The Diabetes Pro

Does having diabetes make men moody? Research says yes, confirming what generations of women have long held: As men age, their hormonal health changes dramatically.

(It’s not just women going through the Change, apparently! Who knew?)

Testosterone levels drop and estrogen levels rise, a condition known as Andropause. This generally occurs between the ages of 40 and 55. Unlike women, however, who can tie menopause to the cessation of the menstrual cycle, there’s no tangible physical symptom associated with andropause.

However, when these hormonal changes are coupled with the blood sugar fluctuations that are part and parcel of diabetes (especially poorly controlled diabetes) wild mood swings can occur. Men report having unusually strong or uncharacteristic emotional reactions to situations that would normally not bother them at all.

So if you’re a man who’s diabetic and between the ages of 40-55, you might want to keep an eye on your moods. Sudden changes in your emotional health can be a sign of andropause. Hormone replacement therapy has worked successfully for many men and may be well worth exploring with your doctor.

Don’t be shy about talking with your doctor! Andropause remains an underdiagnosed condition for a number of reasons. One of the most common is that some men find it difficult, nearly impossible, to admit that there’s a problem. Men in our culture are socialized to ignore their feelings — yet paying attention to those same feelings can play a critical role in one’s quality of life.

It’s a simple little envelope, no more than 3″x5″ — yet the sight of it in a child’s backpack can be enough to strike fear into the heart of a parent.  Those small envelopes hold invitations — to birthday parties, more often than not — and birthday parties mean cake, ice cream, and candy.  All of which are tempting — and to the child with diabetes, potentially dangerous.

 We have to live with our diabetes.  There’s no avoiding it: it’s a chronic condition that isn’t going to go away, no matter how much we wish, hope, and pretend otherwise.  It’s hard for adults, but it’s harder for children.  Let’s be realistic: every single adult slips up sometimes, cheats, or does what they know they ’shouldn’t’ — but we hope we’ve got the insight and understanding to fully comprehend the consequences of our actions.

If we’re in kindergarten, or first grade, or second grade, is that really the case?  You know and I know that that answer is probably not.  If you’re confronted with the birthday party invitation, here’s three hints you can use to make life easier:

 1. Communicate with other parents: The parents hosting the party probably never even considered the thought of diabetic children. Talk to them about how things can go smoothly without disrupting the flow of events: that might mean providing your own treats for your kid ahead of time — that way the host parent can include your kids in the fun without disrupting the festivities.

2. Tag along: This is especially appropriate with younger children.  Plan on being the extra set of eyes, just to make sure your little one doesn’t ‘try’ an ice cream cone.  There are adults, still, who ‘don’t believe’ in diabetes or that a simple candy bar can have dramatic consequences.  Your child shouldn’t have to advocate for themselves against adults.  You can fill that role.

3. Work with your child: A conversation ahead of time, reinforcing what can and can’t be eaten and why, is a pain — but it’s a necessity.  This is going to be an ongoing process, but special reinforcement is necessary before special events.  It’s too easy to ‘forget’ in the face of the excitement.

Peppermint will soothe your tummy. Ginseng will give you energy, save your memory, and make you the coolest kid on the block. And apparently, cinnamon might be just the thing for diabetics.

Everyone has their own opinion on complementary and alternative medicine. It’s important to work with your doctor, and be honest with them about what supplements, herbal or otherwise, that you’re taking. Some alternative therapies are very powerful, and if you keep your physician in the dark about what you’re doing, you can contribute to some very big health problems.

The latest on cinnamon is that when used in a concentrated liquid extract, it can help promote healthy blood sugar levels. A Pakistani study, in which participants took between one and six grams of cinnamon daily for forty days, details that the cinnamon taking participants saw significant improvements in blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides.

The next paragraph in the study, however, is what I find to be very telling:

The survey, which asked participants to describe what they had eaten in the last twenty-four hours, found more than 40% had not eaten a single piece of fruit, 20% had not eaten one vegetable, 55% had eaten red meat, and more than 44% had eaten at least one serving of luncheon meat or bacon that day.

Before you run out to buy cinnamon supplements, consider that. In diabetes, perhaps more than almost any other condition, we really are what we eat. Addressing proper nutrition (and getting away from the bologna!) may be far more critical to controlling blood sugar than cinnamon supplements — or what ever else the supplement flavor of the month may be.

“Oh, you’re a diabetic?” The hostess smiles, obviously mentally reviewing what non-alcoholics she’s got in the fridge. “Let me see if I’ve got something you can drink.”

Sound familiar? Almost everyone knows that diabetes and alcohol don’t go well together. Some even assume, sometimes incorrectly, sometimes not, that a mixed drink will kill a diabetic. That’s not always true. However, there is a relationship between diabetes and negative reactions to alcohol. What isn’t as well known is why.

