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Finding out you are diabetic can bring about many emotions and feelings. Anger, confusion, fear, disbelief, agony, confusion, and, as remarkable as it sounds, for some people, no reaction at all.
Many people refuse to believe that, (1) it can happen to them, or, after diagnosis, (2) it’s as bad as it sounds.
It can happen to anyone, and it’s even worse than you think if you don’t follow your health care provider’s advice, and do what you are supposed to in order to take care of your health.
Now that I’m diabetic, what should I do?
Take care if yourself. How can you do that? Diabetes requires more than insulin or medication in order to maintain your health. There are no miracle cures for diabetes, and no quick fixes. This is a life long disease, with life threatening consequences. Diabetics must do all of the following, to ensure continued good health:
* Exercise
* Change your eating habits and eat more often
* Lower your stress
* Get plenty of sleep
* Lose weight, if you are overweight
* Take a good multivitamin, as well as your prescribed medicines
* Take yourself, and your disease seriously
EXERCISE
Who really likes to exercise? Well, honestly, most people do not enjoy exercise. However, all people can learn to like exercise, and use it for relaxation, better health, and weight loss. Walk, swim, take aerobics, or simply clean house and do yard work. All of these things, and more, can lead to a healthier you.
CHANGING YOUR EATING HABITS
So, does this mean no more soda, candy, cake or beer? Well, yes...and no. You can still enjoy your treats in moderation, just not all at once, or all day long. When you are diabetic it is very important to decrease your processed sugar intake, as well as your fat intake. Diabetes leads to heart disease in many people and lowering your fat intake can decrease your chances of ending up with heart disease. Eating small meals, spaced several hours apart, can also maintain your glucose levels, and create a more comfortable feeling of well being.
LOWER YOUR STRESS
This may very well be the hardest thing on the whole list. We all live with stress in our lives, whether from our jobs, our families, our finances, or our health. However, stress increases your blood sugar level, as well as your blood pressure and your risk for stroke or heart attack. Take it easy on others, and on your self.
GET PLENTY OF SLEEP
Sleep is vital to good management of diabetes. Loss of sleep can cause your blood sugar to go high, as well as elevating your stress levels, which, as seen above, leads to all sorts of problems for the diabetic. Get your beauty sleep, and keep control of your health.
LOSE WEIGHT IF YOU ARE OVERWEIGHT
This one really needs no explanation, except to say that most overweight diabetics, once their excess weight is lost, are tested and no longer show the diabetes. In other words, lose weight, you just might lose the diabetes.
TAKE A GOOD MULTIVITAMIN, AS WELL AS YOUR PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS
Multivitamins, as well as certain herbs, minerals, and natural products, work very well in controlling diabetes and maintaining healthy sugar levels (These include chromium, gymne sylvester, vitamin E, and, garlic). These medicines, however, should never be used to take the place of your prescribed medicines. Never discontinue use of your medicines unless you have been told to do so by your physician.
TAKE YOURSELF AND YOUR DISEASE SERIOUSLY
Never forget that, as a person, you matter tremendously to the people around you, for many different, diverse reasons. Take care of yourself, and your disease, so that you can have a very long, healthy, productive life. No one likes to make behavior changes, or lifestyle modifications, but we all like to live, and we all like to live well. Treat yourself, and your disease, with respect and compassion, and you will be on your way to a good future.
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