Help Keep Your Diabetes Under Control With These Management Tips

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with diabetes, it can feel like your entire world has been turned upside down. You now have to spend, probably the rest of your life managing your condition by changing your daily routine and taking medication. This can understandably come as a shock and can leave you feeling unsure of how to control your diabetes effectively. A lack of control over your blood sugar levels over time can lead to diabetes complications. These complications can include kidney damage, glaucoma and cardiovascular disease. Developing any of these conditions can make you uncomfortable and could even put it at risk. This is why diabetes management is so crucial.

Your doctor should have created a suitable treatment plan for you to follow to manage your condition. But there are other things you can do too. Take a look at these management tips to help you gain more control over your diabetes.

Pic

De-stress regularly

We all know that stress can be detrimental to our health. But those with diabetes, in particular, need to ensure they don’t get overly stressed. Prolonged stress causes your body to produce hormones which can affect your insulin levels. As your body already struggles to produce and use insulin sufficiently, this can make your diabetes harder to manage. So to prevent this from happening, you need to make de-stressing a priority.

Stress can be caused by a number of different reasons and varies from person to person. So the first thing you should do is establish what it causing you to feel stressed. It could be work deadlines, financial issues or your diabetes itself. Once you acknowledge what is causing your stress, it will be easier to find an appropriate method of destressing. You could reduce your workload, spend more time with your family or have a massage. Getting more sleep and taking a long hot bath can also be effective methods to use. Try different types of de-stressing to see what works for you and practise it daily to keep your stress levels down.

Pic

Update your vaccinations

When you have high blood sugar levels, it can have a detrimental effect on your immune system overtime. Your diabetes can cause this vital system to become weakened, which means your body is ineffective at fighting off infections. This means you are more likely to get colds and flu, as well as other more severe health conditions such as pneumonia. To avoid this, you need to make sure your vaccinations are all up to date. Arrange an appointment with your doctor to discuss which vaccines you should be having. This might include flu, tetanus, and pneumonia if you haven’t had them already. Many diabetes patients who are under the age of 60 are also recommended to have a Hepatitis B vaccine.

In addition to keeping your vaccines updated, you also need to stay stocked up on your diabetes medication. Start a diary which allows you to work out when you will need more medication so you can plan in advance. If you aren’t able to get a prescription from your doctor for whatever reason, you can buy metformin tablets for diabetes instead. This is a temporary solution that will keep your diabetes controlled until you can see your doctor.

Pic

Look after your feet

This might sound like a strange management tip, but it’s actually a crucial one. Diabetes patients can often develop nerve damage in their feet due to their high blood sugar levels. This can cause shooting pains, frequent tingling or a complete loss of sensation altogether. You might also experience blisters, swelling and sores too. If these are left untreated, they can become infected quickly, which can cause additional pain and discomfort.

This is why it’s so important for diabetes patients to look after their feet. You should wash your feet on a daily basis in lukewarm water and dry them off gently. Then apply a moisturiser to your feet and ankles to avoid dryness and cracked skin. Doing this regularly gives you an opportunity to check your feet for anything that could become more severe. If you do find something that concerns you on your feet, contact your doctor immediately.

Using these management tips alongside your medication can prevent diabetes complications. If you still continue to find your diabetes difficult to manage, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. They can offer guidance and reassess your treatment plan if needs be. You should also join diabetes groups, which gives you a safe environment to share your concerns and gain support.