A diabetes diagnosis can be a scary thing, though you should know that by gaining a good understanding of the illness, you stand a great chance of controlling the situation and leading a happy life. This article is packed with tips to teach you what you need to know about diabetes, and the right way to improve your health and manage your diabetes care.
There are a lot of foods high in protein that you can eat, such as dairy, beans and tofu. Try different foods and recipes so that you don’t get bored.
Blood Sugar
You will ensure your life will be easier to deal with if you stay organized. For example, put your meter and insulin in the same place every night to make it easy to find in the morning. Make testing a routine and do it at the same time and in the same way so you never miss a step.
Develop a “testing ritual” that you follow every time you test your blood sugar. For instance, put your insulin and meter in the exact same place every evening so you know where it is in the morning. Stick to a routine when testing your blood sugar, and you are less likely to miss a step or forget to log your levels.
Add walnuts to your salad. Walnuts are a source of monosaturated fats. These fats make it easier for cells to receive insulin, making walnuts an easy way to fight back against diabetes. They are also known for having many vitamins and minerals, along with omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Besides having all of these wonderful benefits, they offer an energy boost, and have a great flavor.
Add a few walnuts to your salad for some extra nutrition and a bit of crunch! The monounsaturated fats in walnuts help to keep your diabetes under control by increasing your cells’ receptiveness to insulin. Furthermore, walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 acids and antioxidants. They are nutritionally dense and delicious!
You should test yourself for sleep apnea if you suffer from diabetes. If sleep apnea is diagnosed and treated quickly, it won’t have a chance to negatively affect your health.
If you live with diabetes, be extra careful if you have a pedicure. People who suffer from diabetes are more likely to get foot infections, so it is important to be extra careful not to pierce or cut your skin.
Take extra precautions when getting pedicures if you suffer from diabetes. People who suffer from diabetes are more likely to get foot infections, so it is important to be extra careful not to pierce or cut your skin.
Make sure to read the nutrition labels as many common foods contain this. If it has corn syrup, back to the shelf it goes. Watch out for “glucose/fructose” too; this is the Canadian term for the same ingredient.
Find out what foods contain high amounts of glucose and raise blood sugar. This includes fruit juices and foods like bread, cereal and pasta. Processed foods are bad for your blood glucose levels. Add more fresh vegetables and fruits, meats and fish to your diet.
You can find a lot of savings on diabetes medication by shopping online versus using the local pharmacy. They even have it set up so you can receive your medications monthly, this way you never have to worry about running out of the crucial supplies you need.
If you are expecting and suspect that you might have gestational diabetes, it is imperative that you ask your doctor to help you. You can damage the health of you and your baby if you do not seek treatment for your gestational diabetes. Not only can you get proper medications from your doctor, but he can let you know what dietary concerns you should know about.
If you find a high glucose reading immediately after treating a low reading, do not be unduly alarmed. This is because your body has responded by releasing hormones, or you have eaten or drank more than was needed when responding to the reduced glucose levels. Try lowering the amount of food or drink by half and give your levels a check at 30 minutes.
If you have diabetes and see that you have vision problems, make sure to visit with your doctor. There are a number of eye conditions that are associated with diabetes, such as cataracts, glaucoma, and particularly diabetic retinopathy. It’s vital you take care of these problems because it’s always a possibility that this could cause blindness.
Favorite Foods
If you have diabetes and love to snack, you may have a hard time resisting the vending machine snacks, or those snacks that you have around your own home. It is important, though, that you bypass these snacks and eat a complex carbohydrate, such as fruit or vegetables.
You don’t have to eliminate your favorite foods from your diet, but you likely will need to modify how you eat them. One of the most difficult aspects of a diagnosis of diabetes is the restrictive diet. Many people assume that they have to stop eating their favorite foods. Other people will eat what they want in spite of their diet. The better solution is to look closely at the foods you eat and make smart substitutions. You can often substitute an acceptable ingredient for an unacceptable one. The result may taste just as good but won’t be problematic for your diabetes.
