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Blog - Diabetes Information, Symptoms & Diagnoses

5 Great Sources for Diabetes Information

At every stage of your diabetes journey, education can play a major role in helping you feel more confident managing diabetes and more connected to other people going through the same experience. Learning how to take care of yourself effectively is known as diabetes ‘self-management’ education.
This can include taking the time to understand nutrition and exercise better and what’s going on in your body from a biological standpoint. Knowing more about your condition can help you have productive conversations with your healthcare professional (HCP) to make treatment decisions that meet your body’s needs and suit your lifestyle.

How Diabetes Education Can Help You Thrive

Diabetes is a complex condition that affects everyone in unique ways. Finding resources to support your ongoing diabetes management can give you the tools to become an expert on your own diabetes experience. You may only see your HCP a few times a year, but you live with diabetes every single day. This is why diabetes self-management education can help you understand how to take care of yourself so that you can work to lower your HbA1C, spend more time in your target glucose range (generally defined by NICE as being between 4–9 mmol/L1,2), prevent complications, and get back to simply enjoying your life.3
It should be noted that your individual target range should be agreed upon with your HCP.

1. Diabetes Books and Research-Based Publications

It can feel overwhelming to navigate all the information about diabetes that’s available. You may encounter new concepts and words that describe what’s happening in your body but aren’t the easiest to understand for the average person.
Luckily, there are books and research-based online publications that make understanding diabetes, and the science behind it, a little easier. Whether you’re looking for guidance on diet, exercise tips, or wondering what can affect your blood sugar levels, there’s a book or online article that may give you the information you’re looking for.
Here are a few excellent books for people living with diabetes recommended by Diabetes.co.uk and Diabetes UK (check with your GP about treatment adjustments):
You can find more information about topics like diabetes basics, treatment options, and how to reduce the risks associated with living with diabetes from research-based, medically reviewed publications. A few websites you can rely on from national organisations include:

2. Diabetes Blogs and Websites

There are also blogs and websites that can offer support and a sense of community for individuals with diabetes outside of giving medical advice. These types of resources often feature personal stories of people living with diabetes, general tips for increasing your well-being, and recipes that might be a good fit for the diabetes meal plan you develop with your doctor or diabetes dietitian.
Diabetes Blogs and Websites - Gestational Diabetes UK
Here are a few diabetes blogs and websites with great content about living with diabetes every day:
  • The Diabetes Times: Find the latest news about diabetes research and technology, as well as updates from the NHS.
  • Gestational Diabetes UK: Gestational Diabetes UK founder, Jo, started a UK-based Facebook support group for other people living with gestational diabetes (GD) after being diagnosed during her second pregnancy. The group evolved into a site where you can find informational resources, diet tips, and helpful posts about GD from diagnosis to post-partum.
  • JDRF UK Blog: Discover diverse, unique stories from people living with type 1 diabetes, like fasting during Ramadan or going through menopause, as well as the latest diabetes research.
  • Sugar and spice… wish all things were nice: In this long-running blog by diabetes consultant and care advocate, Partha Kar, shares his work reshaping how the NHS supports people living with type 1 diabetes.
  • Know Diabetes is an organisation that focuses on supporting people living with diabetes in North West London. They have a variety of resources available in multiple languages, including Arabic, Somali, Urdu, and Cantonese. They also have nutrition information tailored to people in the Arab, Caribbean, African, and South Asian communities.

3. Diabetes Charities and Events

Diabetes charities and events give you the space to expand your community of other people living with diabetes, which can help you feel less isolated and give your mental health a boost. Joining charity programs and attending events also provides an opportunity to learn from diabetes experts outside of clinic visits with your HCP.
If you’re interested in getting involved, these diabetes charities in the UK offer learning resources and community activities:
Dexcom actively participates in community events and conferences in the UK and across Europe, including Diabetes Awareness Week in the UK and events to celebrate World Diabetes Day. In the past, Dexcom has hosted events such as the No Pricks Parlour in London and the #seediabetes campaign on social media. Keep an eye out for exciting upcoming events in your community.

