Millions of people around the world have diabetes. It is a chronic disease caused by the body’s inability to produce and use insulin, resulting in high blood sugar levels.
If you or someone you care for has recently been diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes, this article will familiarize you with the necessary supplies. These items will help you to manage your diabetes and avoid complications.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition that affects how the body processes glucose, which is necessary for energy production. In people with diabetes, the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, or cannot use insulin effectively.
As a result, glucose accumulates in the bloodstream, leading to various health issues.
Tips to Manage Diabetes
Create a diabetes care plan that helps you structure your daily routine and health-promoting lifestyle. Here are some best practices for managing diabetes:
1. Eat healthy
There is no denying that healthy eating is one of the cornerstones of living a healthy life, whether or not you have diabetes. But if you have diabetes, you must understand how foods affect your blood sugar levels. It is not just what type of food you eat, but also how much and what combination of food types is consumed.
2. Exercise
Exercise is another aspect of your diabetes management plan since your muscles use sugar (glucose) for energy. Being active also helps your body use insulin more effectively.
You can lower your blood sugar by strenuous exercise, doing regular housework, gardening, or standing for an extended period. The more strenuous your workout is, the longer the effect lasts.
When exercising, ensure you have a small snack or glucose tablets if your blood sugar level drops too low. Make sure that you wear a medical identification bracelet as well.
3. A1C test
It is important to note that the A1C test measures your average blood glucose level over the last three months. Many people with diabetes have a target A1C level that should be below 7 percent. It would be best to ask your healthcare team what your target should be.
4. Medication
The purpose of insulin and other diabetes medications is to lower your blood sugar levels when diet and exercise are insufficient for treating diabetes alone.
However, the effectiveness of these medications depends on how and when they are taken. Medications you take for other conditions can also affect your blood sugar levels.
5. Say No to Alcohol
The liver usually releases stored sugar to counter the effect of falling blood sugar levels. However, if your liver is busy metabolizing alcohol, your blood sugar level might not get the boost it needs.
It is possible to experience a low blood sugar level for as long as 24 hours after drinking alcohol, resulting in a low blood sugar level shortly after drinking it.
6. Stop taking Stress
When you are stressed, your body produces hormones in response to prolonged stress that can cause raise blood sugar levels. Furthermore, if you are under a lot of extra pressure, you may have difficulty following your usual diabetes management routine closely.
7. Check your Cholesterol Level
A person’s blood contains two kinds of cholesterol: LDL and HDL. Too much LDL cholesterol clogs blood vessels, leading to an attack or stroke. HDL cholesterol prevents blood vessels from clogging up.
When you reach 40, you may need a statin drug to protect your heart. Ask your healthcare provider what your cholesterol numbers should be.
8. Stop smoking
Smoking cessation is essential for diabetes patients since smoking and diabetes both lead to the constriction of blood vessels. The constriction of blood vessels strains the heart. E-cigarettes don’t offer safety either.
If you decide to give up smoking
- Your vulnerability to heart attacks, strokes, nerve damage, kidney damage, diabetic retinopathy, and amputation will be reduced
- Your cholesterol and blood pressure levels could improve
- There could be an enhancement in blood circulation
- You might find it easier to be physically active.
Best use of diabetes supplies
Here are five essential diabetic supplies that American Diabetes Association recommends:
1. Blood Glucose Meter:
Blood glucose meters are critical for measuring blood sugar levels, but beware, they can be tricky.
So, to make the most of them, read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully, use test strips compatible with your meter, keep your meter clean, and maintain a log of your readings to share with your healthcare provider.
2. Test strips
Test strips are another critical supply for measuring blood sugar levels but require some bursty care to use effectively.
Ensure to use test strips compatible with your meter, check the expiration date before using, wash your hands before testing, avoid damaged or discolored strips, and store them in a dry, sunless, and heatless location.
3. Lancets and Lancing Devices
Lancets and lancing devices are used to draw blood for glucose testing. They are not so straightforward, so here are some perplexing tips to help.
Clean your hands before use, use a fresh lancet every time, adjust the lancing device’s depth based on your skin thickness, never share lancets with anyone, and dispose of used lancets using a puncture-resistant container.
4. Insulin pump
Insulin pumps are a popular choice for delivering insulin into the body, but using them with perplexing care is essential.
Always wear your pump and keep it nearby, carry extra insulin and supplies, frequently monitor your blood glucose levels, replace your infusion set and insulin cartridge per your healthcare provider’s instructions, and avoid exposing your pump to extreme temperatures.
5. Continuous glucose monitor
Continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS) are fantastic for continuously measuring blood sugar levels but require some effective bursty care.
Calibrate your CGMS based on the manufacturer’s instructions, keep the sensor in place as recommended, verify CGMS readings with a meter, use trend data to inform diabetes management, and replace your sensor and transmitter per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Conclusion
Many challenges are associated with managing diabetes, but with the right tools and resources, living a fulfilling and healthy life is possible despite the disease.
A person with diabetes can improve their quality of life and reduce their risk of complications associated with the disease by following the best practices for managing diabetes and using diabetic supplies mentioned in the article.