For someone afflicted with some form of diabetes, you know how difficult it is to keep your blood sugar levels within the range recommended by your doctor. The challenge does not only come from the required change of lifestyle, but also because there are many things that can affect your blood sugar, sometimes even unexpectedly.
Know the Enemy: What is Diabetes?
The three main types of diabetes are:
Type 1 diabetes: Insulin allows the body to use sugar (glucose) and turn it into energy. The problem with people with type 1 diabetes is that their bodies do not produce insulin. As the body needs the energy to function, it will try to get it from somewhere else which can cause other major problems, so you need a shot of insulin every day in order to live.
Type 2 diabetes: The most common type of diabetes. The production or usage of insulin is erratic. Most patients with this type of diabetes are prescribed with a pill or a shot of insulin to control their diabetes.
Gestational diabetes: This type of diabetes is contracted by some women when they get pregnant. It usually goes away after delivery but these women and their children may have a higher possibility of getting diabetes later in life.
Fight the Enemy: How to Manage Your Diabetes
As of today, there is no known cure for diabetes. But, you can manage this disease with proper diet and exercise. You have to be aware of your food intake, how much and the combinations of food you eat as there is food that can affect your blood sugar level. Make a meal plan that is well coordinated with your medications with your health care team.
Exercise helps immensely with managing your diabetes. Your body uses insulin more efficiently when you exercise regularly, as your muscles use sugar (glucose) for energy. Ask your doctor what types of exercise are suitable for you and then draft an exercise plan that is coordinated with your meal and medication schedules. But before you do any physical activity, make sure that you know at what blood sugar level you are safe to exercise. And, lastly, check your blood sugar level before, during, and after your workout.
Diabetes is not something to be taken lightly, as this disease has already taken many lives. While there is no known cure for diabetes, through perseverance and determination, you can manage it through a change in lifestyle, the food you eat, and regular exercise. For a successful diabetes management, Revere Health notes that you need to be aware of what makes your blood sugar level rise and fall and how to manage these factors. And don’t forget to regularly visit your doctor.