Happy International Women’s Day!

We are so happy to celebrate International Women’s Day today by honoring the girls of Just One Person! We have the opportunity to partner with this incredible organization to make our Pancreas Partner teaching tool. 

Just One Person is a model sustainable program that prepares girls in rural Kenya for post secondary opportunities, helping? them develop economic independence that will guide them  on the path out of poverty.

Although we believe everyday is women’s day, we are happy to celebrate all the wonderful women at Just One Person and in our Diabetes Education Services community!

You can support the girls are Just One Person by donating here:

Just One Person

Or you can purchase our fun teaching tool that helps you demonstrate the job of the pancreas. The Pancreas Partner is made from traditional African fabrics and handcrafted by high school girls participating in Just One Person, an empowerment program for girls in rural Kenya. All profits are donated to www.justoneperson.org.

Pancreas Partner

Companion Medical has now developed a “Smart” InPen system which allows persons with type 1 diabetes to inject insulin and monitor their data via the app on their phone. The same size as a traditional insulin pen, this device gives freedom to those with Type 1 who typically would need to wear a device. 

As healthcare professionals, the app will generate reports of dose history and insulin temperature to help you better assist in your clinical practice. 

Although this pen is currently only for patients 12 and under, the hope is that the invention will lead to continued development in diabetes care and technology. 

To learn more about the InPen System please enjoy this article below:

“Smart InPen device launches in the US” – Diabetes.co.uk

Imagine a contact lens that you could wear that would light up if your glucose levels were high?

Many of you have probably heard about the first initial attempt at glucose monitoring contact lenses. However, the new lens, developed by South Korean researchers, has corrected many of the initial issues. 

The newly crafted lens is not only more comfortable on the eye, but has wireless operation that monitors glucose levels in your tears! Although the lens may not be available for more than 5 years, we are happy to welcome the technological development in diabetes care. 

To learn more about the new contact lens please click on the article below:

New glucose-monitoring contact lens addresses prior design issues – Diabetes.co.uk

Congratulations to Michelle White!

“Thank you doesn’t feel like enough to tell Beverly how much I appreciate her educational sessions. I had previously taken the CDCES exam three times and failed by two or three points. After purchasing her  CDCES prep bundle, I took a month to study using her webinars/sessions. I took my fourth test on 02/07/2018 and passed!!! I know I wouldn’t have been able to pass on my own.

The CDCES exam is harder than the NCLEX!! Beverly doesn’t just give you the technical and practical information needed to be an educator, she teaches you how to look beyond the medication and formulas and see the patient as a person. The material covered in her sessions is thorough and up to date.  The educational sessions, boot camps, and the CDCES app make passing a sure bet.

But more importantly, Beverly’s passion concerning Diabetes Education spills over and makes one a better educator. I wish I would have began studying with her when I first started on my diabetes education journey in 2015. Both myself and my patients have gained so much from her lessons. 

Again I can’t thank her enough and recommend everyone preparing to take the exam should study with Bev!!!”

– Michelle L. White BSN, RN, CDCES

Special Question of the Week – Customer Appreciation! 

To our superstar students, subscribers and community of educators, we truly couldn’t have done it without you! 

To show our love and gratitude, we are offering an array of free gifts and resources this week. We can’t begin to thank you for joining the Diabetes Education Services community! 

Click below for a special quiz and even more free resources to follow:

The Words We Choose – ABC’s of a more thoughtful approach

The term “diabetic” is officially off-limits.

Say goodbye the phrase “you can control your diabetes’.

Ditch characterizing people with diabetes as unmotivated or non adherent.

Retire the word patient and replace with the term participant.

Let go of the term “test” blood sugar and replace with the term “check”.

A recent article, The Use of Language in Diabetes Care and Education (AADE, ADA 2017), reminds us that language we chose when coaching people with diabetes is powerful and can have a lasting impact on perceptions as well as behavior.

As a diabetes educator for over twenty years, I have witnessed the pain and shame of countless people living with diabetes. At our first meeting, they sit down with head hanging low and an air of defeat.

They might say something like, “My provider told me if I didn’t get my blood sugars down, they would have to start me on insulin.”  Or something like, “My blood sugars are out of control and it’s all my fault.”  Where is this message of self-failure coming from and how can we change the paradigm?

In society and in the health care field, the The Use of Language in Diabetes Care and Education (AADE, ADA 2017), shapes the way a person with diabetes sees themselves. “Language lies at the core of attitude change, social perception, personal identity and stereotyping.  Words are immediately shaped into meaning, and those meanings affect how a person views themselves.”

As educators, advocates, spouses, friends, and providers, our use of language can deeply affect the self-view of people living with diabetes everyday.

Let’s lift people up with the language we choose.

Let’s demonstrate through our body language and questions that we believe in their abilities.

Let’s recognize that diabetes isn’t about being perfect, it’s about creating realistic expectations that consider the person’s current life situation.

This article is designed to highlight some small changes in word use and language that can make a big difference in the lives of those with diabetes. 

Before we get started, you might want to

Test your Diabetes Language IQ with this short
4 question Quiz.

