This submit could comprise affiliate hyperlinks. Please learn our disclosure.
Discovering a considerate present for a good friend or member of the family who lives with diabetes might be exhausting. That’s why I created this information!
Diabetes items was much less thrilling than getting socks for Christmas, however now there are such a lot of stunning, helpful, or simply plain cool diabetes merchandise out there that I actually need to share them with you!
How I picked the diabetes present concepts to incorporate
All of the objects on this information are issues that I both already personal or that I might be excited to unwrap myself.
We take care of diabetes 24/7, so why not add just a little coloration, expertise, info, and enjoyable to make our on a regular basis diabetes administration rather less scientific and just a little extra tolerable?
I replace this information every time I discover a new product that deserves to be on it, so it’s all the time the Final Information to Presents for Diabetics, irrespective of while you’re studying it.
Should you use a product that you simply assume I ought to embrace, please go away a hyperlink within the feedback beneath in order that I can test it out.
Assume before you purchase: Life with diabetes might be overwhelming typically, and never everybody will admire getting a diabetes-related present on a day that must be all about enjoyable, household, and mates. If doubtful, I recommend you purchase a present that’s helpful for individuals with diabetes with out being made particularly for individuals with diabetes (just like the foot massager or Apple watch).
Diabetes equipment from Myabetic
We have a look at our testing provides, insulin pens, and CGMs daily, faithfully carrying them round wherever we go.
The women at Myabetic determined to make that have rather less medical and ugly trying by creating stunning high-quality (vegan leather-based) diabetes provides carrying purses and instances in a wide range of colours.
Here’s a 10-second video of me with my Myabetic bag:
They even have choices for males (who could desire instances which might be rather less female) and youngsters, so that they have us all coated. I really like my Myabetic purse and Dexcom case and use them daily!
You should utilize the code DIABETESSTRONG to get 15% off all of your Myabetic merchandise!
Diabetes purses and instances from Sugar Medical
Sugar Medical is one other firm that has got down to make diabetes instances and purses fashionable equipment.
Most of their merchandise are made of material, which signifies that they’re pretty inexpensive however the high quality continues to be excessive (try my favorites, the Diabetes Triple Zip Purse and the Insulated Journey Bag).
You possibly can see how I exploit my Sugar Medical bag when touring on this brief video:
Loads of the instances and purses have an insulated pocket for insulin and include a singular function which is the Sugar Medical Take a look at Strip Garbage can.
It’s a small slit within the case or purse the place you place your used take a look at strips so that they find yourself in a small separate compartment. Meaning no extra take a look at strip graveyard within the backside of your instances or purses.
You should utilize the code DIABETESSTRONG to get 10% off all Sugar Medical merchandise!
Diabetes accent belt from Spibelt
Spibelt (Small Private Merchandise Belt) is a fanny pack particularly made for individuals residing with diabetes. It’s nice for storing your diabetes necessities when working, understanding, or simply leaping round. Their medical line belts even have holes for pump tubing!
I don’t put on an insulin pump however that is my go-to belt once I go for a run or hit the fitness center and don’t have any pockets.
The belt doesn’t transfer or bounce round while you run as another belts do. Once I run (which isn’t typically) I exploit this and produce alongside my telephone, blood glucose meter, ID, glucose tabs, and keys.
You should purchase the Spibelt on Amazon.
Medical ID jewellery from Lauren’s Hope
I actually like jewellery (who doesn’t?), so why not mix a fairly necklace or bracelet with a doubtlessly lifesaving medical ID tag? That’s what the creator of Lauren’s Hope got down to do and the outcomes are superb!
Carrying some kind of medical alert identification is clearly a sensible alternative for individuals residing with diabetes (or anyone who would possibly find yourself in a scenario the place they want medical assist), and if you would like a phenomenal and discreet approach to do it, jewellery from Lauren’s Hope is the right choice.
This can be a nice present concept for a particular individual in your life!
You possibly can see my Lauren’s Hope medical ID bracelet (and my Myabetic bag) within the picture beneath:
Medical ID equipment from MyID
MyID takes medical IDs to a complete new stage as most of their merchandise function a wearable QR code (Fast Response code, similar to a bar code) making it simple to entry your medical info in a digital format.
You resolve what info to incorporate in your profile and when your code is scanned, that info will likely be shared with EMT or hospital personnel.
MyID has quite a lot of totally different choices together with watch sleeves, bracelets, ID tags, pockets playing cards, and stickers.
Probably the most primary wearable MyID is a medical ID sleeve you could put on in your watch. That’s my favourite as I can put on it with my favourite watch.
You possibly can go to the MyID retailer to see all their merchandise.
Here’s a video of how I put on my MyID watch sleeve:
A smartwatch that works with steady glucose screens (CGMs)
Should you put on a Dexcom CGM like me, with the ability to see your blood sugar readings straight in your wrist is totally good, and each Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Garmin provide that resolution.
Solely Apple and Garmin have official Dexcom apps however you’ll be able to obtain an unofficial clockface to FitBit (see how on this YouTube video) and that works simply as nicely.
The individual sporting the Dexcom nonetheless has to convey their iPhone with them and so they must be not more than 6 toes from the telephone for this to work.
You possibly can learn my evaluate of one of the best smartwatches for individuals with diabetes to be taught extra or purchase one among my beneficial smartwatches right here:
I exploit a Fitbit with the Dexcom app displayed on the house display screen, as you’ll be able to see right here:
Most individuals get pleasure from a foot therapeutic massage, and for individuals with sort 1 or sort 2 diabetes, getting a foot therapeutic massage would possibly even profit blood sugar ranges, enhance blood circulation, and alleviate among the signs of diabetic neuropathy.
