Living life as usual can be challenging when you have diabetes. Back then, it was okay not to care about what you eat, drink, or do. But with diabetes, self-management is the key.
As such, this post will show you the eight best ways you can keep yourself healthy while living with diabetes.
Make healthy food choices
Every food has sugar, even the healthiest ones. That’s why a diabetes diet is perfectly designed to help control your blood sugar level. It also helps to manage your weight and reduce the risk of developing other diseases.
The key to this diet is eating the healthiest foods in moderation. On top of that, the diet makes sure that you eat your meals regularly.
It’s highly recommended to get a dietician who can help create a meal plan for you. This way, you are sure to get the healthiest food choices and the best meal intervals you need.
Do regular physical activities
Aside from eating healthy, doing some exercise is something your body would thank you for. We already know some of the best benefits of physical activity:
- Helps maintain weight
- Lowers blood pressure
- Raise healthy HDL cholesterol while lowering harmful LDL cholesterol and triglycerides
- Strengthens muscles and bones
- Reduce anxiety
In other words, you keep your mind and body healthy every day just by exercising. And for a person living with diabetes, exercising can also help lower blood sugar levels and counter insulin resistance.
Take your medication as prescribed
Make sure that you take your prescribed medications on time, which can be challenging, especially if you have many things in mind.
That said, listed below are some things you can do to ensure that you’re taking your medications.
- Take your medications daily at the same until it becomes a routine.
- Get a pillbox to remember what medications to take at a specific time.
- Use visual reminders, too. Place them in areas where you’ll likely see them easily.
- You can use an app too, or even just a simple alarm will do.
However, if these are still not enough, ask for support from friends and family. Help them remind you to take your medicines on time.
Have regular doctor appointments
Attend regular doctor appointments to learn more about your condition. This includes knowing how you’re doing and what other things you can do to keep your blood sugar level in check.
At best, you should visit your doctor every 3-6 months. That way, he can check your blood pressure, weight, feet, cholesterol level, or even your kidneys if needed. This way, they know if you’re doing things right or if you need to improve your diet or exercise.
Stop smoking
Smoking is bad, and it’s hazardous if you continue doing it while having diabetes.
The nicotine in cigarettes can hold back your blood flow. And if a person has diabetes, this is an additional risk that may lead to heart disease.
If you’ve been smoking for too long, quitting may not be easy. But it’s certainly a decision you need to make if you want to stay healthy.
We advise setting a quit date and getting support from friends, family, or even your doctor. This way, none of them will put you in a situation where you’ll be tempted to smoke. You can also find other hobbies to keep your mind off smoking.
Pay close attention to your feet
When you are diabetic, your feet can be extra sensitive. So, please pay close attention to them so as not to risk yourself getting infections. Here are some things you can do to take care of your feet and legs:
- Inspect your feet daily for cracks, wounds, and sores
- Support your feet with diabetes-friendly footwear and socks
- Never go barefoot
- Keep feet dry
- Treat any foot problems
But aside from this, visit a health care service, like Maayo Well Services, regularly so they can check your feet condition, too.
Adopt good sleep habits
As much as possible, try to have a good night’s sleep. We know that having diabetes can be stressful, and the frequent changing of your blood sugar levels affects the quality of sleep you get.
It’s highly recommended to get regular exercise and avoid any stimulants like caffeine that may keep you awake. Also, schedule the time you go to bed so your body can easily remember it, and it becomes a routine.
Another thing we recommend is keeping the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet to encourage yourself to sleep.
Practice stress management techniques
We know that this can be a very stressful situation for you, but try to relax and think happy thoughts. Yes, you have diabetes, but it’s not yet the end.
You can practice relaxing by doing deep breathing and relaxation exercises. We would also highly recommend doing yoga as an exercise to hit two birds in one stone.
Over to You
Living with diabetes is not easy.
A slight spike in your sugar level can mean damaging vital parts of your body, which includes your heart, feet, nerves, kidneys, and eyes. This can also result in high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries.
Spending every day worrying about blood sugar levels, watching what you eat, and being careful with what you do can be daunting. However, you need to cope with this new lifestyle, as it will keep you healthy and help you live longer.
