TIPS FOR PEOPLE DIAGNOSED WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES

Last Updated on May 10, 2022 by Admin

Your scheduled visit to your medical professional is complete, and your doctor tells you that you have Type 2 Diabetes. You feel confused and afraid, the feeling of uncertainty starts to creep in, and you ask yourself, what do I do now? 

 

Well, you are not alone, and we are here to help. Type 2 Diabetes is not a death sentence. According to the World Health Organization, diabetes accounts for just 0.36 percent of fatalities each year. So, there’s no reason to be concerned.

 

Most people tend to freak out because they don’t know what diabetes is when diagnosed with it. So, we will talk about that first and then move on to some tips that might save your life.

ALL ABOUT DIABETES.

You’re likely asking yourself, what is Type 2 Diabetes?  It’s even more likely that you’re asking why you have it? 

 

The simple answer? Insulin, or the lack of it at least. The human body produces insulin to convert the glucose in our body into energy. So anytime our blood sugar reaches a certain level, Insulin is released from the pancreas to lower the blood sugar level.

 

However, with Type 2 Diabetes, the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it well, leading to a buildup of glucose in your system, leading to serious health problems. 

 

Though the condition doesn’t currently have a cure, managing diabetes isn’t an arduous task. Simply changing some basic things about your routine can go a long way in ensuring that you live a long and fulfilling life regardless. 

 

The first thing to do will be to contact a Certified Diabetes Educator if your doctor hasn’t already referred you to one. A CDE, as they are most commonly called, will advise you on creating a diabetes meal plan to follow, educate you about the things changes you will have to make in your routine, and generally dispel a few misconceptions about the condition.

 

TIPS ON HANDLING TYPE 2 DIABETES 

Your CDE will also probably give you a couple of tips about managing Type 2 diabetes. Here are some that they might have missed.

 

• Managing Your Diet

Your first line of action would be to make some lifestyle changes, especially when it comes to your nutrition; one of such changes would be to reduce your intake of sugary drinks. 

Yeah, it’s a bummer, but a necessary lifesaving one. And you don’t have to stop all at once. Like all addictions, the best thing would be a slow but steady decrease in your intake of such drinks, replacing them with water. 

Another would be choosing your carbs carefully. Food rich in carbohydrates raises your blood sugar much more than food rich in proteins and fats, so you need to carefully decide which carbs you eat. 

This doesn’t mean cutting them out, as some carbs are very much useful, but your CDE can help decide which ones you can eat and which ones you should shun. 

Portion control is also equally essential as it helps to keep your blood sugar steady. Skipping meals is not advisable as it’s likely that when you do eventually get a meal, you’ll overeat, and then your blood sugar goes up fast. According to the American Diabetes Association, the Diabetes Plate Method is an excellent way of getting the right portions of food in its correct nutrition quantity. 

If all of this seems too hard to follow or do on your own, a Diabetes Meal Planner is the best option. All you’ll need to start is downloading the app and taking a short quiz.

• Monitoring Your Blood Sugar

Maintaining ideal blood sugar levels is critical to overall health since low blood sugar levels can lead to a loss of normal brain function and excessive blood sugar levels can harm the body. Maintaining contact with your CDE is critical so that you may monitor how your body responds to your food plan and determine the appropriate range of your blood sugar levels.

On your own, you can monitor your blood sugar levels by getting yourself a Blood Glucose Meter or a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM). All you have to do to work them is poke your fingertip with a needle or something and then press a little bit of blood onto a blood strip inserted into the machine. You can find out more about CGMs here.

Keeping a log after each blood sugar test is essential as your CDE can analyze the results to determine whether there is an improvement. You can also check how your blood sugar is faring by comparing it to the standard healthy blood sugar level range. 

It’s pretty possible you feel sad, upset, or confused about the numbers you see, especially if it looks like you keep falling above or below the healthy range but remember that this is not an indicator of your condition getting worse. It means that your care plan needs to be revamped or requires a little tweaking. Your CDE can quickly help with this.

• Don’t Miss Your Meds.

We all can relate to the hassle of medication, but such medication can be a lifesaver in this case. Setting alarms is an excellent way to go about it, so you’re not spending all day distracted by the thought. If your doctor feels like you would need insulin shots, be sure to have an orange juice or a healthy source of sugar beforehand so your blood sugar level doesn’t get too low.

 

• Exercising Is Crucial

Exercise is an excellent technique to reduce your blood sugar levels. If you’re not a fan of exercising, you should probably suck it up because it’s essential. A comfortable walk around your neighborhood would be a great way to start. You can go for five minutes at a steady pace, then speed up for another five, and then slow down for five minutes again. This pattern will help you not just lower your blood sugar but keep a healthy life all around. 

 

And if you’re not the kind to go for a walk, find something not too rigorous that you can do. The point of it all is to get the excess glucose out of your system. A good exercise regimen combined with a healthy lifestyle and regulated nutrition is an excellent way to keep your blood sugar green.