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Ten Easy Tips for Developing Good Diabetes Habits
By John Crowley, Caregiver Advocate
November 17, 2009
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Honestly, people are just like water and electricity: we like to follow the path of least resistance. What does that mean for managing and controlling diabetes? It means that we like to settle into comfortable routines. We want to “figure things out” and then put them on cruise control. Isn’t that true?
My advice today is to use the power of routines to your advantage. The following tips are diabetes management ideas that can become good healthy habits that can save you time, frustration, and hopefully long-term complications.
1. Whenever you get a high blood sugar reading on your meter that you have no explanation for, wash your hands and test again. Often, you simply have some residue on your hands. Treating yourself for high blood sugar when you’re not truly high can be a scary thing. Make it a habit to double check.
2. Store your glucose meter where it will remind you to use it. For example, if you know the next time you’ll need to test will be at lunch, put your tester inside your lunch sack, or at the table where you’ll sit down to eat, or on your car seat if you’re going out.
3. Find a dentist who aggressively reminds you when it’s time for your six-month (or more often) check up. Diabetics are more prone to gum disease, so it is essential to take care of your dental health. But find a dentist who will take over this responsibility so you don’t have to worry about it.
4. Always, always, always choose shoes that breathe. Avoid plastic or waterproof shoes that make your feet perspire more and encourage fungal growth. Sandals can be a good choice if you’re careful to avoid cuts or other injuries.
5. Air your shoes out in direct sunlight. This simple habit can inhibit fungal growth in your shoes. Also, avoid wearing the same shoes two days in a row.
6. Store juices, hard candies, or glucose tabs where you can get them quickly in the case of a low blood sugar. You should have quick-acting sugars in your car, in your desk, in your purse/business bag, and in your gym bag.
7. Establish a few stand-by low-carb meals that you like to eat. Make it a habit to always have the ingredients for those meals on hand. That way, when you’re having one of “those” days when you can’t seem to bring your blood sugar down, you know you have something healthy to eat for dinner.
8. At the end of each day when you take off your shoes, take a minute or two and check your feet for any cuts, scrapes, blisters, or swelling. This is extra important for anyone suffering from neuropathy.
9. Develop a good support team in addition to your medical healthcare team. Make it a habit to check in regularly with your spouse, your parents, a good friend or someone who understands what it takes to properly manage diabetes. Tell your support team what goals you’re working toward to increase your accountability.
10. Be gentle on yourself when things don’t go perfectly. Diabetes is impossible to control perfectly every day. There are going to be setbacks. Don’t get discouraged. Learn a little each day about what works for you. Then move forward.
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Comments (12 comments)
Add your commentOne had to make diabetes a complete lifestle, not a diet, and stick to the suggestions above in order to maintain your health. Like anything else, I find it to be a learning curve and one that I tweak everyday with the more knowledge I acquire. Thanks for info.
Thanks, John, all good tips!
It would be great to see an article on how to juggle 10 hour work days, full time classes, exercize and diet. I have been diabetic for many many years, however, unless I am really sick, I don't seem to have time to do the things suggested. I take my lantus at night and that's about it. Any suggestions from busy diabetics. All are welcome here
I've had diabetes for about 6 years and been on insulin for 3, I have an Indocrinoligist that disagrees with the American diabetes asso. and has told me to avoid anything white and to eat meat and vegetables because my enemy is not fat but carbs, so I try. I also have to limit fruits because of the sugar, my sugar will range from 290 to 110, I test 4x a day. I was diagnosed with lung cancer 6 months, had surgery and for now am cancer free, am getting back to exercise and the going is slow.
those are great ideas! i love wearing sandals all the time because i've always felt it's better for the health of feet.
also, please note that a lot of the glucose meters have been recalled or have been suspected of being widely in error, so if you're eating a low/carb no carb diet and you're getting high readings, check on some of the recall sites for your meter and get a fasting blood glucose check one morning from your doctor and compare to your meter.
there have also been some recent studies out there that for SOME diabetics, two large cups of home brewed green tea did BETTER or just as good than those taking oral meds—so think about adding green tea until your numbers return to normal. other people got their numbers down by drinking plenty of water—a half gallon per day.
also, note the value of testing is diminished if you are not watching your diet and making changes to get your blood sugar down. what good is it to eat the wrong stuff, test your blood sugar, and then then continue doing the same thing? it's a waste of time and money for you. the idea of testing is to determine if there are some foods that make your blood sugar blip or spike upwards and then eliminate those foods. other than that, the meters are a waste of time, IMHO. they add to stress and anxiety and can make your diabetes worse. good luck
Thanks, John this is an excellent pice of information it will help me in the future to control my blood sugar
I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes March 2009. My doctor immediately put me in the hospital to lower my sugar level from 675 to 150. I injected 35 units of insulin daily. Also, I weighed 347 lbs. Currently, I weigh 269 lbs and is insulin free. Exercising and eating fruits and vegetables have helped tremendously.
Thanks, John~this is very good information especially point #10. I have a tendency to seek perfection rather than progress and, hence, set myself up for a fall.
Thank you for enlighting me on the fact that I may have something on my hands that could ulter my blood sugar reading.
this is a very good article.
Thank you for this informative info., I enjoyed reading it and I will try and impliment the advise you gave into my daily living.
Thank you for this information,it is very helpful,I found out I was a diabetic in May of 2009,my diabetis is controlled by my diet and exercise,so I joined the gym and I workout 3x's a week,but I am still learning to eat the right way.
Annie1949
I have type 2 diabetes and I got Type 2 diabetes back in 2003. I take my blood sugar almost everyday coz sometimes I forget for I have a very bad memory, I had a very bad memory when I was very young going to school. I eat anything I want and as much as I want most of the time!!
How does the earn points thing help me?
Thanks,
Kay Nowicki