Diabetes Info

Living With Diabetes

December 9th, 2007 | by admin |

Living with diabetes is not that easy. People, who have just learnt that they are diabetic, go through various stages of denial, anger, depression, and guilt. Yet, a good diabetes care plan goes a long way in helping you lead an active and happy life. 

Create a personalized meal plan: A personalized meal plan is very important to manage blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. You need to know the effects of various foods on your blood glucose level. Take the help of a health care professional and create a personalized meal plan. 

Regular checks: Take a yearly urine test for a protein called albumin in order to ensure that your kidneys are unaffected by diabetes. Get your eyes examined every year. Early treatment of eye problems can help you prevent serious conditions in future. Visit a dentist regularly to prevent serious infections in your teeth and gums. 

Skin care: Keep your skin clean and use skin softeners to combat dryness. Take special care so that minor cuts and bruises do not lead to major infections. 

Foot care: Diabetes reduces blood supply to your limbs, and this can cause numbness in your feet. Check your feet regularly for redness or patches. If you have sores, blisters, breaks in the skin, infection, or calluses, visit a podiatrist or your family physician immediately. 

Physical activity: Get at least thirty minutes of exercise everyday. A good meal plan and a good fitness program helps many people keep diabetes under control. 

In addition to the above, it is also very important to maintain normal body weight by being active and eating the right amounts of healthy food. If you are a smoker, quit smoking immediately. In many cases, diabetes gives rise to depression, anger, guilt, and stress. Do not hesitate to take the help of trusted family and friends to deal with these feelings. Keep track of the effectiveness of your diabetes care plan. Check blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels on a regular basis. 

Many organizations, such as National Diabetes Education Program, American Diabetes Association, and National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), are mines of information and resources for diabetics, health care professionals, and the general public.