So why not add a foot massager machine to your wishlist? A lot of the foot massagers out there are sufficiently small to simply be saved away in a closet while you don’t use them and all of the set up required is that you simply plug it into {an electrical} outlet.
After which all it’s important to do is sit again and luxuriate in a therapeutic massage. That seems like an exquisite present to me.
You will discover the right mannequin to your current in my evaluate of one of the best foot massagers for individuals with diabetes (or simply purchase the Shiatsu Foot & Calf Massager that I ranked as no 1 in my evaluate.)
Lily’s chocolate
It has been a long-standing joke that diabetes chocolate, aka sugar-free chocolate, is so dangerous that you simply solely present it to individuals you don’t like.
However that has modified in recent times and I believe that Lily’s chocolate is the gold customary with regards to sugar-free chocolate.
Lily’s now gives chocolate bars, baking chocolate, chocolate-covered nuts, peanut butter cups (that may make you utterly overlook the full-sugared ones), and different sweet choices.
Completely different sweeteners are used within the number of Lily’s merchandise however they don’t comprise maltitol, maltodextrin, or dextrose.
You should purchase Lily’s chocolate on Amazon.
4AllFamily Insulin cooling case
A 4AllFamily cooler is the right resolution for preserving insulin cool whereas touring or in scorching locations (just like the seashore). It was my best choice once I reviewed one of the best insulin coolers and journey instances.
I additionally did a full evaluate and demonstration of the 4AllFamily cooler on YouTube.
They’ve quite a lot of totally different sizes, starting from one-pen coolers all the best way as much as coolers that may simply match 7 insulin pens.
I like this smaller one for shorter journeys as it’s tremendous mild and can preserve my insulin beneath 79F (26C) for as much as 16 hours. The temperature and the way lengthy it would preserve it chilly will depend on the surface temperature.
However what makes 4AllFamily distinctive is the coolers that include a USB lid.
Should you get the moveable medical fridge lid, it would convert your cooler right into a mini fridge so long as it’s plugged into an influence supply. Meaning that it’s going to preserve your insulin 36-46F (2-8C) ceaselessly when plugged in.
You should purchase the 4AllFamily coolers on Amazon.
Frio cooling instances
Frio cooling instances are good for preserving insulin on the proper temperature when you find yourself touring or simply out within the solar. With a Frio case, you might be on the highway for longer intervals with out having to consider entry to a fridge.
The best way that is totally different from different cooling instances is that there aren’t any ice packs or fridges concerned, you merely submerge the pouch in water and it’ll preserve your insulin on the proper temperature for no less than 2 days.
And after the two days are up, you’ll be able to simply resubmerge the pouch in water and you’ve got one other 2 days of cooling, and so forth.
You should purchase Frio cooling instances on Amazon.
Shimmer for a Treatment Jewellery
What I really like concerning the Shimmer for a Treatment assortment is that it’s a mix of fairly jewellery and diabetes consciousness.
The designer behind the gathering lives with diabetes and collaborates with JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Analysis Basis).
The Skyline Royale Assortment is designed “to empower and educate, bringing forth a message of power and resilience to these residing with diabetes” and contains necklaces, rings, earrings, scented candles, t-shirts, and rather more.
My favourite items of the Skyline Royale Assortment are the tennis bracelet and hoop earrings, however there are many different choices, and so they’re inexpensive too.
You possibly can try the gathering on their web site.
Diabetes books
Information is all the things with regards to diabetes, and increasing your information will solely make life simpler.
All of those books are written by individuals residing with diabetes that I extremely respect and will provide you with extra insights into the complexity of diabetes, train, yoga, and psychological well being.
- Assume Like a Pancreas by Gary Scheiner
- The Diabetic Muscle and Health Information by Phil Graham
- Shiny Spots & Landmines by Adam Brown
- The Athlete’s Information to Diabetes by Sheri Colberg
- Your Diabetes Science Experiment by Ginger Vieira
- Yoga For Diabetes: How you can Handle Your Well being with Yoga and Ayurveda by Rachel Zinman
You may as well check out this listing of the 21 greatest diabetes books for extra concepts.
Donate to a diabetes group
If in case you have all of the stuff you want and simply need to assist different individuals with diabetes, possibly asking for a donation in your identify may very well be an choice.
I’ve listed 3 organizations that every one work exhausting to assist individuals residing with diabetes, whether or not it’s by means of analysis, community-building, or elevating consciousness and combating injustice.
If you’re exterior the US and would like to maintain the donations inside your house nation, most international locations have a nationwide diabetes affiliation you’ll be able to contact and donate to as a substitute.
- Past Sort 1 (BT1) – Based in 2015, Past Sort 1 is the brand new child on the block. They’ve constructed a neighborhood for individuals with diabetes (try their app), present training, and lift consciousness about diabetes. All donations go straight to those applications. Additionally they have actually good details about diabetes-related topics on their web site. You possibly can even discover health recommendation written by yours really.
- Juvenile Diabetes Analysis Basis (JDRF) – The JDRF is a world group funding diabetes analysis. Native branches have intensive neighborhood actions, training, and advocacy applications. I’m personally concerned with JDRFs Los Angeles Younger Management Committee (YLC), a small fundraising and community-building group.
- American Diabetes Affiliation (ADA) – The American Diabetes Affiliation is the biggest of the diabetes organizations. Their mission is to stop and remedy diabetes and to enhance the lives of all individuals affected by diabetes. You’ll discover a ton of sources relating to all the things diabetes-related on their web site in addition to native help.
As you’ll be able to see, there are quite a lot of nice diabetes-related items to place in your want listing. If I missed something, let me know within the feedback beneath and I’ll add it to my Final Information to Presents for Diabetics!
Comfortable Holidays!
