Diabetes management:
Having diabetes can be very hard sometimes but it doesn’t mean it is the end of the world for you. You can have diabetes and still enjoy life. Of Course, there will be some things you can’t do or eat but look at the rest of the things you can do.
Type of Diabetes :
The first step in diabetes management is to know what type of diabetes you have. There are mainly three types of diabetes :
- Type 1 diabetes-in this type your body doesn’t make insulin and your body needs insulin to maintain your sugar level.
- Type 2 diabetes- at the start your body does make insulin but your body is kind of unable to use it or respond to it. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes
- Gestational diabetes-Some women may get this type of diabetes when they are pregnant and it may go away after birth but then the baby and mother both have a high risk of getting diabetes in later life.
Things you need to keep track of :
There are three main things that you need to track which are
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Blood sugar level (A1C test)-it is a blood test that measures your average blood sugar test for the past three months.it isn’t the regular each day test you do
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Blood Pressure-Blood pressure is the force of blood against the blood vessels. if its too much it can cause heart attack, stroke and damage your kidneys
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Cholesterol-There are two types of cholesterol good and bad. Bad cholesterol clogs up your blood vessels and can cause a heart attack while the good one gets rid of the bad cholesterol.
Living with diabetes
Exercising daily must be part of your life when you have diabetes cause it contributes to a more improved blood glucose management system, reduces stress, and lowers the chances of you having high blood pressure which could be caused by diabetes. If your lifestyle isn’t that active then start slow by taking 10-minute walks mostly three times a day.
The most important thing that you need to do is to know what kind of food you can eat. You need to choose foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, salt and avoid sugar-sweetened beverages because they are high in calories. The best way to find out is to ask your doctor or nutritionist for advice.
If you are under stress, the hormones produced under stress can cause a rise in your blood sugar levels. When stressed you need to do tasks that make you relax like going for a walk, listening to your favorite music, doing gardening, or any of your favorite hobbies. Meditating daily and doing yoga can also help in reducing stress and tension.
Things you need to do daily:
- Take your medicine daily
- Check your feet for cuts, red spots, and swelling if they don’t go away do inform your doctor asap
- Brush your teeth to keep your mouth and gums healthy
- Check your blood sugar at least once a day.