Diabetes Management

What are some Tips for Managing Diabetes?

There are many things you can do to manage diabetes.^[14] Specifically, this means maintaining a safe level of glucose or blood sugar. Here are a few things you should watch on a daily basis to manage your diabetes:

• Food. Eating the right foods is one of the most important things you can do to manage your blood sugar levels. How much you eat and when you eat is important. Your blood sugar level is the highest an hour or two after you eat. Once you've determined what combinations work best for you, try to eat the same amount of food at the same time every day.

  Carbohydrates have a large impact on your blood sugar level. Eating the same amount of carbohydrates during meals and snacks will even out your blood sugar levels throughout the day.

  Managing how much food you eat and coordinating meals with your medicine is critical, especially if you take insulin. Taking medicine without enough food can cause dangerously low blood glucose levels. On the other hand, too much food can cause your glucose levels to be too high. Work with your doctor to find the right balance.

• Exercise. Regular, physical activity is an important part of the plan to manage your diabetes. Even light exercise like gardening or house work can be helpful. Exercise does several things. It improves your glucose levels. It also causes your body to be more sensitive to insulin, which helps you manage glucose. Finally, it can help you lose weight. If you use insulin, you may need to adjust your dose before exercising. Discuss this with your doctor.

• Medicine. The effectiveness of your medicine depends on when you take it and how much you take. Medicines you take for other conditions can impact your blood sugar level. Be sure to discuss all of your medicines with your doctor. If you are noticing problems with your blood sugar levels, talk with your doctor. You may need to adjust the amount of medicine you take or when you take it.