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Living your best life with diabetes - November is Diabetes Awareness Month

November 16, 2018

More than 25 million Americans have diabetes, and the number is growing each year.

Diabetes prevents your body from properly utilizing sugars from foods. The pancreas is the organ that produces insulin in response to the foot you eat, which raises the sugar in your bloodstream. Insulin is necessary to move this sugar into body cells and provide energy for the body to work well. With Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas isn’t working at all. With Type 2 diabetes, the pancreas works sluggishly, which can cause shifts in sugar levels.

Diabetes symptoms include excessive thirst, frequent urination, irritability or fatigue throughout the day.

Risk factors include a family history of diabetes, advanced age, being overweight or having a BMI over 25. High blood pressure and high cholesterol also can mean a higher risk of diabetes. People at risk for diabetes should avoid excessive alcohol consumption and smoking.

A simple finger-prick can determine if you have diabetes. For information on diabetes testing, talk to your primary care physician. To learn about free screenings, call Beebe’s Population Health at 302-645-3337.

If you have diabetes, there are ways to help control it. Here are some tips for living your best life with diabetes.

1. Eat right. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is important to follow a healthy nutrition plan. For help planning meals, talk to your physician about seeing a dietitian. It is important to pack your plate with greens, yellows, and reds. Consider adding spinach, squash, or peppers to your meals on a regular basis. Smartphone apps are easy to use and can help you track calories, fitness, vegetable consumption and more! Try MyFitnessPal or a similar app to really make sure you are on the right track. Your physician can offer a referral to a dietitian with Beebe Medical Nutrition Therapy.

2. Get out. Make time for exercise in your day. Walking, biking or jogging can do a lot to improve your health, and help keep your weight and blood sugar under control. Take a brisk walk daily. Use a pedometer to track your steps and compete against yourself to see how far you can go. Studies show those using pedometers or fitness apps on a smartphone are more likely to get their steps in each day.

3. Find inner peace. We can all feel temptation in response to stress or anxiety in our daily lives. Prevent making bad choices by meditating to reduce stress and improve blood sugar levels. A daily quiet meditation can last from five to 15 minutes and can keep you centered and on the right track.

4. Plan ahead. One of the easiest ways to slip up on your health journey is during vacations or trips. Before you pack up, make sure you have had a recent checkup, are stocked up on necessary medications, and plan your doses around time zone changes. If you are traveling to a new place, search in advance for healthy places to eat. Pack some healthy snacks such as carrots, celery, nuts or low-sugar protein bars. Stay away from overly processed, high-calorie snacks and trade up for healthy fats in nuts and fresh fruit.

5. Lose it so you can use it. By dropping 10 percent of your body weight, you will feel better and your blood sugar levels will be easier to control. Diet and exercise are the best ways to make weight loss a reality, but it is also about sticking with your plan through weight plateaus and bad days. A commitment to weight loss is a long-term decision, so don’t let life’s potholes get in your way. When you lose weight, you often have more energy and will feel more able to live your best life.

7. Visualize your future. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to vision loss and even blindness. Keep an eye on your blood sugar levels, and if you feel they are out of control, talk to your doctor or diabetes specialist about ways you can improve your numbers. An annual eye exam is recommended for those with diabetes to make sure your sight is not deteriorating.

8. Put your best foot forward. Diabetes can lead to foot injuries, and some patients may experience a foot injury that doesn’t heal. Check your feet regularly and if you have a blister, cut, or sore that isn’t healing, talk to your doctor about a referral to Beebe Wound Healing & Hyperbaric Medicine. For more information, call 302-645-3121 or go to www.beebehealthcare.org/wound-healing.

9. Find your tribe. When you are living with diabetes or are newly diagnosed, support is key. Join a diabetes support group like the one hosted through Beebe.

When you are living with diabetes, it is important to know your numbers, exercise, and eat right. Follow these tips to live your best life.

Tina Trout, CNS, CDE, is a certified nurse specialist and diabetes educator.

 

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