Patient Education Materials

Table of Contents

Click on any of the links below to access helpful materials on managing all aspects of diabetes that can be printed and given to your patients .

Introductory Information

  • Diabetes Mellitus Type 1: Symptoms, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment (e.g., insulin)
  • Diabetes Mellitus Type 2: Symptoms, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment (e.g., medications)
  • Women and Diabetes: Eating and weight, pregnancy, and heart disease
  • Men and Diabetes: Sexual Issues and employment concerns
  • Diabetes and Your Lifestyle: Exercise, traveling, employment, sexual issues, and special considerations for the elderly

General Self-Care (e.g., Blood Glucose, Foot Care)

Blood Glucose

Feet

  • Foot Care for People with Diabetes: Hygiene, inspection, and when to call your physician
    • Tool: Foot Care Log: Patient log to record self-inspections and any problem areas
    • Tool: Injection Sites: Patient log to help rotate injection sites

Exercise

Nutrition/Health

Diet/Weight Loss

  • Managing Type 2 Diabetes through Diet: Suggestions for balancing your diet
  • Losing Weight When You Have Diabetes: Weight loss benefits, suggestions to start, and a brief discussion of weight loss drugs
  • The Skinny on Visceral Fat: Dangers of visceral fat and exercise tips to reduce visceral fat

Meal Planning

  • Tool: Shopping Guide and Nutrition Tips: Shopping list and money-saving tips
  • Tool: Meal Planning Guides: Plate diagrams demonstrating appropriate portions
  • Tool: Food Log: Patient log to record food and drink
  • No More Carb Confusion: Understanding carbs and their effect on blood sugar

Smoking and Alcohol

  • Mixing Alcohol with Diabetes: What drinking does to your body, and when it is ok
  • Stop Smoking: What smoking does to your body, and tips on quitting
    • Tool: Sick Day Guidelines: Tips, suggested foods, and patient log to record intake
  • Diabetes and Stress: Immediate and long-term affects, and tips to manage stress

Medical Care Topics / Relation to Other Illnesses

  • Infections and Diabetes: Explains increased chance for infections
  • Make the DASH to Lower Your Blood Pressure: Nutrition tips to lower hypertension

Heart Smart

  • Diabetes and Your Heart: "ABC" numbers and their link to heart disease
  • Heart Smart Medications: Types of medications to prevent heart problems
  • Young at Heart: Suggestions to reverse heart disease and tips for heart health

Vascular Disease

Kidneys

  • Preserving Kidney Function: Preserving Kidney function, especially when damage has already occurred
  • Keeping Kidneys Healthy: Tips for kidney health and some "kidney-protective" meds
  • Nine Ways to Avoid Diabetes Complications: Overview of tips to manage diabetes (healthy eating, activity, checking feet, etc.)

Other Topics