5 Basic "MUST DO's" For Managing Your Diabetes
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
This video reviews five "attitude adjustments" necessary before you can truly take up the daily management of your diabetes through lifestyle modifications. See if any of these are what may be holding you back- your long-term health could depend on it.
Table of contents
Protect Yourself From What Diabetes "Can Do"
Today’s video might be a good introduction to diabetes management for newly diagnosed or even a little straight talk for those who feel lost. I’m going to give you five things you MUST DO to protect yourself over the long term from the terrible things diabetes “can do” to your health and quality of life. Notice I said “can do,” and I most specifically did not say “will do.” And that statement takes us directly to number….
Just Remember to...
- Accept responsibility… like it or not YOU are the person who determines the outcome. To be clear, I don’t mean accept responsibility for having diabetes…..that is an unhelpful guilt. What I mean is that diabetes is a SELF MANAGED condition and you are the “self.” It is you who can make conscious decisions to take your medications as prescribed, to commit to learning how to eat healthier, to make time for physical activity, to get adequate sleep. It is a job you didn’t apply for and don’t want- and the salary is terrible. But the fringe benefits are incredible if you accept the responsibility. Along those line, number…
- Stop looking for a magic answer - there isn’t one. Right now there is no “cure” for diabetes….there’s no pill, no supplement, no magic food. With type 2 diabetes “remission” is the best possible outcome, but possibility of remission depends on a lot of factors…one is how long you had diagnosable diabetes before the actual diagnosis. The most important thing to know is diabetes can be managed if you are willing to make the commitments…..YOU can maximize the outcome no matter where you’re starting. Now, point number
- Know Carbohydrate foods and portions sizes….. It’s not just sugar we have to manage. Fruits, starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, beans and lentils, milk and yogurt, grains like bread and beer and sweets all impact blood sugar levels. Our job is to eat these in appropriate portions and appropriate times and often along with other foods to minimize the impact on blood sugar. You simply cannot do that if you don’t learn carbohydrate foods and their portion sizes. OK, number…
- Monitor blood sugar to get actionable information…. I’m sorry but checking once a day or simply at random times does not give you information you can use to make changes tomorrow. Managing blood sugar means becoming a detective…… What does having a reading of 275 thirty minutes after a meal mean? Well, after meal readings will tell you a lot more if you also have a before meal reading, and remember that after meal readings should be two hours after the start of eating you (unless you fear a low blood sugar). Nobody likes the finger stick, but it’s particularly disagreeable if it serves no purpose. Finally, number
- Get your help from credible sources….. You can literally find anything online. And, your neighbor’s cousin’s friend might be full of diabetes advice too. Look for credentialed, professional help like support groups led by a certified diabetes care and education specialist, or online communities where discussion is monitored by medical professionals.
Be Sure to Check Out - Any of my Carbohydrate videos and 3 Easy Tips for Managing Blood Sugar
You don’t have to take this all on at once, but you do have to take it all on some time. I suggest you start with one. You can find a lot of information on this youtube channel, on my website, or even in my book too. After all, it wouldn’t be nice for me to dish out these commandments without providing a credible resource for you.
See you next time.
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