Diabetes diagnosis can leave patients feeling like their lives have been destroyed, but adapting to the disease can make life a little easier. If you’re ready to get your blood sugar levels under control and start improving your health, find out where to start next!
Multiple participants
Linda Siminerio, president of the National Diabetes Education Program, notes that “diabetes management requires multiple parties.”
In addition to consulting with a doctor or nurse, patients can also seek help from:
- Nutritionists
- Pharmacists
- Endocrinologists
- Diabetic foot doctor
- Dentist
- Psychiatrist
Patient-led
While the healthcare team is critical, the patient is the most important member of it.
Patients should be proactive about their health and ask questions; understand the efficacy of their medications and how to use them properly; understand their glycated hemoglobin levels and what they mean; and practice good health habits as recommended by their doctor.
Control your weight
“Being overweight is one of the major causes of the diabetes epidemic,” according to Vivian Fonseca, MD, professor of medicine and pharmacology at Tulane University.
Fat clings to muscles and vital organs, such as the liver and pancreas, which can lead to serious complications. Any level of weight loss is good for patients,” Vivian said. Weight loss can reverse many of the physical changes caused by diabetes.
Losing excess fat around the waist and abdomen is critical. People with a typical “apple-shaped” body are often men in their 40s and 50s, who are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease.
When it comes to weight loss, implementing a workable goal plan can help achieve lasting change. Set a goal of losing 1 pound a week,” Vivian suggests.
Staying active
To lose weight, patients should try to exercise 3 times a week for 30-60 minutes each time.
Regular exercise helps:
- Lower blood sugar
- Strengthen heart health
- Lower blood pressure
- Increase the efficiency of insulin production in the body
Patients are more likely to stick with exercise if they can find something they enjoy. “Exercise should not be an ordeal,” Vivian says. “If you want to swim, go swimming. If you want to dance, then go dance. These are all exercises.”
You can also find a partner to join you and help you stick to your workout. For example, invite your significant other to join in.
Modify your diet
The goal of eating well with diabetes is to achieve a healthy balance, not how perfect it is.
You can get a lot of fiber by consuming plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Keep track of the carbohydrates you consume so you can avoid overconsumption of sugar and stay away from sugary drinks.
Eat more protein and stay away from trans fatty acids. Get 25% protein at each meal, through fish, chicken, dairy, or eggs.
Always have fruit at home, and if you want to eat sweets, be careful to avoid overindulging.
The more people involved in a healthy meal plan, the better it will be for adherence. Because many times, making dietary changes alone can actually be difficult to do.
Considering that everyone’s health is different, it’s best to ask a nutritionist to create a diet plan for you; copying someone else’s recipes directly doesn’t necessarily work for you.
Quit smoking
Evolutionarily speaking, human muscles are often in a state of readiness to fight or stay out of danger. When insulin doesn’t work properly, the process of releasing energy from the muscles fills the blood with glucose.
Stress can cause an increase in blood sugar, raise blood pressure, and increase the likelihood of heart disease. If you normally relieve stress by smoking, you must break the habit. Smoking not only harms the lungs, it also causes blood vessels to narrow. People with diabetes who also smoke and have high blood pressure and hyperlipidemia, then smoking is like a time bomb in the body, which can be life-threatening at any time.
Here are some ways to relieve stress in a healthy way:
- Do breathing exercises
- Tighten your muscles and then relax
- Walk or jog
- Stretch
- Take up a new hobby
- Replace negative thoughts with positive ones
All in all, it is recommended that you maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle and commit to it.