Diabetes: Diabetes has now become the “silent killer” for this reason: the condition can cause severe health complications without showing visible symptoms during its early stages. It is dangerous because a person may unknowingly have high blood sugar levels for many years and consequently suffer damage to important organs that cannot be reversed.
The Silent Danger of Diabetes
Diabetes develops slowly and generally without symptoms. With type 2 diabetes, most people are unaware of any discomfort from high blood sugar; therefore, the disease progresses symptom-free until severe problems develop. Complications often include heart and cerebrovascular disease, damage to the kidney and nerves, and eye conditions. Such serious complications occur from the prolonged presence of high blood sugar that damages blood vessels and nerves.
10 Control Blood Sugar Levels
Track Your Blood Sugar: With continuous glucose monitoring, tracking blood sugar is an efficient diabetes management strategy. Use the glucose meter recommended by your health care provider and track your levels frequently. This way, you can understand at what time your blood sugar changes due to food intake, exercise, or tablets.
Follow a healthy diet: A diet that is balanced contains whole grain food, lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits. A diet should avoid sugars and refined carbohydrates. Equally balanced meals control blood sugar and ensure nutrients.
Regular Exercise: Physical activity will help your body make better use of the insulin it produces and reduce high blood sugar. The aim is at least 30 minutes per day, most days of the week, of moderate exercise. Successful activities include walking, cycling, and swimming.
Keeping Your Weigh: It is the most critical factor in controlling blood sugar levels. Extra weight brings about insulin resistance, hence difficult to control diabetes. Diet and exercise go hand in hand with weight control.
Hydrate Your Body: Fluids ensure that sugar is flushed out as excess urine and keeps the body hydrated. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
Limit your alcohol intake: Alcohol can cause the blood glucose level to rise and then crash. If you drink, do it moderately and only with food. You will want to pay very close attention to how you are affected when consuming alcohol.
Sleep: Not sleeping enough can affect blood sugar levels and raise insulin resistance. Up to 7-9 hours of good quality sleep each night are also recommended for general health and regulating blood sugar.
Manage Stress: Stress contributes to raising high blood sugars, which makes diabetes harder to control. Learn relaxation techniques like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga.
Follow Your Medication Regimen: Adhere strictly to your regimen of medications or insulin as recommended by your healthcare provider. Missing doses or failing to use the right medication can cause rampant blood sugars.
Educate Yourself: The more information you are aware of in reference to diabetes, the better decision maker you are. Of course, attending a diabetes education class; read current, credible sources; and stay informed about what research is being done.