Christmas with Diabetes!

It’s that time of year again. Some of you can now look out your window and see beautiful snowscapes.  And some of us can look out at the pouring rain. But whatever you happen to see out your front window, here are a few items that Santa (and Diabetic Survivor) recommends for the diabetic in your life.  In our diabetic gift list below we have recommendations ranging from high tech monitors and FitBits to essentials like socks and lotion, there is something below for that special diabetic in your life.  If you have questions about whether you can use a specific product, ask you doctor. And to top it all Diabetic Survivor gets a very small donation when you use these links, so shop on and thank you for helping keep our site up and running!  Merry Christmas to you all!

Dr Comfort Diabetic Slippers

If you have read any of my information on avoiding amputation, hopefully you noticed that I recommend never going barefoot.  Many people do not wear shoes inside their houses, but by going around without shoes or only in socks you are depriving yourself of protection.  These slippers will allow some protection, and comfort.

Am-Lactin lotion

An excellent product that moisturizes and revitalizes skin.  When used daily this product will help rid dead skin from the surface, and provide deep moisturization. This is especially effective for diabetics as many with diabetes have very dry skin, and are prone to callus formation due to autonomic neuropathy (dysfunction of the autonomic system which results in dry skin, etc). If you tend to sweat or have very wet feet, consult with your physician before using.

New Balance Shoes

Unless you are a first time reader here, you probably know that Diabetic Survivor recommends New Balance shoes for those without peripheral neuropathy.  These shoes come in a very wide array of styles, and most of the shoes are available in wider sizes.  I wear these myself, and recommend them in my clinic as well.

FitBit

Most of us could use a little more exercise. I’ve found that tracking the steps you take per day makes it easier to figure out how much you are actually moving, and it also makes it easier to set goals and track progress.  There are several variants, the Alta shown below is slim, but large enough to display some information in text format.  I bought this one for my wife and she loves it (so gents if you’re looking for a fun gift). There are cheaper brands out there, but my wife’s FitBit is still going strong hundreds of thousands of steps later.

Diabetes Dominator!

Who doesn’t want to dominate their diabetes?  Unleash Your Inner Diabetes Dominator is a like a mental toolkit for dealing with the emotional and psychological roller-coaster that diabetes and invited you on.  I love roller coasters, or at least I did before my back turned into a pretzel, but even the younger me got tired eventually.  And diabetes is a roller-coaster that doesn’t let you get off. So pick up this book, and after that head over to the Diabetes Dominator website here.

Mirror Exam Kit

For anyone who is not quite the gymnast that they used to be.  This telescoping mirror will allow you to visualize your feet.  The mirror is also metal, and if you have attended any of my classes you know that I advise you never to use a portable glass mirror to inspect your feet due to the danger of accidentally stepping on it.

Selfie Stick

Yes I know it’s an annoying gadget when you are at the theme-park or a National park, but in this instance it’s protecting your health. Similar to the mirror exam kit, you can attach your smartphone (if you have one, smartphone not included) to the selfie stick and take pictures or video of a hard-to-reach foot. In a previous article I linked a video showing this technique, and you can read the article here.

Diabetes for Dummies!

If you are newly diagnosed, or just trying to get a better handle on your diabetes this is a good place to start.  It has a good overview of the disease process (or processes), and starts you on the road to smarts.  There is a great deal to learn about diabetes, and this will give you a foundation.

A smarter glucometer, one that talks to your watch and phone.

The iHealth smart glucose glucometer connects to your phone over bluetooth to help you track sugars.  Compatible with Apple and Android devices. Fair warning reviews are mixed, but there will always be some problems when you buy cutting edge products.  Recommended more for ‘techies.’ Item directly below has 100 test strips and case.

Diabetic Socks!

Who doesn’t love getting socks for Christmas?  OK, but seriously, now that you are diabetic you have to look at socks a little differently.  It’s no longer the best options to just choose whatever happens to be closest when you roll out of bed.  Diabetic socks offer mild compression and are usually cotton to provide some wicking moving excessive moisture away from your feet.  Please note I do not recommend ankle or no-show socks for diabetics, even young fashionable diabetics.  They can reduce or cut off circulation, and this will cause problems that you never want to know about. The socks come in multiple sizes and colors.

ReliON Prime Blood Glucose Monitoring System

This can also be found at WalMart, but the price is better at Amazon (link below). This is not the most accurate system, but it is value oriented.  The testing strips are also among the most affordable on the market. Remember if you are diagnosed with diabetes, ask your insurance company which product they cover. They may cover a glucometer and testing strips.

Diabetic Logbook

A log to allow you to track blood glucose, diet plans, etc.  This would be for those younger diabetics, or those who just don’t want to do this electronically.  If you have a smart phone, there are apps on the Apple store or Android store that will also do this.

Diabetic Alert Bracelet

This will alert anyone who needs to know that you have diabetes.  There are many varieties of alert bracelet, this one is made of paracord.

A Christmas Wish

Well that’s it for this year.  You’ve read all the way through my list.  Thanks for reading this far.  I’d like to wish you a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  Diabetic Survivor’s Christmas wish is that if you haven’t already you share this year’s articles with someone who has diabetes.  If you don’t know anyone who specifically has diabetes, then please share broadly in social media and in person. Working together we will be able to reach more people, and hopefully save more limbs from amputation. Diabetic Survivor has reached only 1% of the diabetic population so far, so there is much work to be done in the coming year.