Living With Type 2 Diabetes

Receiving a diagnosis for type 2 diabetes can be disheartening at best, and feel like a death sentence at worst. Although nobody would choose to have type 2 diabetes, take positive steps to live well and you will feel better and avoid potentially serious complications. Change your diagnosis into an incentive to be healthier than ever, and reap long-lasting benefits.

Your Support System

• According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, 10.7 percent of the United States population above the age of twenty has diabetes. Look at the over-60 age group, and that number jumps to 23.1 percent of the population. On a practical level, that means that you or somebody in your family or circle of friends will likely be diagnosed with diabetes. The better informed you are about managing and living with type 2 diabetes, whether it be for yourself or somebody else you care about, the better off you will be.

  A combination of three basic components will keep diabetes well managed. Well managed means lowering blood glucose levels to acceptable levels and avoiding or treating complications. The three keys are diet, exercise and medication. Some individuals can control diabetes with diet and exercise alone for a time, but most will eventually need oral medications or insulin shots to keep their glucose levels under control. Even though you are the most important person in your diabetes management, you need a support team.

  Your support team consists of doctors, nutritionists, a diabetes educator and most importantly, your friends and family. Although you have the primary responsibility to be proactive about achieving and maintaining good health, your doctor will help you know what goals you should set for your blood glucose levels and will check other health concerns. A good nutritionist and diabetes educator will help you improve your diet and lifestyle. They will also help you to modify and adapt to changes in your care plan or see which options do and do not work for you. A good diabetes educator is invaluable, since she will keep you informed of new studies and trials, and show you practical ways to do things, like checking your blood sugar or which meter is best for you.

  A diabetes diagnosis is not only worrisome for you, but for those who care about you too. Keep your friends and family informed about what your treatment plans are and how they can help you. If you take a medication that puts you at risk for hypoglycemic episodes, explain to them that if such an episode occurs, you will need a little bit of juice, candy or sugar to bring your blood glucose back to normal levels.

Staying Healthy

• You may feel overwhelmed with new information and emotions, not to mention changes in lifestyle. Or perhaps you have been living with type 2 diabetes for years and find it hard to make positive changes in your diet and exercise habits. In either case, don't expect to make radical changes overnight. If you are new to diabetes, find out as much as you can from your doctor, the library, your diabetes educator and even the Internet. A word to the wise: carefully check any information or website that you find on the Internet to make sure it comes from a reputable source, and never change your treatment plan or diet without checking with your doctor first.

  If you have had diabetes for years and have never gotten motivated to make major changes, or did make them and then backtracked, it is never too late to take positive steps to living well. Keep your motivation for taking care of yourself high by joining a walking group or fitness class. Attend local support group meetings for diabetes care. Join or read forums on the Internet to meet other people with type 2 diabetes and see how they cope. Learning as much as you can about type 2 diabetes and applying suggestions that work in your life will help you to gain control. Feeling you can control your type 2 diabetes will motivate you to live well.