Diabetes Education
The first step to living well with diabetes is understanding the disease. Diabetes is a condition in which your body doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t use it properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose, or sugar, get into your cells for energy. When your body doesn’t have enough insulin or can’t use it the way it should, your blood sugar level stays too high.
If not well controlled, diabetes can lead to a greater risk of:
There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes is when your body fails to make insulin; Type 2 diabetes is when your body can make insulin, but it either doesn’t make enough or doesn’t use it well. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes.
Another type of diabetes, called gestational diabetes, occurs when a woman develops diabetes while pregnant. The condition usually goes away after the baby is born.
Understanding diabetes also means discussing the condition with your health care team, asking questions and making sure you fully comprehend your treatment plan. You can also listen to podcasts, read about diabetes and check to see if your healthcare provider offers any classes. Insurance may cover initial diabetes education when first diagnosed and up to two hours each year, to make sure your diabetes stays well controlled. Check with your insurance company to see what is covered under your plan.
Follow Your Diabetes Treatment Plan
Your health care team will give you a treatment plan to manage your diabetes. Your plan may include:
- Taking medicine for blood sugar control. This could be oral medication or insulin injections, depending on the type and severity of your diabetes.
- Checking your blood sugar levels. Your doctor may advise you to check your blood sugar one or more times per day to make sure it is in a healthy range.
- Maintaining a healthy weight. Do this by exercising and following a healthy eating plan.
Diabetes management also includes seeing your doctor regularly to ensure you are staying healthy and to determine whether any changes need to be made to your diabetes care plan. Even when you are feeling well, you should make an appointment at least two times per year. At each visit, be sure your doctor checks the following:
- Your blood pressure
- Your feet
- Your weight
Twice a year, you should also have an A1C blood test. This test result reflects your average blood sugar levels over the previous three months. Tracking your A1C results can help your doctor determine whether your current treatment plan is working and whether adjustments need to be made to help prevent future complications.
Additionally, at least once per year, tests you should have include:
- Cholesterol test
- Comprehensive foot exam
- Dental exam to check your teeth and gums
- Eye exam
- Flu shot
- Urine and blood test to check for kidney problems
Eat Well and Stay Active
Two of the most important things you can do for your health are eat healthfully and get plenty of physical activity. While these are important steps for everyone, if you have diabetes, they can help you keep your blood sugar at a healthy level and prevent any complications from developing.
Remember that the foods you eat can greatly affect your blood sugar. What is the best meal plan to follow if you are living with diabetes? It might look a little different for everyone, which is why you should talk to your doctor to decide on the best plan. In general, try to:
- Choose foods lower in calories, saturated and trans fats, sugar and salt.
- Include fiber-rich foods, such as whole-grain cereals, breads, rice or pasta.
- Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, and lean protein.
- Skip sugary beverages and drink lots of water.
Along with choosing healthy foods, getting regular exercise is very important if you have diabetes. This is because physical activity can help your body use insulin properly as well as lower your blood sugar and help prevent complications like nerve damage and heart disease.
The benefits of exercise are numerous. Exercise can:
- Help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight
- Boost your mental health
- Help you get a good night’s sleep
- Improve your memory
- Keep blood pressure down
- Manage cholesterol
Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week to maintain weight. This can be broken down to 30 minutes five days per week or 20 to 25 minutes every day. Anything that gets your heart pumping counts. Here are some ideas to try:
- Biking
- Brisk walking
- Dancing
- Mowing the lawn with a push mower
- Playing sports
- Swimming
It’s also important to do strength training exercises two days per week and incorporate stretching into your activity sessions.
To lose weight, you may need to increase your exercise goals to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week.
More to Read
- Is It Safe to Exercise After Taking Insulin?
- Anti-Inflammatory Diet Helps Prevent or Reverse Metabolic Syndrome
- Medical Nutrition Therapy for Diabetes Management
- The Connection Between Diabetes and Arthritis
Medically reviewed by Teresa English RN, MSN, CDCES, Inpatient Diabetes Educator, Diabetes Center at University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center in Largo, Maryland.
