10 ways to make life sweet for diabetics

Diabetes is a serious disease. If you have it, following the treatment plan you and your doctor have agreed on takes round-the-clock commitment. It may not always be easy, but your efforts are worthwhile. That’s because thoughtful or thorough diabetes care can reduce your risk of serious even life-threatening  complications.

Here are 10 ways you can take an active role in your own diabetes care and enjoy a healthier future.

1. Take control of your condition. Members of your diabetic care team  including your doctor, nurse, and dietitian  can help you learn the basics of diabetic care and offer support and encouragement along the way. But it’s up to you to manage your condition. After all, no one has a greater stake in your health than you do.

Learn all you can about diabetes. Make healthy eating and physical activity part of your daily routine. Maintain a healthy weight. If you and your doctor decide that monitoring your blood sugar level is important for you, do so and work with your diabetes treatment team to keep your blood sugar level within your target range. Don’t be afraid to ask your diabetes team for help when you need it. Good diabetes control is not just about blood sugar control, it’s also about living a healthy, productive life.

2. Schedule yearly physicals and regular eye exams. Your regular diabetes checkups aren’t meant to replace yearly physicals or routine eye exams. During a physical, your doctor will look for any diabetes-related complications  including signs of kidney damage, nerve damage, and heart disease  as well as screen for other medical problems. Your eye care specialist should check for complications of diabetes, such as retinal damage and other eye concerns, at least once a year.

3. Keep your immunizations current. High blood sugar can weaken your immune system, which makes routine vaccination important than ever. Ask your doctor about:

• Flu (influenza) vaccine. A yearly vaccine may help you stay healthy during the flu season, as well as prevent complications from the flu.

• Pneumonia (pneumococcal) vaccine. Sometimes, the pneumonia vaccine is a one-shot deal. If you have diabetes complications or you’re age 65 or older, you may need a five-year booster shot.

• Other vaccines. Stay up-to-date with your tetanus shot and its 10-year boosters. Depending on the circumstances, your doctor may recommend the hepatitis B vaccine, the shingles vaccine, and possibly others as well.

4. Take care of your teeth. Diabetes may leave you prone to gum infections and gum disease can contribute to poor blood sugar control. To keep your mouth healthy, brush teeth at least twice a day, floss your teeth once a day, and schedule dental exams at least twice a year. Consult your dentist right away if your gums bleed or look red or swollen.

5. Pay attention to your feet. Diabetes can damage the nerves and blood vessels in your legs, and reduce blood flow  especially to your feet. Left untreated, cuts and blisters can become infected. To prevent foot problems:

• Avoid going barefoot, even at home.

• Wash your feet daily in lukewarm water.

• Trim your toenails carefully and straight across.

• Dry your feet gently, especially between the toes.

• Moisturize your feet and ankles.

• Check your feet every day for blisters, cuts, sores, redness or swelling.

• Consult your doctor if you have a sore or any other foot problem that doesn’t start to heal within a few days, or if you experience numbness or pain. Your doctor should also regularly examine your feet to check for areas of concern. When you see a doctor, make it a habit to take your shoes and socks off.

6. Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control. Like diabetes, high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels. High cholesterol is a concern, too, since the damage is often worse and more rapid when you have diabetes. When these conditions team up, they can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other serious conditions. At every routine visit, you should have your blood pressure checked. It is also recommended that you have your cholesterol checked at least annually.

If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, eating healthy foods and exercising regularly can go a long way toward helping you control the problem. Medications, such as cholesterol-lowering statins, may be needed, too. Your doctor may prescribe other drugs  angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBS), beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics  to keep blood pressure-related complications at bay.

If you have diabetes, a blood pressure reading below 130/80 mm Hg is considered ideal in most cases. For diabetics, the optimum cholesterol targets are as follows: a low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level of under 100 mg/dL, a high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level of above 50 mg/dL for women and above 40 mg/dL for men, and a triglyceride level of under 150 mg/dL. However, some diabetes specialists recommend reaching an even lower LDL goal of 70 mg/dL or less.

7. Take a daily aspirin. Aspirin interferes with your blood’s ability to clot. Taking a daily aspirin can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke  major concerns when you have diabetes. In fact, daily aspirin therapy is recommended for many people who have diabetes. Ask your doctor about daily aspirin therapy, including which strength of aspirin would be best, or for alternatives if you cannot take aspirin.

9. Don’t smoke. If you smoke or use other types of tobacco, ask your doctor to help you quit. Smoking increases your risk of various diabetes complications, including heart attack, stroke, nerve damage, and kidney disease. In fact, smokers who have diabetes are three times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than are nonsmokers who have diabetes. Talk to your doctor about ways to stop smoking or to stop using other types of tobacco.

9. Drink responsibly. Alcohol can cause either high or low blood sugar, depending on how much you drink and if you eat at the same time. If you drink, do so only in moderation and always with a meal. Remember to include the calories from any alcohol you drink in your daily calorie count.

10. Take stress seriously. If you’re stressed, it’s easy to abandon your usual diabetes routine. The hormones your body may produce in response to prolonged stress may prevent insulin from working properly, which only makes matters worse. To take control, set limits. Prioritize your tasks. Learn relaxation techniques. Get plenty of sleep.

If you feel you may be depressed, take this concern to your doctor. Depression can make it more difficult for you to take care of your health and your diabetes. At the same time, poor diabetes control can make your depression worse.

Above all, stay positive. Diabetes care is within your control. If you’re willing to do your part, diabetes won’t stand in the way of an active, healthy life. –Tyrone M. Reyes, M.D. (The Philippine Star)