When you have diabetes, the decisions you make on a daily basis determine a large part of your treatment and care. If you don't know where to begin, navigating through these daily decisions might be difficult. Use these 5 Steps for Better Self Management of Diabetes as a guide to get started on your path to diabetes control.
- Keep an eye on your blood sugar levels.
- Take your meds as directed!
- Keep your food selections in mind.
- Get up and move around!
- Keep all of your appointments with your doctor.
Step 1: Keep an eye on your blood sugar levels.
Knowing how to check your glucose levels is an important part of having diabetes. It is the only method to know where you stand with your diabetes control between doctor's appointments, thus it is critical to effective blood sugar control.
They just need a small amount of blood (about the size of a pinhead), and the needles are fine and don't hurt as much if they're replaced frequently. Many also allow you to check your hand or arm rather than your fingertip.
The frequency should be addressed with your doctor, although it is generally recommended that you do so at least one to three times every day.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the American College of Endocrinology (ACE) recommend a Fasting Blood Sugar of fewer than 110 mg/dl (when you first wake up before your morning coffee). The post-meal glucose guidelines differ slightly. The American Diabetes Association recommends a post-meal target of fewer than 180 mg/dl.
This is for right after a delicious meal. According to the ACE guidelines, the target blood sugar level two hours after a meal should be fewer than 140 mg/dl. Remember, testing your blood sugar keeps your diabetes under control.
Step 2: Take your meds as directed!
This may appear to be common sense, yet diabetics frequently forget this important step. When I'm counseling someone with diabetes, I frequently hear words like "Now that my sugars are under control, I don't need to take my meds anymore" or "Once I start taking medications, I can't quit" The truth is that drugs do have a role to play in glucose regulation.
There are various different types of diabetic drugs available, each of which targets distinct regions of the body. One form of medicine works by encouraging the pancreas to produce more insulin. Insulin is a hormone that aids in the entry of glucose into blood cells, where it is transformed into energy. Another type of drug works by making fat and muscle cells more sensitive to the body's own insulin.
The body of Type 2 diabetics often becomes resistant to insulin, despite the fact that it is still produced. Another form of treatment affects the liver by reducing the quantity of sugar produced by the organ.
One of the most recent treatments is injectable and works on all three areas (pancreas, cells, and liver), as well as slowing down food digestion, which aids weight loss.
Because the body no longer produces enough insulin, type 2 diabetes is a degenerative disease in which medicines often fail to operate. Insulin injections are required at this time. Taking insulin can offer you more control over your blood sugar levels.
You can learn how to adjust your insulin with the help of your doctor or a diabetes educator. Insulin may be the key to decreasing your blood sugar level and preventing diabetes-related chronic problems such as kidney and eye impairment.
Step 3: Keep your food selections in mind.
Eating healthful foods daily is one of the important steps to control diabetes. You want to know which foods you should eat more of and which meals you should avoid. The term "diabetes diet" might be intimidating and perplexing.
There are numerous messages that can be perplexing to a diabetic: Don't consume sugar, count your carbs, avoid meals with a high glycemic index, eat good fat but limit bad fat, and increase your fiber intake! It's crucial to understand how different foods affect your blood sugar levels, which you can do by meeting with a Registered Dietitian who can help you plan your meals to achieve your health objectives.
Carbohydrate portion control will help control blood glucose while considering the effects of carbohydrates, protein, and fat on blood sugar. Within a few hours of eating, 100% of the carbohydrates you consume are converted to sugar.
Any starch, fruit, milk, yogurt, or sweet you consume is a carbohydrate. You don't have to avoid these items, but you should watch your portions.
Some "carbs" (candy, cookies, ice cream, sodas, and juices) convert to sugar more quickly than others. High-fiber carbs should be consumed since they are absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream.
Eat fruits with skins and seeds (apples, strawberries, etc. ), whole grains like whole-wheat bread and wild rice, and fat-free yogurt or skim milk instead of whole milk.
Step 4: Get up and move around!
Glucose (or blood sugar) in the bloodstream serves as a source of energy. Exercise helps you "use up" your blood sugar since it requires energy. Exercise not only lowers blood sugar but also lowers blood pressure, improves circulation, reduces stress, improves sleep, and aids digestion.
To encourage and maintain a healthy weight, you should add 150 minutes of exercise every week. This works out to 30 minutes five times a week. There is no requirement that the 30 minutes be completed in a specific order.
Do it even if you just have 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at lunch. The most crucial aspect is to get up and moving. When you have diabetes, one precaution to take is to check your blood sugar before exercising. If it is less than 100 mg/dl, have a carbohydrate-rich snack (such as crackers or fruit) before exercising.
This will aid in the prevention of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). A blood sugar level of less than 70 mg/dl is considered hypoglycemia. If your blood sugar drops too low while you're exercising, drink 4 oz of juice, sports drink, or soda to fast raise it, and then stop exercising until you feel better. If your blood sugar level rises above 70 mg/dl, have a protein-rich snack (like cheese, nuts, or peanut butter).
The protein will stay in your system for longer, which may help you avoid a low blood sugar rebound when you restart your exercise. When you exercise regularly, your blood sugar will be better controlled, and you will feel better and more invigorated!
Step 5: Keep all of your appointments with your doctor.
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away," as the adage goes. With diabetes, though, it's "See your doctor today to avoid complications!" This may sound corny, but it will remind you why you should see your diabetes specialist doctor on a frequent basis.
You may need to see your doctor every six months or perhaps every three months, depending on your glucose management (maybe even monthly ). It will be up to you and your doctor to decide.
Diabetics should get an eye exam, foot exam, Kidney Function Blood Test, Urinalysis, Cholesterol (including Total Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, and Triglycerides), and a Flu Shot at least once a year. In addition, your doctor will check your "A1C" test every two to four years.
The A1C test monitors blood glucose levels for two to three months. The American Diabetes Association advises an A1C of less than 7%, or less than 150 mg/dl.
Higher levels of A1C have been linked to an increased risk of chronic problems such as eye illness, heart disease, kidney damage, and nerve damage, all of which can lead to amputations. You should bring your blood sugar journal to your doctor's appointment so that he or she may compare your A1C to your real daily blood sugars. He or she will utilize this information to alter your prescriptions and assist you in achieving your health goals.
This is also the opportunity for you to ask any queries you may have. This is the moment to educate yourself if you have any questions about how medicine works or why a treatment your doctor has prescribed is necessary.
If necessary, your doctor may recommend you to a specialist. I always encourage patients to see their doctors and remind them that they are there to assist them with their diabetes management. When setting your health objectives for optimal diabetes control, keep these 5 stages in mind.
You may not complete them all on a daily basis, but they are there to help you remember what is important. Determine the area(s) that need to be improved and select a single goal. Make a list of your goals and share them with someone who can help you achieve them.
Checking your blood sugar in the morning before your healthy breakfast of cup oatmeal strawberries and almonds, going for a 15-minute walk at lunch, calling your doctor to confirm your three-month appointment, and checking your pillbox each night to make sure you took your medication could all be as simple as following these steps!
If you need a diabetes specialist in Abu Dhabi pay a visit to Wellness Surgery Center. Nurses, health care assistants, specialists, and pharmacists form part of the team that provides intensive care to all patients. Do not hesitate to call them now and they will help you control your diabetes for a healthier version of yourself.