How can I prevent my children from getting diabetes?

    
You have heard it before..."Like father like son".
  Is is possible to stop the cycle of diabetes from passing from generation to generation?   This is a questions many people who have diabetes have probably asked themselves at one time or another.
The answer is yes and no. We know there is a very strong genetic link with diabetes. More often than not we can name several relatives who either have diabetes or heart disease. They may have the same build too. That all to familiar "central obesity".
Here are the risks: 
<> If one parent has diabetes there is a 50-50 chance the children will have it too.
<>  It both parents have diabetes the risk is essentially 100%. This means all of their children will end up with diabetes it just depends on when.
Considering the risks, it seems like no matter what I do, I sill still get diabetes so why try right??  Wrong!! I have several patients with an interesting story you may want to hear.
  Two of these patients lost a significant amount of weight.  Both are diabetic. Both started exercising.  They were able to lose about 100 pounds!! (They were over weight and could afford to lose that much).
 They began with small changes.  Small changes over time gives big results. Both were able to stop all medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. This amounted to hundreds of dollars in savings every month!!! I know what you are thinking "I'll never be able to do that".
 Let me put this in perspective. These are real patients just like you. They have busy lives, just like you. They have full time jobs just like you. They also have family responsibilities, just like you.
 Both patients started their journey in poor physical health, poor eating habits and over 55 years of age.
First, small changes were made. Consistent exercise and better eating habits over time yielded amazing results.  Both have normal blood sugar levels while taking NO diabetes medications.
Prevention falls in two categories. Weight loss/ or maintenance and exercise.
 One famous study showed if a person will exercise consistently and maintain a healthy weight, the risk of developing diabetes drops by 58%!  I am of course describing possible changes with type 2 diabetes. In the case of Type 1 diabetes, where a person is unable to make their own insulin, stopping insulin and other diabetes medications is not an option.
 
You are always fighting your genes. You cannot change who your parents are. You were born with certain genes. They are programmed to do specific things. It is an uphill continuous battle when  you are fighting your genes.   
Focus on the changes you CAN make. Healthy eating and exercise should be top of the list. Start slow with little steps. The pay off is big!

Natural Disasters and Diabetes--What you can do

   Natural Disaster Preparedness for Diabetes
                                   

There always seems to be worry in the air amongst people with any chronic disease. "What if I can't get my medicine? What if the power goes out? Will I have enough food and water to survive until help arrives?   These are all very good questions. As with any chronic disease,  good diabetes treatment provides some additional preparation.
 Many things with diabetes can be controlled like how many grams of carbohydrates you eat or if you exercise. It is the things you cannot control that you need to prepare for.  One thing you cannot control are natural disasters. They seem to cause lots of devastation and damage with little to no warning.


First get yourself prepared. Plan for a disaster. There are several free resources to help you. I suggest the following sites:
http://www.ready.gov/ 
  http://community.fema.gov/connect.ti/READYNPM
http://lds.about.com/od/preparednessfoodstorage/a/72hour_kit.htm 

 Then, If something happens you will be better equipped to take of yourself and your family. If nothing happens you still have the peace of mind of being ready "just in case".
You will want to store preparedness items in a back pack or something easy to carry that you can grab at the last minute. The following list was compiled by Linda Smith. She has presented numerous times on this subject to hundreds of people.


