If you have diabetes, you should know the basic steps for managing it so that you stay as healthy as possible. Poorly managed diabetes can lead to many health problems.
All people with diabetes should know:
If you take insulin, you should also know:
You should also live a healthy lifestyle. This includes exercise. You should do at least 30 minutes of fast walking 5 days a week. Make sure you follow your meal plan.
Take your medicines the way your doctor and nurse ask you to.
Checking your blood sugar levels often and writing down the results will tell you how well you are managing your diabetes. Talk to your doctor and diabetes educator about how often.
Usual times to test your blood sugar are before meals and at bedtime. Other times to check your blood sugar may be:
Keep a record for yourself and your doctor or nurse. This will be a big help if you are having problems managing your diabetes. It will also tell you what you did when your diabetes management is good. Write down:
You and your doctor should set a target goal for your blood sugar levels for different times during the day. If your blood sugar is higher than your goals for 3 days and you do not know why, call your doctor or nurse.
For people with type 1 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends the following blood sugar targets. Talk to your doctor and diabetes educator about these goals.
Before meals, your blood sugar should be:
After meals (1 - 2 hours after eating), your blood sugar should be:
At bedtime, your blood sugar should be:
For people with type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends the following blood sugar targets. Talk to your doctor and diabetes educator about these goals.
Before meals, your blood sugar should be:
After meals (1 to 2 hours after eating), your blood sugar should be:
High blood sugar can harm you. If your blood sugar is high, you need to know how to bring it down. Here are some questions to ask yourself if your blood sugars are high:
Call your doctor if your blood sugar is too high or too low and you don’t understand why. When your blood sugars are in your target range, you will feel better and your health will be better.
See also:
Hyperglycemia - control; Hypoglycemia - control; Diabetes - blood sugar control
American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes -- 2010. Diabetes Care. 2010 Jan;33 Suppl 1:S11-61.
Updated by: Ari S. Eckman, MD, Chief, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Elizabeth, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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