Assess

During that first sit down meeting, we listen carefully to the story, to find out what is working with their diabetes and what barriers might be getting in the way. The words we use in this encounter sets the stage for our ongoing working relationship and will influence the self-perception of the person sitting across from us.

Language change starts here:

Use “person-first” language that indicates awareness and dignity while placing emphasis on the person rather than the condition/disease.

Example: “Your doctor referred you to our program to help you manage your diabetes” (instead of “Your doctor referred you to our program because you are a diabetic”).

Focus on using neutral words and physiology instead of words that cast shame and blame. Avoid using the phrase “control” diabetes. In truth, control is virtually impossible to achieve in a disease where the pancreas is broken. Despite best efforts, blood sugars may be above or below target at any given moment.

Example: “Your A1c of 9.8% is above the target of 7%.” (instead of, “Your A1c is really high.”)

Example:  “Exercise can help you manage your blood sugar levels.” (instead of, “You can control your diabetes by exercising and eating right.”)

Barriers 

Barriers to self-care can often be misinterpreted as non-compliance or non-adherence. It’s time to ditch these terms and focus on the self-care behaviors the person with diabetes is doing. We can focus on facts rather than judgments.

Example: “MJ hasn’t started taking her insulin because she is worried about weight gain and hypoglycemia.” (instead of, “MJ is non-compliant and is refusing to take her insulin.”)

As we explore their self-care habits, we can use language that is non-judgmental, strengths based and collaborative.

Let’s give the person with diabetes credit for what they are accomplishing and let’s avoid taking credit for their behavior changes.

Example: “It looks like you are checking your blood sugar about 3 times a week?” (instead of “You are only checking your blood sugar 3 times a week?”)

Compassion

A new study highlights how compassion plays a significant role in our clinical practice.

According to a HealthTap survey, patients and physicians alike rate the role of compassion as most important. 

Below are the fours findings from the HealthTap Survey.

“1. When making a healthcare decision, 85 percent of patients said compassion was very important to them, while only 31 percent of patients said cost was very important.

2. Although wait time to see a medical provider is often considered a barrier to patients’ happiness, only 48 percent of patients cited it as a very important factor in healthcare satisfaction.

3. Eighty-nine percent of physicians cited compassion as a very important part of delivering the best care, which was higher than the importance physicians placed on education and command of medical knowledge (86 percent).

4. Nearly all — 94 percent — of physicians said being compassionate makes their patients more likely to follow their advice, which can significantly improve patients’ health outcomes.”

Read more about this here >>  

Thoughtful language use and compassion can contribute to improved self-care, collaboration and improved quality of life. Thank you for being change agents and advocating for a person-first approach for those living with diabetes.

“Walking in groups helps people stick with their exercise goals, study finds” – MINNPOST

Coach Beverly believes in the power of the Passegiata (walk in Italian). A common practice in Italy, an after dinner time stroll can have huge health benefits.

It seems that a short walk after meals is better for blood sugar than walks at other times of the day. Research indicates that short 10 – 15 minute post dinner walk is VERY effective at lowering post meal blood glucose, especially after higher carbohydrate meals. Which is great news for people with prediabetes and diabetes.

Why not join a group of walkers? According to an article in the Minnpost, there are many health benefits to walking in a group from physical to mental. Joining a walking group can add motivation and increase social interaction. 

“There is good evidence that exercise adherence is enhanced through the use of social support,” write Meads and Exley. 

To learn more about group exercise, enjoy the article from the Minnpost “Walking in groups helps people stick with their exercise goals, study finds”

Want to learn more about exercise & diabetes, enjoy our free exercise resource page:

Exercise Resource Page

“There could be greater health benefits for women from breastfeeding than previously recognized,” said lead study author Erica Gunderson of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California.

Compared to women who didn’t breastfeed at all, mothers who nursed babies for at least six months were 48 percent less likely to develop diabetes.

Rates of breastfeeding are on the rise.  More than 75% of women initiate breastfeeding and by one year 25% are still breastfeeding. There are many wonderful benefits linked to breastfeeding, lowering the risk of allergies, obesity, respiratory infections and now diabetes! 

In spite of the benefits of breastfeeding, some women may face barriers to success, including lack of social support, lack of paid leave and lack of onsite childcare. Since breastfeeding provides a tremendous benefit for the child, mom and society, we want to keep encouraging women to breastfeed and create environments that support success.

“Longer breastfeeding tied to lower diabetes risk for mothers” – Lisa Rapaport for Reuters Health

Check out this fantastic resource by “Mom loves best” – The 111 Benefits of Breastfeeding – For Babies, Moms & Everyone Else

Want to learn more about Women and Diabetes, enroll in our Level 2 – Women and Diabetes online course:

Level 2 – Women and Diabetes 1.0 CEs – $ 19.00

Women with diabetes are confronted with a variety of issues that require special attention, education and understanding. This course reviews those special needs while focusing on Gestational Diabetes and Pre-Existing Diabetes. Included are the most recent diagnostic criteria, management goals and prevention of complications during pregnancy. A helpful review for the CDCES^® Exam and for those who want more information on Women with Diabetes.

We will be providing a Live Webinar Update on May 18, 2018.