DiabeTeens Expert Maggie shares DiabeTeens management news and commentary at DiabeTeens.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135 http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135 http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/94645/diabetes-season Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:52:00 -0500 Maggie It's officially holiday season. Halloween--a diabetic's favorite holiday --was a week ago, my mother has already ordered a turkey for Thanksgiving, and the stores have started to sell Christmas decorations. Whatever holidays your family celebrates in the winter months, it's sure that food is a large part of tradition. For us, "sleeping off" a holiday meal like the rest of the world doesn't cut it; food is still food, and even carbs from... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/94645/diabetes-season http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/93021/diabetes-short Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:33:00 -0500 Maggie At one time or another in every person’s life, he or she goes through periods so busy and stressful there is little time to think. How do we balance time spent managing diabetes and time spent on school, work, and life, in general? This has been the busiest fall of my life. Between applying to college, school, and running, I barely have time to breathe. Even though I have continued running and swimming after school, I no longer have time... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/93021/diabetes-short http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/87446/continuous Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:52:00 -0400 Maggie A few months ago while talking to my diabetes educator about my difficulties tracking nighttime trends, she mentioned the words "continuous glucose monitor". Most diabetics rely on multiple daily blood sugar tests, but for an increasing number, continuous glucose monitors supplement blood sugar test to provide a more accurate picture of blood sugar trends.   Continuous glucose monitor systems, which I'll call from now on CGMS, measure the... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/87446/continuous http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/85414/warm-cool Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:12:00 -0400 Maggie Exercise is a vital component of both diabetes control and general well being. If we don't feel well after exercising, or worse, if we're actually injured, we're less likely to adopt long-term fitness habits, which will negatively affect our health. An effective warm-up and cool-down is an essential part of any workout. Warm-UpA proper warm-up has both physiological and psychological benefits. Physiological To begin, warming up increases muscle... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/85414/warm-cool http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/83983/rate-perceived Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:44:00 -0400 Maggie When I first began working out, I didn't know how exercise was "supposed" to feel. At first, I thought that the harder I was breathing, the more effective my exercise would be. After a few years of reading, talking to mentors in the fitness industry, and practicing, I've become more in-tune to my body. However, for beginners and pros alike, the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion can be a powerful resource for improving fitness and predicting blood... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/83983/rate-perceived http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/83036/don-sweat Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:05:00 -0400 Maggie Although none of us want to admit it, the lazy dog days of summer are nearly over. We'll soon be back to 6 a.m. wakeups and homework-filled afternoons. I, like many others, have gotten into an exercise routine this summer: I wake up, eat breakfast, and go for a leisurely run or swim. Once school rolls around, I'll have to adjust my exercise routine to fit my schedule. You'll have to find time for your exercise in your schedule. I like to wake up... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/83036/don-sweat http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/82045/stick Sun, 09 Aug 2009 18:34:00 -0400 Maggie What makes us stick with a routine, be it exercise or nutrition? The answer: practicability. For example, it's impractical to eat the same exact food every single day. From a health standpoint, it's important to eat a range of food to get adequate vitamins and minerals. But more pertinently, we'd just get bored! Even if this meal plan caused us to reach our weight or fitness goals, it'd be unrealistic to maintain. To prolong a nutrition or... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/82045/stick http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/81033/flexibility Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:28:00 -0400 Maggie It's hard enough to manage diabetes at home, where most of us have a say in what's for dinner, are allowed to raid the pantry, and exercise on our own time. However, when we're at camp, traveling, or staying in another person's house, it's hard to define the line between taking care of our diabetes and overstepping our boundaries. It's ok if your blood sugar is a little "off" when you're away from home, but you'll have a better time if you're... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/81033/flexibility http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/80246/munchies Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:27:39 -0400 Maggie We've all snacked on hors d'oeuvres at parties, conferences, or banquets. Most of us are guilty of sampling food as it's cooking, or grabbing a handful of crackers from the cupboard out of boredom. If there were a hidden camera following each of us, the footage could explain some of our frustrating blood sugar spikes. When you're faced with endless carb-loaded munchies, there are some tips to turn to.   In a perfect world, we'd eat when... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/80246/munchies http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/78809/diabeteens Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:59:49 -0400 Maggie   Hello, everyone!   My name is Maggie. I'm a rising high school senior, and on August 7, I'll celebrate my two-year diabetes anniversary.   For two months after my diagnosis, I used syringes to administer insulin. After that, I started using a Minimed 722 insulin pump. About two months ago, I started using a continuous glucose monitor. I'm the only one in my family with diabetes, but my relatives and friends are very... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabeteens/c/64135/78809/diabeteens