6 Tips for Living With Diabetes
Lifestyle changes provide benefits for many chronic health conditions. However, when it comes to diabetes, lifestyle changes are a crucial part of your treatment plan.
Making changes to how you live your life is never easy, even when it’s prescribed by your health care provider.
Here at OnePeak Medical, wellness and prevention are the main focus of our primary care services. Our team of health and wellness experts takes an integrative approach to care, using innovative tools and therapies that help our patients take control of their health and well-being.
When it comes to diabetes, we use the same approach. We teach you step-by-step how to live your life with diabetes. Here are some of our best tips.
Take a deep breath
Being diagnosed with diabetes may leave you feeling confused and overwhelmed. Diabetes is a serious, but manageable, chronic disease.
However, diabetes management requires a major lifestyle change. We get it.
Instead of worrying about your diagnosis and what you have to do to manage it, take a deep breath and know you’re not in this alone. Our caring professionals are here for you, every step of the way.
Understand your diagnosis
Before you join the local gym and throw out the entire contents of your refrigerator, you first need to understand what it means to have diabetes. This knowledge will help you gain some perspective on why lifestyle changes are such a major part of your treatment plan.
Diabetes is a condition in which your blood sugar levels are higher than normal. The sugar in your blood serves as the main source of energy for all the cells in your body, and the sugar comes from the foods you eat.
Insulin — a hormone made in your pancreas — serves as the messenger that helps guide the sugar from your blood into the cells. You may have diabetes because your body isn’t making any insulin (Type 1 diabetes) or the insulin isn’t working like it should (Type 2 diabetes).
Create a plan
Once you understand your diagnosis, we work with you to create your personalized diabetes management plan. The specifics of your plan depend on many factors, including the type of diabetes you have, your blood sugar numbers, your lifestyle and habits, and your readiness to change.
Your treatment plan may include:
- Prescription medication (oral hypoglycemics or insulin injections)
- Personalized nutrition plan
- Fitness program
- Schedule for home glucose testing
- Tools to manage stress
Our team includes medical, nutrition, and fitness experts who work with you to develop the plan that best fits your needs and goals.
Eat well
Diet and diabetes go hand in hand. What you eat may directly affect your blood sugar numbers. Our nutrition experts create personalized diet plans that match your lifestyle, food preferences, and health goals.
We even offer specialty diet protocols that may help you transition from your usual eating habits to a healthier plan.
Find time for exercise
As previously noted, your body uses the sugar that’s coursing through your blood vessels for energy. Exercise is one of the best ways to burn excess energy, lower your blood sugar, and help you gain control over your diabetes.
You don’t have to join a fancy gym or sign up for an intense spin class. Any form of regular physical activity will do. What’s most important is to find something you enjoy so you can stick with it.
Our fitness experts provide the support and tools you need so that you can make exercise a regular part of your day.
Lose weight
Though there are many factors that increase your risk of diabetes, being overweight (or obese) is one of the most common. Losing a few pounds may make you feel better, boost your energy, and lower your blood sugar.
We can help you reach your weight-loss goals with our nutrition and fitness program.
Living with diabetes isn’t as hard as you imagine, but it requires commitment and effort on your part. But you don’t have to do it all on your own. We can help. Contact us today to get started.