My Diabetes My Way: July 2020 Update
Welcome to the My Diabetes My Way Newsletter for July 2020.
Focus on Foot Care!
In this month's newsletter, My Diabetes My Way is promoting awareness of diabetes foot-health. Over the last few months, face-to-face reviews in clinic have been significantly reduced across all health boards in Scotland. To highlight the importance of self-assessment during this time we have selected some educational resources to help you to look after your feet. Taking good care of your feet and carrying out regular self-assessment for any signs of change is important to help identify any risks and ensure early treatment to improve your health outcomes. Follow the links below to find out more.
Foot care advice: https://www.mydiabetesmyway.scot.nhs.uk/Content.aspx?id=30
Low, Medium and High Risk: https://www.mydiabetesmyway.scot.nhs.uk/Content.aspx?id=31
Touch the Toes – Home Testing: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/complications/feet/touch-the-toes
Looking After Your Feet When You Have Diabetes: https://player.vimeo.com/video/412310489
How Diabetes Can Affect Your Feet: https://player.vimeo.com/video/412313912
Please seek advice from your local podiatry team, GP or Practice Nurse if you have any concerns.
Join Up Your Fitbit Data
Last year, we developed a link to Fitbit (www.fitbit.com) that allows you to add your activity tracker data to My Diabetes My Way. If you have a Fitbit device, log in to My Diabetes My Way and select “My Services”. You can then link your Fitbit account and connect your Fitbit records. When you do this, you will see a new section named “My Activity” where you can monitor your steps, heart rate and many other Fitbit measurements.
Even if you don't own a Fitbit device, you can still track your activity for free by downloading the Fitbit app on your smartphone and using Fitbit’s MobileTrack function. MobileTrack lets you use the Fitbit app without a Fitbit device by using your phone's sensors to track basic activity data including steps, distance, and calories burned. More information on MobileTrack can be found here: https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1875
We are currently looking at options to link other wearable devices and we would be happy to hear from you if you have any further suggestions!
One Million Step Challenge
Diabetes UK have launched their “One Million Step Challenge”. The aim is to get people active over the next three months with a target of reaching one million steps by the end of September. You’ll need to take an average of at least 10,000 steps a day to be successful but how you do them and where you do them is completely up you. Find out more at: https://step.diabetes.org.uk.
You can track your step count on My Diabetes My Way through the Fitbit link above.
My Diabetes My Way Admin
Due to the current situation with Coronavirus, it is taking us longer to collect mail, create new enrolment packs and send out registration paperwork for you to access your diabetes records. We are currently processing enrolment packs in batches every two weeks, but we are now happy for you to email us back a photo or scanned copy of your signed form to avoid any further delays.
Help and Support
If you have not yet managed to gain access to your diabetes records on My Diabetes My Way, or would like an update on the status of your registration, please let us know. You can contact us regarding any problems or request further help and support by emailing: mydiabetesmyway@nhs.net
Thank you for your continued support and stay safe.