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NIH Guidelines for Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease affecting how the human body uses blood sugar, called glucose. The three primary kinds of diabetes are: type 1 diabetes involves the pancreas producing little to no insulin, type 2 diabetes occurs when the body's cells don't use insulin correctly and gestational diabetes strikes females late in their pregnancies. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) includes several tips in its diabetes management guidelines.

  1. Glucose Levels

    • Check your blood glucose levels regularly. The NIH recommends keeping your blood sugar levels between 70 and 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) before meals and under 180 mg/dL within an hour or two after a meal. Talk to your physician about how often you should test yourself.

    Medications

    • Take any diabetes medications as directed. Your doctor might prescribe you a diabetes medicine to keep blood glucose levels within your target range. The NIH states you must take your medicine even when you're feeling healthy. Talk to your doctor about what time of day to take your diabetes medicine.

    Physical Activity

    • Exercise about 30 minutes every day. Ask your physician what physical activities are safe for you before you start an exercise regime. Taking a brisk walk generally allows you to be physically active with little chance of injury. The NIH suggests you wear well-fitting comfortable shoes and clean, dry socks. Inspect your feet after every exercise session.

    Dietary Guidelines

    • Create a meal plan. The NIH diabetes guidelines suggest filling up on fresh fruits and vegetables, fatty fish, beans and legumes, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Choose foods with high amounts of fiber, such as whole grain breads, crackers, cereals, pasta and rice.

      Limit your sweets. Sweet foods are less nutritious than other foods and tend to have more calories. Eliminating sweets will help you take the weight off and keep your blood sugar levels under control. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fresh fruit, frozen yogurt or fat-free ice cream.

      Talk to your doctor before drinking alcohol. Alcoholic beverages have no nutrients, but contain a high number of calories. Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach can also make your blood sugar level fall too low.

    Foot Care

    • Examine your feet every day. Many diabetics suffer nerve damage in their feet and cannot feel pain. Sores can become infected very easily, which can lead to gangrene and possible amputation. The NIH suggests you check for calluses, cuts, cracks, blisters, corns and red spots. Any of these have the potential for serious injury. Call your doctor immediately if you have any sores that aren't going away.

      Wash your feet in lukewarm water every day. Dry your feet really well, paying special attention to the area between your toes. Put lotion or oil on your feet after drying, but never put any moisturizing substances between your toes.

      Wear shoes or slippers at all times to protect your feet from injuries. Always check the inside of your shoes before slipping them on to make sure there are no sharp edges that might hurt your feet. Wear seamless socks for an extra layer of protection. Break in new shoes slowly. The NIH suggests wearing new shoes for only an hour or two every day for the first two weeks.

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