If you’re suffering from diabetes, do you know the foods you should be eating, the amount of exercise you should be getting, and how much sleep you should be receiving? Below, you will read some expert tips to help you deal with your diabetes.
The glycemic index of foods indicates how much the food item can affect glucose levels. Keep in mind that lower GI numbers are what a diabetic needs.
Diabetes is currently a very common disease. By doing what makes you most comfortable you can reduce any stress or shame you feel about your disease.
Lower the risk of getting diabetes by eating a diet high in fiber. Whole grains are low-GI foods, which reduces your risk of diabetes, while white foods are generally high-GI, which increases your risk. Many studies have proven that people who consume more whole grains have a lower risk of developing the disease.
If you tend to get hypoglycemic reactions, make sure you carry sugary snacks with you. Hypoglycemic attacks can happen anywhere, and you need to be prepared. This is especially significant if you are prone to avoiding breakfast, which results in the body feeling a significant need for sugar.
You can save a ton of money on prescriptions if you switch to an online pharmacy. They even have it set up so you can receive your medications monthly, this way you never have to worry about running out of the crucial supplies you need.
If you suffer from diabetes and you have vision problems, you must discuss this with your doctor. There are many eye-related conditions associated with diabetes, such as diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma. This can eventually lead to blindness if you do not take care of these issues.
If you have diabetes, you have to be careful about what you eat. Different foods affect your blood sugar differently, so watch what you eat. The amount of insulin that needs to be injected depends on the size of the meals eaten. Larger meals require more insulin. If you monitor your meals and are careful with your diet, you can manage your blood glucose levels well.
Take your insulin exactly as prescribed by you physician. Fast-acting insulin is only effective in managing blood sugar levels with careful timing and consistent dosing.
If you suspect hypoglycemia in your life, consider asking for a prescription of glucose in tablet form. These tablets are very convenient to carry with you, and work better and faster than sugary foods to get your blood sugar back to a normal level, because they take much less time to digest.
You don’t have to eliminate your favorite foods from your diet, but you likely will need to modify how you eat them. Many people find that the dietary restrictions placed upon diabetics is one of the hardest things to adjust to. Most people believe that they need to get rid of a lot of the foods they love to eat. Other people keep eating their favorites regardless of what their diet should be. A smart way to solve your problem is by substituting components in your favorite meals. Lots of foods are diabetes-friendly if healthy alternatives are substituted for problem ingredients.
Even if you don’t feel well and don’t want to eat, you need to eat low-GI foods every few hours, as well as check your blood glucose levels. You need to maintain your water intake due the feeling of dehydration during low glucose periods.
Smoking is dangerous for anybody, but it is even mroe problematic for diabetics. When you do this you open doors to more unhealthy habits and effects on your body. Smoking causes your body to become resistant to insulin, and if you haven’t yet contracted diabetes, cigarettes grow your chances of doing so.
Being educated about your condition will help you live with it. It can seem like a dark period, until you take the necessary steps to improve it. The above advice should be of assistance to you as you make the first steps to managing your diabetes.