If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, don’t let it get you down. As it becomes more common, and more widely studied, more and more solutions and treatment options have become available. Take a practical approach, an educational approach, and systematically address it. This article contains some useful advice that you can use in your overall effort to combat the illness.
Yogurt is an excellent way for a diabetic to convince their mouth that low-fat, sugar-free food IS enjoyable. Have a cup of non-fat yogurt mixed with seasonable fruit for breakfast with a high-fiber muffin and a glass of milk so that you’ll have enough energy to last you right through until lunch.
If you want to eat healthier to help overcome your Diabetes, but you just can’t stomach fish without some pops of flavor on it, try capers! They’re like olives in their flavor, but smaller and zestier. You can sprinkle them on any type of fish, I like to also add some slices of Spanish onion, and they take the place of sauce.
Anything you take to help with your Diabetes should come recommended by a medical professional, and you should seek at least a second opinion if it is not a mainstream treatment. Diabetes is not a disease which should be taken lightly, so make sure that you are dealing with reputable, knowledgeable health care providers.
Your insurance may cover a trip to the nutritionist once you’re diagnosed with diabetes, so take advantage of it! Bring a list of your favorite foods with you and ask if there is any way for you to make them healthy AND tasty, meaning you can have a treat without any of the guilt.
Diabetic feet are more prone to infection than the average person’s, so check them when you shower for any cuts or bruising. One of the first symptoms of Diabetes that I had was a red speckling on the top of my feet which indicated blood pressure problems, but I didn’t notice as I always wore socks and didn’t have my glasses on in the bathroom. If you already have Diabetes, keep a watchful eye on those tootsies.
If you absolutely must indulge in something sweet, have a glass of decaffeinated coffee with it. This will help lower the spike in blood sugar you get after eating, potentially stopping the need for you to inject more insulin. It must be decaf, though, as caffeine can have other, unwanted side effects.
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s important that you get tested for sleep apnea. If sleep apnea is a problem for you, then seek treatment as soon as you can to maintain a healthy and active life.
To keep exercise from dropping your blood glucose levels later, check your glucose levels every 45 minutes after a workout. If you see your levels start to go down, you can quickly treat the issue with a carb-loaded snack. As long as you’re proactive about tracking your glucose levels, work-outs shouldn’t be a problem.
An easy way to reduce your risk of contracting diabetes is to get up and get active. People who take an hour long brisk walk daily will reduce their risk of contracting diabetes by over 35%. Even when you cannot walk for an hour a day, do what you can to get moving like take the stairs instead of the elevator, park at the furthest parking spot at the grocery store, or take two or three trips in carrying in the groceries.
To make sure your blood sugar levels don’t spike or plummet without you realizing it, check your blood sugar regularly and log the results. It’s very common for people to experience dramatic changes in their blood sugar with no initial symptoms. Carefully tracking your levels will help you avoid serious health problems like kidney failure or strokes.
Ask your Physician if they have any supply samples of your Diabetes medication or syringes. It is unlikely they will have monitors to give you, or test strips or lancets for that matter, but you can get those from your pharmacist instead. They often have monitors for free, so make sure to ask!
Be passionate about having Diabetes and become an advocate for the disease. Type II Diabetes is preventable, and it’s costing our government billions of dollars in treatment for people who can’t afford it. You may not be one of those who are tapping the system for your care, but speaking up about what you know to help others avoid the disease will help us be able to use our money for more important things.
To avoid developing a life-threatening infection, avoid going barefoot outdoors. People with diabetes are much more susceptible to developing infections from minor injuries and simply cutting your foot on a piece of glass could become a major ordeal. Instead, try wearing lightweight, waterproof shoes when you’re going outside in warm weather.
If you can’t afford to get a gym membership, try your local community center or YMCA. You can find great discounts and sometimes even barter with them for a membership. For example, offer to help clean the gym or work on the grounds. That’s great exercise for a diabetic, too.
You can reduce your risk of diabetes by losing weight. The more overweight someone is, the more likely they are to develop type 2 diabetes. If you are someone who is at risk, make sure to change to a healthier diet and start exercising more so that you can prevent this disease.
Improperly managing your diabetes and blood sugar levels can lead to binge eating and overeating. Failure to accurately assess your body’s individualized responses can lead diabetics to continuously eat for fear of allowing their blood glucose levels to dip below acceptable and healthy levels. Diligent monitoring can give you a more accurate assessment than your feelings of fullness.
Hearing that you have diabetes shouldn’t be like hearing that you have a terminal illness. Rather, if approached methodically, it can be managed effectively. You can, and will, lead a normal life if you choose. This article offered some pointers to help you to make that possible.