Living with Type 2 Diabetes - Patient Information

CeeCee Conrad
Created Feb 15 2018
Interests: Endocrinology, Internal Medicine, Diabetes Mellitus
Follow (10 followers)

Tags: Endocrinology, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Diabetes Mellitus

Choosing a healthy, balanced diet and regular physical activity is an important part of your overall diabetes care and can help you keep your blood sugar levels under control.

It’s important for people with type 2 diabetes for two reasons:

1. It can help to keep your blood sugars on target:
   • by choosing food that will not cause blood sugar levels to rise as much
   • by being active to use sugar for energy
2. If you are overweight, it can help you bring your weight down:
   • this can help manage your diabetes, and
   • improve your overall health

Taking care of your body in this way can also have an additional positive impact on your emotional wellbeing, increase energy and relieve stress.

Eating well

This can feel like one of the hardest things to do, as it often seems easier or quicker to choose particular foods because they are convenient, or because that’s what everyone else is having. Eating well is about learning how to make healthy choices for you. You need to figure out what works for you and how to make healthy food choices, even when you are out with your friends.

Eating well doesn’t have to take a lot of time, cost a lot of money or be complicated. Your diabetes care team can help you create a meal plan that’s right for you and find ways to work healthy eating into your life.

The important things to remember are:

• Eat a variety of foods in the right amounts
• Eat regularly
• Balance how much you eat with your physical activity and your medication (if you take any) to help control blood sugar levels

Diet changes and food swaps

There’s lots of small changes you can make that make a big difference to your diet; for example, changing the way something is prepared (such as grilling instead of frying in oil), choosing low-sugar or low-fat alternatives, and making swaps such as:

Staying active

Physical activity is important not only to your blood sugar control, but to your general health too. If you find something you enjoy and that fits with your life, you’ll be much more likely to stick to it.

Even a small increase in physical activity may help with your diabetes management – you don’t need to start running marathons to see a difference! If you haven’t been active, it’s fine to start with 5 to 10 minutes a day and increase your activity a few minutes each week until you reach your goal.

The good thing is that there are so many options, that it’s just a matter of trying different things until you find one that suits you. Plus, trying new things can help to keep it interesting. If you prefer to have company, ask a friend or family member to go with you.

References

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