Real-Life Ways to Manage Diabetes

For people with diabetes, too often life seems to get in the way of healthful eating, physical activity, glucose testing, medication regimens and all those doctor visits.

So you may ask yourself why you should make the special efforts required. The answer: Without good glucose control, diabetes can cause serious complications such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease and lower-limb amputations.

“We need to acknowledge that the demands of taking care of diabetes are very time-consuming, but self-managing this disease is vital to staying well,” says Fran Laverty, clinical nurse specialist and certified diabetes educator with Salem Hospital’s diabetes education program.

“A person with diabetes needs not only information, but also support in applying what he or she learns,” she continues. “Such support is one of the valuable things that educational programs, such as the one offered at Salem Hospital, can provide.”

Below is a sampling of the “real-life” challenges that people with diabetes often face, along with some solutions.

Challenge 1: You’re just not sure what you should—or shouldn’t—be doing for yourself as far as diet, changing medications or managing your glucose levels.

Solution: Seek out expert advice now. Ask your doctor or diabetes educator to explain answers in simple language and write down what you hear for future reference if necessary.

Challenge 2: You can’t “get moving” on physical activity. There’s too little time for exercise, you don’t have the energy, or you don’t know what exercise to do.

Solution: Look for an activity you enjoy, and ask your healthcare provider for some exercise guidelines. Then start with baby steps. Don’t set yourself up to fail by jumping into a too-rigorous program.

Challenge 3: You feel helpless and hopeless about controlling your weight. Sticking with a diet seems too complex or downright undoable.

Solution: Begin with a reality check; healthful weight loss actually doesn’t have to involve confusing diet plans, complex measurements or purchasing special food products. Just by eating a balanced diet, and paying attention to portion sizes and total calories, you can make a meaningful difference in your weight. And that weight loss can help lower your blood sugar. You should realize that food is often a critical, ongoing issue for people with diabetes. Take advantage of the information available from a registered dietitian.

Challenge 4: You would rather ignore your diagnosis altogether.

Solution: Denial can be very strong in diabetes— you aren’t the only person who feels like ignoring it. Acknowledgement is the first step in controlling your disease and avoiding its consequences. Discuss your diabetes with your family or others who have the disease, and ask for their advice and support. It can make all the difference to your future.

Air Travel Tips
The key to experiencing any happy, safe vacation trip is planning. This is especially true for people with diabetes who are traveling by air.

Here are some quick tips:

• Remember to keep yourself hydrated while flying, but avoid caffeinated beverages, which dehydrate rather than hydrate. Be sure you have food with you, since delays can always happen. Fruit and a balanced nutrition bar are good to bring along.
• Carry a prescription from your physician that can serve as proof of your diabetes and the need to carry syringes, lancets and a glucose monitor. Leave insulin and other medications in their original pharmacy containers.
• Carry half of your medicine and supplies on the plane in case your checked baggage is lost. Also, take a physician’s prescription for more supplies, since there may be a delay in finding your luggage.