Take Charge
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
LEESPORT (Berks Co.) Di
abetes management guidelines
have changed recently, but don’t
count on your doctor for up-to
date advice.
“Lots of physicians are not fol
lowing the old recommendations,
let alone the new ones,” said
Marian Pounder, who led a re
cent workshop at the Berks
County Extension.
“You must take diabetes seri
ously. Diabetes is a very silent
killer that can affect every organ
system in the body, but does not
need to if you use the right tools,”
Pounder said.
Diabetes has increased 33 per
cent from 1990 to 1998 among
young people. An alarming in
crease of 76 percent has been di
agnosed in those between 30-39
years of age.
Several workshop attendees
shared incidents that put then
lives in risk because of the mis
management of health profes-
HEATMOR OUTDOOR WOOD FURNACES
. 888-763-8617 800-743-5883
stainless Steel Jamestown, NY Staunton, VA
Manage Diabetes
sionals.
“Take charge of the manage
ment of your diabetes. You live
with it 24 hours a day. It does not
go away when your on vacation,”
Pounder said.
Medicines are complicated and
may contradict each other, which
can result in diabetes complica
tions.
“Be an advocate for yourself or
a friend or family member who
has diabetes,” Pounder said.
“Ask questions. Demand changes
if procedures contradict what you
read.”
It’s important for diabetics to
wear identification at all times.
It’s a lifeline to protect you if you
are in a car accident or have a
medical problems. Glucose water
is standard procedures for hospi
tals admitting accident victims,
but dangerous for diabetics.
There are other choices for dia
betics.
Have a list of medications, op
erations, and medical history to
hand to doctors and health care
workers.
4 Sizes - 18 Colors - Wood or Coal Grates
Forced Draft - Ash Auger Clean Out
COMPARISON WITH OTHER
OUTDOOR UNITS
• Burns up to 1/2 less wood
• Emits up to 1/2 less smoke
• Corrosion Warranty up to 10 times longer
Dealerships Available in some areas
Eastern US Distributor
Outback Heating Inc.
New clinical recommendations
lowered the HBA from 7 to 6.5.
Lower target levels of blood sugar
are 110 before eating and 140 two
hours after eating.
“Medication is not the answer.
Lifestyle changes are,” Pounder
said. “There is not a food that
cannot be fitted into your meal
plan, but it is important to under
stand serving sizes and the need
to count carbohydrates and sugar
content.
“Everything breaks down to
sugar. No-sugar added ice cream
still has calories. You must read
labels. The labels may read
sugar-free but contain sugar alco
hol.
“Any word ending in ‘ose’
means sugar in some way, shape
or form,” Pounder said of labels.
Don’t just read sugar contents.
Butter, margarine, and other fats
must be used in moderation.
“People respond differently to
foods. That is why testing is nec
essary. It’s like a lie detector
test,” Pounder said.
Taking control of diabetes in
cludes the following tips.
• One aspirin a day is rec
ommended for people with
diabetes.
• Physical activity helps.
Blood pressure problems are
often associated with diabe
tes. Get your blood pressure
in the proper range.
• Canned foods are high
in salt. Fresh is best; frozen
C"} Heart of the South
* plus Caribbean Cruise
/15\ Includes Si9QQ
i Days/ R/T Airfare! "™
Add $2OO for February
Price includes airfare, hotels, sightseeing, transfers,
baggage handling and a 7 night cruise on Carnival
Cruise Line’s ship “CONQUEST”. Includes meals & A
entertainment on board. Tour via motorcoach to A
Memphis, GRACELAND, Vicksburg, Baton Rouge, NEW
ORLEANS, French Quarter, ATLANTA, Chattanooga 1
Choo Choo, Nashville, COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME 1
and more. So hurry and call for more information today.
TOURS . Qn C n QQO
Open Sunday - PPDO 1 -OUU~OOO-O^U4
Marian Pounder, R.N., explains the importance of man
aging diabetes during a workshop at Berks County Ex
tension.
next, followed by canned. to chew not chocolate or soft
• Get an annual eye exam. candy.
• Check feet regularly. Diabet- • If you are medication and
ics can loose feeling in their feet. still have blood sugar above 200,
• If you are a diabetic, have the medication is not working
your blood glucose levels checked and another option should be ex
every three to four months. Low plored.
blood sugar is anything below 60. Pounder stressed the impor
• Be prepared at all times, tance of knowing the proper way
Carry Lifesavers or hard candy to use a monitor and know what
your blood sugar should
be.
Some diabetics com
plain that regular med
ical checkups are too ex
pensive. Pounder asks,
“Can you put a price on
life and the quality of
life you want?”
For more information,
contact the Pennsylva
nia Department of
Health at (800)
692-7254.
BUY,
SELL,
TRADE
OR
RENT
THROUGH
THE
CLASSIFIED
ADS
IN
Lancaster
Farming
PHONE:
717-626-1164
OR
717-394-3047
FAX:
717-733-6058
Mon., TUes.,
Wed., Fri.
8 AM to 5 PM
Thurs.
7 AM to 5 PM
-V-JT7 .fri