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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 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.
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.
Before we get started, you might want to
Test your Diabetes Language IQ with this short
4 question Quiz.
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 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?”)
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” – MINNPOSTCoach 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:
“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:
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.
https://www.biography.com/news/martin-luther-king-famous-quotes
Main Message from ADA – Individualize approach and focus on eating nutrient dense foods
The ADA Standards of Care, states that there is no ideal percentage of calories from carbs, protein and fat. The key is to individualize nutrition recommendations using a patient centered approach. Emphasis is on healthy eating patterns which include nutrient dense foods and consumption of less added sugar and processed foods.
The ADA recommends a variety of eating plans based on available research.
Examples of Healthful Choices include:
Common theme for the best diets includes more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, fish and less processed foods and added sugars.
Best Diets for 2018 – Great NPR article that ranks diets from best to worse.
Mediterranean Diet Info – from Oldways Website
Plant based eating resource page – Full of recipes, getting started resources and articles supporting the benefits of plant based eating.
DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension). Here the NIH DASH Website provides research and links to patient and professional resources.
Oldways Website “inspiring good health through cultural food traditions”. Oldways is a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization, with a mission to inspire healthy eating through cultural food traditions and lifestyles. Includes cultural food info on plant based diets, Mediterranean Diet, Asian Diets and more. Lots of handouts and resources for patients and professionals.
Preventing diabetes starts with protecting our most vulnerable population, our children.
Childhood trauma, including sexual, physical and verbal abuse, raises the risk for developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood by as much as 57%, according to article in Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications. – Coach Beverly
To learn more please read the article below:
Childhood abuse, parental mental illness raise risk for type 2 diabetes in adulthood – Heilo | in the journal plus
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What can we do to make it through the holiday season and be ready to embark on the new year feeling our best? We have ten strategies for you and your patients. And even if you can’t do all ten, just pick one or a few that you feel you can commit to and succeed with most of the time.
1. Be a sleep warrior –
Americans are 
Goal: Get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. You deserve it.
2.
Goal: Work toward 30 minutes of activity a day.
3. Don’t forget the Fiber – With all the snacks and tempting foods, whole healthy foods may take a back seat. Enjoy the abundance of seasonal vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains that are fiber rich and that decrease inflammation. Examples include; yams, squash, mandarin oranges, almonds, pistachios, quinoa, kale, brown rice, warm oatmeal, salads and broth based soups.
Goal: Strive to eat at least 25gms of fiber a day.
Water is the perfect way to keep hydrated, replenished and keeps appetite in check. Add a splash of flavor with a jigger of fruit juice or fresh cucumbers, lime slices or a sprig of rosemary. Be creative. Sparkling waters come in a vast variety of flavors, are calorie free and contain no artificial sweeteners.
Goal: Keep hydrated by enjoying plenty of water.
5. Keep an eye on alcohol – While it’s true that red wine offers a beneficial anti-inflammatory 
Goal: Limit alcohol to one drink a day women, two drinks a day for men.
6. You are already sweet enough – Holidays and sugar go hand in hand. If possible, try and eat less than 6 teaspoons of added sugar (does not include natural sugars found in fruit and milk). This goal may not be realistic on all days, but aim for success 80% of the time. Excess sugar intake can cause inflammation and buildup of fat in the liver. One strategy is to limit sugar intake during the day and save your 6 teaspoons for that special desert or parties. When looking at labels, it is helpful to know that 1 teaspoon equals 4 gms of sugar.
Goal: Limit sugar to 6 teaspoons a day.
7. Your teeth need extra special attention – Taking care of our 
Goal: Brush teeth at twice daily and floss at least one daily.
8. Keep connected to friends and family who love you just the way you are! – As enjoyable as holidays can be, reuniting with family can also cause stress and stir-up emotions. Feeling out of sorts can lead to stress eating and decrease self-care. If possible, reach out to a trusted friend to share your feelings or keep a holiday journal. Consider bringing a favorite book along during your travels that you find inspiring and comforting. Give yourself permission to steal away for some quiet time.
Goal: Self-care is important during the holidays.
9. Enjoy an Oxygen Cocktail – Studies show that when humans venture into natural outdoor settings, heart rate and blood pressure improve. Take a moment to appreciate the feeling of the air on your skin, take a deep breath of fresh air, try to find nests in leafless trees, listen to the animal sounds and bird songs and just enjoy that moment.
Goal: Step into nature daily.
10. Take inventory of things that you are grateful for –
Goal: Take note of special moments.
10 Steps to Survive the Holidays PDF – a great handout that includes the info above to print and share with your friends, patients and colleagues!