4. Support Groups, Online Research, and Social Media

When it comes to living with diabetes, you never have to do it alone. There are various online and offline groups that provide the opportunity to connect with other people who understand what you’re going through. Individuals living with diabetes may be more likely to experience loneliness. It’s important to prioritise meaningful social relationships because they can support your mental health, which in turn can improve your diabetes management overall.4
If you’re looking to meet people in a group setting, Diabetes UK facilitates support teams across the UK that host regular sessions where you can learn from guest speakers and find support from your peers. They also have an online forum where people in the diabetes community can discuss a range of topics, ask questions, and share stories.
Woman with diabetes looking at her phone
Diabetes.co.uk also has an extensive forum where you can find others living with the same form of diabetes you’re living with, from type 2 diabetes to gestational diabetes and diabetes type 1.5 or Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA). There are also forums specifically for children and teens living with diabetes. You can download the Diabetes.co.uk forum app to your device to stay in touch with your community no matter where you are.
Carenity offers forums for people living with different kinds of medical conditions, including cancer, fibromyalgia, and depression. They have forums for both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes and provide helpful articles and medication fact sheets.
You can also find your diabetes community through the social media platforms you might already use. Peer support through social media has been shown to empower individuals living with diabetes by equipping them with knowledge, boosting their self-esteem, and increasing their sense of optimism.5 The Dexcom Warrior community actively shares their everyday experiences living with diabetes on Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to become a Dexcom Warrior yourself and join the movement of Dexcom users finding new ways to live life to the fullest with diabetes.
5. Your Healthcare Professional (HCP)
Your HCP should be your go-to resource for information about how to treat your diabetes and how to safely make changes to your diabetes management plan. An HCP will have a view into your medical history and understand how diabetes is affecting your body. Their knowledge of your unique circumstances, combined with their professional expertise, enables them to give you specific recommendations that will likely result in positive outcomes.
Patient and doctor discussing diabetes
You should always consult your HCP before making any important treatment decisions, such as adjustments to your diet or new exercise regimes. It’s important to talk to your HCP about the advice you’re reading online or hearing from your peers before you implement it to make sure it fits with your diabetes treatment plan.
Outside of the clinic, the NHS can provide support and guidance regarding finding an HCP and accessing medications and diabetes technology such as the Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System. NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend that all people with type 1 diabetes are offered a real-time CGM system to manage their diabetes.1 This is because CGM systems have been proven to help reduce HbA1C, decrease the occurrence of hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia—or high and low glucose levels, respectively—and increase time spent within an individual’s target glucose range.6,7,8,9,10
Talk to your HCP about trying a Dexcom CGM System as part of your diabetes treatment plan. All Dexcom products are available through funding from the NHS. Additionally, you can now get the Dexcom ONE CGM System on prescription from your local pharmacy. With plenty of options for accessing Dexcom products, it’s easier than ever to get your hands on the power of CGM to help you take control of your diabetes management.

Find out more about how you can access CGM

  • NHS funding
References
1 Type 1 diabetes in adults: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline [NG17]. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng17.
2 Diabetes (type 1 and type 2) in children and young people: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline [NG18]. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng18.
3 Shrivastava S, Shrivastava P, Ramasamy J. Role of self-care in management of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Metab Disorders. 2013;12(14). doi: 10.1186/2251-6581-12-14
4 Kusaslan Avci D. Evaluation of the relationship between loneliness and medication adherence in patients with diabetes mellitus: A cross-sectional study. J Int Med Res. 2018;46(8):3149-3161. doi:10.1177/0300060518773223
5 Gavrila V, et al. Peer Support Through a Diabetes Social Media Community. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2019;13(3):493-497. doi:10.1177/1932296818818828
6 Beck RW, et al. Effect of continuous glucose monitoring on glycemic control in adults with type 1 diabetes using insulin injections: The DIAMOND randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2017;317(4):371-378. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.19975
7 Welsh JB, et al. Accuracy, utilization, and effectiveness comparisons of different continuous glucose monitoring systems. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2019;21(3):128-132.
8 Beck RW, et al. Continuous glucose monitoring versus usual care in patients with type 2 diabetes receiving multiple daily insulin injections: A randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2017;167(6):365-374.
9 Heinemann L, et al. Real-time continuous glucose monitoring in adults with type 1 diabetes and impaired hypoglycaemia awareness or severe hypoglycaemia treated with multiple daily insulin injections (HypoDE): a multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2018;391(10128):1367-1377.
10 Martens T, et al. Effect of continuous glucose monitoring on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with basal insulin: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2021;325(22):2262-2272.
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