In this episode Corinna Cornejo and Sarah Edwards discuss Registered Dietitian Vai Jun Lam’s Master Chat on diabetes distress, how to identify it and respond effectively.

The chronic aspect of diabetes is not an easy pill to swallow.  The magnitude of its effects in an individual’s lifestyle can be both overwhelming and daunting, physically and emotionally.  Diabetes distress is the confluence of anxiety and depression that can result from the challenges of daily diabetes management.  This presentation aims to talk about the relationship between anxiety and diabetes management, as anxiety and stress go hand-in-hand and can potentially affect one’s quality of life.  In fact the combination of anxiety and diabetes can exacerbate symptoms, however signs of anxiety can often be overlooked by many people.  This presentation includes various helpful tips to manage anxiety along with diabetes, as well as ways to recognize anxiety in your own or a loved one’s life.

Based in Hong Kong, Vai Jun Lam (also known as VJ) is a registered dietitian who has worked with patients of multiple backgrounds and conditions.  Her areas of expertise include nutrition support and diabetes management.  After graduating from McGill University in Canada, she worked in a community center that focused on weight management for children.  For the past two years ago, she has been a founding part of a multidisciplinary diabetes care team in Hong Kong where she provides individual and group counseling in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.  Her great interest in diabetes led her to pursue a master’s degree at Teachers College Columbia University.

The Master Chat Series is an annual collaboration between TuDiabetes and Teacher’s College Columbia University’s Master of Science in Diabetes Education and Management program.  This 36-credit inter-professional master’s program is offered to clinicians who are currently in or interested in the diabetes field. As part of a course requirement, students present ‘Master Chats’ on a variety of topics they have chosen based on discussions taking place in the TuDiabetes community. Master Chats include a short presentation followed by a Q and A, and are an opportunity not only for TuDiabetes members to learn from students in this program, but also to give feedback to them in an effort to help them be the best care-givers they can be!