Sr Tracey Coetsee

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Sr Tracey Coetsee Diabetes Education & Management
Metabolic & Lifestyle Health
On-going Nurse Support Programs

Summer on the coast is lovely. For insulin, not so much.Insulin left in a hot car, the cubby or direct sun can lose stre...
11/10/2026

Summer on the coast is lovely. For insulin, not so much.

Insulin left in a hot car, the cubby or direct sun can lose strength without looking any different. Keep it with you, use a cool bag when you're out, and keep it off the ice pack, because freezing damages it too. Unopened insulin belongs in the fridge. Check the leaflet for how long an opened pen lasts.

Where does your insulin travel with you?

Waterproof, sweatproof, gym-class-proof — and then a car door gets it in one clean swipe. If you wear a CGM, you already...
08/10/2026

Waterproof, sweatproof, gym-class-proof — and then a car door gets it in one clean swipe.
If you wear a CGM, you already know the real threat isn't your glucose, it's your own driveway.
What's claimed one of yours — a door, a doorframe, a jacket sleeve? 😉😉

One small thing to try this week: after a meal, take a gentle 10-minute walk.When you move, your muscles act like little...
06/10/2026

One small thing to try this week: after a meal, take a gentle 10-minute walk.

When you move, your muscles act like little glucose sponges, soaking up glucose for fuel. That can help soften the rise after eating. A walk round the garden or even round the house counts.

Which meal will you try it after?

Flu, a tummy bug, even a bad cold can push your glucose up, sometimes when you're hardly eating at all. Your body releas...
04/10/2026

Flu, a tummy bug, even a bad cold can push your glucose up, sometimes when you're hardly eating at all. Your body releases stress hormones to fight the illness, and they raise glucose.

The time to make a sick-day plan is before you're ill. Ask your healthcare team what to check, how often, and which medicines to keep taking or pause. Keep the plan where you can find it.

Do you have a sick-day plan yet?

Every bag I own eventually becomes a glucose tablet archaeology site. Old juice box, questionable snack, one lone tablet...
01/10/2026

Every bag I own eventually becomes a glucose tablet archaeology site.
Old juice box, questionable snack, one lone tablet stuck to a receipt.
Where does YOUR emergency stash live — bag, car, bedside table, all three? 😉😉

No snacks. No treats. Forty minutes of N2 traffic, and your glucose went up anyway.Here's why. When you're stressed, you...
29/09/2026

No snacks. No treats. Forty minutes of N2 traffic, and your glucose went up anyway.

Here's why. When you're stressed, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Part of their job is to get fuel ready, so they can prompt your liver to release stored glucose. Your body thinks it's helping.

Next time a reading surprises you, ask: what else was going on today?

What's the most random thing that has ever pushed your glucose up?

Nobody is asking you to give up pap.Or samp. Or rice. Or roti.Vegetables, protein and a little healthy fat beside the st...
24/09/2026

Nobody is asking you to give up pap.

Or samp. Or rice. Or roti.

Vegetables, protein and a little healthy fat beside the starch slow it down. Same food, same table, gentler rise.

Some weeks you just don't want to look at the meter. You know you should. You don't.Diabetes asks you to make decisions ...
22/09/2026

Some weeks you just don't want to look at the meter. You know you should. You don't.

Diabetes asks you to make decisions about your health many times a day, with no time off. It would be strange if that didn't wear you down eventually. There's a name for it — diabetes fatigue — and it's different from depression.

It's worth saying out loud to someone.

Which part of it wears you down most? And if you've stopped testing because of how it makes you feel, please tell someone — me, your doctor, or anyone on your team. That reaction is extremely common, and it is fixable.

Think of our muscles as little glucose sponges—the more we use them, the more glucose they can take up.Here's the part t...
20/09/2026

Think of our muscles as little glucose sponges—the more we use them, the more glucose they can take up.

Here's the part that catches people out: as we get older we slowly lose muscle unless we're intentional about keeping it. Less muscle means less capacity to soak glucose up.

Walking is excellent, but strength training matters too. Chair stands, carrying shopping bags, wall push-ups or lifting water bottles all count. Aim for twice a week—no gym required.

What could you lift, push or carry this week?

If you use insulin or gliclazide, movement can lower your glucose for several hours afterwards. Speak to your diabetes team before starting a new routine.

A cold, chest infection or stomach bug—and suddenly your glucose climbs, even when you’re barely eating.Stress can affec...
17/09/2026

A cold, chest infection or stomach bug—and suddenly your glucose climbs, even when you’re barely eating.

Stress can affect it too.

When you’re stressed or unwell, hormones signal your liver to release more glucose. So, a higher reading doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve done something wrong.

But do you have a sick-day plan?

It should explain how often to check your glucose, how to stay hydrated, whether any medication needs adjusting and when to seek help.

Never stop insulin unless your diabetes team specifically tells you to.

Don’t wait until you’re unwell—ask your healthcare team to help you make a personal sick-day plan.

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Ballito
Ballitoville
4399

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+27833904107

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