Managing your diabetes can pose a difficult task because of the lifestyle modification associated with it. You should always remember that it is not impossible to achieve a proper management plan. Diabetes is a globally prevalent health issue, and it is chronic which means it doesn’t go away; you can only manage it. You are not alone in the journey of managing it, and there are millions of people globally also trying to modify their life to achieve better health by controlling their sugar levels. 

There are different management tips for diabetes you can perform yourself in a fun and lively way. Firstly, it is important to understand the condition, why you have it, and its complications. You need to be adequately educated by your healthcare providers, read diabetes journals, and join support groups. Having an increased knowledge base doesn’t just result in insight. It helps you improve your willpower to modify your lifestyle and reduce the chances of complications. 

Here are some useful tips to help keep your glucose level in check. 

Eat Healthy, Enjoyable Meals

Some people assume a healthy meal plan involves skipping meals; that is wrong. You don’t need to skip meals; rather, you should eat healthy food in moderate amounts 3 to 5 times a day. With your nutritionist’s help, create a meal plan consisting of the food you enjoy and combine healthily. Some key tips about your meal include eating meals low in unhealthy fat, sugar, and salt, having a high fiber intake, and opting for food like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, cereal, bread, and skim milk. Most importantly, replace the want for soda with water.

Plan a Glucose Check, Medication, and Skin Routine

Planning a routine is good as it will help you comply with the recommended healthy lifestyle. A dear friend of mine mentioned how she manages to go through her routine with some help from https://drugtestcity.com/product/on-call-express-diabetic-test-strips/, she also said it has helped her much on a daily basis. You might be tempted to skip a day because you’ve had consistent values. Please don’t, as it will cause a break in your routine and lead to unawareness of when your glucose level is high or low, which can be detrimental. 

Always use your medications as prescribed by the doctor, and have a three-day supply with you always in emergencies. You should also inspect your skin for wounds as there is a risk of poor healing and impaired sensation associated with diabetes. Every night inspects your feet as it has the greatest chance of injury.

Have a Journal

Daily, keep a record of your blood sugar level, the food you consumed, the physical activity you participated in, and document them in your journal. It will help you and your doctor keep track of the effectiveness of your treatment. Journals are also important to document your feelings, your short and long-term goals that will help you stay healthy. This keeps you motivated.

Control Your Stress Level

A way to raise your blood sugar is through stress. Therefore, you need to adopt healthy habits that help control your stress level, and when you feel overwhelmed, sit and take deep breaths, find out what is causing the stress and try to clear your mind with meditation, music, or movies, take a walk, do something you love, and always ask for help from others.

Engage in Physical Activities

This tip offers a two in one benefit, and it helps both with your physical and mental health. Physically it helps reduce the risk of other health conditions, helps your body use up more sugar, and depending on the type of exercise, and you can have an increased muscle mass. Mentally it helps control stress, and group physical activity helps build relationships, prevent loneliness, and motivate you. You can plan your physical activity to involve activities you enjoy like gardening, running, yoga, hiking. For effective results, it is best to have your physical activity structured by allocating activities to time.

Control Your Alcohol Intake

Alcohol can result in low blood sugar, which is not healthy as your medications also lower your blood sugar. Alcohol intake without a meal accompanying it can lead to dizziness and fainting. It is best to take it in small quantities as an occasional drink.

Have a Regular Medical Check-up

You need to develop a schedule for your hospital visit to get a proper check-up and ask your doctor questions about diabetes that will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. The check-up will usually include a glucose level check, monitoring of cholesterol level, blood pressure, weight, body mass index, and other factors. This is needed to regularly control your risk level for other health conditions like stroke or heart conditions.  

Diabetes is nothing to be ashamed of and it can be managed properly to give you a long and full life. Take the tips in this post into consideration and practice them daily. 

Published by HOLR Magazine.