Once you have diabetes, your next immediate step should be learning how to live with diabetes. This is going to take some effort on your part, to learn about the sickness and everything you can do to stay on top of it. Articles like the one you’re reading now will help you manage your disease, so don’t neglect to read these tips.
If your child is diagnosed with Diabetes, make keeping track of their blood sugar fun. Have a contest where they get a reward for doing their blood sugar on time every day for a certain number of days, like a trip to the toy store or an hour at the park.
Make healthy choices when you go out to eat, but don’t go overboard. You don’t have to starve yourself on salads, but replacing the fatty fries that are served with steamed vegetables will make your meal less likely to spike your blood sugars. A Diabetic has to be careful, but doesn’t have to be anorexic!
Using a log book to record your daily glucose test results can be very helpful in controlling your diabetes. It is important to notice trends in your blood sugar readings, so having a written record can help you look back and see patterns. Taking a written record to your appointments can also help your doctor to make treatment adjustments.
Try buying food at local farmer’s markets or at the farm itself to get discounts on healthy foods. A diet for Diabetes doesn’t have to be expensive, you just have to look for deals and sometimes shop in different locations. Eating farm fresh eggs for the first time will make you a believer!
Most people know that reducing their fat intake is a major step in a heart-healthy diet. For diabetics, this is even more important because the heart relies on controlled and well-maintained blood sugars. Target reduced or eliminated saturated fats, which are often from animal sources and include lard, bacon, and butter, as well as plant fats, like vegetable shortening.
If you see ANY damage to the skin on your feet and you have Diabetes you must let your podiatrist know as soon as possible! He’ll be able to tell you what to use to keep it clean and free of infection, and prescribe you an antibiotic cream or gel if necessary.
To improve treatment compliance, take a moment to reflect on why you take care of your diabetes. Think about the things in your life that you enjoy doing, what are the things that keep your from doing it and what should you do to help with that. It’s important to pay attention to your priorities and let them drive your planning.
If you are feeling symptoms of depression, consult with your physician. If you become depressed it will have a severe impact on how you are managing your diabetes. You will lose interest in food, have a lower activity level and increase your stress levels. Targeting these symptoms early can avoid unwanted complications later.
A good tip for people dealing with diabetes is to never skip meals, especially breakfast. If you do not eat for several hours for whatever reason, your body relies on glucose released from your liver for energy. People with diabetes continue to produce glucose even when their body has had enough so make sure to eat something to let your liver know to stop producing glucose.
Stop smoking. Aside from the well-documented lung cancer risks, smoking is of extra concern for diabetics. Diabetes and smoking both put you at an increased risk for heart disease, nerve damage, and kidney problems. Smoking also causes a rise in blood sugar. Either risk alone is enough for concern, but a diabetic who smokes is at a much higher risk of developing problems.
Afraid of diabetes? Its time to start exercising. Not only will we get that body that we always wanted if we exercise, but also we will lessen our chance of getting diabetes. Every calorie we burn on that treadmill can add time to our life. If you are looking for reasons to exercise think of how much you can extend your life by dedicating that 30 minutes everyday.
You have a sweet tooth, but you’ve just been diagnosed with Type II diabetes, what are you going to do? There are many artificial sweeteners that can take the place of sugar in our lives. We may have tasted diet soda and though that we couldn’t bare it. But with multiple tastes you begin to get used to the taste and before long you will find yourself enjoying these diet beverages as much as you enjoyed the real thing. Better still, try carbonated water with just a little fruit juice.
Diabetes can cause blood circulation problems. It is important that if you have any healing wounds or are currently recovering from an infection that you seek medical assistance. Avoiding injuries is the best way to avoid blood circulation problems as a diabetic, but if you do get injured, wash the wound thoroughly and seek medical assistance.
Diabetics should get plenty of light exercise for good circulation and weight control. Some great exercises for diabetics include light walking, swimming, jogging, and rowing. Yoga is also an excellent form of exercise for diabetics. It is important to get regular light aerobic exercise to increase circulation and support a strong cardiovascular system.
To avoid complications with your diabetes, pay attention to the amount and the type of carbohydrates that you eat. You do not have to eliminate them completely from your diet, but it is important to choose carbs that break down slowly, giving your body energy throughout the day. In particular, whole grains, beans, nuts, fruits and vegetables are good choices.
What you’ve just read in the above article are a few tips you can use to assist you in living with diabetes. If you’re willing to put in the effort to learn and then to build a plan of attack to fight the disease head on, you stand a good chance of thriving with the disease. But it all starts with you.
