Last Updated on November 21, 2022 by
About 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes. Once diagnosed, it can be scary to navigate and understand your next steps. One of the most important questions people want to know is how to manage diabetes.
By knowing how to manage your diabetes, you’ll still be able to maintain a high-quality life and reduce discomfort.
To help you learn, these are three of the best tips for managing diabetes.
Table of Contents
1. Nutrition
One of the best ways to manage diabetes is to maintain a nutritional diet. Because food affects your blood sugar levels, it’s more important to watch what you eat when you have diabetes.
Carbohydrates specifically affect your blood sugar levels. You need to count the number of carbs you eat per meal.
If you’re taking mealtime insulin, you need to know the number of carbs in your meal to know how much insulin to take.
Carbs like fruits, veggies, and whole grains are better for maintaining your blood sugar levels than others. it also helps to avoid drinks that contain high amounts of sugar.
2. Medication
Besides maintaining healthy eating habits, taking medication can also help keep your diabetes in check. In the right dose, insulin specifically can help keep your blood sugar levels stable.
However, it’s important to store your insulin at the proper temperature and avoid using insulin past the expiration date. You should also be mindful of other medications you are taking in conjunction with insulin because it can counteract the effects of your diabetes medicine.
To be sure you don’t experience this issue, discuss the potential side effects of any new medications with your doctor.
If your blood sugar levels drop too low or go too high after taking insulin, report it to your doctor immediately. Your dosage may need to be adjusted.
3. Exercise
Exercise is another critical tip for your diabetes management guidelines. This is because your body uses sugar for energy when you’re active. It also helps keep your body using insulin more efficiently.
The more prolonged and strenuous the workout, the better the effects will be.
You can get the best results by creating a consistent exercise schedule and monitoring your blood sugar levels before and after exercise. This helps you understand what’s normal and abnormal for you. If you join this senior living community or another assisted living center, it can help to work out with others who may also be experiencing diabetes.
It’s also helpful to stay hydrated and prepared with a snack in case your blood sugar level drops too low during your workout.
Now You Know How to Manage Diabetes
These are 3 of the best tips for how to manage diabetes. If not managed properly, diabetes can be debilitating and sometimes deadly.
By eating a nutritional diet, staying active, and taking the proper medication, you’ll reduce your symptoms. This will also prevent diabetes from taking over your life.
It can also help to reach out to diabetes support groups for more suggestions and emotional support. This reminds you that you’re not alone!
And for more tips about healthy lifestyles, be sure to check out the rest of our blog. We have a ton of other articles to help you to live your best life!
Read also: Controlling diabetes in the Heat
