Life As a Diabetic

Normalcy is the goal for most diabetics as their routine and meal-planning can be very difficult to integrate into their daily lives. Over time, many of the rituals needed to maintain healthy lives become routine and are seen as normal but essential daily actions.

Daily Monitoring

• The most important aspect of the daily routine of a diabetic is blood sugar monitoring. It must be done several times a day to maintain normal blood sugar levels before and after meals. Normal blood sugar levels are in the 90 to 120 mg/dl range and can be hard to manage on a daily basis. By checking their blood before meals, diabetics can gauge how much medication will be needed based on the meal. Many use a sliding scale to determine the amount necessary based on the overall amount of carbohydrates and their types.

Exercise

• Exercise is a natural way to lower the glucose in your sugar. Diabetics who are on oral medication often exercise to keep their sugar levels in check. Exercise is not only a great way to keep in shape, but often the only way to maintain health and a way to keep their blood sugar at normal or near-normal levels. Insulin-dependent diabetics must also exercise to keep blood sugars level, but must also monitor their blood sugar levels before and after exercise since their body is no longer capable of producing insulin.

Eating

• Eating is a part of everyone's life, but it is particularly important for diabetics. Food of various types raises the levels of blood sugar in the body, so a strict diet must usually be followed in order to stay in control and minimize the negative effects of high blood glucose. As time progresses, we learn which foods affect our levels and adjust insulin amounts to compensate. using a sliding scale which allows us to inject the correct amounts of insulin based on food choices, diabetics can eat just about any food type available.

Prevention

• On a daily basis, diabetics must monitor their blood sugar as well as their limbs, especially their feet and toes. As levels in the blood rise, the damage done to nerves often makes their hands and feet numb. When a diabetic has numb feet and toes, lacerations or wounds can become infected without their knowledge. This can often lead to surgery and even amputation, so the daily inspections of wounds and tests for nerve damage are essential.

Misconceptions and Education

• There are many myths and misconceptions regarding diabetes. It is important that as a diabetic you educate people about your disease in your daily life. The more people know about the disease the better they will be able to handle it if they or any of their loved ones become diabetic. These misconceptions include misinformation that can be easily countered in a respectful manner and should be treated with kindness and understanding.