If you have diabetes, you need to make some changes to your lifestyle in order to keep your condition under control. Keep reading for some useful tips on how to manage your diabetes.
Adopting a regular schedule will help you keep your sugar level under control. You need to get eight hours of sleep each night and get up at the same time every day. Eat three meals a day at regular hours and consider eating five smaller meals if you get hungry in between meals. Your body will get used to this regular schedule and your sugar level will not spike as much as before. You will probably need a few weeks to get used to your regular schedule but you will find your condition much easier to monitor once your body adjusts to this schedule.
Your sugar level will be easier to manage if you are in good shape. If you are overweight, focus on adopting a healthy diet and being more active. Ask your doctor if it is healthy for you to exercise regularly. You might have to lose some weight before you can exercise on a regular basis. Do not exhaust yourself by exercising too often; you should not work out more than three times a week. Once you reach a healthy weight, you should start toning your muscles. Your blood sugar will not spike as high if your muscles are toned.
Find a meter that is easy to transport and use. You should check your blood sugar level before and after eating and anytime you feel tired or dizzy. Use insulin if you need to keep your glucose level down and eat a healthy snack if you need a boost. Order plenty of testing supplies and make sure you always have a large quantity of testing stripes put aside. Test your glucose level as often as you need to.
Make some changes to your diet. You should avoid any food too rich in sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fat and preservatives. Your diet should include more fruits and vegetables. Eat plenty of nuts and lean meats to get the proteins you need. Meet with a nutritionist if you need help with adopting a healthier diet. If you enjoy snacking, replace candy or salty snacks with fruits, nuts and raw vegetable sticks.
Keeping your blood sugar under control will reduce your chances of developing health issues. Infections are particularly dangerous because they will spread very quickly if your blood sugar is too high. You need to maintain an excellent hygiene and protect your feet to avoid cuts and trim your toenails regularly. You should also maintain an excellent oral hygiene to avoid gum disease. Meet with your doctor immediately if you notice anything unusual about your health.
These tips will help you manage your condition and reduce your chances of developing a more serious health problem. Meet with your doctor regularly to monitor how your diabetes is progressing and make sure you are not developing any complications caused by your diabetes.