If diabetes is an issue for you, eat smaller meals more frequently, rather than having three larger meals every day. Eating regularly throughout your day stabilizes your blood sugar levels. Besides, eating more regularly should help you reduce your snacking.
Even if you’re feeling sick and not hungry, a diabetic needs to be more careful about how and when they eat. Make sure you keep up your fluid intake as dehydration can occur during prolonged low glucose periods.
If your blood sugar level dips too low, you may need to drink something sugary like orange juice to get it back up. Don’t worry if your blood sugar level spikes when you do this. You could be experiencing a release of hormones triggered by your body in response to lower glucose. In addition, it’s possible that you are over-treating the low glucose by too much food or liquids. In the future, cut the amount you’d normally eat in half, and wait 30 minutes to check your levels.
As unhealthy as smoking is to a healthy person, it is even more dangerous for diabetics. This habit just leaves you open to many poor health issues. Smoking causes you to be resistant to insulin, and even if you are currently not a diabetic, it will put you in higher risk of type 2 diabetes development.
Keep in mind the advantages to managing your diabetes effectively. Figure out what it is in your life that’s important to you. Is there something that prevents you from participating in those activities? Fix those problems first. Focus on the things which are high on your priority list and let these be the motivation in your diabetes management.
In most cases, gestational diabetes only lasts for the term of the pregnancy, but it is still essential to keep watch on your blood sugar levels at regular intervals. Do not assume your diabetes will disappear once you give birth.
If you have hypoglycemia, speak to your physician about taking some glucose tablets. These tablets can be easily carried around and can increase your glucose level effectively and more quickly than other sugary foods, because these foods take time to digest.
Insulated Bag
A common diabetic myth is that you have to avoid sugar. You don’t have to get rid of sugar in your diet, just watch your sweets intake. You are still allowed to eat a smaller dessert during special occasions. You can also limit other carbohydrate-heavy foods in your meal to accommodate the increase that you get from eating these sweets.
If you have diabetes and you plan on traveling, you should remember to take along your insulin in an insulated bag. Insulin should be kept chilled and an insulated bag will help to make sure the temperature does not change.
When you’re measuring blood glucose levels, don’t use urine ketone testing alone. While this type of testing can show you if your urine has high ketone levels, that only lets you know your blood glucose levels are over 200 milligrams for each deciliter. Rather, the ADA recommends that people with diabetes use finger sticks or test strips to get the accurate readings they need.
Add healthy carbohydrates to your daily diet. If your diet does not contain enough healthy carbs, your body is not getting the vitamins or minerals it needs. Keeping a good carb balance in your diet is also crucial to maintaining your energy level.
Exercise can be an effective way to maintain healthy levels of blood glucose by increasing insulin sensitivity in you body. To get the full benefits of exercise, alternate between aerobic and cardiovascular workouts.
Diabetics are especially susceptible to problems with their feet. Being careless with your feet, such as walking around barefoot, can lead to complications which might have to be cured through amputation. If you’re diabetic and you follow these tips, your feet will be healthier.
You have a higher chance of gum disease due to the diabetes, so pay particular attention to your teeth. Brush and floss on a regular basis to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
If you have diabetes, you must take excellent care of your teeth because you have an elevated risk of gum disease. Brush your teeth several times a day and floss every day as well.
If you skip meals, your sugar levels are going to increase because your liver releases glucose to sustain the fuel your body needs when you aren’t consuming adequate nutrition. This natural, but potentially unhealthy, compensation can be prevented simply by eating regularly. Snack on foods with high levels of carbohydrates, as well to keep blood sugar levels in check.
In conclusion, diabetes can be frightening if you do not know how to manage it. If you read through this article thoroughly, and retain the knowledge in it, you’ll have great tools to know how to keep your health in balance.
If you are diabetic and want to reduce the chance of complications, get more exercise. This not only helps you lose weight, but also lowers blood sugar by increasing your sensitivity to insulin. It is in your best interest to remain as active as possible if you want to stay in control of your condition.