| Welcome to the February
edition of Access Digest. This month we are looking
at a complication of diabetes that is the most
common of all. Peripheral Neuropathy is
nerve damage caused by chronically high blood
sugar. It leads to numbness, loss of sensation,
and sometimes pain in your feet, legs, or hands.
This month's articles describe the condition,
pinpoint its causes, define the risks, and suggest
some ways to avoid or treat it.
Our Lifestyle Tip for February involves
exercise, and how it slows down Peripheral Neuropathy.
Our Recipe of the Month has a French flair, Turkey
Au Poivre .
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, you can bookmark it.
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 e-mail them to us at the end
of this issue.
We hope you enjoy this issue of our newsletter.
Thank you for choosing Access Diabetic
Supply as your choice for diabetic supplies. |
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Peripheral Neuropathy &
Diabetes |
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About 60% to 70% of all people
with diabetes will eventually develop peripheral
neuropathy, although not all suffer pain. Yet
this nerve damage is not inevitable. Studies have
shown that people with diabetes can reduce their
risk of developing nerve damage by keeping their
blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible.
What causes peripheral neuropathy? Chronically
high blood sugar levels damage nerves not only
in your extremities but also in other parts of
your body. These damaged nerves cannot effectively
carry messages between the brain and other parts
of the body.
Read More |
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Peripheral Neuropathy Fact Sheet |
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What is peripheral neuropathy?
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How are the peripheral neuropathies classified?
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What are the symptoms of peripheral nerve
damage?
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What causes peripheral neuropathy?
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How is peripheral neuropathy diagnosed?
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What treatments are available?
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What research is being done?
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Where can I get more information?
Read more
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Peripheral Neuropathy
Risk Factors |
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Having diabetes places you at high risk of
developing peripheral nerve damage. In fact, at
least half of people with diabetes have some form
of neuropathy. The risk increases the longer you
have diabetes, and is highest for those who've
had the disease for more than 25 years. Your risk
is even greater if you are older than 40 or have
difficulty controlling your blood sugar level.
Although researchers don't understand exactly
how damage occurs, a high blood sugar level seems
to impair your nerves' ability to transmit signals.
You can help reduce your risk by carefully following
a medically approved plan for keeping your blood
sugar level as close to normal as possible.
Read More |
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Diabetic Shoes
as a Therapy for Neuropathy |
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Did you know
that diabetic shoes can be a good therapy for
neuropathy? Diabetes can cause nerve and vascular
damage in your feet that may, without care, lead
to complications such as infection, foot ulcers,
and even amputation. Experts acknowledge that
good footwear can help prevent these complications.
That's why it's so important to know what to look
for when you buy shoes.
Your first step should be a visit to your podiatrist
(foot doctor). He or she will be able to tell
you if you are at special risk for foot problems
because of abnormal nerve function or circulation,
or deformities such as bunions or hammertoes.
Sometimes a prescription for special shoes, shoe
inserts (orthotics), or even custom-made shoes
is in order. If you qualify, Medicare pays for
one pair of shoes per year and special inserts
for those shoes.
To prevent foot ulcers in people with diabetes
who are at risk, Medicare will help pay for therapeutic
shoes. For those who qualify, Medicare will pay
80 percent of the allowed amount for one pair
of shoes and up to three pairs of molded innersoles
per year. (The allowed amount varies depending
on the kind of footwear you need.) Most secondary
insurers will help pay the other 20 percent.
Read More |
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Healthy Living: Lifestyle Tip &
Recipe of the Month |
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February Lifestyle
Tip: Exercise Slows Peripheral Neuropathy
- What is the problem
and what is known about it so far?
- Why did the researchers
do this particular study?
- Who was studied?
- How was the study
done?
- What did the researchers
find?
Read more
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| January Recipe:Turkey Au Poivre |
| This
month our featured recipe is Turkey Au
Poivre, a delicious meal with a continental
flair.
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| Ingredients -
Turkey
Au Poivre |
| Ingredient |
Measure |
|
Black peppercorns |
1 tablespoon |
| Turkey breast cutlets, 1/4 inch thick |
1 pound |
| Whipped butter |
1 tablespoon |
| Dry
white wine |
1/2 cup |
| Brandy |
1 tablespoon |
| Chopped parsley |
1 tablespoon |
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Preparation
Crush peppercorns in a blender
or with a mortar and pestle. Press
crushed peppercorns firmly into both
sides of each turkey cutlet. Pound
cutlets with the side of a cleaver
to make peppercorns adhere.
In a non-stick skillet, heat the butter.
Cook turkey about 4 minutes on each
side. Remove to a warm platter. Add
wine and brandy to skillet and bring
to a boil, reducing liquid to 1/4
cup. Spoon over the turkey and garnish
with parsley. |
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Nutritional
Information - Turkey Au Poivre |
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| Recipe makes four servings;
amount per serving: |
| Calories |
158 |
| Sodium |
68 mg |
| Cholesterol |
78
mg |
| Protein |
25 g |
| Fat |
3
g |
| Carbohydrates |
1 g |
| Exchanges |
3 Low-Fat Meat |
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Questions & Answers - Ask the
Experts |
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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. |
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Access Diabetic Supply |
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