Controlling Your Diabetes

By: CDC

There is good news for people with diabetes. Studies show that keeping your blood glucose (also called blood sugar) close to normal helps prevent or delay some diabetes problems.Through careful control, many problems such as eye disease, kidney disease, heart disease, nerve damage, and serious foot problems can be prevented or slowed.

People who have type 1 diabetes, as well as people who have type 2 diabetes can also benefit by keeping their blood glucose levels closer to normal. You can learn more about diabetes and ways to help you control your blood sugar by calling National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) at 1-800-438-5383.

As the turtle makes steady progress, so too must those with diabetes continue to maintain healthy lifestyles and stick to daily routines that involve regular exercise, good nutrition, glucose monitoring, and regular visits to health care providers. To keep your glucose at a healthy level, you need to keep a balance between three important things:

Three Important Things About Diabetes

  • What you eat and drink
  • How much physical activity you do.
  • What diabetes medicine you take (if your doctor has prescribed diabetes pills or insulin)

A Few Things about Food

  • Eat a variety of foods. Choose a variety of foods to eat so that your body gets the nutrition it needs.
  • Eat less fat. Avoid fried foods. Foods that are baked, broiled, grilled, boiled, or steamed are more healthy to eat. Eat meats that have little fat. When you eat dairy products (cheese, milk, yogurt, and others),
  • Eat regular meals. Ask your health care team to help you choose a meal plan. Your dietitian may suggest you eat three meals and a snack or two every day at about the same times. Eating every 4 to 5 hours can help control blood sugar.
  • Have little or no fat or cream.
  • Eat less sugar. You may find that eating less sugar helps you control your blood glucose level.

Things you can do to eat less sugar:

  • Eat more high-fiber foods, like vegetables, dried beans, fruit, and whole grain breads and cereals.
  • Drink water and other drinks that have no added sugar.
  • Eat fewer foods that have extra sugar, such as cookies, cakes, pastries, candy, brownies, and sugared breakfast cereals.
  • Talk with your health care team about ways to sweeten food and drinks without using sugar.

less salt control your blood pressure.

  • Use less salt when you prepare foods.
  • Cut down on processed foods, such as foods you buy in cans and jars, pickled foods,
    lunch meats (“cold cuts”), and snack foods, such as chips.
  • Taste your food first before adding salt. You may not need to add any.
  • Use herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor your food.

Aword about drinking alcohol: Alcohol can cause health problems, especially for people with diabetes. It adds calories and doesn’t give your body any nutrition. Drinking alcohol may cause dangerous reactions with medicines you take. Your blood glucose can go down too low if you drink beer, wine, or liquor on an empty stomach. If you want to include a drink in your food plan once in a while, ask your health care team how to do so safely.

A Few Things about Physical Activity

  • It’s important to be active. Physical activity has many benefits. It can help you control your blood glucose and your weight. Physical activity can help prevent heart and blood flow problems. Many people say they feel better when they get regular exercise.
  • Start with a little. If you haven’t been doing any physical activity, talk to your health care team before you begin. Walking, working in the yard, and dancing are good ways to start. As you become stronger, you can add a few extra minutes to your physical activity. If you feel pain, slow down or stop and wait until it goes away. If the pain comes back, talk with your health care team right away.
  • Do some physical activity every day. It’s better to walk 10 or 20 minutes each day than one houronce a week.
  • Choose an activity you enjoy. Do an activity you really like. The more fun it is, the more likely you will do it each day. It’s also good to exercise with a family member or friend.
  • If you’re already active now, but want to become more active, talk to your health care team about a
    safe exercise plan.