Diabetes is an illness that can be emotionally draining to patients who have to live with the sickness. Most people find it hard to adjust their normal routine to maintaining a lifestyle that manages their Diabetes. Diabetes needs proper attention for it to be managed adequately and reduce the effects that come with the sickness. Either the person is coping with type 1 or 2 diabetes, understanding and living a healthy lifestyle can curb its menace.
The major cause of Diabetes is blood sugar which can’t be broken down into insulin, and when the body can’t handle it, the person becomes prone to Diabetes. We understand the nature of this illness, and we want to sensitize our readers on the proper way to undertake a healthy lifestyle and good habits when they have Diabetes.
6 Tips to Lead a Healthy Lifestyle With Diabetes
Good Dieting
A major way to manage your Diabetes is to undergo a new and well-structured dieting regimen that would regulate your blood sugar. Since blood sugar plays a vital role in Diabetes, creating a diet plan that takes out sugar and saturated fat is very important. You can replace these with a better substitute such as carbs and fibers, which can be gotten from fruits and vegetables. Also, a typical diet for Type 2 Diabetes should include meals rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as Tuna, Salmon, Mackerel, and Sardines to help repress the symptoms. Portioning your meals and maintaining a balanced diet is also an important habit to help maintain and suppress the symptoms of Diabetes.
Light Exercise
Light exercise is important in changing your lifestyle and adapting to Diabetes. This way, your body is capable of de-stressing while still reducing your blood sugar. Physically, exercise also keeps you in good shape and keeping your heart energized. A few minutes of working out shouldn’t be bad, but it would also increase your cardio. Constantly exercising would help your body burn sugar and also fasten the process of insulin breakdown.
Regulate Your Alcohol Intake
Before being diagnosed with Diabetes, you might have been a heavy drinker, and your body might have adjusted to that reality. The fact is that you need to drop that habit and live a lifestyle rid of constant alcohol consumption. Although it might be tough to cut out alcohol, working towards it can be helpful. Alcohol can raise your blood sugar or reduce it drastically, bringing about complications that could have been avoided. However, if you intend to still keep up with alcohol intake, checking your sugar level constantly is important so that your sugar level doesn’t drop below the optimized level.
Quit Smoking
Yes, smoking is a very bad habit to continue when you have Diabetes or treating the illness. It has been shown that smoking is a pathway to other medical conditions such as heart problems, foot problems, stroke, and even renal diseases. Since the aim is to adopt a healthy lifestyle, you should find ways to cut out smoking and find other ways to devote your time. According to data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), those who smoke have a 20 to 30% chance of coming up with Type 2 Diabetes.
De-stressing
Extreme stress levels are an issue that would spike your blood sugar and cause complications. This mostly happens because your body is trying to counter the stress and then produces hormones that trigger an increase in blood sugar levels. You can talk to your doctor in a bid to find ways you can de-stress and adequately manage your stress levels. Once you have been able to pinpoint the cause of the stress and ways you can manage them, it is imperative to hold on to how you get rid of stress and help yourself fight Diabetes.
Keep Your Medical Appointments.
The easiest way for you to overcome the symptoms of Diabetes is to always be in constant communication with your doctor. Your doctor is trained to help you keep the symptoms in check and provide guidance on the possible way to lead a healthy lifestyle. Over time you might need to change your mediation or undergo a routine check, and frequent visits to the doctor would register a great lifestyle for your health in your subconscious.
In conclusion, we have looked at tips that, if adhered to religiously, would help improve your lifestyle. Diabetes isn’t a terminal illness, and as long as you can properly manage the illness, you can get to enjoy life and all its offerings.