7 Things That Make Diabetes Management Simple
Dedicated diabetes management is critical to keeping your symptoms in check, preventing long-term damage, and keeping you out of a hospital gown when possible. While it may sound daunting, some of the most effective diabetes management strategies are lifestyle changes that will become a habit with practice.
Table of Contents
Diabetes Management
If you’re wondering where to get started, here are seven techniques that make diabetes management simple:
Get to know your carbs.
You’ve probably heard a lot about the connection between diabetes and sugar, but what do you know about carbs? While you definitely need to watch your sugar intake, you also need to monitor your carbohydrate consumption, especially refined carbs such as white bread.
That’s because your body quickly processes carbohydrates and converts them into even more sugar, which can cause your blood glucose levels to spike. Learn how your body processes different carbohydrates and what portion sizes are most appropriate for each type of carb. What kinds of carbs you eat — and how much — will have the most significant impact on your blood sugar levels.
Eat a balanced diet.
Just because you need to pay more attention to carbs doesn’t mean that you can ignore the rest of your diet. Every meal should be a mix of starches, fruits and vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats if possible. Make sure that you watch your fat and sugar intake and don’t go overboard on them.
Talk to your doctor about what kinds of foods you should be incorporating into your diet. If you take diabetes medication with your meal, they will also help you figure out which types of foods and which portions will play nicely with your medication to keep your blood sugar from dipping too low or rising too high.
Watch what you drink.
People with diabetes are at increased risk for dehydration because high blood glucose levels can trigger dehydration. As a result, drinking plenty of water throughout the day is extremely important for people with diabetes. They should also limit or avoid regular consumption of sugary beverages such as fruit juice and soda, and alcohol. Unlike food, your body doesn’t have to digest drinks, so they can quickly cause your blood sugar to spike out of control if it’s already normal. On the other hand, these beverages can be a quick remedy for super low blood sugar levels, so keeping a small bottle of fruit juice on hand may be helpful.
Get moving regularly.
Your body converts glucose to energy, so when you exercise, you burn through extra blood sugar. A consistent exercise routine will also help train your body to use insulin more efficiently. Talk to your doctor about what kinds of exercises are most appropriate for you and how often you need to be exercising. They will probably recommend that you aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week.
