Diabetes is a condition that affects the way your body uses sugar. There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. While the causes of both types are different, they share one similarity: they require regular care to manage symptoms, prevent complications and maintain overall health.
Regular Check-Ups
Diabetes is a chronic condition that requires routine, scheduled check-ups to monitor your health and make sure you’re staying on track. It may seem like an inconvenience or an annoyance at first, but these check-ups can actually save your life! If you have diabetes, you’ll need to see a doctor for:
- A physical exam
- A blood sugar test (called an A1C) to measure how well your blood sugar has been controlled over the past several months
- An eye examination by an ophthalmologist if you have diabetic retinopathy (damage to the retina from high blood sugar).
If these checks are negative and everything looks good, then all is well! If they aren’t so good as per your diabetes health, however (and they probably won’t be), then it’s time for some serious attention.
Healthy Dining Choices
Here are some healthy eating habits that you can try out:
- Eat a balanced diet
- Eat small meals throughout the day
- Make sure to eat healthy fats, such as olive oil or nuts.
- Limit sugar and salt. Sugar can increase your blood glucose levels, while salt can increase your blood pressure. Both of these conditions are bad for people with diabetes. In addition, eating too much sugar can lead to weight gain, which puts additional strain on your body and increases the risk of heart disease and other problems associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks to avoid spikes in insulin levels caused by consuming large amounts of sugary drinks alone at once rather than spread out over several different meals throughout the day (which will cause repeated spikes in insulin levels).
Exercise
Exercise is a great way to help lower blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of heart disease. In fact, exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 80%.
Exercise helps you lose weight by helping your body burn fat more efficiently. It also boosts your mood and makes you feel better about yourself – which is important for people with diabetes because depression can make managing the condition harder.
Medication
The oral medication you’ll be prescribed can be taken in different ways—after meals, with water or other liquids, at the same time every day. Be sure to discuss these options with your doctor or pharmacist. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible and continue on your regular schedule. If it’s almost time for the next dose, skip the one you missed and take only what’s left of your normal dosage.
You might also be required to get an insulin pump. With an insulin pump from Tandem Diabetes, you can rest assured knowing that your health is taken care of. As per their experts, “Our Control-IQ technology makes it easier by using Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)* values to predict glucose levels 30 minutes ahead and automatically adjusting insulin.”
We all know that diabetes is a complicated and demanding disease that can only be managed with constant care and attention. However, with the right information and guidance, managing your diabetes effectively and living a healthy life is possible. To help you achieve this goal, we’ve outlined some of the most important things you need to know about caring for yourself as a diabetic.
