You’ve probably heard of diabetics using their one-touch glucometer to manage their condition. Diabetes management is actually more than that. The metabolic disorder is due to several factors and you can control them or at least manage the symptoms. Successful diabetes mellitus (DM) management should be a combination of medication, diet, and lifestyle changes. Here’s a quick rundown on how you can live a healthy life with DM.
Diabetes Mellitus Management
The following are safe ways for you to manage your DM. Before continuing the article, please coordinate with your physician before attempting to change your treatment plan. Some of these bits of advice may lower your blood sugar and cause hypoglycemia.
Weight Management
There is compelling evidence that the weight of a person can affect the management of DM. The reason is due to the accumulation of fat tissue and you don’t really need studies to know too much of fat tissue can be bad. Try the 3 M’s of weight management.
- Monitor – Using a detecto weighing scale or your preferred weighing scale, monitor your weight at the same time each day without clothes on. Preferably in the morning.
- Move – Any type of movement, be it exercise, or just long casual walks can be beneficial to your body.
- Meals – Managing diabetes requires eating the right meals. Starving yourself won’t be helpful especially if you have too much fat tissue. You’ll end up binge eating after starvation.
Blood Sugar Monitoring
People react differently to food. Two diabetics can eat something like corn, but they will have different increases in blood sugar. Use a reliable glucometer such as an EasyTouch GCU glucometer to measure your reaction to certain food. Ideal monitoring times are the following.
- Daily blood glucose baseline – Measure your blood sugar at 5 to 7 in the morning.
- After meals – 2 hours and 4 hours after a meal with certain types of food.
- During a symptom – If you feel any symptoms such as dizziness, blurring of vision, cold clammy hands, body sweat, etc.
- Before sleeping – Especially when you’re taking your nighttime insulin dose.
- During any other sickness – If you’re suffering from fever, GIT upset or other diseases, check your blood sugar at least every 6 hours. Any type of stress can increase your blood sugar levels.
Meal Management
As previously mentioned about underweight management, meals should be prepared in a way to lessen the impact of blood sugar to your body. Before continuing, inform your physician before changing your diet.
- Diabetic diet – Meals approximately 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat.
- Ketogenic diet – Meals approximately 50 to 60% protein, 30% fat and 10% to 20% carbs. Carbs should not be more than 20 grams a day.
- Intermittent fasting – Restricting meals to once a day and fasting 16 to 24 hours every other day. Close monitoring of blood sugar may be needed such as every 4 to 6 hours a day.
Food quality should be natural and should not be processed with harmful chemicals.
Blood Pressure Monitoring
Diabetes can also wreak havoc on the cardiovascular system. Monitor your blood pressure using an aneroid BP device and a Littman stethoscope. There are also self-inflating BP monitoring devices that you can use especially if you’re living alone.
Equipment and Supplies for Diabetes Mellitus Management
For managing DM successfully, you need proper working equipment and supplies. It won’t be good if the results are off the mark and it may even put you in danger when you’re taking your insulin or other medications. We at Philippine Medical Supplies understand your needs. We have top-notch equipment and supplies that you can order online. Have your order shipped within the week and start living a healthy lifestyle.
English
Arabic