The ADA Tour de Cure 2013 Kick-Off Event was a success! Over 40 people attended the event last Sunday at Badger Bowl to learn about Tour de Cure and have some fun. There were stations about the different types of ride routes, website and fundraising, the Red Riders program, team captains, and ADA programs and services. Afterwards, the Kick-Off teams enjoyed a DJ and bowling!
Kick-Off team members had a great time while learning a lot at the event! Team members visited different informational stations throughout the event, and one of the stations included a bike demo. Thanks to all who came and supported the Madison Tour de Cure 2013!
 Trying to come up with a New Year’s resolution? In a recent study published in the University of Scranton Journal of Psychology, less than 50% of the people surveyed stuck to their New Year’s resolutions for more than six months. However, the most drop-off occurred in the first month, and those who made it to February were far more likely to persevere. So how do you make your resolution stick during that pivotal first month? One strategy is to change the way that you think about New Year’s resolutions. “Losing ten pounds” might seem like a reasonable goal, but it can leave you unsure where to begin. Think instead about substituting the donut in the break room with some Greek yogurt or limiting dessert to weekends instead of every day. In the same vein, the ever popular “exercise more” is incredibly vague and easily overlooked during the dreary winter months, and “manage stress” will leave you stressed out about forgetting to manage your stress. Instead, vow to begin the day with a fifteen-minute yoga video or take a half-hour to read for pleasure before bed each night. Small changes are much easier to fit into a busy schedule, and they won’t leave you feeling like a failure come February. Eventually, they will be become habit, and, as we all know, old habits die hard. Want to see what others are resolving to do in 2013? Check out Google’s Zeitgeist 2012 here! You can input your 2013 resolution in the map and see what other people are saying. Remember that little, everyday changes can lead to a healthier lifestyle.
On Tuesday November 27th, 2012 a team of UW-Madison students involved in Bucky™ PR woke up at the crack of dawn, bundled up for the cool weather, and hammered wooden stakes into the frozen ground. In honor of diabetes month, the signs were created to educate UW students on many health risks faced by those diagnosed with diabetes. Bucky™ PR is a student-run PR firm that provides non-profit public relations to local businesses. The American Diabetes Association in Madison enlisted the help of this talented team to increase participation for their Tour de Cure event in Spring 2013. The Bucky™ PR members crafted an awareness campaign encouraging their fellow badgers to “Stop Diabetes.” Stop signs were placed along the path for students to read as they hiked up the never-ending Bascom Hill. Each stop sign corresponded with a fact about diabetes. For instance, a “Stop Heart Disease” stop sign preceded an informational poster reading “ADULTS WITH DIABETES ARE 2 – 4 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE OF HEART DISEASE #TOURDECURE.” When the students finally reached the top, they were prompted to visit ADA’s website and become involved in the Tour de Cure event. If you are interested in Madison’s Tour de Cure event and want to get more involved, click here!
You know that walking to classes or work is good for you, but have you ever wondered exactly how it affects your health?
This infographic shows that even walking just thirty minutes a day can work wonders. For instance, those who aren’t fans of cardio will be happy to hear that walking to the grocery store burns more fat than jogging. With flu season fast approaching, it is also good to know that walking can cut in half your odds of catching a cold. Students and faculty out there will also be glad to know that walking up Bascom Hill once per day, five days a week, thirty weeks a year, for four years is the equivalent of 17.59 times the height of Mount Everest--every little bit counts! Hopping on the bus may seem tempting as temperatures drop, but toss on an extra layer instead and walk towards a healthier lifestyle.
 Information from the CDC: If You Have Diabetes, Be Extra Careful During Hot Weather!If you have diabetes, you need to take extra care in hot weather. Temperatures of 80°F (about 27°C) or above, especially with humidity, can affect medication, testing supplies, and your health. If you have diabetes, it is harder for your body to handle high heat and humidity. The heat index, which measures how hot it really feels by combining temperature and humidity readings, advises caution starting at 80°F with 40% humidity. Here are suggestions from CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation on taking care of yourself during hot weather:
- Heat can affect your blood glucose (sugar) levels and also increase the absorption of some fast-acting insulin, meaning you will need to test your blood glucose more often and perhaps adjust your intake of insulin, food and liquids.
- Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, to avoid dehydration. Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages. If your doctor has limited how much liquid you can drink, ask what to do during times of high heat.
- Check package inserts with medications to learn when high temperatures can affect them. If you’re traveling with insulin, don’t store it in direct sunlight or in a hot car. Keep it in a cooler, but do not place it directly on ice or on a gel pack.
