Managing diabetes can be a little tricky. Keep in mind that everyone’s body is unique and responds differently to particular treatments and activities. That’s the reason why it’s crucial to be vigilant when monitoring your blood sugar level, as well as to know how to respond appropriately and quickly.
When you have diabetes, your primary goal is to keep your list of common symptoms under control. Below are some of the tips that can help you manage your diabetes in your daily life:
1. Eat Healthy Breakfast Every Day
Eating well is a crucial part of managing diabetes. So, start your day with a healthy breakfast and follow a healthy eating plan.
Basically, a healthy eating plan usually includes the best foods for diabetics from every food group, including fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, lean protein, and whole grains. Because you’re taking insulin, you must also incorporate a moderate amount of healthy carbohydrates into each meal as they can keep your blood sugar from reaching dangerously low levels.
Also, be sure to monitor your carbs, and, if necessary, don’t forget to match your carb intake with your current insulin dosage. It may be helpful to record these pieces of information in a food journal.
Other easy and quick breakfast ideas for people with diabetes include oatmeal with low-fat milk, scrambled eggs, yogurt parfait, and fruits. Before and after your meals, never forget to test your blood sugar.
2. Exercise Regularly
If you’re not physically active, you need to consider exercising now. You don’t need to do cross-training or join a gym class. Just ride a bike, walk, or play some active video games. Your primary goal must be at least 30 minutes of physical activity that makes you breathe and sweat harder than usual, several days a week.
An active lifestyle won’t only help you manage your diabetes by lowering your blood sugar levels, but it can also help you reduce your chances of getting heart disease. Moreover, it may help you ease stress and lose extra pounds as well.
3. Pay Importance To Good Sleep
Sleeping at irregular hours or insufficient sleep may cause your body clock to malfunction, affecting the biological and natural processes, like insulin secretion, which are programmed in your body system. Ensure that you get restful and good sleep daily. Most importantly, ensure that you sleep and wake up at the same time so your body will be in sync with your body clock.
4. Take Your Medications As Directed
When taking your medications for diabetes, be sure to take them as prescribed as it’s crucial in stabilizing your disease. If you failed to take the right dosage, missed the right time, or you don’t understand some directions, talk with your doctor honestly regarding such issues and never be afraid of asking for help.
5. Drink Alcohol In Moderation
Drinking alcohol may lower your blood sugar. Once you drink, your liver will work to process your alcohol, which may mean it’s very busy to do another crucial function, and that’s releasing stored sugar as a response to the reduction of your blood sugar. Moreover, drinking alcohol may impair your ability to focus and make the right treatment decisions.
6. Less Stress
Stress may increase your blood sugar levels. Therefore, it’s crucial to learn some ways to reduce your stress. One of the ways to do it is by taking a deep breath. Try some deep breathing exercises. If you’re clueless about such exercises, you can always check online on how to do them right.
Other than deep breathing exercises, you can also try gardening, meditating, taking a walk, listening to your favorite songs, and working on DIY projects.
If you’re feeling down, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Mental health counselors, friends, support groups, or even your family are willing listen to your concerns and help you feel better.
7. Keep A Record of Everything You Do
Make sure to jot down essential information about your diabetes management, like your exercise, what you ate, blood sugar levels, and the medicines you took. It’ll help you and your doctors see if your diabetes treatments are working. Also, try to write down your feelings and goals. It’ll help you stay on track and remind you of the topics you might want to ask your doctor in your next hospital visit.
8. Stop Smoking
If you’re smoking, better stop it immediately. If you want to manage your diabetes effectively, you must break your cigarette habit. However, if it’s a challenging thing to do, work with wellness centers and stop-smoking programs that can provide you with professional help.
Conclusion
Diabetes isn’t curable, but diabetics can always do something to manage it at home. More often than not, it involves following a healthy diet and medication plans. For better results, it’s crucial to stop smoking and be physically active to maintain a healthy weight. Aside from the above self-management tips for diabetes, it’s always essential to get your healthcare team involved so you can be sure that you’re on the right track in your diabetes management.