People who are suffering from diabetes are worried about its complications. But these risk and complications are avoidable.
You ony need careful management and responsibility to avoid compllications. Here are 10 tips to help you cut diabetes complication risks.
1. Monitor cholesterol levels.
Abnormal cholesterol levels or too much bad fats, and not enough good fats in the blood are common with diabetes. This makes your more prone to heart diseases.
To manage your cholesterol levels, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, eat healthy fruits, vegetables and fats. Some people may also need a prescription drugs called statins.
2. Lose weight if needed.
If you are overweight or obese, dropping a few pounds could help reduce your risk for heart disease and foot problems. It could also lower your insulin resistance which can help you improve blood glucose control.
To help you lose weight, burn more calories than what you eat. Try to cut calories and fats from your diet, like fries and chips.
3. Quit smoking.
Smoking increases your risk of diabetes complications including stroke, heart disease, kidney disease and nerve damage. Quitting smoking will help your lungs and heart. Ask your doctor for help regarding breaking your smoking habits.
4. Manage stress.
If you have diabetes, your blood glucose levels rises because of stress. Learn some techniques to cope with any mental or physical stress you will experience. Yoga, exercises and meditation can be quite effective if you have type 2 diabetes.
5. Monitor your blood sugar levels.
Monitoring and checking your blood sugar levels can help you to avoid diabetes complications or keep them from getting worse such as experiencing nerve pain. Monitoring can also help you see how the activities and the foods you eat affect you, and if your treatment plan is working.
6. Get enough sleep.
Not getting the right amount of sleep can increase your cravings and appetite for high-carbohydrate foods. This in turn will lead to weight gain and increase your complication for heart diseases. Try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep daily.
7. Eat healthy.
Choosing the most nutritious foods for your daily calories and managing your carbohydrate intake is an important factor of a diabetes-friendly eating plan. Think more of the good foods and less of the bad such as saturated fats, sodium and sugar.
8. Check your eyes and toes.
A simple foot check every time you visit your doctor is an easy precaution. Also a dilated eye exam can help your doctor monitor any eye damage. For individuals with neuropathy or those who don’t have feeling in their legs or feet, a visit to to foot doctor is necessary.
9. Exercise
Exercising can help lower your cholesterol, cardiovascular risks, blood pressure levels and keep you weight in check.
Go for something you really like such as biking, walking, running or dancing. Do it for half an hour per day and work that up if needed.
10. Visit your doctor.
Visit your doctor 2-4 times a year. If you need help in balancing your blood sugar levels and are taking insulin, you may need to visit them more often.
Get a yearly eye exam, physical exam and have yourself screened for nerve, eye or kidney damage and any other complications.
