Diabetes News – December 2021

December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month

Almost everybody loves holiday parties. But drinking and driving can make that festive time deadly for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. December’s National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month has a high fatality rate due to people driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or both. According to the National Safety Council, over 40,000 people died in alcohol-related traffic accidents last year, so this year, stay safe during the holidays. If you are a diabetic, there are some additional things you should know about alcohol use.

Diabetes, Alcohol, and Social Drinking

People with diabetes should be particularly cautious when it comes to drinking alcohol because alcohol can make some of the complications of diabetes worse. First of all, alcohol impacts the liver in doing its job of regulating blood sugar. Alcohol can also interact with some medications that are prescribed to people with diabetes. Even if you only rarely drink alcohol, talk with your healthcare provider about it so that he or she knows which medications are best for you.

Here’s what you need to know:

  1. Alcohol interacts with diabetes medications

Alcohol can cause blood glucose levels to rise or fall, depending on how much you drink. Some diabetes pills (including sulfonylureas and meglitinides) also lower blood glucose levels by stimulating the pancreas to make more insulin. Combining the blood-sugar-lowering effects of the medication with alcohol can lead to hypoglycemia or “insulin shock,” which is a medical emergency.

  1. Alcohol prevents your liver from doing its job

The main function of your liver is to store glycogen, which is the stored form of glucose, so that you will have a source of glucose when you haven’t eaten. When you drink alcohol, your liver has to work to remove it from your blood instead of working to regulate blood sugar, or blood glucose. For this reason, you should never drink alcohol when your blood glucose is already low.

  1. Never drink alcohol on an empty stomach

Food slows down the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream. Be sure to eat a meal or snack containing carbohydrates if you are going to drink alcohol.

  1. Always test blood sugar before having an alcoholic beverage

Alcohol impairs your liver’s ability to produce glucose, so be sure to know your blood glucose number before you drink an alcoholic beverage.

  1. Alcohol can cause hypoglycemia

Within a few minutes of drinking alcohol, and for up to 12 hours afterward, alcohol can cause your blood glucose level to drop. After consuming alcohol, always check your blood glucose level to make sure it is in the safe zone. If your blood glucose is low, eat a snack to bring it up.

  1. You can save your life by drinking slowly

Drinking too much alcohol can make you feel dizzy, sleepy, and disoriented—the same symptoms as hypoglycemia. Be sure to wear a bracelet that alerts people around you to the fact that you have diabetes, so that if you start to behave like you are intoxicated, they know that your symptoms could be caused by hypoglycemia. If you are hypoglycemic, you need food and/or glucose tablets to raise your blood glucose level.

  1. You can save your life by knowing your limit

Your healthcare provider will tell you how much alcohol is safe for you to drink. Depending on your health condition, that may mean no alcohol at all. In some cases, women with diabetes may have no more than one alcoholic beverage a day. Men should have no more than two.


The Diet-Betus – our version of recipe of the month

Snowy weather is on its way, but you can enjoy your Snowballs inside where it’s warm and cozy.

 

Almond Snowballs

 Ingredients

2 egg white

Pinch of coarse salt

1/3 C sugar

1 ½ C (6 ounces) shredded coconut

1 tsp almond extract

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

3 TBSP all-purpose flour

9 candied cherries, halved

¼ C sliced almonds

 

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites and salt to soft peaks, then add sugar and beat again until peaks are stiff. Beat in almond flavoring. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in half of the coconut. Sprinkle in the nutmeg and flour, stir, then fold in the remaining coconut.
  3. Using a melon baller or other small scoop, or working with 2 spoons, form 9 “snowballs” a couple of inches apart on each of 2 cookie sheets. Bake snowballs 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from oven and garnish each snowball with half a cherry and a couple of slivered almonds. Transfer to a rack or serving plate to cool.

Source: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/almond-snowballs-recipe-1942070

 

Community offerings: *

* Due to coronavirus/COVID 19, many community offerings have been changed, postponed, or canceled.

Please call the number listed for the event to verify availability, dates, and times.

If you have questions regarding Coronavirus/COVID-19 please call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634)Or, go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html or https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/.


 

Diabetes Empowerment Education Program (DEEP)

COST:  Free

CONTACT:  Tina Elmlinger 419-624-1856

The Diabetes Empowerment Education Program [DEEP] is offered every Wednesday for six weeks. Good attendance is important. This free program is for diabetics, pre-diabetics, and spouses or caregivers of a diabetic.  Residents of Erie County, aged 60 or older, please call 419-624-1856 to register.

 

Diabetes Support Group – Firelands Regional Medical Center

The Diabetes Support Group presented by Jean Feick CNP, CDE, meets the third Wednesday of each month Sept–November and January-May from 12:00pm –1:00pm.  This meeting is free to the public and no registration is required. Attendees are welcome to purchase lunch in the hospital cafeteria and come to the adjacent Cafeteria Meeting #1.  A different topic will be reviewed each month. If you have questions, please contact the Diabetes Education Department at 419-557-6992.

 

HEALTH & WELLNESS SCREENING – offered by Firelands Regional Medical Center

You must Pre-register for all Lab Work at 419-557-7840

 

Sandusky Health & Wellness

 

Firelands Regional Medical Center South Campus

1912 Hayes Avenue Sandusky, OH

Saturday, December 4

7:00 am -9:30 am

 

Health & Wellness Screenings include:

  • Complete Blood Count with Metabolic & Lipid Panel (No Eating or Drinking for 12 Hours – Water Allowed – includes liver and kidney function studies, fasting blood sugar, thyroid, cholesterol, HDL/LDL, and triglyceride levels along with a complete blood count.) – $45;
  • Hemoglobin A1C (A three-month report card on how well your blood sugars have been running. A test used to diagnose diabetes and/or to evaluate how well your treatment plan is working.) – $25;
  • PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen)- $30;
  • Vitamin D – $35;
  • TSH – $25

Diet and exercise are an essential part of diabetes management, so is routine testing.

The A1C test—also known as the hemoglobin A1C or HbA1c test—is a simple blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. It’s one of the commonly used tests to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes, and is also the main test to help you and your health care team manage your diabetes. Higher A1C levels are linked to diabetes complications, so reaching and maintaining your individual A1C goal is important if you have diabetes.

Last quarter, 70% of our diabetic patients had an A1C of less than 9%. Talk with your provider to discuss the right options for you.