Each day, many people all around the world are diagnosed with diabetes. It is a life-changing event that many have a very difficult time accepting. Once you make a few changes in your life and adapt to the new routines, your life can be just as full as it was prior to the diagnosis. Read through the following tips to gain control of your diabetes without sacrificing the quality of life you knew before.
You may have never kept a journal before, but now is a great time to start. This journal is not for your deepest feelings about events in your life, rather it is a place for you to keep track of your blood sugar levels, diet and the way that you physically feel each day. Logging all of this information can help your doctor help you. If you can show your doctor exactly what you ate, what your levels were and how you felt on different days, he will be able to help you adjust things to get you feeling as great as you can.
Avoid skipping any meals. Skipping even one meal in a day can cause spikes in your blood sugar. The way that you feel after a spike is not something that you want to go through just because you did not take the time to eat when you were supposed to. Keep meal replacement shakes on hand in case you do not have the time to sit down and eat. Just be sure that the shake you have chosen is acceptable to use for diabetics. These shakes should be low-carb shakes. If you have difficulties finding one, ask your doctor to recommend one.
Learn about the glycemic index. Foods such as pasta, white bread, white rice, cereals low in fiber and baked goods should be avoided. These foods are linked to increased blood sugar levels. Avoiding these foods will be good for your overall health, as they are linked to obesity and heart disease, as well as diabetes.
Do not hesitate to contact your doctor with any questions you may have. If you are unsure about your diet, ask your doctor to recommend a dietician to help you. Dieticians will be able to provide you with entire menus and recipes to follow. They will be able to help you find foods that taste great and will help to control your levels just by eating them.
If you are overweight, do your best to begin losing weight slowly. As a diabetic, it is not in your best interest to rapidly lose weight. If you just decrease the number of calories that you consume each day and begin exercising regularly, you will see some weight dropping at an acceptable rate. Losing weight quickly can cause difficulty in managing your levels.
Diabetes is something that must be taken seriously, but you do not have to stop living your life to manage it. Use the information you have learned here to modify your life a bit to manage your diabetes successfully.