(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Kos Diabetes Group: Self Care Skills [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2023-05-19 Diabetes is mainly managed by the person who has it so it’s important to develop the self care skills you need to manage your diabetes day to day. Even when you have a daily routine down, you can still hit a speed bump in the road of your diabetic journey. When this happens, you’ll want to make sure you have the tools, resources, and skills to get back on track. Coping skills Your emotional well-being plays an important role in your self-care and negative thoughts and feelings can affect how well you take care of yourself. You can get support from your doctor, a friend or family member, or from a support group. Being able to connect and share stories about daily management can help lessen the impact of negative thoughts on your diabetes management. Healthy Eating Eating well is vital to managing your blood sugar. Create a healthy eating plan that takes your health needs, lifestyle, beliefs, tastes, and culture into consideration. A tailored plan will be easier for you to maintain. You can do it on your own or with the help of a dietician or nutritional specialist. You don’t always have to give up your favorite meals, restaurants, or desserts. A change in frequency, portion size or some simple ingredient swaps can let you continue to enjoy those things. Be Active Being active is one of the most powerful tools for managing diabetes. Physical activity helps control blood sugar levels which in turn lowers your risk of developing diabetes complications. Being active doesn’t have to mean spending hours at a gym. Choose an activity you enjoy like yoga, bike riding, dancing, or playing with your kids. Even a simple walk around your neighborhood can do wonders. Strive for 30 minutes five days a week (150 minutes/week). If you’re new to exercising start slow -- maybe 5-10 minutes per day and work your way up. Taking Medications For many people with diabetes, taking medication is an important part of their diabetes management. There are many types of diabetes medicine, and they all work in different ways. Understanding your medications is important so that you can take them the right way and at the right times. Your physician and pharmacist can help you. Remember to discuss any concerns or side effects you may experience with your doctor. Monitoring When you’re diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor will give you a target blood sugar range (usually between 70 (fasting and between meals) and 180 (1-2 hours post prandial). The only way to know if you are staying in that target range is by monitoring your glucose levels throughout the day, every day. Monitoring helps you understand how your body responds to the foods you eat, your medicine, stress, and exercise. Learning how to monitor your blood sugar helps you make the adjustments you need to successfully manage your diabetes. You need to learn: How to use a blood sugar meter or CGM to find out what your glucose level is When to check your glucose level – this is usually first thing in the morning and then 1-2 hours after meals for Type 2. It may be more frequent for Type 1. How to record your results in a meaningful way. How to interpret the results and find patterns to help you manage better. What to do when your numbers are out of your target range – either too high or too low Problem Solving Even if you have the best diabetes management plan, events like getting sick, starting a new work schedule, or going on vacation can occur which will affect your glucose control. Learning problem solving skills can help you recognize and react to any changes or problems that may come up. Lowering Risks Having diabetes puts you at risk for developing other health problems like heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and vision loss. Learning health behaviors that prevent or delay diabetes complications will also improve your overall health. Your doctor can help you understand these complications and how they can be avoided. The more you know, the better you can manage your diabetes. Gaining the skills and tools for better health management can help you live longer and healthier with diabetes. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/5/19/2169969/-Kos-Diabetes-Group-Self-Care-Skills Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/