Living With Diabetes
Healthy living tips for those with diabetes.
Tip #1: Know Your Numbers
Knowing what your blood glucose numbers should
be is a key component to managing your diabetes. Your fasting blood sugar
number should be less than 120, between 70 and 130 before a meal and less than
180 after a meal.
Tip #2: Eat a Well-Balanced Diet
With the aid of a nutritionist or dietician,
you should be able to determine how much and what kinds of food you should be
eating daily. Typically, your diet plan is based off tracking the number of
carbohydrates you eat as the body converts most carbohydrates into sugar -
making your blood sugar rise. Choose whole grain foods, fruits and food high in
fiber when looking at the type of carbohydrates you eat. These changes are
lifestyle changes, not a simple diet that you can follow or ignore as you
please.
Tip #3: Exercise Regularly!
Exercise is a great and fairly easy way to
manage your diabetes - especially after you have a scheduled
routine. If you find you cannot stay committed to a regular exercise
program on your own, we suggest joining the gym or hiring a personal trainer to
motivate you and help find a program that works for you. Walking is also
a great way to exercise and can be fit easily into your day in both short and
long bursts. Park further away from your building, walk to talk to someone in
the office instead of calling them, take the stairs and more! It's simple, it's
cheap and it gets you moving!
Tip #4: Don't Rule Out Medications
In some cases, diet and exercise alone cannot
control or help you reach your blood sugar goals. Talk to your doctor
about the advantages and disadvantages of oral medications or insulin to help
understand your choices.
Tip # 5: Keep Your Cholesterol and Blood Pressure in Check
Many diabetics also fight high cholesterol and
blood pressure. Try to keep your blood pressure under 130/80 and your
cholesterol levels within the following: LDL less than 100, Triglycerides less
than 150 and HDL greater than 40.
Tip #6: Get Support
Connecting with other diabetics in a support
group allows you to share personal experiences and ideas on how to better
manage your diabetes. Reid Hospital offers a support group that meets once a
month, covering helpful management tips and educational information on
diabetes.
Reid Health Registered Dietitians and Certified Diabetes Educators are available to help individuals meet their health related goals. Registered Dietitians are equip with certificates in Pediatric, Adolescent and Adult Weight Management and serve as Reid's nutrition experts. Our Certified Diabetes Educator offers a wide variety of advanced diabetes management trainings.