Physicians regularly advice diabetic patients to eat right, exercise and monitor blood sugar, however the implementation of such recommendations is never easy and far from the ideal scenario.

Diabetics still put themselves into a greater risk for damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes, and feet. Maybe they just won't listen? Or is it the lack of access to diabetes care education?

Whatever the gap is, the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American College of Physicians Foundation (ACPF) are willing to close it by newly launched three practical, comprehensive educational tools for practicing internists who are ACP members, other healthcare professionals on clinical practice teams, and their patients:

1. Living With Diabetes: An Everyday Guide for You and Your Family

This self-management guide for patients covers diet, exercise, monitoring blood sugar, insulin, and other medications, providing practical tips and concrete examples of successful approaches to control diabetes.

2. The ACP Diabetes Care Guide

This is for physicians and practice teams is intended to be used by multi-disciplinary teams providing care to patients with diabetes that Health care professionals can use to earn continuing education credits.

3. The Diabetes Portal

This is a free Web-based resource for physicians and patients that provides tools, resources, and research supporting diabetes care.

Of course not everyone has access to the internet, and so the Living With Diabetes Guide is available to patients by asking a copy from your internist.

To those with internet access, you can order a copy from The Diabetes Portal and are free to ACP members.

Most importantly, always ask you physician about educational materials and pamphlets about diabetes and diabetes care.

Find more details from the full report.