Healthy You Article – November 10, 2006

Managing Diabetes
By Mary Perkins, Community Health

  If you already have diabetes, you can live a full, healthy life by actively managing it. This means monitoring blood sugar levels, planning balanced meals, exercising, getting regular check-ups, working with a team of diabetes professionals, and possibly taking medication. Yes, it’ll change your lifestyle, but it is manageable.

Roughly 18.2 million people in the United States have diabetes – 6.3% of the population. Of that number, nearly one-third (5.2 million people) are unaware they have the disease. Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because the symptoms seem relatively harmless – frequent urination, excessive thirst, unusual weight loss or increased fatigue. But diabetes is a serious disease. The good news is that early detection and treatment will decrease your chances of developing complications.

There are many good reasons to take action now to manage your diabetes.  In the short run, you can feel better, stay healthy, and have more energy.  In the long run, you can reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke, reduce your risk for eye, kidney, or nerve disease, and you can enjoy life more.

Follow this three-part action plan that will help you live a long and healthy life:

• Know your diabetes ABC numbers.

Manage your A1C (blood glucose), Blood pressure, and Cholesterol.  You will lower your chances of having a heart attack, a stroke, or other diabetes problems. The ABC goals for most people with diabetes are:
            A1C:  7 or less (A1C shows how your blood glucose has been over the last three months).
            Blood Pressure:  130/80 or less.
            Cholesterol:  LDL 100 or less.
Consult your healthcare team to find out what ABC numbers are right for you.

• Reach your diabetes ABC goals.

• Follow your diabetes food plan.  If you do not have one, ask your healthcare team.
• Eat the right portions of healthy foods.  Fruits and vegetables (5 to 9 servings a day), fish, lean meats, dry beans, whole grains, and low-fat milk and cheese.
• Eat foods that have less salt and fat.
• Get 30 to 60 minutes of activity on most days of the week.
• Stay at a healthy weight by being active and eating the right amounts of healthy food.
• Stop smoking by seeking help to quit.
• Take medicines the way your doctor tells you.  Ask if you need aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke.
• Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, red spots, and swelling.  Call your health care team right away about any sores that won’t heal.
• See your dentist at least twice a year.  Tell the dentist you have diabetes.
• Check your blood glucose the way your doctor tells you to.

• Keep your diabetes ABCs under control

           
Create a plan to deal with diabetes.  Use these tips to keep at it.

• Make a list of all your reasons to control your diabetes for life.
• Set goals you can reach, and break a big goal into small steps.  Start with a 5- to 10- minute walk three times a week.  Then, walk longer and more often.
• Make changes that you can stick with.  To lose weight and keep it off, eat smaller portions and be more active
• Try to figure out what tempts you to slip up in reaching your goals.  Decide now how you will handle these events next time.
• Reward yourself for staying in control.  Spend time with a friend or go to a movie.
• Ask for a little help from friends or family when you’re down or need someone to talk to.
• Learn to manage setbacks.  Admit that you’ve slipped and learn what you can from it and move on.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself.  Work towards a healthy future.

Losing weight and keeping it off is a real challenge. That's why it's important to begin a weight loss program with the help of your health care team, including, if possible, a dietitian. The medical professionals in your corner can help you find ways to decrease calories but still consume the foods you enjoy. As a bonus, people who work with their health care team to lose weight are more likely to be successful.

Even trimming 5 to 7 percent of your body weight and increasing physical activity, such as brisk walking for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, can cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in a person with pre-diabetes by more than half. You may even be able to decrease your insulin or oral diabetes medications.

November is American Diabetes Month. The holidays are fast approaching.  Now is the time to work on a plan for healthy eating and physical activity to help you manage diabetes without feeling deprived of holiday cheer.

Sources of Information:
American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org or 800-342-2383.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at www.ndep.nih.gov or 800-438-5383

"HEALTHY YOU” is a weekly column prepared by health care providers and staff at North Country Hospital and Health System. For information or to suggest a topic for this column, please call Mary Perkins, Wellness Center Manager, 334-3226, or email mperkins@nchsi.org.