Diabetes is a serious disease, and you should never take it lightly. It is a condition that arises from having too much glucose in your blood. It can happen due to excess production of glucose, less production of insulin by your body, and increased resistance to insulin by your body. Over time, uncontrolled diabetes damages the large and small blood vessels, increasing the chances of heart attack and stroke, and affecting the eyes, kidneys, feet, gums, and nerves. You can reduce the impact of diabetes by keeping good control over your blood sugar level, blood pressure, and cholesterol level by making appropriate lifestyle changes and monitoring your health regularly. However, many people tend to make mistakes that can adversely affect their ability to check their diabetes. Some of the top mistakes include:
Not Checking Blood Sugar Properly
Because it is easy to mistake the symptoms of elevated blood sugar with other things, you must measure your blood sugar level periodically. The results of your fasting and post-prandial blood sugar tests will indicate if you have diabetes or if you are in a pre-diabetes stage. Your doctor is the best person to advise you on what you should do. If you are diagnosed with diabetes, you must measure your blood sugar levels at the intervals recommended by your doctor. It is important to follow the instructions issued by the glucose meter manufacturer; otherwise, your readings will be incorrect.
Skipping Meals
Even if you have a rushed schedule, you must not skip any of your meals. According to Prevention, if you have diabetes and skip a meal, your blood sugar may fall, and you may tend to overeat the next time. It is good practice to avoid having large breakfasts, lunches, and dinners and instead follow a routine of having smaller meals more frequently to keep your sugar level stable. Consider avoiding a carb-rich diet and instead, include lots of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Consume fish, poultry, and lean meats instead of fatty red meats like pork and beef.
Not Exercising Regularly
One of the most effective ways of managing diabetes is to keep your weight under control and follow an active lifestyle. You should exercise for 30-45 minutes daily. If you find it difficult to exercise at a stretch, you can break it up into smaller sessions. If you find that your blood sugar dips too much after exercising, inform your doctor, who may adjust your medication appropriately. It is important not to set very ambitious exercise or weight reduction goals, especially if you have a sedentary lifestyle. If you overdo exercise, you may get injured. You will also be disappointed if you fail in your objectives. Instead of exercising madly to chive overnight results, try to set realistic goals and specific time horizons in which to achieve them. Even losing 5-10% of your body weight can make your body more receptive to insulin and it can make it easier to control your blood sugar level.
Not Paying Attention to Your Feet
One of the most common impacts of diabetes is damage to the nerves. One of the most common type 2 diabetes symptoms is pain or tingling in the feet. Typically, you will know this when your feet start to pain or tingle. While you can ignore the symptoms initially, after some time, they could worsen. When suffering from diabetes, you need to look after your feet well. You should inspect them every day and look out for blisters, cuts, and swellings and attend to them promptly. You must trim your toenails regularly and keep your feet moisturized. Wiggle your toes, move your ankles, and keep changing the position of your legs to ensure proper blood flow to your feet.
Not Getting Adequate Sleep
While sleep is essential for the body to rest and repair itself, it is also important for the production of hormones, including insulin. You must aim to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep every day. You should follow fixed times of going to bed and rising and make your bedroom a haven of peace. It helps not to use mobiles, laptops, or see the TV in the bedroom. Instead, you can listen to music that relaxes the mind or do some light reading. Keeping the room dark can help, as can a warm bath or shower before retiring.
Not Following the Recommended Routine for Medication
For proper management of diabetes, it is vital for you to kea your medicines and insulin as per your doctor’s advice. Remember insulin must be kept cool in the refrigerator but not stored in the freezer or left out in a drawer or the bedside table. If you are traveling, use a cooler to carry your insulin.
Conclusion
There is no cure for diabetes though you can keep it in check by making lifestyle changes. You must get enough exercise, eat healthily, rid yourself of stress, sleep adequately, and get checked regularly.
