Trust us–being diabetic on Halloween doesn’t have to be a drag! Tennessee Valley Urology Center has gathered some helpful tips for you to enjoy a great holiday without the high blood sugar blues. Plan Ahead Talk to your family about any particular Halloween celebrations you want to enjoy and how they can be balanced with your diabetes management. Find Activities That Don’t Involve Food You can take the focus off candy by participating in arts and crafts projects, pumpkin carving/painting contests, watching Halloween movies, visiting haunted houses, or going on a hayride. Read on →

This month, Tennessee Valley Urology Center wants to talk to you about bladder cancer. Most people don’t know this, but smoking tobacco is the single most important risk factor for bladder cancer that we know of. When you smoke cigarettes, the toxins from the smoke not only enter your body, but they also have to find a way out. Carcinogens from smoke leave the body through your urinary tract. Read on →

The cold and flu season is a bummer for everyone, but it’s even worse for people with diabetes. Viral infections, dehydration, and even the sugar in some cold and flu medicines can make it challenging to manage your blood sugar. The Tennessee Valley Urology Center has put together some suggestions to help you get through the season as healthily as possible. Get a flu shot every year. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu shot annually. Read on →

Most of us pass kidney stones without realizing it because most stones are tiny granules. The problem with kidney stones is that the larger ones can block the flow of urine and turn out to be incredibly painful. Tennessee Valley Urology Center is here to help you understand what triggers the formation of kidney stones so you can help get the painful recurrences under control. Kidney stones form when minerals in your urine stick together. Read on →

If you have type two diabetes, getting adequate sleep is incredibly important. Skimping on sleep can negatively impact blood sugar levels and stress your whole body, causing it to release hormones like cortisol, which increases blood sugar levels. Tennessee Valley Urology Center wants to help you stay healthy with diabetes and get great sleep. Related: Read more about diabetic sleep problems. Check out these tips: Make sleep your priority. Read on →

Are you going back to school as a teacher or student, but battling urinary incontinence? If so, you’re not alone–urinary incontinence affects millions of men and women of all ages. We know the condition can be an embarrassing one. Your friends at the Tennessee Valley Urology Center have put together a few strategies to help improve your symptoms so you can better cope with the day-to-day challenges of your condition. Read on →

Whenever we talk about conditions involving the bladder, kidneys, prostate or urinary tract, we talk about risk factors. Certain risk factors cannot be mitigated due to genetics, age, ethnicity, or another predisposition. Other risk factors may be avoided or reduced with certain lifestyle changes. Tennessee Valley Urology Center wants to help you understand the ways you can change your life to help lower your risk of disease. Eat Right Read on →

Summer in Tennessee is hot! It’s so important to stay hydrated with plenty of water. Proper hydration helps protect you from urinary tract infections and kidney stones, and it’s especially important for anyone with diabetes. Almost everyone should aim to drink more water this summer. We know how upping your water intake can be a challenge, that’s why Tennessee Valley Urology Center has put together some tips to help make it easier. Read on →

Did you know that kidney stones are most commonly formed in the summer and autumn months? That’s right–it’s because the warmer months put you at a greater risk of becoming dehydrated. Which means it’s even more important to drink extra water this summer. Tennessee Valley Urology Center wants to help you avoid kidney stones. The single most effective way to prevent kidney stones is to drink lots of water. When we get dehydrated, our urine becomes too concentrated and the minerals can build up and form stones. Read on →

Planning to do some traveling this summer? While most of us look forward to summer travels, for those with overactive bladder (OAB), the thought might be a little scary. Tennessee Valley Urology Center has gathered up some tips to help you plan ahead and avoid unwanted problems. When planning a road trip, plan a pit stop every two hours. Some folks with OAB can get away with a bathroom break every four hours. Read on →