Diabetic Care – Some Smart Tips
An important part of living with diabetes is to care for your health, there is no cure though. But it can be managed by individuals who play an active role in the maintenance of their own health.
Some smart tips a diabetic should follow includes:
- Take your medications as prescribed by your doctor on time everyday.
- Check your blood & glucose levels regularly. This is a way to prevent complications of diabetes and stay healthy. The levels should be below 120 mg/dl before meals and 180 mg/dl after meals.
- Eat a well balanced diet that includes lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and whole-wheat breads; but reduce their fat intake. Limit alcohol consumption.
- Moreover, never skip a meal because this may cause blood & sugar levels to drop. Your diet should include carbohydrates, fats (healthy fats) and lean protein. Your health care dietitian provides you the meal planning guidelines. Your diet plan will not tell you the specific foods to eat, but it suggests mealtimes, food groups to select from, and amounts to eat from these food groups. A healthy diet will also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and other serious diseases.
- Check your feet closely after bath and before you go to bed. Use a mirror to check the soles of your feet, Wash and dry them carefully, especially between the toes. You will need to see a doctor if you have a sore that doesn’t begin healing in couple of days. Wear shoes and socks that are the right size to protect your feet.
- Schedule regular visits to the doctor for the examination of eye and dental problems. Get regular flu shots in winter and stay physically active.
- Keep Hydrated. Drink at least 64 ounces of water everyday. Drink non-sugar, non- alcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids to stay hydrated.
- Brush and floss your teeth to avoid gum diseases. Gum diseases are often more seen in diabetics. High cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases are also linked to gum diseases.
- Ensure you sleep adequately. The standard recommendation is to sleep between seven and eight hours a day. Go to bed at regularly the same time every night, and get up at a regular time every morning.
- Exercise regularly. Get your body moving since it will help you deal with stress, reduce your blood & glucose levels, benefit your heart, lower cholesterol and will aid in elevating your mood. Take a walk; even walking slowly is beneficial. Some exercise is always better than no exercise at all.
- You should include multivitamin in your healthy living plan. It is important that the vitamin includes antioxidants, betacarotenoids, zinc, and selenium.
- Be prepared with the phone numbers ready before the illness strikes. Consult your physician if your blood & sugar levels are consistently 50% higher than usual and if you experience symptoms of high or low blood sugar that occur two days in a row or three times in one week.
Caring for your health is an important part of living with diabetes. Diabetes does not have to mean the end of an active normal life. If does mean that your lifestyle will need to change to be healthier.
