It is truly amazing how many excuses we make to avoid taking care of ourselves. People with diabetes and those who are at risk for getting diabetes have the best chance of staying healthy if they take care of themselves.
Many studies show that you can help prevent the long-term problems from diabetes, such as heart disease, nerve damage, kidney disease and eye problems, by keeping your blood glucose in your target range.
To help you overcome some obstacles and barriers in your way, here are 10 of the most common excuses for not taking care of yourself, with some tips to help you succeed.
1. I won't be the one who gets diabetes. No one ever thinks he or she will get diabetes. Just because you feel all right now doesn’t mean you are not at risk. Tell yourself, “I can prevent or delay diabetes by eating healthy and being active.
2. I don’t have enough time. Taking care of yourself does take time. But isn’t your future and your future health worth a few minutes per day? When it comes to eating healthy and being more active, there is no time like the present. Tell yourself, “I do not have time not to take care of myself now.” You are worth the time it takes to care for yourself.
3. I can’t afford to do all this. Caring for your diabetes is very expensive. But so are the complications of diabetes, both in terms of dollars and quality of life. Make a list of what you want to do and what you can do. If you have a health care plan, including Medicare, find out what diabetes services and supplies are covered. It may be more than you think. Shop around for your diabetes medicines and supplies. Talk to your harmacist or health care provider about your finances. Maybe he or she can prescribe less-costly medicines or help you find assistance programs from various pharmaceutical companies.
4. It hurts to check my blood glucose levels or take insulin. Whether you are simply checking your blood glucose, taking insulin injections, or both, you most likely don’t like sticking yourself with needles. To reduce the pain of blood glucose checks, ask your pharmacist about meters you can use on places other than your fingers, like the forearm or palm of your hand. Talk with a diabetes educator to find out if you are using the method and lancets that cause the least pain. Tell yourself, “I don’t like being stuck, but it is the best thing I can do for myself to have a healthy future.”
5. I don’t like to check my blood glucose or take my insulin in public.
6. I like to walk barefoot at home. Walking barefoot, even at home, increases the chances of hurting your feet. An injury to your foot can lead to a wound that won’t heal. Did you know most accidents happen at home? So you need to protect your feet, even when you’re at home. Tell yourself, “I need my feet to last my whole life, so I won’t go barefoot.”
7. Those shoes are so ugly. You need to protect your feet, and with the variety of choices today it is easier to find a shoe to suit both your needs and tastes. You can talk with your diabetes educator to learn about stores that have well-trained staff who can help you find a shoe you like. Tell yourself, “I’m going to look for and buy comfortable shoes that look good, feel good and protect my feet.”
8. I forgot to bring my supplies. Yes, it can be hard to remember your meter, strips, pills and insulin, but planning ahead helps. It may help to have extra supplies to keep at work or to take with you when you are on the road. Remember to keep your supplies in a place where heat and cold won’t harm them. Tell yourself, “I’ll get extra supplies now so I’ll have what I need with me when I need it.”
9. I've never done any physical activity. I can’t start now. Believe it or not, even a little bit of physical activity can be helpful. Why? Research has shown that about 30 minutes of activity per day is helpful. And, the best part is, it doesn’t have to be done all at once! You can get the same benefit to your heart by being active for 10 minutes, three times each day. This also helps you to get into the habit of being more active. To help get yourself up off the couch, say, “Today is the day I will do my 20 minutes.”
10. I'm going to get complications no matter what I do. Just because a family member or someone you know had diabetes problems or complications from diabetes, doesn’t mean that it has to happen to you. It’s hard to take care of yourself each day if you do not believe that what you do today makes a difference. Ask your health care provider to refer you to a diabetes education program. Go and learn all you can about ways to prevent problems with your heart, eyes or kidneys. Tell yourself, “I am going to do all that I can to prevent the problems of diabetes.”
