If you have diabetes, monitoring your blood sugar regularly and following a healthy diet is crucial. These changes can help prevent or delay long-term complications, such as heart disease and blindness. You should also take regular physical activity and stay in good shape. Different types of medication can be taken to improve diabetes management and control. These include insulin, pills that lower blood glucose levels, and aspirin. In addition, it is necessary to check your blood sugar levels with a glucose meter regularly and to talk to a dietitian. Learn about diabetes management and self-care tips to help repel your sugar monster.
Make lifestyle changes to improve your diabetes management
Types of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes
Type one diabetes is an autoimmune disease when the body's immune system destroys insulin-making cells in the pancreas. Insulin helps move sugar from the bloodstream into cells for energy. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin daily, either as a shot or using an insulin pump. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels, eat a healthy diet, and exercise regularly.
Kids with type 1 diabetes should have a doctor draw blood to check their A1C level, or hemoglobin A1C, at least twice a year. They should also have a medical exam and dental cleaning every six months. They should talk to their doctor about what kind of exercise is best for them and how food and exercise affect their blood sugar levels. They should test their blood sugar before, during, and after activities to learn what affects it and how to adjust accordingly.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes develops when fat, liver, and muscle cells don't respond to insulin appropriately. Insulin is a hormone that helps open cells to take in glucose, the fuel that gives us energy. Without enough insulin, blood sugar levels build up and damage body tissues.
This can lead to severe problems, including heart disease, stroke, eye disease, and nerve damage (neuropathy). Managing diabetes and staying healthy reduces your risk of these complications or coexisting conditions.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes (GD) develops in pregnancy when the body can't use the hormone insulin to convert glucose to energy. It affects about 2% to 10% of all pregnant women. GD is diagnosed with a few simple blood tests during the middle of the pregnancy, usually between 24 and 28 weeks. The diagnosis is made by taking a blood sample before and after drinking a special liquid called a glucose tolerance test.
Women with a history of gestational diabetes have a greater chance of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life, but a healthy diet and exercise can help prevent that. It isn't known why some women get GD while others don't, but excess weight and genetics play a role.
Prediabetes
Prediabetes occurs when a person's blood sugar level is higher than it should be but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Most people who develop type 2 diabetes have prediabetes first. People with prediabetes can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes by making lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet and getting regular physical activity.
Importance of Diabetes Management
Having uncontrolled diabetes can cause short-term problems like hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia and lead to long-term problems like heart disease, kidney damage, and nerve damage. Keeping your blood glucose level, blood pressure, and cholesterol close to target can help prevent these complications.
Monitoring blood sugar levels, balancing meals and medications, being physically active, and not smoking are critical to managing diabetes. Taking medication, such as insulin, pills that lower blood glucose, aspirin and blood pressure, and cholesterol medicines, can reduce your risk of diabetes complications.
Having a support system is also essential. Friends and family can provide emotional support, model healthy behaviors, offer encouragement to be physically active, and help monitor and administer insulin or other medications. They can also assist in setting goals, sharing meal preparation and planning, and helping to make daily tasks easier. They can also help identify and solve life stressors that can impact blood sugar levels.
Self-Care Tips for Diabetes Management
Diabetes management is a vital part of maintaining an independent and active lifestyle. It requires a commitment to a daily schedule and routine and a team of healthcare professionals and peers who provide support and education. Here are self-care tips to help you manage your diabetes.
Eating Healthy
A balanced diet and nutrition low in sugar, saturated fat, and sodium can improve blood glucose control.
Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages, which are high in calories and offer no nutritional value. Instead, drink water, unsweetened tea or coffee, milk, or non-fat yogurt. You can also get help navigating meal planning and food selection from a registered dietitian specializing in diabetes.
In addition to healthy eating habits, you should also brush your teeth and floss daily. Poor oral hygiene can increase your risk of gum disease and tooth decay, especially if you have diabetes. It is also essential to make sure you are getting enough sleep.
Regular Physical Activity
Regular physical activity, mainly moderate and vigorous intensity exercises such as walking, cycling, swimming, sports, gardening, dancing, and playing, have numerous health benefits. It can help control blood glucose levels, lower excess body weight, and reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Exercise has also been shown to improve the clinical, metabolic, and anthropometric parameters of people with diabetes. These benefits are seen in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Some people find it challenging to become more active, but there are many ways to make small changes in your daily routine that add up to more activity. For example, during TV commercials, walk the stairs instead of taking the elevator, take the kids for a stroll, go for a bike ride, or get up and move. Always talk to your doctor or dietitian before beginning an exercise program, especially if taking insulin. You may need a snack or extra glucose tablets on hand if your blood sugar falls too low during activity.
Blood Glucose Monitoring
Glucose monitoring is a crucial part of diabetes management. It allows you to track your blood sugar levels throughout the day and adjust based on your eating, how much insulin you take, and other factors.
You should check your blood sugar often and record the results in a diary or diabetes app. This will allow you to see trends over time and help you and your healthcare team spot patterns, such as high blood sugar levels before meals or low glucose levels at night.
You should also check your blood sugar level two hours after each meal to assess how food impacts your levels. Remember to wash and dry your fingers before testing, and be careful to follow instructions for operating your glucose meter.
Medication and Insulin Management
Medications can help control blood sugar and reduce the risk of complications from diabetes. But medications alone can't manage diabetes — patients also need to take responsibility for taking their prescribed medicines correctly.
Oral medications taken in pill form can improve the body's natural insulin production, slow or stop the liver from making glucose, and prevent fat absorption. Doctors may prescribe several oral medications or combinations depending on the patient's condition.
Insulin is an injectable medicine that can be injected into your belly, thigh, or buttocks, though the abdomen is the preferred spot since it works fastest. People who need insulin generally start with long-acting insulin and then add short-acting insulin before each meal to get their blood sugar under control.
Stress Management and Emotional Well-being
Stress levels can impact your health, including your mental and emotional well-being. If you are experiencing symptoms of stress, it's essential to work with a therapist familiar with diabetes management.
There are many ways to reduce stress, such as yoga, deep breathing, meditation, spending time with family and friends, and more. Prioritizing your emotional well-being is not selfish and can help you manage diabetes better. A therapist can teach you how to cope with your feelings of stress and anxiety. They can also provide tools and resources to help you cope with the stress symptoms affecting your daily life.
Seeking Professional Support
Many people who have diabetes need emotional support from a counselor or therapist. This could help with the stress of following a treatment plan or dealing with other issues related to living with diabetes. A counselor can also provide information on how to manage the emotions of depression and anxiety, which are common in people with type 2 diabetes.
Healthcare professionals should incorporate DSME/S into clinical encounters by assessing patients' needs and facilitating patient engagement (e.g., through knowledge sharing, psychosocial and behavioral support, and targeted interventions). Providing a comprehensive approach to self-management support will improve the outcomes of individuals with diabetes. A comprehensive DSME/S plan should consider a patient's: health beliefs; cultural needs and current knowledge; physical limitations; and emotional and financial concerns.
The Bottom Line
Taking care of yourself can feel like a full-time job, especially when you live with diabetes. Even if you have the best diet, take your medications regularly, and engage in regular physical activity, you can experience ups and downs in blood sugar levels.
Make lifestyle changes to improve your diabetes management. Work on losing excess weight, getting adequate sleep, and reducing risk factors for heart disease such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
