November is National Diabetes Awareness Week. My kids are both Type One Diabetics, so it is important for us to spread the word for awareness, how life as a diabetic is, and raise funds for a cure. Earlier this month, we raised money and walked in the JDRF OneWalk because ultimately we hope and pray for a cure.
Until there is a cure, we utilize resources to make our kids’ lives better. Counting carbs is a huge part of diabetes management for both Type One and Type 2 diabetics. Type one diabetics must count carbs for every piece of food or drink that they consume and then receive insulin either via a syringe or insulin pump. After a few years under our belts, we are pretty good at knowing carb count for the majority of food, however there are some items that we still need to consult a guide.
The THE DIABETES CARBOHYDRATE & FAT GRAM GUIDE by Lee Ann Holzmeister, RD, CDE is a great resource for anyone.
It is an easy guide for counting carbs with the most up-to-date and comprehensive nutritional information available. (We Google carb counts often but they are not 100% accurate because much of the carb counts are inputted by people like me, not dieticians, nurses, etc. Most restaurants have their nutrition information on their websites, but it is still good to have this book with you if you have spotty internet coverage – plus it is a lot quicker to look it up in the book as it is organized by “Fast Food” and the restaurant.
Many restaurants to not have nutrition information at all which usually means you have to guess on food! This guide is invaluable for dishes that are prepared at restaurants or at home.
Holzmeister is a diabetes nutrition specialist so in addition to nutritional information, for each entry she also includes complete food choice/exchange information for diabetes meal planning.
This guide makes it easier to make smarter and healthier decisions for those with diabetes and their families – in fact, it is a good resource for everyone to live healthy. You can purchase on THE DIABETES CARBOHYDRATE & FAT GRAM GUIDE on Amazon.com as well as retailers nationwide.
Being National Diabetes Awareness Month, I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t give you the warning signs and symptoms of Type 1 or 2 Diabetes:
Frequent urination
Extreme thirst.
Dry mouth and itchy skin.
Increased hunger or unexpected weight loss
Blow-healing cuts/sores
Yeast infections
Find out more on the JDRF website.
