Diabetes is a condition that can potentially ruin your health. Fortunately, there are ways that you can control it. Your doctor can prescribe the appropriate treatment for you. There are also ways that you can manage your diabetes at home. The following lifestyle changes will help you keep your condition under control.
Get Physical Activity In
You can reduce your blood sugar by exercising. Physical activity also helps improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which makes it easier for you to control your blood sugar. Furthermore, exercise helps you lose weight. Losing weight also makes it easier for you to control your blood sugar.
Experts recommend that you get at least 2.5 hours of exercise in every week. You should get a mix of vigorous and moderate intensity exercise in order to get the best results.
Cycling, brisk walking, rollerblading and mowing your lawn are examples of moderate-intensity exercise. Swimming, jogging, cycling at a rapid speed and skipping are examples of vigorous activity.
Change Your Diet
Changing your diet will help improve your blood sugar. You don’t have to follow a strict diet as a diabetic. However, your diet should consist primarily of lean meat, fruits, lentils, beans and vegetables. Avoid foods like donuts, cakes, cookies and pastries.
It is also important for you to watch your portion sizes. If you monitor your portion sizes, then it will be easier for you to lose weight or maintain your current weight.
Stress
Stress is an inevitable part of everyday. However, it is important for you to take the steps that are necessary for controlling your stress. There are several ways that stress can have a negative impact on a diabetic.
When you are stressed, your body releases hormones that cause your blood sugar to go up. It can also suppress your immune system. You can lower your stress level by exercising, meditating and deep breathing. It is also important for you to watch how much you put on your plate. If there are some things that you don’t have to do right away, then it is a good idea to scratch them off of your to-do list.
Compression Socks
If you are a diabetic, then you are more likely to develop neuropathy. This is known as nerve damage. One of the things that you can do to prevent nerve damage is to use compression socks. Compression socks can improve blood circulation. They can also keep your feet dry, which reduces the risk of skin infections. Furthermore, compression socks can cushion your foot and protect them from injury. This isn’t the type of sock you can just go to the local department store and buy. Luckily there are many places to buy diabetic socks online.
Take Supplements
It is a good idea to talk to your health care provider before you use any supplement. This will ensure that supplements are right for you. It will also ensure that you do not have any medication interactions.
There are many supplements that can make it easier for you to manage your diabetes. There are also other things that people sell as solutions that end up being scams. Some supplements are little more than sugar pills and placebo, but at worst can also be dangerous if they try to replace actual treatments. Make sure that you only supplement your health based on the recommendations of your physician, as well as on the results of careful study and testing instead of putting your faith and hard-earned money into snake-oil salesmen’s pockets. Below are some examples of some possible benefits that have a bit more evidence to back them up:
Cinnamon is available in the form of a supplement. However, you can also sprinkle it on your dishes. There have been studies done to show that cinnamon can lower blood sugar. One study showed that people who ate cinnamon extract before breakfast were able to lower their blood sugar by 11 to 16 percent. They were also able to decrease their A1C by 0.92 percent.
Probiotics are something else that could help you lower your blood sugar. They can help improve gut health and blood sugar control. Some studies have shown that probiotics can lower blood sugar by 16 mg/dl. They were also able to lower their A1C by 0.53 percent. Some researchers claim that probiotics can help the pancreatic cells produce insulin.
All of these will depend on following the health plan set by your doctor. Before making changes to your diet or taking supplements/cures, make sure you consult with your physician to avoid being sucked into a scam.
