Being a diabetic patient doesn’t mean that you should be worried about your health and what could be happened to your body because of your disease as a complication of it all day long, no, a diabetic patient can actually lead a very normal life, but there are certain things that he should pay attention for.
In this topic we are going to mention some of the most important things that a diabetic patient should regularly check so that he can be able to know his current condition and so he’ll feel more relaxed.
1. Watch what you eat :
eating can be something that you really care about as a diabetic, and you should, because uncontrolled diabetes which can occur due to uncontrolled eating can be a major cause for diabetes complications, like : heart diseases, kidney diseases, and eye problems.
There are some foods that should be avoided by diabetics to maintain a healthy level of blood sugar, like :
Sugar sweetened beverages, white bread and pasta, honey and maple syrup, and French fries.
2. Check your feet daily :
Diabetes can decrease the sense of feeling in your feet as it affects the peripheral nerves in your limbs, so you may not feel an injury that may have happened to your foot like a wound due to a pin brick for an example, and this isn’t the only problem, another problem is that wounds in diabetics doesn’t heal as in normal people, because high blood sugar delays wound healing, and as a result a small wound will take a very long time to heal, and it may deteriorate and become more big and infected.
3. Check your blood sugar levels :
Checking your blood sugar levels daily will help you to know the situation of your disease, and it will also help you regulate what and when to take your medications, this will help you to avoid complications and it will let you know when to meet your doctor.
4. Exercise Regularly :
Heart diseases are one of the most important complications of Diabetes, and Exercising regularly can prevent these diseases.
Simple regular exercises can be of a great help to your health, even simple daily walking in your street for at least 15 minutes will have a great positive effect on your general health, and on your heart health.
5. Take a small snack with you :
It’s well known that hypoglycemia ( low blood sugar level) is a very common complication of Diabetes that may happen at any time, and if not detected and managed early, it can cause fainting, that’s why taking a small snack, like dried fruits can help you rise blood sugar as soon as you feel the initial symptoms of hypoglycemia.
These initial symptoms include Dizziness, Sweating, Hunger, Irritability or moodiness, Anxiety or nervousness and Headache.
6. Have your medications in time :
As we previously mentioned, uncontrolled diabetes is one of the worst problems about the disease, because it can lead to diabetes complications even in young ages.
Good dietary control, and taking your medications in time and the way that they were prescribed by your doctor can greatly help in controlling blood sugar levels and thus prevent the appearance of complications.
7. Check your vision annually:
Retinal diseases can be a major concern to diabetics, as visual deterioration usually occurs gradually in many years, and checking with your ophthalmologist every year will be very helpful to the earl detection and management of these problems.
Sticking to these habits will help you be more comfortable with your disease and to have a better control on it. It will also be better to decrease stress and relax more often, as stress elevates cortisol hormone level and this will lead to subsequent increase in blood sugar levels.