By working closely with your doctor and focusing on 6 lifestyle changes, you can help manage your diabetes. Here are 6 ways to help you better manage your diabetes.
Eat healthy
The reason this is so important for people with diabetes is that what you eat affects your blood sugar levels.
There is no one food that is strictly forbidden, but you need to supplement the foods that your body needs. Get enough vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Choose nonfat milk and lean meats. Eat less of foods high in sugar and fat.
Remember that carbohydrates are converted to sugar, so watch your carbohydrate intake. This is even more important if you are using insulin or medications to control your blood sugar.
Staying active
If you don’t usually exercise much, it’s time to get moving. There’s no need to go to the gym and do training. Just take a walk, ride a bike, or play some dynamic video games.
The exercise goal should be to do 30 minutes of activity that helps your body sweat most days of the week.
An active lifestyle can help control diabetes by lowering blood sugar, and it can also lower your chances of developing heart disease. In addition, an active lifestyle can help shed excess weight and reduce stress.
Staying on top of your checkups
Visit your doctor at least 2 times a year. Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, so it’s important to know a few things: cholesterol, blood pressure, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c, a 3-month average blood glucose value).
Get a complete eye exam once a year and have your podiatrist check for problems like foot ulcers and nerve damage.
Managing stress
Stress can raise blood glucose levels, and in addition, stress can lead to a failure to manage diabetes well. Patients can forget to exercise, eat right, or take their medications.
Find ways to relieve stress – deep breathing, yoga, or a hobby that relaxes you.
Quit smoking
Diabetes makes people more likely to develop health problems such as heart disease, eye disease, stroke, kidney disease, blood vessel disease, nerve damage, and foot disease. The chances of developing these diseases are higher if you smoke. Smoking also makes exercise more difficult. Talk to your doctor about ways to quit smoking.
Drink alcohol in moderation
Blood sugar is easier to control when you don’t drink excessive amounts of beer, wine, and liquor. Therefore it is important not to drink alcohol in excess. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that women should not drink more than 1 drink per day and men should not drink more than 2 drinks per day.
Alcohol can make your blood sugar too high or too low, so check your blood sugar before drinking and take steps to avoid hypoglycemia. If you are using insulin or medication to control your diabetes, you should eat something when you drink.
Some drinks, such as glucose-based juices, may be high in carbohydrates, so take this into account when counting carbohydrates.