After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you may feel powerless over your health. However, even if the condition is chronic, there’s a lot you can do to control it. The best way to control diabetes is through lifestyle and dietary changes. If that’s not enough, a doctor can recommend medication.
Always strive to eat healthy meals and avoid non-nutritional foods. Take whole grain bread, brown rice, fruits and vegetables, fish, low-fat dairy, and chicken meat. Avoid high-sugar foods and drinks, candy, cakes, and fatty meats. Follow a diet similar to the Mediterranean to control blood sugar and lower your risk of type 2 diabetes complications like stroke and heart disease.
Monitoring Blood Sugar
Your doctor will tell you how often to check your blood sugar to stay within the correct range, perhaps once every day. Repeat blood sugar checks several times if you are on insulin using a blood glucose meter. The system will send alerts to a mobile device if the levels are too low or high. Keep the records to share with your medical doctor.
Shedding Weight
Weight loss improves blood sugar, cholesterol levels and controls blood pressure. If you lose just 5% of your weight, you will see improvements in these factors. Shedding weight is also beneficial to your health and disease management. Your doctor or dietician can help you make appropriate lifestyle changes to achieve your weight-loss goals.
Physical Activity
Regular exercise is vital for weight loss and regulating blood sugar. However, consult your health provider before beginning or changing your exercise routine. Try aerobic exercises such as swimming, walking, running, or biking. In addition, be active. Break long periods of inactivity like sitting down. Stand up, walk around or do something light after every 30 minutes.
Manage Stress
Stress, anger, and depression raise blood sugar levels. The anxiety felt can affect how well you manage your diabetes. Always try to avoid situations that stress you and find ways to relax, such as deep breathing, yoga, or enjoying a hobby.
Medication
If you can’t control your blood sugar with exercises or diet, a doctor may recommend medication or insulin therapy. You can use metformin to reduce glucose production in the liver and increase insulin sensitivity, sulfonylureas to increase insulin secretion, or take functional medicine Denver CO-based.
Honor Doctor’s Appointment
Plan with your doctor how often you should see them and stick to appointments. It’s beneficial to have a good relationship with your doctor and ask questions. Be at ease even if your blood sugar is not under control; diabetes is not an easy disease to have and control.
Quit Smoking
Doctors warn that smoking can be particularly harmful to people with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular issues. Smoking increases the risk factors by constricting blood vessels in the legs, increasing the risk of diabetes complications like leg amputation and infections. Seek help from a doctor if you are having difficulties stopping smoking.
Type 2 diabetes is a manageable condition. Weight loss, eating healthy meals, regular exercise, and medication can control blood sugar levels. In addition, always monitor your blood sugar levels and keep the records.
