Management and self-care
There are seven key areas of self-care behaviours that help manage diabetes.
Healthy eating
Learn more about the different tools used by people with diabetes. Eating healthy food is part of living a wholesome life. However, having diabetes doesn't exclude you from eating your favourite foods or going to your favourite restaurants. But you need to know that different foods affect your blood sugar differently.
Physical activity
Activity has many health benefits, including lowering cholesterol, improving blood pressure, weight management, reducing stress and anxiety, and improving mood. Being active can also keep your blood glucose levels in check and your diabetes under control.
Monitoring
Regular monitoring of your blood sugar levels gives you the information you need to make decisions. Testing your blood sugar lets you know when your levels are on target and it informs your decisions on activity and food so that you can live life to the fullest.
Taking medication
Taking the right medications will help you have greater control over your diabetes and help you feel better. Insulin, pills that lower your blood sugar, aspirin, blood pressure medication, cholesterol-lowering medication are a few of the medicines used to reduce your risk of complications.
Problem solving
Encountering struggles with your diabetes control will happen. You can't plan for every situation you may face. However, learning from struggles and developing plans for dealing with problems in the future will help you be successful.
Reducing risks
Having diabetes puts you at a higher risk of developing other health problems. Understanding the risks is the first step towards reducing your chances of diabetes-related complications.
Healthy coping
Diabetes can not only affect you physically but emotionally as well. Diabetes and diabetes management can leave you experiencing emotional highs and lows, but the important thing is to realize these emotions are normal and take steps to reduce the negative impact they can have on your self-care.
Additional resources
When you live with diabetes, it is just as important to look after your mental health as it is your physical health. In addition to your physical needs, the demands the condition can place on you emotionally may take a toll. Visit Taking care of your mental health to learn more.
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