Discovering that you have diabetes can feel like a seismic moment. But rest assured, it is a disease that you can live with, comfortably, if you make the necessary lifestyle adjustments at the right time.
To properly move forward, and live comfortably and fear-free, it’s important to educate yourself about diabetes, helping you keep worries at bay. By removing some of the mystery surrounding diabetes and learning everything you need to know about living with the disease, normality may be restored. With that in mind, here are 5 tips on managing life with diabetes.
UNDERSTAND THE DISEASE
There are 2 major types of diabetes, and understanding the differences should always be the first step in getting to grips with the disease, since they require a different approach in terms of your lifestyle adjustments.
Type 1
People with Type 1 diabetes have insulin resistance, meaning they don’t produce insulin as their body eliminates the cells that produce it. Type 1 is generally diagnosed in younger people.
Type 2
People with type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, have an insulin deficiency. This means they do produce insulin, however, they produce much less than other people and less than what is required by the body to function properly. As people age, their pancreas produces less. Type 2 is more generally diagnosed in those over 30.
MONITORING BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS
With both types of diabetes, it’s important to monitor and maintain your blood sugar levels. This is because sufferers are at risk of both high blood sugar and low, since their body is unable to produce the insulin it needs, and it struggles to break down sugar in the body. This will cause levels to fluctuate without regulation.
To monitor your blood sugar, a glucose meter is needed; read more on this page about the different specifications involved and the best for your requirements. A glucose meter will help you measure your blood sugar with accurate readings which will come in handy when changing your lifestyle and dietary habits. This will then translate to your insulin management as well from home without having to go to the doctor so frequently.
It is, however, important to go to your doctor regularly to monitor your health with routine checkups and make sure you are healthy, rather than taking all of the responsibility for your condition on yourself.
CHANGING YOUR DIET
Finding out that you have diabetes will come as a shock and it will require a lot of effort on your part to process the news and adjust your lifestyle accordingly.
In addition to having to monitor your blood sugar levels, you’ll need to do your part to ensure those levels don’t rise or drop dramatically, with focus falling particularly on your diet. As a rule, you will have to eat more heathily, meaning reducing things like sugar, carbohydrates, and fats, and watching what you eat more closely in general.
Additionally, you should consider taking some food supplements, like magnesium. How is magnesium good for diabetics? The short answer is – magnesium helps regulate a host of processes within the body and can help keep you in the right balance
A famous diet among the diabetic community is the Keto Diet. Ketogenic diets can be effective at achieving two common aims of diabetes control; lowering blood glucose levels and reducing weight. Just remember to consult your Doctor first before changing your diet.
Coffee, tea and alcohol can still be enjoyed, but will also need to be reduced. In addition to the types of food you eat, you’ll have to also adjust the amount of food you eat containing certain properties, as the quantity you consume can shift your sugar levels as well.
CHANGING YOUR LIFESTYLE
Adjusting to living with diabetes will not only require you to change the food you eat but the overall lifestyle you live, too. This means that you’ll need to start exercising or increasing the intensity and length of your routines if you already exercise. Aside from the well established, all encompassing benefits of regular exercise, this will specifically help you reduce blood glucose level and boost your body’s sensitivity to insulin, which is a good thing here.
You will need to cut out smoking, too, as the habit can cause blood vessels to narrow and negatively affect blood flow around the body. Since diabetics are more prone to heart disease, that added risk from smoking is definitely something you want to avoid.
Lastly, elevated stress levels can leave your body and immune system vulnerable, and cause fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. Make lifestyle adjustments accordingly which will help you manage and reduce that stress.
SUPPORT SYSTEM
Living with diabetes and making the necessary adjustments can be tough, make no mistake, and the journey might look daunting to take by yourself. It is important to find a support system that will help you manage and maintain those inevitable changes you’ll be enacting.
This is especially important early on as adjusting will be easier if you have the right people around you to support and push you to change for the better. There are many communities that you can seek guidance within and information to help on your journey; check out diabetes.org.uk’s tool for finding local support groups here. Also, be open with your doctor and medical provider about any worries and concerns you may be having; they can steer you in the right direction going forward.