If you’ve just learned that you have diabetes, you will be happy to know it can be managed. Diabetes affects the pancreas, an organ in the abdomen that makes insulin. Insulin is a hormone that brings sugar to cells so it can be used for energy. In a person with diabetes, the pancreas does not always make enough insulin. Low insulin means the cells do not get enough sugar. The sugar not reaching the cells stays in the blood causing high blood sugar. Surprisingly, about one-third of all people with diabetes don’t even know they have diabetes. In fact, most people who have Type 2 diabetes go years before being diagnosed. Now that you know you have diabetes, what can you do about it?
TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND RELAX
While having diabetes will change your life, it is important to remember diabetes can be treated and that many people with diabetes are able to lead happy, active lives. To begin, you need to take control of your health, rather than letting diabetes take control of you. This change in attitude may take some work. Many people believe health care is as simple as taking a pill. Health care, however, is a partnership between you, and your health care team - including your Walgreens pharmacist. A health care team can only guide you, by telling you your choices and suggesting what needs to be done. A doctor cannot force you to eat healthy or take a particular medicine. Look at diabetes as an opportunity to play a more active role in taking care of yourself. More importantly, use your diabetes to realize you can control your fate.
LISTEN TO YOUR HEALTHCARE TEAM
Right now, your health care team is the expert. The most important thing to learn is how to record and control your blood sugar. Every scientific study has shown that people who control their blood sugar and follow their healthcare team’s advice have fewer diabetes related complications and live better lives. Those people who do not control their blood sugar suffer the complications of diabetes. If you have not had one already, you should make an appointment with a diabetes educator to teach you how better control your diabetes and to use a blood glucose monitor, a machine that checks your blood sugar. Once you’ve learned how to use your blood glucose monitor, it is important that you check your blood sugar. Record your readings in the book provided with the date, time, and blood sugar level. Even more important, be sure to bring the book with you every time you visit the doctor. This will provide a good reference of your daily blood sugar control for you and your healthcare provider.
Your healthcare team will also put you on a special diet and depending on how serious your diabetes is, you may or may not be given medicine. If your doctor gave you medicine, make sure you take it and do not skip any doses.
LIVE HEALTHY AND EAT RIGHT
Now for the hard part: healthy living. This means that over the next six months you have to learn how to eat, sleep, and exercise. Your healthcare team should talk to you about developing healthy meal and exercise plans. Additionally, you need to get a good night’s sleep, at least 8-10 hours to keep your immune system strong. While these changes are important, do not expect that you will be able to completely change your life overnight. Too many people make this mistake and all of a sudden life is not fun anymore. Try to make two healthy changes every week. This gives you time to adjust and helps you stick to your new healthy lifestyle. For instance, this week start having fish for dinner every Monday and walk for an hour every Friday. Next week start having a high fiber/low fat breakfast every Thursday and lift weights on Tuesday. Stick with two healthy changes per week and by 6 months you’ll be well on your way to living a healthy, long life.
SEE YOUR EYE AND FOOT DOCTORS
Diabetes can affect your vision, so make sure you have your eyes checked yearly. Moving to the feet, high blood sugar can cause diabetic neuropathy, a type of nerve damage where the nerves don’t feel pain, especially in the feet. Since the feet don’t feel pain, they are more prone to injury and infection. To be sure your feet are healthy, see a foot doctor yearly. Make sure your shoes fit well and you change your socks every day. Inspect your feet every morning and evening; paying special attention to between the toes. If you find any skin damage, see your doctor.
STOP BAD HABITS
Stop smoking! Diabetes increases your risk for heart disease and smoking just makes things worse. As for alcohol, give it up. Alcohol raises your blood sugar making your diabetes hard to control. You will benefit greatly if you can eliminate these two habits.
A WARNING: LOW BLOOD SUGAR
Believe it or not, low blood sugar is more dangerous than high blood sugar. In a perfect world your blood sugar will stay between 80-120 mg/dl. If your blood sugar is running high, let your doctor address this problem. Don’t take extra medicine without your doctor’s direction. Also, learn to recognize the symptoms of low blood sugar: sweating, shakes, and a fast heart rate. Check your blood sugar if you have any of these symptoms or feel very tired.
HOW DO YOU TAKE CHARGE OF DIABETES?
People who follow the basic routines of healthy living can effectively treat their diabetes. Remember, you can take control of diabetes. Don’t let diabetes take control of you. Follow your doctor’s directions and diabetes may simply be a minor obstacle in an otherwise long and healthy life.
