Self-managing diabetes is easier with the right information. Use this Diabetes Toolkit to help manage your diabetes.
General Information
Diabetes and Depression
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic Foot Care
Nutrition and Diabetes
Recipe Links
General Information
Taking Charge of Your Diabetes from the Centers for Disease Control helps you take important steps to prevent problems caused by diabetes.
The Diabetes Resource Guide 
from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) outlines state and local resources.
The Diabetes Self-Management Information and Record Booklet from DHS is a diabetes information and record-keeping tool.
The Personal Diabetes Care Record Wallet Card from DHS is a two-sided card for you to record your medical information.
Order and wear a free Medical Alert Necklace to let people know you need your blood tested before receiving treatment in a medical emergency. The necklace is made of nickel. See what the necklace looks like and read about the importance of wearing a medical alert necklace.
Find out how your blood sugar level is affected by what you eat, how active you are and how you feel. Use a food log to record this information .
Diabetes and Depression
Depression affects the body, mood and thoughts by disrupting our chemical balance. When a person with diabetes is depressed, little or no insulin production and higher levels of a stress hormone called cortisol lead to higher than normal blood sugar levels. Prolonged depression, combined with excess blood sugar, can affect other body systems such as the eyes, heart, kidneys, blood vessels and nerves.
Locate resources for identifying and managing depression on Unity's Behavioral Health Programs page.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic eye disease (retinopathy) weakens and changes the way the small blood vessels nourish your eye. This can lead to blindness. Maintaining your blood sugars at goal and receiving regular eye exams can reduce your risk of blindness by 95%. The State of Wisconsin Essential Diabetes Mellitus Care Guidelines recommend a dilated eye exam at diagnosis and annually thereafter.
View a diagram of the eye and learn more about diabetes retinopathy from Unity's Health Topics.
From the National Eye Institute, learn what diabetic retinopathy is, who is at risk and what the causes and risk factors are.
Take the Dilated Eye Exam Consultation Form from DHS to your next dilated eye exam. Ask your eye care professional (ophthalmologist or optometrist) to record the results of your exam and share it with you and your Primary Care Physician.
Take Prevent Blindness America's diabetes and eyesight quiz to check your risk for diabetic eye disease.
Watch the Lion's Club videos, Diabetic Retinopathy (9 minutes) and Dilated Eye Exam (9 minutes) for information about the importance of taking care of your diabetes and your eyes.
Go to Prevent Blindness America's Vision Simulator to see what the world looks like for someone with diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic Foot Care
High blood sugars damage the nerves and blood vessels in your feet. This makes it harder to notice when your feet are hurt or injured. Experts agree that people with diabetes need to check their feet daily for signs of sores, cracks or infection to avoid serious problems. The State of Wisconsin Essential Diabetes Mellitus Care Guidelines recommend a foot exam with every health care visit and a more extensive foot exam annually.
Read How diabetes causes foot problems in Unity's Health Topics.
Learn more about Foot Care for People with Diabetes in Unity's Health Topics.
View Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime from the National Diabetes Education Program. Find reminders on their To Do Checklist about how to take care of your feet.
Nutrition and Diabetes
Nutritional needs change with each stage of life. Learn more about what you need today by discussing questions with your physician and by meeting with a nutritionist. The State of Wisconsin Essential Diabetes Mellitus Care Guidelines recommend that diabetic adults receive regular nutrition visits at the time of diagnosis and every 6-12 months thereafter. The links below will get you started.
Learn more about Carbohydrate Counting Basics from Unity's Health Topics.
Find out more about rating your plate from Unity's Health Topics and the American Diabetes Association.
Access free web-based tools for tracking what you eat at The Daily Plate.
American Diabetes Association
American Heart Association
National Diabetes Education Program