In your pack include:
() 1 large trash bag
() 1 towel rolled with rubber bands
() 2-4 hand warmers
() 1 partial roll toilet paper
() 1 small bottle purification tablets
() 1 small package tissues
() 1 small package wet wipes
() 2 small packages dry wipes
() 1 candle with base
() plastic spoons (4)
() 1 plastic cup or 8 Styrofoam cups
() 1 Quart ziploc bag
() 1 #10 can with plastic lid (large coffee can size)
() 1 box water proof matches
() 1 toothbrush
() 1 small tube toothpaste
() 1 small bottle dish soap
() 1 partial roll paper towels
() 4 small fire starters
()  1 small cooking stove
() 1 small bottle anti-bacterial soap
() 1 face mask(medical)
() 1 poncho (one size fits all)
() 1 silver thermal blanket & small blanket to keep you warm
() 1 flash light w/ extra batteries
() 2-3 small games
() 1 light stick (needed for small children)
() shelter or small tent
() 1 pocket knife
() 3 pair rubber gloves
() 1 document bag for personal papers
() rope (about 50 ft)
() List of emergency contacts of family and friends(phone numbers, addresses, email)
() List of current medications (include allergies)
() A month of medications (insulated lunch box with instant ice packs for insulin)
() Blood sugar monitor, extra battery, and extra test strips, lancets
() Source of carbohydrate for hypoglycemia and food to keep you alive (see menu below)
() Bottled water (1 gallon/per day per person)or water filter
() Small first aid kit
() Pencil and small note pad for blood sugar records and notes
() battery operated radio (1 per family)
 
Pack all food items in the #10 can. This plus all other items listed should be stored in a backpack.


It is important you have a 4-5 days supply of food and water in your pack. FEMA now suggests 96-hour kits instead of a 72-hour kit. They have learned from recent disasters it takes that long for some to get to you. It is possible to survive with little to no food for a few days, maybe even a week. You cannot survive without water!  Make sure you have a water storage both in your home and in your pack. Consider drinking water as well as cooking and cleaning water. It is a good idea to store extra food in your home.  You never know when you will need it. Store the foods you eat regularly.

 Below is a menu you can pack in your backpack. Ideally, everyone in your family should have a 4 day pack.

 

Menu – 96 hour Emergency Kit—developed by Linda Smith

Menu:

DAY ONE: (3,900 calories, 120 grams protein)

Breakfast: 2 granola bars, 1 hot cider mix, 1 trail mix

Lunch: 1 Pkg. Dried Soup mix, 2 pkg. soda crackers w/ peanut butter

  Tuna pouch or jerky stick

Dinner: 1 fruit roll, 1 trail mix, 1 can meat (4 oz.) w/ crackers or Mountain House meal

Snacks: 4 pieces candy, 3 sticks gum, 1 fruit roll

DAY TWO:  (4,200 calories, 123 grams protein)

Breakfast: 1 trail mix, 1 envelope hot cocoa, 1 pkt. instant oatmeal

Lunch: 1 beef jerky stick, 1 apple cider mix, tuna pouch and trail mix

DINNER: Canned soup, 2 pkgs. Soda crackers w/peanut butter, 1 can meat or mountain house dinner, 1 can juice

Snacks: 5 pieces candy, 4 sticks gum, freeze dried ice cream, 1 fruit

DAY THREE: (4,000 calories, 106 grams protein)

Breakfast: 1 trail mix, 1 hot cocoa mix, 1 pkt. instant oatmeal

Lunch: 1 pkg. soup mix, 1 pkg. soda crackers w/ peanut butter, 1 can meat (4 oz.), beef jerky

Dinner: 1 granola bar, 1 fruit roll, 1 apple cider mix, trail mix or mountain house meal

Snacks: 4 pieces of candy, 3 sticks gum, 1 granola bar

Day FOUR:  (3,900 calories, 121 grams protein)

Breakfast: 2 granola bars, 1 hot cider mix, 1 trail mix

Lunch: 1 Pkg. Dried Soup mix, 2 pkg. soda crackers w/ peanut butter (1.5 oz)

Tuna pouch or jerky stick

Dinner: 1 fruit roll, 1 trail mix, 1 can meat (4 oz.) w/ crackers or Mountain House meal

Snacks: 4 pieces candy, 3 sticks gum, 1 fruit roll

Water needed:  4 liters

*Note: Freeze dried Mountain House Dinners can be used. (More water will be needed.

Extra Night Snack to warm up: 1 pkt. hot cocoa and 1 pkt. cider mix

"Thank you" to Linda Smith for permission to post her 96 hour kit information.