It can be scary when you are first diagnosed with diabetes, though with the right knowledge, you can manage the disease successfully, and start living a much healthier life. You will find advice in this piece that will show you how to manage your health.
All food has a ‘glycemic index’ this is how much your blood sugar will be affected when you eat them. Don’t forget: Lower GI numbers mean that the food is better for someone with diabetes.
If you do the same task the same way each time, your life will be more organized and easier. One idea is to establish a designated area for your glucose meter and testing supplies. Let your testing become a routine and you won’t forget to do it regularly and to write in your log.
If you’re diabetic, you must learn to indulge healthily. You will not necessarily have to give up everything sweet. If your blood sugar levels are under control, eating desserts occasionally is not a problem. If you eliminate some carbohydrates from your meals, you will have more room to eat dessert.
Many grocery store items contain this ingredient, so become label conscious. If you find HFCS on the label, pick something else. Sometimes, this ingredient is labeled differently, depending on the country of your residence. In Canada for example, high fructose corn syrup is usually found on food labels as “glucose” or “fructose.”
People who snack a lot, including diabetics, have a hard time saying “No” when vending machines beckon. Try to stay away from these bad snacks and eat some fruits and veggies that have complex carbohydrates instead.
Gestational Diabetes
Don’t blame yourself for being inflicted with gestational diabetes. Pregnancy often causes gestational diabetes, and there is really not much you can do to prevent it if you are susceptible to it. Keep your stress levels down, and think positive thoughts about yourself and your child.
Don’t be alarmed by high blood sugar after treating a glucose reaction. There can be two reasons for this. One, your body may be releasing hormones in response to low glucose levels. Two, you may be eating too much in response to the low reading. Next time, eat or drink half the amount you would normally ingest, then check your levels after 30 minutes.
This will make it more likely that your child will have diabetes either when he is born or later in life. Do all you can to take care of your body and keep your baby safe.
If you have diabetes and smoke, you should definitely consider quitting. In addition to increasing your risk of lung cancer, smoking can cause a spike in your blood sugar level if you have diabetes. If you are finding it difficult to quit smoking, your doctor may be able to offer some help.
When you are going to eat a meal, unless your doctor has told you otherwise, remember to take your fast-acting insulin about 1-15 minutes beforehand. Fast-acting insulins are quite effective in maintaining blood sugar levels, but they must be provided in the proper dose and timing for each person.
Keep the important benefits that come from managing your diabetes in the front of your thoughts. Consider the activities that make you happy, the things that prevent you from doing them, and the steps you can take to change that. Stay focused on what you find important and let that motivate the management of your diabetes.
Favorite Foods
Alter your favorite foods instead of eliminating them. This loss of foods you enjoy causes people difficulty in adapting to a diabetic diet. Many people mistakenly assume that they will be forced to forgo their favorite dishes. Others may continue to eat foods that negatively impact their health. The best solution is to analyze your favorite foods and choose alternatives. You could replace certain ingredients with more diabetes-friendly alternatives for instance.
Some people think that diabetics can’t eat any sugar. However, this is an old wives’ tale. All you need to do is be more conscious about your sugary decisions, sugar does not need to be banished completely. You can still savor a small serving of a favorite dessert for special occasions. Sweets translate into additional carbs, so when you are planning on having a dessert, you will want to consume less carbohydrates during the rest of the meal.
Once you know how to manage your diabetes, you won’t fear it anymore. The advice in this article can help you to effectively manage your diabetes, and by extension, your health.
