Welcome back! This month
we will spotlight another topic of concern to diabetics:
skin care. As in previous issues of
our Access Digest newsletter, we will bring
you the latest information on conditions, treatments,
and available resources -- facts aimed at improving
the quality of your life.
As many as one third of people with diabetes will
have a skin disorder caused or affected by diabetes
at some time in their lives. In fact, such problems
are sometimes the first sign that a person has diabetes.
Luckily, most skin conditions can be prevented or
easily treated if caught early. As
always, when you see "Read
More" at the end of an article, or
something that is underlined, you can click
on it to be linked to another Web site
where you'll find more information. When you find
a site that you may want to visit again in the
future, bookmark it. |
|
 |
In
This Issue |
 |
|
| Did you know that your
skin is your largest single organ? It’s your body’s
first line of defense against infection and injury.
It waterproofs you and is essential to your body’s
temperature control. It’s all around you – exposed
24 hours a day to pollution and daily wear and tear
– but just how much do you know about it?
Did you know that people
with diabetes are more likely to have skin problems?
What you eat and drink really does matter. All
the moisturizers in the world will have little
effect if you don’t feed your skin from the inside.
Whether or not you smoke, how much alcohol you
drink, temperature changes, sunshine, wind, household
heating, soap and common household cleaning products
can also cause damage to your skin.
This month we have another special recipe
for your consideration. We believe that your diet
is a critical aspect of treating diabetes.
Each month we receive questions from our
readers. We post some of the more frequent questions
and answers for everyone to read. If you have
questions or comments of your own, please email
them to us at the end of this issue.
We hope
you enjoy this issue of the newsletter. Thank
you for choosing Access Diabetic Supply
as your choice for diabetic supplies. |
|
 |
Recognizing Skin Problems |
 |
|
For
people with diabetes, a variety of problems can
cause serious skin conditions.
Here are a few of the more common conditions related
to glucose control:
-
Thickening
of the skin
-
Discolored
skin
Some skin conditions
are associated with insulin resistance:
- Darkening and thickening
of skin
Reduced blood supply
to the skin can cause problems:
- Narrowing of blood
vessels
- Thinned and reddened
skin
- Skin spots
- Skin becomes thick,
waxy and tight.
- Glucose and triglycerides
are too high
Rashes, blisters
and bumps include:
- Blisters that resemble
burn blisters
- Ring or arc-shaped
rashes
Bacterial and fungus
infections include:
- Staph, stye, nail
infections
- Jock itch, athlete's
foot, ringworm
- Itching skin
Read more
|
|
|
Good Skin Care |
|
|
Fortunately, most skin conditions can be
prevented and successfully treated if caught early.
Keeping your diabetes
under control is the most important factor in
preventing the skin-related complications of diabetes.
Follow your health care provider's advice regarding
nutrition, exercise, and medication. Keep your
blood glucose level within the range recommended
by your doctor. Proper skin care can also help
reduce your risk of skin problems.
There
are several things you can do to head off skin
problems:
-
Control your glucose level
-
Keep skin clean and dry
-
Avoid very hot baths and showers
-
Prevent dry skin
-
Treat cuts right away
-
During cold, dry months, keep your home
more humid.
-
Use mild shampoos
-
See a dermatologist about skin problems
-
Take good care of your feet
Read more |
|
|
Healthy Living:
Monthly Recipe & Lifestyle Changes |
|
|
Lifestyle Change: Baby your
skin
Good skin care habits are important. When you have
diabetes, you want to look good and stay healthy.
Here are a few tips for skin care.
Every day, use a mild soap with warm or lukewarm
water, and dry yourself very well with a soft towel.
Use a mild powder such as baby powder after bathing.
When your skin is dry, use a skin softener, lotion,
or cream. When outdoors, use a sunscreen to avoid
sunburn. SPF 10-15 is best. Do not walk on hot sand
or pavement without shoes.
Avoid scratches, punctures, and other injuries to
your skin. If you do have an injury, take care of
it as soon as possible. Do not use iodine, boric
acid, alcohol, or antiseptic lotions on a wound.
Cover the wound with a dry, sterile pad or bandage.
See your doctor if cuts or bruises do not heal within
two or three days, or if you see any signs of infection,
such as redness, swelling, warmth, rash, pain, or
drainage. Read More |
| October
Recipe: Diabetic Salsa |
|
This month
our featured recipe is Salsa. Nothing
spices up a meal like a good salsa.
|
|
Salsa -
Source: Recipe Zaar
Number of Servings - 4
Preparation time - 3 minutes
Ingredients
2
large ripe tomatoes
1/2 green pepper
1 small onion
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
Directions
Mash tomatoes, dice the green pepper, mince
the onion, add cilantro, and mix.
Note: this salsa can be served with
a variety of foods, such as fish.
It also goes well with tortilla
chips, but watch out for those carbs!
|
|
Preparation time: three minutes; four servings
|
|
Nutritional
Information - Salsa |
|
|
| Amount per Serving (recipe
makes four servings) |
Calories
|
30 |
| Calories
from Fat |
3 |
| Total
Fat |
0.4g
|
| Saturated
Fat |
0.1g |
| Cholesterol |
0
mg |
| Sodium
|
40
mg |
| Total
Carbohydrates
|
6.7g |
| Dietary
Fiber |
1.6g
|
| Protein
- Amount will vary based on manufacturer
from 10g - 35g of protein.
|
1.1g |
|
|
|
|
|
Questions
& Answers - Ask the Experts |
|
|
|
Each
month our staff answers questions and asks for
your feedback. However, if you have urgent questions
about your order or your meter, we encourage you
to call our customer care department at 1-800-276-5712.
We do our best to answer all questions, but we
also encourage you to consult your physician.
Below are a few of the typical questions
our customer care department has answered on this
month's theme. Each question is linked to a Web
site that gives an answer and provides more detail.
We hope you find this section helpful.
|
|
|
|
Access Diabetic Supply |
|
|
|
|
|
