Diabetes is an incurable disease which affects how your body uses sugar, the primary form of sugar in your bloodstream. Diabetes is an enormous risk factor for many serious diseases such as heart disease, stroke and kidney failure. However, those with diabetes do not all develop such diseases (apart from a few complications). If you are diagnosed with diabetes, you will have to make some changes to your lifestyle.
To avoid the risks of diabetes, it’s essential to monitor your blood sugar levels and follow the medication given to you. This is actually the easiest way to control your condition. Here’s how to do it:
Firstly, make sure that you monitor your blood glucose level each morning. In case of any abnormalities, immediately contact your doctor or pharmacist. For example, if you feel that your sugar levels are too low in the morning, immediately go to the hospital and make an appointment with a diabetes specialist to help you monitor your levels more closely. This will help you identify which medications to take.
Secondly, make sure that you eat foods that are rich in fiber and lower in calories. You should ideally choose high-fiber foods like whole grain breads and cereals. A low-fat and low-carb diet is highly recommended for diabetics. If you follow such a diet and maintain the recommended amount of exercise each day, you will be able to keep your blood sugar levels at a constant level throughout the day and therefore you can keep your body in good shape. Diabetics should always eat a balanced diet, especially if they have other health problems.
Thirdly, it’s important to avoid taking certain types of medication if your blood sugar levels are too high. Examples are certain beta blockers, anti-inflammatory drugs, antipsychotic drugs and anti-seizure medications. It’s also best not to take aspirin, penicillin, and other antibiotics in cases where you may have severe diabetic ketoacidosis.
Fourthly, it’s very important to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration and high sugar levels. Make sure that you drink at least eight glasses of water every day. Drink it in the morning before breakfast and at least after meals. It is also very important to make sure that you drink eight glasses a day even if you do not feel thirsty. The idea behind this is to flush your system of the toxins which are often present in the fluids in the urine and blood and on the skin.