| Yes, it can and here is how. | | | | You can keep your blood glucose levels as close to |
| The most frequent cognitive deficits noted in | | | | normal as possible. In keeping a tight control over |
| persons with diabetes are: | | | | your blood glucose you will sharpen your brain and |
| Slowing of information processing | | | | prevent any further deterioration. |
| speed | | | | There are three main ways of doing this. |
| Slowing of motor speed | | | | The first is to control your diet by counting your |
| Decreases in vocabulary and | | | | carbohydrates. Your health care professional can tell |
| intelligence | | | | you how many carbohydrates that you should eat. |
| Lessening of attention span | | | | The second method is to exercise. Exercise has |
| Decreases in motor strength | | | | been proven over and over again to lower blood |
| Loss of memory | | | | glucose (and it makes you feel better). Exercise can |
| The single most important factor that affects | | | | lower your blood glucose for hours to days after you |
| cognitive deficits in diabetes is glycemic or blood | | | | are done. Make sure to check your blood glucose |
| sugar control. Both too low (hypoglycemia) and too | | | | both before and after you exercise to make it |
| high (hyperglycemia) blood glucose can affect | | | | remains within a normal level. Your health care |
| cognitive function. When you keep blood glucose as | | | | provider can tell you what normal levels are for |
| close as possible to normal, all of the above items | | | | you. Never start an exercise routine without |
| improve. | | | | checking with your health care provider. |
| Complications such as neuropathy, retinopathy, and | | | | And lastly are medications. Not all diabetics take |
| nephropathy may take years to occur with | | | | medications but if you do, make sure you take it |
| diabetes. Cognitive deficits however can occur much | | | | properly. If you receive a new prescription for a |
| earlier (especially when hemoglobin A1C is | | | | new medication make sure you ask questions of |
| >8.4%). | | | | both your physician and your pharmacist until you |
| In elderly diabetic persons this is especially true, with | | | | know: |
| more than 10% showing at least some cognitive | | | | What the name of the medication |
| deficit. | | | | is |
| Okay, so what can you do to keep your brain | | | | What the medication is for and |
| sharp? In other words, how do you keep all your | | | | why you are taking it |
| marbles? | | | | When to take the medicine. |