Many people live with the health condition called diabetes. Diabetes results from trouble with insulin, and causes the body to have higher than normal blood sugar levels. Living with diabetes does not have to be hard. Use the advice in this article to help you live with diabetes.
If you need to sweeten your tea or coffee, but you have Diabetes, try using more natural sweeteners like honey or a sweetener and sugar substitute. These sweetener and sugar substitute can be found at many grocery stores today and is a plant extract, which is very sweet. It can even be found in a powdered form which mimics real sugar.
When looking for a substitute for something sweet, make it yourself! For example, if you don’t want to eat sugary store bought relish since it will spike your blood sugar and set your diabetes off, then make your own by chopping up dill pickles. Need a replacement for ketchup? Try mixing pureed tomatoes and honey.
Diabetics must remember that cough lozenges are still candies! Try to buy herbal lozenges which are sweetened with honey, or options that have artificial sweeteners, to make sure that your blood sugar doesn’t spike while you have a cough or cold. We have to be so careful about absolutely everything we ingest!
If you are diabetic, one of the most important tips to follow is to have a proper diet. A proper diet consists of plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. This type of diet is important for overall health for anybody, but for diabetics it’s important in order to keep blood sugar under control. As an added benefit, following a diet plan like this will also help you to lose weight.
Be sure to follow a diet that is high in fiber to reduce the chances of developing diabetes. Eating more whole grain foods will reduce your intake of high glycemic foods like white bread and processed foods which will increase your your risk. Research demonstrates that diets rich in whole grain are at lesser risk of suffering diabetes.
A diet too high in protein can actually be harmful to diabetics. Some people think more protein is good, but studies have shown that too much animal protein can cause insulin-resistance, a factor in diabetes. Try to include proper amounts of protein, vegetables and carbohydrates to keep your diet healthy and well-balanced.
Take a thyroid test! If you are diagnosed as Diabetic, find out if you’ve had your thyroid checked recently. Sometimes thyroid conditions can cause the pancreas to lower its production of insulin! So, getting a blood test to make sure that your thyroid is doing fine is a good idea – before you go on any medications for Diabetes.
If you have a family member or loved one suffering with diabetes, it’s vitally important that you offer your help and support to ease their struggle. Sometimes little things such as joining along for doctor appointments, educating yourself with books and website information or just offering a listening ear can all help your loved one feel less alone.
If you see ANY damage to the skin on your feet and you have Diabetes you must let your podiatrist know as soon as possible! He’ll be able to tell you what to use to keep it clean and free of infection, and prescribe you an antibiotic cream or gel if necessary.
Remove contributors to the complications of diabetes. Try to avoid unhealthy habits that will affect your heart health and chances for stroke. Smoking should be stopped at all costs, maintain a healthy blood pressure through stress management and salt control and evaluate lifestyle choices that can have less than favorable results.
Learn what foods have a high-glycemic index sweet like cookies, sugar-laden soft drinks, as well as carbohydrate filled breads. Cereals, and pastas are all high-glycemic index foods. These foods can cause your blood sugar to rise very quickly, usually referred to as a spike. Stick to the perimeter of the store, with fresh produce and meats, and avoid heavily processed foods.
To save you and your doctor time, write down all of your questions about your diabetes. This way you will be prepared ahead of time and will not forget to ask anything that is important. You are dealing with your health, so don’t be afraid to ask any question that you have.
If you’ve slipped up and consumed too much alcohol, be sure to avoid carbohydrates. One of the biggest reasons alcohol poses a risk to diabetes sufferers is that it is full of quickly absorbed carbohydrates. Staying away from carbohydrates will keep your blood sugar levels from spiking any further, and will help prevent your alcohol consumption from causing any additional problems.
To lessen the symptoms of gestational diabetes, use a blood monitoring device. A blood monitoring device will let you keep track of your sugar levels and will help you keep them from rising or falling dramatically. Doing this will significantly decrease the effects gestational diabetes has on your body and will help keep you and your baby healthy.
If you have diabetes, check your blood sugar often. This is especially important first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and after meals. Tracking your blood sugar can help you to stay informed about your condition. Sharing the information with your physician can help him to adjust insulin or other medication dosages appropriately.
Although it may seem rather depressing when you find out that you have been diagnosed with diabetes, know that you can still continue living the life you have been leading with a few minor tweaks. You should meet with a nutritionist that will help adjust the diet you are used to.
As stated before in the introduction for this article, many people live with diabetes. The condition is caused by the body having trouble with insulin, which in return results in the body having high blood sugar levels. Though living with diabetes can be a burden, it does not have to be hard, especially when you use the advice in this article.
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