Living through diabetes may be a terrifying aspect at first, but in time it becomes something you adjust to. However, here is a guide to help you understand how diabetes affects you and what you can do in order to better manage the symptoms. Implement the following tips and hints to start seeing results.
Foods have a “glycemic index” number which says how much they will affect blood sugar based on what is in them. Keep in mind that foods with a lower glycemic index are better for a person with diabetes.
Take the stress out of diabetes management by developing more consistent habits. Keep your insulin close to you and store it in the same spot every night. When you test, make it a routine so you never forget a step or to write down your levels in your log.
Introduce more fiber into your diet so you can lower your risk of developing diabetes. Choose whole wheat and whole grain foods over their processed counterparts, like white bread, which have a dangerously high glycemic index. There have been studies done that have shown that when people eat more whole grains, they have less of a risk of developing diabetes.
Do not blame yourself for gestational diabetes. It is something that just happens, and quite frequently you cannot control it. Keep your stress levels down, and think positive thoughts about yourself and your child.
The quick-working insulin is best taken no more than a quarter hour before eating, unless your doctor says something different. Fast-acting insulins are quite effective in maintaining blood sugar levels, but they must be provided in the proper dose and timing for each person.
Rather than just giving up things you like, slightly change them. One of the most difficult aspects of a diagnosis of diabetes is the restrictive diet. Diabetics sometimes believe that they must totally give up the foods they love. Others will continue to eat their favorite, unhealthy foods. The healthiest solution is using tasteful substitutions to recreate more healthy versions of your favorite dishes. You can easily make many foods more diabetes-friendly by switching out problem ingredients.
Smoking is extremely dangerous if you have diabetes. When you smoke, you cause many complications to your health. When you smoke, you increase your chances of being insulin resistant; if you don’t yet have diabetes, it can make your risk of getting type 2 disease much higher.
Blood Sugar
Keep checking your blood sugar after giving birth. While gestational diabetes usually resolves with delivery of your baby, you want to make sure you don’t continue to have problems with your blood sugar level. Many people think that you cannot still have blood sugar issues after birth, but this is false.
Don’t use urine tests as your primary measure of how your blood sugar is doing. Urine ketone testing is a blunt instrument; it can’t distinguish between levels of 200 mg/dL (high) and 500 mg/dL (critical, requires immediate medical attention). To get around this problem, the ADA suggests that testing methods with high accuracy, such as test strips and finger sticking, be used.
It is illegal for employers to not hire someone or fire an employee for a medical condition. What’s more, you don’t have to tell them about your medical conditions right away.
Egg Whites
If you’re wanting to eat the very best breakfast possible for diabetes, then you should eat egg whites. Egg whites have the protein you need to get started each day, and they are also low in fat and calories. You can make an omelet with egg whites, or have some scrambled eggs with a piece of ham.
Make sure to pack up an insulated bag for your insulin whenever you travel. Insulin should remain within a finite temperature range and this sort of bag will prevent it from getting too cold or too hot.
Sleep Apnea
When someone has diabetes, they are more open to getting a lot of other health problems which are easily undetected, for example, one serious problem that many are unaware that they have is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea actually causes your breath to stop while sleeping. If you feel more tired than you should be or have trouble staying asleep, you might have sleep apnea.
If you have diabetes, you need to know about the increased risk for foot problems. Being careless with your feet, such as walking around barefoot, can lead to complications which might have to be cured through amputation. Follow these basic steps to make sure your feet stay in good condition.
After being diagnosed with diabetes, the first thing you should do is educate yourself on the condition you have. Becoming armed with knowledge will safeguard against further decline and enable self-protection. Having the right information is key in the battle against diabetes.
Skipping meals could cause your blood glucose level to rise because your liver will release glucose to fuel your body when you are not taking in adequate nourishment. To keep your blood sugar levels stable, eat regular meals and sensible carbohydrate-rich snacks.
Add a bit of vinegar to your dishes. Swallowing half an ounce of vinegar, prior to your main meal, helps reduce spikes in blood sugar after eating. Your sugar will still rise, but will do so more slowly if you start off every meal with a tablespoon or two of vinegar. Vinegar makes changes to how your digestive system works. Your stomach digests starch more slowly after consuming vinegar, so blood sugar won’t rise as quickly, and the rest of the food you eat may also take longer to digest.
These tips should help you manage your condition, but you should keep looking for more information. You have now probably already thought of lots of methods for applying this knowledge. Use them today, and find out for yourself the difference in the way you are living.