Diabetes affects approximately 16 million Americans and is a chronic condition public health authorities are referring to as an epidemic, according to LifeClinic.com. It results from an excess of glucose, or sugar, in the blood due to an inadequate amount of the hormone insulin to help remove it from the body. When you fail to seek treatment for or do not care properly for yourself, your glucose levels can rise dangerously. This leads to complications such as heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney failure. Controlling your blood glucose is not impossible, and once you know how, you can lead a healthy, happy life.
Step 1
Wear a diabetic bracelet. No matter how hard you try, emergencies can occur and your blood sugar levels can drop. Wearing a bracelet to alert people you are diabetic allows them to better help you regain control of your blood glucose.
Step 2
Drink alcohol on occasion. One of the primary ingredients in alcohol is sugar. Therefore, drinking too much can have a disastrous effect on your glucose levels. Under normal circumstances, moderation is one drink for a woman and two drinks for a man per day, but ask your doctor what is best for you. MayoClinic.com recommends drinking only when eating and to include the calorie count with your caloric intake for the day.
Step 3
Practice various stress management techniques. Meditation, yoga and deep-breathing exercises are all examples of stress-relief techniques you can incorporate when stress attacks. Not only does stress prevent your insulin from working properly to control your glucose, it can cause you to stray from your normal diabetes management routine, according to MayoClinic.com.
Step 4
Change your eating habits. A change in your eating habits doesn't necessarily mean depriving yourself of foods you enjoy---it is a matter of learning when and how much to eat. Of course, you need to reduce the amount of high-sugar foods you consume and replace them with fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The real key, though, is eating more frequently and eating at the same time every day. This provides balance, keeping your glucose levels on target throughout the day.
Step 5
Take more steps every day. Physical activity is imperative for diabetics. MayoClinic.com points out that when you exercise, sugar goes into your cells where it is burned for energy, which over time decreases your need for insulin as your body becomes more sensitive to the medication. The site suggests 30 minutes of exercise each day, and it should be an activity of your choice. You must enjoy what you do so you will continue doing it.
Step 6
Take your medication as the doctor prescribes. Medication plays a large role in glucose control. You may need insulin alone, or the doctor may prescribe insulin in combination with an oral or another injectable medication. It is vital that you take this medication exactly as he prescribes, and at the times he prescribes it to be taken. Anything other than this can lead to a fluctuation in your glucose levels.
Step 7
Check your glucose levels regularly. The American Diabetes Association states that checking your blood glucose is the main tool you have to keep your diabetes under control. You can self-monitor your glucose levels with the help of a glucose-monitoring machine, typically checking your levels two or three times a day. Keep track of your results, showing them to the doctor at each visit. These results help her determine if a change in your care plan in necessary.
