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“The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination”
—Ward Elliot Hour
This winter’s issue of Diabetes Dialogue is very rich in content, so I hope that you’ll find time over the holiday season to read it and absorb its contents.
Each and every Canadian should embrace the new mission statement of the Canadian Diabetes Association, which is “to lead the fight against diabetes by helping people with diabetes live healthy lives while we work to find a cure.”
The three feature articles in this issue touch on important topics that affect the lives of people living with diabetes.
The cover feature describes the challenges associated with working shift work when one has diabetes. Achieving good blood glucose control and avoiding hypoglycemia is much more difficult when working different shifts. It is the job of the physician to work with the individual to try to find greater flexibility with their treatment regimen. The use of multiple daily injections or an insulin pump are two ways that help people deal better with the complexities of shift work.
The second feature talks about gestational diabetes, which is diabetes first diagnosed during pregnancy. This article describes the risk factors for developing gestational diabetes, the possible maternal and fetal consequences of having gestational diabetes both in the short term and the longer term, and finally the treatment of gestational diabetes. Although many women are understandably upset when they develop gestational diabetes, others view it as a warning and a chance to make positive changes in their life now that will translate to helping them prevent diabetes in their future.
The final feature is an inspiring story on the lives of three people with type 1 diabetes and how they have managed to continue in competitive sports and high-level exercise despite living with diabetes. Their main message is to not let diabetes defeat you and keep you from reaching your goals and dreams.
Finally there are great pieces on helping you determine your risk of cardiovascular disease and the importance of good foot care in people with diabetes.
As always our annual healthy holiday eating guide by Rosie Schwartz provides advice on how not to overindulge over the holidays but still have an enjoyable time.
So please enjoy the warmth and spirit that the holiday season brings!
— Diane Donat MD MSc MEd FRCPS
Editor-in-Chief