Twenty-three million people suffer from diabetes in the United States. There are 57 million more people with pre-diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association. Something has to be done to get those numbers reduced. Diabetes occurs when the body no longer produces or uses insulin correctly. Therefore, helping the body recover and utilize insulin properly is the goal in treating diabetes.
Instructions
- 1
Eat a low-carb diet. Reducing carbohydrates in your diet is one of the quickest ways to lower blood sugar readings. Eat meats, eggs, cheese, and low sugar fruits such as berries. A link to a list of low-carb foods will be provided in the resources section. You can see the difference eating a low-carb diet makes for yourself by testing with a glucose meter.
2Test your blood sugar after every meal and snack. Until you know how foods affect your blood sugar you should check every time you eat something. It seems like a lot of testing but its the only way to know for sure. Each person reacts differently to foods. Dont eat something without testing just because your friend can.
3Exercise regularly. Setting up an exercise routine is essential to controlling diabetes. Exercise helps the cells release insulin for the body to use instead of holding on to it. A diabetic needs at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. If you do eat a meal higher in carbohydrates its a good idea to exercise afterwards. This will ensure that your blood sugar doesnt stay high for long.
4Lose weight. If you are not at a healthy weight then you need to get there. Reducing excess weight is one of the easiest ways to lower blood sugar readings.
5Take all medication as prescribed. If you cant control your diabetes with diet and exercise medication is called for. Follow the directions your doctor and pharmacist supply for medications. Diabetic medication helps the body keep blood sugar levels steady. Missing doses will throw things off and cause high readings.
6Reduce stress as much as possible. For many diabetics stress raises blood sugar levels. Learning coping skills and practicing stress management will help keep your readings at optimal levels.
7Keep all appointments with your doctor. Regular checkups are necessary for diabetics. The sooner you know of problems the easier they are to treat. Keeping on top of diabetes is how you reduce your chances of complications. Letting something go too long can cause serious problems for diabetics.
8Get your A1C or hemoglobin A1C into the non-diabetic range. Getting your A1C into the non-diabetic range means you are in control. Your diabetes is not progressing and you should not have complications. Controlling diabetes isnt easy but it is achievable. If you do all of the things mentioned here you can achieve optimal control over your diabetes.
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