(NAPSA)—“You could live a normal life.” Those were the words that 15-year-old Steve Edel- | man kept hearing from the nurses when he was hospitalized following his type 1 diabetes diagnosis in 1970. He wondered why they kept repeating this to him. “T started to get worried,” recalls Dr. Edelman, an endocri- nologist and clinical professor of medicine at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. “But it soon became clear that I’'d have to learn to control my diabetes if I wanted to live a Whentracking blood glucose levels, it can help to recognize patterns. healthy, full life.” As a patient and a physician is a critical part of good diabetes professional to more easily recwho treats people with diabetes, management. Testing provides ognize the issue and take action Dr. Edelman understands the key insights that allow patients to correct potential problems. “This is particularly important challenges faced by the nearly 26 and their health care providers to million Americans with the dis- adjust treatment as necessary and for people taking insulin because ease. He founded Taking Control to see how food choices, activity they have the greatest risk of of Your Diabetes (TCOYD), a non- and many other factors affect experiencing low blood sugar profit organization that holds con- blood sugar levels throughout the which can be dangerous,” explains Dr. Edelman. “So identifying and ferences featuring programs and day. Whentreating highs and lows, correcting a developing pattern of resources to help educate and it’s important to be proactive in low blood sugars as early as possiempowerpeople with diabetes. Dr. Edelman notes that it is looking for root causes in order to ble is key.” Dr. Edelman offers other sugespecially important for patients take steps to prevent them in the to overcome the fear factor. “Some future. “Otherwise, if people just gestions for successful diabetes of the biggest barriers I’ve treat them in the moment and management. He advises patients observed that prevent people from move on, they can get on a roller to talk to their doctor about diet controlling their diabetes are emo- coaster of reacting to patterns of and exercise. He also recommends tional ones,” says Dr. Edelman. highs and lows over and over taking notes betweenvisits about Fear, misconceptions and depres- again without even realizing they any concerns patients may have, and he encourages talking about sion can be powerful derailers of maybe connected,” he says. Fortunately, advances in other factors, such as stress, that proper care. While people are afraid of complications, many also blood glucose monitoring tech- could affect blood sugarlevels. “Managing diabetes is a fear what they'll find when they nology are making this easier. really examine their diabetes. Dr. The OneTouch VerioIQ Meter marathon, not a sprint,” says Dr. Edelman says that it’s not uncom- with PatternAlert Technology is Edelman. “Get educated, take mon for people to equate blood the first meter to find patterns advantage of the latest tools, and sugar levels with their ownself- of high and low blood sugar and never give up hope because it’s worth. These attitudes can some- provide alerts right on the never too late to take control of times lead patients to “forget” to screen. With every test, the your diabetes.” For more information about the get their lab tests or to bring their meter compares the current log books or meters to their doctor result with previous results and OneTouch VerioIQ System and diaalerts the patient when it finds betes, visit www.OneTouch.com. For for review. Dr. Edelman also emphasizes a pattern. This enables the information about TCOYD, visit that regular blood glucose testing patient and their health care www.tcoyd.org. Note to Editors: Dr. Edelman is compensated for his services as a consultant to LifeScan, Inc.
