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Greetings!
 Hello and a belated happy Easter! We hope you managed to eat some chocolate? This month we bring you lots of research about long-term complications (there's actually some good news!), and carb counting. We also look at travelling with your insulin supplies and how small acts from our members lead to big, positive changes for everyone with T1. |
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Protection against long-term complications - exciting new research!
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 Here's a bit of exciting news: some of us are naturally protected from long-term diabetes complications! How? Why? Well, we don't quite know yet, but this was the finding of a study published this month. The study examined long-term diabetes complications in people who had T1 for more than 50 years. A substantial number of the 351 Americans who participated had not developed particular complications - like eye, kidney, nerve or heart disease. (To see the number of people who were free of each complication, read the full study here.) These individuals appear to be enriched with factors that may have protected them against these complications, but it is not clear exactly what these factors are. We hope the researchers find out soon, as it will help to develop treatments for those of us who are not lucky enough to be naturally protected from complications.
As an aside, we find the title of the study amusing: Protection from retinopathy and other complications in patients with Type 1 Diabetes of extreme duration. "Extreme duration" - hmmm, maybe 50 years can justify the phrase!
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******* Mindfulness Program*******
| | What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present, moment by moment, without judgment. Mindfulness is an innate resource that can assist anyone to develop a wise relationship with one's self that in turn helps to manage stress and maintain wellbeing.
Establishing a Mindfulness practice can also deliver other benefits such as:
- Mastery over self-defeating habits e.g. over eating
- Increased concentration, clarity, and creativity
- Enhanced empathy and emotional regulation
- Assistance with anxiety and depression, anger, and irritation
Dr Lisa Engel, Health Psychologist, is presenting a Mindfulness program at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, commencing May 12th. Email lisaengel@netspace.net.au or phone 0439 036 847 for further information. |
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************Sponsored Announcement************
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************Sponsored Announcement************
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Taking a flight soon? Tips for carrying diabetes supplies.
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 Some of you are discussing this very topic on the Reality Check forum here and here. We thought we'd share some useful information to make sure we don't get separated from our diabetes supplies when travelling.
As a general rule, it's a good idea to carry a letter from your doctor, listing all the T1-related items that you'll be packing in your carry-on baggage (a template letter is provided on the Australian Government Travel Secure website). It's also a good idea to keep some of your insulin in its original packaging with the pharmacy label on it, proving that it belongs to you.
 What about carrying needles on board? Well, you can pack them in your hand luggage, but you'll need to have proof that they're medically necessary. This is where a letter from your doctor mentioning needles will help. Carrying your NDSS card and a prescription for insulin (even though you may not intend to get it dispensed) are also helpful in proving that the insulin is yours and that your carry-on sharps are necessary.
Keep in mind that many of our Reality Check members report travelling with insulin and sharps with no questions asked - and for domestic flights, some members say your NDSS card may be all you need. However, it's best to be prepared!
If you'd like more details, or want to read the full documents, check out the following links:
- Two links from the Australian Government Travel Secure website -
- Australian domestic airlines' medicines and sharps policies -
Do you have a story you'd like to share about travelling with diabetes paraphernalia? Post it on Reality Check either here or here.
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| Pain in the --! Treating diabetic neuropathy | |
 Most of us have heard of diabetic neuropathy, and many of us know all about it first-hand. It's nerve damage. It's painful. It's debilitating. But thanks to drugs, it can be managed. Speaking of which, a recently published study found that two medicines, amitriptyline and duloxetine, provided 'good' pain relief in up to 59% of people and significantly reduced diabetic neuropathic pain. Amitriptyline is a drug that has been around for years, and duloxetine was introduced to Australia almost 2 years ago. So this is a classic case where a study compares an old treatment with a fairly new one to see if one works better than the other. Alas, in this case, it doesn't appear to be so. Duloxetine was found to provide similar pain relief to amitriptyline. To read the study abstract go here.
In related news, new guidelines on managing diabetic neuropathy have been developed by the American Academy of Neurology which were published this month. Basically, they say pregabalin tops the list of treatments for this condition.
If you have diabetic neuropathy and want to share your experience, jump onto our forum.
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*****************Sponsored Announcement*******************
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******************Diabetes Fits sports camp******************
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 When: Friday 13th to Sunday 15th May, 2011 Where: Crawley Campus, University of Western Australia Who: Anyone with Type 1 interested in exercise Cost: $50 per person Includes:- better understand blood sugar levels during and after exercise
- learn while being in a controlled setting
- speak to diabetes educators and doctors in small groups
- meet other active individuals and families with diabetes
- learn about proper nutrition and training principles
- free product samples!
For further information visit http://www.sseh.uwa.edu.au/community/diabetes
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Small acts make big change
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In last month's newsletter, we mentioned that one of our members was winning the fight against misinformation - read about it here. As a result, a few others got inspired to take action themselves, including a member who wrote a letter to correct info on the TV Swap it campaign.
It's little acts like these that can add up to big change and, through the Seed award, we here at the T1DN like to recognise great individuals who quietly make a difference - like last year's winner, Cheryl. You can read about Cheryl's win on our website.
Right now, it's a bit early to call for Seed award nominations, but get your thinking caps on. We'll let you know as soon nominations open. In the meantime, have you been inspired to stand up on behalf of people with T1? If so, drop on to our forum and share your experience. We'd love to hear from you!
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*****************Sponsored Announcement*******************
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| Carb counting: does it give the full picture? | | |
 We all know that counting carbs is important - it's generally a reliable way to work out how much insulin we need. Of late, carb counting seems to be a hot topic - both in the research world and on our Reality Check forum.
First, to the research: Two recent, but very different, carb counting studies have been published. The first study looked at the effects of carb counting in adults with T1 who were only on insulin pump therapy. Those who counted their carbs had a small reduction in weight and waist size after six months. They also reported having better quality of life, but improvements in their HbA1c levels were fairly small - so is there more to the picture?
Perhaps the second study, which was done in people without T1 diabetes, can help. This study showed that Glycaemic Load (GL), which is the amount of carbs in grams multiplied by the food's Glycaemic Index (GI), repeatedly outshone carb counting in predicting blood sugar and insulin rise after a meal. The study's results certainly give us something to think about: we may like to consider a meal's GL, not just it's carb content, when working out our insulin needs. As we know, foods with a low GI release glucose slowly, so this makes sense.
What do you think? Do you carb count, and have you tried incorporating GL?
On a somewhat related topic, a few of you are discussing snacking (extra carbs!) on the Reality Check forum. How much do you snack before you need to have some insulin? Join the conversation here.
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| Want to catch up with some other Type 1-ers? | |
These informal meets are the perfect way to meet others in your area who have Type 1. Organised by everyday people, these unofficial get-togethers are a fun and relaxed way to get to talk to people who really understand! |
*******************Sponsored Announcement*****************
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For more information visit www.abbottdiabetescare.com.au
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Quick shots
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Hot topics on the Reality Check online forum include:
On Munted Pancreas, Parents of Kids with D are discussing: |
I hope you enjoyed this edition of Yada Yada. As usual, if you have any suggestions, just reply to this email.
All the best!
From everyone at
The Type 1 Diabetes Network
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