10 Essential Diabetes Resources on the Web
Information about type 2 diabetes abounds on the Internet. But which sources are reliable, and who has the best tips, tools, and advice? This list includes 10 excellent sites you can trust. Don't use them to make changes to your parent's treatment plan, though, without first checking with someone on her healthcare team.
The American Diabetes Association
The nation's leading organization devoted to diabetes education, advocacy, and research, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has a comprehensive website chock-full of practical, general health information about diabetes. This nonprofit's site also features message boards for adults with type 2 diabetes and for those who are recently diagnosed, as well as other boards focused on diet, exercise, and the latest diabetes news.
The site has a strong nutrition section, including recipes. You can order from ADA's extensive publications list here, and you can listen to or join live question-and-answer sessions with diabetes experts discussing how to live healthily with the disease. Information is also available in Spanish.
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC)
The site, a service of the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), offers lots of easy-to-read information about the health and medical aspects of diabetes and is strong on self-care materials.
Interactive tools such as quizzes on cholesterol, diabetic eye disease, and so-called portion distortion, and links to National Institutes of Health (NIH) podcasts, streaming audio, and online slideshow tutorials on diabetes topics are also available on this site. (For the less-than-techno-savvy, there are handy nugget descriptions of these interactive options.)
National Diabetes Education Program
This is a federal government-sponsored site, a partnership between the NIH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's strong on quizzes aimed at improving health outcomes and on tips for caregivers. It also has some useful senior-specific information, including a downloadable brochure, The Power to Control Diabetes is in Your Hands, containing details on how to access Medicare benefits that help pay for diabetes equipment, supplies, and education. Materials are available in Spanish and several Asian and Pacific Islander languages as well.
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