Diabetes care is definitely not easy. Not only does it require you to make drastic changes to your diet, it also requires extensive monitoring and maintenance. While diabetes can be quite a challenge, many things are out there that can help you manage your condition. Here are a few tips that will help you stay healthy and manage your diabetes.
If your child has diabetes, do not make things more stressful than they need to be. You can cope! You child can have a long and fulfilling life because there are a lot of medications that make it easy to deal with diabetes. Currently, the earth’s oldest diabetic is 90 years old, and he has lived well before the medical breakthroughs we have seen!
You will find it in soda, condiments and candies, and therefore, it is important to study labels in order to avoid harmful items. In Canada, high fructose corn syrup appears as “glucose/fructose”.
It is important to bring along high-sugar foods or chewing gum if you are hypoglycemic. The effects of hypoglycemia can be much more dangerous than those of hyperglycemia, and it can rear its ugly head at any time. This is a potentially severe problem if you skip breakfast, so always eat a healthy breakfast and regular meals to reduce the risks.
Glycemic Index
You need to be aware of all foods that have high glycemic index, which can raise the level of blood sugar quickly in your body. Bread, juice and pasta are very in high in terms of the glycemic index. Processed foods also have a very bad effect on your blood sugar. Instead, include meat, fish, veggies and low-glycemic fruits in your diet.
Make sure you talk with your physician if you’re pregnant and feel you might 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 can advise you on how to eat and if you need any medication.
Go to your doctor immediately if you notice anything wrong with your vision. Diabetics can experience some unique eye and vision issues in their lives. These conditions include cataract, glaucoma and even retinopathy that is specific to diabetics. Do not take these problems lightly. Diabetes has been known to cause people to go blind when they do not take care of themselves and their diabetes.
If you have diabetes, and you like to snack, it might be hard to walk by the vending machines at work, or the wonderful tasting snacks in your pantry. You need to do everything that you can though to avoid this temptation, and instead eat some veggies, fruit, or any other complex carbohydrate.
Eating several small meals a day instead of three large ones is a good habit for people with diabetes. When you eat more often throughout the day, it helps keep your blood sugar stable. Eating more often also helps you avoid the desire to binge, because the frequent meals will keep you satisfied.
You are not at fault for gestational diabetes. Sometimes it happens and a lot of the time you cannot stop it from happening. Keep your stress level low, and think positively about your baby and yourself.
Lower Glucose
After treating lower levels of glucose, you should not be surprised to see your blood sugar actually spike. 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.
This increases your child’s chances of developing diabetes when he or she is born or later in life. Take good care of yourself so your child can stay healthy.
Unless your doctor tells you different, you should take your fast-acting insulin no more than 15 minutes before eating. Fast-acting insulin is very effective at keeping blood sugar steady, only if used correctly though.
It is imperative to keep checking your blood sugar routinely, even though gestational diabetes will usually resolve itself after the birth of your child. You can still have problems with blood glucose levels when you have your baby!
You shouldn’t only rely on urine ketone testing as a means to measure blood sugar levels. A high ketone level indicates that your blood contains 200 milligrams of sugar per deciliter. Rather, the ADA recommends that people with diabetes use finger sticks or test strips to get the accurate readings they need.
You must carefully monitor your diet and condition. There’s no denying that diabetes will change your life, but it doesn’t have to be as bad, if you choose to follow the advice given in this article. Don’t let diabetes control your life, and try your best to start treating diabetes management as an integral part of your life.