Dealing with diabetes can sometimes be overwhelming and disheartening — but there are things you can do to fight those feelings. Try these tips for things like increasing the quality of your daily life and minimizing the chances of complications, and you’ll feel more confident about your ability to handle diabetes.

Diabetics are recommended to increase their intake of cinnamon as it’s been shown in scientific studies to keep blood sugar from spiking during a meal. I love to add it to oatmeal or cereal, and I also bake banana muffins with at least one tablespoon of sugar each so I know I’ll get my recommended daily dose.

One key to beating type II diabetes is to lose weight. It’s actually all the fat on your body that is causing you to be diabetic, so getting rid of it can literally cure you if you are type II. Even a loss of as little as 20 pounds can have a profound impact on your health.

Seeds are an excellent snack for diabetics! They pack a nutritional punch that includes healthy oils and fats as well as fiber and protein. One can keep a container of unsalted sunflower seeds at their desk with a plastic spoon in it so a mouthful can be eaten whenever a pick me up is needed.

Diabetics need to avoid ketchup like the plague. I know it’s tasty, I love it to death, but it’s so full of sugar both from the tomatoes and the high fructose corn syrup that it’s more of a curse than a pleasure. I like to replace it with yellow mustard as it has little to no sugar added.

Green tea is an excellent tool for the Diabetic who is attempting to lose weight. Studies show it helps your heart to stay healthy, and it’s so tasty that you won’t want to add any sweeteners to it. You can also use powdered matcha in cooking, and it’s great with cocoa!

Don’t use alcohol swabs on your skin before you give yourself an injection of insulin. They will dry out your skin and cause you more trouble than they’re worth, which will make you even less happy about having to take your treatment. As long as you clean your skin with soap and water, you should be fine.

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.

Check to see if your grocery store puts out items that are close to their due date for clearance. Often, you can use things like ripe bananas for muffins or banana bread and you can find awesome sugar-free and low-carb recipes for both foods online. This can make for tasty and healthy treats, at a low cost, that any diabetic can enjoy!

Following the USDA Food Guide Pyramid will help you to live healthier with diabetes. The food guide pyramid was developed as a guide for healthy eating for everyone. It works for people with diabetes, too. The shape of the pyramid tells you how much to eat of different foods.

To make sure your glucose and blood sugar levels stay stable, eat at the exact same times every day. When your body knows when to expect food, it will have an easier time processing it, and dramatic rises or drops will be less common. Try setting an alarm that beeps every time you need to eat.

Remind yourself consistently why you manage your diabetes. Keep your thoughts on things that you like to do in life, the obstacles that keep you from doing them, and how you can overcome that. Stay focused on what is important to you so those things will keep you motivated to continue to manage your disease.

Learning to eat right is an important factor in controlling diabetes. The key steps to developing an approriate diet is cutting back on refined carbohydrates, keeping portions sizes under control, establishing and maintaining a regular meal schedule, and consuming a variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Simply speaking, a diabetes-friendly diet is low in fats, high in nutrients, and contains a moderate number of calories.

Eating lots of fiber, offsets carbohydrates, as well as, sugars found in your system, which helps to maintain a healthy blood sugar level. Fiber can be found in many grains, vegetables, fruits and other foods. A healthy blood sugar level helps prevent diabetes and also, helps offset diabetic symptoms after you are already diagnosed. Make sure you have plenty of fiber in your diet.

Diabetes does not have many symptoms and when you do not take your medications, there is often no immediate effect. However, it is very dangerous as untreated diabetes can easily lead to more dangerous health conditions such as heart disease. If you have diabetes, make sure to stay vigilant about taking your medications to prevent further complications.

For those who suffer from diabetes there are many alternatives to sugar that can fulfill our sugar craving. These artificial sweeteners are often times 25 to 100 times more sweet than sugar and most the time they have close to 0 calories. Use these artificial sweeteners as a replacement for sugar.

To be sensitive to those with diabetes, use diabetic friendly recipes anytime you have guests over and you are cooking. Instead of asking if anyone has diabetes, just assume everyone at the table does. Even non-diabetics are sure to enjoy tasty yet healthy cooking that leaves them feeling great but not bloated.

Even though diabetes both influences your day-to-day life and has potential long-term effects, it can be treated and controlled. These tips will help you manage your diabetes in smart, compassionate ways. Having that control will, in turn, keep you feeling good about yourself and your life no matter how tough things get sometimes.