Diabetes is a chronic illness whereby the body cannot regulate the glucose (blood sugar) levels. This happens when the body doesn’t produce sufficient insulin to meet its needs, or the cells don’t respond efficiently to insulin. Insulin is a peptide hormone that transports glucose from the blood into the body’s cells. It also has numerous effects on the body’s metabolism.
Doctors recommend several treatment methods for diabetes.
1. Eat a Well-Balanced Diet
Healthy eating is the foundation of healthy living. But if you have diabetes, you need to understand how foods impact your sugar levels. The type and combinations of the food you eat and how much you eat matters a lot. Thus:
- Learn about portion sizes and carbohydrate counting. Carbohydrates have the most significant impact on your blood sugar levels. And if you are taking mealtime insulin, you need to also know the number of carbs in your diet to achieve a proper insulin dose. Learn the right size of portion appropriate for each type of food.
- Make your meals well-balanced. Plan your meals to have a right mix of proteins, fats, fruits, vegetables, and starch. Fruits, whole grains, and vegetables are good for you because they contain fiber that helps stabilize your blood sugar levels.
- Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages such as those high in sucrose, corn syrup, and fructose.
2. Get Sufficient Exercise
Physical activity is a fundamental part of your diabetes treatment plan. Your muscles use glucose for energy when you exercise. Also, regular physical activity helps your body to use insulin more efficiently. All these factors work in combination to reduce your blood sugar level. Workouts with increased strain levels offer longer lasting effects. However, even light activities such as gardening, housework, and being on your feet for prolonged durations can improve your blood glucose.
Make sure you talk to your physician about an efficient workout plan with the appropriate forms of workouts. Maintain a regular workout regimen and stay hydrated while working out. Check your blood glucose levels before, during, and after workouts.
3. Get Proper Medication
Insulin and other medications for diabetes are meant to decrease your blood glucose levels when workouts and diet alone are not adequate in managing your condition. For these medicines to be effective, you need the precise amounts of dosage and timing. Also, other non-diabetes medications can impact your blood sugar levels. Thus, you need to:
Inform your doctor in case of any problems. If your drugs cause your blood glucose levels to rise too high or drop too low, the doctor may need to modify your dosage or timing.
Store your insulin properly. If your insulin stays past its expiration date, or you don’t store it correctly, it may be ineffective. Insulin is highly sensitive to extreme temperatures.
Be careful with new medications. When buying over-the-counter drugs or receiving a non-diabetes prescription, inquire whether it will affect your blood glucose levels.
4. Get Proper Insulin Therapy
People with diabetes often need to take insulin to help regulate their blood sugar levels. The insulin therapy aims to retain your blood glucose within the normal range to help you stay healthy. You can take insulin with injections, insulin pump, insulin pen, inhalation, and transdermal application (skin patches).
Your doctor will help you develop a schedule that is suitable for you. Most people receive two insulin shots a day, while others need three to four shots daily.
Types of insulin include:
- Rapid-acting insulin—lasts 3 to 5 hours
- Short-acting insulin—lasts 5 to 8 hours
- Intermediate-acting insulin—lasts 12 to 16 hours
- Long-acting insulin—lasts 20 to 26 hours
- Premixed insulin—a combination of two types of insulin, usually a short or rapid-acting insulin with an intermediate-acting insulin.
5. Regular Blood Sugar Monitoring
You need to watch your blood sugar levels, primarily if you use medications that can reduce the blood sugar levels (such as insulin). You can always measure it by checking the sugar level before the first meal in the morning (fasting).
The average fasting sugar level is less than 5.6 mmol/L (100mg/dL), although some individuals may receive different recommendations. Your healthcare provider can help recommend the right level for you. Other people will need to test their blood glucose levels before and after other meals during the day.
6. Healthy Lifestyle Changes
Doctors often recommend lifestyle changes for people at high risk of diabetes, or people newly diagnosed with diabetes to help manage their condition. Here are some suggested healthy lifestyle changes to adopt.
Healthy lifestyle changes include eating healthy foods and engaging in regular exercise.
Make sure to get regular medical checkups. Diabetes raises your risk of heart disease. So, see your doctor at least twice a year for a checkup. Get a full yearly eye exam. Also, visit a foot doctor to check for problems such as nerve damage and foot ulcers.
Stress management is another important factor. Stress increases your blood sugar levels, and anxiety hinders you from efficiently managing your condition. You may forget or neglect to exercise or take medications. Thus, find ways to relieve stress through meditation, yoga, deep breathing, or hobbies that will help you relax.
Quit smoking. Diabetes makes you more susceptible to health problems such as stroke, kidney disease, eye disease, heart disease, foot problems, and nerve damage. And if you smoke, the risk of getting these complications is even higher. Thus, seek help from your doctor about ways to quit.
7. Weight Loss Surgery
Weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, can be considered if your weight gain puts you at a higher risk of developing dangerous health conditions that include loss of mobility and difficulty in breathing. Weight loss surgeries alter your digestive system to help you lose weight by lowering the absorption of nutrients or restricting the amount of food you can eat or both. It is done when workouts and diet have not worked for you.
Although diabetes is a chronic illness, it can be treated and managed. You need to follow your doctor’s recommendation about your diet, medication, exercise, insulin therapy, regular blood sugar monitoring, and changes in lifestyle. Once you do this, you will live a healthier, happier life.
