A lot of people say that learning how to deal with diabetes is a difficult thing, but this is only true if you don’t know the proper ways to manage your diabetes. Just like anything in life you need to be educated about what steps you need to take to learn how to manage your diabetes, this article has plenty of tips that can help you do that.
Do not skip meals, especially breakfast. When you let too much time lapse between meals or skip a meal completely, you risk having your blood glucose levels drop too low. Diabetics who eat breakfast, lunch and dinner without skipping any meals are much more likely to have normal glucose readings.
Don’t use alcohol swabs before an insulin injection. It’s actually unnecessary, as long as your skin, hands, and needle are clean. Alcohol swabs will dry out the skin, making it more likely that the injection site will stay open. This can actually increase the risk of an infection at the site.
Even if you are not feeling any symptoms, it is important that you check your blood sugar levels every few hours. People think that because they feel fine, their sugar levels are stabilized and this is not always true. It is the silent symptoms that could land you in the hospital.
If you find that your A1C levels are disproportionately higher than your typical blood glucose levels, the problem may be that you are measuring your pre-meal levels, which does not give you an accurate reading. Your average levels may not accurately reflect readings that are taken before, during, and after eating your meals.
If you feel that your medication is not working to control your diabetes, you may want to talk to your doctor about switching medications. There are a wide variety of different diabetic medications and what works for one person, may not work well for you. Or your dosage may need to be increased.
This means that your little one has a greater chance of developing diabetes at some point in his or her life. Do all you can to keep your child from developing this illness by taking proper care of yourself.
Try your best to keep your body fat as low as possible because the more you weigh, the greater chance you will have of acquiring diabetes later on in life. Reduce the amount of meat and carbs that you eat to maximize your chance of maintaining good health over time.
Making the switch to high fiber foods will help lower your risk for diabetes. Try to eat only whole grains, they are packed with fiber that allows your body to digest foods without getting a spike in blood sugar which is what happens when you eat mostly refined carbs (white bread and any type of processed foods).
Plan in advance for any high-sugar foods you will eat. Have insulin on hand for any sudden increases in blood sugar levels, and make sure that you monitor your blood sugar levels afterwards. The important thing to do is to be aware of how you’re feeling at any point after the meal.
Being diabetic does not mean that you must fully give up your favorite sweets, but it does mean that you must be more diligent in selecting and consuming them. To compensate for a sweet splurge, you may need to step up your exercise program, reducing your dietary intake of another sweet food, or taking more insulin.
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.
If you are a newly diagnosed diabetic, the number of medications that you are prescribed can seem overwhelming and confusing. Rather than simply stopping or improperly dosing any of your medications, ask to speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more in-depth knowledge about when and how you should take your meds, as well as what side effects you may experience.
Adding additional fiber to your diet may help to control your diabetes. Several scientific studies have shown that fiber has a positive effect on blood sugar levels. Eating fiber can also help you to feel full and thus, lose weight. Healthy weight levels are known to be associated with positive blood sugar levels as well.
Diabetes related diseases are the second largest killer in The United States. This epidemic can be avoided with daily exercise and simple changes in diet. Cut out soda, candy and fatty meats and replace them with fruit, whole grains, and lean meats. This can add years to our life.
When you are testing your blood glucose levels, take the time to wash your hands properly before you perform the test on yourself. Use an antibacterial soap that is mild in nature so that you keep your fingertips moist. This will make the test much more effective and your hands more moisturized.
Make sure to keep your diet high in fiber. A high fiber diet for a diabetic will help reduce your risk by improving your blood sugar control as well as promoting weight loss by helping you to feel full. Good foods for fiber are whole grains, nuts, seeds, and certain fruits and vegetables.
Stay active and find an activity that you enjoy doing. When you have diabetes, exercising is crucial to helping you lower your cholesterol and your blood pressure. You can walk, ride your bike, or even dance; it doesn’t matter what you choose as long as you do something. Exercise can even impact how much medication you need to take each day.
Just as the beginning of the article stated in order to manage your diabetes properly you have to educate yourself properly. Once you know how to manage your diabetes then you shouldn’t have a problem with applying the information in your daily life. So make it a point to use what you learned and you should succeed in managing your diabetes.