Dear Living With Type 2 Diabetes Program Member, We are in the middle of the holiday season! It’s a time of reflecting on the past year, spending time with friends and family, traveling, enjoying holiday meals and continuing to manage your type 2 diabetes. It is certainly a busy time living with a disease that does not take a holiday break. You know how to handle it and continue to be successful. Look back at 2019 and see all the ways you have improved your health, the skills you’ve learned and the routines that make your life easier. Now looking ahead to 2020, think of one more skill you’d like to add and make it a priority to use it at the beginning of the year. Calendar Reminders As you flip your calendar to 2020, remember to schedule your regular check-ups and exams. A1C—at least twice a year. Have your A1C checked twice a year or more often if your doctor thinks it’s needed. Your A1C is your average blood glucose level for the past three months and is a vital tool in understanding how your treatment plan is working. The general recommended target is 7 percent, but work with your doctor to decide what your target should be. Blood pressure—every appointment. Be sure your blood pressure is checked at every doctor’s visit. Blood pressure contributes to complications of diabetes. The general recommendation is below 140/90 mmHg Complete foot exam—once a year. Your feet should be thoroughly  examined for possible problems once a year. Diabetes can damage the nerves and blood vessels in your feet. This can make foot injuries—even larger injuries—hard to feel and slow to heal. Be sure to also check your feet at home every day. Let your doctor know if you see a problem right away. Eye exam—once a year. See an optometrist or ophthalmologist once a year for a dilated eye exam. This checkup looks for possible diabetes-related damage to the retina, which is at the back of the eye. Cholesterol—once a year. Have your cholesterol checked every year to see if you’re at risk for heart disease. Annual physical exam—once a year. Most people with diabetes will see their physicians more than once a year. Make sure one of those visits includes an annual physical exam. Flu shot—once a year. This helps your body get ready for common types of flu. Pneumonia vaccine—once in a lifetime. Like the flu shot, a pneumonia vaccine can help your body be ready for illness. Learn more about your health care team for the year

18 People Share Their Diabetes Secrets When first diagnosed with diabetes, people understandably have a lot of questions. What can I eat? Will I need insulin? How do I juggle all of these new supplies and gadgets? Your health care team will cover the basics. But developing a steady management routine that works for you takes time and a lot of trial and error. That’s why we reached out to people who’ve been there, done exactly that. Here, you’ll find tips from people who have lived with diabetes for years or, in some cases, decades. Read more

Recipe of the Month This Egg and Veggie Casserole is a great dish to serve to company. It serves 8 as a main dish, or more if you cut it into small cubes and use it as an appetizer. You could also bake in a muffin pan to make a perfectly portioned, grab-and-go breakfast. Whether it’s your first holiday season with diabetes or your 30th, here are some top tips for staying on track this holiday season without sacrificing holiday cheer! It’s always convenient to have delicious and healthy recipes available, especially during this time of year. You'll find this recipe and more delicious meal options on Diabetes Food Hub™.  Get cooking

Advocacy Update Some exciting news for people with diabetes! After a decade of ADA advocacy, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will, for the first time in history, allow people with insulin-treated diabetes to be considered for commercial pilots’ licenses. This means that pilots who lost their licenses when they began using insulin have a shot at returning to their careers—and children and young adults with diabetes who aspire to become pilots may one day do so. We are so proud to have opened another door (or cockpit door, rather) for people with diabetes. Become a Diabetes Advocate

Connect with Others Give and get support through ADA’s online community. Post your questions, comment on others’ posts, meet people living with diabetes and help each other thrive with diabetes. Join us

Living With Diabetes: Ask the Experts Q&A Series Join us for the next Ask The Expert live Q&A titled Diabetes and Me in the New Year on January 14, 2020 at 2:00pm ET. Free registration at diabetes.org/experts or call 1-855-565-0595 to learn more. You can join by phone or computer to ask your question … no need to travel anywhere. The Ask The Experts Series has had very informative questions answered throughout 2019 season that you can still listen to. If you want to revisit any of them or if you missed any, you can listen to the full series by visiting diabetes.org/experts and select the specific topic you want to hear about.

Ask the Experts: It’s Personal Missed a call in? It’s OK, you can listen to clips from the show! Listen to Ask the Experts: It’s Personal, a Q&A podcast series featuring real questions from callers and answers from diabetes experts. Get practical tips on topics such as nutrition, medication management, and physical activity. And listen in when it’s convenient for you. Find the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or on our host site >>

*Living With Type 2 Diabetes program and Ask the Experts Q&A Series are part of the Know Diabetes by Heart collaboration between American Heart Association® and American Diabetes Association® and is an educational program created to help people living with type 2 diabetes tackle common challenges and learn the link between diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.

Center for Information Representatives at the American Diabetes Association’s Center for Information are available to guide you to diabetes information and resources, as well as local programs and events. To reach these representatives, call 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383) or email askada@diabetes.org.

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