Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease and its treatment is life-long. After hearing the diagnosis, the patient has to change his life completely – take care of regular blood glucose measurements, change the diet and enjoy physical activity. Living with diabetes requires sacrifices, but with a few simple tricks, you can master it enough not to cause big problems.
Regular glucose measurements
The pancreas of a diabetic person does not produce adequate amounts of insulin, which means that the person with diabetes constantly has high or too low sugar levels. Regularly checking your blood glucose will help you find the dose that is right for you. It is important that the patient learns the blood glucose level on their own using a blood glucose meter. Thanks to self-control, it is easier to control blood sugar levels, and thus eliminate unpleasant symptoms of hypoglycaemia or hypoglycaemia.
See also: How I got under control of Type XNUMX Diabetes
Changing your diet in diabetes
A person with diabetes should also take a look at their diet. All foods with a high glycemic index (baked potatoes, bananas, watermelons, cornflakes, white flour bread), processed and fatty foods must disappear from the menu. It’s also better to avoid eating large portions of meals.
Carbohydrates are of great importance in the diet of diabetics. It is worth including dark bread, graham bread, oatmeal, thick groats and rice in your diet. When it comes to fats, it is better to choose foods rich in unsaturated fats: fish, nuts, pumpkin seeds. Plus lean meats and dairy products, as well as legumes to meet your protein needs.
Important!
People with diabetes should not consume alcohol. It inhibits the production and secretion of glucose and can lead to hypoglycaemia.
For people with diabetes, it is important to maintain a healthy body weight. Being overweight and obese are not conducive to diabetes. The first step for a diabetic should be to lose extra pounds. It is not always easy, it often requires a lot of sacrifice and reorganization of life.
Losing weight quickly and suddenly is not good for your health. Any fasting and miracle diets that promise to lose a dozen kilograms in a short time are dangerous to your health. It is worth consulting your diet with a dietitian.
More about the diet:
- Basics of the diet in type 2 diabetes
- A high-sugar diet may accelerate the development of type 1 diabetes
Favorite physical activity
Diabetics should also like physical activity. It is a myth that people with diabetes should avoid exercise. However, it is worth consulting a doctor before we throw ourselves into the whirlpool of physical activity, especially if we have rarely got up from the couch so far. People with chronic diseases (diseases other than diabetes, with kidney, eye or heart problems) should choose the type of physical activity with caution.
Regular exercise improves the body’s response to insulin and, importantly, helps to lose extra pounds. It’s best to engage in some form of physical activity for 20-30 minutes a day. Let’s choose the sport we like: walking, running, dancing, cycling, Nordic walking, swimming or anything else we enjoy.
Before starting exercise, check your blood glucose levels. If it is too low, it is better to give up the effort.
Editors recommend:
- Living with diabetes after diagnosis
- Diagnosis: diabetes. What does a diabetic’s everyday life look like?
- A short walk reduces the risk of diabetes
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