That mystery might be resolving, thanks to a group of scientists at the Karolinska Institute. This leading Swedish medical university may have discovered how consuming alcohol impacts insulin secretion, which often results in diabetics experiencing severe hypoglycemia.

That’s a mouthful of a sentence, isn’t it? Pared down, we all know how it goes: a diabetic takes a drink, and chances are they’re going to go into shock. It’s ugly, it’s nasty, and it’s scary. But why does it happen?

The problem might be in the pancreas. In the study, scientists measured pancreatic function in diabetic and non-diabetic patients alike. There was a marked change in pancreatic activity, prompting the organ to produce excess amounts of insulin. There may also be a relationship between medication and treatment protocols used to treat Type 2 diabetes and the hypoglycemic reaction to alcohol. Additionally, the study pointed out that people who could be classified as alcoholics tend to have other health issues — poor nutrition, liver and pancreatic damage — that contribute to the reaction.

This is a very individual situation: some diabetics can drink moderate amounts of alcohol safely, while others experience very negative health consequences after even the smallest drink. You know your body better than anyone: talk with your physician about what amount of alcohol is safe for you.

A recent study from Duke University Medical Center has shown that a moderate amount of exercise can reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a collection of factors that combine to put individuals at higher risk for developing heart disease, stroke, and, of interest to us, diabetes.

What are these risk factors? They include: a large waist circumference — over 40 inches in men, 35 inches in women; high levels of triglycerides –over 150; low amounts of HDL — below 40 in men, 50 in women; high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. If you’ve got 3 of the 5 factors, you can be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.

As we are becoming increasingly sedentary — does anybody move anymore? — this is becoming an increasingly common diagnosis. However, according to the research team at Duke Medical Center, a person can lower risk of metabolic syndrome by exercise. They recommend walking 30 minutes a day, six days per week.

You’ll go approximately 11 miles in an average week, which sounds like quite a distance — but it works out to less than 2 miles a day. You’ll benefit even if you don’t make any dietary changes — just don’t start eating more! The most obvious result will be a trimmer waistline, but regular exercise can also help decrease blood pressure.

Every little bit helps. Duke cardiologist William Kraus said, “Some exercise is better than none; more exercise is generally better than less, and no exercise can be disastrous.”

Consistency is apparently more important than intensity: researchers posit that there may be more value in moderate exercise performed every day rather than intense exercise every few days.

What does a good diabetic diet mean? Surprisingly, it’s not what many people think. Being a diabetic does not mean an austere life of hardship, where you can’t enjoy any good stuff. Instead, what constitutes a sensible diet for a diabetic is, in large part, what’s a sensible diet for everyone else.

Eating a variety of foods is a good starting point: selecting from all four food groups is essential. The average American diet doesn’t include enough fruits and vegetables, relying instead on too much meat and grains. Achieving balance will help anyone’s diet.

Incorporating more fruits and vegetables is a wise nutritional choice. These items are low in fat — provided you don’t drench your green beans with half a stick of butter! — and also low in calories. Both help provide much needed fiber.

Food selection is one part of the equation: you want nutrient-dense, high-fiber foods. The amount you eat is also important. Pineapple might be a really healthy choice — but if you sit down and eat six cups of chopped pineapple, you’re going to be in real trouble. Not only are you going to send your sugar through the roof, you’re going to have the queen mother of all stomachaches! Moderation is key. If you’re working with a nutritionist or diet specialist, they can advise you on appropriate serving sizes to meet your dietary needs. Otherwise, you may want to start by reading the information here.

If there’s one piece of medical information everybody and their best friend is sure they’re an expert on, it’s what the symptoms of diabetes are. It’s well known that frequent urination and a constant thirst are common diabetes symptoms.

However, running to the bathroom six times a day doesn’t necessarily mean you’re diabetic. There are other causes for frequent urination, from drinking too much coffee to pregnancy and far beyond.

What you should look for, if you’re concerned about diabetes, is the following behaviors:

• frequent urination
• strong, constant thirst
• being very hungry
• a sense of tiredness or fatigue
• a sense of being irritable or ‘cranky’
• blurry vision
• unusual weight loss — you haven’t been eating less or doing more, and still, the pounds come off!

The key here is that none of these items, one time or in isolation, is necessarily a symptom of diabetes. You could be very hungry because you didn’t eat the day before — but as soon as you have a sandwich, you’re fine. What we’re talking about is a prolonged, repeating pattern of these symptoms.

This is information you need to share with your doctor. They’ll do tests, including an analysis of your blood sugar levels, to see if what appears to be the symptoms of diabetes is in fact that — or if the symptoms are related to another, unrelated condition.