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A closeup of the SweetSpot data analysis page

SweetSpot—“Collaborative Diabetes Management”

We're always praising the virtues of good record keeping in diabetes, but where do you go from there? Keeping track of your sugars is time-consuming, and it might sometimes be hard to see all the things you can do with your numbers. That's where Adam Greene and his diabetes management site "SweetSpot" (www.sweetspot.dm) comes in. By simply plugging your meter into your computer (15 meters are supported and more are coming), you can upload your meter data onto the website and display the data as graphs.

After your data is on the website, the real strength of SweetSpot emerges. First, you can invite others to "collaborate" with you about your data, offering their insight or support to help you. These people could be friends, family, your doctor, your CDE - the possibilities are endless! Second, you can keep detailed notes about your exercise routines, food habits, sleep pattern, or general things about your diabetes and post them on the website - and we hear that soon you'll be able to add notes from your phone while you're on the go.

Adam discussed ongoing site improvements: making it possible to send data directly to your doctor's office via the website, developing the SweetSpot community to promote peer-to-peer collaboration. We are really excited by the things Adam has in the pipeline, and we encourage you to try out the site and send an email to tell him with your thoughts! Using the website is free for a 30-day trial period. As always, diaTribe readers get a special deal: Enter coupon code DT-08 and you get a free extra month to trial SweetSpot before making a decision. After that it costs $9.95 per month.

The Autocode talking meter from Prodigy

A word from a Prodigy (meter)

Realizing we didn't have any insight into talking meters, we picked up a Prodigy Autocode meter from the booth during the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) meeting held in August. The Autocode is an audible, no-coding meter, designed to be used by people with impaired vision. Prodigy makes the device such that once the test strip is inserted into the device, a voice tells the user the room temperature as a self-check (also helpful to confirm that the strip is accurately inserted). The voice instructs the user to apply the blood sample and beeps once the sample has been correctly applied. Readings take six seconds and are read out in the common unit of milligrams per deciliter. They are also displayed in large font on the blue backlit screen. Removing the strip powers off the meter.

For those with vision impairment, it must be empowering to once again be able to independently know your blood sugar. Potential improvements include changes in strip design to clearly distinguish top from bottom and back from front. We'd also like to see a guiding light on the meter to help direct strip placement for those who still have some sight. Additionally, we note that the audio readings are only stated once and most of the setup of the device (date, time, etc.) must be done by a non-visually impaired person. The best price we found online was $30 plus about $15 per box of 50 test strips.

The new TRUE2go and TRUEresult

TRUE2go meter compared to an iPod Shuffle

As the economy slides, ways to cut costs and save money are welcome. For people with diabetes, the credit crunch has even more of an impact - diabetes is an expensive disease, and the cost of supplies like meters and strips can put a dent in anyone's budget, especially those without good insurance or without any insurance at all. That's where two new meters from Home Diagnostics come in, giving you blood glucose results at a lower price than many other meters.

TRUEresult meter

The first of the two meters, the TRUE2go, looks like it's been designed for convenience. The whole thing is a small circle about the size of a half-dollar, and it attaches to the top of its strip vial so you only have one piece to carry around. The meter requires 0.5 microliters of blood for testing, and features no-coding technology to avoid code entry mistakes. The second meter, the TRUEresult, is designed for those who want more data management options. Like the TRUE2go, it is no-coding and uses 0.5 microliters of blood, and it also includes the options to compute 7-, 14-, and 30- day averages of your data and four testing reminder alarms. Both meters use the new Home Diagnostics TRUEtest strips, and are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most other insurance plans. They are currently available at retail pharmacies across the country--the TRUE2go meter sells for $14.99, the TRUEresult is $39.99, and the cost per TRUEtest strip is $0.70.

No carb counts? No calorie knowledge? No way!

The University of Alabama (UA) is making great strides to meet the needs of their student population. Where most universities miss the mark, they are listening to students who are saying loud and clear that they need help incorporating healthy lifestyles on campus. At UA, this was as simple as getting the campus dining service, Bama Dining (by ARAMARK), on board.

For students behind the initiative, difficult was an understatement. It took several months to get dining officials to realize that all students on campus, not just those with diabetes, deserved to have easy access to nutritional information that can help them make healthier choices - or at least more conscious choices!

Over a year has passed since UA incorporated nutrition labels at all of the major dining halls on campus and for some areas of the food court. Bama Dining has also begun posting nutrition information consistently on their website (www.bamadining.com) where students can check to see what is being served in each dining hall, and what is in their food. Students also lobbied for nutritional "kiosks" outside of the dining halls, where they can check a computer monitor for nutrition information before deciding to pay and enter an all-you-care-to-eat facility.

As a result of the nutrition program, UA has taken a more hands-on approach and is working to facilitate education and awareness of the benefits of healthy lifestyles. Between the resources on the website, outside the door, and in front of students as they move through the lines, patrons have easy access to the information that can make or break a meal (especially if you have diabetes!).

Want more information about the initiative and how to get started on your campus or workplace, contact .