Commonly referred to by some as simply the “sugar,”? Diabetes can wreak havoc on lives, causing amputations, blindness, heart disease, and even death. If you have diabetes or simply want to know more about the subject, you can read the article below and learn some great tips from the experts.

Diabetics need to eat small meals throughout the day to keep their blood sugar from spiking, so try to plan out at least five eating times if you can. Start with a large breakfast (but make sure it doesn’t have too many carbs or a lot of sugar), then have a snack before and after lunch. Eating some nuts or seeds before bed keep your metabolism going overnight.

You can make a sandwich into a lettuce wrap, or even use it on a burger as a bun, but have you thought of doing a hot dog wrap? If you buy preservative-free hot dogs for a once-a-month treat, wrap them in a piece of lettuce to make them a bit healthier!

Diabetics must remember that cough lozenges are still candies! Try to buy herbal lozenges which are sweetened with honey, or options that have artificial sweeteners, to make sure that your blood sugar doesn’t spike while you have a cough or cold. We have to be so careful about absolutely everything we ingest!

If you’re going to go a non-traditional route for your diabetes treatment, continue to be under the supervision of a doctor. Make sure to visit him at least every 3 months, so he can check your blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol. He should also test your organ functions, at the intervals he sets for you.

If you’re Diabetic, you must quit smoking. End of story, period, that’s that. You cannot have any bad habits while your body is already having these types of problems or else any treatment you’re receiving will be sabotaged. It’s time to make a choice – do you want to live a long, healthy life, or smoke?

Read labels on the foods you buy to determine which foods are likely to cause your sugar to spike. While it’s easy to see in unprocessed foods where the sugar or other ingredients are, it’s not so simple with processed or packaged food. Read the labels and avoid items that have been known to interact with your sugar.

In order to be healthy in the midst of having diabetes, it is very important to eat the right kind of food. It is good to switch to food that is high in fiber such as whole grains. These types of foods contain refined carbohydrates that help decrease the risks associated with diabetes.

Reduce or stop drinking caffeinated beverages to help lower your blood sugar naturally. Drinking caffeine, such as coffee or tea, releases the hormone adrenaline that is known to raise blood glucose levels. Limit the amount of caffeine drinks to fewer than four cups a day to lower your blood sugar.

If your salad is lacking nutrients, give it a boost with some walnuts! The monounsaturated fats in walnuts help to keep your diabetes under control by increasing your cells’ receptiveness to insulin. 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.

Although diabetes can result in blindness and a loss of limbs and death, it never has to get to that point. As long as you’re following tips like the ones you’ve just read in the article above, you should be able to manage your sickness without complication. Always learn about different ways you can cope with diabetes.