WHAT YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO ASK
(Resource Column)
Artwork: Hand pulling a book from a shelf of books
Inclusion of materials in this publication is for information only and does not imply endorsement by the Diabetes Action Network of the NFB.
EASY DIABETIC COOKBOOK
If you want to prepare healthy diabetic meals, but find most cookbooks just too complicated, you need Linda Coffee and Emily Cale's "The Diabetic 4 Ingredient Cookbook." There are over 200 recipes, in all food categories, with complete nutritional and exchange information, each one using four ingredients. The book costs $9.95 (+$2.95 shipping), from: Coffee and Cale, PO Box 2121, Kerrville, TX 78029; telephone: 1-800-757-0838.
LARGE PRINT BOOK CLUB
There are a lot of book clubs out there, catering to all manner of literary interests, but until now none has offered current bestsellers to visually impaired people who need their books in large print. You could get a book Brailled, or read on tape, eventually, but major publishers ignored readers with special visual needs. No longer. Doubleday Large Print works like other book clubs--but the books are in large print. There is no premium price, either--after your initial five books for $1, you pay normal publisher's price for a hardback, but your choices come in large print. Contact: Doubleday Large Print, 6550 East 30th Street, PO Box 6352, Indianapolis, IN 46206-6352; website: http://www.joinDLP.com
DIABETES SUPPLIES
Heritage Diabetic Supply is a personalized source for your diabetes needs (insulin included), offering reasonable prices and one-on-one service. Heritage handles Medicare and private insurance paperwork (no HMOs), and offers a free Glucometer Elite glucose monitor just for signing up! Contact: Heritage Diabetic Supply, PO Box 1270, Marion, NC 28752; telephone: 1-800-267-6509.
TALKING COMPUTERS
Henter–Joyce, Inc., maker of the "JAWS" series of computer screen readers, offers screen-to-speech software such as JAWS For WINDOWS (JFW), the new MAGic 6.1 screen magnifier, and tutorials on cassette for programs like Internet Explorer and Microsoft Word 8. They also offer Windows 95, 98, and NT compatibility, and as of August 31, 1999, there have been significant price cuts. Find out more at their website: http://www.hj.com, or contact them for information: Henter–Joyce, Inc., 11800 31st Court North, St. Petersburg, FL 33716; telephone: 1-800-336-5658; fax: (813) 803-8001; e-mail: [email protected]
DIABETIC SPECIALTY PRODUCTS
If you have diabetes, you may need alternatives to some commonly used items, like cough medicine (most are full of sugar!), or a good moisturizing skin cream, for the dry skin so many of us have, especially on our feet. Health Care Products offers all of the above.
DiabetiDerm skin moisturizer, available in cream and lotion, uses many natural ingredients, and is made without a petroleum base.
Diabetic Tussin is a line of cough syrups, formulated for diabetics without sugar, sodium, alcohol, fructose, sorbitol, codeine, or dye.
These items are available in most major drug and discount stores. For information, contact: Health Care Products, telephone: 1-800-899-3116; or at their website: http://www.diabeticproducts.com
DIABETES SUPPLIES
American Diabetic Supply, Inc., will ship your diabetes supplies to your door. They handle all insurance claims and provide free delivery. Folks with Medicare and/or private insurance (no HMOs) may receive supplies at no further cost. For information, contact: American Diabetic Supply, Inc., 400 S. Atlantic Ave., Suite 108, Ormond Beach, FL 32176; telephone: 1-800-453-9033.
INSTA–GLUCOSE
If you have type 1 diabetes, you know low blood glucose can be a sneaky enemy. Diabetes medications are powerful but imprecise, and, if you misdose, if you miss a meal, if you are ill, or if you have unexpected, unscheduled exercise, you can find yourself going down. You need sugar, fast! You need to be carrying it with you, before trouble hits.
Many people carry sugar candy, or diabetic glucose tablets, but one practical alternative is Insta–Glucose, by ICN Pharmaceuticals. Insta–Glucose is stronger (one tube, one treatment, equals 24 grams of glucose), and it works faster than glucose tablets. It is easy to use, and very easy to carry. Be prepared! It is available at many pharmacies and discount chains. For information, contact: ICN Pharmaceuticals, ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626; telephone: 1-800-711-9486; website: http://www.instaglucose.com
NEEDLE-FREE INSULIN INJECTION
There is a way to inject insulin without a needle! The Vitajet 3 administers a fine jet of insulin through the skin without need for a needle. It works, and users report less discomfort. Try it yourself; 30-day money back guarantee. Contact: Bioject, Inc., 7620 SW Bridgeport Road, Portland, OR 97202; telephone: 1-800-848-2538; website: http://www.vitajet.com
DIABETES SUPPLIES
Preferred RX offers three ways to help you save on diabetes supplies and prescription drugs:
1. Insurance billing. They file the claim, handle the paperwork, and pay for delivery. No advance payment needed.
2. Medicare billing. Medicare pays for approved diabetic supplies (and now that list covers type 2 diabetics!). Preferred RX will handle the details, and pay for delivery.
3. Discount Prescription Club. No insurance? No prescription drug coverage? Preferred RX offers discounts at over 36,000 pharmacies nationwide.
