In this issue...

Spotlight on: Cutting costs without hurting your health

Prescription for Success: Counting carbohydrates

Preventive Care: Good foot care

Quick Tip

Diabetes in the News

Featured Recipe

Spotlight on: Cutting costs without hurting your health

Don't let the economy get your diabetes down
As the bad economy affects personal budgets, pharmacists like Lee Mork become increasingly concerned about their customers' health – especially if they have diabetes.

"We're seeing more and more patients not filling their prescriptions. Medicines are sitting on pharmacy shelves – unclaimed," says Mork, pharmacy manager for Allina Medical Clinic.

"Cutting back on diabetes pills, insulin or blood-glucose testing equipment may save some money. But it can make your diabetes go out of control, sending you to the hospital and causing more medical bills."

Whenever people with diabetes say they're having a hard time paying for prescriptions, Mork encourages them to review their diabetes plan and look into financial assistance...

Prescription for Success: Counting carbohydrates

Carb counting can help control blood glucose
Carbohydrates are the main nutrient in foods that give you energy and affect your blood glucose level. When you have diabetes, you need to keep track of the carbohydrates you eat in order to gain and keep control of your blood glucose.

Carbohydrate counting is a great way to add flexibility and variety to your food choices. When counting carbohydrates, remember these guidelines...

Preventive Care: Good foot care

Taking the right steps toward good foot care
Foot problems are one of the most common side effects of diabetes. Lower your chances of getting foot problems by doing the following:

• Look at your bare feet every day for cuts, blisters, cracks or sores. Use a mirror to see the bottom of your feet (if needed).
• Wash your feet with slightly warm water every day. Do not soak your feet because this will dry them out and might cause problems like cracking.

Consider these additional foot care tips...

Quick Tip

Carbs can be good.
Do not avoid carbohydrate foods. They should make up 50 to 60 percent of your food plan.

Good sources of carbohydrates include breads/starches, fruits and milk. Check out these carb counting tips...

Diabetes in the News

Pancreatic islets in forefront of diabetes research
Pancreatic islets, which are hormone-producing cells, are becoming more prominent in diabetes research and could play a major role in future treatments, according to experts in the Journal of the American Medical Association's themed issue on diabetes…

More U.S. kids taking diabetes, blood pressure drugs
The number of American children and teens taking drugs to lower blood pressure and control diabetes has risen significantly since 2004, according to a new study…

Dietary changes shield Latino teens from diabetes
Increasing fiber intake and reducing sugar consumption can help reduce type 2 diabetes risk factors in Latino teens, shows a new study...

Many Americans fear being diagnosed with diabetes
More than half of Americans fear developing diabetes, but many continue the unhealthy behaviors that boost their odds of getting the blood sugar disease, shows a new survey commissioned by the American Diabetes Association…

Too little sleep may raise diabetes risk
A good night's sleep may help lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. People averaging less than six hours of shuteye during the work week over a period of years were shown to have nearly five times the chance of developing the disease compared to those who averaged six to eight hours of sleep, according to research presented to the American Heart Association…