Six Holiday Tips - American Diabetes Association

Six Holiday Tips - American Diabetes Association

Pets Can Develop Diabetes

Did you know that pets can develop diabetes? Studies show that 1 in 400 dogs develop diabetes.  The most common type of diabetes in dogs is diabetes mellitus.  Diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune process in which the pancreas stops producing insulin because the pancreatic cells that produce the insulin are being destroyed.  The most common risk factors for a dog to develop diabetes are their age (typically dogs over 7 years of age), gender (female dogs develop diabetes at almost twice the rate of males), and breed (all breeds may develop diabetes but some breeds have a higher risk than others indicating that there may be a genetic predisposition to diabetes development).  The breeds at higher risk are Keeshond, Cairn Terrier, Schnauzer (miniature and standard), Poodle, Dachshunds, and Beagles.  The symptoms to look out for are low energy, lethargy, losing weight, eating excessively, not eating, changes in food interest, drinking large amounts of water, and frequent urination.  Treatment can include insulin therapy, weight control, dietary therapy and exercise.

Having a pet with diabetes can be a challenging task for an owner to manage; however, with a good relationship with your vet this process can become easier.  Monitoring a pet with diabetes can be time consuming and costly; however, the benefits can outweigh the challenges.  As long as your decision is based on your love and concern for your pet, the decision you make will be the best for everyone.

<3 MOD

MOD goes to MRM

Last weekend, MOD took a little drive up I-95N to New Brunswick, NJ to visit fellow APhA-ASP Region 2 Members!  Always ready to mix and mingle, MOD had a great time with other student pharmacist friends.

Thank you to the Rutger's Chapter who hosted the event!

Rutger's MRM Video!

Introducing Our New Regional Officers, Mainly, the Regional Delegate,

Our Own, Andrew York!!!

HAPPY American Diabetes Month!

During the Month of November, MOD recognizes ADA's Diabetes Month to promote diabetes awareness around the country!

Our first event this month, was to help educate fellow UMB SOP students about the pharmacist's role in diabetes care as well as information about the disease and medications.  See our Video Diary and pictures below.

Thank you for all who attended in Baltimore and Shady Grove!

Special thanks to our educator extraordinaire- Dr. Layson-Wolf, who taught us the magic behind pharmacists and diabetes management. :)

<3 MOD

 

Making Healthy Diet Choices can be Tough!... MOD Can Help :)

Learning what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat is a key part of learning to take care of your blood sugar levels. Choosing your food wisely can help you feel better from day to day, lose weight if you need to, and lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other problems caused by diabetes. Find delicious, sensible options for recipes at, http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/diabetic-recipes/index.html


Also, while browsing the web I found this opportunity!! Sign up here to learn more about NovoNordisk insulin options and get a free cook book, "Eating Well with Diabetes" https://www.novonordiskcare.com/options/default.aspx

That's all for now, but be on the lookout for more posts to come In the meantime, enjoy the beautiful weather in Baltimore! Take advantage of the sunshine and head on out for some fun and exercise with your friends!

<3 MOD

Happy American Pharmacists' Month!

If you've been to any pharmacy lately it's pretty easy to tell that the month of October is upon us. The candy is stocked on the shelves and there are lots of fall-themed nick-knacks for sale. More importantly, at least to us pharmacists and pharmacists to be, is the start of American Pharmacists' Month!

You might wonder why we would be so excited over a whole month dedicated to showing the value of the pharmacist. Ok, well it's pretty obvious why I am excited, but why should YOU care? As the most accessible health care professional, pharmacists serve a key role in health care that is often under acknowledged and far under appreciated. In an effort to show of our value to society, I hope pharmacists become more visible to you this month and then from then on.

Remember that your pharmacist is always there and probably just around the corner. Next time you are in the pharmacy, probably for some yummy candy corn, don't forget to thank them for helping you. If you don't know them, introduce yourself and start a new friendship. After all, this month is all about "Know your Pharmacist, Know your medication".

http://www.pharmacist.com/Content/NavigationMenu3/Newsroom/AmericanPharmacistsMonth/American_Pharmacists.htm

Two Health Fairs down and on the move!

MOD has been busy lately, thanks to school, but we finally got around to writing an entry:

Saturday was our second health fair this fall, although it was more like the first because it was a joint APhA event. MOD teamed up with Operations Heart Burn, Immunization and the Maryland Regional Operation Hypertension at the CommUNITY Fest at "The World Famous Lexington Market" http://www.lexingtonmarket.com/.  Check out the local Baltimore Flare!!

CommUNITY Fest was hosted by the University of Maryland School of Medicine Chapter of the SNMA (Student National Medical Association).  The theme of the event was “CommUNITYFEST 2009: Healthy Childhoods, Healthy Futures.”  Many services were provided to reach the goal of making CommUNITYFEST festive and informative for a diverse audience of all ages and backgrounds.  There were  free health screenings including: glaucoma provided by the medical students, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar provided by nurses from Maryland General Hospital, and mini oral exams provided by the dental students. Health information and education on topics such as diabetes, immunizations, hypertension, heartburn (by our ASP chapter) and asthma, mental health, children's health, tobacco use prevention, teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections was also provided by various other organizations.  ASP members also represented the school of pharmacy by teaming with the Maryland Poison Center to give medication safety information to parents and children.  Overall, it was a fun event attended by over 600 people.  It was great to see the health care professional students working together for the undeserved populations in the immediate area. 

Our first video entry with both of us was taken outside of the market.  Be sure to check it out, but give us a break, it's our first time on camera :P

<3 MOD

 Ashley and Erica welcoming the community!

 

 It was slow at the beginning.

Entrance to Lexington Market.

 

Student National Medical Association Board

View from above.

MOD prepares to Step Out on the town!

MOD here. Just wanted to update you on one of my upcoming projects! I am getting ready for Step Out for Diabetes, a fundraising walk that raises Diabetes awareness and money for the American Diabetes Association to work towards a cure. The ADA is able to use the funds raised to help individuals with Diabetes. They do this by funding critical research and sponsoring community-based education programs to help educate and promote little "steps" along the way to ensure lifelong fitness and well-being! 

When: October 3, 2009

Where: Rash Field at the Inner Harbor (Baltimore)

I have been busy recruiting team members and doing some fundraising myself. If you would like to join my friends and I check out the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy team at: http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/StepOut/StepOut101028010/941335939?pg=team&fr_id=6377&team_id=386860
We would love to walk with you! If you can't make it, you can make a donation on behalf of one of our walkers at the above website.

Here is a picture of a few of us from last year's event. Keep up the good work, Steppers! This year our team's goal is to have 40 walkers! And raise $4,500! I'll keep you updated on the team's progress.

See you October 3rd at the Inner Harbor for Step Out!

<3 MOD

Start of a new year!

I'm back to school to start my 3rd, and final year of pharmacy didactic courses!  It's not only exciting to be one step closer to finished, but I also get to really focus on Diabetes outreach and education in the city of Baltimore, and the state of Maryland!

As I go through the year, I plan on documenting the events I attend and the diabetes awareness and healthy lifestyle love we spread.

Come back soon for the first video diary entry from the first event that Operation Diabetes is attending, thanks to our good friend Dr. Seferina Kim!

What:  Pigtown Festival
Where: Pigtown, of course!  (Baltimore City)
When: Saturday, September 12th

Until next time, ABC's to everyone!
A1C, Blood pressure, and Cholesterol ;)

Love-
MOD