- Check glucose meter and test strip packages for information on use during times of high heat and humidity. Do not leave them in a hot car, by a pool, or on the beach. Heat can damage insulin pumps and other equipment. Do not leave the disconnected pump or supplies in the direct sun.
- Get physical activity in air-conditioned areas, or exercise outside early or late in the day, during cooler temperatures. Use your air conditioner or go to air-conditioned buildings in your community.
To learn more about staying healthy in hot weather, please go to:http://www.cdc.gov/Features/ExtremeHeat/.
 I hadn’t felt like myself for months. I was frequently fatigued and noticed I lost 20 lbs. I began drinking a lot of water and felt proud of being so healthy. But when evening came I would get a sharp pain in my stomach that would immobilize me. All I could do was lay on the couch waiting for it to pass and try to quench my constant thirst. At times I would drink a soda in literally 10 seconds and be looking for the next thing to drink. Once I started having blurred vision more often, coworkers urged me to see my doctor. I finally did and was shocked.
With no family history, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 26. My diagnosis was less than one month after my one year wedding anniversary. I felt awful for my husband. I felt like he didn’t know what he was getting into… and neither did I.
I had several appointments in the next couple weeks with the diabetic educators to learn how to count carbs, give injections, check my blood sugar, etc. It was quite overwhelming. Three months later I was able to gain control over my blood sugar and shortly after became pregnant with our first child. Almost immediately after learning about our pregnancy my doctor started me on the insulin pump to help keep tight control over my blood sugar. I remember holding my hand over my meter every time I had to check my blood sugar. My pregnancy hormones were making it more difficult to control my blood sugar level and I felt horrible if it was too high. We were induced and ended up having a c-section with our daughter, who continues to be very healthy. Two years later we got pregnant again. This time my husband was traveling a lot, so in addition to my insulin pump I began using a continuous glucose monitor. This device offered safety features that were critical to have while home alone with two young children. I could set an alarm to go off if my blood sugar dropped below a certain level.
Diabetes can affect your entire day. A typical daily routine consists of checking your blood sugar at least 5 times, paying attention to the amount of carbs consumed, always having food prepared for a sudden low, and doing injections or monitoring your insulin pump.
Despite my diagnosis, I have gained the confidence over the past four years that has allowed me to compete in sprint triathlons, half marathons and marathons. I recently ran in the Boston Marathon this past April and am currently training for my first half ironman. Diabetes will continue to be a challenge, but it doesn’t define me. All these devices have helped me live a healthier life with my diagnosis, but I want “our” children to know what life is like without diabetes. Thank you for helping fight to find a cure.
What I want to do with diabetes I’ve been a diabetic for 12 years now, (since age 10). I’ve learned a lot through those twelve years, but the one thing that sticks out is a love for activity. I realize that might sound dumb at first but continue reading so I can give you a clearer picture for what I mean. If you’re a diabetic, think back to when you were first diagnosed with diabetes. If you were like me you were very scared. “Am I going to go low if I do that?” “Did I take enough insulin for that meal?” “What are ketones?!” The one thing that scared me most out of those three was going low. I’m sure that I’m not alone with fear. If I could help the diabetic community in any way I would want to help diabetics overcome the fear of going low so that we all can enjoy an active lifestyle. “I’m comfortable with a sedentary life, why should I want an active life?” We’ve all heard about the complications that come later on in life with poorly managed diabetes: Eye problems, kidney problems, nerve damage, etc. The great thing about exercise is that it helps to chip away at these adverse side effects. Exercise improves circulation, which in turn helps to solve the myriad of other diabetic related problems. By increasing circulation you are increasing the ability for nutrients to get to tissues, and increasing the ability of the body to get rid of toxins and waste. Think about that the next time that your extremities are cold. Exercise also brings you to a healthier body composition, and creates a more positive attitude and self-image to oneself. Your body wants you to exercise, and when you do one of the ways it thanks you is by releasing the endorphins, a feel good hormone. It has been termed the “runner’s high” in every day vernacular. If you exercise regularly you know what I’m talking about. Step out of that comfort zone I’m not perfect at exercising with diabetes. It is certainly a challenge. I’ve been toying with the idea of competing in an Ironman but I am extremely concerned about how to manage my diabetes with it. As a very small test of how well I could manage my diabetes, I went for a very long bike ride this past summer. 70 miles unsupported. Fortunately I know a great CDE, Bob Hanisch at Peak Performance Professionals, and with his advice I was able to do the whole 70 miles with my BG at the end of the ride in perfect range. I stepped out of my comfort zone and was able to do something that I thought was impossible with diabetes. If you want to do something active but are unsure about how to do it with your diabetes ASK!! Find some help and step out of that comfort zone and enjoy life! Robert Hanon B.S. Exercise Science
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