If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, don’t let it get you down. As it becomes more common, and more widely studied, more and more solutions and treatment options have become available. Take a practical approach, an educational approach, and systematically address it. This article contains some useful advice that you can use in your overall effort to combat the illness.


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.

Keep track of all the medicines you are taking for your Diabetes and any other condition you have in case you ever need to know. You should carry with you information on their names, dosages, and how often you are taking them in case something happens to you when you’re out, or a doctor you’re visiting requests that information.

If you suffer from diabetes or are at risk of developing the disease, it is a good idea to eat a diet that is high in fiber. Fiber, which is found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans prevents diabetes by buffering the sugar or carbohydrates in your diet, keeping your blood sugar even instead of having it fluctuate.

Find a free clinic in your area to have your Diabetes monitored if you can’t afford to visit your doctor every three months. You can call your local Diabetes association, ask at a local hospital, or inquire through your Health Department, to find out where the closest clinic is to you.

To keep your blood sugar levels from spiking, research high glycemic index foods. If you’re not knowledgeable about what ingredients you should avoid, you may consume something harmful without realizing it. If you need to eat something quickly and don’t have time to look it up, stick to non-processed foods.

It is important that you drink plenty of water each day if you have diabetes. Becoming dehydrated when you are diabetic can cause your blood sugar levels to go through the roof. The general rule of thumb is that you should drink one ounce of water for every 2.5 pounds of your body weight, each day.

If you’re looking for a fitness class to help you lose weight to deal with your Diabetes, try the hospital! They often offer aerobics classes for people with various issues, like seniors or the morbidly obese, or regular fitness classes through outreach programs. Ask your doctor to find out if these are available to you or apply directly.

Even if you feel like your diabetes has gotten better, it is important not to stop taking your medications unless a doctor tells you it is alright to do so. The medications are most likely what is keeping your diabetes symptoms under control, so without them, your glucose or insulin levels could get out of control.

Join a support group for those with diabetes. It’s not because you don’t fit in anywhere else, it’s because talking to others with your condition will help you to feel that you aren’t quite alone in the world. Other people are going through what you are going through and a support group can help.

Many people will tell you that “natural” sugars are safer for your Diabetes than refined sugar. However, sugar is still sugar. My Step-Mother told me I should put honey on my food as it’s perfectly fine… wrong! My blood sugar still spiked sky high afterward. Always double check the “medical” advice you receive from family and friends hen it comes to your diabetes.

It is important that you keep your feet clean if you are a diabetic. The feet are a common place on the human body for infections to develop. For a person without diabetes, these infections can be easily taken care of. For a diabetic, the treatment process is not as easy.

Take all of your medications that your doctor prescribes you. Follow the directions exactly, or you will not be getting the benefits of the treatment. If you have any side effects that you do not like call your doctor and they may be able to give you something else that agrees with your body better.

When dealing with a child that has diabetes, be sure to not let that be an excuse for your child to not participate in activities that he or she would have normally done, otherwise. This is crucial because despite having this disease, children cannot be deprived of their childhood. This includes activities, such as, participating in sports or play dates with other children.

Know that being sick can affect your blood glucose level. Being sick stresses your body out, and when your body stresses out it creates more glucose. In fact, both physical and mental stress could affect it. So to help you monitor your levels, you should check your blood glucose level more often on days that you are sick.

Do not wait until you are completely out of the supplies that you need to treat and test your blood sugar. There are far too many risks involved with waiting until you used the last syringe or the last dose of insulin. Get up and get out and pick more up and you will be happy that you did it ahead of time.

Reduce your stress as much as you can. People that have diabetes are highly susceptible to elevated blood glucose levels, especially if they get stressed out or upset. There are many relaxation methods that can help, yoga and meditation are great examples. In addition, there are a number of breathing exercises that you can teach yourself. Since you can do them anywhere, they are ideal.

Hearing that you have diabetes shouldn’t be like hearing that you have a terminal illness. Rather, if approached methodically, it can be managed effectively. You can, and will, lead a normal life if you choose. This article offered some pointers to help you to make that possible.