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Monitor your glucose level
Any time you feel that your glucose level may be off, immediately check it with the glucose meter. Advances in monitoring equipment have made this extremely easy to do. Type 1 diabetic patients will need to test their glucose more often than Type 2.
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Stay on your diet
If you eat poorly and gain weight, you also negate some of the effects of your insulin. Even if you find yourself in a situation where the food is not particularly healthy for your condition, simply eat less of it. Almost every restaurant will have choices that will be diabetic-friendly, so choosing something healthy is easy.
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Get tested by your doctor
Your urine should be checked annually for protein and your feet should be checked for loss of sensation on the same schedule. Complications of diabetes take, on average, 5 to 10 years. Issues that are discovered early are the easiest to address.
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Exercise
Exercise will burn glucose in place of insulin and this can make managing your blood levels easier. Exercising can also grant a little freedom in your diet. 30 minutes of exercise a day is all that is required and it can aid in thwarting additional diseases such as heart disease and strokes.
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Keep learning
It is your job as a patient with diabetes to ensure that you keep up to date on the latest treatments and medicines concerning the disease. There are magazines that you can subscribe to, as well as web pages that you can visit that will make staying on top of the latest news and developments easier. View this as a lifelong pursuit in order to stay current and up to date on the options that are available to you.
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Take your medicine
The best medicine in the world cannot help you if you do not take it as your doctor prescribes. Make certain that your other medications do not conflict with those that you take for your diabetes. A doctor or pharmacist can help you research this. One of the most common reasons that patients’ conditions do not improve is their lack of compliance in taking their medicine.
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Keep a good attitude
Believe it or not, your mind can actually encourage your body to produce chemicals that can help you keep your diabetes under control. Your outlook on life is just as important as any of the medicines available to you and you should view your diagnosis as a challenge that you are prepared to meet.
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Plan ahead
If you know that you are going to someone’s house to eat, make sure that you take your medicine and other needed items with you. Also, be prepared to adapt to the menu items that you have available. Remember, if it’s the wrong food, you can mitigate the damage by simply eating less.
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Check your feet regularly
Do not use your feet to check the bathwater. Avoid injuring your feet by shaking your shoes out before you put them on and perform periodic inspections of your feet for numbness or pain. Be careful breaking in new shoes and make sure that you examine pressure points where they may rub or reduce circulation.
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Take care of your eyes
Regular eye care can detect problems early and your eyesight can also be affected by conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Eye problems are often an indication that you are not managing your diabetes properly.
Much success,
