Many people think that a diabetes diagnosis means the end of their days of good health, but this isn’t the case. It is possible to live with this disease and still lead a healthy life, so long as you manage it and monitor your levels with the help of a good doctor.
If you or someone you know has been recently diagnosed and feel as though your days, or theirs, of good health are over, then you couldn’t be more misinformed. There are ways to manage your health every day and keep you on the right track.
- Research Foods
Eating well is essential for any healthy lifestyle but eating well with diabetes requires a little more research. Everything you eat has the possibility of impacting your blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates are the food that will increase your blood sugar levels the most, so it is important that you monitor just how much of these you eat. Carbohydrate heavy foods include:
- Bread
- Starchy vegetables, like potatoes
- Pasta
- Cereal
- Sweetened yogurts
- Plan Portion Sizes
Alongside researching which types of foods are best to eat and which ones are less so, you should also consider the portion sizes of the foods you eat.
If food is likely to increase your blood sugar by a lot, it is best to eat smaller portions of it. You don’t have to cut out, for example, foods with high carbohydrate concentrations completely, but you should have smaller portion sizes.
- Exercise When You Can
Exercise is important for everyone, regardless of whether you have a health condition or not. When you do have a health condition like diabetes, though, exercise is even more imperative, and it should be done right.
A disease like diabetes can weaken your body, so you will have to build up your strength slowly. Muscle mass enhancing and aerobic exercises are perfect for someone living with diabetes. These will build up your body strength and your cardiovascular strength to help combat the increased risk of heart problems associated with Type 2 diabetes.
You should monitor your blood sugar levels before, during and after you exercise, especially with Type 1 diabetes. Exercising lowers your blood sugar levels, which is great for strengthening your heart, but it is also risky if your glucose levels are low to begin with.
- Talk with Your Doctor
When you have a disease like diabetes that affects your everyday life, it is vital that you keep in regular contact with your doctor and take on their advice for everyday living.
If you take insulin supplements, you will need your doctor’s advice on when it is best to take them and what dosage you should take. You will also need their advice if this should change, particularly when doing exercise or if you travel.
Your doctor will be your key source of information for living with diabetes and treating it, so you should get as much information from them as you can!