A lot of people believe that they cannot live a normal life after they get diagnosed as having diabetes. This article contains tips to help you manage your diabetes, cope with its symptoms and live a normal life. Following the suggestions in this article is ultimately up to you.
The glycemic index is a number that all foods have. It lets you know how the food will affect your blood sugar. The lower a food’s glycemic number, or GI, the better it is for the diabetic diet.
If you suffer from diabetes, consider getting checked for sleep apnea. If you have sleep apnea, get it treated as soon as possible to keep yourself healthy.
Consider meat-free, high protein foods like eggs, cheese, nuts and beans. Change things around to stay interested in your food.
Many things at the grocery store have this item, so be sure to read all of the labels. If you are Canadian, this ingredient is known as “glucose/fructose.”
Add walnuts to your salad to make it even more nutritious. The monounsaturated fats in walnuts can increase cell receptivity to insulin to help your body maintain good blood sugar levels. Walnuts also contain antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and omega-3’s; they will increase your energy and they are delicious.
Consuming a diet high in fiber can reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Choose whole wheat and whole grain foods over their processed counterparts, like white bread, which have a dangerously high glycemic index. Many studies have proven that people who consume more whole grains have a lower risk of developing the disease.
Many grocery store items contain this ingredient, so become label conscious. If you find HFCS on the label, pick something else. In other countries this ingredient might be labeled as glucose/fructose.
Move into the 21st century and save money on diabetes testing supplies and medications by buying from an Internet pharmacy. Sometimes they will even deliver for you each month.
If you are a diabetic who is addicted to processed foods, it can be tough to stop grabbing snacks from the cupboard or the office vending machine. It is important, though, that you bypass these snacks and eat a complex carbohydrate, such as fruit or vegetables.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is NOT YOUR FAULT! It just happens to some pregnant women, and is often completely unavoidable. Work on keeping yourself calm and relieving tension, as this is best for both you and your baby. Keep thinking positively.
Remember to consult your physician if you’re pregnant or if you think you have gestational diabetes. If you do have gestational diabetes and you choose to look the other way, you are not only putting yourself in harm’s way, but your baby’s health as well. Your doctor may prescribe certain medications that are safe to take during pregnancy, and he can also advise you of what to eat.
Don’t be alarmed by high blood sugar after treating a glucose reaction. This means could mean that you are eating and drinking more than you should to fix your low level or that your body is releasing hormones to make up for the low level. If you’re concerned about a spike after eating, try cutting your portion size in half to see how portion control affects your blood sugar level.
If you are diabetic, talk to your physician if your vision is bugging you or there are any problems with it. Glaucoma, cataracts and retinopathy can appear because of diabetes. It’s vital you take care of these problems because it’s always a possibility that this could cause blindness.
This often leads to a greater chance of your child getting diabetes, either when born or at a later time in life. Don’t risk it – take care of your body and protect the health of your unborn child.
You have to carefully choose the food you eat if you suffer from diabetes. Different foods will have different effects on your blood sugar levels, so make sure to carefully choose your food choices. Large meals require large insulin injections but smaller meals require smaller insulin injections. If you monitor what you eat, it is much easier to manage your glucose and live a healthy life with diabetes.
No matter how you are feeling, it is critical that you keep an eye on glucose levels and your overall diet. Low glucose levels will lead to dehydration, so keep water handy.
If you have diabetes, cinnamon is a great way to spice up your food without adding anything negative to it. The natural sweetness inherent in certain foods is accentuated by cinnamon without the need for adding sugar that can increase levels of blood glucose. Although studies on cinnamon lowering your glucose levels are mixed, but regardless, it’s still a good spice to include in your meals.
Work out daily. Consistent exercise makes the body better able to process glucose and insulin so that your blood glucose levels stay stable. Exercise is important for the diabetic to be able to enjoy life.
Smoking is unhealthy for anyone, but diabetics who do it are begging for trouble. Do not start smoking and if you already do, you should consider quitting. Cigarettes will make your body more resistant to insulin and can increase the risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
It is always best to tell potential employers that you are diabetic, even though by law they cannot bar you from employment simply for having this condition. You have a right to privacy and do not have to tell them about your diabetes.
People who have diabetes should include healthy, complex carbohydrates in their diet. Diets that are very low in carbohydrates should be avoided, since the body will be robbed of vital nutrients. Adding more carbs to your diet is a good source of energy.
Make sure to pack up an insulated bag for your insulin whenever you travel. Insulated bags protect insulin from spoiling due to temperature extremes.
Blood Sugar
Diabetes sufferers may have various other health issues that could go unnoticed, like sleep apnea. Sleep apnea actually causes your breath to stop while sleeping. If you feel very tired during the day, get checked out for sleep apnea.
Studies have shown that exercise can lower your blood sugar, which will help you control your blood sugar levels healthily. For maximum results, ensure that your workout routine contains both resistance training and aerobic exercise.
Exercising naturally lowers blood sugar and improves insulin sensitivity, which is the healthiest way to control your blood sugar levels. You need to engage in resistance training as well as aerobics to maximize your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar.
After being diagnosed with diabetes, the first thing you should do is educate yourself on the condition you have. By learning as much as possible they can ensure that they take the best care of themselves that they can. When a person takes responsibility for his or her diagnosis, he or she can feel empowered and take back his or her life.
If you have diabetes, you need to know about the increased risk for foot problems. If you don’t pay attention to the increased risks, you could be looking at even more serious problems, including possible amputation, in the future. These ideas may save your ability to walk, so treat your toes with care.
Since you have a higher risk of getting gum disease when you have diabetes, it is important to take time to care for your teeth properly. Because of this, you need to brush your teeth a few times per day and floss a minimum of once per day.
Don’t neglect dental care if you have been diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes makes it much more likely that you will get gingivitis. Brush a few times a day and floss daily.
If you have diabetes and you want to prevent diabetes in your life, try to get some exercise. This will both serve to lose weight and lower your blood glucose because your insulin sensitivity has been increased. The positive blood sugar changes that occur with regular exercise make it a must for diabetics.
Getting a lot of physical activity is important if you suffer from diabetes, or if you are trying to prevent this disease in your body. Not only will you lose weight, but your blood sugar will decrease because you will develop higher sensitivity to insulin. With these blood sugar altering effects of increased activity, anyone who is diabetic cannot afford to be sedentary.
The tips above should have given you a good idea of the little things you can do to manage your Diabetes and have a fulfilled life. There is no reason for you to live less of a life than you want to live. You are the only person who can control the type of life you have whether you have diabetes or not.
Keep your supplies organized and ready to go, keep extra supplies around so you are always able to take care of your diabetic needs whenever and wherever you are. Have syringes, insulin and anything else you need in your prepared bag.