Living your best life with diabetes. Toby Smithson provides professional guidance with personal experience.
I’m really pleased with the Spring 2020 issue of Diabetic Living magazine. Not only does my regular column sport a new name (now Dear Toby) and a new photo, but my book Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition For Dummies made their list of “books to support and empower your journey with diabetes” called Help on the Shelf.
Diabetic Living is a print-only publication so grab a copy at your local book store or pharmacy. Better yet, subscribe – it’s a great magazine.
We were just reminiscing about shooting this fun video back in 2011 as a public service announcement for the American Diabetes Association. This one has costumes, a borrowed dog, and a serious element when you consider the number of people with diabetes is 6-7 million more cases in 2020. And while technology and medications offer many more options for managing this disease, it’s still lifestyle choices that can make the biggest difference. That’s why we’re still here for you.
In Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition for Dummies Toby listed her top 10 diabetes “power foods”, food we should try and have regularly. In this video she reveals three of those powerful ten that share a couple of very important things in common. Watch this clip and see if you know what these foods share, and see if you can find a way to have them more often.
Toby Smithson has some special insights into thriving with diabetes. Being a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes educator gives her undeniable credibility “on paper”, but it’s thriving every day with diabetes herself- for more than 45 years- that should really get your attention. She knows the challenges and the frustrations, but more importantly she knows the possibilities. Diabetes doesn’t put good health out of reach, and you can live in good health with diabetes too.
The first step, imagine how constant lifestyle support and guidance could help. The next step, take a look at what Toby offers at DiabetesEveryDay Managing diabetes effectively for good health is not just knowing what to do, but also feeling motivated and supported to make the commitment. Try DiabetesEveryDay, and let Toby guide the way.
I’ve always been bothered by the word “complications” as a description for the potential consequences of diabetes. “Complications” is much too mild a word for nerve pain, vision loss, sexual dysfunction, digestive problems, difficult infections, kidney failure, and the doubling of the risk for heart disease. Ultimately, it’s that hugely increased risk for heart disease that takes the greatest toll on people with diabetes, and managing those risks becomes as important as managing blood glucose levels.
constantly emphasize the importance of heart health as a part of our diabetes lifestyle. So, I am especially pleased to recommend a new book by my friend and colleague Jill Weisenberger which explains this close and important connection between diabetes and heart disease perfectly. Her book 21 Things You Need To Know About Diabetes and Your Heart (©2015, American Diabetes Association) carefully and clearly explains both the problem and the solutions to heart disease as a complication of diabetes. And, she gives you all you need to know in only 135 pages, in language anyone can understand.
Most importantly, 21 Things You Need To Know About Diabetes and Your Heart shows you exactly how effectively managing diabetes and heart health can go together is so many key ways – twice the benefit for the same effort. And, when it comes to your long term health and the quality of your life, nothing could be more important.
Too many people with type 2 diabetes resist checking blood glucose levels, and it’s not because of the discomfort. It’s because they don’t see any benefit – they aren’t getting useful information. If that sounds like you, check Toby’s view published on Type2Diabetes.net.