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When it comes to managing your diabetes, you have choices. Your
outcome is in your own hands. Diabetes management relies on a change
in eating habits and exercise habits and the due diligence of
checking your own blood glucose levels. Many people with diabetes
are able to maintain and control their disease without ever having
to take oral medications or inject insulin.
Once you have been diagnosed, it’s time to get started on
lifestyle adjustments. Change is never easy, but for someone with
diabetes, the effort is well worth it. Meet with a dietician and
assess how you eat now and what changes need to be made. For a small
percentage of people, the problem is as simple as portion size or an
eating schedule. For diabetes management, eating at the same times
throughout the day each day helps keep your blood sugar levels from
fluctuating too much.
Another key point is balance. Once you have an idea of how many
carbs, calories and fats you can have in a day, split them up
evenly. These are guidelines for your menu planning, not rigid
controls. And if one day you decide to have dessert, you can simply
cut back on carbs from another area.
Shopping for groceries is another area where you can make
substantial changes that are painless. Concentrate on the perimeters
of the grocery store and avoid the center aisles. Fresh produce,
dairy, meats and fish are along the walls in most markets, stick to
these. Foods that are processed, boxed and loaded with additives
should be the first things to go when planning your new menus.
Choose a variety of colors when shopping for fruits and vegetables;
it makes an appetizing plate and you get more vitamins, minerals and
antioxidants that way.
Add some exercise to your daily routine. Take a half hour walk
and gradually pick up the pace. If walking isn’t for you, try riding
a bike or swimming, anything to get the blood flowing and creating
the need for energy in the muscle cells. By losing weight and
creating a need for the cells to burn more sugar, you are helping
your body lose the insulin resistance that is one of the causes of
diabetes.
With diabetes management, the ball is in your court. You can
choose to sit back and hope things will get better or you can
actively work toward reducing your levels of blood glucose by making
healthy choices.
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