spotlight on health Gold Medalist Gary Hall Jr. Discusses His Approach To Diabetes Care (NAPSA)—Managing diabetes can be a challenge. So, how does an Olympic gold-medalist swimmertake on the challenge of managing diabetes and competing for the Olympics? Recently, Olympic gold-medalist swimmer Gary Hall Jr. met with gain” does not apply to diabetes management. It does, howeer, Paul Frickman, diabetes exercise coordinator at Florida Hospital Diabetes Center (FHDC) and a memberof the BD Diabetes Dream Team, to discuss how diabetes has affected his swimming and how important it is to take a compre- hensie approach to diabetes care. Q. You hae type 1 diabetes. What symptoms did you experience that ultimately led you to seek medical attention? A. In 1999, I began feeling tired all of the time. I was always thirsty and started experiencing blurry ision among other ailments. After I collapsed at a party, I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Q. What changes to your workout did you hae to make once you were diagnosed? A. Ihae to test my blood glucose leel throughout my workout, which requires constant interruptions throughout mytraining sets. Testing is important for anyone with diabetes and is essential for optimum performance. Q. In what way are you actie in educating the public about diabetes? A. Recently I began working on a diabetes education program called the BD Diabetes Makeoer. BD came up with the program to inspire people with diabetes to improe their diabetes care and take control of their lies, instead of letting diabetes control their While it’s not always conenient to test blood glucose leels if you hae diabetes, it’s always worth it to aoid complications, says Olympic swimmer Gary Hall, Jr. lies. The program addresses the fie essential components of comprehensie diabetes management: medical treatment, education, nutrition, exercise and an oerall organized and healthylifestyle. BD put together a “Dream Team” of diabetes experts, who are working with the program participants to better approach their care and help them lie their lies. So far, the program has been tremendously successful. I’m just proud to be able to be a part ofit. For more information, isit www.bd.com/diabetes_makeoer. Q. What products do you use to help manage your diabetes and why? A: Because I am dependent on insulin to lie, I use BD Pen Nee- dles and Insulin Syringes. Both are comfortable and conenient, they make taking my insulin easier. When you do as muchtraining as I do, you don’t need any unnecessary discomfort. “No pain, no hold true for Olympic training. Q. What adice would you gie to a person newly diagnosed with diabetes, particularly an athlete? A. There are three main pieces of adice that I gie to anyone diagnosed with diabetes. First of all, take care of your diabetes. While it’s not always conenient, it’s worth it to aoid any complications. Second, take adantage of the resources aailable to you. It is easier today to manage diabetes than eer before. Finally, if you manage your diabetes, you can do anything you put your mindto. Q. What would you say to someone newly diagnosed who might hae some concerns about going on insulin? A. It is important for people to realize that injection technology has progressed to the point where insulin injections today are irtually pain-free. And I say that as someone who injects himself—on aerage—eight to 10 times a day. Q. In your experience, hae you found that a specific type of exercise is better in regulating your diabetes? A. Aerobic exercise (e.g., swimming) will tend to drop my blood sugar leels, while anaerobic training (e.g., weight lifting) will not. Weight lifting sets will send my leels up and so will competitions. As for regulating my diabetes, consistency is the key with exercise to help maintain steady leels. It is more beneficial to train for 30 minutes eery day than for 3% hours once a week. Q. Will we see you swimming in the 2008 Olympics? A. Absolutely. wee ne ee eee eee oe ee eee eee Note to Editors: Noember is National Diabetes Awareness Month.
