There are two major forms of diabetes, and both are capable of causing serious health problems. Your best defense against diabetes is a good solid foundation of knowledge. Read the information in this article, and use the tips and advice to help you manage this disease in your life.
Develop a “testing ritual” that you follow every time you test your blood sugar. Keep your insulin close to you and store it in the same spot every night. Let your testing become a routine and you won’t forget to do it regularly and to write in your log.
Add walnuts to your salad. They are a source of monounsaturated fats. These increase your cells’ receptivity to insulin, thus controlling your diabetes. Walnuts also contain large amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are an all-around great, healthy food.
Sleep Apnea
It’s crucial that diabetics get tested for sleep apnea right away. If you do have sleep apnea, seeking treatment in a timely manner is important if you want to remain healthy.
Try to be careful getting a pedicure if you have diabetes.. You are more prone to getting a foot infection if you’re diabetic, so you need to try and be careful when you get a pedicure, especially if you get a puncture or cut.
Introduce more fiber into your diet so you can lower your risk of developing diabetes. 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 you are dealing with hypoglycemia, it is critical you have gum or some other sugar food on hand wherever you go. Attacks from hypoglycemia can pop up any place and at anytime; therefore, it’s vital you are properly prepared in case one occurs. This definitely rings true if breakfast hasn’t been eaten yet, as your body still needs its sugar.
Battling diabetes does not always have to involve expensive methods; try brisk walks in the park, jogging or reasonable fitness regimes. There are many everyday household items that you can use to help you work out, such as jugs of water, or cans of food.
If you have diabetes, and you like to snack, it might be hard to walk by the vending machines at work, or the wonderful tasting snacks in your pantry. A piece of fresh fruit, carrot sticks or any complex carbohydrate is an energy-producing snack that is good for you. The chips, soda and candy will make your diabetes worse, so you should shun them.
Instead of eating three square meals, eat five or six light meals daily as part of your diabetes management plan. By eating regularly during the day, you will be able to stabilize your blood sugar. Eating more often also helps you avoid the desire to binge, because the frequent meals will keep you satisfied.
Do not blame yourself for gestational diabetes. It is common and is virtually out of anybody’s control. Keep your stress to a bare minimum, and think positive and happy thoughts about your child and yourself.
Smoking can be dangerous and especially if you are diabetic. If you participate in this habit, you will be opening yourself up to have a lot of bad health problems. Smoking actually increases your risk of getting type 2 diabetes as it makes you resistant to insulin.
One myth regarding diabetes is that it’s necessary to always avoid sugar. You do not have to eliminate sugar from your diet, but you need to be smart about sweets. Save your favorite dessert for a special occasion and limit yourself to a small serving. When you do eat sweets, remember that you are eating more carbs, so on a day when you are going to have dessert, it is a good idea to lessen your carbohydrates.
While gestational diabetes normally ceases to be a problem after giving birth, you should still get your blood sugar levels checked regularly. You can still have problems with blood glucose levels when you have your baby!
It is important to exercise on a regular basis. Exercising daily enables the body to handle glucose and insulin better, thus keeping your blood sugar level stable. Exercise is important for the diabetic to be able to enjoy life.
Blood Glucose
Do not rely solely upon urine ketone testing to measure your blood glucose levels. This urine ketone test has its limits. It can only indicate whether the glucose level in the blood is 200 milligrams or higher in the blood. The American Diabetes Association recommends that diabetics use a finger stick and test strips. This provides a much accurate measurement for blood glucose levels.
Living a healthy lifestyle is the key to living with diabetes. The more normal a lifestyle you can sustain, the less likely you are of having to cope with dangerous side effects from this crippling disease.