National Diabetes Awareness Month: Keeping It Under Control
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and is full of programs designed to help individuals determine their risk of diabetes, visit their doctor for an assessment, and manage their diet and exercise routines.
But what if you already have diabetes? Is there anything that you can take away during this time? Of course; National Diabetes Month can also serve as an important reminder to take these steps to stay healthy and happy:
Build a Support System
Having diabetes can be an isolating experience, so it’s important to open up to your friends, family, loved ones, and especially your doctors about how you’re feeling, and how your emotions may be affecting your ability to manage your diabetes.
Additionally, discussing diabetes with other people who are facing the same challenges as you can help lessen the emotional burden that diabetes can cause.
Attending support groups, contacting the diabetes department of a local hospital, or seeking out diabetes education classes can go a long way towards helping you feel less alone in managing your diabetes.
Manage Your Diabetes by Staying Healthy
The easiest way to keep your diabetes under control is to actively engage in a healthy lifestyle, which can help keep the negative effects of the disease at bay.
Some things you can do to stay healthy are:
Invest in a pedometer. Saying “I want to exercise more” is a hard commitment to keep because it’s too vague. Instead, commit to walking a minimum of 10,000 steps (or 5 miles) a day, and track your progress with a pedometer.
Get enough sleep. Not getting enough sleep can impact your insulin resistance, which means your body needs more insulin to get glucose into your cells and can lead to higher blood glucose levels, and other complications. Additionally, not sleeping can impact how much you want to exercise, eat properly, and cope with stress.
Prevent Complications
One of the keys to living a long and productive life, with or without diabetes, is to take preventative measures to stay as healthy as possible.
Below are a few steps you can take to prevent complications:
Check your feet. It’s important to note what your feet look like, as they can be one of the first places to show symptoms that something is wrong.
Drink lots of water. Staying properly hydrated can have a lot of positive health benefits, but drinking water can help improve your energy levels, and can keep your body working as efficiently as possible.
Participate in World Diabetes Day November 14th
There are lots of events which happen worldwide which are aimed at increasing awareness about diabetes. For more information about which events are planned near you, check out the website of the International Diabetes Federation at www.idf.org.
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