packaged and factory-analyzed foods or spending my time carefully measuring and weighing any home cooked adventures. But I am not a precision carb counter. I’m a precision carb guesser. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Six Until Me.*

Kids With Diabetes Can “Count Carbs With Lenny”

Medtronic MiniMed has recently released a new educational game for kids and young adults that takes them through an educational tour to learn how to deal with foods when you have diabetes.

A rep for the company tells Medgadget:

Called Carb Counting with Lenny, it’s offered for free download on the Apple iTunes App Store for the iPhone, iTouch and iPad. It’s great for parents (and even adults with diabetes have enjoyed it too), as the app features a guide presenting nutritious food choices with associated serving sizes and carbohydrate values. The other key components of the app are fun, interactive games that help reinforce carb counting skills and keep children engaged. And just in case you are not fully familiar with Lenny the Lion, he is a global ambassador for children’s diabetes education.

What’s more, there’s a contest with prizes for those who can beat Lenny at the app’s carb counting games.

Link: Carb Counting with Lenny!

Contest Rules….

*This blog post was originally published at Medgadget*

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