It can be difficult dealing with a disease like diabetes, but there’s no reason to lose hope. You can go on living a happy, fulfilling life even if you have this condition. Even while you’re watching what you eat and checking your blood sugar, there are things you can do to make things easier on yourself. Here are some tips for making life with diabetes more pleasant.
Peanut butter is an excellent way to satisfy a craving for something sweet when you’re diabetic. It contains healthy fats and is relatively low in sugar, so grab a spoon and dig in. Lick it like a lollipop and it will outlast any craving you have. Be careful if you put it on crackers or bread because you will need to include those carbohydrates in your daily counts.
If you have Diabetes, then your children are more susceptible to the disease themselves. Make sure that any diet changes you make are reflected by the eating habits of your children, and that you include them in the exercise you do. It’s more fun to make the changes in your life if everyone has some input.
It is important for diabetics to learn to eat a healthy diet and control portion sizes. Eating excessively large portions is a sure way to gain weight. Eating too much, even of foods that are good for you, will result in weight gain and blood sugar problems. Use smaller plates, put your utensils down between bites and eat slower.
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.
Find out what your blood glucose target levels should be and ensure that you’re meeting them. Diabetes control means knowing what you’re up against, so keep a journal with your goal numbers listed so you can easily see how well you’re doing every day. Once you have your blood glucose under control you’ll feel immensely healthier!
Even if you are not feeling any symptoms, it is important that you check your blood sugar levels every few hours. People think that because they feel fine, their sugar levels are stabilized and this is not always true. It is the silent symptoms that could land you in the hospital.
Battling diabetes does not always have to involve expensive methods; try brisk walks in the park, jogging or reasonable fitness regimes. Weights can be constructed out of bags filled with various heavy items from around your house, or try picking up cans from the pantry and working your arms with them.
Talk to a physician immediately if you have any vision problems. There are a multitude of problems diabetes can cause with your eyes from cataracts to glaucoma to diabetic retinopathy, and these are all very serious. If you do not address these problems with your physician, they might result in more serious conditions, including blindness.
To reduce your risk of heart disease, carefully monitor your triglyceride cholesterol and blood pressure levels. One of the most common complications of diabetes is heart disease, and the best way to avoid that risk is to set goals for all of these levels and then, stick to them. Ask your doctor where your levels should be.
Before you test your blood glucose levels, you should make sure your hands and especially your fingertips, are clean. When you clean your fingers, do not use alcohol. Alcohol is drying and can cause your fingertips to crack. When cleaning your hands, use a mild antibacterial soap such as Dial.
While it is very important to watch your intake of sugar when you are diabetic, you have to keep in mind that the amount of carbohydrates should be low, as well. Eating things like white bread, potatoes, flour, and white rice, can cause your blood sugar to rise fairly quickly.
To make sure you choose the right carbohydrates, avoid white foods. White bread, pasta, or rice are all made from refined carbohydrates, which means they are also high glycemic index foods. Getting your carbohydrates from whole wheat products will ensure that your glucose levels stay stable, and that your body is able to digest them properly.
If you have diabetes, and you plan on getting pregnant or are pregnant already, it is crucial that you take extra folic acid. Babies born to a diabetic mother are more likely to develop birth defects than those born to healthy mothers and folic acid can reduce the risk of birth defects.
If you suffer from diabetes, a great tip is to add vinegar to your food. Vinegar has been proven to reduce your post-meal blood glucose levels by as much as 40 percent. The reason is because vinegar can hold food in your stomach for a longer period of time, which buffers the rise in your blood glucose levels. Add some vinegar to your salad.
Watch out for foods that contain large amounts of saturated fat because it can add extra pounds that you do not need. If you gain lots of weight while trying to battle diabetes you will be faced with many problems. It is a good idea to try to lose weight since that will help keep your sugar levels at a healthy number.
Diabetes does not have many symptoms and when you do not take your medications, there is often no immediate effect. However, it is very dangerous as untreated diabetes can easily lead to more dangerous health conditions such as heart disease. If you have diabetes, make sure to stay vigilant about taking your medications to prevent further complications.
These ideas will help you build a better, more satisfying life, despite the challenges presented by living with diabetes. This disease is completely treatable, and you can do more than just cope with it. You can deal with diabetes and all its effects and still go live life to the full.