Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people worldwide. However, this doesn’t mean that there’s nothing that someone with diabetes can do about it. Just like type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes needs to be constantly managed to maintain normal glucose levels.
Over time, you can even potentially make it happen as if you didn’t have type 2 diabetes at all. But what are the things you need to do in order to stay healthy?
5 Tips To Maintain Normal Glucose Levels
One of the most important things about diabetes management is preventing complications1. This can be done by making sure that you have normal glucose levels, so that the high blood sugar levels don’t affect your organs.
Here are 5 things that you can do in order to maintain your blood sugar:
1. Watch What You Eat
One critical thing you’ll need to do is to be mindful of the food that you eat2. If you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, your doctor will provide you a meal plan that can help lower and normalize your blood sugar levels.
A typical meal plan usually consists of eating more vegetables and fruits, as well as lean meat. You’ll also need to cut back on sugary, fatty, and processed foods since these can make your condition worse.
Another benefit is that if you’re overweight, changing your diet can help you lose weight. Being at a healthy weight can also help lower the risk of diabetes complications.
2. Exercise
Along with diet, exercise is another important way to maintain normal glucose levels3. Generally, exercise can help lower your blood sugar levels.
However, take note to not overdo it as fairly intense exercise can actually cause blood sugar levels to go up. This usually happens if you have high levels of ketones in your blood. So if you have a combination glucose and ketone meter, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on both when you’re exercising.
3. Take Your Medication
Depending on how serious your type 2 diabetes is, your doctor might prescribe you medication4. What this medication does is it improves your body’s response to insulin so that you can absorb sugar in the bloodstream better. This can help you maintain normal glucose levels.
Make sure to always take your medication, even if you think that your blood sugar is already normal. Your blood sugar level decreases because of your medication. So if you stop taking it, your glucose levels will eventually increase again over time.
So as long as your doctor recommends it, always take your medication.
4. Check Your Blood Sugar Levels
For those with high glucose levels, checking your blood sugar might be necessary. In some cases, your doctor might prescribe you some medication that you can take whenever your blood sugar goes up beyond a certain point.
Monitoring your blood sugar levels can also help you keep track of how well you’re taking care of yourself. If you notice that your sugar is going up, then it might be a good idea to reassess how you’ve been managing your condition. Something might need to be changed, or you might need to eat healthier or exercise more.
5. Have Regular Checkups
Lastly, it is important to have regular checkups if you have type 2 diabetes5. This way, you and your doctor can keep tabs on your condition, and they can gauge your progress, or if you’ve been maintaining normal glucose levels.
If you have any unpleasant side effects from your medication, this is also a great time to discuss it with your doctor. Likewise, if you have any strange symptoms that might be related to your diabetes, talking to your doctor is the best way to address it as soon as possible.
Learn more about Diabetes here.
