Diabetes refers to a condition in which your body does not produce sufficient amounts of insulin. This causes blood sugar to be poorly regulated, leading to troublesome and even life-threatening symptoms. Although this is not difficult to understand, the treatment can be hard. Apply the advice in the following article to aid you in understanding this overwhelming and life altering condition.
Foods have a “glycemic index” number which says how much they will affect blood sugar based on what is in them. The lower a food’s GI number is, the safer it is for a diabetic to consume.
You will be able to deal with your condition more easily if you organize yourself. Keep all of your equipment in the same spot at home and at work, so that you always know where to find your treatments in an emergency. Get into a routine every day to do the test and then record the levels into your log.
Take extra precautions when getting pedicures if you suffer from diabetes. Because people with diabetes are likely to develop foot infections, even a small cut can have serious results.
Lower your diabetes risk by eating a diet high in fiber. This is a good way to replace high glycemic foods, such as white bread or processed foods by whole grain foods. Study after study concludes that individuals who eat more whole grain have a much lower risk of contracting diabetes.
If hypoglycemia is an issue, make sure you carry some sort of sugar food with you always, such as gum. It is vital to your well-being that you always stay prepared because your hypoglycemia can rear its head at any time. This is particularly the case when breakfast has been skipped, because the body is now seeking sugar.
Find out which foods have a rather high glycemic index so you can avoid them. Some of these high glycemic foods include cereal, pastas, breads, and juice. Your blood sugars do not respond well to foods that are processed either. Fresh produce, fish, and lean meats should be your main focus.
If you have diabetes and you happen to be experiencing some troubles in vision, you should speak to your doctor. Glaucoma, cataracts and retinopathy can appear because of diabetes. It’s vital you take care of these problems because it’s always a possibility that this could cause blindness.
Being diabetic and a snacker can make it hard to stay away from the not-so-healthy snacks available. Replace unhealthy snacks with fruits or vegetables instead.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes isn’t something that you cause yourself. Most of the time gestational diabetes simply happens for no apparent reason. It’s important to keep stress to a minimum and keep your thoughts positive.
Don’t worry if your blood glucose levels spike right after treating a hypoglycemic episode. This is caused by one of two factors: your body responds to low glucose by releasing hormones, and you may actually be eating or drinking more than is necessary in response to lowered glucose levels. The next time, try to drink or eat half of what you normally do, then check the levels again after a half hour.
You should constantly remind yourself why you’re controlling your diabetes. Think about what you like to do in life, what’s keeping you from doing them, and what could help you do them. Maintaining focus on what’s important to you can help keep you motivated with managing your diabetes.
A variety of spices can add flavor to a diabetics diet without adding sugar, fat or calories. Cinnamon naturally brings out the sweetness in food, and it doesn’t add any sugar in the process. Research is indeterminate in deciding whether or not cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels, but it’s still a great spice for your diabetic diet.
You need periodic exercise. Regular exercise can make the body handle insulin and glucose in ways that keep your blood sugar levels stable. Exercise should be a major part of a diabetic persons life.
Blood Glucose Levels
Do not rely solely upon urine ketone testing to measure your blood glucose levels. This method is not very accurate, and high levels of ketones only indicate that blood glucose levels are something higher than 200mg a deciliter. Organizations like the ADA recommend that those with diabetes use more reliable testing methods, like strips or finger pokes.
It is illegal for employers to not hire someone or fire an employee for a medical condition. You do not have to disclose any of your medical issues up front.
Sleep Apnea
Many people with diabetes have other health problems which often go unnoticed; one of worst of these is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is defined as a cessation of breathing while asleep. Sleep apnea causes you to be tired all day; if you have this symptom you may want to be evaluated.
Diabetics do well when their diet incorporates healthy carbs. Avoid very low-carb diets, as they deprive your body of much needed nutrients like fiber, minerals and vitamins. When you have the proper amount of carbohydrates in your diet, it ensures you body has the energy it needs.
Getting physically active helps lower blood sugar levels for both diabetics and people who are concerned about becoming diabetic. It helps control weight as well as lowering the body’s blood sugar. It makes the body more sensitive to insulin levels. People who suffer from diabetes should not be sitting around all day.
Do not allow living with diabetes to become a complicated thing. Focus on the tips you’ve read in this article, in order to make living with diabetes a simple day-to-day routine that you can easily incorporate into your life. If you can follow these tips, you’re on your way to wellness.
