Sometimes just accepting that you have diabetes can be overwhelming, and finding ways to improve your life despite it can seem impossible. This article can provide you with some fresh ways to help you manage this disease.
A large number of foods have an assigned “glycemic index,” which is a number that tells you how much the food affects your blood sugar after eating it. Select foods with a low glycemic index.
Although childhood diabetes is uncommon, effective treatments are available. If your child has been diagnosed, you can get through it! Your child can still live a normal life since diabetes treatments have come a long way. The current oldest living diabetic is 90 years of age! This means that he was living in a time when all the current medical knowledge we now have wasn’t available!
Develop a “testing ritual” that you follow every time you test your blood sugar. For instance, choose a spot to keep your insulin and meter, and make sure you put them there each and every night, so you know right where they are when you need them in the morning. Make your blood glucose test into a daily routine so that you always remember to test your blood and always remember to write down the results.
These days, diabetics are everywhere. Your daily life will be less stressful if you disregard the tendency to feel ashamed of your condition.
Sleep Apnea
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s important that you get tested for sleep apnea. Treating sleep apnea can improve your overall health and help you manage your diabetes more effectively.
If you suffer from diabetes, proceed with caution when receiving a pedicure. You are more prone to getting a foot infection if you’re diabetic, so you need to try and be careful when you get a pedicure, especially if you get a puncture or cut.
Remember to consult your physician if you’re pregnant or if you think you have gestational diabetes. By not controlling gestational diabetes, you are putting the health of yourself and your baby in jeopardy. Your doctor can advise you on how to eat and if you need any medication.
Gestational Diabetes
You are not to blame when you have gestational diabetes. Most of the time gestational diabetes simply happens for no apparent reason. Lower your stress, and think positively about your child and yourself.
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. This can be caused by two things: You could be drinking or eating more because of the lower glucose or the lower glucose could be releasing hormones. The next time this happens, try cutting your normal meal in half and double check your glucose levels a half an hour later.
If you have diabetes, you may want to put down that pack of cigarettes. Tobacco use is detrimental in general, but it poses unique risks to diabetics by pushing blood sugar levels higher. The highly addictive nature of nicotine can make quitting a very difficult process. Seek advice from your doctor.
Cinnamon is an excellent spice that can be added to foods if you are a diabetic, since it has no sugar, sodium or calories. Cinnamon helps you to highlight a food’s natural sweetness in place of glucose raising sugar. Research has shown different results when it comes to whether or not cinnamon decreases glucose levels; even if it doesn’t, it is still a good spice to use.
Glucose Tablets
If you have hypoglycemia, speak to your physician about taking some glucose tablets. Tablets are a better option for raising your blood sugar level than eating high-sugar foods. Your body can absorb sugar from glucose tablets far more quickly than it can convert food into glucose. In addition, you can carry these pills with you so that you can take them whenever your sugar drops, even if you don’t have immediate access to food.
One of the myths associated with diabetes is that you must avoid sugar at all costs. You need to remain diligent about keeping sweets to a minimum, but not completely gone from your diet. You may still celebrate with an occasional indulgence in a sweet treat. Since eating sweets adds extra carbohydrates, it is best to cut back on other foods that contain carbohydrates when you have that special treat.
Now that you’ve reached the end of the article, you have found some great ideas to help you manage your diabetes and still maintain your standard of living. Use whichever tips you can that apply to you, and start improving your health today.