Contact: Preferred RX, 34208 Aurora Road, Suite 132, Solon, OH 44139; telephone: 1-800-843-7038; website: http://www.preferredrx.com
DIABETIC FOODS
Until now, a proper diabetic diet was a "do it yourself" operation. You bought a good cookbook, and went to work. While there's no substitute for learning a good meal plan, there now is an alternative to preparing it. MenuDirect Corporation now offers Custom Cuisine, fully prepared foods, from snacks to entrees, approved by dietitians, with the nutritional balance you need--delivered frozen to your door. Take a break from "do it yourself!" Contact: Menu Direct Corporation, 865 Centennial Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854; telephone: 1-888-636-8123; website: http://www.c-cuisine.com
NEW TALKING BLOOD GLUCOSE MONITOR
Based on the proven Accu-Chek Advantage meter, the Roche Diagnostics Accu-Chek Voicemate provides the following: Clear, high-quality speech synthesis, talking the user through preparations, test procedures, and results, without the need for sighted assistance; an "insulin vial identifier" which reads Eli Lilly insulin vials and speaks their type, as a safety aid in tactile insulin mixing; a new, improved, "touchable" test strip--the Accu-Chek Comfort Curve (no more "hanging drop of blood" needed!); no meter cleaning required; and a tactile "code-key" system for programming test strip codes. The Voicemate is the most "blind-friendly" talking glucose monitor available today, and the only one whose regular operations require no sighted assistance at all.
The Voicemate comes with an adjustable over-the-shoulder carrying case, with meter, voice box, battery, adapter cord, 10 Comfort Curve strips, earphone, insulin check-vial, manual and quick-reference guide (in print), and instructions on audiocassette. The new meter (catalog # 2030802) can now be ordered through any pharmacy (suggested retail price $495-525). To do so, have your pharmacist contact Roche Diagnostics, 9115 Hague Road, Indianapolis, IN 46250; telephone: 1-800-428-5074. For direct purchase, and a price below $500, contact any of the following retailers: BeyondSight, Inc. Littleton, CO: 303-795-6455 ($498); Independent Living Aids, Inc. Plainview, NY ($495): 1-800-537-2118; or the National Federation of the Blind Materials Center Baltimore, MD ($475): (410) 659-9314.
SAVE YOUR SKIN
Lantiseptic is a line of skin care products of interest to diabetics. The line includes a cream and a skin protectant, both appropriate for the dry skin diabetics can face. The cream is especially appropriate for dry feet, and has been clinically tested as appropriate for diabetic foot care.
Both products come in tube or jar, and FREE SAMPLES ARE AVAILABLE. For information, or to obtain a free sample, contact: Summit Industries, Inc., PO Box 7329, Marietta, GA 30065; telephone: 1-800-241-6996. For a free sample, telephone: 1-800-347-2456.
READING MACHINE
There are many ways to cope with the problems loss of vision brings to reading. One is to use an optical reading machine like the Kurzweil 1000. With such a machine, you scan a printed page into computer memory, from where it is then read by a synthesized voice. Large print text is not necessary; you can read most any text.
Reading machines vary in accuracy, size of vocabulary, and quality of synthesized voice. Kurzweil has been a leading name in sound synthesis for over 20 years, and the L& H Kurzweil 1000, their newest product, is a superb instrument. To find out more about this reading machine, contact: Lernout and Hauspie Speech Products USA, Inc., Kurzweil Educational Systems Group, 52 Third Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; telephone: 1-800-894-5374; e-mail: [email protected]; website: http://www.lhsl.com/kurzweil1000
DIABETES SUPPLIES AT WAL-MART
Most people don't have to look too hard to find a Wal-Mart. You may even get some of your diabetes supplies there. But it's time for another look! Wal-Mart now has a new line of house-brand diabetes care products, what they are calling the ReliOn family. This new ReliOn label is now on syringes, lancets, glucose tablets, skin cream, and alcohol swabs. Check them out at your nearest Wal-Mart.
DIABETES SUPPLIES
When you need it, you need it. When it's time to test, when it's time for medication, you need it already there. Diabetic Care Center will ship your diabetes supplies to your door, and they do the paperwork. No forms, no trips to the pharmacy. Medicare and most private insurance accepted. Call the Diabetic Care Center, telephone: 1-800-633-7167; website: http://www.diabeticare.com
NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
Your insulin or oral diabetes medications are only part of your diabetes self-management. Although food supplements do not replace your medications, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated their efficacy to prevent or treat any disease, a healthy diet is important, and research is continuing on the role specific supplements may play in controlling diabetes. AlphaBetic Multi–Vitamin Supplement is a food supplement formulated for the special needs of diabetics. A blend of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals, it is available in sugar-free caplets. Contact: Abkit, Inc. New York, NY 10128; telephone: 1-800-226-6227; website: http://www.alphabetic.com
Dex-4 Glucose Tablets
From the Editor: Dex-4 glucose tablets, in lemon, raspberry, orange and grape flavors, are tasty, effective, and the tubes of 10 are easy to carry in a pocket or purse. They are also easy to open when you need them. I use Dex–4 myself. You can find them in pharmacies and supermarkets nationwide.
Each fruit-flavored, easy to chew glucose tablet contains four grams of fast-acting carbohydrate, with no fat, sodium, caffeine, or cholesterol, and only 17 calories. These value-priced tablets are available in tubes of 10 tablets or economy size bottles of 50.
For further information about Dex–4 or their many other diabetes care products, including Formulated for Fingers skin cream with tea tree oil, contact your pharmacist or Can-Am Care Corporation, Cimetra Industrial Park, Box 98, Chazy, NY 12921-0098; telephone: 1-800-461-7448.