The Ultimate Guide to Living Well With Diabetes

This article was updated on 10/10/2023.

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that demands attention, care, and mindful choices. While managing the condition can be complex, it doesn't have to define your life! In fact, keeping your diabetes in check can result in positive changes that can improve your quality of life by making you healthier.

Whether you're a newly diagnosed diabetic or someone who has been living with diabetes for a long time, this article can serve as a guide to simplify your management routine so you can enjoy life to the fullest.

It's vital that you manage diabetes correctly because if it does go unmanaged, it can lead to diabetes complications, such as:

The first step to living with diabetes successfully and safely is learning as much as possible about your condition. Diabetes education may take a little time, but the more you know, the more easily you can manage symptoms. Let's start with some basic information about how your body uses the food you eat for energy and how that food can affect diabetes.

Some foods you eat, such as carbohydrates, get turned into glucose, which is used to fuel your body or stored and used as energy later on. Glucose is managed by insulin, which is a hormone that is usually naturally produced in your pancreas. Insulin helps glucose turn into energy or be stored for later use in your liver or muscle tissues.

Diabetes occurs in people whose bodies can't manage or make the proper amount of insulin, resulting in 2 types of diabetes.

Those who are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes include:

Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, regular check-ups are critical for your diabetes care plan. Find a healthcare provider and visit them routinely and during times of uncertainty, including insulin stacking incidents or if you're having pain in your body related to diabetes. It's recommended that people who inject insulin see their healthcare provider every 3 to 4 months, and people who don't inject insulin see their doctor every 4 to 6 months.

• Eye exam: Used to check for eye damage related to diabetes by dilating the eyes and looking for retinal damage. Signs of eye damage can help determine the severity of your diabetes. Get an eye exam once a year.
• Kidney screening: Uses blood and urine tests to check your kidneys for diabetic symptoms. Kidney screenings can check how well your kidneys filter your blood and detect chronic kidney disease (CKD). You should get a kidney screening at least once a year.
• Blood pressure check: Measures your blood pressure to detect the risk of stroke or heart attacks. Get a blood pressure check every time you visit your healthcare provider.
• Electrocardiogram: Checks your overall heart function and health and can help prevent heart attacks. Get an electrocardiogram if you're over 50 and have diabetes.
• Dental exam: Examines the gums for gum disease related to diabetes. Get a dental exam every six months.
• Cholesterol test: Checks your cholesterol levels to prevent heart attack, heart disease, or stroke. Have a cholesterol test once a year.

Healthy eating is another excellent step toward developing a beneficial treatment plan, especially if you have type 2 diabetes, since it can be managed with the right food choices. In addition, eating right can help you control your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels, maintain a healthy weight, and prevent diabetes symptoms.

While you should aim to eat healthy foods, there are ways to eat less healthy foods, like fast food, as long as you plan accordingly. Another helpful tip is using diabetes-friendly shopping lists at the grocery store.

If you have diabetes, it can be tricky to plan your meal times since you may need to base your insulin doses on the food you put into your body. Depending on which type of diabetes you have and what medications you're on, you might need to eat at the same time each day. The most important step in figuring out when to eat is to speak with a healthcare professional to make a diabetes care plan. Then, keep a food log so you know when to inject insulin to avoid insulin stacking or hypoglycemia. Your healthcare provider can also tell you how much you should eat and what foods to include.

Exercise can help lower your blood pressure and blood glucose levels, aid in weight loss, and prevent other health problems. It's important to note that if you inject insulin or take other diabetes medications, you may experience hypoglycemia after exercising. Speak with your healthcare provider about when to eat or take insulin to prevent your blood glucose levels from dropping too low from exercise. You should engage in physical activity at least 3 to 4 times weekly for at least 20-30 minutes per session.

Monitoring your blood sugar levels at home is another excellent part of diabetes self-care, especially if you inject insulin. One of the easiest ways to do this is with the help of a continuous glucose monitor (CGM).

CGMs can easily monitor your glucose levels without using fingerpricks. Instead, the systems work by scanning the interstitial fluid in your body through your skin, usually through a sensor placed on the back of your arm. The sensor then sends information to a transmitter, which sends the data to a portable reader or phone.

CGMs can cost up to $6,000 per year, but Aeroflow Diabetes may be able to supply you with one at little-to-no cost through your Medicare or other insurance plans. To see if you qualify, all you need to do is fill out our Eligibility Form.

If you do qualify, our Diabetes Care Specialists will reach out to you and help you fill out the necessary paperwork from your doctor. They'll also answer any questions you have about the CGMs we offer and any questions you may have about your insurance coverage and costs. Then, you'll choose your supplies, and they'll be shipped directly to your home for free, making your diabetes management more accessible than ever.

The following strategies can help you be more confident in your diabetes self-management plan.

If you need a CGM to manage your blood glucose levels at home, Aeroflow Diabetes may be able to provide you with one at a low cost through your Medicare or other insurance plan.

To see if you qualify, complete our Eligibility Form.

If you're eligible, a Diabetes Care Specialist will contact you to inform you of the next steps to getting your CGM delivered straight to your home.

References

What is Diabetes? (n.d.). Www.diabetesresearch.org. https://www.diabetesresearch.org/what-is-diabetes#:~:text=Diabetes%20occurs%20when%20your%20body

‌CDC. (2019). Diabetes Risk Factors. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/risk-factors.html

‌Your Diabetes Care Team. (n.d.). WebMD. Retrieved May 17, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/diabetes-health-care-team#:~:text=come%20with%20diabetes.-

‌Statistics About Diabetes | ADA. (n.d.). Www.diabetes.org. https://www.diabetes.org/about-us/statistics/about-diabetes#:~:text=Overall%20numbers

‌More Americans Successfully Managing Diabetes. (n.d.). WebMD. Retrieved May 17, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/news/20130215/more-americans-successfully-managing-diabetes

Disclaimer

Information provided on the Aeroflow Diabetes website is not intended as a substitute for medical advice or care from a healthcare professional. Aeroflow recommends consulting your healthcare provider if you are experiencing medical issues relating to diabetes care.