Deb Manzella, RN, is our Diabetes Guide from our parent company, About.com. To visit her Expert Corner on Calorie Count Plus, click here.

About:

Deb is a freelance writer and an RN with practical experience helping patients with diabetes, from teaching the newly diagnosed, to providing continuing care for the established diabetic patient in the hospital setting. She believes that there is a need for a comprehensive site for information for people who have diabetes. It is a unique disease in that it requires the patient to manage the majority of their own care right from the beginning of the diagnosis. This can be confusing at first, but Deb believes that "knowledge is power". Armed with information, the diabetes patient can make good choices for care and maintain a quality life.

Experience:

Deb is an RN, since 2000. She has worked in pediatrics, cardiology and palliative care. She is a Healthcare Professional Member of the American Diabetes Associaton and a registered advocate for improving diabetes care for everyone who has been touched by diabetes.

In addition to nursing, she also writes a humor/current events column for two weekly newspapers. Her column is called Life Happens and has appeared biweekly since 1997.

Education:

Deb has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the State University College at Buffalo. She also has an Associates of Applied Science in Nursing and is a licensed, practicing RN. She is currently enrolling in the Clinical Nurse Specialist program/masters degree program in diabetes, at the University of Buffalo, NY.

From Debra Manzella, R.N.:

Welcome to About Diabetes! This site is designed for people who are interested in, or diagnosed with diabetes, and also for the people who would like to support them. A diagnosis of diabetes might seem overwhelming at first. There is so much to learn and so much to understand about the way our bodies work. As someone who has worked extensively with diabetic patients, I feel it's important to have as much knowledge as possible available at our fingertips to help control and possibly reverse many of the symptoms that diabetes can bring. Items such as glucometers, insulin, oral medications, nutrition, exercise and new cutting edge research and development are all involved in comprehensive care. Being able to manage diabetes independently goes a long way toward improving the quality of our lives. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. I'll try to steer you in the right direction!