Do you think Universities do enough to cater for diabetics?

shedges

Well-Known Member
Messages
432
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
And there's me limiting my consumption to 2 cups a day... better get some more in!

UPB - have you got links to the research findings?

Sam.
 

Moogie1947

Well-Known Member
Messages
104
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Most academic institutions have someone or a group of staff whose job it is to help students with various disabilities. I suggest you talk to them and to your departmental administrative staff to find out what is provided and discuss what your needs might be.

If there is an inadequate choice on the menu in the various student eating places on campus you may be able to request special meals be made up for you and kept separately. I know that if you are on a small campus this is easier. You could also find out who the catering manager is and talk to him/her.

Most staff will not know you are a diabetic unless you tell them, confidentiality will mean they don't pass information around. Even if they know they may not be empowered to tell others who are the ones who might help you so it is up to you to talk to the right people.

For those who think students should be suddenly adults at 18, remember that until around 1970 they were still classified as minors until the ago of 21 and the universities were in loco parentis i.e. legally acting in the place of parents for most undergraduates.
Having said that their parents should ensure they can cook, do laundry and clean etc. before they leave home. This should mean they help with chores around the house as a matter of course every day from the time they are little.
 

Useless Pretty Boy

Well-Known Member
Messages
96
Increased sensitivity study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11475292

Anohter here: http://spectrum.diabetesjournals.org/co ... /2/77.full (scroll down to Methylxanthines)

Additionally, a high caffeine intake reduces night-time hypoglycaemia as shown here: http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_chann ... ryid=11401

And here: http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_section ... n_id=30099

(Although those MAY actually be reffering to the same study. The Numbers are certainly the same.)

Either way, my consultant reckons that the fact I can hold a 5.8 HbA1c while not suffering frequent hypos is due to my caffeine intake, which is far higher than any of his other patients.

So yes, coffee is one of my primary 'medications' in dealing with diabetes. And even if it weren't... you DON'T take my coffee off me. HAHAHA. :wink:

Also, there are growing links between high coffee intake and low blood pressure and cholesterol. This is research based on the fact that french and mediterranean diets are quite high in saturated fat, yet people don't suffer from these problems as commenly as Brits do. Can't be bothered going looking for the research right now, but the long and short of it is that you're probably not drinking enough coffee.
 

shedges

Well-Known Member
Messages
432
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Thanks UPB - will be reading those with great interest.

Sam.