Don’t Be Fooled by Daylight “Savings”

I don’t particularly like this time of year.  The days get shorter, the weather gets colder, and it seems like the faster I rake & bag the leaves, the faster they come hurtling down.  Perhaps the worst tradition of the season, at least on the East coast, is the “fall back” of clocks to standard time.  Sure, we get an extra hour of sleep for one night, but we pay for it many times over when darkness settles in before most of us leave work for the day.

Time is such a valuable commodity, especially for those of us affected by diabetes.  I would love to have that extra hour at the end of each day to go for a bike ride, walk around the neighborhood, or even to do some work in the yard (can’t ignore the leaves).  I think that having a health condition like diabetes makes us appreciate time that much more.  Although the average life expectancy for people with diabetes is creeping ever closer to that of those without diabetes, one never knows what their personal future truly holds.

There is no question that diabetes self-care takes up valuable time that could be used for other things.  From medical appointments, filling prescriptions and tracking down supplies to counting carbs and all the hundreds of other little things we must do each day, diabetes clearly robs us of precious time.  But if there one aspect of diabetes self-care that I see as a wise investment, it is diabetes self-management training/education (DSME).  Time and time again, research has shown that DSME out-performs all manner of diabetes medications and devices when it comes to improving important clinical outcomes such as A1c, time in-range, weight control and overall health.  DSME can take a variety of forms – from reading books, magazines and online articles to participating in educational classes and conferences, as well as the time you spend with a CDCES (certified diabetes care & education specialist).

DSME doesn’t have to take up a lot of your valuable time.  At IDS, we do all in our power to tailor our services to the individual.  Sometimes, DSME takes place as we answer questions via email, phone calls or text messages.  In other instances, it takes place as part of a scheduled appointment, or through webinars like the ones at Type-1 University (www.type1university.com).  The key is that we focus on topics that are of importance to our clients and customize the training/education to their preferred learning style.  Short on time and just want to get to the point?  We can meet for as little as 15 minutes.  Have a lot to discuss and prefer a leisurely discussion?  Let’s plan on an hour or more.  It is entirely up to you.  Just give us a call and let us know what you’re interested in learning more about.

I hope you find this month’s edition (and every edition) of Diabetes Bites to be worth your time.  If you have ideas for making it better, let me know.  Your feedback is always appreciated!

Sincerely,

– Gary

Gary Scheiner MS, CDE
Owner & Clinical Director

Nancy’s Featured Finds!

This month get in shape with Kathryn! Classes are $10 or you can purchase an entire month for only $30!

Questions? I am happy to explain our services either by email or phone: nancy@integrateddiabetes.com (610) -642-6055.

Best,
Nancy

OUT-MUSCLE DIABETES EXERCISE CLASS!

OUT-MUSCLE DIABETES with Kathryn Gentile, ACSM-CEP, EIM level II, CPT, CSN.

Classes will be limited to 12 participants and will be conducted at a moderate intensity. The workout will consist of strength and cardiovascular exercises. The cost for each session will be $10 or you can purchase an unlimited month of sessions for $30.

Classes are on Wednesday and Friday at 6pm