4 Tips to Control your Diabetes

Diabetes is turning out to be a global epidemic with even children and teenagers being diagnosed with this disease in recent years, thanks to unhealthy eating habits and following sedentary lifestyles. We continue to look at ways in which you can manage your lifestyle in order to control your diabetes.

Get regular checkups:

It is essential to meet with the doctor at least twice a year as diabetes raises the chances of heart disease. Thus it is important to keep track of crucial numbers such as cholesterol, blood pressure, and A1c (average blood sugar over 3 months) as well as getting a full eye exam every year and checking for problems like foot ulcers and nerve damage.

Manage stress:

Blood sugar levels tend to increase when a person is stressed and it may become difficult to manage diabetes when one is anxious as a person may forget to exercise, eat right, or take their medicines. If one leads a stressful lifestyle, it is very important, therefore, to learn to manage stress through deep breathing, yoga, or hobbies that the person finds relaxing.

Stop smoking:

Smoking increases the chances of a diabetic getting health problems like heart disease, eye disease, stroke, kidney disease, blood vessel disease, nerve damage, and foot problems, something which is he/she may already be prone to because of the diabetes. Smoking also makes it harder to exercise by interfering with breathing. It is crucial that diabetics work with their doctors on quitting smoking

Curb alcohol intake:

Managing blood sugar levels is easier if the consumption of alcoholic drinks like beer, wine, and liquor is limited. Avoid over-drinking or getting drunk as this can lead to fluctuations in blood sugar levels. The American Diabetes Association recommends that women should not have more than one drink a day and men should not have more than two. It is highly recommended to check blood sugar levels before you drinking and take steps to avoid low blood sugar levels. Individuals on  insulin or medication for managing their diabetes should eat something when they’re drinking.

These small measures can help an individual to lead a healthier lifestyle and control diabetes instead of letting diabetes take control of life.