Finding out you have type 2 diabetes can be a shocking experience, but gaining knowledge about the disease and establishing reasonable treatment objectives with your doctor can help you feel better. Blood glucose control, symptom management, and lowering the risk of medical consequences are the main objectives of treatment.
Type 2 diabetes management necessitates dedication to a well-thought-out treatment strategy. How to collaborate with a healthcare professional to create a treatment plan is covered in this article. It goes over what should be in your plan, how to recognize when to make changes, and how to stay on course.
Making a Plan With Your Diabetes
If you are told you have type 2 diabetes, you probably have a lot of questions. It is normal to have concerns regarding your course of treatment, the necessary lifestyle adjustments, and how to avoid major medical problems.
A great way to create a plan that works for you and satisfies your needs is to enlist the aid of a healthcare professional and a diabetes care team. Your healthcare provider will first talk about dietary adjustments to help control your blood sugar and encourage weight loss.
After that, they'll probably create a diabetic treatment routine for you that includes regular blood sugar checks and a review of your prescribed medications. The diabetes care team will instruct you on how to assess your blood sugar levels and deliver insulin throughout this period (if necessary).
You can also go over the value of following a workout regimen, going to your doctor appointments, and getting regular testing like dilated eye exams, kidney function checks, and lab tests for hemoglobin A1C to check your blood sugar (a measure of your average blood glucose control over the previous three months).
How to Do？
Blood glucose monitoring, diet, exercise, medications, doctor's appointments, cost management, access to resources, and diabetes education are all part of a treatment plan for diabetes.
At-Home Testing
Because it enables you to choose the foods you can consume, your level of physical activity, and the quantity or type of medication you require, glucose monitoring is crucial.
Some people use a blood glucose meter to check their blood sugar levels every day by performing finger sticks (glucometer). As an alternative, continuous glucose monitoring has grown in popularity. This method uses a tiny sensor implanted beneath the skin to continuously check your blood sugar levels throughout the day. Four times a day, blood sugar levels are generally checked:
1. Prior to eating or drinking anything at first thing in the morning
2. Prior to a meal
3. After two hours of a meal
4. After supper
The goal for the majority of diabetics is to maintain blood sugar at these levels:
1. 80 to 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) before a meal
2. Approximately two hours after a meal: 180 mg/dL or less
If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, your goals may be lower.
Blood sugar levels are frequently managed with the help of insulin and oral diabetic medications, particularly if lifestyle changes aren't enough to keep your blood sugar levels within a normal range.
Nutrition Guidelines
Although there are no strict dietary recommendations for managing diabetes, if you have the disease, you will eventually need to adjust your diet. A one-size-fits-all design is not used when creating nutritional regimens. Individualized, adaptable, and doable for you to achieve modifications and objectives will be recommended.
Your primary healthcare practitioner, nurses, and a registered dietitian nutritionist who is part of your diabetes care team will assist you in creating a strategy to achieve your shared objectives.
You should likely include the following in your nutritional plan:
1. Limiting high-carbohydrate items that cause your blood sugar to jump quickly, such as junk food, highly processed foods, candy, sugary drinks, white bread, and pasta
2. Increasing the amount of high-fiber foods you eat
3. Keeping track of your caloric intake and focusing on eating healthy carbs, such as non-starchy veggies (like broccoli, spinach, and green beans), low-carb fruits (like raspberries and blueberries), and lean protein (such as chicken, turkey, beans, tofu, or eggs).
4. Fruit juices and sodas can be exchanged for water or unsweetened iced tea.
You may stay on track by preparing your own meals, practicing portion control, and adopting a meal plan or the plate approach. You can also get a better understanding of which foods cause your blood sugar to rise to risky levels by checking it before and after meals.
Do not forget that eliminating entire food groups may have more negative effects than positive ones. Instead, you should strike the ideal balance between wholesome carbohydrates and protein. The optimum meal plan for you will be discovered through a combination of some trial and error and according to the advice of your healthcare practitioner.
Exercise Guidelines
Exercise and physical activity can assist people with diabetes control their blood sugar levels, lower their risk of heart disease, and aid in weight loss. Aim for 150 minutes of heart-pounding activity per week (like cycling, jogging, brisk walking, or dancing). Include muscle-building workouts two or more days a week as well.
Check your blood sugar levels before exercising if you are using insulin or another diabetic medication to prevent low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Checking can also let you know if you have high blood sugar levels and need to take insulin or medication to bring them down to a safe level for exercise.
An exercise program that is suitable for people with diabetes should also include proper hydration and a blood sugar check after exercise.
Wearing the proper socks and shoes while exercising can also help prevent blisters. You should also keep an eye out for any irritation or sores on your feet and know when to get in touch with your doctor if any appear and do not start to heal.