Are you living with diabetes? Diabetes does not have to be the debilitating disease that some make it out to be. You can have a “normal” life and have diabetes at the same time. Follow our tips on how to make the most out of your life with diabetes.
If you have Diabetes then alcohol is not your friend. Alcoholic drinks are full of sugar and that will not help your blood sugar levels. A glass of wine has more sugar than hard liquor and beer will has less sugar than wine but more than liquor.
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!
Buckwheat is an excellent choice to include in a Diabetic diet. It can lower your blood glucose levels after a meal, keeping you from having a spike. You can eat buckwheat instead of rice, or enjoy soba noodles with your dinner. It’s available at almost any grocery store and is sometimes known as kasha.
Make sure to take your diabetes medications exactly as directed. You are NOT a doctor, nor is anyone else giving you advice other than your physician. They tell you how often to take your prescriptions and how much you should take at a time because they know, so follow their directions.
The website Act1diabetes.org can help Diabetics with low incomes swap out their Diabetic supplies for new ones. It’s free for people who can’t afford to pay even a discounted price for the service, so look into it if you are having problems financially or have a limited income at the moment.
There are several ways to prevent developing diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common and can be prevented by regular exercise, losing weight, eating more fiber, and consuming whole grains. Don’t attempt to shortcut living a healthy lifestyle by using fad diets; talk to a physician or nutritionist and make an effective plan together.
It is important that you have your cholesterol checked at least once a year if you have diabetes. Having diabetes increases your chances of developing high cholesterol, which can cause serious health problems like heart disease and stroke. There is a simple blood test called a fasting lipid profile that checks your cholesterol levels.
If you are battling illness, you should increase the frequency of your glucose readings. When your body is devoting its resources to fighting off infection, blood sugars can fluctuate in response to the physical and emotional stress that is often linked with sickness. Check glucose and urine ketone levels as often as six times daily during your illness.
Diabetes can affect the eyes, so make sure you are seeing an eye doctor regularly to catch any complications before they become worse. Be aware of any changes in your vision; diabetes can damage the nerves in the eyes so stay vigilant about any changes you see.
A great before bed snack for a Diabetic is a glass of skim milk with two tablespoons of Whey protein added. This gives you something to keep your blood sugar levels stable over night, while the protein will help the milk digest and keep it from spiking your blood sugar too high while you sleep.
If you have diabetes, you should try to cut out alcohol or talk to your doctor if you can not. Alcohol can cause low blood sugar, which is called hypoglycemia. The effects can be very hard to predict with different people. Doctors will allow some people to have a drink or two with proper management, but it is best to avoid alcohol altogether.
If you have type 2 diabetes, and the medication you are taking is not helping as well as you had hoped, don’t stress too much. Many diabetics need insulin, and they now make insulin pens that will control your blood sugar better than the syringes do. Make sure they are covered by your insurance company before getting one, because it does seem to be something insurance companies will not always approve.
Individuals who have been diagnosed with IGT, or impaired glucose tolerance, should be especially vigilant in monitoring their lifestyle changes, including dietary, exercise, and activities. Losing weight and increasing your exercise routine can significantly lower your chances of progressing from impaired glucose tolerance to full-blown diabetes, therefore prolonging and enhancing your life.
As you can see, it is possible to live a happy life even if you have diabetes. Living with diabetes is all what you make it, and you can make the best out of it. By following our tips you will learn how to lead a happy life, thus making the best of your health limitations.
