Some Useful Diabetes Control Tips

Managing diabetes is a continuous challenge that requires constant attention and effort. With proper management and care, people living with diabetes can lead healthy and productive lives. We will share some useful diabetes control tips to help you manage your diabetes.

Understanding Diabetes

Before we dive into the tips, it is essential to have a basic understanding of what diabetes is. Diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks the cells in the pancreas responsible for producing insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. People with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin daily to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or does not produce enough insulin. Type 2 diabetes can often be managed with lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise. In some cases, medication may be necessary to control blood sugar levels.

Now that we have a basic understanding of diabetes let’s dive into some useful tips for controlling it.

Diabetes control tips  Tip #1: Monitor Blood Sugar Levels

One of the most crucial aspects of diabetes management is monitoring blood sugar levels. Regularly checking your blood sugar levels can help you identify trends and patterns that can affect your diabetes management. You can monitor your blood sugar levels at home using a glucometer. Your healthcare provider can recommend how often you should check your blood sugar levels based on your diabetes management plan.

What’s the best treatment for low blood sugar? Find out here!

Diabetes control tips  Tip #2: Eat a Healthy Diet

Eating a healthy diet is essential for people living with diabetes. A healthy diet can help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels and prevent complications associated with diabetes. A healthy diet should consist of whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. Avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, and foods high in saturated and trans fats.

Diabetes control tips hindi  Tip #3: Stay Active

Diabetes Control tips HindiExercise can help lower blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and maintain a healthy weight. Regular exercise can also help reduce the risk of heart disease, which is a common complication of diabetes. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week. Consult with your healthcare provider before starting an exercise routine, especially if you have any diabetes-related complications.

The importance of exercise for diabetes – read more about it here!

Diabetes control tips Bangla  Tip #4: Take Medications as Prescribed

If your healthcare provider has prescribed medication to manage your diabetes, it is essential to take them as prescribed. Taking your medications regularly and on time can help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels and prevent complications associated with diabetes.

Diabetes control tips Bangla  Tip #5: Manage Stress

Stress can affect blood sugar levels, making it difficult to manage diabetes. Managing stress is essential for people living with diabetes. There are several ways to manage stress, including exercise, meditation, deep breathing, and mindfulness.

Diabetes control tips  Tip #6: Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is essential for people living with diabetes. Lack of sleep can affect blood sugar levels, making it difficult to manage diabetes. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night.

Blood sugar control tips  Tip #7: Quit Smoking

Smoking can increase the risk of complications associated with diabetes, including heart disease, kidney disease, and nerve damage. Quitting smoking can improve blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of complications associated with diabetes.

Blood sugar control tips  Tip #8: Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water is essential for people living with diabetes. Dehydration can affect blood sugar levels, making it difficult to manage diabetes. Aim for 8-10 glasses of water per day.

Diabetes control tips Hindi  Tip #9: Keep Good Records

Diabetes control tipsKeeping track of your diabetes records is an important part of managing your condition. It can help you and your healthcare team make informed decisions about your treatment plan and identify any patterns or trends in your blood sugar levels.

Here are some tips for keeping diabetes records:

  1. Blood sugar readings: Record your blood sugar readings in a logbook or on a digital app. Include the date, time, and reading (in mg/dL or mmol/L). You may also want to note any factors that may have affected your blood sugar level, such as food, exercise, medication, or stress.
  2. Medications: Keep track of the medications you are taking, including the name, dosage, and frequency. This can help you remember when to take your medications and ensure that you are taking them as prescribed.
  3. Food intake: Keeping a food diary can help you track what you eat and how it affects your blood sugar levels. Note the type of food, portion size, and the time you ate it.
  4. Exercise: Record your physical activity, including the type, duration, and intensity. This can help you see how exercise affects your blood sugar levels and make adjustments to your medication or food intake accordingly.
  5. Symptoms: Note any symptoms you experience, such as fatigue, blurred vision, or increased thirst. This can help you identify patterns and potential complications of your diabetes.
  6. Appointments: Keep track of your appointments with your healthcare team, including your doctor, diabetes educator, and other specialists.
  7. Goals: Write down your diabetes goals and track your progress towards achieving them. This can help you stay motivated and focused on your health.

Remember to bring your diabetes records to your healthcare appointments, so you can discuss your progress with your healthcare team. By keeping accurate records, you can take an active role in managing your diabetes and improve your overall health.

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Issues to be Aware of in a Diabetic Diet

Diabetes can be effectively controlled with regular exercise and eating a healthy diabetic diet. If you are a diabetic, the two main issues you should be well aware of in a diabetic diet plan are the sugar and fat intake.

Constant weight control is essential to prevent excessive weight gain that can contribute to a number of different problems.

If you are a diabetic, you become tuned into what you are putting into your body. Ideally, you should be eating as much raw, unprocessed food as possible, but you will still probably be consuming packaged foods. If you want to do this in a healthy way, you need to be aware that what some manufacturers put on a label is not always straightforward.

Are Food Labels really what they say they are?

For example:

  • Fat free must be less than 0.15 per cent fat.
  • Reduced fat should be at least a 25% reduction from the original food or product.
  • Low fat must contain less than 3 per cent for solid foods and less than 1.5 per cent for liquid foods.
  • No added sugar in a product means the product must not contain any added sugars, but says nothing about the natural sugar content. Fruit juice is an excellent example here.

People suffering with diabetes must also keep in mind that fats, sugars and salts can be also added in many forms and scattered throughout the ingredient list without actually being labelled as fat, sugar or salt.

Always look at the fine print as fats can be labelled as:

Dripping, butter, shortening, coconut, coconut oil, Palm oil, copha, cream, sour cream, mayonnaise, vegetable oils and fats, hydrogenated oils, full cream milk powder, eggs, mono / di or tri glyderides. None of this mentions the quality of the ingredients, which is another issue.

Sugars can be labelled as:

Brown sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, disaccharides, fructose, glucose, lactose, golden syrup, honey, malt, maltose, mannitol, maple syrup, molasses, monosaccharides, raw sugar, sorbitol, sucrose and xylitol.

Much of the advice given by a dietitian is to follow a diet that is healthy for both diabetic and nondiabetic, without distinction. The key is moderation in everything.

diet for diabetesA good diabetic diet has an emphasis on reducing the amount of sweet foods, especially cakes and biscuits and increase the intake of complex carbohydrates by eating more brown rice and whole foods. Medication is not always necessarily the answer to control diabetes as regular exercise and a diabetic diet is quite effective.

How much exercise does a diabetic need?

There is medical evidence that regular exercise can actually help prevent a person developing diabetes and help with its control. The muscles of the body uses glucose during exercise, resulting in lower overall levels of blood sugar. The minimum recommended amount of exercise to be effective is 20 minutes at least three times a week.

And of course it’s important to consult your doctor before taking a new kind of exercise, especially if you have additional health problems, along with diabetes. Exercise alone is not sufficient to help control diabetes, which means that a diabetic diet is a must!

Moreover, there are some diabetic patients for whom this is not enough and medication is necessary. Most drugs are taken orally for diabetes. A diabetic may be prescribed a drug or a combination of several drugs to adequately control their diabetes.

Effective management of diabetes can usually be achieved through adherence to proper diet and exercise for diabetics on a regular basis.

Learn more about the complications of diabetes HERE!

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