Here are some interesting links for the diabetes online community … enjoy!

What’s Your Number One Piece of Advice for People with Diabetes? was written by Jeemin Kwon and Kelly Close for diaTribe.org, 15 April 2019. 

To commemorate diaTribe’s 200th issue, we asked this diverse range of experts, “If you could give people with diabetes just one piece of advice, what would it be?”

Below, you’ll find all of the responses, grouped by different topic areas. A majority of the inspiring and actionable responses focused on having a learning mindset, self-care, and finding supportive friends, family, and healthcare providers. Answers also spoke to the incredible growth in diabetes technology, specifically continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and research on diabetes complications and how the disease progresses.

The most important takeaway? Always ask questions. Whether it’s about what your healthcare team is doing for you, what you could be doing differently, or what the newest devices are, knowledge is a powerful foundation for change.

  • Ask questions and be your own advocate
  • Be kind to yourself
  • Find a support network
  • Transfer some of the burden onto technology
  • Be proactive

Read the whole article: What’s Your Number One Piece of Advice for People with Diabetes?


More from diaTribe … this time from Adam Brown on Adam’s Corner, 15 April 2019. Bright Spots Lab – a new, short-form column that will share the most helpful diabetes tips, tricks, and reading Adam’s discovered of late.

Under his heading of FOOD, Best New Find: Mikey’s Low-Carb English Muffins. Each Mikey’s English muffin has 8 grams of carbs total (50% from fiber) and seven real-food ingredients: Eggs, Almond Flour, Water, Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut Flour, Baking Soda, Salt. They have minimal impact on blood sugar in my ten experiments so far.

Also check out Tortilla Factory’s low-carb, high-fiber, whole wheat tortillas, a yellow-branded package (“Low Carb”), are sold at many grocery stores. Since over 70% of the carbs are from fiber (8 grams of fiber, 11 grams of total carbs), they have a similarly small impact on blood sugar.

Read more with a recipe for ground turkey/broccoli “rice” bowl:  Bright Spots Lab


Swiss Govt Says Coffee ‘Not Essential,’ Stockpiling to End was reported by John Miller on MedScape.com, 15 April 2019.  WOW, really!?!?!?  Says who?!?!?!?

Switzerland announced plans to abolish the nation’s emergency stockpile of coffee, in place for decades, after declaring the beans not vital for human survival, though opposition to the proposal is brewing.

Nestle, the maker of instant coffee Nescafe, and other importers, roasters and retailers are required by Swiss law to store bags of raw coffee. The country stockpiles other staples, too, such as sugar, rice, edible oils and animal feed. This system of emergency reserves was established between World War I and World War II as Switzerland prepared for any potential shortages in case of war, natural disaster or epidemics.

“The Federal Office for National Economic Supply has concluded coffee . . . is not essential for life,” the government said. “Coffee has almost no calories and subsequently does not contribute, from the physiological perspective, to safeguarding nutrition.”

Hah, watch what could happen in an emergency without coffee!!!

Read more: Swiss Govt Says Coffee ‘Not Essential,’ Stockpiling to End


This Is What Exercise Does to Your Brain was written by Dana Smith for Medium/Elemental, 15 April 2019.  Scientists are getting closer to understanding why exercise makes us feel good. (It’s more than endorphins.)

If exercise were a drug, we would say its benefits were too good to be true. Not only does it keep us healthy and help us live longer, it makes us smarter and happier, too. Working out can enhance memory, speed up reaction times, improve attention, and alleviate depression. It may even stave off neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

“Exercise seems to be good for practically every function in the brain and body,” says Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a professor in the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology at UCLA.

Every time you work out, your muscles, fat cells, and liver release a variety of molecules into the bloodstream. Some of these molecules circulate through the body and travel up to the brain, where they cross the blood-brain barrier. Once inside, they trigger a cascade of beneficial changes that can make you feel sharper and happier.

One of the most crucial changes is the release of a growth hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. When it comes to exercise’s positive effects on the brain, BDNF is the star. “This is one of the most important molecules for brain function in connection to the effects of exercise,” says Gomez-Pinilla. “BDNF is very important for all of the basic processes related to learning and memory in the brain.”

Read more: This Is What Exercise Does to Your Brain


And finally, just a last word on SLEEP. A Scientists’ Guide to Better Sleep was written by Jamie Friedlander for Medium/Elemental on 12 April 2019. 

You already know that getting enough sleep each night is important for your health. Time spent sleeping is only part of the equation, though. Yes, getting a full night’s rest is great, but only if it’s actually restful. Those seven to nine hours aren’t as restorative if they aren’t uninterrupted, in line with your body’s natural rhythms, and balanced with the right amount of REM.

Better quality sleep isn’t something you can just will into being, says Dr. Vikas Jain, a sleep medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine. “One point I try to drive home to people is: Don’t put a ton of effort into your sleep,” he says. “Because the harder you try, the harder it will become. You have to remember that sleep is something we want to come naturally. If you’re trying to force it, it’s going to become much more difficult.”

Here’s some advice, from eight sleep experts, for the best ways to set up your bedroom to ensure you get a good night’s rest. 

  • Think of your bed as an investment
  • Wash your sheets often
  • Ban all screens (but as many of us use technology, just place the screen face down)
  • Add background noise
  • Keep a flashlight handy
  • Cool down
  • Think of light as a tool
  • Have a bedtime scent
  • Clean up
  • Eliminate distraction
  • Stick to a sleep uniform (!)
  • Create a space you’re happy to spend time in

Read these tips in detail: A Scientists’ Guide to Better Sleep

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