Taking care of yourself is an important part of controlling type 2 diabetes.
It often involves making changes to your diet and lifestyle, developing an exercise plan, taking your medications, and monitoring your blood sugar level throughout the day.
Although controlling diabetes may seem overwhelming at first, a certified diabetes education and care specialist (CDCES) can help you prepare for success.
More commonly known as certified diabetes educators, these health professionals specialize in educating, supporting and promoting self-management of diabetes.
Certified diabetes educators work alongside people with diabetes to create personalized goals that can help improve care and health prospects.
Due to their training and expertise, certified diabetes educators have a unique vision to share about the disease. Here are the main things they want people to know about managing type 2 diabetes.
Keeping your blood sugar levels at a healthy level when you have type 2 diabetes may require you to make changes to your diet and lifestyle.
Finding out exactly what changes you want to make can help you overcome obstacles along the way.
“Goal setting is a big part of successful diabetes self-care,” said Kerri Doucette, diabetes educator and diabetes specialist nurse at Glytec, an insulin management software company.
The objectives must be challenging, but realistically achievable. They must also be specific, so that you know exactly what you’re working on.
For example, a goal like “getting more exercise” is somewhat vague and difficult to measure. A more concrete goal, like “taking a 30-minute bike ride, 4 days a week”, helps you align your focus and make progress.
And if a particularly busy week is making it difficult to reach your goal, give yourself the flexibility to make adjustments, advised Doucette. The key is to find out what you can realistically accomplish – then set up a plan to make it happen.
“Be kind to yourself when you need to, but continue to work on smaller, more realistic goals to achieve a healthy lifestyle when life gets tough,” said Doucette.
Losing between 5 percent and 10 percent of your total body weight can help make your blood sugar levels more manageable and potentially reduce your need for diabetes medication, according to the
While you may want to change the number on the scale as quickly as possible, patience is the key when it comes to weight loss, said Doucette.
“Rapid weight loss strategies may not be a long-term solution to maintaining your weight loss,” said Doucette. “Most of the patients I have worked with over the years have been able to maintain their lost weight for much longer when they have lost weight slowly and continuously.”
People who gradually lose weight tend to be more successful at maintaining a healthy weight in the long run, according to
This usually means about 1 to 2 pounds a week, but you can work with a health professional or registered nutritionist to develop an individualized weight loss plan.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that people with diabetes maintain a blood sugar level between 80 and 130 mg / dL before eating, and not more than 180 mg / dL an hour or 2 after starting a meal .
This does not mean that you need to be in that range 100 percent of the time, however.
Spending about 70 percent of your day within the target range can lead to a hemoglobin A1C of 7 percent or less – the goal for most adults living with diabetes – said Diana Isaacs, a certified health care and education specialist. diabetes and coordinator of the remote monitoring program at the Cleveland Clinic Endocrinology & Metabolism Institute.
Staying within the target range at least 70 percent of the time “greatly reduces the risk of diabetes-related complications,” said Isaacs. “This is good news because it means that your blood sugar does not have to be perfect for good results.”
Sleep plays an essential role in maintaining physical and mental health. For people with diabetes, getting enough rest can also help control blood sugar levels.
“There are many factors that can cause blood sugar to rise, including lack of sleep, which puts additional stress on the body,” said Isaacs, “Having a good night’s sleep for 7 hours or more can help maintain better regulated blood sugar. “
However, getting a good night’s sleep is not always easy for people with diabetes.
Establishing healthy sleep habits, known as sleep hygiene, can help improve your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Here are some ways to sleep better:
- Set a sleep schedule and stick to it.
- Avoid using electronic devices before bed.
- Limit caffeine consumption at the end of the day.
- Use curtains to block light from your bedroom windows.
- Do relaxing activities, such as taking a shower or writing a diary, before bed.
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease. The changes your body goes through as you get older can affect the way you manage the disease and the risk of complications.
“It is very common for medications to be added over time,” said Isaacs. “It doesn’t mean that you did something wrong.”
Instead of blaming yourself if the medication stops working, work with your diabetes care team to adjust your condition management goals and explore other treatment options.
“Sometimes the pancreas is damaged and simply cannot produce the insulin it needs,” said Stephanie Redmond, an accredited diabetes educator and pharmacy doctor. “If that’s the case, medications can be essential and even save lives to replace the body’s lack of insulin, regardless of diet, exercise or other lifestyle variables.”
When you consume carbohydrates, your body breaks down food into glucose, a type of sugar. As a result, you tend to have higher blood sugar levels after eating carbohydrates compared to proteins and fats.
Decreasing the amount of carbohydrates you eat may help you stay within your target blood sugar range, but that doesn’t mean you have to give them up completely, said Isaacs.
She recommended adjusting the way you consume carbohydrates to make them part of a more balanced diet.
“A good rule of thumb is never to eat a pure carbohydrate,” said Isaacs. “Foods like cereals, rice, pasta, sweets and potatoes raise blood sugar very quickly. Adding proteins like chicken, eggs, meat or tofu with carbohydrates will prevent your blood sugar from rising quickly. “
Physical activity can be an important part of controlling type 2 diabetes, but the way you move is important.
Certain exercises can increase blood sugar levels, said Redmond. Working out can also increase your body’s sensitivity to insulin, which can lower your blood sugar for 24 hours or more, according to the ADA.
“Some workouts, while ultimately beneficial, can temporarily increase blood sugar,” explained Redmond. “Intervals of specifically high intensity, such as sprints or weightlifting and resistance training, can release adrenaline, which can indirectly increase sugars.”
Redmond added that any exercise can help maintain insulin sensitivity over time, but it is important to be aware of the most immediate effects of exercise on blood sugar.
When it comes to developing a type 2 diabetes control plan, remember to consider the different areas of your life that can impact your overall well-being.
Sleep, nutrition, medication and exercise are great places to start, but it is important to understand that each person is different. What may work for someone else may not be right for you and vice versa.
Consider working with a certified diabetes educator who can help you develop an individualized approach to managing your diabetes.