Posted in Healthy People, tagged A1C, blood sugars, certified diabetic educator, diabetes, food log, glucose, Live well, meal plan, registered dietician, Type 1 diabetes, Type II diabetetes on March 5, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Live Well with Diabetes
Learning you have diabetes is a significant life change. It is common to feel sad or angry with the diagnosis. Managing your blood sugar is the key to living well with diabetes. Below are some suggestions to manage your blood sugar and live your best life:
- Know Your Type of Diabetes
Learn about your type of diabetes. Talk with your physician and get the facts.
- Monitor Your Blood Sugars
Check your blood sugars as directed by your physician and record your readings. Your readings reveal how food, activity, stress and medications affect your blood sugars.
A1C is a simple blood test that gives you a picture of your average blood sugar level over the past two to three months. For most adults with diabetes, an A1C of less than 7% is ideal. This indicates good blood sugar control which helps reduce risks of diabetes complications.
Work with a Registered Dietitian or a Certified Diabetes Educator to develop a meal plan. Prepare healthy meals every day, learn what foods contain the most carbohydrates, and understand how carbohydrates fit into your meal plan.
Physical activity is one of the best tools for managing diabetes. Strive for daily activity and keep it fun. Vary your routine to keep from getting bored. You might join a social group that walks, sign up for a bowling league, visit a park or find interesting places to walk such as the zoo, shopping malls or museums.
- Seek Support
A well-rounded team of healthcare experts will teach you how to manage diabetes and minimize associated health risks. Your healthcare team should include a primary care provider, endocrinologist, registered dietitian, diabetes educator and a pharmacist. Family and friends are also valuable members of your team.
Take any medications prescribed by your physician regularly and on time. Learn what each medication does and why you are taking it and set up a system to make it easier to manage medications.
- Create a Diabetes Tool Kit
In addition to keeping a blood sugar log and a medication chart to share with healthcare providers in case of an emergency, you may want to create a small travel bag that contains an ID card or bracelet; a meter, lancet and test strips; diabetes medications; an insulin pen, syringe and test strips, fast acting sugar tablets.
- You may also want to have coping techniques in your toolkit
Make diabetes a part of life instead of life being all about diabetes!
Written by: Beth Stefura, OSU Extension Educator, Mahoning County. [email protected]
Reviewed by: Jenny Lobb, OSU Extension Educator, Franklin County. [email protected]
References:
American Diabetes Association. https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes
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October 24, 2021
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Posted in Healthy People, tagged A1C, blood sugars, certified diabetic educator, diabetes, food log, glucose, Live well, meal plan, registered dietician, Type 1 diabetes, Type II diabetetes on March 5, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Live Well with Diabetes
Learning you have diabetes is a significant life change. It is common to feel sad or angry with the diagnosis. Managing your blood sugar is the key to living well with diabetes. Below are some suggestions to manage your blood sugar and live your best life:
Learn about your type of diabetes. Talk with your physician and get the facts.
Check your blood sugars as directed by your physician and record your readings. Your readings reveal how food, activity, stress and medications affect your blood sugars.
A1C is a simple blood test that gives you a picture of your average blood sugar level over the past two to three months. For most adults with diabetes, an A1C of less than 7% is ideal. This indicates good blood sugar control which helps reduce risks of diabetes complications.
Work with a Registered Dietitian or a Certified Diabetes Educator to develop a meal plan. Prepare healthy meals every day, learn what foods contain the most carbohydrates, and understand how carbohydrates fit into your meal plan.
Physical activity is one of the best tools for managing diabetes. Strive for daily activity and keep it fun. Vary your routine to keep from getting bored. You might join a social group that walks, sign up for a bowling league, visit a park or find interesting places to walk such as the zoo, shopping malls or museums.
A well-rounded team of healthcare experts will teach you how to manage diabetes and minimize associated health risks. Your healthcare team should include a primary care provider, endocrinologist, registered dietitian, diabetes educator and a pharmacist. Family and friends are also valuable members of your team.
Take any medications prescribed by your physician regularly and on time. Learn what each medication does and why you are taking it and set up a system to make it easier to manage medications.
In addition to keeping a blood sugar log and a medication chart to share with healthcare providers in case of an emergency, you may want to create a small travel bag that contains an ID card or bracelet; a meter, lancet and test strips; diabetes medications; an insulin pen, syringe and test strips, fast acting sugar tablets.
Make diabetes a part of life instead of life being all about diabetes!
Written by: Beth Stefura, OSU Extension Educator, Mahoning County. [email protected]
Reviewed by: Jenny Lobb, OSU Extension Educator, Franklin County. [email protected]
References:
American Diabetes Association. https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes
Read Full Post »