Manage Diabetes And Live A Fuller Life With These Tips
You never really know what to expect in life. Just when things are seemingly going well, something like diabetes can come along and derail everything. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, learn how to manage your lifestyle and the disease by reading these tips below and applying them where necessary.
Many people think diabetics have to avoid all sweets, but this isn’t necessarily true. When planning a sweet dessert or snack, just make sure it is included in a healthy meal or with exercise. Your doctor can guide you with pointers to help you include desserts and snacks in your diet.
Taking care of your teeth is extremely important when you have diabetes. When you have high levels of glucose in your system, you will also have that in your saliva which will bring about tooth decay. When you have diabetes, it is harder for you to fight any type of infection, so if you get gum disease it will be more serious than if a healthy person develops it.
Going for a walk, jog, or run with your dog, is an excellent way to exercise and help keep your diabetes under control. It will also help your dog stay at a healthy weight, which can save you both heartache and money on vet bills. You’ll motivate each other to keep going!
If you’re struggling with diabetes, consider eating less meat. Some schools of thought have promoted a high-protein diet for diabetics, but research has shown that a diet that contains too much protein can actually cause insulin resistance. A more balanced diet will help prevent this problem and help control existing diabetes better.
Keep track of your blood sugar levels in a log book, so you know where you’ve been and how you’re doing currently. If you can’t afford enough test strips to check multiple times a day, check at a variety of different times, so that you can get an idea of how your sugar is going throughout a typical day.
Try strength training. Most people are aware that exercise is beneficial for everybody, and especially for diabetics. However, often the emphasis is put on cardiovascular exercises. These stamina-building aerobic activities are an important part of a good exercise regime, but don’t forget to include some strength training. Strength training has been shown to reduce the amount of fat found inside the body cavity, surrounding your organs making it just as heart-healthy as traditional cardiovascular exercises.
Eating sugar is a big no-no when you have diabetes. So, you should try to use a sugar substitute for anything that you would normally use sugar for. You can also use honey because it is a natural form of sugar, and the body will break it down much easier.
What you’ve just learned from the tips above is that diabetes can be controlled with the right information and the right amount of effort on your part. Now that you’ve learned more about the disease and what you can do to control it, the next logical step is to apply the information and formulate a plan of action.